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    Hal & Mal's

    3.8 (133 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Hal & Mal's Takeout or Delivery

    Hal & Mal's Photos

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    HAL & MAL'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Live music
    Divey
    Casual

    Recommended Reviews - Hal & Mal's

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    Inside decor
    Nicardi C.

    I've been coming here for years when I'm in Jackson. Colorful place, great staff and wonderful live music. The food is delicious and I enjoyed the flavor. My only suggestion for this long standing business is to upgrade their chairs/booth because they are falling apart, and look worn/dirty. Ill be back next time I'm in the sip!

    Redfish with shrimp, heirloom tomatoes and topped with balsamic vinaigrette pearls.

    Great place to have a late lunch! The fish app was delicious and me and my husband shared the redfish special and really enjoy it, especially the balsamic vinaigrette pearls they put on top. The sides are very good as well. We got a baked potato which was fluffy inside , fried okra and a side salad (homemade ranch..yummy). Our kids got fried chicken tenders and cheeseburger and they all cleaned their plates so I think they really enjoyed it. We love the laid back atmosphere and the service was excellent. It's the definition of a dive.

    Chicken Cathead Biscuit
    Richard B.

    Great red beans and rice - 1/2 portion is plenty ! Had a fried chicken cat head biscuit also good Excellent French fries - hot and well seasoned. Also tried the gumbo - also good. Great atmosphere and service Enjoyed it

    Sign
    Athina R.

    Lovely experience dining at Hal and Mal's but service was a bit slow. Everyone in our group ordered po boys but I think I got the best one! I ordered the catfish po boy and it was delicious when paired with the sauce. My only complaint was that we were in a bit of a rush so the food took a minute to come out. However staff was extremely helpful and did their best to accommodate our tight schedule, which I appreciated. The inside looks like it was frozen in time. There's a lot of fun retro decorations that make it great for photos. The bathrooms were also painted but the doors were very short and close to the toilet. It was a bit awkward and would probably be challenging to use if you're over 5'5.

    The Workout Room - Open Mic Night
    Courtney M.

    Hal & Mal's is my new spot! 5 stars for ambiance alone, particularly on Tuesday nights.. Live jazz in the restaurant and Open Mic Night in the WorkOut Room w Rita Brent. It's two different crowds, but I enjoyed both! Rita is hilarious. The acts were cool, just an overall good vibe. Cover for open mic night is $15. The place is divey and comfortable. The food is good and so are the drinks (at both bars). Love that they have a lot of Louisiana/Cajun food on the menu! They've also started a Summer Series, Hibachi in the courtyard on Thursdays.

    Hungry birders
    Larry M.

    My first time inHals &Mal's, we were seated quickly and the waitress brought water for everyone. The place was kind of busy, it being a Saturday afternoon. All 6 of us were pleased with our food, I had an oyster and spinach salad that was very good.

    Foyer area
    Annette M.

    I've been to Hal and Mal's so many times over the years, but never for a meal...until yesterday. It won't be the last time! We arrived at 11am (opening time, which was just perfect, since it wasn't crowded) and were definitely hungry. I ordered the BBQ Shrimp & Grits: divine! Huge, juicy shrimp over delicious grits, all covered in a rich, buttery bbq sauce. Portions were very large, and service was phenomenal. Hal and Mal's is super laid-back, nostalgic, and fun! Make sure you check out all the quirky art, even in the bathrooms. A definite must-visit in Jackson!

    The award winning red beans and rice -- 1/2 order!
    Jennifer S.

    Jazz night is serious, and it is seriously good! We came as a work group of 13 -- and for most of us it was our first time to the area. This is some amazing southern food with a Cajun flair. The visit was amazing!!!! An incredible menu with hints of Indian, as well (butter chicken nachos? Yes!). So many interesting dishes, and the experience was only highlighted by the great music. I only wish I were here longer to come back without a large group. The server was kind and patient, but super overworked by a huge crowd. She was still great, and we were all happy with our dishes. The food is some serious culinary dreaminess. I want to try so many other dishes based on what I saw others eating- the shrimp and grits would be my next choice after my choice of the red beans and rice (a massive portion with a half order - I still only ate a 1/3 of it). And, get the comeback sauce -- it's legit!!!!

    sugniture cocktail
    Tanya C.

    great way to spend an evening! food and drinks were great on the patio. shout out to the bar tender and chef! all ready looking forward to hal & mals next summer series event!

    Cute sign

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Hal & Mals feels like home. Best venue for live music, wonderful food menu and some of the best bartenders in town!

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    9 years ago

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    14 years ago

    The food overpriced. The music sucks. And the air stinks. Not goin here again.

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Good food. We split a Caesar salad and an open face roast beef sandwich and it was plenty of food. Decent beer selection.

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    13 years ago

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    Page 4 of 4

    Ask the Community - Hal & Mal's

    What age to get in?

    All ages for the restaurant. For shows it is usually show specific.

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    Review Highlights - Hal & Mal's

    The happy hour (4-6:30) is solid, the food is AMAZING (try the tamale nachos!) and the staff is always so friendly.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    The Iron Horse Grill

    The Iron Horse Grill

    4.0(675 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Great place, with good atmosphere. Mostly clean…read more Steak and potatoes cooked on fire were amazing! Steak was a little dry though, we asked medium well, but it was well done. Our server Nikki was awesome, very nice and helpful. I would come back for more steak and music at eve 8 out of 10!

