It's high time for an update regarding the Dixie Grill & Steer Room. They've apparently in the last three years or so hired a new chef named Robbie and he's made a fair number of changes to their menu, infusing more of a New Southern flair to it. The result is overall successful but there are some rough edges here and there, or more specifically, there is the issue that the restaurant seems to have too many identities and a few issues with staff that could use fine-tuning. As I've noted before, there is the grill part of the restaurant which comes across as a favorite old diner perfect for breakfast or lunch--this is where you enter the restaurant--and then there is the fabled Steer Room in the back which was began I guess as a nice steakhouse for supper-time. You can sit in either and get the same menu, and now that menu has a focus on old Southern favorites still but with a greater gravitas and an eye to the type of twists we've seen in the past decade in New Southern cuisine. I had the "Squirrel Fishin'" which is catfish encrusted in a pecan breading and fried, served with grits and a tomato gravy and two hushpuppies. Like most of the dinner plates, it comes with one trip to their salad bar which is worthwhile to grab some of their homemade coleslaw as it's very good and perfect alongside the catfish. I have a strong disdain for salad bars in general but in the South on occasion you can find some great coleslaw and/or potato salad on them. The catfish was cooked in a manner oft used for trout and done so exceptionally it worked just as well for the humble catfish and was delicious. The grits were also good, as was the gravy, and the hushpuppies turned out to be cornbread-based and unusual yet good. Overall, it was a great meal that lived up to the chef's professed goal of New Southern cuisine and I was impressed. Based on this, I had the lemon pie for dessert, which sadly didn't measure up to the caliber of the dinner at all: too sweet, too dense, and yet lacking enough lemon flavor. It possibly was made with Meyer lemons which impart a different flavor, I don't know, but I was not happy with it. Also, the waitress was not the best. She was young so I forgive her, maybe she's new, but she seemed scattered and did not check on me at all during dinner, then brought the check, didn't ask if I wanted dessert, but did (thankfully) refill my iced tea. I don't like waitstaff to hover, but they need to turn up about three to five minutes after the diner has his food to see how he likes it, and she didn't. They also need to ask if patrons desire dessert, especially when the restaurant has about seven desserts and brags about them on the menu. The owner was around and came over to chat and she was very nice and we talked about other restaurants and businesses in the area and diving to Crystal River and such. She was so sweet I didn't have the heart to complain about the waitress--or the pie. All in all, it was good food. The owner recommends the bread pudding and the coconut cream pie which have both been longstanding staples of the restaurant. I will have one or the other next time. The catfish was great and there are other menu items that look very promising. I will come again, but I wish the experience had been totally stellar because I think they could accomplish that. read more

Dixie Grill - Pecan-encrusted catfish and grits. - Southern Near Me - Live Oak, Florida

The Dixie Grill is an institution in Live Oak...been there a long time. I have only eaten breakfast there, but the food was great, service was quick, and prices were very reasonable. Try the thin sliced breakfast potatoes -- they are like thick cut potato chips. Yum. read more

They used to have a good salad bar. Bring it back please!! Don't sit in the back unless you want to hear all gossip from the personnel sitting in the corner. My wife got the catfish special and I'm not kidding it looked like a kids meal. One piece of fish smaller than your palm for $10. We won't do that again. read more

If you live in free, then stay home. You can Oder curbside pickup etc. This is a massless business. You can wear a mask if you want. Very clean and sanitary. Very good food, every time. Been here several times. Great service every time. It is your choice how to live and they let you safety here read more

My brother-in-law paid $47 for 3 pies for Thanksgiving. The lemon meringue was great. The pecan had a slightly overdone crust. But the pie insides were wonderful. Now the coconut creme crust was so burnt, the taste of the pie was changed and made the pie awful. Nothing is worse than a refrigrated pie with a burnt crust. Pies were of good size. read more

The food is good at this restaurant. However you won't get what you ordered or have a hard time getting it right unless you're a friend of theirs. The waitresses are argumentative and do not know the menu. The staff and ownership seem to be ignorant of customer service skills of any type. They will ignore people they don't know and jump through hoops for ones they do. I would not go to this restaurant unless you are friends of theirs or down right desperate or need a lesson in how not to run a restaurant. read more

Food was great, service was good but kinda had the expectation that you were local like everyone else and knew the menu. A little on the high side. All in all a good stop read more

Sixty three years and you would think they might update the inside of this place, hiring new employees doesn't count. I got your Karen.

