What does a rabbit, a wolf, and a worm have in common in Savannah on a Saturday night? If you know where to look, it’s three dive bars, three animals, and not a single velvet rope between them.
I call it the Animal Bar Crawl, and it might be my favorite night this city has to offer. I have to thank my friend Chris Butler and other Savannahians who frequent the Knights of Columbus for all these ideas because the idea for this blog began there. Some of my favorite dive bars here happen to be named after animals, and they are quick Uber rides apart, close enough together that you can turn them into one delightful, low-key, deeply local evening. No bottle service. No pretense. Just good drinks, real character, and the kind of quirky charm you cannot manufacture.
I can go both ways with bar hopping. I love a rooftop bar, but I am a rural girl at heart, so I am just as comfortable shooting pool at a dive bar. If you want a cocktail with a view, check out my ranking of top rooftop bars in Savannah.
Consider this bar crawl its scruffy, lovable cousin. And if you are mapping out a full day, my perfect one-day Savannah itinerary pairs beautifully with an evening like this one.
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Savannah’s Best Dive Bars
Let me walk you through it. A few things I want you to know, because I want you walking into this feeling confident, not lost. These dives are intentionally hard to find. That is part of the fun. A few are tucked away on the sides of buildings with barely a sign to mark them. Trust me, the hunt is half the joy, and I will tell you exactly what to look for.
Second, the best time to start is right around 5pm. You will catch the golden cocktail-hour light, beat the late-night crowds, and have time to savor each stop. This is not a race. This is a slow, joyful meander. Ready? Let’s go.
Stop One: The Black Rabbit
- Address: 1215 Barnard Street
Here is your first hidden gem, and what a charmer it is. You will not stumble into The Black Rabbit by accident.
Look for a baby-blue building and a little black rabbit mounted over the door. That is your only clue. Step through that Barnard Street entrance and you will find a bar that has 10 stools and additional tables that seat two in the space.
The decor is thrifted, consignment chic, and you’ll find everything from a mounted deer head to eclectic artwork adorning the walls. (And, a lot of portraits of rabbits.) The historical ceiling is stamped with brass and helps pull off the cozy dive-bar warmth without even trying.
This is a sandwiches-and-full-bar kind of place, and my bartender Steven let me in on a couple secrets. The Van Gogh and Cuban are the most popular sandwiches, and the bread, pastries, and cookies are all baked in Savannah. Beyond the creative cocktails and local beer, it’s the regulars who make this place so interesting.
My friend Ted Franks and I meandered outside to the small courtyard and met three locals who work in other restaurants in Savannah. I always love to get intel from the service providers about their recommendations on the best food in Savannah.
Here are their suggestions:
- Sean Freeman: Oyster Rockefeller and Short Rib at Common Restaurant, 118 E. Broughton St.
- Maggie Hickey: Peel and Eat Shrimp and a side of cheese grits at Bubba Gumbos on Tybee Island, 1 Old US Hwy 80
- Lindsey Jones: Biscuits and Gravy from B. Matthews Eatery, 325 E Bay St.
While we were sitting in the courtyard, a SCAD student, Felix Cowan, joined us and offered to do a sketch of Sean, Maggie, and me. This is the part of Savannah that I love because you’ll find that Southerners are so friendly and our city is enhanced by SCAD students’ creativity. The sketch that Oscar did only took five minutes, and it made the evening that much more fun.
Speaking of creativity, I have to do a plug for Ted’s new book. He’s a Tybee Island author and has recently released “The Seeds of Evil” which is a political conspiracy thriller that weaves together genetic agro-engineering, cyberwarfare, mob influence, and Vatican intrigue. If you’re looking for a new book, check it out.
Back to Black Rabbit…a few things to know: it is small and is a neighborhood, local tavern. Go after 5 pm when the lunch crowd has cleared and the evening regulars start drifting in. There is not much cover outside, so if the weather is iffy, plan to sit in.
Here is what I love about starting your animal crawl here. The Black Rabbit is the kind of place that immediately makes you feel like you are in on a secret. And you are.
Stop Two: Lone Wolf Lounge
- Address: 2429 Lincoln Street, Starland District
Next, we are heading toward the Starland District, and into one of the most quietly beloved bars in Savannah.
Lone Wolf Lounge is the spot locals send you to when they want you to skip the tourist crush of the riverfront and see the real city.
Fair warning: you will have to hunt for it. The entrance is on the side of the building, not where you would expect, and there is no big, flashy sign. People have literally stood out front convinced it was closed. It is not. Walk around to the side, find the door, and step into what feels like a 1970s waterfront lounge.
The first thing that hits you is the ceiling. String lights drape down like vines from exposed wooden beams painted in weathered red and green, tangled up with old ductwork wrapped in silver foil. It feels less like a bar and more like someone’s magical, slightly mischievous secret hideout.
Follow that canopy of lights back, and you’ll find the heart of the place: a long, dark wood bar backed by shelves of liquor bottles glowing from below. Black swivel stools line the front, and more often than not, you’ll find a friendly bartender trading stories with whoever’s perched there.
