Ajax Diner

Great lunch on the square in Oxford. We enjoyed the amazing chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. Black eyed peas were seasoned to perfection. In addition, the chicken and dumplings were good, not great. The fried okra was outstanding along with the broccoli rice casserole. Don’t miss this delicious stop on your next visit to Oxford!

No. No and Noooo!!! I was told that this place seasons their southern food so good. NO! Dumping salt on something is not seasoning your food. The greens were too salty to eat. The pork chops were paper thin and very salty. The Mac N Cheese reminds me of the cafeteria Mac and cheese n elementary school… just noodles and cheese. No flavor and very bland. The cornbread had nice flavor but it was near burnt, dry and hard. My gravy was stiff. The purple hull peas were good and service was friendly. I wasted money today. 😭

We ordered chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli, catfish cakes, sweet cream corn, and tomatoes. The catfish cakes were SO GOOD! Crispy on the outside, not oily. We were seated quickly, our food came out quickly, and the service was great!

The okra was AMAZING. Star of the plate. Catfish was delicious as well. Cornbread was really good as well! My friend had the meatloaf and thought it was really good. They do not skimp on portion sizes either. I have enough to take with and have for dinner later too! Loved the music selection. We had Trace as a server and he was phenomenal!

I really love this place. I went twice in one day. So good. The staff was exceptional and the food is incredible. Parking sucks though. The area is asking to be walked. The ambiance in the restaurant is awesome. Plenty of space. And the beer is cold. I loved it. They had plenty of options and everything I ordered was really good . I want to come back again.

We stopped in here off several recommendations from people. The place at the town square and in an old store. It’s beautiful inside and exactly like you would expect. We got sat quickly and service was fast. Unfortunately all of the sides were very cold when they were served. They tasted good but were cold. Our server quickly took the plates back and heated them up but it was disappointing. We finished everything and had a pretty good time. We would try again later.

If you’re looking for a true taste of Southern comfort food with impeccable service, Ajax is the place to be! From the moment we walked in, the customer service was beyond exceptional—warm, attentive, and welcoming. We tried the fried catfish po’ boy and the chicken tenders, and wow, they were incredible! Both were fried to perfection, crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside. The portions were absolutely huge, giving us a true bang for our buck. The sides were a dream—perfectly seasoned and packed with flavor. I had the five and beans, mac and cheese, cheesy grits, and cornbread, and every single bite was pure Southern bliss. By the end of the meal, I was completely full and couldn’t stop raving about it. Ajax has now secured a spot in my top five Southern restaurants, even among all the gems we’ve tried during our travels through the Deep South. The souvenir cup was a great touch and will always remind me of this amazing experience. Highly recommend Ajax for anyone craving authentic Southern food done right!

My mom suggested we eat here, and I'm so glad she did. Ajax Diner is located on The Square in Oxford, MS... a beautiful historical city. The food was great! I got the Deuce Buger, named after Deuce McCallister. It consists of two black angus patties with one unusual trimming added...cabbage. I ordered fried okra as a side, and it was the best fried okra I've eaten. The atmosphere is nice and decorated with paintings.

One of my favorite places when in Oxford! The food here is always delicious and you always get a large portion so you'll never leave hungry. I'd had different plates and every single one of them was delicious. The staff is always friendly and even when it's busy they do a good job at taking your order and getting you the food relatively fast. I highly recommend this place if you're in the square and wanting a good meal.

My review Three of us met up at Ajax last night. Found a table around 6:40 ish. Sat down and ordered some drinks. The drinks arrived at about 7 and we ordered what we always order. Catfish plate, a Po-boy, and a vegetable plate. The food arrived twenty minutes later. Everything on the vegetable plate was room temperature and was immediately sent back to get heated, or at least warmed. When the plate returned just about ten minutes later, everything was warmed and the roll was mushy - so it was probably zapped in a microwave. The Lima Beans tasted like they were fresh out of a can. No seasoning, no added flavors, just plain unseasoned beans. After being nuked, the Mac and cheese was too juicy to enjoy. The Po boy had burnt bacon that shattered at the first bite and dry brown Turkey. It was sent back from wherever it came. We were never offered a refill for any drinks, and it took another 25 minutes to get the check. I don't know what happened to Ajax. It looked like there was plenty of staff, but the service was about as good as the food. The menu may be the same, but the food is not. I hope your next meal there isn't as disappointing as ours was.

