Information
Landmark: Pirates’ HouseCity: Savannah
Country: USA Georgia
Continent: North America
Pirates’ House, Savannah, USA Georgia, North America
Overview
At 20 East Broad Street in Savannah’s historic district, the Pirates’ House stands as one of the city’s most beloved spots, its creaking floors and weathered beams steeped in character.Now a celebrated restaurant, this place carries more than 250 years of history-salt-stained tales of the sea and the rich, comforting flavors of Southern cooking.The Pirates’ House draws visitors for its rich colonial history and its ghost stories, as well as the literary spotlight it’s earned-making it a must-visit where you can savor fried shrimp while soaking up the past.The Pirates’ House traces its roots back to 1734, only a year after General James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, when the scent of salt and pine still hung thick in the air.Back then, the site joined the Trustees’ Garden, the very first place in the colonies where crops were tested-rows of young mulberry trees lined its paths.Inspired by London’s Chelsea Physic Garden, the Trustees’ Garden sprang up as a living experiment, testing whether mulberry trees for silk, clusters of grapes, bright oranges, and fragrant spices could thrive in its soil.A small stone house stood on the property-now called the Herb House-built to give the gardener a place to live, with its cool walls smelling faintly of moss.People say it’s the oldest building still standing in Georgia, its weathered stones warm under the afternoon sun.By the mid-1700s, Savannah had grown into a busy port, with the Herb House’s surroundings shifting into lively streets filled with the scent of fresh-cut timber.Around 1753, the building gained a tavern and inn to serve sailors, merchants, and adventurers stepping off boats on the nearby Savannah River, only a few minutes’ walk from its door.With the river just steps away, the Pirates’ House became the spot where sea captains, privateers, and-if the stories are true-pirates swapped tales over mugs of rum.Over the years, the place gained a notorious name as a pirate hangout, where rough laughter mixed with the smell of salt and rum.Legends speak of sailors who stopped for a drink at the tavern, felt the rum burn down their throats, and woke to the slap of salt spray-already bound to a ship they never chose to join.These stories link to a hidden web of tunnels rumored to run under the building, winding their way to the riverfront where the air smells faintly of damp stone.Whether real or just legend, these tunnels fuel countless ghost tales and add to the Pirates’ House’s eerie charm, like the faint scent of salt lingering in the dark.In the 19th century, the tavern’s reputation leapt into literary history when Robert Louis Stevenson dropped its name into *Treasure Island* in 1883, alongside the scent of sea salt and old rum.In the book’s preface, Stevenson points to Savannah as the place where the pirate Captain Flint met his end, and locals say the dim, creaking Pirates’ House was his last haunt.The connection has only tightened the legend around the building, turning it into a cornerstone of Savannah’s maritime tales-like a weathered mast still standing in the harbor breeze.In the mid-20th century, workers restored the old building, polishing its worn oak floors, and turned it into a bustling restaurant.They preserved it with care, shaping it to highlight its Colonial roots and a nautical feel, right down to the scent of salt in the air.Today, the Pirates’ House serves hearty meals in a full-service restaurant, its low timber ceilings, exposed brick, creaking floors, and worn vintage chairs keeping the past close at hand.The restaurant has several dining rooms, each filled with weathered ship wheels, faded photographs from old voyages, and playful pirate-themed touches.Some of these rooms sit deep in the oldest corners of the building, like the Herb House, where diners can savor a meal surrounded by walls that have stood for over 250 years.At The Pirates’ House, you can dig into classic Southern and Lowcountry dishes, from buttery cornbread to rich shrimp and grits.Guests can order from the à la carte menu or dig into the Southern lunch buffet, piled high with fried chicken and cornbread.The menu’s standouts include appetizers like rich, creamy She Crab Soup, tangy Savannah Crab Dip, and crisp, golden Fried Green Tomatoes.You’ll find signature dishes like crispy honey pecan fried chicken, creamy shrimp and grits, pistachio-crusted fresh catch, and a steaming Lowcountry boil.We’ve got desserts like warm peach cobbler, tangy key lime pie, and a rich, homemade pecan pie.We’ve got a children’s menu, and the place feels warm and welcoming, like the hum of chatter around a big family table.In the kitchen, Southern comfort meets fresh local seafood, all brightened by whatever’s in season-think sweet corn in summer or crisp greens in early spring.The staff pays close attention to guests, and it’s not unusual to see long tables filled with historical tour groups, clusters of chattering students, or dignitaries shaking hands over coffee.The Pirates’ House, with its creaking floors and shadowy corners, often tops the list of Savannah’s most notorious haunted spots.Over the years, guests and staff alike have told of strange happenings-cold drafts that nip at your skin, footsteps echoing in empty halls, voices that seem to whisper from nowhere, and figures in worn sailor’s uniforms drifting through the shadows.Beneath the house runs a maze of tunnels, the heart of countless ghost stories-locals say they once dragged unwilling victims through the damp, echoing passages to “Shanghai” them onto ships.Whether the stories are fact or folklore, they bring a spark of intrigue-you can almost taste it in the warm, spiced air.Ghost tours and paranormal investigators have spotlighted the place, and its eerie past-creaking floors and all-has filled countless travel documentaries and articles.You’ll find it at 20 East Broad Street, right on the corner where Broad meets East Bay in the heart of the historic district, with cobblestones underfoot.They’re usually open every day, with lunch steaming by noon and dinner served well into the evening.Tourists and locals crowd the lunch buffet, drawn by its steaming trays and fresh aromas.It’s best to book ahead-crowds swell during peak travel seasons and weekends, and tables fill fast.Parking’s easy-grab a spot along the curb or tuck your car into the nearby garage.In Savannah, The Pirates’ House isn’t just a place to eat-it’s a living museum, a pillar of the city’s heritage, and a vivid reminder of its bustling colonial docks and salty maritime past.You’ll find preserved history alongside rich regional dishes and lively folklore, creating an experience that pulls you in-like hearing a fiddle tune spill out from a sunlit street corner.Maybe it’s the shrimp and grits, the centuries-old walls, or the whispered ghost tales-whatever draws you in, the Pirates’ House serves up a vivid slice of Savannah’s character and charm you won’t forget.
