Cattlemen's Steakhouse

Cattlemen's Steakhouse is a historic restaurant in Oklahoma City's Stockyards City district, an area shaped by the livestock trade and the city's former meat-processing economy. Established in 1910 as Cattlemen's Cafe, the business originally served cowboys, ranchers, workers, and other customers connected with the stockyards. Its location helped define its early identity: Stockyards City was a major commercial center for cattle and meat, with products shipped to markets in the eastern United States. The restaurant passed through several ownership periods that influenced its character and name. H. V. “Homer” Paul acquired it in 1926. During Prohibition, the restaurant was associated with home-brewed alcoholic drinks. Henry “Hank” Frey became the owner in 1929, and members of his family worked there in front-of-house roles. In 1945, Frey lost the restaurant in a craps game at Oklahoma City's Biltmore Hotel to Gene Wade. Wade and his father renovated the premises and operated it around the clock for a period, although the restaurant later returned to conventional operating hours. During the 1950s the business was briefly known as Cattleman's Drive-In. By 1957, it had adopted the Cattlemen's Steakhouse name, reflecting the restaurant's increasingly clear emphasis on beef and steakhouse dining. The Wade family retained ownership until Dick Stubbs purchased the restaurant in 1990. Despite these changes, the business has remained associated with its original Stockyards City setting and its long-running, informal Western atmosphere. The physical restaurant combines a diner-like front area with two counters and red vinyl booths, alongside two steakhouse dining rooms known as The Hereford and The Angus. Much of the interior character dates from the post-1945 period and includes cowboy-themed artwork. This continuity, together with the site's livestock-district setting, is central to the brand's appeal. The restaurant is frequently presented as Oklahoma's oldest continuously operating restaurant. Its menu centers on naturally aged, charcoal-broiled steaks made from Midwest-raised, corn-fed cattle, generally offered in USDA Prime or Choice grades. The menu also includes breakfast dishes such as steak and eggs, pies, and unusual regional specialties. Lamb fries, made from fried lamb testicles, are among its best-known appetizers; the restaurant has been reported to purchase roughly 25,000 to 30,000 pounds of lamb fries annually as of 2023. Another distinctive item is steak soup containing bull penis. These dishes, along with the traditional steaks, help position Cattlemen's as both a classic American steakhouse and a destination for adventurous diners. The restaurant has received recognition from steakhouse and food media, including inclusion in the United States Steakhouse Hall of Fame and mentions by Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Southern Living, and the Food Network. It has also appeared on Man v. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Visitors have included public figures such as John Wayne, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Sylvester Stallone, Shaquille O'Neal, and Charles Barkley. Cattlemen's remains an independently identified Oklahoma City dining landmark rather than a national chain, with its reputation based on longevity, location, traditional preparation, and regional character.

Cattlemen's Steakhouse began in 1910 as Cattlemen's Cafe in Oklahoma City's Stockyards City district. The surrounding area was closely tied to cattle trading, meat processing, and the movement of beef to markets outside Oklahoma. The restaurant's early customers included cowboys, ranchers, and workers serving or passing through the stockyards, giving the business a practical, work-oriented identity rather than a formal fine-dining profile. H. V. “Homer” Paul took ownership in 1926. During the Prohibition era, the restaurant was associated with home-brewed alcoholic drinks described in contemporary accounts as “liquid delights.” In 1929, Henry “Hank” Frey became owner. His family participated in the operation, including his wife Gertrade as a waitress and his brother and brother-in-law as waiters. This family involvement reinforced the restaurant's informal, community-oriented character. A major change occurred on Christmas Eve in 1945. At the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City, Hank Frey lost the restaurant in a craps game to Gene Wade. Wade and his father subsequently renovated the establishment and operated it on a 24-hour basis for a period. Although the restaurant later returned to regular hours, the post-1945 renovation helped establish much of the physical appearance that visitors associate with the business. The front continues to resemble a classic diner, with counters and red vinyl booths, while the steakhouse area contains two dining rooms called The Hereford and The Angus. Cowboy art and Western design elements complement the Stockyards City setting. The restaurant was known as Cattleman's Drive-In during part of the early and middle 1950s. By 1957, it had become Cattlemen's Steakhouse, a name that more directly expressed its core beef offering. The Wade family continued to own the business until Dick Stubbs purchased it in 1990. No national chain structure is associated with the restaurant; its identity has remained tied to one historic Oklahoma City location. Cattlemen's menu combines conventional steakhouse fare with dishes that reflect the restaurant's livestock-industry heritage and appetite for novelty. Its steaks are naturally aged and charcoal-broiled, using Midwest-raised, corn-fed cattle and USDA Prime or Choice grades. Breakfast includes steak and eggs, while lamb fries are among the restaurant's most recognized appetizers. The term refers to fried lamb testicles, and the restaurant has been reported to purchase approximately 25,000 to 30,000 pounds annually as of 2023. Steak soup containing bull penis is another unusual specialty, alongside pies and more familiar American dishes. The restaurant's longevity and distinctive setting have brought it sustained media attention. It has been included in the United States Steakhouse Hall of Fame and has received favorable attention from publications and broadcasters including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Southern Living, and the Food Network. Its appearances on Man v. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives introduced it to broader food-tourism audiences. Numerous well-known visitors have also been associated with the restaurant, including John Wayne, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Sylvester Stallone, Shaquille O'Neal, and Charles Barkley. Cattlemen's Steakhouse continues to operate as a historic Oklahoma dining institution distinguished by continuity of place, Western atmosphere, classic steaks, and unusual regional specialties.

