Vicksburg?

[Drakeshead]

If you are attending the State Ducks Unlimited Event, are you staying at the hosted hotel? If so, then you are staying at the Hampton Inn which is directly across from the Military Park. You can either drive through it (slowly) or walk it.

If you are attending Friday night's event at the airport in Mound, LA (Dan's airplane hanger), then you will pass the exit for "The World". As previously stated, it is the first exit in LA and just passed the weigh station. If you are looking for a DIVE, then you have found it.

If you are looking for an early morning good cup of coffee, head downtown to 61 Coffee Shop on Washington Street. You can get your day started here.

There are several antebellum houses you can tour. Anchuca and Cedar Grove both have tours as well as food. You and your wife may want to take in a lunch and then a tour of the mansion. There is also Belle of the Beds, Duff Mansion and Balfour House. The McRaven House may still be listed on signs for tours, but they no longer give tours. You can stay overnight at Anchuca, Cedar Grove and Duff Mansion, if they are not full.

In the center of town is the Old Court House Museum. I am not certain on the price for entrance. If you leave the Old Court House Museum and drive down towards the Mississippi River, you will see a large push boat that is now the Army Corp of Engineers Museum. If is free of charge for the first year. The Corp just completed a flowing water mock-up of the Mississippi River next to the museum.

Directly across the street from the ACE museum is Rusty's. I like Rusty's lunch and diner is okay. On a scale of 0-10, I would give Rusty's an 8.

If you are seeing Rusty's and/or ACE museum, look south/down the street and you will see Mr. Eddie Monsours place called Monsour's at the Biscuit Company. If you made it to 61 Coffee Shop for coffee, you already made it to the Biscuit Company, ACE museum and Rusty's as the BC is just down the hill from the 61 Coffee Shop and the ACE museum and Rusty's are 300 meters north/up Washington street from 61 Coffee Shop. I give Monsour's at the Biscuit Company a 5. The BC is mostly a bar that serves decent food. They have an "everyday" crowd. Good people. If you are in town on Sunday, the BC Sunday brunch is their best food of the week. Ms. Claire can make some dang good fried chicken and catfish. There are several meats to choose from as well as vegetables. I beleive it is $12.99 per adult and I cannot recall the price for children. We typically go here after Sunday Mass.

Roca is located off of Indiana Avenue at the corner of Frontage Road and Indiana inside the Vicksburg Country Club. Rocca is open to the public and is good. I have enjoyed most of what I have eaten here, but my favorite meal here is their open fired oven pizza's! I would give Roca a 8.5. I knock off points for having a $30 filet or ribeye served over mashed potatoes. I, only a couple of occasions, had cold mashed potatoes. The steak was good though and I hate to complain as we know Jay. So, typically we go there for lunch. The wife loves their friend chicken breast that is on their lunch menu. It is breaded with panco crumbs and drizzled with honey. It is pretty dang good!

There are two Italian places in town, Billy's and newly opened Lillian's. Billy's is located at the Vicksburg Oulet Mall right in the elbow corner. I give Billie's a 7.5 only because of the dinner ware. The food is really good, but you eat off of high school/college type dinner ware; the old thick plastic beige plates and red coke cups. This is not to mean their food or service is lacking, as it is good, but I knock it down a few points for their dinner ware. The price is good. Oh, and save room for desert as right next to Billy's is a ice cream and chocolate shop!

Lillian's is on Washington south of 61 Coffee Shop by about a quarter mile, maybe. Lillian's is owned by friend Pete Borrello. Pete's cousin Charlie Borrello used to own Borrello's which was located in the same location. Charlie sold his place and moved to the Coast to run a casino restaurant. After Borrello's closed, Duff's opened by Les Pearman owner/operator. This location is owned by Harry Sharp who owns Duffs Mansion. Anyway, Les decided he wanted to do something different and has now opened up 1311 across the street. We will discuss 1311 in a few. I will give Lillian's a 7.5. This is not because it is bad, but only because I have only had one meal here, but it was great! The wife and I went down and ate there last Friday. She had the 8 oz fillet and I had one of the night specials, which was blackened redfish with a side of pasta. The salad dressings here are all made in house, but that really does not make a place special.

