Jack & Mary Catherine’s Definitive Guide to Hattiesburg’s Restaurants
EDITOR’S NOTE - I asked my kids to write a list of their favorite restaurants in Hattiesburg. The original goal was mostly so I didn’t have to painstakingly start listing restaurants when I asked them where they wanted to eat. But the process ended up being a lot of fun as well as an interesting commentary on our life here in Hattiesburg.
First, we don’t eat at chains unless it is a local chain. And yall shouldn’t either. Second, we do not cross I-59 except under exceptional circumstances. Too much traffic and chain boringness out there. And finally, there are a couple restaurants where we should go more often.
My kiddos reviewed 20 restaurants. None were chains and only one was out west. I added another 15 and noted which ones were mine with an asterisk. They are organized first by neighborhood, then alphabetically, below. Have fun eating.
Jack and Mary Catherine’s Definitive Guide to Restaurants in Hattiesburg
By Jack Edmonson
DOWNTOWN
*Blu Jazz - To me, this is where Nelson Haskins, the King of Front Street, really found his footing. Grabbing a drink and quick meal at the bar while listing to music is a perfect Thursday for me. The Front Street Chicken is one of my favorite dishes in Hattiesburg, and yall, I barely consider chicken a meat unless it is fried. It’s like shrimp for people who are allergic to shrimp. Steaks are great, and the catfish jambalaya for brunch is awesome. Also, don’t miss lunch here - one of the best deals in Hattiesburg. (casual)
Buschman Street Cafe - they have a lot of interesting items on the menu. And they are all good! Especially the burger. But seriously, if you don’t get the crab cakes and dessert for every meal, you might be doing it wrong. All the servers are super nice, and the place looks like where Dad might take Mom if he was trying to get out of trouble. Extensive gluten free options. (fancy)
*Fairley’s Wings - So I rarely eat wings without watching college football. And NIL has broken me from watching college football. Hence, this restaurant is not on my kids’ list. BUT. If the Saints or Ole Miss make a playoff run, you can count on me posted up at the bar acting like I’m a regular. The wings and football watching are best in the city here. (casual)
Grateful Soul- Grateful Soul is a personal favorite and serves almost totally southern food. My sister comments,”The chicken, lima beans, and much more were delicious, I liked the signs and the people were nice.” As you can see their food is great, the decoration is great, and the people are nice¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Dad loves the tomato pie and ALL the desserts. The menu changes every day, but you go through a line and pick a meat plus sides. All are good. (casual)
Hattiesburger- mentioned in another review, Hattiesburger is just across the street from South Bound and is just as good. I commented,”Overall great food and the guacamole burger is a blast.” As you probably noticed, I love the guacamole burger. The best morning ever is to start your day at South Bound, bounce around downtown (go to the Pocket Museum and Lucky Rabbit) and then meet back across the street from where you started at Hattiesburger for lunch. They feature live music all the time and I haven’t heard a bad tune yet. Mary Catherine really loves the mouthwatering nachos. (casual)
Jutamas- Jutamas serves Thai cuisine that really is quite good. The Pad Thai remains #1 on my list and it is my go to. My remark remains,”Pad Thai!” While I now realize that there are other things to eat at Jutamas, my earlier self wasn’t this wise. Its decorations are very good, and I have spent many a time talking with my father over appetizers. Mom says they have gluten free options if you ask. (a little fancier than casual)
Keg & Barrel - okay, this may be more of my dad’s favorite spot because of the adult beverages and outdoor area with music rather than mine, but I like it a lot too! The pizza, burgers, and tacos from Taymas Taqueria in the back are all great. The breakfast taco is personally my favorite although they only have it every once in a while. And that TV! I really want them to play Pokemon on a TV that big, but so far, only sports. And they also make a great shirley temple. (casual)
Los Compadres Meat Market-Compadres is a grocery store first with a Mexican diner in the back. As most of the waiters and kitchen chefs there speak Spanish you kind of have to know some Spanish to order. Thankfully my mother has Duolingo installed on her phone so that helps a lot with ordering and complimenting the chef. My sister says,”wonderful tacos and it's good for practicing Spanish.” They really do have great tacos, the pozole is hearty and delicious, and the mural (by Hector Baldo) on the side of the building is beautiful. (casual)
*Nellie’s - It is in the name why this place is awesome. Chicken & Daiquiris. These chicken tenders are homemade, and the best in Hattiesburg. Honestly, we do not go here as much as we should as I fully realize it is dark, dark path if I start eating fried chicken regularly. But grabbing a daiquiris and wondering around downtown is a lot of fun. (casual)
*The Porter - So my kids rarely go to the Porter with us because it always starts an argument about whether the Porter has the best hamburger downtown. My kids lean Hattiesburgers (and no disrespect, I love that place), and I lean Porters. We both agree the french fries at Porter are amazing. My favorite part about this place is that it just feels like walking into Cheers when you come in - they perfectly executed the feel of a great neighborhood bar/restaurant. (casual)
