By Jeanni Ritchie
The “incense” on the table where I was sitting made for a great decoration as I nibbled on chef-created appetizers.
Then someone told me to try it.
I wasn’t sure if he was joking, but I cautiously picked up a piece and took a bite. It turns out the decorative “incense” was actually fried angel hair pasta seasoned with olive oil and garlic—one of several unexpected touches I encountered that evening.
Following a $5 million transformation, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi reopened its signature EIGHT75 lounge last month, unveiling a completely reimagined space designed for a new era of Gulf Coast nightlife.
The name and location remain familiar. Almost everything else has changed.
Los Angeles-based Avenue Interior Design, the creative team behind Beau Rivage’s Coraline’s restaurant, transformed the lounge into a sophisticated blend of classic Southern parlor and contemporary nightlife. Deep burgundy, velvet drapery, brass detailing, patterned textiles, and warm lighting create an intimate atmosphere despite the venue’s expanded 3,000-square-foot footprint.
The centerpiece is impossible to miss: a 41-foot marble bar lined with illuminated shelving and distinctive tiger-patterned bar stools. Across the room, an oversized gilded clamshell frames the raised performance stage, a glamorous focal point for the live bands that take the stage seven nights a week.
And while the design is undeniably upscale, it doesn’t feel untouchable. Seating for approximately 130 guests is tucked throughout the lounge, and upholstered walls were incorporated not only for aesthetics but also to absorb sound, allowing conversation to continue even when the band is playing.
One of the key elements of the renovation was ensuring guests could see the stage from wherever they were in the bar.
The food is part of the experience rather than an afterthought. EIGHT75’s new Bar Provisions menu offers shareable bites including house-made cheese and chive crackers, Biloxi Blonde beer nuts, gourmet olives, mango Tajín fruit jellies and crispy pasta chips, along with a charcuterie jar filled with a chef’s selection of artisan meats, cheeses, olives, nuts, and seasonal accompaniments.
I tried it all at the grand opening.
Feeling like a celebrity who’d been allowed through the velvet ropes with my VIP wristband, I mingled with other guests, noshed on small bites, sipped on a Coke, and listened to the 5-piece jazz band, The Obvious Choice.
Live entertainment remains at the heart of EIGHT75. Mississippi Gulf Coast favorite Triggerproof took the stage when the newly renovated lounge opened to the public later that evening, bringing its high-energy blend of pop, rock, and hip-hop to the venue. Live bands perform seven nights a week, making the lounge as much an entertainment destination as a place to gather.
That’s what EIGHT75 was for me last summer. I was about to crawl in bed with a book after Rand Productions’ evening performance of Grease when I was invited to join the cast for an afterparty at the club.
I had a blast getting to know the actors and watching as they took turns performing with the house band. I sat at the bar, knocking back Coke after Coke, and had a fabulous time. We had to be ushered out when the lights came on and the brooms came out.
It felt very 1988 to me!
The club now had the same welcoming appeal, but a completely different ambiance. The entire space was transformed.
That may be one of the most impressive things about the renovation. EIGHT75 hasn’t abandoned what made the lounge a popular gathering place in the first place. It just elevated the experience.
The new space is elegant without losing its energy, intimate without feeling small, and polished enough for a VIP reception while still designed for the nights when the music gets louder and the dance floor fills.
EIGHT75 is located inside Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. Walk-ins are welcome, and advance table reservations are available online.
