Hitchin' Post Steakhouse

Ozona is a West Texas town of about 3,200 that's known for its proximity to commercial hunting, wool and mohair production, and oil and gas development. In fact, the Edwards Plateau region leads the nation in the production of wool and mohair, with about 80,000 sheep, 20,000 head of cattle, and 57,000 angora and Spanish goats thriving in the county.

But if you're driving through this stretch of the state and are more concerned with getting a meal than wool, don't worry, the Hitchin' Post Steakhouse has you covered. It's a quality, no-nonsense eatery that's been in business since 1989 and was originally built in 1950 as a sheep bar owned by E.H Chandler.

The origins of chicken-fried steak are often attributed to German and Austrian immigrants putting their spin on the wiener schnitzel, which would make sense considering these groups' historic immigration to Texas. And I can confidently say that, to this date, the Hitchin' Post has served the biggest chicken-fried steak I've ever ordered. This thing looks like it has its own gravitational pull. State law says you have to pay property taxes on it if you don't finish it fast enough. Needless to say, it is not recommended for dilettantish appetites.

I don't have anything against Crackel Barrel or similar highway-adjacent eateries. They get the job done. But when there's local, family-owned option that's been doing it the right way for 30+ years, I'm going to give that a go every time. And the Hitchin’ Post checks that box with a bullet.