Not a bad place. There was no wait. Service decent and quick. The whole place needs a slight refresh. I was something more nostalgic, but got something just tired. The interior is due for a refresh at the very least. Food was fine. But not memorable, your typical Sysco foods fair. The burger tasted froze. And the chicken and dumplings was all dumpling and no chicken. We both ate for under $40, and walked in, during dinner on a Saturday evening and sat down right away. Not sure if this is a good thing or not for a place on the Square.

I came here for lunch with my sorority sisters. The Place was jampacked and we probably had to wait around 10 minutes which was not bad. The waitresses were very friendly and accommodating to us and willing to meet our needs when we discuss our group and how we wanted to sit by each other. I ordered the catfish with macaroni and cheese as my side as well as steam broccoli the catfish was definitely High but it seemed like the broccoli and mac & cheese have been sitting out for a while, which is very disappointing to me. I had a sent back so that it could be reheated up and that honestly did not do much either as well. The food tasted good, but it just was Luke Warm and cold, which was not a fun experience to have eating food

Ajax Diner is a must if you're looking for a casual and timeless lunch or dinner on the Oxford Square. I ordered the cheeseburger and fries. The burger was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. The lettuce, tomato and pickles were fresh and crisp. The cheddar cheese added a savory kick to each bite, and the fluffy bun did a great job of holding the burger together. The side of crinkle cut fries were delicious as well -- crispy and not too salty. I always enjoy the interior of the restaurant as well -- the laid-back ambiance and old-school decor make you feel as if you're eating in a day of the past. The service was also spectacular. I look forward to returning and exploring more of the menu.

First meal while traveling to Mississippi and it did not disappoint! Very authentic southern food, but unfortunately I have the sensitive tummy of northern girl. Still though, I powered through my "veggie" plate that did not consist of any veggies but had a wonderful Mac and cheese involved. The cheese grits had a nice flavor but weren't super hot. Really loved the sweet potato casserole, maybe my favorite veggie in the veggie plate. Tried some of my husbands country fried steak and argued with him over if "chicken fried steak" is the same thing (it is) and if there is actual chicken involved (there isn't). That was really yummy too, but I think if I find myself back here again I would have to try the chicken and dumplings

Home style comfort food in a cute dinner located in the square. The service was above and beyond, so welcoming and friendly. The food was delicious, affordable and the portions were huge. We will definitely be back next time we are in Oxford.

Touring Ole Miss tomorrow we stumbled upon this place. It looked like a very fun atmosphere with big bulb Christmas lights hanging all over and cute decor. But did the food match the atmosphere! YES IT DID!!! I had the Pop Shrimp salad. The shrimp were boiled and delicious! I didn't care for the creole mustard vinaigrette and there was very little feta but still it was good! The sides I ordered were great! Don't skip the sweet potato casserole, or the broccoli rice casserole!!! Great reviews from the kids on the chicken tenders and husband loved the meatloaf! I could not try the friend pickles due to my allergy but they got rave reviews from everyone else. Overall definitely a fun family place with some good southern sides.

I've eaten there several times . Food is always solid as well as the service ! Great spot !

Ajax Diner remains rock solid. My most recent visit happened to coincide with an Ole Miss game, so the bar service was slower than expected. However, a huge positive is their top tier selection of side dishes. I ordered the 3 Veggie Plate and had over 20 sides to choose from for my meal. A great option for the Oxford Town Square!

Whenever I come to Oxford, I always think "when will I eat at Ajax"? It's mandatory for me. This restaurant located on the Square is a mainstay of Oxford life. Yes there are many eateries in town and a lot of them are nicer and fancier but if you want some "down home cooking" you come here. You know the kind that your mother and grandmother made for you when you were a kid. I had dinner here last week and ordered the chicken and dumplings with green beans and purple hull peas with a roll for $14.40. The food arrived less than 15 minutes later. Let's just say the meal met my expectations and they were high. The chicken and dumplings were so satisfying to eat, a true "comfort" food. The peas were delicious and those green beans had a twang of vinegar in them that made me smile. Ajax is a must dine spot when visiting Oxford and if you live here you are lucky!

Had lunch here during the week. We loved the dove feel walking in the door. Low lighting kinda made it feel like a bar atmosphere. Waitress couldn't have been any nicer, and I appreciated that anyone who worked there would just stop by and refill our tea. Red beans and rice were really good, and had a nice smoky flavor. Vegetable plate had really big helpings. Bill was about $35 before tip, but worth it to us! I also enjoyed Motown music playing in the background. We will definitely be coming back next time we are in town

Great service, clean and fun atmosphere, old fashion cocktail was fantastic and burger and fries had no issues. Recommend this great local business.