• 1990

  Dick Stubbs purchases the restaurant

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Dick Stubbs acquired Cattlemen's Steakhouse from the Wade family.

• 1957

  Adopts the Cattlemen's Steakhouse name

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant began using the name by which it is known today.

• 1950

  Temporary Cattleman's Drive-In name

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  During the early to mid-1950s, the business operated under the Cattleman's Drive-In name.

• 1945

  Ownership changes through a gambling loss

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Frey lost the restaurant in a craps game to Gene Wade, after which Wade and his father renovated the premises and operated it around the clock for a period.

• 1929

  Henry Frey becomes owner

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Henry “Hank” Frey acquired the restaurant, with several members of his family working there.

• 1926

  H. V. Paul takes ownership

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  H. V. “Homer” Paul became the restaurant's owner.

• 1910

  Restaurant established as Cattlemen's Cafe

  [1]Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The business opened in Oklahoma City's Stockyards City district and served customers connected with the local cattle and meat-processing trade.

Traditional Oklahoma steakhouse combining historic Stockyards City identity, classic charcoal-broiled beef, diner-style hospitality, and distinctive regional specialties.

• Steakhouse entrées

  Charcoal-broiled steaks

  The restaurant's core offering consists of naturally aged steaks that are charcoal-broiled. The beef is described as coming from Midwest-raised, corn-fed cattle and is generally offered in USDA Prime or Choice grades.

• Appetizer

  Lamb fries

  Lamb fries are a signature and highly distinctive appetizer made from fried lamb testicles. The item is closely associated with the restaurant's livestock-oriented identity and is reported to be one of its best-selling specialties.

• Breakfast

  Steak and eggs

  A traditional breakfast offering that pairs steak with eggs and reflects the restaurant's broader all-day American diner and steakhouse format.

• Soup

  Steak soup

  A distinctive soup specialty associated with the restaurant and described as containing bull penis, illustrating its unusually broad use of livestock-related ingredients.

• Dessert

  Pie

  Traditional pie is served as part of the restaurant's broader American menu alongside steaks, breakfast items, and other familiar dishes.

• National food-media promotion

  United States

  Cattlemen's Steakhouse has participated indirectly in national food discovery through appearances on Man v. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, presenting its historic setting, steaks, and unusual specialties to television audiences.

  Outcome. The appearances broadened the restaurant's visibility beyond Oklahoma and supported its reputation as a destination for distinctive American regional food.

  Source

• 1990

  Sale to Dick StubbsM&A

  Background

  The Wade family had owned the restaurant since Gene Wade acquired it in 1945.

  Action taken

  Dick Stubbs purchased Cattlemen's Steakhouse from the Wade family.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant continued operating under its established name and historic Stockyards City identity.

  Source

• 1957

  Adoption of the Cattlemen's Steakhouse identityStrategy

  Background

  After operating under the Cattleman's Drive-In name during part of the 1950s, the business shifted toward a clearer steakhouse identity.

  Action taken

  It adopted the Cattlemen's Steakhouse name, emphasizing its beef-centered positioning.

  Aftermath

  The name became the enduring identity of the historic Oklahoma City restaurant.

  Source

1. 1Cattlemen's Steakhouseen.wikipedia.org