Dixie Creek Saloon

I am a big fan of the Dixie and Jake & Kalyn Payne. They have worked hard to update the bar and restaurant… it is looking GREAT. They have also brought in a lot of new music and fun events. You need to go down to the Dixie and check it out. They are great folks AND really talented musicians… best of all… they know how to treat people right.

Don’t be intimidated by the Dixie Creek Saloon’s somewhat off-​putting exterior. From the outside you could almost imagine a divey local old man bar filled will creeps belching beer. Or possibly somewhere redneck-​y where a person with a complexion a few shades more tan than white bread might be less than welcome. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Dixie Creek is one of those awesome out of the way places that the masses barely know about, and once you become a regular, you’re kind of hoping it stays that way and you won’t have to share it with a bunch of obnoxious college kids from Corvallis.
The owners are both musicians who play regularly at the bar themselves. They cater to local and live music on a daily basis. There’s blues, open Mic, classic rock, metal, alternative and everything in between. The band scene is totally happening there. Combine that with a really friendly bar staff and a cool retro venue and you’ve got a winner. There’s even a poster of Johnny Cash giving you the finger from behind the stage and you can totally imagine The Man in Black rocking Dixie creek. That’s the kind of place he would have loved to play. Best of all, there’s NEVER a cover charge to come in and listen to the tunes.
As far as the food goes, it’s okay. It’s exactly the kind of greasy fried bar stuff you want after slugging down a few beers. I’ve seen steaks and burgers on the menu but haven’t tried them yet. The Dixie has several local micro brews on tap, at what I think are really the cheapest prices around, as well as the old standards like Coors and Bud.
There is an outdoor area smokers can go hang out under a roofed patio where Oregon rain is unlikely to make your cigarette go all droopy. They offer pool, ping pong and horse shoes when the weather is nice.
Best of all, the Dixie Creek Saloon has been right where it is, right over top of the actual Creek that runs below its floorboards, for at least 80 years. I think the original bar was built in the 20’s. A place with that much history, who has seen literally hundreds of musicians play their hearts out on their stage, is somewhere you want to be, and keep alive for another 80 years.

I’m mostly rating on it’s entertainment value, as I haven’t eaten there, but played a show there. They have an extremely varied calendar of music events, which actually works out pretty cool considering the rural location. The bartenders and sound person were super nice which can be a rarity sometimes. They have a cool outdoor area and ping pong, as well as a small pool room. I would definitely play more shows there as well as attend shows there.