The Darling Oyster Bar - Savannah

I had such a great first visit to Darling Oyster Bar. Our server, Marvelous, was warm, welcoming, and so kind. She made me feel right at home and truly elevated the experience. I also enjoyed chatting with Vonny, the oyster shucker, at the counter. He was knowledgeable, fun, and helped pick the perfect oysters based on what I liked! 🦪 Between the service and the food, we’ll definitely be back. Again and again and again! What a fantastic place.

We have waited over 2 years for The Darling in Savannah to open. A block away from my wife Oksana’s art gallery in City Market we have passed by this building every week waiting for it to open. It was well worth the wait! Friends had tried to go this past weekend, but the place has been booked solid. Today, however, we found out that 4-6pm is Happy Hour with $1 oysters and it was a moderate crowd! We found seats at the oyster bar where there’s a great view of Franklin Square and City Market! Three seasoned oyster shuckers (Brian, Monty, & Vonnie) were filling the iced platters to order with practiced skill. Our friendly waitress, Alyssa, made several good suggestions and quickly took our order. Oksana and I both started with a dozen ice-cold freshly shucked oysters. They came on ice-filled lazy-Susan platter. You literally spin the plate for easy access to the oysters. They varied in size from medium to small. Well worth $12! There’s a house sauce, but I opted to make my own from scratch (ketchup, The Darling Hot Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, salt & pepper). The house sauce is mild and some fellow Cajuns may require Tabasco, which wasn’t on the table, but there was horseradish sauce. We also ordered a plate of fried oysters, fries, and a side of Hushpuppies (a suggestion of Alyssa). The fried oysters were delicate and crunchy and not over battered. They evaporated off the plate. The delicious hushpuppies were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Restaurant owners from Genevas across town sitting next to us thought everything was very good except some of the hushpuppies were too hard. Perhaps a smaller size could reduce cooking time and improve them. Oksana also tried the clam chowder, but didn’t brag about it as she drained the bowl. Another dozen oysters and cheesecake made fresh by Chef Ray topped with fresh fruit finished the meal. I recommend going in time for happy hour to get a seat and get oysters at a bargain!

I had a wonderful time getting dinner here last night! I sat at the bar and Caitlin was so charming and knowledgeable. All of the food that I got exceeded my already high expectations! I ordered half a dozen oysters to start and they paired wonderfully with the delicious martini Caitlin made me. While I loved all of the oysters, the “little darlings” were my favorite! I also ordered the crab fettuccine. I feel like normally crab pasta dishes have just a little sprinkling of crab, but that was not the case here. Each bite was so flavorful, and my dish had a very generous serving of pasta and crab. The bar and restaurant are both beautiful and while it was busy, the environment was calm with a phenomenal playlist in the background. I would highly recommend!

Everything was delicious - the swordfish special was the best dish we’ve had in years and our server Mike went above and beyond explaining everything in such detail and made us feel right at home. Best meal on our trip so far. Shout out Mike thank you!!

Dining with Dirk: USMC 250th Birthday Edition The Darling Oyster Bar Our group of four grabbed seats at the bar and decided to take on the menu from top to bottom. Highlights included the fresh catch of the day—Chilean sea bass—along with a dozen oysters, shrimp, cheese grits, mussels, clam chowder, shrimp creole, and frites. Hands down, the shrimp creole and sea bass stole the show. The cheese grits came in a strong second. Surprisingly, while the mussels, chowder, and frites were all excellent, they didn’t quite reach the same level. The oysters, however, stood on their own—peak season and perfectly fresh. A special shoutout to Dan, Cody, and Caitlin, who were outstanding behind the bar—mixing flawless cocktails and timing each dish perfectly The Darling is already running like a well-oiled machine. Twas good & vibes were high. Cheers to good food, great company, and 250 years of the Corps. — Skye Mills, Ryan Kessler, Mia — in Savannah.

Brand new place in Savannah. I’m almost a seafood tower snob at this point. Theirs does not disappoint in the slightest. Pair that with top-notch service, and the whole experience is Marvelous. Marvelous is also the name of the server who took outstanding care of us. Will definitely be back. This is a must for those who enjoy dining and savoring every moment.

We came here as a two top and there was no wait, and the service was excellent. Carlotta was so sweet and attentive, we will be asking for her every time we come! The space is so nice and inviting & all the food we ordered was outstanding. Highly recommend eating here!!! (get the crab dip & the shrimp creole)

What a beautiful new location in Downtown Savannah! Food was amazing, it was tasty with good portion sizes. The s’mores dessert was enough to feed a family (I enjoyed some there and the rest later at home). The server Shannon was very helpful guiding me through the menu and such a positive personality! I look forward to returning to this beautiful place!