Vinita, Oklahoma is a small town on Route 66 that most travelers pass through without stopping. Clanton’s Café, sitting at 319 E. Illinois Ave. since 1927, is the reason to stop. It appeared in Season 2, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Local Flavor,” aired October 22, 2007 — and brought something to that episode that most restaurants can’t offer: nearly a century of continuous family ownership and a chicken fried steak that Gourmet Magazine once called the best on Route 66. Guy Fieri called it the “mac daddy” of chicken fried steaks. That’s high praise from a man who has eaten his way across the entire country.
Clanton’s holds the distinction of being the oldest continually family-owned restaurant on Route 66 in the state of Oklahoma. That’s not a marketing line. That’s just a fact that took 97 years to earn. As of 2025 the café was listed for sale for the first time in its history, so the future is uncertain — but it’s still open and still serving, and worth every mile of the detour.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Clanton’s Café
City: Vinita, Oklahoma
Cuisine: American / Route 66 Café
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 4
Episode Title: Local Flavor
Original Air Date: October 22, 2007
Address: 319 E. Illinois Ave., Vinita, OK 74301
Phone: 918-256-9053
Website: https://clantonscafe.com/
Status: Open
About Clanton’s Café
The Clanton family has been feeding Vinita since 1927 — through the Depression, World War II, the decommissioning of Route 66, and everything that followed. Generations of the family have run the kitchen and worked the floor, and that continuity shows in the food. The recipes that earned the café its reputation have been carried forward with care rather than reinvented for trends.
The building has the feel of a place that knows what it is. No frills, no gimmicks, just a dining room full of regulars and travelers who found their way there because someone told them they had to go. The café has been featured in Southern Living, Oklahoma Today, Garden and Gun, and Gourmet Magazine — a press resume built on one thing: the food consistently delivering.
Country music duo Brooks and Dunn are reportedly longtime fans of the chicken and dressing. That’s the kind of local loyalty that builds over decades, not marketing campaigns.
What to Eat at Clanton’s Café
The Chicken Fried Steak is the dish that put Clanton’s on the map and keeps it there. An 80-plus year old recipe, called one of the best on Route 66, served with cream gravy and all the sides. This is the plate to order on the first visit.
The Calf Fries — known elsewhere as Rocky Mountain Oysters — are the other signature, the dish Guy Fieri highlighted specifically during filming. The Chicken and Dressing has its own devoted following, and the burgers are worth a mention as well. If you want to recreate some of that road trip magic at home, Guy Fieri’s cookbook Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip with Recipes is the closest thing to riding shotgun on the Triple D trail.
Plan Your Visit
Clanton’s Café is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Closed Saturday, Sunday, and select holidays. Call ahead before making the trip, especially around major holidays.
Address: 319 E. Illinois Ave., Vinita, OK 74301
Phone: 918-256-9053
Website: https://clantonscafe.com/
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Before your next road trip, make sure your kitchen is stocked. Guy’s More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives covers 60 more great stops across America. And if you want to fire up the grill when you get home, Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Dry Rub and Seasoning Variety Pack brings the flavor home.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Clanton’s Café appeared in Season 2, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Local Flavor,” originally aired October 22, 2007.