Crystal Beer Parlor: Savannah's Cheers

​Savannah is known for its good eating and history. So it is no surprise that Savannah has historic restaurants. One such place is the Crystal Beer Parlor. The historic building that houses the restaurant was originally a family grocery store called the Gerken Family Grocery. It was run by a prominent young Jewish man Julius Weitz. He lived with his parents and siblings above the store. But eventually they went into other enterprises and after a few short time owners [sometime in the thirties] it was sold to William ‘Blocko’ and Connie Manning.

The rumor was that Blocko used the restaurant not only to serve food but alcohol during Prohibition. Savannah was notorious for its speakeasies. It was said to be packed with people spitting in spittoons and smoking cigars and maybe even a little gambling. It was a rowdy gentlemen’s club with few women found on the premises.

As far as Blocko was concerned he spent time in the federal pen for bootlegging. Thus the suspicions of The Crystal Beer Parlor being a speakeasy. It is also said his cellmate was none other than a member of the notorious Al Capone gang. Yet another legend says Capone himself paid him a visit at the Crystal. Whatever the truth may be one can only assume by these legends the Crystal was one boisterous place during the Prohibition years.

 It is said The Crystal Beer Parlor was one of the first restaurants to serve alcohol after Prohibition was repealed. Of course this accomplishment would not have been difficult to accomplish if he already was selling alcohol during Prohibition.  

The restaurant known by some as “The Crystal” is Savannah’s second oldest restaurant at eighty-five years of age. The brick outside is common enough in Savannah. But once one enters the back door the charm of the place begins to take over. In the hall are photographs of the Crystal and Savannah’s history covering the wall. Some of the hanging objects are a large shot of the segregated waiting room inside the old Union Station, a snowball fight on Broughton Street in the early 1900s, and sheet music for Johnny Mercer’s “G.I. Jive.”  As one continues inside they find in the main dining room red leather booths and a bar from the thirties.  The Crystal aware of its history honors Monroe Whitlock and A.G. “Smitty” Smith, both of whom were servers for over 45 years. Pictures of the two men hang in the Monroe room named after Monroe Whitlock.

After the ownership tenure of Blocko the restaurant was in several hands and even closed in the early 21st century for a couple years before John Nichols, the Crystal’s current owner purchased it. As a youth he and his father were frequent customers. “My father would bring me here to pick up a takeout order when I was very young,” says Nichols. “He always came out with that big brown paper bag with grease stains on it and I’d say, ‘We’re gonna eat good tonight!’

When he saw that the Crystal had been closed it felt like a part of his childhood was being taken from him. So he decided to buy the place and reopen it. The Crystal Beer Parlor has been reopened ever since for business. This year is marks eighty-five years of one of Savannah’s great restaurants.  

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Crystal Beer Parlor Entrance

Dining Room and Bar