Came in on a Friday night in the summer around 7:00 with a group of 10 and was seated immediately. Friendly staff, something for everyone on the menu. I recommend the Chicken Pot Fried Pie and lemonade margarita! Veggies and catfish were also very good!

If youre in Oxford, I would recommend this is THE place to eat, its very informal, southern comfort food and then some. Large portions, very traditional southern menu. Great food but it's not fine dining by any measure and it looks like it's been here forever. Our service was good and they seem to have a full bar.

The Ajax is the foundation of eateries on the square. It is historic, locally owned and completely southern! The workers are friendly and knowledgeable. The Ajax is what every diner in Mississippi strives to be. Oh, and the food is truly delicious!

Service was wonderful! Many say that the burger is great but it was just a normal burger. Didn't seem hand-pattied... not very fresh but still good. The fries are good and crispy. The mac and cheese, pot roast, and rice and gravy were all very good. The mac and cheese was served cold when we first got it but after asking for it to be heated it was very good! Would go again.

Ate there with my wife and 22 YO daughter last night. It was the highest rated restaurant on Yelp and we like this type of food. The atmosphere is great and the service was quick and friendly. It has a very good selection of southern favorites. All of our food was good but not great. It's all about your expectations for this place. If you want traditional, small town, meat and three food then you will likely be slightly disappointed. The menu reads that way but they put slight variations on items. It's still good but if your expectation is different or you prefer the food to be more traditional, you may be disappointed. For example, I had turkey and dressing with broccoli rice casserole and cole slaw. Most traditional meat and three places mix the turkey and dressing into more of a casserole. This was sliced turkey with gravy and a serving of dressing. It was very good so no complaints. The broccoli rice casserole had large chunks of broccoli crowns so you had to use a knife to cut and eat it. I thought that ruined the idea of a casserole and left the broccoli to overpower the dish. However, the taste was still fine. Finally, the cole slaw was more on the tangy side. It was fine but slightly nontraditional. I tried to provide as much insight as possible We would definitely go back so don't be concerned about eating here. You just need to set your expectations about what to expect.

Great good, great service, great location Only negative would be parking. A new favorite in Oxford

Comfort food heaven. As good as the entrees are, the sides kick in the door. Gonna have to return and try more things.

Ate here for the first time dropping my son off for school, the food all seemed to be a good approximation of what it was supposed to be, I had the Chicken and Dumplings - probably a mistake but what was a well composed dish lacked any real amount of seasoning. The service was interesting, seemed to be team servers, I ordered a beer with dinner that didn't get delivered until the house manager came and asked how things were. She offered to comp the beer, which I appreciated but then it wasn't when the bill came. Other than that the 'seat yourself' policy meant it felt like we had to wait longer than we should have for service but everyone was very friendly and helpful - it was a really busy night for them. On to the ambiance, it looks like this place was the model for every Bennigans / Shenanigans / cracker barrel in existence, plenty of interesting things on the wall, local color and ole miss pride. All in all a shining example of what a college area grub shack should be, but I wouldn't expect fine dining.

Service was great and food was delicious. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town!

I like this place! Food is pretty good, some things are definitely better than others though. I don't recommend the broccoli rice casserole

Great service, atmosphere and food! What more can I say? We'll be back next time we are in town.

Food is DELICIOUS!!! Hands down!! Anything you order is going to be So Good! It's right on the Oxford Square but WORTH finding a place to park!! You can dine in or carry out

Their menu is perfect and it fits the vibe of the restaurant. I wrote this original review when I first started living in Oxford and hadn't branched out into southern cuisine quite yet. There's a reason Ajax diner is a staple on the square, and it's because of its traditional southern cooking that doesn't feel like it's trying to be something it's not.

The hostess said she called us but we we're waiting right outside and eagerly listening for our party to be called. Once we decided to wait within view of the hostess stand we had no problems. This place is great for those interested in traditional southern food. I am not a fan of soggy vegetables and heavily fried food so this place is not for me. It took a long time to get anyone to take our order and even longer to get our food. For these reasons we will not be returning. I will say both times we ate here were very busy times with Oxford filled to capacity.

Ordered to go. Was tired of sitting in my hotel so went on over early to sit at the bar and wait. And the wait staff was so sweet and friendly. I was alone and struck up a convo with one of the waitresses. Very helpful and polite. If I was dining in it was a little dark for my taste needed a little more light on but it was ok. Food was delicious! Got the porter house chop and omg! Fabulous!!!