Royal Spices - Mary Catherine loves the salmon, and my Dad loves the oxtails and lamb chops. I think the shrimp pasta is the best. The food here is so good that even the broccoli is delicious. Mom’s secret is to call in an order ahead and avoid the line, but it is also a lot of fun to walk up and down the Longleaf Trace while they are getting it ready. Also, and I cannot stress this enough. SNOWBALLS! (take out/outside seating)
SoPro - SoPro is located in the center of downtown and serves the best Oktoberfest food. Their chicken sandwich is really good too. Dad mostly comes here for the drinks that I can’t have…But I do get a good Shirley Temple there. They have an outside space where you can play or just hang around, an inside space (by the bar, so it's a little bit rowdy) and another inside space thats much more chill. Like Keg & Barrel they have a large TV in the chill room, but also like Keg & Barrel they haven’t featured Pokemon…yet. (a little fancier than casual)
South Bound- Me and my sister both recommended this restaurant as BAGELS BAGELS BAGELS FIVE STAR so I think the reason we come to this restaurant is pretty obvious. The bagels really are great and my personal favorite is the chocolate chip bagel, but you really can’t go wrong at South Bound.” My favorite is the onion bagel with bacon and cream cheese, but, as Jack said, you really can’t go wrong at South Bound (even if you tried).” -Mary Catherine. The location is great as it is located in the center of Nelson Haskin’s empire (Hattiesburger, Blu Jazz, etc.), and the center of downtown. (casual)
Southern Seafood Market - This place is half restaurant and half seafood market. All I can tell you is that my Dad constantly talks about their oyster poboys. Sometimes we get a bunch of shrimp that they boil for us so that Mom doesn’t get upset that her kitchen smells like shrimp for three or four days. If you want to get some great fish and seafood, this is a must visit. (casual)
Trattoria- Trattoria is an Italian restaurant that is a few doors down from Hattiesburger and South Bound. It is in a great location, and has some of the best Italian dishes in Hattiesburg. It has a beautiful mural inside of the building and the food is great. Mary Catherine loves the music and especially the garlic bread. And also that the meatballs are the size of her fist. (casual)
*Triangle Seafood - This seafood market/poboy shop on Hardy Street is an institution. True story, my dad used to sell them eggs when it was more of a market. My grandmother also used to have a charge account here that mostly functioned as a way to get cigarettes. BUT - fantastic seafood market and poboys. Southern Seafood will always have my heart when it comes to oysters, but the shrimp poboy here probably edges out Southern. Don’t skip any of the pastas - unless you want to have a productive afternoon. (casual)
MIDTOWN
*The Art of Roux - I am not capable of parking my gigantic truck in that gas station parking lot when it is full. Kyle Bass might be the one person in the world who can convince me to buy a golf cart just so I can eat here more often. Look, the whole menu is awesome. Great poboys, especially the fancy burger and debris. Don’t skip the gumbo or red beans & rice. (casual)
Big Trouble - The coolest part of this restaurant (besides the food of course) is that from the outside it looks normal, and then you go inside and its like “Wow”! They have a red room. And a green room. And also a really cool mural! My favorite is the ramen and also the dumplings. Mary Catherine likes the food court orange chicken. Extensive gluten free options according to Mom. (a little fancier than casual)
Ed’s-Ed’s is a milkshake and burger place in Hattiesburg that doesn’t rival Hattiesburger in quality of burgers, but is totally unrivaled in quality of milkshakes. Its milkshakes range from a pound of ice cream and a lot of shake to basically just a bowl of candy with milk at the bottom. All in all the food is great and the desserts are even better. Huge outdoor patio makes it a fun place to hang out outside with lots of games. (casual)
*Gold Post - Technically, Gold Post is a fast food, hamburger joint. Technically. And the Big Gold is a great burger, even though I have probably had it fewer than half a dozen times over my 40+ years of eating there. But y’all, this place evolved long ago into a quirky combination of local only special items. My favorite remains the chef salad with the incomparable Jimmy Faughn’s salad dressing. Dad loves the gumbo and patty melt. (casual)
Loblolly Bakery- This is by far the most accomplished bakery in Hattiesburg, and its chef, Martha Foose, has won the James Beard Award for American Cooking. Speaking from experience, she totally deserved it. Although the line is a bit long on Saturdays or Sundays the food is absolutely worth it. My sister commented,”The pastries are great and I love the Challah Bread.” They are also now rolling out hot breakfast and lunch options, for those of you strong enough to skip the chocolate almond croissant. (casual)
*Mahogany Bar - The original Hog is an institution here in Hattiesburg - a prototypical spot for adult beverages and a great meal. But the expanded Mahogany Bar deserves recognition as an improvement on the existing awesomeness. Robert St. John built the best outdoor space in Hattiesburg, as well as a lovely expanded interior seating/additional bar. And he now serves great oysters, a perfect recipe for my credit card to catch fire. (a little fancier than casual)