Now closed on Tuesdays. This was on the door stating the closure starting May 3, 2022. We stopped by on our way from Tampa to Mobile. We had tried this wonderful cafe on a previous trip and wanted to try it again. read more

We tried out this restaurant on an early Sunday morning. Our waitress Anee was THE BEST WAITRESS we have EVER had! She was the nicest lady and had our food out in no time. We had the French toast and omelette! She even found some sugar free jelly (that is always so hard to come by) loved the way they worded their menu. Will definitely be back when we're in the area again read more

Food was good, I had the chicken fried steak loved the gravy had chucks of sausage and really creamy. The collards has good flavor as well as the black eyed peas. Husband had the fried chicken he said it was good. It's a nice all American Home cooking style restaurant. read more

Dixie Grill - Southern Near Me - Live Oak, Florida

This is a nice little place with nice people Food is average but a good country menu read more

Good food. Good service. Large portions for low prices. My husband and i half plates when we cone in, they're that big! Friendly southern atmosphere. read more

No mask thing was real weird. Ordered a belly buster hash thing, didn't ask for bacon but they added it anyway (+$2.50). When I asked the waitress about it, she said that they add bacon automatically, though it was not included on the menu. When I asked her to take off the bacon on the receipt, as I didn't order it, she said she would. Received the ticket, no itemized receipt, and the total was unchanged. Absolute hole in the wall. Seems like the only people who eat here are locals, and for good reason. Mediocre food, less than great staff, generally threatening and unsafe environment (no masks). If you've been going there, you probably won't stop now, but for people who haven't, there's absolutely no reason you should eat here. Waffle house or bust. read more

Awesome Awesome Awesome, had the grouper sandwich and fried green tomatoes yummy

Had my Mother's funeral reception here and from the fried chicken, mac n cheese, green beans and banana pudding, it was amazing! Highly recommend Dixie Grill. Robbie went over and above for our last minute reception for my Mom. Thank you Robbie read more

Ok, little spot. The food is ok and the staff was nice. The menu seemed limited for this style of restaurant. Also, not crazy about those tiny little side dish bowls they give you for your trip to the salad bar. If you do use a second one for runny items like beets, they charge you an extra dollar for the bowl. Seems petty to us. But ok, they are there to make money. So, If you get the salad bar "all you can eat", as your meal, then they will get you an average/typical size salad plate to use. But it's over priced for the choices/size of the salad bar. But overall a nice, decent place to eat out at. read more

My husband and I stopped for lunch. He got the special, shepherds pie, and I got the fried chicken, white meat. They both came with 2 sides, bread and a salad bar I got the mac and cheese and greens. He got green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy. We both got the cornbread and salad bar I thought the slaw and potato salad were the best item on the salad bar. We both thought the cornbread was too dry. The shepherds pie was different but ok. I enjoyed the mac and cheese but the greens lacked taste. However, the fried chicken was to die for! I don't remember having fried chicken so moist and tender. The coating was light and perfect. And remember I got the white meat so it came with a breast and wing. A lot of the time the breast is tough and dry but this was perfect. I highly recommend the chicken. The best ever read more

If you want a great southern breakfast at a great price this is the place. Large restaurant so there was no wait. Staff was very friendly and efficient. The food was in large portions. I had a biscuit that was so yummy and homemade. We both had meals and coffee and walked out under $20... great value !! Stop in and you won't be disappointed! read more

Wonderful! That's the best word I can use to describe this restaurant. Friendly staff, good food that comes out quick, and a great salad bar. My only criticism is really the temperature of the food. Came out lukewarm, if not cold. Otherwise would recommend to anyone! Especially those seeking a casual dining environment. If you visit, make sure to try the carrot salad. Absolutely wonderful. read more

We stopped in for a late Sunday evening meal on our drive to Lake City. We both had their soup of the day, vegetable beef, which was homemade and good. I had a grilled cheese sandwich which was also good. My wife had a one trip to the salad bar with her soup. The salad bar was mediocre. Service was a little slow, but okay. read more

Had the El Jefe omelette here. 5 stars for the freshest omelette ever and top-notch service. The owner recognized I wasnt local and sat with me and talked and even served me some of his freshly harvested venison. What a great spot and excellent service. read more

We stopped in after attending strawberry festival. Wow what a gem. The food was fresh and very good. Highly recommended if you're looking for a great country cooking and warm family atmosphere. read more

Great spot for a home cooked meal. Service was very good and they keep the tea flowing.

