Mata Hari’s

Finally! I found myself inside the famous, Mata Hari’s. I am a huge lover of jazz and blues, and any excuses I get to wear my faux fur, I’m in. First, as you may have read from the other reviews, it’s a hard spot to get into. Not everyone knows where it’s located, and, how to actually get in.
I’lll give a strong hint: if you’re looking for the entrance, stop driving around. you need to walk toward the very end of River Street and start poking your head in the lanes. Once you do find the entry way, either you have a key, or you’re dressed very nicely. If you look the part, the door man might let you in. Judging the crowd, not everyone inside has purchased the $ 100 key.
When you step in, it’s like a blast from the eclectic past. The lighting is low, and the music is high. We walked in to the sound of Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a great mixture of old and new school. I won’t give too much away about the scene, but I’ll say this, don’t come here looking for your typical night out in Savannah. Come here to swing, to be cool, and maybe to try a little absinthe. Maybe, on the absinthe.
I’m glad I plucked up the courage and found this place. It was a blast.

So much fun after we finally obtained a key. We did New Years weekend here and brought friends. The live music and speakeasy feel was great. We danced and danced until we went home and ate some pizza.

We visited this place last night. It was as if we were on the set of twilight zone. There is absolutely nothing authentic speakeasy about this place other than the microphone! It appears the bartender had on a plastic costume from party city. We ordered drinks and they arrived in cloudy glasses with lipstick residue. The place is so dirty! The décor was confusing, it was more 50/​60s, the entertainment is a joke. Owners need to watch another youtube on how to run a speakeasy!

Just one big, fat nope. I got on the guest list which felt like having a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory. But, upon entering, the whimsical day dream died. The place is run down and in need of a good deep cleaning. Bathrooms were atrocious. The drinks were poor in quality, but cheap in price. You get what you pay for. Mata Hari is to speakeasy as Panda Express is to authentic Asian cuisine. Do not waste your time and money.

Great atmosphere for a circa 1920’s speak easy however the boomim’ bass from whatever is on the lower lever of this building is a distraction. The live music here is excellent as long as you can stay focused on it. With all that, great place to hang out!

I have been to Mata Hari before with a friend and it was a fun time. Yes, basic cocktails, loud music and a cool throwback atmosphere as everyone has been saying. Live singing is a plus. Dressed casual and they let us in.
Well, this past time was the total opposite and because of it I won’t be returning again.
We were down at Chucks and decided to come up to Mata Hari to show some friends how much fun it was. The group consisted of my partner and I and three of our friends. When we get to the door, we presented the key and the door man looks at us and says that there is a dress code now. How was I supposed to know because we had been dressed this way before and were allowed to enter. So we asked. And he said «more classy». So of course he was insinuating we weren’t classy enough to give them our business. We had decided never mind and to go back to the bar where we were welcomed.
In the meantime of walking off, we noticed a group of guys outside smoking, and the door man (colonel sanders looking guy) proceeds to let someone in with shorts, flip flops, and a polo t shirt, which is EXACTLY what we had on. So we walked back to the door and asked what was the difference in what that guy was wearing from us. The door man pointed out two members of our group, one being my partner and the other a friend and said that their clothes looked «old» compared to the other guy. We were in shock of what was said because these clothes were basically new. Therefore we felt that when he was confronted he didn’t know what to say, so that was the comeback. Which leads us to believe that the door man was discriminating based on race, weight, gender or sexual orientation. He had no room to judge anyone based on his unkempt appearance (including his unruly, Ungroomed mustache) and lack of professionalism.
WHATS THE USE IN PAYING A MEMBERSHIP FEE TO GET A KEY, WHEN I GET REJECTED AT THE DOOR FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON THAT COULD ONLY BE DISCRIMINATION.
We hope that the owner see this concern and contacts us so we do not have to report to the Better Business Bureau and Savannah Chamber of Commerce for discriminatory practices.