It was ok, my favorite was the grits, not a fan of the po-boy. My husband loved his chicken fried steak sandwich is mashed potatoes and gravy on the sandwich. I would say its just fine, but I am sure others will tell you Ajax is a staple.

Great soul food and a very unique and cool interior. Food is quick but service can be a little mid sometimes.

Not a fancy place but good home cooking meals. Staff is excellent. Eli Manning took his family to Ajax's often!

We enjoyed our dining experience tonight and appreciated the warm welcome Mya gave us. She was the highlight of the visit. The country fried steak and rice and gravy and peas were delicious. Especially for a party of eight, the service and quality of food was perfect.

Busy place with good meat & 3 options! French fries looked amazing, but none of us tried them... veggie selections were too good to get fried food.

We are in Oxford for a basketball game tonight and wanted to eat lunch on the square. Ajax seemed like a good match for us today. M had red beans and sausage and I tried the tamale pie. Both were tasty and enjoyed...the service was excellent (thanks Kalli).

Great lunch plates and a cheeseburger to die for!! The pot roast is also worth trying!

I don't know why I keep going and expecting something different. The food is mediocre. I love chicken and dumplings but every time they are too thick and bland but the worst is every time they are basically room temperature. The turnip greens were tasty but also basically cold. Chicken fried steak - tough and nut hot - butter beans not hot. Meatloaf horrible! I know how to make meatloaf and this was overworked, dry and had no taste. Again butter beans not hot, mashed potatoes not hot, roll hard as a brick. I don't get the deal with food that is never hot! They need to evaluate what is happening in the kitchen. The service was great and friendly!

Passing through Oxford. Food was amazing. Server was attentive and made great recommendations. We will go back when are I. Oxford again!

If you're looking for some great southern food in a fun atmosphere this is a great place to visit in Oxford, Mississippi. The tamale pie, turnip greens and purple hull peas were excellent

It was ok. Nothing special in my opinion. Everyone was friendly and service was ok but it didn't meet up to the hype I have heard about for years.

Awesome old school dinner with a southern twist. A must visit while in Oxford. The salads are my daughters favorite

I've eaten at the Ajax several times this year when we come to visit Oxford. Usually, the food is hot and delicious. We ate dinner early at 4:30 pm...most of our food was good. The cornbread was hard, dry and room temperature. Normally it's hot and fluffy. They were out of fries okra.. ok... but for some reason the food did not taste hot and fresh..more like leftovers.. the food just didn't taste as fabulous as it had before. Maybe next visit, it'll be better.

Good was out of this world! Very reasonable prices and super fast service. Will definitely be back!

I ordered to go, it was easy but confusing once it told me I could pick it up after 345pm .they close at 230pm and my order went thru, I had then called to cancel my order, but it was already ready!! So very yummy, I always order the roast beef plate. Great cook whoever is back there.So very good!! There's a glitch in the online system that happens n stuff you order close to 230 mark for to go. Great food!!

We ordered four different dishes and sides and everything was amazing!! Service was great. Classic southern dishes and it was all so good. The butternut squash side was delicious. 10/10 recommend!

Great southern food and excellent service I plan to come back when I visit Oxford again

When in Mississippi, eat good Southern food!! At least that was the motto I was following when my boyfriend and I decided to try Ajax. The atmosphere is super laid back and service is super quick. It was probably one of the most Southern restaurants we've ever been to and that's saying alot cause we're from Georgia! I ordered the chicken & dumplings, broccoli cheese casserole, fried okra and jalapeno cornbread. It was all delicious and soooo filling. My boyfriend got the fried catfish + the same sides as I did and was very satisfied as well. It was like eating a Thanksgiving meal all over again! If you're looking for some good Southern food in Oxford, this is the place to go!

Food was amazing, Catfish is good but the sides were amazing! Butter beans were excellent, soft, not over cooked and without a doubt the best hash-brown casserole I have ever had. Will definitely be back.

Ajax was a major favorite of mine in college. I returned this year and so excited to see them still standing and still SO GOOD! My friends and I ordered a feast of things, the rule of thumb here is you really can't go wrong with any of the menu items. I got my usual, catfish with Mac & cheese, red beans & rice and sweet potatoes. Yum yum yum. Everything was delicious like I remember. Shoutout to Ajax, staying true to the formula.

Jumbo BBQ had a fantastic flavor. Beware portion sizes are big. Atmosphere is a little dark but has character. Will definitely come back.

The food is great and so is the service! The Pops shrimp salad was light with a flavorful mustard vinaigrette. My daughter had the 3 sides for lunch; they mark which are gluten free. She recommends the red beans and rice and the cheese grits.