Drago's opening Jackson, MS restaurant

[buzd]

On the other hand, I had some wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter at Cochon the other day and boy, let me tell you, best thing I've eaten in I don't know how long.

The cold-smoked sizzling oysters at GW Fins are amazing.

 

[Madmarsha]

Am I the only one that loves the lobster at Dragos?

Nope. The only thing we ever get there besides the oysters. Must.go.soon.

The cold-smoked sizzling oysters at GW Fins are amazing.

And here.

On the other hand, I had some wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter at Cochon the other day and boy, let me tell you, best thing I've eaten in I don't know how long

And been meaning to go here for a while!

 

[Redfish]

Wonder why chose Jackson

I had wondered the same thing. Drago's has always been my go to place when flying out of MSY. Been many times for an Abita and Charbroiled Oysters. My son and I actually got to sit next to Drago Cvitanovich and his wife in the bar last August. Although he was hard of hearing it was an entertaining moment and he thanked us for always patronizing his restaurant.

 

[bclemms]

I had wondered the same thing. Drago's has always been my go to place when flying out of MSY. Been many times for an Abita and Charbroiled Oysters. My son and I actually got to sit next to Drago Cvitanovich and his wife in the bar last August. Although he was hard of hearing it was an entertaining moment and he thanked us for always patronizing his restaurant.

I know why.

Jackson's 39211 zip code as well as Madison and Ridgeland contain a large number of wealthy families. Combine that with an extremely high traffic rate and low real estate values at the new location along with relative close proximity to the gulf coast it could work. There are also very few places to get quality oysters and decent seafood. Among those places Drago's would actually be more affordable if prices are similar to the NOLA locations.

It doesn't hurt that the Hilton in Jackson is the only higher end, big volume hotel in Jackson. It stays booked out and Drago's will basically be in the same parking lot.

 

[Jimbo]

I know why.

Jackson's 39211 zip code as well as Madison and Ridgeland contain a large number of wealthy families. Combine that with an extremely high traffic rate and low real estate values at the new location along with relative close proximity to the gulf coast it could work. There are also very few places to get quality oysters and decent seafood. Among those places Drago's would actually be more affordable if prices are similar to the NOLA locations.

It doesn't hurt that the Hilton in Jackson is the only higher end, big volume hotel in Jackson. It stays booked out and Drago's will basically be in the same parking lot.

I honestly hope it works out. Hopefully the proximity to I55 will help it. Ralph and Kacoos and Copelands both failed miserably. Now that area is even more hood-like than it was back when Copeland's folded. On the other hand, I heard Fudruckers was opening across the interstate so maybe there will be a revival of that area of sorts. For the life of me I can't figure out why they just didn't open in Rennaisance or Dogwood.

 

[bclemms]

I honestly hope it works out. Hopefully the proximity to I55 will help it. Ralph and Kacoos and Copelands both failed miserably. Now that area is even more hood-like than it was back when Copeland's folded. On the other hand, I heard Fudruckers was opening across the interstate so maybe there will be a revival of that area of sorts. For the life of me I can't figure out why they just didn't open in Rennaisance or Dogwood.

Copelands failed miserably but so has every other place that ever entered that building. Ralph and kacoos failed miserably because it was just not very good and high priced. It's going to take more than Fudruckers to revive an area.

I hate County Line Rd but it is so close to I-55 that it isn't an issue. A lot of stores in Renaissance are struggling and it is a major PITA parking in at a mall to go eat. You can give it as fancy of a name as you want, bring in nice stores, build it in an old town square setting with nice fountains but it is still a mall.

County Line Rd/I55 is always going to be a heavy traffic area. The Hilton is always going to provide consistent customers and it is easy for them to pull from Madison/Ridgeland as well as Flowood yet still pull from downtown for people taking long lunches.

They have the publicity and excitement to make them profitable right away. The only thing that is going to hurt them is service and quality. That will be the challenge. Jackson has had some very good restaurants start out good and take a dive because they couldn't keep consistent quality employees.

The one thing I would have done differently is tried to find a location on the other side fo the road to be in Ridgeland instead of Jackson because Jackson likes to try and leach off businesses instead of support them. There just isn't space available across the street and certainly not a building being vacated by a large upscale restaurant. I wont miss Huntington Grill, hated everything about that place.

 

[Redfish]

Not to forget that Ralph and Kuckoos failed in this same area, but not quite the same type establishment IMO.

More with the official Press Release; Drago's headed to Jackson thanks to Hilton connection

"the Drago's location in New Orleans is the highest-grossing restaurant in a Hilton in the world. On a busy day, the restaurant can serve more than 900 dozen oysters.