Major potential, however, the service is terrible and it’s just too loud. Let’s start with the bar– awesome ladies busting their butts! They are moving non-​stop. If this is going to be a real speakeasy, either limit the number of customers or add more bartenders. Otherwise, what separates this place from the others? Then there is the dress code or not… Any dude with cargo shorts and Sperrys or any chick in shorts and a tank could get in. No standards.
Lastly, the music dude. I’m not too sure what his job is/​was… Playing background music so the kick ass singer, Brandon Thomas (highlight of the place, by the way) could really take it away… I’ll admit (and I did at the time) I was wrong but I jumped on the stage during a break to grab a quick pic in front of the mic, totally sober and not interrupting a set at all, thought it would be fun to send to my mom and boyfriend… His response was «no, down.» Like I was a dog or something x2 Aggressive, rude, and condescending. Know your audience dude… We’re all adults and a simple, «please step down» would have been sufficient. Then– about ten minutes later when I went to explain that he could’ve approached the situation a little differently… I know plenty of people who would throw punches or worse if they were spoken to that way and that’s not me, so I was trying to offer a fair heads up on his lack on people skills. He was extremely aggressive and offered no apologies. I’ve got to give him credit for sticking to his guns but he’s still a huge jerk and his attitude, on top of everything else, left a total sour taste about this place for me. Huge disappointment.

Is this a joke? Calling Mata Hari a speakeasy is like saying McDonald’s is a great sushi joint. It’s just not. First off, the space is in a dungeon at the bottom of a stairway that leads you into a gross alley. Supposedly, you need to get a «key» to get inside. Once again, that’s a joke. The «key» is just a phone number you call to make a reservation. I would give it to you but I’m doing you a huge favor by not telling you. Just don’t go. We showed our IDs to the doorman and walked in. The first thing I saw when we were inside was a guy in gym shorts, a t-​shirt, and flip flops. Does that scream classy speakyeasy to you? Me neither. The second thing we noticed was the terrible music blaring on full blast. I couldn’t even hear myself think. With much trepidation, we walked to the end of the bar and sat at a table. I took one look at the cocktail menu and that was the final blow. We walked right out. There was not a single craft cocktail on the menu. If you consider a gin and tonic to be a unique cocktail then by all means check out Mata Hari and have a ball. If not, please go elsewhere. I’m sure Savannah can do better than this. If not, head to NYC and you’ll learn what a real speakeasy is.

Cool little speak easy. We figured out how to get in from a local business owner. Decent drinks, surprisingly cheap I might add. Loved it.

This speakeasy is hidden downtown Savannah! It’s a fun spot that hits capacity quickly. It may be hard to find a key but sometimes you can ask others in the line to go in with them. Great lounge music and heavy pours. The service can get a little backed up because mostly everyone has cocktails. Be patient because their drinks are really good.

Tried this place last night. It’s okay, definitely had a speakeasy feel. It’s a hodgepodge of décor though. I had an old fashioned which was watery and really just tasted of water with a hint of bourbon (which I paid more for a better bourbon) However a friend had a glass of wine which was more like full goblet (so a healthy pour). I think the secrecy of the place is what makes it so interesting. The music was ok, they had a live singer who would sing about three songs then take half hour break then sing three more songs. There was a DJ, the music was not really the roaring 20’s style I expected but more 50’s — 70’s. The music was very loud so it was hard to carry on a conversation in the place. I figured out why it was so loud when there was a break music– the club next door was so loud you felt and heard the dance music coming through the walls.
Neat concept, not sure I would revisit though. If you call the number listed or text they will allow you to try the place without a key. I think this place may be nicer during the week than a Friday or Saturday night. Staff was ok, not overly friendly.