A lot of local folks like to go by and see Rocky and Will and the Beechwood Restaurant and Lounge at the corner of Clay and Highway 27. I give them a 7.5 as well. The reason for the 7.5 is because of the establishment, not the food. I have only had their steak, which is good, but this place has not been cleaned in YEARS!!! The men's restroom has a bar trough uniral in it. I would really like to see Willie Dagal or John Taffer come and upgrade this place! Around 9:00/2100 the bar gets kickin'. The Beechwood will have a banner out front with their weekend band(s). Some good people go to the Beechwood, but it can get a bit rough.

Okay, now back to 1311. As previously stated, 1311 is owned and operated by Les Pearman, previous owner of Duff's Restaurant. Les is a good guy and I like his new bar. This is a BAR! Not a bad rough and tumble bar, but do not think of it as a restaurant. Yes, you can get food here, but it will be burgers, fries, wings, etc. They have several beers on tap and seven, maybe eight, big screen televisions and one projection screen for your sports viewing pleasure. The downstairs area of the Biscuit Company is advertised as a "sports bar", but it is basically the smoking area of the Biscuit Company. If I had to choose between the two, I pick 1311. I know both owners, BC is owned by Eddie and Kay and 1311 by Les, but Les has a more sports bar feel. The number of people in 1311 will vary as it is in its infant stage. 1311 has only been about for two months. They were open a bit here and there, but just recently fully opened when they received their liquior license. Previously all they had were their beer license. I did notice Friday night while leaving Lillian's that they were going to have music at 10:00/2200.

Each evening there will be an open bar at the Hampton Inn for those attending the weekend DU event. You are more than welcome to stay at the hotel for a cocktail or tryout the 1311, BC and/or Beechwood for late night entertainment. We have a few cab companies in town and I would not think it would cost much to get around our small town.

[420 racin]

^^^^^^ Pretty much Sums it up

[stang67]

There are two Italian places in town, Billy's and newly opened Lillian's. Billy's is located at the Vicksburg Oulet Mall right in the elbow corner. I give Billie's a 7.5 only because of the dinner ware. The food is really good, but you eat off of high school/college type dinner ware; the old thick plastic beige plates and red coke cups.

LOL. I started to mention Billy's "china." I seriously will choose that place over Rusty's, Beechwood every time -- and I don't like Italian food. BR will ruin you on the type of food Rusty's charges $18.95 for.

[deeksdown]

Here's the finished product. If any of yall happen to be there come say hey to me.

[donia]

very nice work, hunter!

[sevenhead]

You gonna be bringin any BayNBayou gear with you?

[medic11]

Hunter, we couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. Can't wait to see it Friday. So far we have 16 Purple Heart recipients scheduled to duck hunt with us this fall and money raised from this call will go towards paying for their licenses, travel, and meals.

[Drakeshead]

I had planned on being at all of the events this weekend, but new Regional Director Hunter Pridgen and I got into a bit of a tiff.

[adame]

how can no one mention walnut hills?

[Drakeshead]

how can no one mention walnut hills?

Because it is overpriced for what you get. There are many places in Vicksburg that serve southern fried chicken at a much lower price. The round table is overpriced as is the daily blue plate.

Unless you go at night, service is average at best. There are two servers and two alone that work during lunch. They are Herdcine and her son Poo. They wear whatever they want, do whatever they want and serve you food in whatever manner they want. Herdcine has been there for probably 30 years and has bad knees and a lot of times a bad attitude. I am not sure how many years Poo has been working there, but if you get close enough to him you can get a wiff of booze. He likes to sit out in his truck, which is parked in the first or second parking spot when you pull up into the parking lot, smoke cigarettes and sip on his whisky when there are no customers. Joyce May, now Joyce Clingan, lets these two run the house. The rest of the servers and workers have to wear a white shirt and black slacks.

