Food was excellent. Atmosphere was good. Only concern was that the service was not executed as well as I'd have liked. We were seated at 6:00. It was the first seating, l think, and there were only a few others in that early. Our waiter was pleasant, polite, and available without being intrusive. However, it was 28 minutes from when we were seated until our cocktails arrived (a martini and a Manhattan, so nothing fancy). Our salads arrived well before we finished our cocktails and without an opportunity to order an alternative drink (wine) to go with them. There was then a long gap between the salads and the main course. We skipped dessert b/c of time constraints (close to 2 hours at that point). Again, excellent food and we will go back. Hopefully service will be a little more crisp next time.
(4)
Jason L.
Ok, so it was a rough night at AGR. My dinner guest ordered the duck pate which came with charred bread and a cheese that was bitter. When she complained, there was not much resolution as she had to wait an additional 10 minutes for a different cheese and then the same bread that was served at the start of the meal. They offered us more bread and nothing came. I had ordered the ricotta cheese starter with mushrooms which was great but not for 12 dollars and not at that portion size. I then had the kale salad which came almost completely bare. It was barely dressed up and maybe had enough cheese to feed a mouse. I have to give a compliment on the one starter that was priced right and well executed which was the pork belly. I would say if you really want to experience this restaurant and all it has to offer i would get the prix fixe meal, which is what I originally wanted to do, but they insist if you get that then everyone at the entire table has to get it. How would you convince an entire table to spend 55 dollars on a meal that may have a dish or two they aren't even interested in.
My hubby and I went here for our anniversary in June and haven't been inspired to return. Everything was ok... It was different than some of the other upscale restaurants but none of the flavors were mind blowing...gotta get it again. And the fish was over salted...and that wAs after we requested as little salt as possible. If you are trying to pick a place to try in downtown go Rick Erwin's for upscale or Green Lettuce for more casual.
(3)
Barbara W.
As an enthusiastic supporter of the growing Greenville food scene, I felt like I owed American Grocery a second chance. Once again, a delicious mussel appetizer. Also once again, the rest of our experience left us wanting. The rest of our meal was ok at best. We got a charcuterie plate, and the cheese had obviously been sliced perhaps the day before...as they were dried out. Halfway through our meal (while waiting for our second round of drinks), a table of apparent VIPs were seated, and our waiter completely forgot us. We watched as our drinks sat on the bar for 15 minutes, while our waiter served wine to the VIP table, who had ordered it well after we ordered our drinks. Two strikes and you're out, American Grocery. I will be taking my future business elsewhere.
(1)
Fish F.
I was staying in Greenville, SC en route from Columbia, SC to Ashville, NC and asked the Hotel Manager for some recommendations for restaurants in the every more popular "Farm to Table" category. She printed a list of restaurants that fit this description for historic downtown Greenville and after looking a several menus I choose American Grocery Restaurant , and was very please with the fulfillment of special requests on OpenTable, the Service and the Food and the proximity to the river and nice shops. I started with a wonderful summer salad of tomato and watermelon with a hint of a jalapeno and a light vinaigrette (Summer Salad - watermelon, white cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, jalapeño, mint, cilantro, basil, green onion, lime - chile vinaigrette 11). Followed by a perfect Rabbit with gnocchi and fresh greens (Confit of Local Rabbit, baby carrots, house made gnocchi, wild mushrooms, arugula, sauce moutarde 28) with an extra side of caramelized onions and spaetzle (charred onion spaetzle 7). The bread came with in house made local peach preserves and I asked for some extra and had it with the in house made peach tea sorbet (7). To finish I had a pear tart with chai ice cream (Pear Upside-Down Cake, chai ice cream, spiced walnuts, ginger - balsamic gastrique 9)
(4)
Michael H.
It took us eight hours to get from Denver to Greenville, South Carolina after a rather lengthy delay at O'Hare airport in Chicago. We had made a wedding anniversary reservation here a month in advance based on local recommendations and our Yelp research. The evening meal here was definitely the best part of our day. Highlights: obviously Chef cares about his food. The ingredients were all very fresh and we could almost picture Chef parked at the farmers market or driving out to local farms to get the most fresh produce possible. Favorite items of ours were the pork belly appetizer, the rabbit pate, and a very soft and delicious triple cream cheese served with pepitas. The trout seemed fresh and carefully prepared, though the flavors of the accompanying veggies did not work great with the fish. Lowlights: our waitress was friendly but not very efficient. It seemed that it took hours to bring out the food. Maybe this is a cultural difference in that we are more used to speedy service. We did have a question about where the delicious cheese was made. Our waitress said she would find out and let us know later. Two hours later we did never hear another word about the cheese production location. We were here to celebrate our wedding anniversary but the restaurant either didn't recall that or chose not to mention or acknowledge it. Also we were seated directly in front of the kitchen at one of the least pleasant tables in the place. Not exactly what we had hoped for when we made the reservation a month in advance. Overall, this is a good restaurant with a nice wine selection and interesting food, but we felt it was clearly a notch (or maybe 2) down from as good as it gets. We expected more given the high ratings and relatively high prices.
