Two family restaurants with good food and Southern charm close in South MS
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Two long-running family restaurants closed in South Mississippi this month.
- Owners cited financial pressures, limited hours and staffing challenges.
- Community responded with tributes; restaurants served generations of diners.
Two family-run, Southern eateries closed this month after years of feeding po’boys and catfish to generations of hungry diners.
“After nearly 35 years of serving the Coast, I have made the difficult decision to close the Deli,” Rena’s Deli owner Rena Simmons posted on Facebook. Her last day was Thursday at the sandwich shop tucked in near Biloxi City Hall at 131 Lameuse Street.
Thirty minutes away in Jackson County, Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin on Mississippi 57 in Vancleave closed Nov. 3. The restaurant moved in 2022 from a small place on Ball Park Road to the big log cabin on the highway.
People in South Mississippi say they want more family restaurants with good, Southern cooking. But keeping them going is a challenge, with new restaurants opening every week to add to the competition and food prices high.
Both of these places had limited hours. Rena’s Deli was open for lunch only Monday through Thursday, and Crazy Sisters was open Thursday through Sunday.
It was a hard decision to close, the owners said, and many of their fans stopped in for one last meal and to say goodbye
Rena’s Deli send-off
Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich saluted Rena (pronounced Rene) Simmons with a proclamation that spelled out how important her business was to the city.
“Rena’s Deli was more than a lunch spot — it was a slice of Biloxi’s story,” he said. “In a city that’s changed and rebuilt time and again, Rena’s Deli remained steady — a reminder that good food, good people and a little Gulf Coast charm never go out of style.”
Simmmons said on Facebook, “When I opened Rena‘s Deli back in 1991 I thought to myself if I can just make it 10 years, I would be so happy. I would’ve never guessed that my tiny little restaurant would become a Biloxi staple for the next 34 1/2 years.”
More than 100 people replied to her announcement, talking about their favorite sandwich and the red beans and rice special on Monday.
“Not only has Rena’s Deli had the best lunch but the most wonderful people,” one person commented.
“It’s simple, it’s small, but a lot of love is shown in this place,” another said.
In a 2003 feature article in the Sun Herald, Rena’s Deli was described as “a word-of-mouth” place with 25 seats and a Biloxi lighthouse mural on the wall.
“My philosophy is quick-and-easy,” the owner said. “We’re here for people in a hurry because most people who work downtown have only a half-hour for lunch. It’s about 50-50 for those who take out and those who eat in.”
Catfish and community
“This is a very emotional decision for me,” said Laurie Babineaux when she announced she was closing Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin. What she should have done long ago was increase the prices on the menu, she said.
“That’s one thing I didn’t want to do. The economy is so bad,” she said, “and I want everyone to be able to afford to come in and enjoy a night out.”
Instead, she got another job. “ It’s hard to manage a full-time job and the restaurant,” she said. “So I made the decision to close the restaurant.”
The community commented on how the restaurant gave local teens their first jobs and made a difference in their lives. They talked about going to the restaurant after Sunday church, the gumbo and “the best salad bar around.”
“It has been a true blessing serving all of you,” Babineaux said.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 12:32 PM.
