Right on time, wasn’t it?

The long anticipated opening of Savannah’s newest seafood restaurant finally happened on Wednesday night. Yes, you’ve read correctly. It has happened. The Darling Oyster Bar, a very popular Charleston-based restaurant is now open right here in Savannah, putting an official end to the longest new opening stake out I have ever witnessed in my 15 years plus of putting pen to paper in this region.

I had dinner there Wednesday, enjoyed everything we ordered. There were oysters of course, selections that like anyone else’s will vary depending on the day. There were mussels, there was a crab dip and there was a delicious Shrimp Creole dish. All of it was great. It was a fairly quick visit given that I wanted to enjoy everything on the menu, but a) it was a school night and I was behaving and b) the menu is very similar to their offering in Charleston, which I’ve had the pleasure of eating and liking a couple of times before. So I was good with a little nosh and a visit with a few friends who are now working there.

Those of you that haven’t seen The Darling’s menu will want to know that it isn’t too big, but there is a nice variety in the offerings. Fried Shrimp and Fried Oyster Baskets are on there, of course, as is a catch of the day and several other seafood items. Beyond that you will find a burger, a chicken sandwich (both under $20) and a fried half chicken. All of which come with sides. So there is plenty for someone in your group that doesn’t enjoy seafood.

That seafood, of course, is the big draw. Their raw bar (photo above) is set in the front window facing Franklin Square and City Market across the way. The area is designed to be a high energy type of area, just like it is in Charleston where it looks out on King Street. The lighting is great and the fun in those seats will be as well.

The bar area toward the back is beautiful. 14 seats of dark wood, some handmade accents and 2 televisions if you want to keep an eye on that ball game. No volume, of course. The restaurant as a whole seats about 160 people, which isn’t small. Upstairs there is a 2nd bar and some private dining and event space that they plan to roll out at some point down the road. Yes, it is large and eventually, I suspect it will all be full, particularly on weekends during the busier times of the year like Spring and Fall.

Congratulations, Savannah. We made it. But what the heck took so long? The building was purchased in 2020. Their doors opened-by many accounts-over 2 years after they had expected to. Along the way? It sounds like a little of everything happened. There were issues with their original contractor. There was a very long delay in getting their furniture brought in from Europe (the design is beautiful by the way). There was even a partially collapsed roof following one of our tropical storms of the last couple of years. That problem was discovered by the owner of The Rail Pub across the street one night as she looked out the window from her office at The Darling. She alerted ownership and the problem was addressed.

All of that took a lot of time. Far more time than they wanted it to.

What made it particularly exasperating for those of us on this side awaiting the opening was the fact that there were no real updates on their progress, which was absolutely their prerogative. The only ‘updates’ that existed in the ‘digisphere’ was another quick article or mention by me here using the word “soon.” I think I set a record for that one.

Which by the way, I do have share a chuckle with those taking the time to read this how much I learned about people in general during this extended wait. I cannot begin to tell you how many nastygrams came in to Eat It and Like It World Headquarters the last few years from people demanding more information than we were sharing. There were deep dives and alleged rumors about liquor licenses and the church next door, there were theories about tax ramifications and employees and and and and and. Two people (which is 2 more than should have) actually used profanity with us in an email demanding to know when it would open. In one case they had been hoping to visit during their vacation and now they weren’t going to be able to.

Boo hoo? I suppose that fits given that tomorrow is Halloween.

The point here is a word advice. Just because the opening has been under surveillance for years doesn’t mean that you should expect this restaurant opening to be without opening day flaws. It’s an uppity casual seafood joint in Downtown Savannah, Georgia, not Le Bernadin. The servers are in t-shirts and blue jeans.

A lot of you can’t wait, I know. Some of you may try it and still prefer some of the other options in town like Castaway’s, Flying Fish or Desposito’s. Which is more than fine. But for those of us that enjoy visiting downtown Savannah on the regular (or live down here) The Darling Oyster Bar is a fantastic addition to the restaurant scene. I suspect on the weekends the vibe will be energetic and fun. Props to the DJ by the way (creators of their playlist, not a guy in the corner with a laptop). The 80s Alternative vibe was perfect.

And I think you will agree. Check them out. Corner of Montgomery and Congress Street, directly across from Belford’s Seafood and Steaks in City Market.

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