Chicken fingers a must! Waitresses are sweet. The blonde woman at the counter (owner?) seems crabby & judgmental every time we've gone in. I've even heard her trash the waitstaff. Very unprofessional & tacky. Lucky for her, the chicken tenders are the most juicy & delicious I've ever had. I will continue coming back for them & the salad bar. This is a nice little small town diner/restaurant for great comfort food. read more

Stopped on the way back home from USF-FSU game weekend. Excellent food. I had the FGTBLT (fried green tomato, bacon lettuce tomato) sandwich and had them add a burger patty. The deserts are excellent. Specializing in coconut cream, and bread pudding with rum sauce. Took our deserts home with us. read more

While not a regular (I've only been to Live Oak once!), I must confess that the staff and management of the Dixie Grill were superb! The food came out hot, the manager (It was Halloween and he was dressed up as "The Joker") pitched right in with his staff (We had 50 of us), the meal was tasty, and the portions were generous. Mind you, we probably upset the locals with our loud selves, however, even they were kind to my rowdy group. Should I ever make it back to Live Oak, I'll know where to have my supper! read more

The service absolutely SUCKED. The waitresses seen us waiting yet ignored us. We waited for a total of 20 minutes. One of the worst experiences hands down. Would not recommend TO ANYONE. read more

The Dixie Grill in Live Oak, FL is an "institution" in every sense of the word. My trip to the Dixie Grill makes at least three generations from our family that have eaten at this restaurant. There's a chance that a fourth generation has dined here, but it's hard to say. The Dixie Grill has been a part of the culture & history of Live Oak for over 50 years. For many years, they were THE place to eat. And although they are facing some new comers in town, they still stand tall as the local favorite. The fried chicken, gizzards, and liver are among some of their beloved Southern favorites. If you're on I-10, it's just a short 11 minutes from the Interstate to the front door of the Dixie Grill. Take Exit 275, and follow US-90 to downtown Live Oak. It's worth the trip! read more

Dixie Grill - Southern Near Me - Live Oak, Florida

Horrendous. Food bland, waitresses not showing any sanitary standards (or COVID protocol), hair in two of our plates! Don't recommend.

My daughter and I ate there recently and you seat yourself and as we sat down waiting to be served the servers kept walking past us not acknowledging us at all so I said to my daughter when one was walking by again that there they go ignoring us and that server with short brown hair came to the table slammed the silverware down and let us know it's not her table and that she heard what we said and I advised her that we're servers as well at another place and we at least acknowledge the customers not ignore them. Then we ordered finally and the food was disgusting, the steak for steak and eggs was not cooked to medium as requested and the sausage links weren't cooked all the way and we asked if we could pick something different and they said no and only gave $6.00 off for a breakfast that wasn't eaten. Crappy service from beginning to end and awful food. Never will go back again! I only gave one star cause you have to, to write a review read more

I'd just moved to Live Oak, and had driven by the Dixie Grill several times. My niece and I were in search of a nice salad bar for lunch. (This was before I found 'Yelp' mind you!) I called there before going asking if they had a really good salad bar, price, etc... I was told it was very good. Apparently, I should have asked the woman her idea of what a 'really good salad bar' included! 1st-The restaurant itself is quite unappealing. I'm not sure that it's unclean or dirty, it just looks 'used' and old. As other reviewers have mentioned, the lighting is terrible and it seems musty; making the whole atmosphere just sad. 2nd-Service. The restaurant had perhaps three other tables occupied. Our order was taken quickly enough upon seating. However, we were not checked on after our drinks were delivered. We had to wave our waitress over to ask for our check. We were going to ask about dessert, but were miffed about having to sit there for so long and the lack of service. 3rd-As we paid our bill, the woman was as close to being downright rude as possible. Being asked how your meal as is the usual, but she was determined not to smile, let alone say anything. A "Your Welcome" to my thank you when she gave me my change would've been appreciated. I cannot stand rudeness. My niece and I laughed as we left promising never to make that mistake again! read more

We were directed to the dining room and seated ourselves. We were ignored by three waitresses who waited on diners who came in after us. The dining room was not crowded but after waiting 12 minutes with no acknowledgement, we got up and left. read more

