Moon Lake, in northern Coahoma County, Mississippi is not actually a lake in the normal sense. It is a wide expanse of water that was formerly a channel of the Mississippi River, cut off by the river’s constant effort to shorten its route. It contains one large uninhabited island, and is otherwise surrounded by waterfront homes and cottages. Fans of the lake and fine dining were saddened by the permanent closure of Kathryn’s, which had offered steaks and seafood on weekends.
But Kathryn’s was not by far the first restaurant on the lake. In 1926, the Clarksdale Elks Club had built an elaborate clubhouse across from the lake, but in the Great Depression, they were forced to sell it. The man who purchased it turned it into the Moon Lake Club, a quasi-private establishment with dining and clandestine drinking, despite the liquor laws in dry Mississippi. Sold again, it became Uncle Henry’s Inn, a restaurant and what nowadays might be called a bed and breakfast, frequented by writers Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner The place fell on hard times in the early 2000s and closed.
Until now. I had heard that Uncle Henry’s Inn had reopened, at least the restaurant part of it, last year, and with all of Clarksdale’s restaurants jammed by the Juke Joint Fest, I made a reservation to go out to Moon Lake, and was glad I did. Uncle Henry’s is certainly bigger in space than Kathryn’s, but menu-wise, there are a lot of similarities. There are burgers, steaks, various kinds of fish, and shrimp, all at prices that, if not cheap, are certainly reasonable. And the restaurant also has an absolutely beautiful setting, located across the road from the lake, with magnolia trees, brightly colored flowers, and a pavilion and basketball court in front. I chose the fried shrimp dinner, and was very impressed with my well-seasoned shrimp, and the fries that came with them. Service was friendly and attentive. Only the restaurant is open at this point, and there is no indication of whether the hotel rooms will be restored or reopened.
Uncle Henry’s on Moon Lake
5860 Moon Lake Rd
Dundee, MS 38626
(662) 624-1248