The Darling Oyster Bar Finds a Second Home in Savannah

By Vanessa Lantos Daly (Spicy Melon)

Dec. 10, 2025 – The corner of Franklin Square where The Darling Oyster Bar now resides, at 27 Montgomery St., has been quite active in local conversations for most of 2025.

People excitedly awaited the opening of The Darling, sometimes even anxiously.

Interior Space at The Darling Savannah. Photo Credit: Andrew Cebulka

Some whispers even chanted that they might have changed their minds and not open at all, that perhaps the city gave endless red tape, since things seemed to move slowly.

The truth? They simply took their time to create a stunning space with different areas to experience their delicious menu. I sat down with their General Manager, Philip Howell, for a friendly chat and to get all the details. I was also curious if they had any red tape issues with their awaited opening.

“The building needed a complete overhaul of construction, and our interior designers are very detail oriented,” he shares. “Most of the details, light fixtures, and furniture in the restaurant are custom made, so turnaround times are long. This is a large space with two floors. It fully accommodates nearly 300 guests. A private dining room with its own kitchen and raw bar upstairs. So a combination of that, and the roof caving in from a tropical storm.”

He is, of course, speaking of Hurricane Helene. Oh Helene, who showed up on Sept. 27, 2024, in the middle of the night when nobody was even worried, with a 2 a.m. sky shining bright green and taking The Ordinary Pub with it, plus displacing residents in that (now condemned) building.

The Darling Oyster is a Charleston staple: well-loved and part of the charming Charleston experience. Philip is no stranger to The Darling, having been with the company since the very beginning. “I was hired as the General Manager six months before the Charleston restaurant opened, to help with the opening,” he shares. “I have been with the company for a little over 10 years, and now I’m director of operations overseeing both stores and helping with the opening in Savannah as well.”

In our industry, that’s always a great sign. Managers are often not appreciated or cared for, and turnover is often high. I worked at a fine dining restaurant until recently where we went through six different general managers, and I worked there for five years.

It is well known that the magic and loyalty of satisfied guests comes from within, and it starts with happy employees. When people love their job, they invest themselves in it and create amazing experiences for visitors. Who would have thought?

We all love the closeness of Charleston for a weekend away or a day trip, just a mere two-hour car ride away, but Philip has made this commute a regular part of his current life. “I live in Charleston. But I’ve been splitting my time with Savannah 50/50 equally over two years, maybe a bit longer. I don’t mind the commute, and Savannah is a great city. I see parts of my own beloved city in Savannah.”

I can hardly imagine…

He continues: “The construction process started over two years ago. This space sat empty for a long time. It was a long process, they wanted to keep the historical aspects of the building, which they successfully did. The interior designers are Smith Hanes Studio, based out of Atlanta. They were also the interior designers for the Charleston store and did a fantastic job in that historical building.”

I ask him how the Charleston community feels about The Darling in Charleston. He shares: “The space is beautiful, and people come in for a great experience and have made it a favorite in Charleston for many years now.”

My conversation with Philip is bright and easygoing. Even with him busy living his very own tale of two cities, without the whole French Revolution part, of course. It is very refreshing to see this youthful excitement from a General Manager in an industry that is often stressful and unpredictable.

As delightful as our short conversation is, I know GMs are very busy people, so I cut to the chase.

Bar space at The Darling Savannah. Photo Credit: Andrew Cebulka

I ask him what The Darling Bar is to Charlestonians and what it hopes to be for Savannah locals. “Neighborhood bar and restaurant. We want to be a place where people can come in and dine a few times a month, not just on special occasions. We believe in providing quality products and local seafood when we can, as well as very friendly and welcoming service, without pricing people out of the restaurant.”

This is true. Upon my visit to The Darling I sat at the bar, per usual, and was presented with an amazing happy hour. Off the bat, one dollar oysters. James River oysters that day. So they were quality and amazing. Their happy hour is offered daily from 4 to 6 p.m., including weekends. They also offer affordable options like a $14 burger and a $15 fried chicken sandwich, both with choice of a side. This is on their regular menu and it is a great value downtown.

If you take a short stroll down Congress Street to the next square, you will find yourself on Ellis Square, where Sorry Charlie’s is located, offering a very similar one dollar oyster happy hour. I ask him why local peeps should choose The Darling. He continues, “I think there is room for both. Sorry Charlie’s is very good, I’ve been there a few times. They do a great job. I think Savannah has a lot of room for many raw bars and seafood. Visitors come from inland cities to enjoy fresh seafood. In Charleston there are between 20 to 25 raw bars in the city, and most of them are always very busy. Savannah has the same great capacity to offer great seafood experiences.”

I ask him, of course, about their bestselling plate since they opened. “Our Creole Shrimp has been on the menu in the Charleston store since we opened, and we definitely wanted to keep that on the menu here too. I would say that one, and the scallops. Both are best sellers in both cities.”

The Darling Savannah food offerings, with the creole shrimp featured at the top. Photo Credit: Andrew Cebulka

Philip was kind enough to share interior photos from their photographer, Andrew Cebulka, who has been their photographer for over 10 years. Beauty and attention to detail on every corner can be observed. You can enjoy a seafood dinner downtown in a beautiful new space and spend 20 dollars or 200 dollars.

Affordable places in downtown Savannah with quality offerings are becoming more and more of a rarity.

Something about this company… it just seems like when they hire people, these people are happy and they never want to leave them. No, I’m not jealous, you are jealous.

I am smitten with them including a cocktail with Savannah’s name: the “A Savannah Winter,” which is made with fiery habanero tequila, Aperol, agave, lime, and cucumber. Very fitting since many northerners spend a milder and more enjoyable winter with us. If you are so lucky to have Caitlin as your bartender, she crafts perfect cocktails with an electric smile. Go see her.

I wonder if a snow spell will make a guest appearance in our city this year? I stayed home a whole week last winter.

I asked Philip what the guest favorite cocktail is at The Darling. “The London Fog is one of our best. It is a refreshing gin-based cocktail made with lavender and lemon, and it goes amazing with seafood.” This cocktail lists just three simple ingredients on the menu: there’s always beauty in simplicity.

Caitlin Cormican and The London Fog Cocktail

Speaking of delicious, while sipping my Savannah Winter cocktail, everyone around me started ordering the Baked Crab Dip. Not me getting jealous again… I ordered myself one immediately and it is pure bliss. Begrudgingly shared with my husband in exchange for kisses. Do you remember the crab dip at The Crystal Beer Parlor? Did your heart break when they took it off the menu? Mine did.

Go get yourself some of this dip, it is sinful.

Phil shares their message to Savannah residents. “We are so very excited to be here. It has been a long time coming. We are trying to create a beautiful, fun and inviting space for all. And I’m extremely happy with the local staff that we have hired, they are all so friendly and excellent in many ways. I’m very proud of what we have accomplished.”

There are also plans to open the restaurant for private events in the upstairs space. Opening for lunch service and outdoor seating is next year’s mission.

The Darling Oyster Bar has been open for a bit over a month now and opens every night at 4 p.m. for dinner. Come try them for happy hour, and if you stay a bit longer, a London Fog cocktail plus that Creole Shrimp is a match made in heaven.

Love always,

Vanessa

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