Pinkie's, Abe's, the Rail: Savannah's well-worn watering holes, by consensus across local guides.
The full ranking
Pinkie's, Abe's, the Rail: Savannah's well-worn watering holes, by consensus across local guides.
The Original Pinkie Masters (Historic District)
Savannah's most storied dive bar, open since 1951, where President Jimmy Carter slipped across Drayton Street with his Secret Service detail for a visit in 1978. Cheap PBRs, a legendary jukebox, and a room full of colorful regulars remain the formula.
Abe's on Lincoln (Historic District)
A cash-only, no-frills Historic District dive on Lincoln Street with long hours, strong pours, and a loyal local crowd that has kept it on every Savannah bar list for years. One of the city's most unpretentious places to drink.
American Legion Post 135 (Historic District)
A members-welcome veterans bar in the Historic District with rock-bottom drink prices and a no-nonsense atmosphere that feels entirely removed from Savannah's tourist circuit. One of the city's great under-the-radar drinking spots.
O'Connell's Irish Pub (Historic District)
An Irish pub in the Historic District that favors cold beer, whiskey, and a laid-back crowd over themed decor or cocktail programs. A reliable neighborhood anchor in a city full of concept bars.
The Rail Pub (Historic District)
A dimly lit Historic District bar with a reputation for cheap drinks, late hours, and a dependably loose atmosphere. A Savannah standard-bearer for the no-frills, unpretentious end of the city's bar scene.
Portal Arcade, Cafe & Bar (Historic District)
A bar and arcade hybrid in the Historic District where pinball machines, retro video games, and cheap drinks coexist in a cheerfully chaotic space. A favorite for those who want their dive bar with a dose of nostalgia.
Bay Street Blues (Historic District)
A waterfront-adjacent Historic District bar with live blues and a comfortable dive-bar atmosphere that makes it a perennial stop on Savannah's late-night circuit. The music program sets it apart from the city's quieter watering holes.
Totally Awesome Bar (Historic District)
A cash-only Historic District bar that delivers exactly what its name promises: a thoroughly unpretentious, cheerful atmosphere and reliably strong, inexpensive drinks. A local favorite for those who have grown tired of the city's more polished establishments.
The Wormhole (Starland District)
A Starland District dive bar with a creative, community-oriented edge, drawing artists, students, and neighborhood regulars to a room that feels genuinely local. One of the best places in Savannah to drink outside the Historic District bubble.
McDonough's (Historic District)
A long-running Historic District sports bar and dive that occupies a coveted spot in Savannah's drinking culture: cheap, reliable, and never trying too hard. A place where locals outnumber tourists and the taps stay cold.
Ranked across 4 sources: Narcity · Best Dive Bars in Downtown Savannah 2022 (unranked); Eat It & Like It · Savannah Dive Bar Guide (unranked); Yelp · Ranked by Rating (May 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (May 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
Related lists
Browse every Top 10 List, see the experts and aggregators behind them, or play the day’s puzzles.