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    The Public Kitchen & Bar

    4.3 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateBars, Burgers, Sandwiches
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Public Kitchen & Bar Photos

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    THE PUBLIC KITCHEN & BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Public Kitchen & Bar

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    Lamb burger with tomato cucumber salad
    Lori C.

    If I could rate higher than 5 stars I definitely would. We came in for lunch on a Tuesday around 11:45am. It was not packed but as we sat the restaurant began to fill up. I was debating between the Fried green tomato BLT or the Caprese Grilled cheese then our server Kristin suggested the mussels and that is what I ended up with and I am so glad I did. These were absolutely the best mussels I've ever had. The sauce was not the traditional garlic/shallot wine sauce but had more tomato and basil reminiscent of warm bruschetta. I had to borrow my husbands spoon to get every bit of that sauce after I finished my mussels. My husband had the famous shrimp and grits which he absolutely loved. He noted it wasn't overpowered with sausage like most other restaurants do but had a perfect balance of flavor. My mom got the lamb burger and also loved every bite. She loved lamb so as soon as she saw that she had no doubt what she was going to order. Both my husband and mom loved every bite. I can see why The Public Kitchen is so popular. The restaurant has some indoor and outdoor seating with a mix of tables and banquets along the walls. It was comfortable without being too crowded. This was my first visit to The Public but It definitely won't be my last.

    Linguine with clams
    Nick P.

    One of our favorite places to eat in Savannah. They don't accept reservations, so get there a little early and then go on a walk. Their shrimp and grits continues to be the best in Savannah (imo). The sausage and sauce sets it apart. Enjoyed the linguine with clams (wish they had a little more pasta in it, but I digress). On a different visit - I had a ricotta gnocchi dish with shaved brussel sprouts that was amazing - reminded me more of a take on a ravioli, so good - please bring that dish back!!!!!

    Pork Loin
    Isabella P.

    This was a very nice dinner spot! We learned that the menu changes every so often, so I would recommend looking at the menu on their website. The bartender said they were changing it in a couple weeks and the only thing that stays the same is the shrimp and grits and some variation of burger (different toppings). The ricotta gnocchi was a very light tasting meal, though it was very filling. The gnocchi was very soft, which I didn't particularly love, but the sausage on top was a great addition for some sort of protein (sausage came with the meal - not added). The shrimp and grits was very nice. The sauce was very smooth and creamy. The pork loin was cooked great, no pink, and was still very juicy. The sauce on top was also creamy and meshed well with the pork. There was bar seating, seating next to the bar by the window, a downstairs seating area, and outdoor seating (great if you have a dog). I wish I could give this place a 4.5, but they are definitely still deserving of a 5. I would definitely come back here!

    Tomato bisque
    Tiffany P.

    Hands down one of my favorite spots in Georgia. Their Savannah Shrimp & Grits is ultra creamy, rich, generously seasoned, with plump, juicy shrimp - the kind of dish you keep thinking about every single day after you try it. It was so good that on our final day in town, we came back just to see it again. The Savory Brined Grilled Pork also left us pleasantly surprised - it's so tender! On our second visit, we tried to be adventurous and ordered the Seafood Mac and Seared Salmon. They were okay. We should've stayed loyal. (When a dish is that good, don't cheat on it.) Also, if the server offers a Soup of the Day that involves the words "tomato" and "bisque," nod your head, say yes, get it. It's a super comforting and yummy appetizer. Ambiance felt perfect for date night. Service was a bit of a gamble, with some servers super attentive and others going MIA. Moral of the story: if you come here, order the shrimp & grits. And if you're smart, order it again.

    Savannah Shrimp & Grits and I forgot the name but it was clam pasta.
    Yerin I.

    The food was amazing ! Actually, I tried all the Shrimp and grits in Savannah cause I was here for the traveling. The shrimp and grits in here was tomato based soup less than creamy. There is a lot of people so, if you want to be there, you meed to make a reservation! The service was really good all the staffs were really kind. The ambiance is perfect for the dating night.

