22 Best Bars in Historic District, Savannah

A trendy spot in downtown Savannah, the Alley Cat Lounge is a backdoor bar with a refined cocktailer attitude. The well-designed subterranean space can only be accessed via the lane south of Broughton Street. The menu is a triumph of content marketing, resembling a newsprint, with entertaining articles, sketches, and quotes, and features impressive craft liquors and conceptual beverages. Space is limited, so come early to guarantee your spot.

The award-winning Daniel Reed group renovated this unique, intimate space that was once home to the Georgia Hussars pre-Revolutionary cavalry regiment, and later a showroom for the Model T Ford. The end result is one of Savannah's classiest cocktail bars and a resplendent example of contemporary design mixed with historical accuracy. Intricate cocktails feature inspired ingredients like muddled corn, shishito peppers, and smoked pipe tobacco. The wine list is as formidable as the cocktail menu. There is an enforced code of conduct in a classy joint like this; usage of cell phones is highly frowned upon and the dress code is on the border of business-casual and semiformal.

In a beautifully renovated space with pressed-tin ceilings and a gorgeous antique bar, this is the place to come for a bottle of wine or champagne by the glass. Recordings of jazz legends like Billie Holiday or Django Reinhardt are usually the soundtrack, and the bar area is filled with tucked-away nooks for couples on a date. The gastropub next door offers a full menu of French fare that can also be ordered late into the night. The gourmet burgers and the mussels are highly recommended.

This laid-back spot invites you to indulge your sweet tooth. Walking through the door, you're immediately greeted by a dessert case full of freshly baked specialties—try some of the homemade truffles. The menu also includes a spectacular list of specialty drinks, including champagne cocktails, chocolate martinis, and a modest selection of beer and wines. Warm up with an Irish coffee or the truly divine "drinkable chocolate," an especially fulfilling twist on hot chocolate.

This dive bar's biggest claim to fame was that Georgia's own Jimmy Carter stood up on the bar to announce his bid for the presidency. The people are friendly, the drinks are cheap, the analog jukebox is loaded with an unexpected mix of soul, R&B, and punk, and the vibe is laid-back with zero frills.

Lighted by flickering candles, this tavern in the basement of The Olde Pink House is one of Savannah's most romantic late-night spots. There's a talented piano player setting the mood, two stone fireplaces, and an array of fox-hunt memorabilia. The upstairs menu is available, with the same quality of service but a slightly less formal approach. Keep your eyes peeled for the House's ghosts, said to be most commonly seen here in the tavern. The handful of tables fill up fast, but the staff will serve you wherever you find a spot.

 Nestled on top of the Thompson Hotel, this popular rooftop bar has glittering views of the Savannah River. There is a compact, well-curated list of cocktails, but the star of the show may be the bar's fluffy, savory bread, which becomes delicious pizzas and flatbreads. Dinnertime seating is first-come, first-served, so come early to put your name down.

In the center of Congress Street's bustling nightlife scene, Barrelhouse South offers live music most nights of the week. Packed on the weekends with an enthused mix of bohemian and professional twenty- to thirtysomethings, the crowds dance the night away to bands playing covers and originals that range from funk and R&B to rock. Shoot a round of pool at the second bar in the basement.

Savannah's mainstay gay bar offers three levels of fun: drag shows and occasional burlesque and theater productions upstairs; dance parties on the main floor; and a relaxing spot for conversation or karaoke in the basement bar. Although the decor is a little tacky, the scene is wildly fun when the lights go down and the music starts.

Part sports bar, part music venue, the Congress Street Social Club is always jam-packed on weekend nights. Enjoy drinks and street eats right off the grill on the patio, dance to live music or a DJ inside, or play a round of pool in Social's basement. For a more laid-back experience, stop by on a weekend afternoon for nibbles, beer, and dogspotting on the patio.

 In the JW Marriott's Power Plant building, this rooftop lounge is one of the city's best and busiest, offering views of the river, great bar food, and signature cocktails like the Fly Me to the Moon with infused vodka.

 High above the riverfront at the Apex of the Alida Hotel sits an elegant outdoor spot boasting a creative cocktail menu that rotates with the seasons. Add some charcuterie or marinated olives.

 Savannah's first microbrewery, Moon River occupies a historic building that once served as a hotel, as well as a lumber and coal warehouse. The adjacent outdoor beer garden is known for great people-watching, live music, and breezes off the nearby river. Check out the amazing variety of handcrafted lagers, ales, and wheat beers, including the White Lady, named for this famously haunted building's most well-known apparition. A sweet potato harvest ale is available in autumn months, and all brews are nicely complimented by an array of pub-style dishes and snacks.

 Perched on top of the Perry Lane Hotel, Peregrin offers the best view of the city's church steeples and architectural details on a lush, colorful patio. Revelers can play cornhole while sipping frosé (frozen rosé) or the planter's punch. Wine lovers will revel in the curated menu, and there's a small array of bites, like dill pickle dip and crab-and-shrimp lettuce wraps, if you're feeling peckish.

 The bar on top of The Bohemian hotel offers a look at the ships passing to and from the port—and a chance to win a round of Tequila Verditas every evening as part of the "Hail and Farewell Challenge."

Reminiscent of an old roadside honky tonk, Savannah Smiles features dueling piano players that take requests via napkins, and a tip will get your song bumped up in the playlist. Patrons are encouraged to participate in the onstage antics. The kitchen is open late.

 Enjoy the best views of the Savannah River and the cargo ships coming to port from this bar on the rooftop of the Cotton Sail Hotel. During the daytime Top Deck is quite low-key, but it gets lively and packed during the evening hours. Enjoy tasty, eclectic light bites with classic mixed drinks or more inspired signature cocktails.  It's the best place in town to catch the sunset while enjoying a drink.

An old-school dive bar that claims to have "the coldest beer in town," the Warehouse's River Street location means more tourists than locals. The service is friendly, and lots of different local bands play everything from original rock and country to classic covers. The kitchen serves deep-fried fare like chicken fingers, fried pickles, and gator bites if you get a hankering for something to snack on.