The Pirates’ House – A Dinner with Ghosts and Buccaneers
On our family road trip last summer, we made a short stop in Savannah, Georgia to visit the notorious “The Pirates’ House” restaurant. Situated in the oldest part of Savannah, this eating establishment and the surrounding buildings are steeped in legend. Prepare yourself for tales of adventure, ghost stories, and pirate lore in this detailed review of The Pirates’ House.
We arrived at The Pirates’ House at 8pm, a bit late for a traditional dinner crowd, but the perfect opportunity to commune with history buffs, pirate enthusiasts, and ghost hunters.
Entering Another Time
From the moment you walk onto the wood slated floors, you sense that this place is special. We were greeted warmly by the front staff and shown to the dining room after only a few minutes wait. Thankfully we had arrived at a time that could accommodate us quickly – the children were starving!
Once we had placed our orders, we took turns walking around the restaurant peering at the fantastic nautical and pirate decor. The shiplap on the walls had an old-world quality and made you feel as though you stepped into 1700s Georgia.
Little Pirate Friendly
The Pirates’ House is a very family-friendly establishment. The waitress greeted the youngest in our crew with children’s menus that turned into a make-yourself-a-pirate kit complete with eye patch, mustache and earring! While waiting for our dinner to arrive, we had fun helping the kids dress the part of pirate.
We must have been starving because I completely forgot to take a photo of the beautiful food! You will not leave this restaurant hungry! Here is a link to The Pirates’ House menu to whet your appetite.
History is Alive at The Pirates’ House
While the food was heavenly, it was not the main reason we chose to visit The Pirates’ House. This building is one of the oldest in Savannah, Georgia. The area is the site of one of America’s oldest experimental gardens.
The Pirates’ House actually is built around the Herb House (built in 1734). The Herb House is the gardener’s shed for the garden (known as Trustees Garden). After the experimental garden fell into disfavor, the area was settled with homes and inns for seafarers. Pirates and merchant sailors enjoyed the restaurants and inns in this area. The Pirates’ House is a former inn to pirates and other nefarious seamen.
Placing your hand on the stone brick walls of the building felt like going back in time nearly 300 years. Read here for more swash-buckling tales regarding The Pirates’ House.
While the history fascinated us, the girls were excited to see real pirates roaming the restaurant.
Ghostly Crew at The Pirates’ House
While we were enjoying our dinner, a large party of ghost enthusiasts entered the restaurant for a tour. Our waitress informed us that pirate ghosts were said to wander the building at night. She had even seen one a long time ago and felt a cold wind blow through the restaurant.
The Pirates’ House, during the time of thieves and pirates, was a place where someone simply looking for a bit of grog and a night’s sleep might wake to find himself on board a ship out at sea. The Rum Cellar in the Pirates’ House had a secret passageway that led to the street to make it easy for the kidnappers to get away with their crimes.
Pirate Shopping & Location
After our dinner and ghost story, we traveled up the winding staircase in The Pirates’ House to the gift shop on the second floor. If you are looking for pirate flags, mugs, funny shirts, and other souvenir items, I suggest checking it out.
The Pirates’ House
20 East Broad Street, Savannah Georgia, 31401 MAP
(912) 233-5757
Lunch Menu (11am – 4pm)
Southern Style Buffet (11am – 3pm)
Dinner Menu (4pm – 9:30pm)
Have you been to The Pirates’ House?
