New Realm Brewing Co.

120 Whitaker st.
Historic District
Mon-Thu 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Sun 11am-9pm
912-244-6100
website

Review

Taking over the space on Whitaker Street that was home to the short-lived Savannah Spirits, this small chain of micro-breweries with outlets in Atlanta and Virginia Beach is a welcome addition to the food scene.

The space is still gorgeous.  It’s a collection of buildings along Whitaker Street with bars, dining rooms both private and public, and more in a meandering layout that is both respectful to their 19th century roots and modern at the same time.  It’s worth a visit just to see what a good preservation project looks like.

The star of the show are the brews of course, and they have a lot from both their own reserves and other company’s.  A full cocktail and bar menu is available if you aren’t a beer drinker.

But we’re here to talk about the food and it’s worth talking about.  The menu is brief in comparison to what you might expect to find at a typical brew-pub chain (think Gordon Biersch), but you still have plenty to choose from.  Starters include cheddar crusted mac and cheese, roasted chicken meatballs, BBQ shrimp tacos, wings, fries, and a Bavarian pretzel with beer queso, naturally.  The salads are kind of shrug-worthy, but look at the sandwiches and burgers, which include a hand-pressed Cuban, a grilled cheese with bacon, and a Wagyu burger with cheddar fondue, bacon sauce, and beefonaise.  The latter is a gooey mess but delicious.  Acouple of entrees (chicken, fish & chips) and some beautiful hand-spun milkshakes round out the menu.

Prices are about on par for this type of restaurant, with everything under $20.  Service is good and eager to correct any minor missteps like delivering the wrong burger on the first try.

Go for the food and drinks and let the beautiful building be a bonus.