The MS Coast’s new double-themed bar is the perfect setting for the warm months ahead
The cool thing about Bay St. Louis is every time I go there I’m convinced the residents all have work-from-the-beach jobs.
There’s no place on the Coast busier on a random Thursday afternoon than Beach Boulevard between Demontluzin Street and Court Street.
Shane and Amy Bernard knew this and, along with Craig Bordelon, plopped a two-story bar among the row of seafood restaurants.
The concept of Rags to Riches is unique and simple. A casual sports bar sits on the first floor and a more elegant wine bar sits on the second.
But it’s not just drinks and vibes, there’s also a kitchen and a menu. That’s why I became one of those work-from-the-beachers and stopped by.
The first floor sports bar is a welcoming area splashed in color. There’s school signage everywhere: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU, Southeastern, Tulane and more. As a Sun Belt-er, it was nice to see the Southern Miss and Louisiana logos hanging above the bar.
The chairs were different colors of beach from golden yellow to sky blue to sea green. Country music flowed out of the open garage door and dissipated into the outdoor patio area.
I took a seat at a table under a pair of large flat screen TVs. I started with the rum smuggler. And don’t worry, I clocked out just before the straw broke through the icy blockade over the pineapple-infused drink.
And I clocked back in when the ice was all that remained to tell you that it was indeed a fantastic drink.
The menu at Rags to Riches does enough to separate itself from the many other options around it. It includes items like beach candy bacon and Cajun crawfish empanadas. I had JJ’s spring rolls, which were filled with Korean beef and topped with sweet chili sauce.
There’s also burgers, sandwiches and wings, as well as tacos. Along with my spring rolls, I enjoyed a barbacoa sandwich as Paul Finebaum watched over my shoulder.
Barbacoa is a form of beef that serves as the predecessor to barbecue. It’s origins are in the Caribbean and typically cooked to give it a deeper, smokier taste than traditional barbecue.
The sandwich was served with hot waffle fries and toppings.
Upstairs hadn’t opened just yet, but it is a classier setting. It has a dark wood-paneled ceiling and a brick fireplace in the corner, creating a cozy atmosphere. Black seats surround black tables in front of a bar backdropped by wine cabinets and a TV. A simple copper chandelier and a couple of paintings round out the elegant room.
There’s a patio deck overlooking the street and the railway tracks running between the mouth of St. Louis Bay and the Mississippi Sound.
Rags to Riches is versatile. It acts as a great spot to pop in for a drink or a planned evening around a bottle of wine and is in the perfect location to serve both roles well, especially heading into its first warm season on the Coast.