Their food is average, not bad, not great. The reputation of Walnut Hills comes from their "round-tables" which have been there for more years than the current owner. If you want to sit at the round table you pay $21.00 during the week and it is all you can eat. The servers place your food on a lazy-susan table and you all share.

It has been known. for awhile, that the leftover food is dumbed back into the main service pans in the kitchen! Yep! The carmel cake slices sell for $9.00 or so and she buys them from IGA, now known as Corner Market on Frontage Road in Vicksburg.

Here are the prices:

Weekday blue plate special: $9.00 + tax meat, two vegetables and tea only + $2.00 for desert. $2.00 extra for softdrink
Weekday blue plate special: $11.50 + tax meat, three vegetables and tea only + $2.00 for desert. $2.00 extra for softdrink
Weekday round table: $21.00 + tax all-you-can eat, tea only. $2.00 extra for softdrink
Sunday round table: $22.00 + tax all-you-can-eat, tea only. $2.00 extra for softdrink

I will put the Biscuit Company's Sunday meal at $12.99 all-you-can-eat including ANY drink I want up against Walnut Hills round table ANY day of the week!

[dukhntn]

I'd have to agree that the last few years Walnut Hills has been lacking. But, they still have the best coconut cream pie you will ever put in your mouth.

[southdeltan]

I'm so glad that somebody on here agrees that Walnut Hills is an overpriced tourist trap. The last time we went, we went at night - and for whatever reason my wife wanted a steak. It was rotten. Literally. Gag a maggot awful. I cringe when people recommend it to tourists.

For the record, you can get half of a caramel cake at the Corner Market IGA for $9 bucks.

Of course, since Monsour's reopened the Biscuit company we have not been impressed. Ate there twice - got burnt food once.

If you have time, you can run up 61 to Onward Store for a good meal. Open for breakfast and lunch every day (except Sunday) and supper Thurs-Sat.

[deeksdown]

where is a nice easy going place to have a few drinks later in the evening after dinner that i don't have to worry about watching my back the whole night?? and no one has mentioned the Coca cola musuem.. is it worth going to see after viewing various historical musuems??? also what about the casino's are they nice and compare to those that are in biloxi?

[southdeltan]

where is a nice easy going place to have a few drinks later in the evening after dinner that i don't have to worry about watching my back the whole night?? and no one has mentioned the Coca cola musuem.. is it worth going to see after viewing various historical musuems??? also what about the casino's are they nice and compare to those that are in biloxi?

I personally wouldn't be bothered at the Beechwood. Any bar can get rough but I think Beechwood's reputation is probably worse than the reality. That's me. There just aren't a lot of places to have a drink in Vicksburg. I don't know about the new place downtown.

I wouldn't spend my time or money at the Coke Museum.

The Casinos are much smaller than the ones in Biloxi. I haven't been in all of them recently but Ameristar used to be the nicest. Somebody that goes more often can tell you more but they are smaller with less amenities than Biloxi. They're darker than Biloxi but not as dark as Greenville.

[Drakeshead]

I'm so glad that somebody on here agrees that Walnut Hills is an overpriced tourist trap. The last time we went, we went at night - and for whatever reason my wife wanted a steak. It was rotten. Literally. Gag a maggot awful. I cringe when people recommend it to tourists.

For the record, you can get half of a caramel cake at the Corner Market IGA for $9 bucks.

Of course, since Monsour's reopened the Biscuit company we have not been impressed. Ate there twice - got burnt food once.

If you have time, you can run up 61 to Onward Store for a good meal. Open for breakfast and lunch every day (except Sunday) and supper Thurs-Sat.

I agree that Monsour's was much better when he was out at the Country Club. Since moving into the BC he is more of a bar.

The Onward Store has new owners and chef, and I have heard nothing but great news about the place. I have heard that they have been getting some music on certain Friday and/or Saturday nights as well.