(3)
Audrey G.
I took my boyfriend here for dinner for his birthday this past Tuesday. The restaurant was slow, not many tables at all. Our server was Ian, who was an excellent server (btw). Service wasn't the issue...it was the food. I expected AGR to be delicious, as I have wanted to try them ever since I discovered the restaurant below the salon I frequent. The Violet Hour is a great drink and the Fried Deviled Eggs are delicious but that's all I would agree that is enjoyable. I ordered the Sunburst Trout and my boyfriend ordered the Rabbit Confit...both taste as if someone poured a large amount of S A L T all over our food. Seriously? NO. That is an amateur mistake and I expect much more from a restaurant that brands itself as a higher end restaurant. Very DISAPPOINTING! Needless to say, I will not be returning. Ian should go work at another restaurant where the chef doesn't cover the food in salt. Sassafras & Soby's are much better options, I would suggest either of those!
(2)
Kenneth C.
It's the best restaurant in Greenville and proves it every time we go. The cheese plate alone is incredible. We snuck in for foodie fest and loved it. The meatball was fantastic and every single course, finishing with the smores dessert was fantastic. Do yourself a favor and give it a try!
(5)
Stephen L.
Went here with a group of nine on a slow Thursday night. Service was quick and friendly. The dining room is smallish, but not cramped. We could actually hear each other, which was nice. The rainbow trout was very nice, and others in my group enjoyed the beef tongue and rabbit. No one thought much of the salads, though. The espresso mousse dessert was lovely and light- citrus and esoresso went together surprisingly well.
(4)
Erin G.
Eh, a bit contrived if you ask me. I do respect the attention to deal the servers have. I was actually quite awestruck at their precision in every thing they do (from putting down forks, folding napkins, etc), but their focus at perfecting details left them to forget about the big picture.. being friendly, timely, and making sure their costumers are enjoying their experience at this restaurant. I remember liking the food, but it wasn't too memorable for me. I think it's worth checking out once but it's not a place I would go to again.
(3)
Greg R.
Rabbit confit, Salt-crusted grass fed ribeye - Oh my! Wonderful meal at American Grocery. Drinks, Food and Service is all fabulous. I started my experience with the bar tenders choice cocktail - just told them I like it sour. What a great decision - got to try something new that was perfect. 3 bottles of wine later, some good conversation with friends, wonderful food and we left fully content. The price point of American Grocery - makes for a special occasion and not a weekly visit but when you do go, you will be extremely satisfied.
(5)
Ryan G.
One of the worst service experiences in the past 12 months. Having heard some good comments on this place since moving to Greenville, I was excited to try it out. I have been to and sampled over 25 restaurants in just the past 2 months since moving to Greenville and I was amazingly shocked at how bad the service was here. We sat at the bar (because we did not have a reservation). We sat down and it took over 10 mins for our bartender (Kurt) to even acknowledge us (and there was only 1 other person at the bar). Let me help paint the scene: We arrived at 7:15pm. The place was empty except for 2 tables and one other patron at end of the bar. We had to ask for food menus, drink menus, and his attention. He never greeted us, welcomed us, or as it turns out, spoke to us the entire 90 mins we were there. He never checked in on us, offered us another drink when our glasses where empty for 15 mins, offered us water, or asked how we were doing - once...not even once. We had to stand up and get dressed after asking for our check several times. We ordered a drink each and then when I asked a question "tell me about the fried deviled eggs" his response was, "it's exactly as it reads". I followed it up with, "can you tell me what the reviews are? Do people enjoy them? Do you like them? What do they come with? etc. .etc.." No response. In short, let me say in fairness, that the two items we ordered were above average. The fried deviled eggs were excellent and worth ordering. The grilled shrimp too was great. Unfortunately, we stopped there, as we were so turned off by the service we canceled our dinner order and went to another spot - Soby's...which was both fantastic service and food. I'd suggest if you go, do yourself a favor and try sitting a table and leave quickly at the slightest hint of bad service. The food is very pricey here and if you are willing to pay for pricey food, we should expect excellent - or at least average service. On the bill I left a note expressing my dissatisfaction, my name and phone number should anybody inquire as to why I felt so. If I hear from anyone, I'll reply here with how the conversation and outcome turned out. Good luck.