We've come to this restaurant 3 times, each time I've said I will not be back. The service EVERYTIME has been terrible. Waiting 10 minutes for someone to even speak to us or take our drink orders. The food isn't all that great to begin with and the poor service ruins what the food does have going for it. read more

Went there for dinner this evening, me, the wife and two teen girls. Chose Dixie Grill because of Yelp reviews. Well, we must have gone on an off night. Place was about 25% full and getting drinks on the table took about 15 mins. Other people came in after us, ate and left before us. Maybe being a local has it's perks. (We are RV'ing at a area campground and decided to eat out this evening) We then ordered dinners and waited, waited and waited some more. Finally the food came and my wives and daughters food was cold. When the waitress came back a while later we asked that they nuke the two dinners. They came back warmer but my wife said she has lost her appetite and took it home to the dogs. My daughter ate some but the chicken turned rubbery, she was not a happy camper. Mine was fine as was my daughter's friend. We spent $67.00 plus tip for four dinners, appetizers and drinks. Not a cheap meal for grill food by any means. If only someone would have even ask if everything was OK, I would have felt better, but nobody cared enough to ask. This was our first trip there and according to my wife, the last. read more

Wow. How is this place even open? Menu and food are dated. Place lit up like an operating table with florescent lights. The décor is from the 1970's, and not in a cool way. read more

Favorite breakfast buffet in Live Oak. Rachel our waitress was awesome. Breakfast buffet only on Saturday till 11am. Going to try the church special on Sunday for fried chicken biscuits and gravy, can't wait!! Only open til 2pm but worth the trip. read more

This place is kinda a greasy spoon/home cooking type place thats trying to be fancier than they are. Seems popular for breakfast, but they serve lunch and dinner as well. I've eaten all three here and none were very impressive. Breakfast is ok, the omelet was below average and the breakfast potatoes were not really the best. There's better local breakfast places at better value, but Dixie Grill is doable for breakfast if you have to. Lunch and dinner menu are similar and have the usual suspects like burgers, sandwiches and a few meat and fish meals. The burgers are not that great, typical frozen food service patties, and no seasoning. Lately it seems like they've added some upscale meals like shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles. I tryed one of the new Sriracha sandwiches, and it was ok, but I was surprized they were able to make a sandwich with hot sauce bland. My wife tried the catfish and grits and they were pretty rough. Catfish wasnt cooked well and tasted both bland and funny at the same time, grits seemed like insta grits from walmart. The "tomato gravy" was basically canned tomato sauce and was pretty bad. Seemed kinda like they saw this on a menu a place in a big city but didnt learn how to cook it right. Also, the food didnt seem too fresh, and I got a skunky beer. Afterward, my wife got food poisoning from the fish... The waitresses are nice, but the service kinda slow, and they dont really have good customer service or know whats on the menu. The one bright spot on the menu is the homemade pies, some of which are baked fresh daily. Lemon meringue and coconut cream are good, but one waitress recommended the pecan pie, which I was really disappointed to find out is a frozen pie from Cisco. I'm not sure why they would even offer this, since they have a reputation for local homemade pies. The location is decent, but the dining room is kinda outdated. I like old diners and greasy spoons, but this one kinda feels like eating in a nursing home, and seemed like it might need to be cleaned a little more thoroughly. They have a TV in the back room but it usually seems to be playing kids shows with the sound on. Overall, I've tried to like the Dixie Grill several times, but the food is not that great and I havent really seen anything to go back for. Also my wife refuses to go there after she got food poisoning. There's better options in town and nearby in Lake City. read more

Went here for breakfast a few times last week while staying at Spirit of the Suwannee Music park for Springfest. It was nice to find a local place and avoid the chains out by the highway. It's really only another mile or two into downtown Live Oak to the Dixie Grill and the downtown is interesting with some beautifully preserved historic buildings in the center of town. The Dixie Grill has good food for very good prices, nice staff, good coffee, and it's a large place so you can always find a spot even when they're quite busy for breakfast. I had a veggie omelet with potatoes and a biscuit with honey - large steaming hot omelet with tons of veggies and melted cheese. Hits the spot! read more

Well had a group of Spanish Business Folks here touring manufacturing outside Europe. Well Dixie was recommended. Sadly I am not impressed. The location was prime, food was not. A hungry man frozen Country Fried Steak would have been better than mine. Greens were ok, not great. Place was clean, well staffed, and staff was real friendly and fast. Food should have been half as good as service. read more