Good Catch: Seafood in JXN

Mississippi – and much of the South – is known for its fresh seafood, whether it’s shrimp, oysters or crab.

a platter of oysters

The seafood options are plentiful in the capital city for those who crave fish or anything else that may come from the waters of Mississippi and surrounding states. Here are a few of our favorite places to chow down on seafood platters and things of the like.

1005 E. County Line Road

Drago’s Seafood

The name says it all. Drago’s is known for their seafood selection, and any seafood lover is sure to have a favorite meal at Drago’s.

Options are raw – Drago’s Original Charbroiled or Oyster Voisin – fried Louisiana oysters, creamed spinach, bacon, bordelaise sauce, and extra cheese on toasted French bread medallions.

If oysters aren’t your thing, other appetizers include BBQ shrimp, lobster mac and cheese, fried squid, tuna, and fleur de Lis shrimp.

Specialty items at Drago’s include dishes like boudin stuffed shrimp, grilled shrimp pasta, shrimp and grits, seafood pasta, and the Drago’s mixed grill that includes half charbroiled Maine lobster, a petit filet and blackened shrimp.

If you’re in the mood for just lobster, there’s an entire section dedicated to that. dragosjackson.com/menus/

123 W. Capitol St.

Mayflower Café

What began more than 80 years ago as a hamburger stand, the Mayflower Café in downtown Jackson has become a seafood landmark in the capital city.

After switching from a hamburger stand to a full-service restaurant, The Mayflower’s menu included sandwiches, Greek items and soul food. Over time, the menu began to spotlight dishes like broiled redfish, stuffed flounder and the Mayflower Greek Salad with lump crab meat.

Other Mayflower seafood dishes include shrimp Mayflower with their famous homemade remoulade, broiled oysters, fried crab claws, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, fried calamari, seafood pasta and seafood gumbo.

Though The Mayflower’s roots are Greek, their seafood and steak selection is outstanding, and they even have blue plate lunch specials. facebook.com/TheMayflowerCafe

Multiple locations

Ellis Seafood

Ellis Seafood prides themselves in their country-fried seafood menu.

Try their signature menu item, a 40-50-piece popcorn shrimp platter or country-fried catfish for a taste of southern comfort. Other Ellis Seafood meals include fried oysters, po’boy sandwiches (fish, shrimp, and oyster), pan-trout fillets, catfish nuggets and combination platters for a little bit of everything.

Specialty items include shrimp fried rice, stuffed crabs, fish strips, jumbo popcorn and the shrimp snacker. facebook.com/EllisSeafood/

622 Duling Ave.

Saltine Restaurant

Known for their full oyster bar, this Fondren hot spot is much more than just oysters.

But, if oysters are what you’re here for, you are in luck. Along with raw oysters, other choices include Bama BBQ, complete with white BBQ sauce, citrus butter, and oysters Lafitte, topped with crawfish tails, bacon, parmesan and hot sauce butter.

Other seafood-centered meals include catfish and chips, shrimp and grits, Cajun seafood pasta, wood-fired Biloxi snapper, a low-country shrimp boil, lobster roll sandwich, fried calamari, shrimp and lobster spring rolls and smoked tuna dip. Or, opt for a classic poboy with your choice of Simmons catfish, fried or grilled shrimp or fried oysters. And, of course, you can wash down that seafood with a signature Saltine cocktail. jackson.saltinerestaurant.com/dinner/

Paige McKay White

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Paige McKay White