St. Neo's Brasserie — Restaurant in Savannah

My fiance and I moved from Atlanta (Dunwoody area) and have had so many opportunities to dine in at some of the best restaurants Atlanta has had to offer. With that said, we recently moved to Savannah's Historic District and after we settled in, we decided to tour around the area and ended up on Bay St (only a few blocks away lol). This was the weekend prior to St. Patty's week therefore you can imagine the thickness of tourists on Bay Street.. As we were walking we saw St. Neo's on the corner and said let's give it a try!

By far the BEST decision we made at that moment. Not only was the dining area well kept, the staff provided exceptional service, and to top the day off, the food was absolutely amazing! During that visit (which was brunch time) I had the Trout Melt which was amazing! My fiance` had their blackened shrimp which he fell in love with. Also, there is something about the coffee they provide, I mean, we've been to many cafe's and c'mon, the guy lived in Italy for awhile, and he says hands down that it's the best coffee he's ever had!

Today we decided to take a walk and stumble across any shops we may have missed on our previous walks and we ended up back at St. Neo's. Today I had a Michelada to drink (which was great) and we decided to try the burgers this time. Now, I've had some amazing burgers before, but this burger took the prize today. We both love a med-rare temp and the burger was beautifully cooked. The fries that complimented the burger were ones that I can't say I have ever had before, but wow. Wow. Wow. WOW. To add the cherry on top, our service was impeccable. I cannot express to you how many times I have gone to "well known" restaurants with a high dollar plate but horrible service, and being here at St. Neo's, I mean, you truly get the best.

I know my review is quite long, but I was taken aback in such a great way in regards to my experience. From someone who is such a foodie, has a great pallette (i'd like to think so) and believes that credit should be given where it is due, St. Neo's is such a great place. And get this, i've only had their brunch! I cannot wait to try their dinner!! :)

To Brittany (I hope I spelled that correctly), the staff, and the amazing Chef you all have, THANK YOU! Thank you so very much for making our experience what it has been. So if you're looking for a place, i HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest St....

Visited St Neo’s Brasserie last night. Is located on left corner of Drayton & E Bay St. Much easier to approach on Drayton. Can pull right up to front door of Drayton Hotel. Free valet parking is provided. Nice touch given on street parking is scarce there.

Entry is through the hotel lobby, restaurant is to the right of the main desk. Very pleasant bar and hostess station present left of entrance. Restaurant extends length of hotel along Bay St. Windows present all along front creating bright and pleasant atmosphere.

We were greeted cordially and immediately seated. Our server was Adam and he very pleasant and attentive. Well deserving of 20% gratuity.

Great selection of whiskeys and eclectic specialty cocktails. Wine list equally eclectic, slanted towards whites more than reds and imports more than domestic. Prices about what you’d expect for a fine restaurant in Savannah.

Menu was a single page and creative. We had the charred rustic bread appetizer. The salmon mousse was tasty, the trout spread was unremarkable. The bread was awesome.

I had the simple salad with Bibb lettuce, peach slices and pickled radishes. Very fresh and tasty with pecan dressing. My wife had the fried green tomatoes. This was a bit different than usual. Had chunks of lightly fried green tomatoes; sliced, grilled green tomatoes and pickled shrimp with goat cheese. Unique and delicious twist on a Southern classic.

We both had the grilled swordfish over grilled vegetables. The fish was generously portioned and expertly cooked. Was topped with pesto. The fish was good but a bit bland.

The hit of the evening was the Lemon Blueberry Cake for Two. Fresh, dense lemon cake (think tres leches cake) with plump blueberries baked in. Was topped with cream cheese frosting and beautifully presented. Measured about 4.5” across by 3” high. Was delicious, best dessert in a long time. Too bad somebody forgot the picture.

Was a lovely dinner and we’ll certainly patronize St Neo’s again. One note, Google Maps shows prices as “$$.” I think their prices are reasonable for a fine dining experience but would tend to gauge the prices as more the “$$$-$$$$” range...

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by John, who radiated energy and immediately set the tone for a fun evening. He reminded us of Elton John with his lively personality and chic glasses; he even sang to our birthday girl, which was such a vibe! Thank you, John, for making the night extra special.

Starting with drinks, the birthday girl initially ordered the "Well of Three" as recommended by our waitress. Unfortunately, it didn’t hit the mark, tasting like watered-down soap. So, we swapped it for the "Slow Clap" instead. What a fantastic choice! Bold, citrusy, and perfectly balanced, it was genuinely one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had.

For appetizers, we all ordered the Spanish Octopus, but it was a bit disappointing. The octopus was undercooked and overly chewy, which made it more of a workout than a treat. The saffron aioli had great flavor but, in my opinion, it was too thin in consistency, and at $19, it felt like a rough start to the meal.

Thankfully, the entrees brought us back to a comeback season! I and the birthday girl had the Short Rib Bourguignon, and it was absolutely fantastic. The shallot risotto was creamy and perfectly cooked, the beef rib melted in our mouths, and the Roquefort cheese on top brought it all together beautifully. My husband had the Steak and Frites, which was a solid dish—the steak was cooked perfectly, and the fries were seasoned just right. Others at the table ordered the red grouper special, and while I didn’t personally try it, they raved about it, especially the leek purée that complemented the dish.

Our waitress was wonderful attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and accommodating. We brought our own birthday cake, and they were kind enough to help with cutting and re-wrapping it for us to take home.

Overall, despite some hiccups with the octopus and the initial cocktail, the excellent service, lively atmosphere, and standout entrees made it a great evening. I would definitely return to St. Neo's Brasserie...