Entry No. 2 — the Savannah file — filed under: speakeasy
Congress Street Up
A true-to-life 1920s speakeasy built inside America's only Prohibition museum, complete with a tin punch ceiling, parquet floors, period music and costumed bartenders — and no vodka or tequila served in the daytime menu because, historically, neither had reached Savannah yet.
The story
Most Prohibition-themed bars treat the 1920s like a cheap dress-up party, but Congress Street Up operates under a bizarrely strict historical rule: on its daytime menu, you cannot order vodka or tequila. Neither spirit had established a foothold in Savannah's bootleg supply lines prior to Repeal in 1933, so the bartenders—clad in period vestments beneath pressed tin ceilings and working over parquet floors—simply refuse to stock or pour them.
Tucked into City Market as part of the American Prohibition Museum, the space functions as both an active watering hole and the final museum exhibit. Ascend the staircase wrapped in archival photographs and you emerge into a room calibrated to the speakeasy era, serving period-accurate recipes like the Mary Pickford and the Brown Derby over hot jazz tunes instead of modernized highballs.
What it's like
Entering during the day usually means taking the museum route, which dead-ends straight into the dim, authentic-feeling tavern. You will find costumed bartenders behind the bar, soft era-appropriate music overhead, and zero modern vodka sodas on the menu. If you want to learn the mechanics behind classic 1920s mixology, sign up for one of their evening craft cocktail classes, but always check current hours beforehand as schedule details can shift.
The move: Take the American Prohibition Museum tour together and let it dead-end at the bar: order a Mary Pickford or a Brown Derby, then book the nightly cocktail class as a pair so you both leave knowing how to make it again at home.
- 📍 City Market / Historic District
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 209 W St Julian St, Savannah, GA 31401
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- American Prohibition Museum — Because the speakeasy sits inside the museum, walking the exhibits first gives you full historical context before you sit down for a drink.
- Alley Cat Lounge — For a underground contrast to Congress Street Up's museum precision, head a block away to this basement lounge tucked down a Broughton Street alley.
- The Hideaway Lounge — Located one block away, this venue pairs a Prohibition-style cocktail setup directly with an in-house escape room.
- Conjüre912 — A short walk down Broughton Street takes you from 1920s history into a local metaphysical odditorium run by Savannah punk veteran Susan Warnekros.
Good to know
Why aren't vodka or tequila on the daytime menu?
The venue adheres strictly to Prohibition-era availability in Savannah; neither tequila nor vodka was widely imported or distributed locally before Repeal in 1933.
Do I need museum tickets to visit the bar?
You can access the bar as the natural conclusion to the American Prohibition Museum tour, or visit independently via its City Market entrance during open bar hours.
What drinks should I order here?
Order period-specific classics relying on rum, gin, or bourbon, such as a Mary Pickford or a Brown Derby.
Does Congress Street Up offer cocktail classes?
Yes, certified mixologists host craft cocktail classes where you learn how to mix classic Prohibition-era drinks hands-on.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: americanprohibitionmuseum.com · savannahmagazine.com · savannahcitymarket.com · hiddenlibations.com
last checked: 2026-07-20