Ajax Diner

The story

Ajax Diner in Oxford, MS | Southern Comfort Food Since 1997 | Michelin Recommended

Ajax Diner has been serving Oxford’s most beloved Mississippi cuisine since 1997. On the west side of the historic Oxford Square, in the bright yellow building, this diner dishes out hearty Southern comfort food made from scratch. Chicken and dumplings, fried catfish, Mississippi pot roast, meatloaf, and country-fried steaks are the standards that keep locals and visitors returning.

The restaurant is named after founder Randy Yates’ grandfather, A.J. Ajax. His nickname came from his time as a fraternity kitchen steward, where people came from all over campus to eat his food. That same spirit of hospitality—drawn from family traditions at the Neshoba County Fair—now animates the diner. In April 2024, local hospitality expert Clay Scruggs took over from Randy, keeping Ajax going strong in its original glory.

The menu is straightforward and generous. Plate lunches, served with two sides and house-made jalapeño cornbread, are the anchor. Choose from Southern fried catfish, Matty’s Mom’s meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, or Randy’s pot roast and gravy. Sandwiches include the Ajax Burger and The Big Easy—a country-fried steak piled with mashed potatoes, brown gravy, and butter beans on a toasted bun. Po’boys come dressed on Gambino’s French bread, and the dinner menu adds steaks like a 14-ounce ribeye. Sides range from fried okra and turnip greens to sweet potato casserole and mac & cheese. Desserts like banana pudding and blackberry cobbler round things out.

The recognition has been steady. Voted Oxford’s Best Plate Lunch every year since opening, Ajax has also been named Best Restaurant in Oxford multiple times and landed on Southern Living’s list of The South’s Most Legendary Restaurants. In 2026, it earned a Michelin Recommended award, placing this unpretentious American spot on a global stage. First come, first served—no reservations needed.