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Posted April 2026I have had occasion to go to Hernando several times recently for court and other legal business. For those who haven’t been to Hernando in some time or at all, it has morphed into a hybrid creature featuring Mississippi county seat charm with a strong dose of suburban growth. If you have to go to court somewhere in the wilds of Mississippi, you can do a lot worse. The courthouse—located dead center at the intersection of Hwy 51 and the main east/west artery—is one of my favorites in the entire state.
Its main door opens into a rotunda with circular stairs going up each side, depositing visitors in front of wall-sized murals adorning the second floor. These large, hand-crafted paintings depict various scenes from DeSoto County history, including one of its namesakes “discovering” the Mississippi River. Another shows his burial at the river. Each of these works of art is well over 100 years old, and according to a quick Google search, were originally in the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis before being moved to the courthouse in Hernando in 1948.
All of the main trial courts, Circuit, Chancery, and County Court, are housed in the main courthouse, even though there is an annex across the street on the southwest corner of the square, where county administrative offices are located. Like any good Mississippi courthouse square, there are several places to grab lunch after a hearing. The most popular of these locations is Windy City Grille. Located across the street on the north side, Windy City has both bar and a restaurant section, with typical bar food and restaurant fare. After a recent Chancery Court hearing, I sampled the fish tacos, which were excellent. At least two judges were there having lunch while I was seated.
Adjacent to Windy City is another lunch place called Underground Café. I have not eaten there in several years, but I understand it draws a sizeable lunch crowd as well. On the opposite side of the square is AC's Steakhouse Pub. I had lunch there a couple of months ago with clients and found it to be a good change of pace from Windy City. It was a little more upscale and not as crowded. My impression is that it is more of a true dinner restaurant, based on its menu. It apparently has competition a couple of blocks north of the square from a place called Fratello’s Prime Steakhouse. I have not eaten at Fratello’s yet, but intend to when I get up there again in the near future.
Bear in mind, Hernando is on the far side of the southward suburban growth from Memphis. Just north of Hernando, both Olive Branch and Southaven have exploded and continue to do so. Commercial development is now apparently catching up with residential development. Multiple dining options have sprung up in Southaven, which is just a short ride away from Hernando. The back roads from Hernando to Southaven are quite scenic and still exude a pleasant rural vibe.
The night before my recent hearing, I had dinner with a former law partner at a place called Firebird’s in Southaven. I had never heard of it, but it is apparently a small but growing chain. The Southaven location on Getwell Road is in a newish development centered around an old grain silo. Although the name of the restaurant leaves a little something to be desired (my mental image was a hot wings sports bar playing loud music) it seems to capture the “upscale casual” niche—not fine dining, but something more than bar food1. You could say it is a nicer version of Applebee’s or Chili’s, which would be categorized simply as “casual” restaurants.
The silo development where Firebird’s is located appears to be taking off really well. Across the side street from Firebird’s is a Mexican restaurant called Tekila. I have not eaten there yet, but it appears to be an upscale Mexican concept like Sombra or the other recent additions in the Jackson area, La Presa and Masa Mesa (reviews hopefully forthcoming).
So if you find yourself with a morning hearing in Hernando, and want to avoid the stress of getting up extra early and driving for two and a half hours, there are plenty of options for eating, and two Hilton-affiliated business hotels (Hampton Inn and Home2Suites) just off the exit, on the east side of I-55. Word to the wise though: if you have Chancery Court, get there early and sign in. Those judges have a lot of customers, and it not uncommon to sit for awhile. But if it takes all morning, you can walk out the door and find plenty of options before getting back on the road.