Shake, Stir & Step Back in Time

Cocktail Making at Congress Street Up

If you’re looking for a Savannah experience that goes beyond simply ordering a drink, head to Congress Street Up for an evening of cocktails, history, and a little taste of the Roaring Twenties. Tucked upstairs inside the American Prohibition Museum in City Market, Congress Street Up is a 1920s-style speakeasy where the past comes to life through vintage-inspired décor, period music, costumed bartenders, and cocktails inspired by the Prohibition era. But there’s more to this hidden-away bar than sipping a perfectly mixed drink. Several nights a week, guests can step behind the bar and learn how to make classic cocktails themselves during a hands-on cocktail class.

The cocktail class is a two-hour experience led by certified bartenders who know how to make mixology approachable, entertaining, and, of course, delicious. Rather than simply following a recipe, guests learn the stories behind the drinks and how Prohibition helped shape cocktail culture in the first place.

At Congress Street Up, that history becomes part of the experience. As you mix, shake, and stir, you’ll learn how these techniques developed and why certain ingredients became staples of classic cocktails.One of the best parts of the class is getting to do the mixing yourself. Guests use professional bartender tools and receive step-by-step instruction as they learn the techniques behind both shaken and stirred cocktails. The experience includes samples of cocktails along with the opportunity to create two cocktails of your own, giving you the chance to put your new skills to work behind the bar. Small bites are also included, making it easy to settle in and enjoy the evening

Whether you already know your way around a cocktail shaker or usually leave the mixing to the professionals, the class is designed for all experience levels. You’ll leave with more than a couple of drinks—you’ll have new techniques and recipes you can bring home and recreate the next time you’re hosting friends.

Part of what makes the experience so memorable is the setting. Congress Street Up is designed to feel like a true 1920s speakeasy, with vintage details and a cozy, old-school bar setting that makes it easy to forget you’re in modern-day Savannah. The location inside the American Prohibition Museum adds another layer to the experience. The museum explores the history of Prohibition through artifacts, exhibits, vintage vehicles, and immersive displays, while Congress Street Up brings the drinking culture of the era to life. It’s the kind of Savannah outing where the setting is just as much a part of the experience as the activity itself.

So grab a shaker, pick up a bar spoon, and get ready to learn the secrets behind some of the drinks that helped define an era. At Congress Street Up, history isn’t just something you read about—it’s something you can shake, stir, and sip.