(1)
Shaun G.
Impeccable restaurant! One of the most flawless and delicious meals I've ever had. Service stood out above the food. Not a knock on the food though. They do simple dishes extremely well and timed perfectly to be brought out so as you're not rushed. It makes the food that much better. Dishes don't sit under a heat lamp for 15+ minutes and brought to you piping hot. American Grocery sets the standard for how restaurants should operate. The menu won't break your wallet either. You could spend $40 and walk out a very proud glutton knowing you've been to one of the best in Greenville.
(5)
Craig B.
Excellent food. Top notch. I ordered off their special foodie menu. The Wagyu beef was perfect but the potatoes were unbelievable.
(5)
Adam S.
We had a terrible experience. The manager/owner was extremely rude when we asked why the Duck which was advertised was not on the menu during their restaurant week. We made a reservation for 9:15pm and they made us wait for more than 30min for a table, so we sat at the bar. Luckily the bartender was very pleasant and helpful. Given that we are into the farm to table concept we were excited to try it, but never will we return. The rabbit sausage and mussels were good but the pork loin and trout were sub par. I wouldn't recommend it.
(1)
Veronica C.
Food was delicious first of all. We arrived alittle early for our 7:30 pm reservation. We still had to wait 20 mins after our reservation time. They sat us at a table but there was an empty booth that we wanted. When we asked for it the waiter rudely said its reserved. Then the food was tiny. Delicious but tiny servings. After we were done eating our dessert the owner requested we hurry up because the table was reserved for a 9:30pm party. Yes it took two hours to get our three course meal.
(3)
Tom B.
Very good meals. Pork belly appetizer was awesome. Had the Duck and Trout as the main courses and they were excellent. Will definitely return.
(4)
Ryan H.
Very disappointing to see what this once-promising restaurant has become. The service is horrible. No one cares in the restaurant about the customers or the food anymore. It used to be art. Now it's just sad. Our food came out in an hour and a half. The entire meal took 3 hours, and not because it was a 10 course Michelin starred experience; no, it took 3 hours because the service is horrendous. Food was marginal. Especially for the wait time. We will NEVER go back. This had been one of my most recommended restaurants to friends and visitors to Greenville. Not anymore. Adieu, American Grocery. It was fun while it lasted.
(1)
Joe C.
Updating my review. Still 5 stars after all these years... We only visit a couple times a year and it's never enough; best restaurant in town, hands down. Highest quality ingredients and consistently exquisite execution. Also note, best mixologist in town - you will not get a better cocktail anywhere.
(5)
Tami B.
Went there last night for my daughter's birthday. Food was ok but not worth raving about. The kicker was....we asked for 4 small plates so we could eat the birthday cake I brought in. We were informed that there was a $2.50 charge per person for the plate. I asked why and a female stated that it was their policy to charge $2.50 per person for plates for cakes brought in. So we were charged $10.00 to use their 4 small plates. So much for goodwill. What started out a celebratory dinner turned into a somewhat frustrating situation. None of us are cheap but neither did we understand how a restaurant could charge for plate usage. Seriously American Grocery? Greenville is such a "goodwill" community. You need to follow your community's example. Wouldn't consider going back if it were free.
(1)
Nicole W.
This is the best restaurant in Greenville! Pricy but it is worth it, fit for foodies. I absolutely love EVERY unique cocktail on the menu, the bartender is amazing! Never had a bad meal or dish, such a great restaurant for a special date night or dinner!
(5)
Bob M.
I had high hopes, since my neighbor said the American Grocery serves good food. We had an 8:00 PM middle-of-the-week reservation and the place was virtually empty. The service was lackluster at best and the menu was limited. I had an overpriced Rib eye that was a poor cut of meat and served cold. Our business group of 8 were all underwhelmed by the service and put off by the food. Poor service extended the meal until 11:30 PM! A noteworthy observation was multiple beers being shuttled to the kitchen area for employee consumption. Our recommendation: keep on looking - there are multiple restaurants in the area with great food and outstanding service. No way our group would ever come back to the American Grocery. True rating = minus four stars.