    Charles C.

    We loved this beautiful restaurant with great outdoor seating both on the ground level and roof. Really nice non alcoholic and alcoholic cocktail list. My shrimp feaux boy sandwich was delicious as was the street corn salad. Our server was super friendly and fun. By Savannah standards it wasn't too expensive. Definitely will go back!

    This is the Hot Pants
    Michelle B.

    The food was great. They had amazing music playing while dining. The service was great. Jaylynn was funny and knowledgeable!

    Glass water bottle
    Dawn D.

    Food was amazing, we had JALAPEÑO POPPER CHICKEN grilled & sliced chicken breast, roasted garlic & jalapeño whipped cream cheese, hoagie roll with red grapes and pineapple slices. Husband had CLAM LINGUINI crispy pancetta, sweet peas, classic white wine & garlic butter broth, fresh herbs. We sat outside, next to the sidewalk. We had our puppy with us. They brought him water. Patio furniture was comfortable. Our waitress, Nicole, was great. No complaints. Will go back here when we are in town.

    Green Monster
    Courtnay B.

    Enjoyed dinner on the outdoor patio! We started with cocktails - Hot Pants (amazing) and Green Monster (good if you like cucumber). For dinner, we had the NY Strip steak (highly recommend), pasta Bolognese, shrimp and grits, and smothered pork loin. Everything was really good, but the steak stole the show.

    Lamb Burger
    Jim C.

    Now I understand why this place is packed all of the time. Granted we walked right in on a Tuesday at noon, but it filled up by 12:30. The food has an explosion of flavor in every dish. Lamb Burger, cooked medium rare was outs with cucumbers and tomatoes as a side that was packed with dill and basil. The PEI Mussels were so tender and the tomato broth with shallots and basil were excellent with a squeeze of charred lemon. If you are a shrimp and grits fan, theirs is one of the best recipes I've ever had. The sauce explodes with savory, herbal balance with crumbles of sausage and tender shrimp. The grits were so creamy I could order another round.

    Garlic Mash
    Lindsey P.

    This is THE best food my husband and I have ever had, and we are avid food lovers. We got the duck confit and the shrimp and grits, along with a side of garlic whipped potatoes and the Crimson Supernova cocktail. The duck is slow cooked in its own fat for three days, if I'm remembering what the waitress said correctly. It was so tender that it fell apart with barely a touch of my knife. It was flavored immaculately and paired with toasted farro, roasted potatoes and carrots, and an apricot chutney. After the first bite, I could have fallen over, it was so delicious. The shrimp and grits had a rich, creamy sauce with a slight spiciness to it and depth of flavor that I can't even explain with words. There were pieces of sausage and grape tomato in the sauce that elevated it even further, and the grits almost had a whipped texture to them. The garlic mashed potatoes were the best I've ever had. They weren't as light as I had expected, but they had an even, heavy garlic flavor throughout with a perfect amount of pepper to add that full-bodied depth to a dish. Lastly, the drink: I've never had anything like it. I don't like cinnamon too much, but there was an almost powdery cinnamon sugar rim that wasn't too strong. The drink was very tart and shocking at the first sip, but by the second, I was in love. It had a fruity and flowery taste that meshed so insanely well with the mezcal smokiness. I wish I lived closer to this restaurant so that I could keep coming back. There was also a live performer named Cyril Durant that was playing guitar and singing while we were there, and I could not believe how amazing his voice was. Lastly, the atmosphere was sublime. The temperature was cool with a breeze, and it had just gotten dark outside when we got there. We sat on the roof and just looked over the city streets with the ambient lighting from the restaurant and street lamps and couldn't have been happier. Coming here is a memory that my husband and I will never forget.

    One of the dining areas
    Nitu M.

    The service was great and loved the ambience. The food was good as well. The kids had chicken tenders and fries while my husband and I split the Reuben sandwich with truffle fries.

    Spinach salad
    Sara R.

    Service was very friendly and I enjoyed outdoor dining in this location. The food was good, although my burger was overcooked. Despite very friendly service it was a bit slow. I'd return and try other things and for sure an easy go-to in the downtown area!

