Cheryl's Steakhouse
Ocean Springs, MS
Steaks cut in-house and grilled over an open oak-wood pit at this small, family-run Ocean Springs joint — get there before doors open at 5.
Atmosphere
Cheryl's is a low cinderblock building on Bienville Boulevard, and it doesn't try to be anything more than what it is: a small-town steakhouse built around a wood-fired pit. Walk in and the smell hits first — oak smoke and charred meat, thick enough that regulars call it half the reason they come. The dining room is close quarters, a handful of tables facing a service window where you can watch the cook working the fire, tongs in hand, tucking foil-wrapped potatoes straight into the coals. No white tablecloths, no dimmed lighting: paper napkins, simple tables, people in shorts and flip-flops straight off the beach.
What to Order
Order steak. That's really the whole menu here. Cheryl's hand-cuts every steak in house and grills it over an oak fire pit, from an 8-ounce ribeye up to a 22-ounce cut split for two. The ribeye is what regulars order, marinated and charred outside, tender enough to cut with a fork if you ask for it medium. Start with the fried or sautéed mushrooms; regulars call them the best side on the menu, and the baked potato, cooked right in the coals next to the meat, is worth ordering too. Save room for the Biscotti Cookie Butter pie, if they haven't run out by the time you order.
Good to Know
Cheryl's doesn't take reservations, and the wait is part of the ritual — regulars say a line forms in the parking lot before the doors even open at 5 p.m., so plan to arrive early. Hours run Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 8:45 p.m.; it's closed Sunday and Monday. Dress is strictly come-as-you-are — flip-flops and beach clothes fit right in here. The restaurant serves beer only, but bringing your own wine or liquor is fine, no corkage fee, as long as you're seated by 8 p.m. There's a parking lot on site, and it's wheelchair accessible.
Our Take
Cheryl's is worth the wait if you care more about the steak than the setting: this is a hand-cut ribeye off an oak fire, not a fine-dining evening out. Go in expecting simple decor, no reservations, and a line before opening on weeknights. Most visits land somewhere between very good and outstanding, though a handful of reviewers have reported an off night with a tougher or fattier cut, which happens more at a small operation cutting and grilling everything by hand. It's not cheap, since steaks are priced by weight, but go early, go hungry, and order the ribeye.
Details last verified August 2026. Always confirm current hours and menu directly with the restaurant.