(1)
Diane E.
We started with happy hour drinks, Kirk did a great job. We had a perfect storm. A bartenders special w/bourbon and a sazarac. All amazing. Our favorite dish was the fried sracha chicken skin. The muscle appetizer and the sweetbreads were savory and well done if a little salty. The donut hole with whipped cream and nuts was wonderful but a little sweet. We shared the rabbit, rabbit parts, tongue. All good. Not on the top of my list to reorder. If I had it to do again, I would do happy hour at the bar and do the appetizer combination.
(4)
Tara M.
My husband and I went to AG tonight (12-5-2014) for a light dinner since we both had a late lunch. We decided that we would split an entre'. The martini's took 20 minutes. The food was just OK but when we got the bill.......there were all these EXTRA charges for Blue cheese stuffed olives (which were horrible) and up charges for splitting a plate ($10.00) stuffing the olives ($2.00) and a $1.00 charge for something I can't even recognize. All in all we had 2 martini's , two salads, and one entre' (flounder) The bill was $92.00 plus tip which we only left 10%. Not through ranting...... The food isn't even that good! Think about it.... Flounder for $42.00??? and Two really crappy martini's. If you ask me, the bartender should go back to school and they could do with a taster for the blue cheese ad olives.....they were disgusting and not edible. So sorry we had to pay for it. Warning you. They will survive by location alone.
(2)
Victor H.
I've been to American Grocery four times now, over the past two years, and though I am still ambivalent about it, I think it deserves five stars. Here's why: I love the ambiance and design of the place. It's small. It's well furnished. It's well lighted. There are some nice little corners to sit in, as well as banquette seating if you can stand it (I hate banquette seating, but will tolerate it when necessary.) The place just has a nice, comfortable character. The bar is ok. It's moderately well stocked (especially with Bourbons and Ryes). The cocktail menu is good, and includes some interesting choices. However, it's also important to be prepared to make the classics. It would be nice to stock simple things like Campari. It lasts forever, and adds so much to so many cocktails. With dinner I had two cocktails. The first was a Manhattan that I ordered with Bulleit Rye. It was ok. Not sufficiently chilled/diluted, and shaken. Manhattans should be stirred since they develop a nasty, ugly foam when shaken. Cocktails need more attention these days; stirring and shaking are not perfunctory tasks. Each is an important part of the final product, and the choice is critical. My second drink was a house concoction called a French Tickler. The recipe looks good, but the end product had a little too much ginger, and lost all the St. Germaine character. It was good, but not outstanding. The service has always been attentive, informed, and well... stuffy. With all due respect to the staff, I think they are a little full of themselves, and need to relax a bit. On the other hand, I have never felt neglected, ignored, or ill served, and I believe they are justifiably proud of the menus. The food is always superb. I can't stress how much respect I have for a restaurant that really takes time to be creative and interesting, without being outrageous or trendy. On my last visit the menu included two rabbit dishes, and braised beef tongue, out of six entrees. That takes some courage, I think. Most people do not expect that sort of variety. On this visit, my companion and I started our meal sharing the Pork and Beef Albondigas. A wonderful, spicy dish served with a luscious broth. My entree was Braised Beef Tongue. The plate is presented with three "roulades" of braised tongue, horseradish gnocchi, arugula, and pickled mustard seeds. Everything works wonderfully; the arugula being an excellent foil to the richness of the tongue. My only complaint was that the gnocchi did not have enough horseradish bite. The smoked tomato creme used to dress the plate was the icing on the cake, and the mustard seeds add a little kick. Oh, the Fried Deviled Egg is, like, totally "to die for". Totally. So, for all its little ups and downs, I love American Grocery, and will return whenever I am in Greenville.
(5)
AJ S.
I would love to give this restaurant 5 stars. The food is wonderful; this is an authentic locavore restaurant, and I want to support it. I've never had a fried devilled egg before: wow. The seafood dinners were beautifully cooked (an unusual experience) with creatively designed and bright tasting complements. But (big but) the service really sucks. We arrived on a Saturday night with the restaurant only half full. Our waiter did not show up for about five minutes, then five minutes more to take our drink order (a glass of wine and a cup of tea) and 10 more to get it. A minute later, the devilled egg came out immediately followed by soup and a salad: more plates than the table could hold. We nicely asked them to take the next course back till we were finished. Big mistake. It took a while to get them back when we asked. And so it went. Plates were not cleared promptly. When we were nearly done, our waiter was putting glasses on shelves, and it took quite a while till he came over. As others have mentioned here, this type of service is typical. I think this could be about the best restaurant in Greenville if someone cared to run it right, but it will be a while before I give it another chance.
