Dixie Express

It was on a Thursday that my co-​workers and I came here for lunch. I was scanning through Unilocal for good lunch spots because we always seem to eat the same thing for lunch during the work week I ran across Dixie Express which had decent reviews on Unilocal and at that very moment I craved some good olé smoke BBQ meat. The restaurant is located at the Navy Marine golf course clubhouse area bottom floor. We got there just before noon and it was empty which worried me a bit, BUT 15 minutes later after we had ordered the place began to fill with a ton of folks, so if you plan to come here make sure to come before the rush just around noon.
I ordered there beef brisket combo with mac n cheese and corn bread. My co-​workers got the meatloaf and bbq chicken with sides I can’t quite remember but their feedback was satisfactory. Oh and my co-​worker was nice enough to get us fried chicken wings which I thought was perfectly cooked because it had the perfect crisp to them. I was satisfied with my brisket but nothing out of this world. It was perfectly cooked which is good because most places tend to overcook the meat causing it to be a little dry but at Dixie it was juicy and moist which just the way I like it. I wasn’t too fond of the cornbread because it wasn’t warm when I got it and maybe this just me being picky but that is my preference. The mac n cheese did make up for the cornbread. What was unique about the mac n cheese was the type of pasta used which I believed to be Conchiglie pasta (aka shell pasta). Overall I was really happy with my order which only cost me $ 12 including my drink which had free refills.
The woman that had helped us up front with our order was really nice and she saved me a buck by letting me know it’s cheaper to get a fountain drink over a bottled drink AND it’s free refills. The food came out in a timely manner and it’s always nice to see beautiful green grass while you’re eating.
We’ll definitely be back here and hopefully they serve me warmer cornbread :)

Where is heck is Dixie Express, you ask? Well, that’s a great question because their little spot is hidden in the Navy Golf Course located across the street from Moanalua Shopping Center. You can’t even see the entrance when you’re walking from the parking lot to the restaurant. The entrance to Dixie Express is around the corner from the main parking lot and faces the golf course fronting Nimitz Highway.
I’m a fan of Dixie Grill, their flagship restaurant not too far from this new location and I’m honestly still trying to figure out if I like Dixie Express. I like the food, no doubt about that. It’s the slow service, the inconsistent customer service and the lousy hours that I’m not a fan of. Being a popular lunch spot, the tables are usually packed and the atmosphere is usually lively but not as crazy as Dixie Grill.
Customer service seems to be such a crap shoot here. Service has been great but could also use some improvement in the consistency area. I’ve dealt with three different cashiers and two of them probably never had a lesson in customer service. The food preps in the kitchen seem very friendly but need to work with more of a sense of urgency. My last visit to Dixie Express had me waiting for over 15 minutes for a catfish plate with only a couple of people ahead of me.
Another thing that could use consistency is their sweet tea. Can’t have a southern meal without sweet tea right? I love Dixie Grill’s sweet tea but the tea at Dixie Express must use a different sweetener or something because the two don’t taste the same at all. The meatloaf tastes about the same at both locations, the collard greens-​same too, just as salty at Dixie Express but for some reason, the mac and cheese tastes a little better at Dixie Express. I don’t know what to make of the inconsistencies; it’s such a gamble!
I don’t work too far from Dixie Express so it’s possible I’ll keep dining here if I feel like eating southern food but I think only on days where I’m not in a rush. They also have dessert and alcohol available as well-​bottled beer only, no beer on tap.

Open on New Year’s Day with the same quality food they serve on every other day! Woo hoo!
Able to share good food with friends in the hospital, a break from hospital fare. They loved it!

Food was on point! Nate the owner was very nice and super cool to talk to. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, Mac and cheese and cornbread. Everything was great and the price wasn’t steep. I will definitely be returning!

A/​C doesn’t work, extremely small, no ice in the beer cooler. Didn’t get anything to eat. Unless I golf here I probably won’t ever be back.

This review will be for our first visit a few months back. Then a reflection on our most recent visit.
–We noticed a green health pass so we walked in and looked at the menu. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had brisket plates and sandwiches, as well as chicken and pulled pork. I’ll share my pic from their menu board. After I decided on the pulled pork sandwich we waited a short time and enjoyed our meals. It was so good! And my husbands brisket sandwich was delicious as well. I left stuffed and wanted to return to try out their other items.
Now, when we returned there is a yellow health pass on the door, and we decided to wait until it goes back to green. Cold foods need to be kept covered, some issues with employees hand washing practices, pests and a few other issues. I do recomment going once they work out their issues. I used to work in food service so they should be easy to fix. So until they fix their stuff… its Zero stars.

