Hal and Mal's

Gulf Coast Centric Menu, Classic Jxn Bar

200 S. Commerce Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Hal and Mals plate lunch on wooden table with hot sauce

A Colorful, Funky Glimpse at the Capital City: Hal & Mal’s:

Stepping into Hal & Mal’s is like slipping on a cool pair of old shoes that’re still comfy, still stylish and still perfectly capable of skipping out on a dance floor at a moment’s notice.

In addition to a breezily Gulf Coast-centric menu and a busy bar that keeps the spirits in action, Hal & Mal’s is a colorful, funky glimpse at the Capital City’s lunch-time, after-hours and weekend life. Get lost in the photos, posters, and memorabilia that crowd the walls, and you’ll know what I mean.

The History of Hal & Mal’s

Founded by and named for brothers Hal and Malcolm White, the restaurant, bar, and music venue has been a reliable hub for tasty eats, arty fun, social cheer, and lively music since it opened in the old GM&O freight depot building in 1986.

Hal & Mal’s operations started moving to the next generation around the restaurant’s 25th birthday — a transition sped up by Hal White’s passing in 2013.

Malcom White with Damien and Mary Sanders Cavicchi
Malcom White with new owners Damien and Mary Sanders Cavicchi alongside a JXN Icons portrait of Hal White by artist Shon Perryman
Credit: Drew Dempsey/Tell Agency

New Faces, Same Commitment

In 2022, Damien Cavicchi and Mary Sanders Ferriss Cavicchi (who also own Campbell's Bakery) took the reins of the Jackson staple with continued involvement and dedication from Malcolm.

“Hal & Mal’s has been much more than a business for all these years,” says Malcolm. “This is our family legacy and this transition isn’t one we have taken lightly. We believe the treasure that is Hal & Mal’s is in good hands with Damien and Mary Sanders.”

Good Eats

On the food end, keep an eye out for the Redfish Pearl or the Vancleave Po-boy. The Redfish Pearl is grilled redfish with sautéed shrimp and crabmeat in a white wine butter sauce, and the Vancleave is a sautéed shrimp and crabmeat po-boy with cheddar cheese. Hal & Mal’s staple strengths include seafood gumbo and red beans and rice as well as the po-boy lineup.

Other favorites include hand-patted burgers, the catfish po-boy, crisp-fried to perfection and heightened with a snap of sweet pickle.

Central MS Blues Society performers at Hal & Mal's
The Central MS Blues Society performs every Monday at Hal & Mal's
Credit: Hal & Mal's

Hal & Mal’s experimented with a lot of different things over the years. Its brewpub was “10 years too early, and we got out four years too soon” to catch the craft brewing craze, Malcolm White says.

Hal & Mal’s still does occasional big music shows, but now tends to offer more local and regional live music, with such a steady lineup folks can pretty much catch a groove any night of the week. They see a lot of tourists in search of local flavor, but the regulars keep them going.

“We’ve been in this business a long time. Places come and places go. Our success has been a long-term success, of sticking to the plan and doing what we do,” Malcolm White says.

Sherry Lucas contributed to this post.

Hal and Mals brunch spread
Hal & Mal's serves Saturday brunch.
Credit: Andrew Welch

Happy Hour

Join Hal & Mal's Monday through Saturday from 4-6:30 pm for amazing deals on drinks and bites.

Sip on a $6 Rum Old Fashioned or Champagne Cocktail, and enjoy an $8 Happy Hour Handshake or PBR & Jameson Shot. Plus, we've got $3 Domestic Bottles including Miller Lite, Coors Lite, PBR, and Coors Banquet.

Cuisines

Details

  • American
  • Bar/Pub/Lounge
  • Brunch
  • Burgers
  • Cajun/Creole
  • Southern

Amenities

Amenities

  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • Alcohol Served
  • Family Friendly
  • Good for Groups
  • Meeting/Event Space
  • Outdoor/Patio
  • Takeout
  • Live entertainment/events
  • Open Sundays
  • Open Mondays

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