(3)
Vang H.
Let me start out by saying: yum yum. This is a great farm-to-table place. Being new to Greenville, we were looking for somewhere to celebrate our anniversary on yelp. AGR had great reviews and we were thoroughly impressed! Being a big fan of letting chefs and Sommeliers do what they do best, we went with the prix fixe menu w / wine pairings. I was grateful for the creativity in the dishes and found the braised beef tongue my favorite - the tongue was braised and then pulled, possibly shaped and pan seared but it ended up somewhat similar to a pulled beef bbq. The vegetables, like their meat, are from local farms in the area. You could taste the freshness as their watermelon, heirloom tomatoes and greens came bursting with flavor. Everyone here was very attentive and friendly. I look forward to coming back. Definitely recommend AGR - and the prix fixe menu. There is one thing I hope they do soon... I went to the restroom and saw menus from the past up. Pork prix fixe menu from 2008 - pork, pork and more pork. *Oink* Please do this again and save us two seats.
(5)
Michele K.
Was looking to do the tasting, but I wasn't thrilled with beef tongue as being the entree. So, I went off the a la carte menu with a goat cheese salad and rib-eye. The salad was seriously the best salad I've ever had in my life! As for the entree itself, it was very good but not amazing. It looked more like prime rib vs rib-eye. I guess I just prefer a steak with the seared and crispy outside and soft inside instead of all cut up and arranged on my plate. I have nothing but good things to say about the service. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The atmosphere was also very nice. Just a small place with about 20 tables. Why am I giving 4 stars instead of 5? Mostly because I would have liked to see a more offerings on the menu. I understand that they are all about using food that is in season and locally grown when possible,but still think more than 6 entree offerings wouldn't be a big issue.
(4)
Lianna G.
If I could give Negative 5 stars I would! I never write reviews ( as everyone says) , however this was necessary!! The service was painfully horrible! The Owner was beyond rude, the fact that this place is still open boggles my mind! The ambiance, which I find to be extremely important was uncomfortable and unappetizing to put it kindly. Ambiance is what you remember, how the place made you feel.. it should be an experience! The chairs were uncomfortable, the table we had was oddly placed right in from of the kitchen which gave us an unfortunate view of the staff preparing our food - which was not pleasant. I expect staff in the kitchen to be dressed properly, hair back etc... that was not the case! Food was OK, nothing too impressive I think it was the steak that we got that was fine but definitely not memorable. I was so turned off by the overall evening of the rude owner, horrible service, embarrassingly disgusting drinks ( how someone can mess up a MANHATTAN cocktail) in the age of GOOGLE is beyond me! Save your time and money at pick just about any other restaurant on Main Street!
(1)
J H.
Yum! A very unique menu... And I loved everything I ate! Never would have tried beef tongue, but it was perfectly cooked, very tender and delicious! The pork belly was amazing and perfectly rendered. I recommend both of those menu items with 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up!! Make sure you get wait staff to recommend a flight of wine... Mine was a perfect complement to the meal. My friend had a flight of bourbon that was spot on as well.
(5)
Barry P.
Went to this place last night for Restaurant Week (RW), where many good places in Greenville have a 3 for $30 offer. Place was much smaller than I visualized with only 10-15 4 tops. The menu (normal and RW) features fresh ingredients and changes daily. Short story. Food was 5-star, service middle of road. Its ok to say today's menu "changed from yesterday" but not to offer something (flavor of sorbet) and then say we don't have it (at 630 PM). The server struggled with this and really didn't seem to care. Strongly dislike when servers begin to frown as soon as you are there for "the special." We had a $15 pp wine pairing with each course, and sommelier Darlene did make a change to provide a really nice California Pinot Noir instead of the white on the menu. It was a 'Luli' 2011 from the Santa Lucia Highlands and the wine estate of Mark and Jeff Pisoni. We are on the search for that this week as it was "to die for." I had Beef Albondiga for starters with grits, red chile, cilantro cream, and pepitas. Very tasty and nicely spiced and presented. We both had the Palmetto Farms Chicken with sweet potato hash and mushroom ragoût. It had fried chicken batter as a side accouterments. I had the Salted Caramel Brownie for dessert. When my wife didn't like the "backup" flavor of sorbet and said she wanted something light, the servers answer was to offer a second brownie to go. We are such fans of the Table 301 chain that we won't go back even with the great food and preparation. The wait staff there was a cut above what we experienced last evening and first impressions are lasting with this reviewer :(
(4)
Whoopie G.