Best collared greens I’ve ever eaten, salad dressing tastes homemade, and the pulled
Pork is perfection. Amazing low carb lunch for 10 bucks almost impossible to find, pro tip: ask for bbq sauce on the side

Travel a lot through the the U.S. And have had the best of the best and I got to say this place is legit. Big shout out to the braddahs and Aunty for the awesome customer service! All u people on Unilocal talking shit probably never had real bbq… Like we say in Hawaii bumbye we learn u how

This is my favorite restaurant. Everything you order is amazingly delicious. I have yet to order anything here I didn’t love.

Located at the Navy-​Marine Corp Golf course (but open to the public), Dixie Express is a great location to get that Dixie Grill experience in a quicker, down and dirty format.
The menu has familiar favorites like Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, roasted turkey, all offered smoker style with your choice of two sides. With the side choices, we also see familiar flavors from the restaurant, including the standout cornbread, which on my visit, was even better than what is at the main location.
Sandwich menu features pulled pork, brisket, blackened catfish, and other lunchtime favorites. Previously offered with one side, lunch sandwiches are now offered with chips and cole slaw instead.
Other non-​restaurant offerings include French Toast, Pancakes, and that golf course favorite, the hot dog. Another golfing favorite, beer and spirits, are also offered at the counter.
All in all, I think the «express» concept transfers over well. You can feel the similarities of the menu, and even the ambiance invokes the Dixie Grill brand (albeit more the old Ward location more than that of the Aiea one).
Worth a stop for lunch if you are in the central Oahu area!

I was recommended to go to Dixie Express for some tasty barbecue meat. I don’t play golf so never would have known about this place were it not for the strong recommendation.
I ordered a pulled pork sandwich (which came with coleslaw and chips) and a lemonade. The meat was juicy and tender, but it didn’t particularly impress me. The inside of the bun was nicely toasted, which helped prevent the bread from getting soggy. I enjoyed their side of chips, so that’s a thumbs up.
A few minor things: the coleslaw and lemonade. The coleslaw was drenched in mayonnaise water, so it wasn’t my favorite. The lemonade was also was too sweet for me and I had to water it down.
I know people that adore this place, so I’m willing to try it again some time soon. It may just not have been the best fit for me. I would love to give credit to the workers who were really friendly and responsive. I had a really pleasant dine-​in experience because of their service!

The food is amazing and the service is awesome. I love coming here the bbq chicken is to die for ;)

Opened up downstairs at the Navy Golf Course off of Valkenburg, I’ve visited a few times now, in order to try a few different menu items, including brunch, and I can easily say that not a single visit has left me disappointed! The chef is a very friendly guy and always peeks out of the back to ask how the food is. One visit, they forgot to bring out my side of cornbread (it was busy, I don’t blame them for getting caught up) so when I asked, they gave me TWO pieces. They certainly didn’t have to do that, it was very kind. Mmm, love that cornbread!
You walk in and order at the counter from the large chalkboard menu. beverages are in the cases beside you OR order an ice cold Roasted Lemonade or Sweet Iced Tea. You proceed to find a seat as they’ll deliver your food to the table for you. Food comes served on flat metal trays with wax paper. Condiments and such on the side counter, help yourself to the variety of sauces and extras. Don’t forget to clear your tray when finished.
Parking:
nice big lot with plenty of space. The place is never really busy either, even weekday lunch hour, there are a good amount of seats open.
Menu:
we love the fried catfish! (Grandma & Auntie were visiting when we made this trip and Grandma was so impressed, she gave chef a great big hug! No kidding) Brisket is my go-​to favorite and the sliders are a great lunch portion. The breakfast menu did not disappoint (see my photos) the «breakfast wrap» was more like a super burrito, it was so large. The burger arrived hot off the grill with melty cheese and juicy beef. The shoestring fries are damn tasty.