Here’s the detail that gets me every time. The floor. A black-and-white checkerboard pattern runs the entire length of the room, giving the whole space a playful, timeless energy under all that low, moody lighting.
Wood-paneled booths with red vinyl seating line one side, perfect for tucking in with your travel companions over a good round of drinks. And the walls, oh, the walls. They’re covered edge to edge in eclectic art, wolves of all kinds and vintage prints, the kind of layered decor that tells you this place was built one piece at a time, not decorated in a weekend.
The cocktails here are the real draw. Genuinely expertly made, cleverly named, and very fairly priced. I’ve had the Margarita at the Mall and Treating Objects Like Women, and they were superbly crafted.
This is the heart of your crawl. The kind of place where one drink turns into a long, easy conversation and you suddenly understand why people fall in love with this city. Of all three bars in this blog, the Lone Wolf is my favorite.
Stop Three: The Wormhole
- Address: 2307 Bull Street, Starland District
For your final official stop, we lean all the way into Savannah’s wonderfully weird side.
The Wormhole is a quirky neighborhood pub and music venue, and it is a come-as-you-are dive that this city does so well. It is famous for live music across every genre you can imagine, with a slant toward heavy metal bands.
There is karaoke, trivia, comedy, and late-night food (the waitress told me that the California Cool Wrap, Reuben, and Bavarian Pretzel and Cheese are customer favorites). The night I visited, the place was lively with dart enthusiasts and pool sharks.
The Wormhole is known for its PBR, Jameson specials, and a daily happy hour, and the whole space is welcoming and ADA-accessible. If you want to end your night somewhere with energy, music, and a genuinely friendly crowd, this is your finale.
Where to Stay: Bed and Breakfast Inns for Easy Access to It All
For this blog, I’m going to recommend some popular bed and breakfast inns you might enjoy. All of these are less than 1.3 miles from Starland District, so a rideshare will only cost you $7 to $13 one way.
1. Forsyth Park Inn
Right across from Savannah’s most iconic fountain sits Forsyth Park Inn, a Queen Anne Victorian mansion built in 1893 for sea captain Aaron Flint “Rudder” Churchill. His influence still shows up in the details — rope motifs at the entrance, twisted rope balusters on the grand staircase.
Choose from 11 rooms in the main house or the private Garden Cottage, many with 14-foot ceilings and park or garden views. Every stay includes a full gourmet breakfast, afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres, and homemade desserts in the evening — plus concierge service to help with the rest.
It’s steps from Forsyth Park and an easy walk to SCAD and the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.
Check current pricing and availability here!
2. Kehoe House
Overlooking Columbia Square, Kehoe House was built in 1892 by William Kehoe, a successful iron foundry owner — and his craft shows everywhere, from the cast-iron staircases to the window treatments and gates. It’s one of Savannah’s most photographed historic homes.
With just 13 guest rooms spread across the mansion, each individually decorated with antique chandeliers and wood floors, the experience feels intimate rather than hotel-like. Every stay includes a hot, cooked-to-order breakfast, an evening happy hour with hors d’oeuvres, and cookies delivered to your door at night.
It’s steps from Columbia Square and an easy walk to River Street and the historic district’s best strolling.
Check current pricing and availability here!
3. Eliza Thomas House
Built in 1847 as the first home on Savannah’s famously beautiful Jones Street, the Eliza Thompson House was once home to Eliza and Joseph Thompson and their seven children. It’s since become one of the most romantic inns in the country, with a brick-paved courtyard, koi pond, and original fountain tucked right in the middle of it all.
The inn offers 25 rooms split between the Main House and the Carriage House, each individually decorated with antiques, high ceilings, and vintage touches. Every stay includes a continental breakfast, plus an evening reception with wine, hors d’oeuvres, and dessert in the parlor.
It’s an easy walk to Forsyth Park, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and Savannah’s best boutique shopping.
Check current pricing and availability here!
What to Wear to a Dive Bar
Leave the heels at the hotel for this one. These bars are cozy, a little worn-in, and not the least bit fussy, so dress the same way. Savannah’s sidewalks and cobblestones do not care how cute your shoes are, so choose a simple black tank, wide-leg white jeans, and bronze and white sneakers.
The night I went, I wore a cute pair of floral shorts I bought at a store called UVogue in Tobago in the southern Caribbean, paired with a white OGL Elastic Open Back Bra Tank that I’m obsessed with. If you belong to the itty bitty titty club as I do, you will love this tank because it has a built-in bra.
Your Savannah Dive Bar Crawl, Ready When You Are
Three bars. One unmarked entrance, one wolf-howling spot, one dartboard full of regulars who will absolutely beat you. That is the Animal Bar Crawl, and it is proof that the best night in Savannah rarely happens where the tour groups are standing.
If this is the kind of Savannah you came for, my Savannah 3-Day Ultimate Itinerary builds an entire trip around it, so your days are just as good as your nights.
Download your itinerary here and start planning.