I've tried every restaurant in greenville twice. For upscale, this restaurant sets the bar in food. Food quality, preparation, and presentation is spot on.
(5)
Rebecca F.
We came here for our 5th anniversary and loved everything about it. Service was friendly and courteous. Food was delicious and portions were generous. Everyone there seemed happy and the venue itself was lovely. We would return without a question!
(5)
Matt T.
Meh: disappointed in the food quality, as the meat I got tasted like Vienna sausages; even other guests's foods were underwhelming. Had their signature cocktail, a version of the Kentucky Mule (bourbon + Blenheim's spicy ginger beer flavored with bacon) - good! Having said all this, it was a year ago. Perhaps it was an off night, but certainly not worth the cost for another trial.
(2)
Tim A.
My girlfriend heard about this place's concept and we were really excited to come check it out, but after eating here it's pretty unlikely we will return. Our server was attentive and really knew his stuff when it came to the menu. He was relaxed and confident, and rocked a stellar beard which I admired lustily from afar. However, he was totally unapproachable and it made it difficult to relax. I've worked in fine dining so I understand being professional, but the service here sort of seeped arrogance and made me feel borderline uncomfortable. I doubt this will change anytime soon as most joints of this nature are hipster-level pretentious and won't listen to their clientele (regardless of the fact that this issue is well documented in the previous reviews). I liked the local selection of beers and the server recommended a glass of wine to accompany my girlfriend's meal that she was very happy with. I had the rabbit and my girlfriend ordered the tongue. Hers was quite good, mine quite underwhelming ,and we agreed both were intensively overpriced for the product American Grocery delivers. If I recall correctly, some of the entrees approached the $40 mark with $10-$15 appetizers and side salads and similarly priced wine by the glass. I've marked this place as "Spendy" using the guideline of an entree and one drink, but I beg you: DON'T DO THIS! You should really order more or your server will very likely crop dust you while purposefully maintaining eye contact with your wife. I think our server even made a remark about how they usually do a full 4 courses upon taking our apparently too simple order (in his defense, I think he was just trying to explain that our food may take awhile to arrive, but you could tell he was really thinking, "You excel at poverty.") Now, am I saying their food is bad? Absolutely not, but you can go eat as good or better food for less money in a better atmosphere with friendlier servers in a multitude of Greenville's downtown establishments. TLDR: poor value for your money and just a bit too cool for me; consider this is coming from an ex-indie rock musician. I'd avoid this place unless there was a two hour wait everywhere else. And even then I'd probably just grab some beef jerky from CVS and wait until I got home.
Second time to AGR. Was disappointed yet again so I will not be back. Given same table, same waiter and service slow. I had the spring lamb loin as my entree and my husband's rib-eye was much better and tender. The lamb was served rare which was great but it was tough. Hate to nitpick but I am over this restaurant.
(2)
Jennifer W.
This place was more of a 3.5 stars for me, but I'm going to round up just because I really enjoyed the food here. My boyfriend and I went for a late vday date and we got the sweetbreads as our app and lobster fettuccine & the beef tongue as our entree. We also got the chocolate terrine which I really really enjoyed and I'm not a huge fan of desserts. Our sweetbread app was by far our favorite dish of the night and it was just delicious. The lobster fettuccine was solid and I really enjoyed that everything was perfectly cooked. My boyfriend's only gripe with it was it wasn't as flavorful as he thought it was going to be. On the flip side, my beef tongue had tons of flavor as it came with a bbq like sauce and gnoccis. The only thing that sort of threw me off was that the beef tongue was shredded. Overall, really good food. On the other hand, the service left a bit to be desired. Our waiter was sort of cold and not super informative. Also, the bread service was a little odd. They don't give you a bread basket (that's fine) but they gave you just one slice of bread after you order. We had to ask for more bread (bread was delicious as was the butter and olive oil) and again they only gave us a slice. At most fine dining places I've been to, when they do the bread service like this, they usually come back a couple times to give you more bread. just. weird. Anyways, a nice fine dining option in Greenville since a lot of the nicer restaurants in Greenville seem to just be steakhouses.
