Knock twice and give the password to experience smoking drinks at new MS Coast speakeasy
The new Magnolia Room is a modern take on a Prohibition speakeasy that will immerse customers “in an era of glamour, secrecy and extraordinary libations.”
Ben Kaufman, who owns the nearby Qdoba Mexican Eats restaurant, is opening this new bar and restaurant at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6. It’s tucked away at Handsboro Pointe Condominiums, just off Cowan Road, at 1302 Magnolia St., Gulfport.
“We are set up like a traditional speakeasy,” he said, with someone posted at the door. “Two knocks and a password” are the key to get in.
Customers who don’t know the password still will be admitted, he said, but the password is part of the mystique.
This week the password is Hunnybee, and the mixologists have crafted a cocktail based on that name.
“We’ll have one password a week and 52 a year,” Kaufman said.
A place like somewhere else
Kaufman leased space at the new condominium development from owner Ivan Spinner and created an experience.
“Once you get in you’ll feel like you’re somewhere else,” he said. The mood and modern touches were inspired by a place in Dubai.
The lights are dimmed and reflected in the decorative inserts in the ceiling. The walls are dark, the wallpaper chic and the bar custom built locally.
“It’s just an elegant space,” he said.
An outdoor courtyard faces the pool and the bayou. In the warmer months, boat owners can tie up and come ashore for acoustic music.
Healthy food and fun drinks
The menu will be a mix of tapas small plates made from scratch, charcuterie boards, Caprese salad and other offerings, but no fried foods, Kaufman said.
Adding to the experience, “It’s all shareable plates,” he said.
The mixologists will create craft beverages and smoking drinks, he said, to add to the mood of the speakeasy that’s for age 21 and over.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday starting at 3 p.m. It will be available for private events, for those who want something new and unusual, and Kaufman said three events were already booked before Magnolia Room opened.
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 12:55 PM.
