By Lisa Skriloff

In Biloxi, Mississippi, Dance Travel News found the 1940s dining and dancing experience at the Hotel Legends, in their Sapphire Supper Club where “live crooners” perform Wednesday through Saturday nights.

During our recent five-day visit to Coastal Mississippi, we booked at the Sapphire Supper Club on a Thursday night for dinner with live entertainment by the singer, local celebrity Mishee.

But would there really be dancing? Happily expectant, we arrived close to the start time of the 6 to 10 pm performance. 

Alas, there was not an actual dance floor as the entire dining room was carpeted. True, not ideal for dancing but that hasn’t stopped us before. 

Because of the rug I had to ask, as the hostess seated us, “Do you see people dance?” “Oh yes,” she replied. “People dance right by their table or in front of the singer. And Mishee likes it when the dancers come up right in front.” 

Our booth directly facing Mishee was ideal and she sang our 1940s favorites as well as those by Madonna and other current artists. Her repertoire includes songs popularized by Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra and contemporary singers.

As usual we were the only ones on the dance floor. Not even the couple celebrating their anniversary could be persuaded to dance, though finally she was able to coax them up to “At Last.”  Five or 6 couples joined them on the dance floor and we let them have it.

The Sapphire Supper Club fit the bill for the Rat Pack type dinner and dancing evenings we look for. Our $275 dinner tab was the most we spent on one meal all week in Coastal Mississippi and was well worth it. We splurged on 3 courses and their special ‘Mile High Pie’ ice cream cake dessert. John was happy with the martini served with the olive and onion outside the glass so the cocktail stays cold, as is the current bartender trend, per the Wall St. Journal. 

Don’t believe the promotional flyer which shows a man in a tuxedo with his glamourous date. We saw mostly casual to Coastal dressy attire — even a Spiderman windbreaker was perfectly acceptable.  In spite of the carpeting, we were able to cut a rug or maybe that’s where that expression came from.  Sapphire Supper Club — Hotel Legends.