(4)
Markus H.
AGR is certainly not the cheapest place in town, but definitely one of the best. If you want to support local business and farmers this is the place to do so. We had mussels, fish and steak and had a blast in quality and flavor. Thanks for that! :)
(4)
Win W.
Warning: I describe everything in detail. My boyfriend and I are in from out of town and wanted a special night out. We had checked reviews for three restaurants in West End and decided upon AGR; the pig in the logo is like secret culinary code for "real" food. Keep in mind this menu changes daily-- items I mention might not be available during your visit. I am rating AGR 5 stars because it exceeded my expectations. Upon entering, we were greeted warmly and promptly seated. Our table afforded an excellent view of the entire restaurant. Our waiter (wish I had gotten his name) was polite and nonintrusive. We started with cocktails. I had the Pig on the Porch, the beau had the French Tickler. The Pig was garnished with a house made chicharron (pork rind) and it was perfectly crisp and not over-salted. The Tickler was bright and fruity, and not too sweet. To start, we ordered veal sweetbreads with pasta primavera and spring peas. In a word, heavenly. The pasta was definitely hand made, and the veal was perfectly tender and moist. For entrees, I had the braised beef tongue with black pepper gnocchi. The beef medallions were seared on the outside to add a delicate crunch. The gnocchi was perfect. Not too dry, not too peppery. The beau had potato-crusted mountain trout with braised kale and crispy leeks. While it was exquisitely prepared, this dish wasn't quite as memorable as the beef tongue. However, the fish was perfectly prepared and the flavor was mellow. The kale was tender but not soggy. For dessert, we shared the house made donuts with lemon pastry creme and buttermilk glaze. They were to die for. Perfectly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, just sweet enough. Portion size for all dishes was on the larger size of what I expected, but I didn't find them to be too big. Atmosphere is subdued and comfortable. This restaurant was an echo of home and I couldn't have imagined a better meal.
(5)
Jay L.
Never have I been treated so poorly at fine dining. Service equaled a McDonald's, the hostesses had the attitude from hell. The food is excellent, the service adequate, the owners need to stay home. I will never go back and will tell all my friends to watch out for the shark/hostess. Good luck and good bye
(1)
johnny b.
I mean I hate to sound snobby but the food was mediocre. I'm sure its great for a small city like Greenville. I'm really picky though I think most of the restaurants in Chicago are not that good. There are some great ones but on average I thought philly and nyc had much better restaurants. Anyway. Apps were good(I really liked the pork belly), Trout sucked, Duck solid so 2 stars. I'd go back if someone else was paying but food was just ok and presentation weak. This never has any bearing on my rating but server was an ass. Usually I like that cause it means this place is really good. This time not so much. Honestly he didn't do anything. There were 3 other people bringing the food and filling glasses he came out took the order and then just chilled. Great jig. The good. Thought the interior and setup of the place was awesome. Usually restaurants pack the tables in but spacious and I really liked the lighting and interior. Great place for groups I would think although wasn't too busy when we went.
(2)
Tim B.
I was really impressed (and then not) with this place. Decor and restaurant flow seemed good, service was strong however they were out of the first wine I ordered and then out of part of the salad I ordered?? Heirloom Tomatoe with Watermelon Sorbet. I know the menu changes often but, I was really disappointed. That said, what was delivered to the table was well prepared and well balanced. If you go soon, try the Duck!! Loved it. I would have gone 4 stars if not for the mishaps. Hopefully I will find a reson to be back in Greenville soon and give it another shot.
(3)
Rob A.
Good quality food, ridiculously small portions for the money. The house made from scratch drinks are very tasty. I agree with previous reviews- very very slooooow service and a "Pretty Woman" clothing store scene uppity staff- it's retail guys and you work in it. Keep focused on who pays your wages! I won't be going back- should've went to Larkins!
(2)
Chase E.
Time after time this place always does us right!
(5)
Mary L.
I have eaten here 4-5 times over the last year. The menu is interesting - I always find several items that are tempting and after ordering I have not been disappointed. My last visit was on New Year's Eve - again another delightful meal. This is the best restaurant in Greenville and I've eaten at all the Table 401 restaurants, High Cotton, and Larkins.
(5)
Jennfier C.
