Vic's On the River
26 E Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401
After a 5 hour delayed flight, we finally landed in Savannah, but there was no way were going to make our 6:30 reservation at Vic's on the River. So we called the restaurant, explained the situation, and they told us to come on by and they would try their best to squeeze us in.
After we checked in to our hotel and showered, we walked our way over to Vic's in hopes that we would be able to try out this restaurant that we had heard so much about. We entered through their coffee shop off of River Street and took the elevator up to the 4th floor. As the doors opened, I stepped into a warm, buzzing scene. Old Victorian Charm meets Industrial Chic: Light oak hardwood floors that seemed to be original, massively tall ceilings, huge victorian windows, and exposed duct work gave the restaurant the perfect blend of old world meets new world.
A huge bar greets you to the left (which was packed). There was a piano player setting the mood with an older woman singing jazz tunes encompassing us all with her thick, velvety voice. We explained our situation to the host once more, who informed us that our table would be ready in 30 min (score!). And while we waited, they brought us to another full service bar in the back.
This bar was small, secluded, and much quieter, which was perfect for a drink before dinner. The bartenders there were friendly and informative, giving us tons of tips and must sees for our trip ahead.
I ordered a Moscow Mule (one of my favorite drinks) and my Husband went with an Old Fashioned (suggested by the bartender). Both were absolutely delicious *Props to serving the mule in a copper cup* My ginger beer wasn't flat, the drinks were perfectly balanced, and we were off to a good start.
Not even 30 minutes later we were brought to our table. To our left we could see Bay Street with massive, beautiful trees covered with drooping, Spanish moss. Ahh welcome to the South.
Along with traditional menus, Vic's leaves you with an iPad on your table, which contains the beer, wine, and cocktails selection.
Our waitress took our order, and brought us warm biscuits with honey butter and orange marmalade to start. What a change from the normal bread and butter we get in Jersey. The honey butter was salty and sweet and the marmalade gave a fresh citrus taste.
We ordered the Crispy Calamari with pickled peppers, chili citrus glaze, and feta cheese $10 as an appetizer. My husband is a HUGE calamari fan, so when we saw this new take on it, we had to try it! The calamari seemed to be coated in a light airy batter (buttermilk would be my guess) which maintained its crunch. The peppers and citrus glaze, and feta cheese all had the right balance to create spice and sweetness to the dish. I would definitely recommend trying this.
Each course comes with a garden salad, which you can upgrade if you would like. I opted for a Romaine Caesar, and my husband tried the Baby Tuscan Kale with fried garlic, almonds, lemon, and a honey cider vinaigrette. The salads were definitely not the highlight of the meal. My salad was unimpressive...chopped up romaine with a light, watery dressing, one crouton and one slice of baked parmesan cheese. My husband's salad looked to be arugula, not kale, which was a bit disappointing, but he still enjoyed it.
Time for another cocktail. This time my husband ordered the Citrus Sting: A mix of Maestro Dobel Tequila (which he fell in love with on our trip to Mexico), Grapefruit Vodka, and muddled Jalepenos. I'm not a huge tequila fan, but this drink was delicious. Definitely spicy, so order with caution if you are sensitive to heat.
Finally our dinner arrived. I order the Braised Beef Short Ribs with haricot verts and baby carrots served over sour cream and chive massed potatoes with a cheerwine reduction $27. Both the waitress and the bartender recommended this dish right off the bat, so I knew i had to try it. And were they right! The beef portion was more than enough, and came in one huge piece. You didn't even need a knife for this dish...the beef literally pulled apart and melted in your mouth. The potatoes were the perfect addition. They were creamy and had the perfect consistency with just the right amount of chive and sour cream flavor coming through.
My Husband ordered the Savannah River Farms Crispy Pork Chop with a wild mushroom and brie gravy, accompanied by haricot verts and baby carrots served over sour cream and chive mashed potatoes $27. This was like southern comfort food all wrapped into one. The wild mushroom brie sauce was absolutely divine. The pork chop had a really nice crust to it and paired well with the sides provided. The chop was boneless, and more than enough. My husband couldn't even finish it!
Great staff, great food, great service. What more could you ask for? If you are heading to Savannah, definitely check this place out. And thanks Vic's for making our first night in your city a memorable one.
<3 P.S. We were so full from appetizers, drinks, and dinner that we couldn't bear one more bite of food, but they do have a dessert menu that looks amazing. So make sure to save room!