R-Way-Cafe: stick with the breakfast and burgers.
by Andrew | December 2, 2007 | 10 Comments
(votes: 4, average: 3) 
Loading ...R-Way-Cafe is located at 5900 West 39th St in Bethany, Oklahoma (map). R-Way-Cafe is open 7 days a week for breakfast lunch and dinner.
On 39th St, in between car lots (the perfect place for a diner), sits R-Way-Cafe. This building has had two or three different names over the last couple years. The latest is R-Way-Cafe. R-Way-Cafe is in a very diner-esque building and has breakfast, lunch and dinner. I went into it hoping it would be a great place, since it is so close to my house, and it wasn’t all that bad.
The atmosphere at R-Way-Cafe is unlike any diner I had ever been in. The decor is warm, soft, and a little overplayed for what the place is. It is decorated in Pottery Barn type colors with empty picture frames, book ends, and other “modern” type decor. I’m used to my diners having tin signs, white walls, and dirty, tile floors.
R-Way-Cafe serves breakfast until 2PM on Saturday and Sunday. Other times, they serve burgers and diner specials such as chicken fried steak, chicken, pork, meatloaf, catfish, etc. I chose the chicken fried chicken, and the reason may sound like sacrilege, but I’m just not a fan of Oklahoma chicken fried steak. I know, I know, it’s practically the state dish, and there are loads of loyal chicken fry nazis that will more than likely come after me now. It just seems that every place I’ve had it, from Cattlemen’s to Classen Grill to Ann’s Chicken Fry, have had enough breading on their steaks to cover an entire cow. I don’t like that much breading. I guess I like the pan fried version best rather than the deep fried version, similar to how I like my squirrel cooked. I guess it’s a Tennessee thing.
Anyway, back to R-Way-Cafe. The burgers are hand-made patties, and the vegetables are fresh, no fake potatoes, and dinners come with a salad bar. The salad bar was not bad for a diner. Not a lot of “trimmings”, but it was cold, and better than the very anemic lukewarm salads you get at a typical diner. The mashed potatoes were OK. A little chunky and dry for my taste. I like mine with a little more cream. The corn was not good at all. It had a very watery flavor going on with it.
The chicken fried chicken was cooked perfectly, and fork tender. I was pretty excited about it. However, my excitement died down as I slowly began tasting everything they had fried in the past week. Flavors of catfish, pork, garlic, onions, and other fried goodies began to dance across my palate. Not bad flavors in and of themselves, but not what I expected my chicken to taste like. Another very strange flavor was that of a tandoori masala spice. For those not familiar with this popular Indian seasoning, it is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin, cayenne, and whatever else the Indian chef feels like tossing in at the time, before throwing it into a tandoor oven. Again, not a bad flavor. I love a good goat masala dish here and there, or chicken tandoori, but not what I want on my fried chicken. Apparently, at R-Way-Cafe, everything is fried in the same place, and the oil is probably not changed that often.
My wife gave the burger a pretty high review. It did look good, maybe a bit overcooked, but it was definitely a hand-made patty, and was paired with lightly hand-breaded onion rings. The kids had grilled cheese and pancakes. It all looked great. I think the way to go here is breakfast or burgers. Like I said earlier, I really wanted to like this place, and I think I still will, I’ll just stick with what works.
(4.75 out of 5)
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So far, 10 people have responded to this article. Won't you join in?December 5th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
The only place for a good Chicken Fry is Clanton’s Cafe, in Vinita. The rest are pale imitations.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
OK WAIT! If you eat or did ever eat squirrel, I’m not sure I will be able to trust your restaurant reviews.
Just because there is that oh so very rare person who both eats squirrel and has sufficient computer skills to post a recipe for squirrel in gravy on cooks.com, doesn’t make it a right.
A useful rule of thumb is that any animal that is also a popular cartoon, should not be served as food. For example, Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo, Spongbob Squarepants, Tony the Tiger, Tom or Jerry, Rocky or Bullwinkle, Chip or Dale. Notable exceptions to the rule: Daffy the Duck and Porky the pig.
February 12th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I loved it! And, the cook (David) is awesome! I have NEVER had anything like him! I plan on attending all my church dinners there!
February 12th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
i recently had breakfast at r-way cafe, was great, a very good breakfast not greasy, and just the way i ordered it. dinner is good, chicken fry you can cut with a fork. the santa fe chicken is out of this world. catfish is the best i’ve had in awhile. everything is made from scratch, all hand breaded. give it a try, you won’t be sorry.
February 12th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I think the restaurant is by far the BEST in Bethany! The burgers are to die for! Outstanding!
I give it a 10+
February 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
oooooh wonderful food!
August 24th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I think this place closed down.
September 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Now it is Maggie’s Cafe, I think. 4th change in ownership in just a couple years. Is it the owners, or the location?
September 16th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I don’t think it is the location. The Harbor House does a pretty healthy amount of business and it is about 100 yards away. Has anyone eaten there since it changed to Maggie’s?
October 8th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
yah, it re-opened about a month ago with the new owner maggie. now its better then ever, the foor is great and cleaner, really good breakfast and a few good polish lunch dishes. its only on till 3pm now. very good food, you should try it.
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