End of the line for another longtime Mississippi Coast waterfront restaurant
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tripletails Restaurant closed after years on South Beach Blvd amid rising costs.
- Owner Jonathan Allen cited inflation, food prices and insurance as key factors.
- Building will be for sale as the region's dining scene shifts toward modern spots.
Tripletails Restaurant, a longtime eatery along South Beach Boulevard in Bay St. Louis, closed its doors this week after years of offering live music and serving seafood to the coastal community.
Jonathan Allen, who co-owns the restaurant and bar with David Potter, said on Tuesday afternoon that the rising cost of running a business — including rising insurance rates and food prices driven by inflation — made it increasingly difficult to continue operating the business. He described the restaurant industry as “just a tough business to be in.”
“We enjoy being in Bay St. Louis very much,” Allen said. “The town is doing fantastic. When it’s booming, it’s really good. When it’s bust, it’s tough.”
Tripletails sat in the heart of Bay St. Louis’ waterfront entertainment district, surrounded by other popular restaurants, including The Blind Tiger, Rags to Riches, Buoy’s, 200 North Beach, Cuz’s and Trapani’s Eatery.
It is the latest of several restaurants along the Mississippi Coast to close as the region’s culinary scene evolves. Modern eateries have earned accolades in recent years, including Michelin recognition in 2025, while longtime establishments owned by retiring restaurateurs have shuttered.
Tripletails opened more than a decade ago, before Allen purchased the building in 2021. Since then, the restaurant continued drawing a steady clientele of locals and visitors traveling from other parts of the Gulf Coast including New Orleans.
Allen first announced the sudden closure in a Facebook post that garnered dozens of likes and comments from customers who said they would miss dining at the restaurant, with many mentioning its po-boys, beer and cocktails.
In the post, Allen also said the building will be for sale soon, sharing a photo of the multi-story beachfront property lit in neon green and framed by palm trees.
“It’s been a fun ride owning this place for the past 4 years,” Allen said, “But we need to turn it over to a new business ready to tackle the challenges of the modern restaurant world.”