Railway Express Diner — Restaurant in Belton

I was excited to try the Railway Express Diner during a quick visit to town. The interior was smaller than expected, giving it a quaint feel. Our waitress, Mary, was a delight and the best part of our visit. We started with an appetizer, the Katy Combo, which included Boudin Rolls, Garlic Cheese Curds, and Fried Pickles. While the Garlic Cheese Curds were tasty, the pickles were spicier than fried pickles should be, in my opinion, and the Boudin Rolls were too fiery for my taste - though my husband enjoyed them. Our main courses included a Hobo Burger, a Chicken Fried Steak sandwich, a Fried Chicken burger, and a Chicken Fried Steak entrée with sides. The Chicken Fried Steak was fair to middling at best and difficult to cut. My Fried Chicken sandwich was topped with plasticky melted cheese, which was my mistake for not ordering it without the cheese. Still, the chicken had a rubbery texture, suggesting it might have been boiled before frying, definitely not cooked correctly. After taking a bite, my husband agreed with me. In the end, I shared the passable but greasy Chicken Fried Steak sandwich with my mother-in-law. I didn't sample the Hobo Burger but heard it was good. Also, the fries were a complete letdown. They came out greasy and soft, lacking the crispness one would expect. Unfortunately, the dishes are a classic case of 'looks better than it tastes.' Overall—The pricing was unexpectedly high for Belton, more in line with what you'd see in Austin or DFW. Mary was the standout of our visit; her pleasant disposition was why I added an extra star to my rating. In conclusion, I gave the diner two stars as the elevated prices didn’t match the...

My wife & I chose to come here because we like trying new places, especially non-chain local joints. We really enjoyed our experience here! Hillary took care of us and she was exceptional. We tried the Katy Sampler app (we chose the garlic fried cheese curds, boudin rails and onion rings, served with ranch dressing), all 3 items were hot, crispy and delicious! My wife got the Twisted Hamburger Steak and I got the Twisted Grilled Chicken. Both had great sear, were tender and seasoned well. For sides, she chose a house salad and mashed potatoes w/ brown gravy, while I got green beans and fried okra (which was the best fried okra I've EVER had)! We hadn't planned on dessert, but when we saw they had a strawberry cheesecake topped with a red velvet cookie ice cream sandwich, how could we resist?! We were the first customers through the door that day, but the place was filling up by the time we left and Hillary was rocking it as the only server! She was efficient, friendly, attentive and seemed to really enjoy what she was doing. Her positivity was contagious! I hope the community embraces them so that this diner has continued success because they made a great impression during our first of what will hopefully be many visits! It was just what one would want from a small town diner: great food at reasonable prices with a casual, cozy atmosphere and staff who take pride in doing a good job and are having fun...

What an amazing dinner at the Railway Express Diner! This was the second time I’ve been and I couldn’t be more pleased. Tonight I had the Fuel Man’s Favorite and man oh man - what a true favorite it is. Hand breaded ground beef patty that is fried to perfection. Top it off with the brown gravy and you won’t be disappointed. Oh and the green beans - just like grandma use to make. This place truly is the heart of southern cooking and Jay & Christi ensure you experience it. The atmosphere is inviting, the building is accessible, the staff is friendly and the meals are affordable. Be prepared to grab a to-go box because they don’t cheat you on any of the portions. It’s so refreshing to finally have some home cooked meals away from home that aren’t some chain restaurant where people are just throwing your food down like an assembly line. You can taste the love in the meal set before you. On top of all this - they have kept the integrity of the old train station which is wonderful to have a piece of history preserved while also welcoming the community into their vision for the future. If I have any complaint at all it is that my Dad isn’t well enough to experience it. If he was then you could sure bet that he’d be there several days a week. Thank you for investing in Belton’s history and serving your passion onto every plate served. Truly one of Belton’s gems!

A must try...