Vintage band posters. A wall of classic records. Mounted electric guitars. Coyote Blues offers one of the best Mexican-infused eats in Jackson. Located on Union University Drive, Coyote Blues is a self-professed Louisiana-infused and Mexican-inspired restaurant with a large variety of dishes and drinks.
As a native Arizonian and a foodie that makes meals from scratch in my dorm room kitchen on the regular, to say I’m picky about my Mexican food would be an understatement. I tend to appreciate the simplicity of traditional Mexican dishes (sorry, Tex-Mex lovers), so I was hesitant the first time I tried Coyote Blues’ Cajun-Mexican fusion. But I was pleasantly surprised by the elegant balance of classic southern and traditional Mexican found in Coyote Blues’ dishes. The menu boasts Mexican infused shrimp and grits, queso-smothered Milagros, shrimp po’ boy with chipotle aioli, smoked duck nachos and so many other classic favorites (not to mention their banger homemade guac with pueblo chips).
Along with the fantastic food, the atmosphere of the restaurant is well-developed, with touches of deep southern country décor throughout the building.
“Coyote Blues has an upscale eclectic vibe that that captures the blues and country music culture in a tasteful way,” said Danielle Popson, sophomore business major.
But it isn’t just the food and atmosphere that makes Coyote Blues a special restaurant for me. Throughout the past year, I’ve had some important memories in their restaurant. I remember trying their Milagros for the first time with my mom when she helped move me in for my junior year of college in August 2020. Coming off the back of an especially difficult spring semester, leaving my family for the fall semester was hard, and the whole move in process seemed a little more bitter than sweet. During her last night in Jackson with me before saying goodbye, we went out to eat at Coyote Blues.
Later in the fall, I came back with one of my best friends, Cayla Cohen, junior elementary education major, on election night. As we talked about our fears and hopes for the future, I remember wondering if they would call the election while we were in the restaurant. Of course, the election wasn’t called until several days later, but that didn’t stop us from filling our faces with queso in anticipation.
While Danielle Popson, sophomore business major, and I worked through a marketing project, crunching numbers and swimming in spreadsheet data with our laptops plugged in at the bar this March, the waitress was as sweet as ever, ensuring we had a steady influx of chips and salsa to get us through.
Throughout each of these memories, Coyote Blues offered the perfect environment for conversation: an appealing atmosphere, wonderful service and great food, enough to make this foodie come back for more and enjoy it every time.