    17 people in our group. Service was spectacular. Orders taken quickly and efficiently. Food came…read moreout fast and overall was correct. We started eating here probably 30 years ago when it was the OG. Mike always got the crawfish enchiladas and I got the habanero cream sauce pasta with grilled shrimp. He got fried shrimp tonight. The shrimp were jumbo and fried perfect. The "depot" fries are frozen crinkle cut. He subbed the Mac and cheese for the okra. It's more of a less sauce old fashioned Mac and cheese. I got my old habanero cream sauce pasta. It was served in the tiniest of bowls but the amount of food was good. Why not serve it in a normal sized dish? I would rather have the 4 jumbo shrimp they used to serve back in the day rather than the smallish medium shrimp. The sauce was thicker than I prefer but flavor was decent. I'll try something different next time. The cocktails were delicious. Again, the service and speed of things was incredible for a party of 17. My biggest negative was the music is ridiculously loud. Serving food to 17 people with that music was diabolical and we could not even visit. The group was great but the volume needs to be turned down. Def recommend for a large group but be prepared for music that is concert volume.

    Photos
    The Iron Horse Grill - IRON HORSE One Dining Area

    IRON HORSE One Dining Area

    The Iron Horse Grill - Chips and salsa

    Chips and salsa

    The Iron Horse Grill - Other Dining Area room and entrance.

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    Other Dining Area room and entrance.

    Frank Jones Corner

    Frank Jones Corner

    4.3(23 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $

    I just want everyone to know that they allow their staff to brush their teeth in the kitchen area…read morewhile fixing food! And when you say something about, you're the one that's kicked out.

    Okay, full disclosure: I love this place in a ridiculous way. It's not fancy, nice, or even…read moreparticularly clean. If you're heading to F. Jones though, you're not going somewhere where you're trying to be fancy. You just wanna dance to some blues and have a damn good time. And you WILL. F. Jones is THE late night spot in Jackson. I'm not even entirely sure what time this place opens. I think it's 10 or 11? I know if you get there before midnight most nights, you can avoid paying cover. BUT, I don't think I've ever showed up before midnight. This place pops off past midnight. This is where everyone heads once the other bars are closing, so everyone has usually already had a couple drinks. (PS, take an UBER! Do not drink and drive!) There is always live music-- typically some very Mississippi blues act. Everyone is dancing and having such a good time on the dance floor. The bar is dark, smoky, and crowded. It's VERY Mississippi. Outside, they are usually smoking some hot dogs, burgers, BBQ. It's cheap and delicious, and usually JUST what you need at that time of the night. The drinks are cheap. Cover to get in is usually $10, and you can get beers as cheap as $2 or $3 usually. F. Jones is definitely not an EVERY night type of thing. I mean, it's a LATE night. But every now and then, it's a really good time and definitely worth your while. Go get your dance on, y'all.

    Photos
    Frank Jones Corner
    Frank Jones Corner
    Frank Jones Corner

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    Thalia Mara Hall

    Thalia Mara Hall

    4.0(9 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I get so frustrated when I hear people say there is nothing to do. In the Metro Jackson area that…read morecould not be farther from the truth. Thalia Mara Hall underwent a major renovation last year and it has really paid off. There are so many quality performances booked for 2016 that you will surly find something to your liking. The renovations were much needed and I am pleased that we have this facility to attract the great events and performances we have. I hope that you treat yourself to some of the fun things Jackson has to offer.

    Great theater, we saw Jersey Boys. We have several shows left to see. The theater has outsourced…read moreits season ticket service to some yahoo vendor, that's the only bad part. We bought tickets and were guaranteed in a certain section only to be given tickets in a completely different section on the far left. I'd recommend just buying your tickets on Ticketmaster and skip the crummy service the theater has outsourced and is receiving from their season ticket provider. I'd like to support the theater with season tickets but we will definitely skip next year if the theater continues to outsource to this vendor. The vendor they use is located in the Northeast and obviously doesn't realize that southerners expect honesty and courtesy nor do they realize Mississippi is the home of hospitality.

    Photos
    Thalia Mara Hall - Mississippi Symphony Orchestra warming up for the second half of their performance.

    Mississippi Symphony Orchestra warming up for the second half of their performance.

    Thalia Mara Hall
    Thalia Mara Hall

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    Names & Faces Lounge

    Names & Faces Lounge

    4.2(26 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I visited Names and Faces on a Thursday after wrapping up some business at the FedEx next door. A…read morehelpful worker there recommended the spot, though she warned me to order quickly since they stop serving food at 3 p.m. before reopening the kitchen for the evening crowd. I arrived around 2:10 p.m. and was greeted warmly by Valerie, the bartender, who was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Tired of the usual fried chicken and fish options that dominate Mississippi, I asked for a recommendation. She suggested the BLT with grilled chicken and fries, which I happily ordered. Though there was a small crowd, everyone was kind, and I never felt rushed. Valerie checked in on me during my meal, ensuring everything was to my liking. I paired the sandwich with a beer, and the chicken was tender and juicy, making the sandwich quite filling. I finished my meal a bit after 3 p.m., and no one made me feel uncomfortable about the time. I've heard their happy hour on Wednesdays is pretty good, so I plan to come back then while I'm still in town to check it out. I'll update my review afterward!

    Lemon Pepper Hot. I rate these wing as a top 3 of mines. I've been to 27 states. Yes this is that…read moregood. Would have been a 5 but service could have been better.

    Photos
    Names & Faces Lounge - Beer & Jameson.

    Beer & Jameson.

    Names & Faces Lounge - Lemon pepper hot. I recommended this flavor. I rate this in my top 3 along with wing spot in da A off Capitol Ave near CAU campus.

    Lemon pepper hot. I recommended this flavor. I rate this in my top 3 along with wing spot in da A off Capitol Ave near CAU campus.

    Names & Faces Lounge - Grilled chicken BLT and fries

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    Grilled chicken BLT and fries

    Hal & Mal's - bars - Updated August 2026

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