This club is one of savannahs hidden jewels. I’ve never heard of this establishment and neither did a lot of people in Savannah. I had to ask for directions several times. The club is on River Street and even people who worked on River Street had no idea what I was talking about! Lol I got a little frustrated but I’m glad that I stuck with it and found the spot because I was really impressed with what I saw when I entered.
Apparently there is a concept of having a key which will gain you access to the club, kind of putting you in the mind of the Prohibition period. I wasn’t aware of the key thing so I can’t speak about that. However, this club has a roaring twenties/​thirties and perhaps even forties theme. I have walked into places that have tried to make this happen and I think to myself, oh okay I see what they’re doing here. But when I walked into the house of Mata Hari it was a MAJOR blast into the past as soon as I hit the door! It made my eyes widen and I really enjoyed that! Lol Perhaps that was because I didn’t know anything about the club before entering so the change in scenery was delightfully jarring.
It’s very dark inside like you would expect. There weren’t really any tables just a lot of easy chairs, sofas and coffee tables. We were welcomed with a song sung live on stage. Now, I had come to this club because I saw an advertisement for a performance of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot, a burlesque performance on the DOSavannah app on my phone. I remember thinking, how is an entire burlesque performance going to fit on this tiny stage? But I ordered my drink and had a seat. Then the DJ started calling names for ticket holders. They opened a door behind the stage and had us enter to be seated. How sneaky! I loved it!
Ther, we were treated to the burlesque show as promised. Unfortunately, I could not snap any photos during the show but I really did enjoy it. The dancers performed about 7 or 8 songs and it was very steamy. The ladies and gentleman were HOTT! So glad that I decided to give this performance a chance as a last minute outing on a single girl’s Valentine’s Day. Not bad for $ 20!
During the performance we were really taken care of. the two hosts were quirky and funny and really kept things rolling. The waitresses were prompt with ordering drinks and bringing them to us. I had a rum and coke which might have been the best rum and coke I’ve ever had. Very tasty– not too strong and not too weak.
For photos of my experience, visit my blog:

Had the key, got in! Pretty cool concept, but I do have to say, I didn’t feel as «special» going in… they kind of just opened the door, saw I had the key and let me and 5 other friends in. Was hoping it would’ve been a little cooler entry.
The lounge singer, who was singing all of Christina Aguilera’s songs was subpar. No passion, which was kind of a bummer when you want to feel pulled back into the older days. The one thing I liked was the piano guy, he played some cool tunes and we were able to dance for quite awhile swing-​style :)
The drinks were ok, nothing special as I believe someone else mentioned. Like I said, the concept is great, but the execution, pretty poor. If people are paying or even PAYING for the key or got a key from someone else and the whole idea is «covert»…treat people special. Don’t just open the door and say «come in»…make it work for you. Do something original with the guests and the drinks. Have the bartenders understand the concept too.

A very cool concept, but poor execution. Mata Hari’s is supposed to be a prohibition era speak easy. When the doors first opened the other night there was a crowd large enough to fill the entire place waiting to get in. We had a key, but apparently they are no longer using that as a requirement for entry as they let forty or fifty people right in, none of which had a key. There was a girl singing when they first opened but she only performed one song and then it was just a DJ. The drinks were too expensive, which I could understand somewhat if they hadn’t been deplorable; literally undrinkable. They didn’t know what a Sazerac was… in Georgia in a bar they didn’t know what a Sazerac was… wow. No food. No bartenders who knew how to make or had even heard the names of common libations. I also wish they would enforce some sort of a dress code it would compliment the atmosphere much better. If they only served one thing for food I think that shrimp cocktail would be fitting given the 20’s swank theme going on.
Go for the ambience on a weekday. Its a cool place, just not nearly as cool as it could be with just a little more effort.

5 Stars for being original, elite, classy, and damn good. Break out your tux. Gatsby would frown if you didn’t, sport. Seriously a fun place to go with your friends and dress nicely for a change. It’s dark inside and screams prohibition. The bartenders are nice, though they don’t always pour to the rim, but the drinks are solid… no water.
They have great singing, dancing (depending on the mood of the crowd), and possibly a show in the back back. One pool table and a bunch of super plush chairs and couches to sink into and sip the night away talking about politics and cufflinks.

We had heard rumors of this exclusive speakeasy, and how difficult it was to get in without a key or being in the company of a key holder. My group of four ladies, found the location of the club but saw the bouncer turning away people without keys. Without going into a long story, we met someone with a key who offered to get us in and we were so glad that happened. We walked into a lounge that was dark and had a cool old school atmosphere. A lounge singer in a beautiful gown was singing and there was a crowd at the bar but the club wasn’t overly crowded. We found seats, ordered some some very well poured drinks and were thoroughly entertained for the evening. Groups came and went, some dressed casually some dressed a little dressy like we were. The singer made at least 4 outfit changes each gown more stunning than the last, and the DJ who only plays music made before 1978 kept us dancing until we were too tired to go on. When I return to Savannah, this is a place we have to visit again.