Steak & Catfish

[Journey]

Does anyone know anything about this place in the Legacy Apts in downtown OKC? Driving past there yesterday, it looked open for business. Interesting location--has anyone been there yet? Thanks.

[Euphoria]

Eh, it's not bad. Their catfish is decent (not up to the standards of Bill's or any of the other stellar catfish places in OK) and their burgers are pretty good. Pricing seemed to be spot on for the quality. Service when I went, about a month ago, was very good.

[metro]

Eh, it's not bad. Their catfish is decent (not up to the standards of Bill's or any of the other stellar catfish places in OK) and their burgers are pretty good. Pricing seemed to be spot on for the quality. Service when I went, about a month ago, was very good.

Since we're in OKC, can you compare it to other catfish places in OKC.

[Bigrayok]

It is a branch of the place with the same name at I-35 and Waterloo Road. It is owned by a couple named Vitale who used to have an Italian restaurant in the I-35 location. They are originally from New Jersey and the wife has family in Italy. I have not been to the new location but the food is good at the original. It is my understanding the downtown location is serving some Italian dishes also. They have homemade chicken soup at the original I like. Does Bill's still have any Oklahoma City area locations? Some closed down.

Bigray in Ok

[MikeOKC]

Since we're in OKC, can you compare it to other catfish places in OKC.

[kevinpate]

LOL, nice cop car

[metro]

This coming from MIKEOKC of all posters. Call me what you want, but anyhow I asked a legitimate question to compare it to other local places instead of places out in podunk Oklahoma 3 hours away, for those who want to grab a quick bite to eat locally instead of driving 3 hours.

[Euphoria]

Sure, I can compare it to places in OKC!

It's worse than Charlestons but better than Catfish Cabin.


Done

[Steve]

I went there for breakfast recently and it was actually very good. The name is still a disaster, but everything these folks are doing, from the street presence to food, is progressing. Breakfast is worth giving them a shot. Can't think of another place downtown that serves this quality of a breakfast other than Ihop in Bricktown (and it's better than Ihop)

[mugofbeer]

You know, I searched the other posts on this web and the name wasn't mentioned. What is it or is that taboo?

Or am I reading too much into this and the name is Steak & Catfish?

[Steve]

The name is really weak - Steak & Catfish. It's on the first floor of Legacy Arts.

[mugofbeer]

Eewwww! I have to say though, one of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Denver was simply called "Toast." Steak and Catfish doesn't really draw my attention for breakfast or lunch though.

[Steve]

Yeah... and they're promoting themselves as a great place for Italian food...
but if you get over the name, seriously, the breakfast is probably the best one downtown (not to say Jim and the gang at the Ground Floor Cafe in Leadership aren't serious competition...)

[mugofbeer]

Well, if the food is good enough, it will speak for itself.

[Doug Loudenback]

Some time back, Steve recommended this place to me for its catfish and eventually and since then my wife and I have gone to this restaurant 3 times now, and I've been pleased every time. Comfortable laid-back, perhaps quaint (hanging fishnets), surroundings, extraordinarily wide menu (see below). 1st time was a Saturday for lunch and I tried the catfish and it was very good. 2nd time, also a Saturday lunch, I had a burger & fries for lunch, and it was good. 3rd time was Saturday evening for dinner, and I tried spaghetti & meat sauce ... good but not great, but that's a matter of preference. The meat sauce was good and plentiful but I like a little more of a tomato base flavor than it had. But several other versions of spaghetti were on the menu and one of those may have had the sauce I was looking for. While there on our 3rd visit, a lady approached our table and was going ga-ga over the homemade clam chowder. My wife had eggplant parmigiana ... her only complaint was that it was bound to be full of calories ... I asked her if she expected otherwise (before she ordered) and she said no. She liked it ... I had a bite and thought it was tasty though I'm not an eggplant fan.

The portions are huge. We wound up taking about 1/2 of each of our Italian dinners home, to be eaten up shortly thereafter. We had the salads that came with the meals ... the lettuce was firm, crisp and green and the house dressing was just fine. The bread that was served with our meals was quite good, too.

On our 1st visit, we talked at length with the husband owner (I forget both his and his wife's name) and he was very easy and friendly to talk with. He explained that the Italian part of the menu is his wife's doing. On each occasion, we found the help to be attentive and polite.

They do not have a liquor license so the only alcoholic beverage you can get is grocery store beer.

I have no hesitation recommending the place and I expect that it is becoming a regular for Saturdays (my wife gets her hair done in the shop a few doors down).

Here's the menu, which also contains the hours of operation. This is the paper take-home version of the menu but I assume that it has the same content as the sit-down menu.

[bluedogok]

Yeah... and they're promoting themselves as a great place for Italian food...

One of those combination you don't really think about. There's a Mexican/Italian restaurant in a Round Rock strip mall just west of I-35. The owner is of Mexican descent and originally grew up in Central Texas but went to LA thirty or so years ago and ending up working in one of the high end Italian restaurants there eventually becoming Executive Chef. The family decided to get out of LA after that many years and "move back home" so they opened up a restaurant and serve the food they grew up on and spent his working life making. I know the lasagna was great.

[Steve]

It's been a while since I've been to Steak and Catfish and they've clearly revamped their menu. Think I'll return this week. Any OKC Talkers want to join me, get some inside scoop on downtown? I'm thinking of going either on Monday or Tuesday (and no, you can't show up early to poison my meal!)

[Midtowner]

Slight hijack, but I wouldn't make a habit of eating catfish. Unless it's tank raised, it can contain a lot of carcinogens and poisons as catfish are bottom feeders and most agricultural toxins in Oklahoma end up at the bottom of lakes.

[Steve]

I'm not a catfish fan either. But looking at the menu, there's a lot more to choose from.

[Doug Loudenback]

Deep fried, lightly salted catfish = Great Food
Who wants to live forever?

[Steve]

Doug, care to get together tomorrow?

[Doug Loudenback]

Possible. I've got a number of errands to run. Let's talk in the morning.

[Steve]

Impromptu blogger convention in the making? Nick you in town? Or maybe we can get Mr. Hill to join us.

[ljbab728]

The name is really weak - Steak & Catfish. It's on the first floor of Legacy Arts.

The name doesn't bother me. Sometimes simpler is best. One of the most memorable places to eat in Puerto Vallarta is called "Tacos and Beer".

[gen70]

We have a place (3) here in Asheville N.C. called "Pappa's and Beer's" that is "good". it is Cal.Mex.