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    Great food service and ambience. ! Great food service and ambience. ! Great food service and ambience. !

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    19 days ago

    The steak frites were amazing with the yucca fries. My husband got the salmon and also loved it.

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    Ask the Community - The Public Kitchen & Bar

    Do they take reservations?

    Upon checking their website, they do not take reservations.

    Hi, does anyone know if they can seat a party of 5?

    Yes, they would be able to seat 5.

    Are dogs allowed?

    We had our dogs outside .

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    Better Than Sex - Savannah

    Better Than Sex - Savannah

    4.4
    (452 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    What an experience. The atmosphere was great. Better than great. The sever Aaron had a perfect…read morepersonality and delivery for the menu items. Can say enough, I fully recommend the experience. Drinks were a 10/10. We got the "Fourgasm" which was a cheese cake with sugared berries, carrot cake with figs/dates and nutmeg, a chocolate cake which was next level and a devils food cake. The carrot cake was okay not great, the devils food was so so but the chocolate cake with the Berry Naughty with a dark chocolate rim job. That made that cake wow! So, desserts were part of the experience and feeding one another along with the atmosphere, great spot!

    My husband and I came in on our anniversary- the drinks were delicious and the playfulness of the…read moreservers was a unique experience. Loved the dark atmosphere and romantic vibes- we only wished we had known about the Friday/Saturday night performances that are offered, so we could've planned better (maybe next time). My hubby ordered the dessert sampler... truthfully, only really would order the cheesecake and chocolate cake- the other two samples were odd tasting (but every palate is different)- just would not order it again. I do think a nice gesture of having a free dessert, being it was our anniversary, would've been nice (just a future suggestion). Street parking available and a game bar is next door, if wanting more fun entertainment after dessert!

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    Pound town pound cake
    Pound town pound cake
    Better Than Sex - Savannah
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    The Lost Square

    The Lost Square

    4.6
    (125 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    It's a bar atop Hotel Alisa's roof. Well decorated with sweeping views of the city and has a…read morecharacter to the whole place. The service was friendly and quick. The place was buzzing when we showed up at midnight and there was live dj just getting ready to wrap up. Good place to hang out for a few drinks with your friends.

    The Lost Square is one of my favorite rooftop bars in Savannah that happens to also serve up some…read moredelicious Mediterranean food & bar snacks. It's located on top of The Alida hotel (also one of my fave boutique hotels) in the historic River Street district. I've had the chance to visit The Lost Square both during the winter and this past week during the summer. They have a great view of the river and cozy lounge seating, as well as a full bar. The first time I visited was near Christmas and it was freezing outside, but they had a burning fireplace and the cutest little enclosed glass houses you could sit in to enjoy your drinks. During my recent visit, we had our 1 yr old son with us and decided to have dinner there and enjoy the weather. I had the Valencian Spritz (reposado, orange aperitif wine, fresh orange, white pepper, and cava) which was the perfect summer drink. My husband had the Soft Light mocktail (zero proof gin, papaya, kefir, and saline). For food, we started with the Labneh dip topped with olive oil, za'atar, and honey with fresh pitas on the side. Wow, this has got to be the best pita I've ever had. They were so fluffy, warm, and well seasoned. We even got a second order. The labneh dip was phenomenal -- highly recommend for an appetizer or just a snack. We also shared to the falafel bites and the Alida Burger which was very tasty! We'll definitely be back for another visit the next time we're in Savannah!

    Photos
    Entrance downstairs
    Entrance downstairs
    Fried Oysters - Burger - Rum Drink
    Fried Oysters - Burger - Rum Drink
    Valencian Spritz - Olmeca Altos Reposado, Seville Orange Aperitif Wine, Orange, White Pepper, Cava

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    Valencian Spritz - Olmeca Altos Reposado, Seville Orange Aperitif Wine, Orange, White Pepper, Cava

    The Public Kitchen & Bar - bars - Updated August 2026

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