Bowtie Barbeque is a well-polished restaurant in southside Savannah with a menu that includes both barbecue classics and Bowtie specialties. Everything on the menu is worth trying, the covered outdoor seating is a great place to relax, the staff is always friendly and their selection of beer and whiskey never disappoint. For these reasons, the Savannah Secret Society editors have visited this restaurant more than any other in Savannah. If I want to relax and have a beer after work, this is my go-to.
FOOD
At this point, I’ve tried almost everything on the menu, from the Brunswick Stew to the jumbo sized, smoked and flash fried chicken wings (my favorite item on the menu).
During this visit we got the cornbread skillet, Release the Kraken with onion rings and the Chicken Boo with fries.
The cornbread skillet is a great appetizer that almost feels like a dessert. Coupled with their apple jelly butter, I doubt the cornbread will have time to cool before everyone at your table is licking their fingers and fighting over the last crumb. It also comes with red pepper butter, but we usually ask for extra apple jelly butter instead.
Release the Kraken is one of the most popular items on the menu and tastes just as good as it is deadly. The sandwich has pulled rib meat, cheddar cheese, jerk sauce, chipotle aioli and fried onion rings. I added their delicious bacon jelly and the brioche bun option. There’s nothing to dislike here unless you’re a vegetarian on a diet. If you’re not sure what to get, this is an easy choice.
During this visit, my husband decided to try something new and ordered the Chicken Boo. This sandwich consists of fried chicken tenders, dill pickles and pimento cheese on a brioche bun. I was expecting this to taste like a Chick-Fil-A sandwich but was shocked about how complex the simple sandwich tasted. Upon closer inspection, you can tell someone paid special attention to each ingredient.
If the two sandwiches were related, the Chicken Boo would be the much hotter sister of the Chick-Fil-A sandwich.
The Husbando
The fries and onion rings at Bowtie are also a cut above the rest. Instead of giving you basic mass-produced fries and onion rings, Bowtie made these sides special in their own right. Both sides were perfectly crispy and uniquely flavored.
DRINKS
While Bowtie is known for their whiskey selection, my husband and I prefer to have beer when we visit. They typically have our favorite beer, Kentucky Bourbon Ale. I have had this beer out of the bottle but drinking draft is the only way to go. It couples perfectly with everything on their menu and with an 8.2% ABV, you can’t go wrong.
AMBIENCE
The restaurant is always clean and has just enough personality to give you something to look at without feeling cluttered. Our favorite area to sit is either the bar or covered outdoor area. The lighting in those areas is better and we prefer the fresh air and Georgia heat. Local musicians also perform here, which is always fun.
Another reason we love being at the restaurant is the bar staff. Specifically, we love Kristen. She always remembers what we like to drink, she’s super attentive without being obtrusive and has a super chill vibe that’s infectious. Whenever she’s our server, we always leave happy and relaxed.
BOTTOM LINE
Overall, we think this restaurant is one of the most underrated places in Savannah. It’s not in the trendiest location but that’s also one of the reasons we love it. Away from the hustle and bustle, we get to enjoy some amazing food without having to fight several hundred tourists and locals for parking spots downtown. Their menu is jammed full of deliciously decadent food options. The meat at Bowtie is great, but what really makes this place special is the chill atmosphere.