The Rodair Express - Beaumont

One of, if not the best place to eat for lunch. Fried fish is amazing. They serve shrimp and grits on Fridays. It's to die for. Decent price, too. I recommend the Doug Nelson's fish and shrimp any other time. I eat here any chance I get.

Highly recommend! Dedicated fryer for Gluten Free Fries and Doug Nelson Fish. Very good.

I love The Rodair Express, great food, nice atmosphere and the people are very friendly!! Maddie Sterling the manager is awesome!!! I feel like family when I walk in!!

Glad they opened this up in this location, great food!

The restaurant has changed its name to Rodair Express and Catering. From its Facebook postings, it seems Mr. Nelson, 85, decided to hang up his apron after 50 years. The new Rodair Express will be introducing more items from its popular Rodair Roadhouse in Port Arthur. I didn 't know all that this morning when I had to travel on business down Texas Hwy. 124 outside of Beaumont. I had seen Doug Nelson 's Cafe for years and heard of his famous catfish and barbecue but until today never stopped at the little cafe in a community called Cheek. I saw tons of pickup trucks and SUVs outside and did a double take when I saw the Rodair Express and Catering signs. I almost didn 't stop but I turned around and went inside. It was busy at almost high noon but I persevered and got a chance to ask the lady about the menu. Mainly, what is the difference between Rodair 's Catfish and Doug Nelson 's Catfish? The answer was the Rodair 's was flour based, while Doug Nelson 's was corn meal based. Like we have been making for 50 years, our nice hostess said. Either way both were $10, which turned out to be a bargain. Well, I ordered the Doug Nelson 's catfish with a side of potato salad and another of red beans and rice. I was totally shoving my diet totally over the edge, so it had better be good. And it was. I thought how it is so seldom in a restaurant where every item one orders is really and I mean really good. I was savoring each morsel to the point that I was getting full on what didn 't appear to be a big plate. If you don 't like catfish, there are quite a few other options on the menu from barbecue another Nelson favorite and po boys to chicken fried steak. The restaurant is open for lunch hours, 10:30 2:00 Monday Friday. It 's about 8 10 miles out of Beaumont on State Hwy. 124. It might be faster from Beaumont or Houston to travel on Interstate 10 and turn onto Smith Road until it runs into 124.