Mary Mahoney’s Review

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Non-seafood eaters need not read further! Although they can easily make a seafood lover out of most anyone… the seafood savvy palate will be thrilled with Mary Mahoney’s.

Located on the Biloxi strip, Mary Mahoney’s Old French House is a favorite of locals and a tourist must! The history of the building itself warrants a visit. The Old French House was built in 1773 during the French occupation of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Listed on the National Register of Historic Homes, The Old French House is one the oldest homes in the United States. The home was purchased and opened as a restaurant in 1964 by the Mahoney Family; Bob and Mary Mahoney, and Mary’s brother Andrew Cvintanovich. Soon the restaurant was referred to as Mary Mahoney’s Old French House and to locals simply, Mahoney’s. The Old French House has many uniquely French features; a wine cellar, rare to homes on the coast, a distinctly New Orleans style brick courtyard shaded by a 2000 year old oak locals call "The Patriarch”, and wonderful dining rooms with tall ceilings that captures what it must have felt like to live and enjoy meals in such a magnificent home.

Taking advantage of the availability of fresh seafood from locals, Mahoney’s menu is vast and varied enough to offer something for every day of the week. However, if time is not on your side, stick with the specialty menu. Start with the “can’t go wrong” Presidential Platter filled with fried crab claws and petite soft shell crabs; aptly named the Presidential Platter after being served to President Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1984. Follow up your crab claws and soft shell crabs with the world-famous seafood gumbo. With a dark rich roux, this gumbo is meant to be shared. Not too spicy but has a bit of...

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...ent events.

Fine-dining, exceptional service and a robust history is a tall order for a restaurant. Many restaurants have tried to meet these criteria but few can truly say they have achieved it; Mary Mahoney’s fills the order. Do not compare Mary Mahoney’s to the seafood restaurant chains or the typical tourist trap, Mahoney’s is a true experience in local cuisine.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the restaurant with eight feet of water. Mary Mahoney's reopened on Nov. 3, 2005, only 65 days after the storm hit the Gulf shores. Many say “The Patriarch” protected the restaurant. After all, the grand oak has stood tall for 2,000 years weathering many storms. Both, “The Patriarch” and Mahoney’s, have an abundance of stories. If you are visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast and you love seafood, Mary Mahoney’s is a must! If you’re a local, see you at Mahoney’s!

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