McLin’s Restaurant

Hush puppies are AWESOME! Everything else that is fried pretty much tastes the same. Kind of bland. Steaks are pretty good though

First impressions: get passed the fact that it’s an old church building. Glad I read the other reviews or would have been confused by the layout.
That said, I’m here for the food, not the ambiance. Came for lunch, not too busy, got sat down and ordered fast. Ordered the Mate’s special with catfish and fries. Would have ordered baked potato but waitress said fries were home made. For the price would like to have a side salad included to offset all the fried stuff and to help with the wait.
10 minutes not too long to wait. Platter came with coleslaw. Hush puppies and shrimp were very good. Not an expert on catfish or oyster but they were alright. Fries were good.
Ordered a slice of pecan pie. Looked and tasted very good. She said it was made locally, hard to tell.
Overall good experience. If you really like fried seafood I highly recommend. Next time I would go for the steak and potato.

Best steak in the area. Layout is a little strange, but don’t let it turn you off because the food and service is outstanding. For a Steak dinner here you’re probably looking a little north of $ 20 a person. I would highly recommend McLin’s.

Solid steak, awesome fries, and fantastic ranch dressing. Nothing fancy, but it doesn’t have to be! If you want a great steak dinner– McLin’s is your place.

Not sure if my experience was typical based on other reviews but you’ll get my two cents anyways.
Very awkward layout, which appears to be a result of it being an old church. I was dining by myself so I ate in the «open dining area» rather than one of the private rooms. The décor and settings were very dated, felt like like I was stepping back into the early 80s. Perhaps that’s why 90% of the clientele were above the age of 65.
The menu left much to be desired, if you don’t want fried food you are pretty much limited to ordering a steak. That was fine for me since I came in for a steak. Ordered a 17oz sirloin. Started out with a house salad which consisted of wilted yellow iceberg lettuce, two cherry tomatoes, and a cucumber slice with crackers on the side. The side of ranch dressing was pretty tasty which I suspect was made in house.
Very soon after I finished the salad I received my entrée. A two piece (what??) steak that looked to be pan fried or cooked on a flat top, a slightly dry baked potato, and a pre-​made roll that looked and tasted exactly like the rolls served at the Ft. Rucker dining facilities. A plate with packaged butter and room temperature watery sour cream.
The steak was lightly seasoned, somewhat greasy, unevenly cooked and upon further inspection was cut into the center while cooking so the «cook» could check the doneness. Anyone who knows the very basics of cooking steak knows not to cut into it until it’s been cooked and rested for at least 10 minutes. Very disappointing for a place that calls itself a steakhouse.
All in all, I won’t be returning and there are better places to get a steak in either Enterprise or even Ozark.

Pretty good onion rings and fried catfish. But everything fried was GREASY. The fries were not very good (the sticky particleboard type fries). The coleslaw was ok. This place has been open at least 45 years because the locals love it. If you are a greasy fried fish fan then this is your kind of place. I have heard their steaks are good but they are $$$.

I was disappointed that they didn’t have grilled chicken on the menu. Instead I ordered the rib eye and it was delicious and perfectly cooked. Baked potato was large. The salad was so so. Service was good and food came out quickly. We will return.

Sometimes you just crave a good piece of cow. That was our situation Thursday night when we decided to make Friday night date plans for a local cut of beef. I’ve been at Fort Rucker for over a year now, and have driven by McLin’s a number of times– noting the always crowded parking lot and telling myself «one of these days»… I’m bummed I waited this long.
Despite the number of people we saw sitting at the entrance, the wait was minimal. I was enjoying the wall decorations of helicopters and even their old menu ($ 5.95 for a 28 oz steak back in 1968!) when an elderly fellow walked up and said «do you know who I am?» I cordially admitted I did not and was about to get a history lesson about the restaurant from THE original Mr. McLin himself. A long retired Sergeant Major, he shed light on the odd layout of the building (and the noise level) — it used to be a church! I revealed to him this was my first time and he told me I was in good hands with his family heavily involved in the day to day operation of the business, and wished us an enjoyable dinner.
On an already positive note, we were seated and greeted by fantastic waitstaff that made us feel welcome and already regulars. Tea pitchers were left at our table (we usually drink half and half) and we waited for our salads while watching the bustling activity and all the satisfied diners enjoying mouth watering meals with friends and family.
The salad was pretty basic, but the ranch dressing was amazing! Our waitress thanked us for the compliments on the thick, delicious condiment that she told us she made herself. Oh, the little grape tomato was a happy little burst of flavor as well (enough that it was worth a comment at dinner).
On to the main course– hearing good things about both the rib eye and the sirloin, we ordered one of each. I got the fries, the lady got an Idaho potato. I think she actually liked my fries more, they were very well seasoned. The cow… well this place being a former church, the steaks are nothing less than divine. As others have mentioned– there is steak sauce available, but you’d be doing yourself (and the restaurant) a horrible disservice. The only «sauce» you need are the juices left on the plate from your well rested cut of meat.
The roll was a simple, but warm and moist– perfect for dipping in the aforementioned ranch dressing (I actually saw several servings of ranch coming out, probably on request, to other tables). We also got fried shrimp– also very good, and in a sweet tarter sauce that I thought tasted a bit like coleslaw, either way– well paired and very satisfying.
I saw a basket of thick cut onion rings at nearly every table, they are certainly on the list of things to get on our next visit. I wanted the hush puppies, fried chicken, the key lime pie… next time, and it’ll be soon.
I’d definitely recommend this place for a family night out. It’s pretty casual, and a bit loud, but a smile and open hearts, open minds will get you far at this long time established steak mecca.

