Fondren Public is a late-night dive bar in Jackson.
Editorially verified June 26, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: A Mississippi craft beer from the rotating tap list; the bar staff know the local beer scene well
Tip: After midnight Fondren Public is effectively the only good option still open in Jackson; it fills with people from other restaurants around 22:00
Address: 2765 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, MS 39206
Good Bar on Manship Street in Belhaven is an open-air cocktail terrace by the Elvie's team, focused on cocktails on tap and natural wine with snacks.
Order: A natural wine from the rotating selection or the Spicy Bees Knees cocktail on tap
Tip: Almost fully outdoors; check Instagram for weather closures before visiting. Shares the Belhaven Town Center block with Elvie's and Pulito Osteria.
Mississippi's largest craft distillery on Farish Street runs a cocktail bar serving drinks made exclusively with Cathead Vodka and Mississippi Gin, produced.
Order: The Cathead Mississippi Gin and tonic with a local botanical garnish, or ask for a tasting flight of the distillery's spirits
Tip: Tours of the distillery run before the bar opens; combine a tour with drinks at the bar for the full experience
Jackson's best live blues venue on the historic Farish Street entertainment corridor, combining Southern food with live Mississippi blues on weekends.
Order: Fried catfish plate and a Mississippi whiskey before the music starts
Tip: Farish Street is a historic neighbourhood undergoing slow revival; the surrounding area is quiet, which makes Johnny T's feel like an anchor of something important
Hal and Mal's in a converted cotton warehouse is the closest thing Jackson has to a great music venue that also serves food. The enormous space - complete.
Order: Mississippi craft beer on draft; the kitchen menu for food before 21:00
Tip: Check the event calendar at halandmals.com; event nights bring the best crowds and the bar extends its hours
Hidden behind the lunch counter of Brent's Drugs in Fondren, the Apothecary is a narrow, dimly lit cocktail bar that occupies the back of the historic.
Order: Rye whiskey cocktail or a Mississippi-spirit-forward old fashioned using local Cathead Vodka or Cathead Mississippi Gin
Tip: No sign on the door; enter through Brent's Drugs lunch counter and look for the back passage. Reservations not accepted.
