Savannah's Prohibition

Serving up Savannah's own Ghost Coast distillery products.

With an atmosphere bringing us right into the roaring 20s, there’s no reason to not order an inspired cocktail, eat well, and give a toast to Savannah (and that we don’t have to bootleg our drinks anymore)! We’re talking about Prohibition. No, not that terrible time in history, but the new bar and restaurant that opened up on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The owners and partners, James Walsh, Ray Burns, and Jim McCourt, had their roots set in Charleston and were ready to shake things up by heading further south. 

While not open for very long, Prohibition’s Jordan Sox has divulged a love of craft cocktails, something a little out of the ordinary. Sox has been a bartender for five years now. She was working in Charleston, hailing from lower New England’s Connecticut, and slowly moved her way down. “I just really love the South and I have no desire to ever see snow again,” she said with a laugh. Prohibition has been open for about a month now and Sox is determined to make the finest classics and craft cocktails she can. “I love the complex flavors, and all of the hard work and love that goes into craft cocktails.”

Drink making is her art form. When asked what made Prohibition so special, her answer wasn’t just about the drinks. It’s that the people feel welcome. “We want everyone to be comfortable. People say they feel at home here.” It’s important for the owners to meet the customers, and get familiar with the community. This is the level of dedication the people at Prohibition bring to what they do. Passion is the number one ingredient in making this place a success. 

 

You’ll notice something unusual about the bar when you walk in: They keep their ingredients fresh at the counter. Sugar cubes and produce are readily available to be made into something like the beautiful, picturesque Aqueduct. 

This speakeasy fits right in with some of the greats in Savannah given our city’s ripe history and culture. Another unique quality worth mentioning is the nod to Walsh’s, Burns’s, and McCourt’s Irish heritage, the snug. A snug is a traditional Irish drinking space that was very popular during the Prohibition era, as a lot of speakeasies had similar drinking cubbies. 

Let’s not forget the food. The menu ranges from street food, pub fare, and food with a little more soul in it. So of course there’s a home for Prohibition here in Savannah. The menu gives accessibility to large groups looking to leave with a full stomach and down a notch or two on their belts, or a close dinner, or looking to nosh on something while they drink at the bar. No matter what, you’ll be eating really, really good. 

For more information, go to prohibitionsavannah.com.

To read the full article, subscribe now or pick up the January/February issue of South Magazine.