Southern Living Magazine recently named H.D. Gibbes & Sons of Learned, Mississippi, one of The Most Legendary Steakhouses in the South. Chipper, his son, his wife Susan, and Mary Bell Gibbes (Chipper’s Mother) now operate the store and restaurant. Chipper and Susan’s children (Henry and Kirk) represent the fifth generation of the Gibbes family involved with H.D. Gibbes & Sons. While it has always served its community, it hasn’t always served steaks.
Learned is a small town in Hinds County, Mississippi, about eight miles outside Raymond. Learned incorporated in 1884 with a railroad running through it, which helped create a community and welcomed travelers. H.D. Gibbes & Sons store opened in the late 1800s and was the center of commerce for the area. The railroad has since left, and the town has fewer than 90 residents, but the Gibbes family has continuously run the store as a convenience store for items such as gas, chips, hamburgers, cold beer, and soft drinks.
In 2009, H. D. Gibbes & Sons began offering steak, lamb chops, and seafood served with homemade potato and vegetable casseroles on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Live music, top-notch cuisine, and a unique dining experience draw customers from all over each weekend.
“Some of our favorite guests from far away have become friends,” shared owner Chipper Gibbes. “They are from Missouri and University of Missouri fans. Several years ago, they were traveling to Baton Rouge for a football game at LSU, and they found us online and stopped to eat. Now, they come yearly to eat, hang out for the weekend, and go home.”
Guests have described it as a “once in a lifetime” and “place like no other,” thanks to the old charm of the original store. Community seating, food served on paper plates, and paper towels for napkins are all part of the Gibbes experience. Other things make them different, like the wide variety of both domestic and international cans and bottled beer served on the honor system. Guests grab a beer when needed, keep their beer caps, and turn them in upon checkout. If you’d like a glass of wine or whiskey with your meal, you’re encouraged to BYOB!
And don’t forget to stop by the ATM. Only checks and cash are accepted. Legend has it that Gibbes has such good relationships with its customers that they have allowed those who forgot a check or didn’t have enough money to mail it in when they get home. But come prepared to leave full and pay in full. Menu and pricing are available on their website.
When asked what he would order as a first-timer to the store, Gibbes said, “I’d order a ribeye, with a lamb appetizer, with potato casserole, a salad with blue cheese crumbles, and oil and vinegar dressing, even though everyone likes our comeback dressing, and a slice of buttermilk pie.”
Mary Bell Gibbes, Chipper’s mom, still makes the store’s desserts and pies from scratch.
According to Chip Gibbes, Chipper’s dad, “An old store that happens to serve steaks” is the best description for H. D. Gibbes & Sons.”
*All photos are courtesy of H.D. Gibbes & Sons FB
