Located off Broughton St. in downtown Savannah, The Ordinary Pub is one Savannah’s most favorited restaurants. This underground gastro pub has some great vibes and one of the best brunch menus around. With a menu that changes every so often, there are plenty of reasons to visit this restaurant time and time again. (Note: if you’re hoping to give this restaurant a try, don’t forget to make reservations in advance.)
Food
Their brunch menu has plenty of interesting options, with a wide range of flavors. Nothing here is traditional and in this case, that’s a good thing. During this visit, we ordered the banana Fosters French toast, B-BBQ biscuit and steak, egg & grits.
The steak, egg & grits was a hearty meal that felt somewhat traditional in flavor, but with a nice South American spin. Originating in Argentina, the tangy chimichurri sauce added a perfect balance to the savory flavors of the steak, peppers, onions and cheesy grits. Between the well-cooked steak and the phenomenal presentation, you can tell they actually care about what they’re serving.
The next dish was the B-BBQ biscuit, which was a buttermilk biscuit sandwich with pulled pork, pimento cheese and Asian pickles. The pulled pork was moist and full of flavor. The texture of the house made buttermilk biscuit was perfectly fluffy and paired well with the pulled pork and Asian pickle. This dish can be eaten like a sandwich or deconstructed, trying all the flavors individually or in combination with one another. Either way, it’s a damn good meal.
The true star of the show for me was the banana Fosters French toast. Listed as a shareable, I’d be happy with this as my main. Far from standard French toast, this entrée is more akin to cake. The interesting texture and taste is created by flash frying their house made bread pudding, cutting into fingers and then topping with banana Foster syrup, sliced bananas and powdered sugar. If I was going to return for one dish, this would be it.
(Note: not reviewed during this visit, the chorizo brunch skillet is one of my personal favorites.)
Drinks
The Ordinary Pub drink menu has a number of eclectic soundings drinks that are all made with fresh ingredients and house made mixes. The most important brunch beverages to mention are their award-winning bloody marys.
During this visit, we ordered the pickled bloody, which has the house mix, house peppered vodka, pickling juice, Stargrizz hot sauce and pickle. If you love pickles, this drink will satisfy that itch. If you’re looking for a slightly more traditional flavor, the bacon bloody mary does not disappoint. With that said, nothing at The Ordinary Pub is ordinary, so don’t expect your run of the mill mix.
As for beer, they change their selection often but I’ve never had an issues finding a good craft IPA.
Ambience
Walking up to the restaurant, you really have no idea of what to expect. It’s literally just a door, small sign and basement staircase. Totally unassuming from the street, The Ordinary Pub could be easily missed if it wasn’t for the 2000+ glowing Yelp reviews. Sadly, if you’re a poor planner and didn’t make reservations, chances are you won’t get a table. So plan ahead.
Once you get into the restaurant, all the Edison bulbs give the restaurant a nice warm feeling. Between the lighting and exposed brick, they’ve definitely been able to develop a pretty cool rustic vibe. In the bar area you’ll find the giant lit up “ordinary” sign that makes for a truly picture perfect experience.
Bottom Line
Overall, The Ordinary Pub is a Savannah Secret Society favorite and one of the best restaurants in Savannah for brunch. Whether you’re snacking on the banana Fosters French toast or sipping on a spicy bloody tommy, you’ll be thoroughly satisfied. What really makes this restaurant special is their quality ingredients, exceptional presentation and anything but ordinary menu.