Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in Jackson for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Jackson for grown-ups.
Cathead Distillery on Farish Street is Mississippi's first legal distillery, open since 2010, with a tasting bar, guided tours, and a bottle shop supporting.
Signature drink: Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka cocktail or bourbon on the rocks
Food: Light snacks
Order: Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka or their barrel-aged bourbon on the rocks
Tip: Distillery tours Tuesday through Friday include up to four spirit tastings; book in advance.
Fondren Public is the neighbourhood go-to craft beer bar: 24 rotating taps from Mississippi breweries, a shuffleboard table, bocce court. Dog-friendly patio.
Signature drink: Mississippi craft beer on tap from 24 rotating handles
Food: Bar bites and pizza
Order: A rotating Mississippi craft beer and the barbacoa nachos if available
Tip: Service industry happy hour on Wednesdays and Medical Mondays draw the local crowd.
Good Bar at Belhaven Town Center is an open-air cocktail bar from the Elvie's team, with cocktails on tap, natural wine, and a lively garden terrace.
Signature drink: Cocktails on tap: Old Fashioned, Spicy Bees Knees, Spanish Spritz
Food: Small plates and snacks
Order: Spicy Bees Knees on tap, or the Spanish Spritz with seasonal additions
Tip: Almost fully outdoors; check Instagram for weather closures before visiting.
Hal and Mal's has been Jackson's premier live-music bar and restaurant since 1984, hosting local and touring acts nightly in a converted warehouse.
Signature drink: Mississippi craft beer and Southern whiskey
Food: Full Southern menu
Order: A Mississippi beer on draught with the red beans and rice
Tip: Check the entertainment calendar; Hal's is the home of the St Paddy's Parade every March.
The Pig and Pint pairs some of Jackson's best BBQ with one of Mississippi's largest craft beer selections - around 80 rotating handles - in a relaxed Fondren.
Signature drink: Rotating Mississippi craft beer on draft
Food: Full BBQ menu
Order: A local Mississippi craft beer with a brisket plate and fried green tomato tacos
Tip: The beer selection rotates constantly; the bartender knows what's new and what pairs with the BBQ.
The Apothecary is a speakeasy hidden in the back of Brent's Drugs, open Mon-Sat from 17:00 with prohibition-era cocktails and Mississippi spirits.
Signature drink: Classic prohibition-era cocktails with a Southern twist
Food: Bar snacks
Order: Classic Old Fashioned or Sazerac with Mississippi bourbon
Tip: Enter through Brent's Drugs; the speakeasy atmosphere is one of Fondren's most atmospheric late-night secrets.
Ole Tavern on George Street is a downtown Jackson pub in a 117-year-old grocery building, known for the King George Burger and live music nights on weekends.
Signature drink: Craft beer and Mississippi whiskey
Food: Pub fare including the King George Burger
Order: King George Burger with home fries and a Mississippi craft beer
Tip: The 117-year-old grocery building bones make this feel nothing like a standard downtown bar; live music nights bring a strong local crowd.
The Walk-In is a downtown Jackson cocktail bar serving craft drinks and Asian-Southern fusion plates in a vintage lounge with a New Orleans-style courtyard.
Signature drink: Asian-Southern fusion craft cocktails
Food: Asian-Southern fusion shared plates
Order: The bartender's current craft cocktail recommendation with an Asian-Southern shared plate
Tip: The New Orleans-style courtyard entrance is a genuine design detail; the art program on the walls is locally curated.
4th Avenue Lounge is a Black-owned upscale cocktail lounge at Lamar and Pearl in downtown Jackson serving craft drinks and VIP bottle service.
Signature drink: Creative craft cocktails
Food: Light bites
Order: The bartender's weekly craft cocktail or a local whiskey on the rocks
Tip: Friday and Saturday nights fill fast; arrive by 20:00 to guarantee table seating without a wait.
Library Lounge at Fairview Inn is a literary cocktail bar in a 1908 Colonial Revival mansion in Jackson's Belhaven, with author-inspired cocktails each night.
Signature drink: Author-inspired craft cocktails
Food: Hotel-style bar snacks
Order: An author-inspired craft cocktail; the curated spirits list leans toward Southern and bourbon-forward options
Tip: Happy hour Monday through Friday from 16:00 to 18:00 offers $2 off all craft cocktails in a genuinely elegant setting.
Rowan's is a Belhaven Town Center pub from chef Chaz Lindsay, with elevated pub fare, playful cocktails, and a family-friendly daytime and bar atmosphere.
Signature drink: Playful craft cocktails and rotating taps
Food: Elevated pub fare
Order: The daily pub special at lunch or happy hour cocktail from the playful rotating menu
Tip: Belhaven Town Center location lets you move easily between Rowan's, Fertile Ground Beer Co., and Pulito Osteria in one evening circuit.
The Pearl Tiki Bar is Jackson's only tiki venue inside the Block at Fondren, serving tiki classics and Polynesian-inspired small plates on North State Street.
Signature drink: Tiki classics and Pearl original cocktails
Food: Polynesian-inspired small plates
Order: The Pearl's signature tiki cocktail; Polynesian small plates pair well with the rum-forward drinks
Tip: The Pearl shares the Block complex with Highball Lanes bowling, combining a round of lanes with cocktails on the same ticket.
Highball Lanes in Fondren combines ten upscale bowling lanes with Mississippi craft beers and Creole-inspired food inside the Block at Fondren complex.
Signature drink: Mississippi craft beers and cocktails
Food: Creole-inspired food menu
Order: A Mississippi craft beer with a lane booking; the Creole food menu is worth ordering a round for the table
Tip: Lane reservations fill fastest on Fridays; walk-in bowling is usually available Tuesday through Thursday afternoons.
Johnny T's Bistro and Blues combines Southern cooking with live blues music on Farish Street, providing one of Jackson's most authentic after-dark.
Signature drink: Mississippi whiskey with live blues
Food: Full Southern menu
Order: Mississippi whiskey and the fried catfish plate, watched to live blues
Tip: Saturday nights are the peak of the week; arrive by 21:00 to guarantee a table.