Right in the heart of Old Town Bay St. Louis on Beach Boulevard, Dan B. Murphy’s Restaurant & Bar, feels like one of those rare coastal places where food, history, and personality all share the same space. It is lively, layered, and unmistakably rooted in the rhythm of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Originally opened in 1981, the restaurant became a longtime local favorite before Hurricane Katrina destroyed the original structure. Years later, the Murphy family brought it back to life and reopened the concept in 2017, continuing a legacy that remains deeply tied to Bay St. Louis.
Today, Dan B’s Murphy Restaurant and Bar is owned and operated by Ray Murphy, Raleigh Murphy, and Daniel Murphy, keeping it firmly rooted as a true family run coastal institution.
What makes Dan B’s stand out immediately is the way the building is designed as more than just a restaurant. Each level carries its own identity. The first floor is the heartbeat, an open air bar and stage area where live music plays throughout the week and the energy stays steady from afternoon into late night. It is the kind of space where tables fill quickly, conversations overlap, and the music becomes part of the atmosphere rather than just background sound.
The third floor is the most unexpected. It is dedicated to military, law enforcement, and first responders and designed as a tribute space filled with memorabilia, photographs, and historical displays. It feels part museum, part bar, and part reflection of service, adding a deeper layer of meaning to the building’s story.
The food at Dan B’s leans into classic Gulf Coast comfort with a wide approachable menu that keeps both locals and visitors coming back. On my visit the table reflected that variety including pizza, shrimp tacos, a fish Reuben sandwich, and roast beef po boy that stood out in particular. The roast beef, made from a three generation family recipe passed down through the Murphy family, is slow cooked for hours and served in a way that feels deeply traditional and home style.
It is that kind of detail that defines the kitchen simple food done with consistency and a sense of familiarity.
Other menu highlights reinforce that same approach from Gulf Coast staples like fried shrimp and oysters to comfort favorites like wings, gumbo, and charbroiled oysters with butter garlic and parmesan. Weekly favorites keep the rhythm going including Thursday Steak Night and Wednesday 75 cent wings from 5 to 9 pm dine in only.
For something lighter or more casual options range from fish tacos and burgers to salads and po boys including the popular fish Reuben made with grilled fish, remoulade, sauerkraut, and Swiss. Even desserts stay true to a homemade approach including key lime pie and bread pudding with coconut rum sauce both fitting finishes to a coastal meal. The key lime pie in particular stands out as a bright classic Gulf Coast ending.
Live music remains a constant thread throughout the week giving Dan B’s a steady rhythm that moves between restaurant bar and entertainment venue depending on the night. It is a place that shifts with the crowd but never loses its identity.
Daniel Murphy who also owns Lemoine’s Landing continues to shape a growing footprint in Bay St. Louis dining with both concepts reflecting a commitment to local hospitality and coastal culture.
What makes Dan B’s Murphy Restaurant and Bar memorable is how layered the experience feels. It is a restaurant a bar a tribute space and a community hub all at once. Locals treat it as familiar ground while visitors often find themselves surprised by how much history and personality is packed into one building.
In many ways Dan B’s Restaurant and Bar reflects Bay St. Louis itself resilient welcoming and full of stories that live just beneath the surface.
Dan B’s Restaurant and Bar is located at 109 S. Beach Blvd where it continues to stand as one of Old Town’s most distinctive and enduring gathering places.
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