This hidden gem on the Mississippi Coast is getting rave reviews. We gave it a try

If I can down a bushwhacker while Billy Eilish plays overhead, I’ve had a good day. I can even let the New Orleans Saints decorations slide.

Such was the case at Fleur De Lis Bar and Grill in Pascagoula. The restaurant is a true hidden gem at 809 Ingalls Avenue just off the Pascagoula River in a town known for its hidden culinary gems.

In two years of operation, the bar has developed a reputation not only for its drinks, but for its kitchen. Fleur De Lis has garnered strong reviews for its specialties and sandwiches. It sits right outside downtown across the street from a massive gravel church parking lot. It’s unassuming.

Inside, the New Orleans influence is unmistakable and inescapable. I sat under the corner of Bourbon and Royal at the bar. Dining tables were black and bronze, and fleur de lis decorated the tables. Paintings and pictures of the Crescent City’s musical and voodoo history adorn the walls. String lights and beads hang about.

Behind the bar are four TVs with a different sports channel airing on each.

It isn’t just bar food that comes out of “Pappy’s Kitchen.” There’s a Cajun twist on the menu. I started with the fried alligator bites.

They were crunchy on the outside with a moist, gator and holy trinity-stuffed inside. They came with a complementary side of remoulade sauce.

I also had the buffalo chicken sandwich with ranch and Cajun fries. The sandwich was made with two tenders and topped in a generous coating of sauce and lettuce. I took the tomato — God’s only mistake — off. This was all washed down with the aforementioned bushwhacker.

Speaking of drinks, the bar has a creative offering of cocktails along with the typical service. I was tempted by the banana cream pie cocktail with a graham cracker rim. There’s also the oatmeal cookie shot with butterscotch and cinnamon schnapps and the pumpkin pie cocktail made with pumpkin liqueur.

The rest of the food menu features sandwiches, burgers and po’boys. The specialties include shrimp and grits, pork chops and hamburger steak. They also have wings that come in lemon pepper, sweet teriyaki, mango habanero and more.

My server was new to the job, but did well in making sure everything was perfect. When you visit, be sure to ring the bell. Your fellow patrons will thank you.

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