Nightlife

Savannah’s bar and entertainment scene falls into three general categories: River Street, a restored area along the Savannah River that was refurbished with just this sort of thing in mind; City Market, a restored quadrant of the Historic Downtown that’s heavy on clubs and bars as well as shops; and a variety of watering holes and entertainment sites scattered along routes to the south of the city (the Southside, in local parlance).

If you don’t have something very specific in mind (say, jazz or a sports bar), our advice is to follow your ear, literally. Visitors will fare better on River Street and in City Market, where there are lots of nightspots clustered together. You can follow the music you hear spilling out the doors and wander conveniently from site to site. Which brings us to the question of alcohol and the law. Savannah’s folklore stresses the city’s hard-drinking reputation, with tales that the town was never dry, even during Prohibition (which lingered long in Georgia, where some counties are still dry). You’ll probably get tired of locals telling you the favorite question posed to a newcomer is, “What do you drink?”

Also note that city ordinances prohibit open bottles or cans on the street, but (as of this writing) if you want to wander out of a River Street watering hole or a City Market club, most places are glad to provide you with a plastic or foam cup. This practice, pretty unusual based on our experience with other cities, is under hostile scrutiny from Savannah City Council, however, so check with your bartender before you wander out with a cup of beer in case things have changed. (Remember, this go-cup leniency is in the city of Savannah, not the other municipalities.)

Overview

We’ve spent a lot of space covering alcohol, but we don’t mean to give you the impression that all nightlife has to do with booze. We’ve included coffeehouses, which are growing in popularity, as well as movies and other activities. Also, Savannah is home to an active Alcoholics Anonymous family: If you want to catch a meeting and talk firsthand about alcohol-free nightlife in Savannah, call (912) 354-0993 for the extensive schedule.

The bars listed here are a sampling, but we think we’ve included at least something for everyone.