Some Gulf Coast places announce themselves from the road. The Julep Room makes you go looking for it.
Begin outside beneath the oaks, with a view of Fort Bayou. If you arrive around sunset, it’s tempting to linger there. Then head downstairs beneath Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant, and the evening takes on a different feel. The Julep Room is small and intimate: a place to order a drink, find a seat and actually listen when someone steps up to perform.
I came to learn more about its history, but the setting made me want to stay awhile. It’s easy to picture bringing a friend here who has never been, especially one who thinks they’ve already seen every corner of Ocean Springs. Even locals can pass this building without knowing what’s downstairs.
The property’s story begins long before the lounge. People once traveled to this stretch of Fort Bayou for its mineral springs and the healing properties they believed the waters held. The building served as Dr. Powell’s Sanitarium and later as a convalescent home. Today, those earlier chapters are part of what makes a visit feel like more than another night out.
The cellar eventually became King William’s Cellar, a place connected to Elvis Presley and June Juanico’s time together on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Elvis is the name many people recognize first, but he isn’t the only notable person associated with the room. Musicians and visitors have continued adding to its story over the years.
Inside, a small tribute area makes that connection feel personal. Alongside the nod to Elvis are keepsakes left by performers, including guitar picks and drumsticks. I loved that detail. A room’s history can sound distant until you see something a musician held in their hand. Here, the tribute draws your attention from the performers who came before to the ones you can still hear onstage.
During my visit, I also had to try the virgin mint julep, a drink with its own connection to the lounge’s past. If beer is more your style, the bar carries regional craft options, including Biloxi’s Fly Llama Brewing one of my favorites and Chandelier brewing and Louisiana’s Parish Brewing Co. You can come early for happy hour and let the night unfold from there.
Music is the reason to keep an eye on The Julep Room’s calendar. Tuesday’s Tipsy Tuesday features a changing drink special and original live music. Wednesday opens the stage to almost anything: covers, original songs, poetry and stand-up comedy. On Thursday, The Rachel Inabinette Experience gives singers and songwriters a place to perform their original work. Friday and Saturday bring booked performances, mostly from local musicians, mixing original songs with familiar covers.
That variety means the room can be something different each time you visit. You might stop in to hear a songwriter for the first time, bring friends for a weekend performance, or discover that someone you know has signed up for open mic. The space is small enough that the entertainment feels close, and its history gives you plenty to talk about between songs.
The Julep Room can be one stop during an Ocean Springs evening, but it can just as easily be the plan. Catch the view over Fort Bayou, head downstairs for a drink and stay for the music. Whether you live on the Coast or are visiting for the first time, you’ll find a place where the stories are still being made.
Plan your visit
The Julep Room is beneath Aunt Jenny’s at 1217 Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., and closed Sunday and Monday. Happy hour runs 4:30 to 7 p.m. on open days, with discounts on well drinks, wine and beer. Entertainment is scheduled 9 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Saturday. Check the current lineup for Friday and Saturday performers and the weekly Tipsy Tuesday special.
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