WOW great 12oz. Ribeye was super WOW did I say WOW. If we are ever back in the area we will return to eat there. We where here 49 years ago stationed at Ft. Rucker 3 months for training. If it was here at the time we couldn’t afford a steak of any kind. Did I say WOW!

My favorite thing to order here has always been a whole order of fried shrimp with a baked potato or fries. It comes with two hush puppies, cole slaw, and tartar sauce. Their crab claws are delicious, as are their onion rings. I’ve heard their steaks are divine, but I have yet to deviate from the fried shrimp (for 20+ years!).

I had the rib-​eye. Amazing. The portion was filling and satisfying. It reminds me of an old vfw or townhall. The waitresses were very pleasant as well. Just a heads up, pile your plates to the side because they bus at the end. I would go again and I suggest it to anyone who wants a good steak!

I am posting this from the non recommended review section. I recommend it:
The special was about $ 19 for the steak, salad, potato and single roll. To get fried shrimp on the side, you had to order the «Half-​order» dinner at $ 8 and leave off the sides. This gets you 8 medium size fried shrimp. The salad was iceberg with a few spinach leaves, a few cherry tomatoes, and a single cucumber slice. Dressing on the side was available. Butter and sour cream were pre-​packaged. Did not order desert. The steaks were great.
Atmosphere was jam-​packed, cram-‘em-in-and-feed-‘em. Layout was odd. Noise level was high. Service was good and staff friendly. It’s a very popular local spot.
We did not get the starters everyone raves about.
No alcoholic beverages available.

I’ve only been once and didn’t care for what I ordered but the people I was with got other things that looked pretty decent. I ordered the fried fish platter & the catfish they served me had all the bones & was way too dry — not worth the Hassel or price. I would suggest not ordering it. Service was friendly, next time I’ll pick the steak.

Great place! Awesome ribeye. The people at the table next to me asked for steak sauce and I wanted to get up and tell them to leave. Best ribeye I have had in this area period point blank. Also, awesome service. If you live in enterprise or Dothan, make the drive and have a good steak.

I work at Cairns Field and we regularly order on Fridays. I love the $ 12 dollar box for two people and usually everything is great.
I have to say, though, the last few weeks we are consistently getting very light amounts of French Fries, it’s enough for one person, but basically they take a handful of fries and toss em in the box. One week they completely forgot the hush-​puppies.
So while they are excellent, and much better than Po Folks (Uggg don’t get me started on THEIR sides) they seem to have some consistency issues. I really hope the 3 week run of low fries will come to an end soon.
I’ll have to rate this Meh, as there doesn’t seem to be a good divider between a ranking of Meh and A-​OK. I’d put them closer to Meh than A-​OK.

My husband and I ate here on a Saturday evening and it was packed. The atmosphere is non-​existent, seems like a basement church fellowship hall, but the service was great. The food was okay… it was good, but very basic, and my medium rare steak was much more a medium. I didn’t feel like it was a $ 20 steak (I got the strip steak). That said, this is probably the only place you can get a half decent steak in the area, which likely accounted for the crowd.

Solid 3 stars, Great food. Price is Okay… Now… Lets get to the bad.
ATMOSPHERE!
You would think with the amount of people they serve a $ 20 steak to, they would put a little more effort and cash into the appearance of the building and interior design, It’s dingy, outdated and could really use new life brought to it, they have AMAZING food, but the look of the place kills all good thoughts about it, Its always busy and never slow, I think it was a school or nursing home at one time, either way you look at it, point is it needs a face lift. I would have no problem in the world giving this place 5 stars if it looked a little better. Friendly staff and fast ticket times. The look just kills me.

Thinking back on «the best ever» meals I’ve had at restaurants… and no steak has ever compared to Mc Lins. In fact, it’s the measuring rod we use to judge all steaks now. :-).
We loved this place when we were TDY at Fort Rucker, around 5 years ago. The flavor of the steak was incredible — word of mouth was that they marinated it in bacon drippings. :-). The rolls were Sis Schuberts style ~ still remember them too. The atmosphere was humble mom & pop style and always friendly. I believe it was a family run business. I hope they always stay there — someday we hope to return to Alabama just to eat there again. :-)

I have to preface this review by saying that I am not from the Daleville/​Enterprise area. So I am not sure if there are any fancier eating places in these parts. But after eating here it makes me wonder «why» so many people think this is such a great place.
We came here with relatives who are local to the area and had said how this place was so great. I will have to agree with other Unilocalers about the prices. I paid $ 16 for a catfish dinner that came with two sides and choice of bread. I chose the baked potato, cole slaw, and hushpuppies. I could of gotten that at Captain D’s for half the price, which there is one located in this town but you can’t get a steak there.
The outside of the restaurant isn’t impressive and doesn’t stand out in any way. The inside of the restaurant is even less impressive. The eating area was a large single room with cinderblock walls, hard laminate tile floors, and low ceiling. It reminded me of a old small army mess hall except smaller and with wooden tables and chairs. Also all the noise bounces off the hard surfaces it amplifies the noise where you can’t hear what anyone in your party is saying.
You would think this place would have low overhead expenses which would allow them to have lower prices for their meals. But I guess it is like most things, you charge what the market will bear.
I will have to say that the food is good here but not $ 16 good. So stop by McLin’s if you are in Daleville and want some good food with no atmosphere, don’t mind being overcharged. But be prepared for a wait. We arrived at the McLin’s Restaurant around 6:30PM on a Saturday. Now that I know how the restaurant is I am so surprised long waiting list was to get in, but when we left at 8:00 the line was even longer.
I would have to try the steak next time if I’m forced to come here again.

Ever wondered what the best ribeye taste like? It’s right here in Daleville, Alabama. My family has been eating here for almost 20 years. We live near Atlanta now and when we are nearby we always eat here.