Drago's is moving to Jackson in part because of a decade-old friendship between Blake Brennan, food and beverage manager at Hilton Jackson, and Drago's co-owner Tommy Cvitanovich. In January, Brennan contacted Cvitanovich to inquire about opening a Drago's location in Jackson.

"I couldn't wait," said Cvitanovich, who has noticed a large majority of his credit card recipients come from Jackson."

 

[Jimbo]

Copelands failed miserably but so has every other place that ever entered that building. Ralph and kacoos failed miserably because it was just not very good and high priced. It's going to take more than Fudruckers to revive an area.

I hate County Line Rd but it is so close to I-55 that it isn't an issue. A lot of stores in Renaissance are struggling and it is a major PITA parking in at a mall to go eat. You can give it as fancy of a name as you want, bring in nice stores, build it in an old town square setting with nice fountains but it is still a mall.

County Line Rd/I55 is always going to be a heavy traffic area. The Hilton is always going to provide consistent customers and it is easy for them to pull from Madison/Ridgeland as well as Flowood yet still pull from downtown for people taking long lunches.

They have the publicity and excitement to make them profitable right away. The only thing that is going to hurt them is service and quality. That will be the challenge. Jackson has had some very good restaurants start out good and take a dive because they couldn't keep consistent quality employees.

The one thing I would have done differently is tried to find a location on the other side fo the road to be in Ridgeland instead of Jackson because Jackson likes to try and leach off businesses instead of support them. There just isn't space available across the street and certainly not a building being vacated by a large upscale restaurant. I wont miss Huntington Grill, hated everything about that place.

Another note, there are some good restaurants down the County Line area despite the rest of the area getting somewhat rundown. Shapleys, Burgers and Blues, and some others are slinging some good food. Shapleys is on the high end and has the best steak in the area, and also Ticos is hanging in there. A killer seafood restaurant has strong potential, if, like you said, they can keep the service good.

 

[bclemms]

Oh, my quality control questions have been answered. Just got done polishing off a half stuffed lobster and dozen charbroiled. If anything the oysters were better in the Jackson location. Then again, the oysters today were massiv. I had a few two bite oysters.

 

[livefromDC]

Now this is rather an interesting venture." Drago's seafood restaurant will open its first location outside New Orleans in Jackson, MS."

I could have sworn there was a Drago's in Metairie.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

County Line Rd at night on the weekend is absolutely horrible. I got tired of sitting in traffic and being told of 2-hour wait lines and just ate Cane's (don't judge me).

 

[buzd]

Oh, my quality control questions have been answered. Just got done polishing off a half stuffed lobster and dozen charbroiled. If anything the oysters were better in the Jackson location. Then again, the oysters today were massiv. I had a few two bite oysters.

Oysters everywhere lately have been spectacular.

 

[bclemms]

Oysters everywhere lately have been spectacular.

I'm glad to hear that because I got quite a treat from today. Those were the best and biggest Oysters I've ever seen.

 

[itztime]

I honestly hope it works out. Hopefully the proximity to I55 will help it. Ralph and Kacoos and Copelands both failed miserably. Now that area is even more hood-like than it was back when Copeland's folded. On the other hand, I heard Fudruckers was opening across the interstate so maybe there will be a revival of that area of sorts. For the life of me I can't figure out why they just didn't open in Rennaisance or Dogwood.

I thought I remember why Copeland's failed (1st time) was due to some sort of health inspections? Sure could not have been for lack of business the first go around, because on a weekend night it was 1 + hour wait. Now the second time around is a different story, it garnered no support, Jackson is too small and once word gets out nobody returns (more recently that barf restaurant in Flowood Cheddars).

For the life of me I cannot understand how somebody can build on the opposite side of the interstate like Fudruckers, not that I am going to flock to it on the other side either. It's the wrong side of the interstate where crime is rampant, people are robbed (Red Lobster/Olive Garden are hot spots for hold ups). Also, the particular area they slapped Fudruckers, is notorious for those restaurants shutting down because of walk outs.

 

[dtc]

With any luck it will go over better than when Commander's Palace opened their Destin, FL location.

Commander's Palace closes in Destin, Florida | NOLA.com

They do have the wind to their backs though. The economy is improving, Jackson is getting bigger, higher paying jobs are coming into the area.

That location was the pits for CP. Hot, sweaty tourists looking for a frozen drink weren't going to cut it and the lease fees are astronomical. There's a reason places like AJs make it there and it's because they owned the dirt before the dirt cost $10mil an acre.

I have always bet that if Commanders had opened in a place where you could park that was its own destination it would have flourished.