I would like to start off by saying that the customer service, cleanliness and wait for this location is very decent. The food… different story. I decided to order the brisket plate because I have been to the original Dixie Grill and have liked their brisket. When I received my plate, I was baffled when I got a giant lump of fat and barely any meat. I spent the next 5 minutes digging out as much meat as possible… Didn’t find much and I was still hungry after.
My husband ordered the same plate. Same issue but with way more grease than mine. Very disappointed in the quality of the food. Save your money and just go to the original Dixie.

It’s a scaled down snack bar from Dixie Grill. The menu is limited but the pricing and portions are just about right. It might depend on who the cooks are on shift that day. Before my tee time, I ordered the spam musubi which was made fresh. I took another one after the first nine holes.
By the I finished my round of golf I didn’t feel like driving to another restaurant for lunch. This place has decent smoked lunch plates. I had the smoked BBQ chicken plate which was a quarter chicken. Nice portion for the price. My buddy has the pulled pork sandwich which was a lot more than anticipated.
3 stars for good food and okay customer service. Nice place to have a quick lunch after a round of golf.

Coconut butterfly fried shrimp over crispy fries with an incredible caper tartar sauce and honey mustard was excellent for $ 10. Pulled pork with really good sweet corn bread and macaroni and cheese for $ 8.25 great value. Gumbo with rice was only $ 5, it was delicious. Nate, the chef was very helpful, very attentive and very professional. We will be back.

I discovered this place by accident driving by on Valkenburg.
I wasn’t sure it was open to the public because it’s located at the Navy Marine Golf Course but it IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
I love Dixie Grill so I was excited to try this place out… It was delicious… I’ve tried a couple things on the menu I love love love… my favorite is the Chicken Wings, they are soaked in pickle juice before cooking so it totally tastes like pickles when you eat them… no dipping sauce needed.
My 2^nd favorite is the Tuna Sandwich, I’m not a big Tuna eater but this sandwich is tasty. They have these thin pieces of lemon in the sandwich that make the taste so different and so yummy…
I’m not a BBQ meat fan but my husband has tried the meat loaf and the brisket smoker plates and he loves them… the smoker plates are a little smaller then the smoker plates from the original DIXIE GRILL but they are CHEAPER. Great value!
and our favorites sides are the Mac & Cheese and Cornbread!
The service is Quick and Fast. you don’t have to wait to long at all for the food. so it beats all the fast food joints across the street. :)
We’ll be back…

I’m not sure why I expected more, but I did.
Went here for lunch today. Ordered their «From the Smoker» chicken thighs, cornbread and red beans & rice. I don’t think they used any wood products in their smoker or it malfunctioned this morning. My chicken was pretty much roasted. The cornbread was weird and the red beans & rice lacked seasoning. Overall, a pretty disappointing experience. I went in hungry and left not feeling hungry so I guess there’s a small victory. I don’t think Dixie Ex will make any of my favorite places lists. On a positive note: would have never known unless I tried it.
I need Unilocal.LOL

Thanks to word of mouth, I found out that the folks from Dixie Grill opened a new «express» location at Navy Marine Golf Course on the first floor. Since I was in the area on Saturday, I stopped by to pick up some lunch to-​go.
Although you have to have the appropriate military credentials to golf at this golf course, you do not need to have credentials to eat at the golf course, so everyone is welcome to dine here!
Their meats are smoked daily in their very own smoker in the back of the restaurant. You can definitely taste the difference.
I tried 1) the pulled pork sandwich and 2) ¼ lb meatloaf.
The pulled pork sandwich was delicious. The pork was super tender and the bbq sauce was right-​on. It was served with a small container of coleslaw. $ 7.
The ¼ lb meatloaf, made with Big Island Beef, was delicious and moist. It came with a slice of white bread and choice of 2 sides; I opted for the mac n cheese and cornbread. $ 6.
Both were excellent and I’d definitely order them again, although for the meatloaf I’d probably opt for the ½ lb for $ 11.
I hope they add either french fries or homemade chips to the menu — I don’t know about you but I can’t eat a sandwich without freshly fried fries or chips!
This is a casual eatery — no waitress service. Just head straight to the cashier to place your order.
They also serve breakfast from 7am. Open 7 days a week.

Newly Open, limited plates but very fulfilling. Perfect place to stop in if your stuck on the freeway or waiting to go to the airport.