Oishi Hibachi and Sushi Bar-Oishi is a Sushi restaurant that is owned and operated by a family who are good friends of mine. They feature a hibachi experience that amazes as you walk in, and the sushi is great. There are so many options that even I can’t pick one favorite and stick to it. My current favorite roll is the dynamite roll, and Mary Catherine enjoys the california roll. Special shout out to the waiters who are all super nice and enjoy teasing my family. Mom says they have gluten free sushi options, including soy sauce. (casual)
Patio 44 - The salmon here is so good that Mary Catherine wrote an entire haiku about it (MCE says that even though haikus are only three lines, it is surprisingly hard to write one). It has a great outdoor space which is even covered with fans and heaters. Dad really likes an appetizer with cornbread, tomatoes, and field peas that reminds him of his grandmother’s cooking - the highest praise in our house. Lots of gluten free options. And we really like the new renovations. (a little fancier than casual)
Petra - My sister doesn’t weigh much, but it is astonishing how much pita bread, salmon, and hummus she can eat at this restaurant. The man who runs Petra is one of the nicest people in Hattiesburg - he ALWAYS gives us extra candy when we leave. Dad loves all the lamb dishes. Mom loves that they serve hot teas (even a hibiscus one), lots of gluten free options, and an interesting middle eastern grocery selection in the back. (casual)
Pho Saigon- Pho Saigon is a Vietnamese restaurant that serves great food and deserves to be on this list. You MUST try the Pho! Like Jutamas, it is almost the only thing I get there, and is amazing, and overall a great soup. I commented, “Some of the best Pho ever!” Unlike Indian Delight I have tried Vietnamese cuisine multiple times and can speak from experience when I say it is some of the best, and is located here in Hattiesburg! Mary Catherine likes the pork chop plate as she can create a perfect bite with all the ingredients on the plate. (casual)
*Stricks - My dad’s office used to be located in the same building as what was then a half convenience store/half BBQ takeout counter. I can still taste those since removed from the menu potato logs. In the 30 years since, the convenience store aspect has gone the way of the potato log, and Strick’s has fully come into its own as the best BBQ in Hattiesburg. My go-to order - drumettes and sausage plate. (casual)
T-Bones - We don’t go here as much as our parents do because Dad says we are not old enough to drink coffee. But - Mary Catherine loves the spinach strawberry salad. I like that they have a different soup every single day - not enough places do soups. Dad loves that Mik knows his call in order - 6” J-Bird on white with salt & vinegar chips - even before he says hello. It is also fun to browse all the books and records they have for sale while we wait on our food. (casual)
*Villies - The *new* Villies marks the return of a Hattiesburg institution. This sandwich shop is like a Subway if Subway was delicious. The bread is incredible. I also love that I can get in and out of here quickly for lunch. People keep telling me about the broccoli bites, but I keep forgetting to try them. They are rolling out new sandwiches and even breakfast here - so get excited. (casual)
*Ward’s - Our family does not eat at chains unless they are local. And what is more local than Ward’s? This fast food, chili focused hamburger and hot dog joint is the taste of my childhood. Two Lil Ones (with onions, of course) and a root beer freeze can cure most of life’s problems. And the breakfast is also a standout, especially the link sausage biscuits. (casual)
WEST OF INTERSTATE 59 - THE FORBIDDEN TERRITORIES
*Chesterfield’s - This didn’t make my kids’ list solely because it is west of I-59. BUT. Chesterfields is legitimately awesome. Some of the best seafood in Hattiesburg. And if you dig deep enough, most of Hattiesburg’s restaurateurs trace their origins back to this place because it trained them on the importance of execution. To this day, their staff is some of the best in the city. Please build a second location further east. I am begging you. (casual)
Indian Delight-Indian Delight is some of the best Indian food in Hattiesburg, and remains top 5 on my list. It introduced me to Indian cuisine and serves the best masala ever *only masala I have ever eaten*. The best time to go is on Sunday in which they serve a buffet and you can taste all different types of Indian cuisine. (casual)
*Keg & Barrel West - I love everything about this place except where it is. Great mixture of outdoor space, fun bar area, and some family seating. Menu, in true Keg & Barrel style, is just as awesome as the original location, and even has the added bonus of raw oysters. I would give this version of K&B the same compliment that I always give the original - John Neal has created such a great place to have a few adult beverages that you almost forget that the food is some of the best in the city. (a little fancier than casual)
*Mercury Pizza - I don’t eat at chains. Even pizza chains like Dominos or Papa Johns. That stuff is trash, and frankly it is also expensive post pandemic. Luckily, we have Mercury! It’s an awesome pizza place with brick oven pizza and inventive toppings. AND they are opening a second location on the right side of I-59 that might even have adult beverages. My pants are upset, my stomach is thrilled. (casual)
*Mini Supermarket - Again. Out west. Ugghh. You walk through a little convenience store to a super cute lunch counter with a half dozen tables. The menu is a video on either your phone or a TV that runs about two minutes long, which is a great way to give me a panic attack. But the food. Oh man. So good. Might be the best tacos in Hattiesburg, and all the plates are great too. (casual)