It was rainy and we had a hard time finding and choosing a place for dinner. As we drove by, we said, Oh, doesn't that look cute! After parking, which seemed easier on this side of Main St, we read the menu in the window and within seconds looked at each other and said YES! We had a friendly greeting and were immediately seated. Lovely ambiance, warm, welcoming, comfortable. nice size, maybe 15-20 tables and a sweet little bar in the front window. We quickly decided that the appetizers all looked good and that each of us was going to order a few and share - no entrees. BTW - everything is homemade here, very nice focus on seasonal dishes and seasonings. Mussels in a paprika cream sauce - this was incredible! Mussels were perfect and the cream sauce was so amazing. Perfect with the mussels and for dunking the homemade sourdough bread into! Cheese and pate plate was surprisingly yummy. great flavors and textures with some good whole grain mustard on the side. The maple pork belly with grits and pecans was like eating dessert for dinner, in a really good way. Sweet and salty goodness, melt in your mouth. The local braised lamb with horseradish gnocchi was a fall/winter treat, but slightly disappointing in that there really was hardly a flavor of horseradish. I was really looking forward to that. OK, dessert did not disappoint, at all! The cheese plate with blue cheese and honey was a favorite, but the special chai spiced creme brule with ginger cookie was the "icing on the cake"! Wonderful spicy flavor with the sweet creme and a really prefect crunchy/soft ginger cookie reminded me of the holiday season. The drinks from the bar were delightful (their specialty drink list is impressive!), and they have a very nice wine list to select from too! Thank you to our server , John R, who seemed to be enjoying what we were ordering as much as we were and and providing great service. We enjoyed everything about this place! I would have given it 5 stars, expect for the horseradish gnocchi.
(4)
Gaby F.
My review is for cocktails only, as we did not eat. The Honey Bee's Knees and French Tickler were very good indeed. And the Scotch eggs looked good!
(4)
MC C.
I'm someone who doesn't usually write reviews unless I feel very strongly (either good or bad) about the food or service at a restaurant. In this case, it's the latter. I have never in my life had more rude, snooty, service. My husband, parents, and I came here after dinner at Breakwaters (it was great, I must add) to have a drink before calling it a night. My mom was interested in the watermelon cooler but instead of simple syrup she wanted to request club soda (she's watching her sugar). Before she could even get it out of her mouth, the RUDE bartender cut her off and claimed no substitutions allowed. I can understand that the specialty cocktails are hand crafted and made that way for a reason, but a little bit of customer service and accommodation can go a long way sometimes for an extremely simple request. When I asked for my drink, (champagne with a little splash of watermelon), I was told it was going to be "way more expensive" than the champagne drink on the menu (keep in mind I was not requesting changes to be made to any of their drinks). Fine, okay, no big deal; but did you have to be so rude about it? My husband went to speak with the manager once we had finished our drinks and she said she was sorry we had a bad experience. That's it. Did not come over to apologize to the rest of the party or even extend any sort of olive branch so that we might accept her apology and return at a later date. My husband told her that we had been planning on coming her for dinner for sometime now, but after this experience, we would not be returning. She shrugged it off as if we didn't matter as a customer to her. Overall, extremely poor customer service. These people have zero grasp on what going above and beyond to improve your customer experience means and it resulted in major disappointment on the customer end. We will never return here.
(1)
chris m.
amazing all around. we moved here from San Francisco and this restaurant rivals any of the best i had there. the prix fixe is a good deal, and the braised beef tongue is out of this world. Rock on AGR!
(5)
Jay G.
We live downtown and have been going to AGR since they opened 5 years ago. They are easily one of the top restaurants in Greenville for fine dining.
(5)
John R.
Go. Like, yesterday.
(5)
Hardy E.
Best restaurant in Greenville! I've never had a bad meal yet. The Duck is amazing.
(5)
Nicole P.
We have had our worst experience here. This actually tops the worst restaurant experience my husband and I have ever had. Yes I may sound dramatic, but it was so bad I did not even want to write the review and relive that terrible night. We went in on a Tuesday night, it was fairly empty. They have those small two person tables. I like to have Champagne and sparkling water, sometimes some hot tea... I may not have finished my Champagne when I get a wine for the course... I need space. So I NICELY asked for a non-miget table. We were placed right in front of the door to the kitchen. It already seemed like a snub. The terrible waiter we had was more concerned with two other tables he had, they were "people of town" and kept blowing us off, cut me off, did not answer questions and at one point asked if I knew what wine I wanted cause he need to take the list from me. (he gave it to the table he was spending all out time with) I felt like a 3rd class citizen. I am very embarrassed for them. The first course was okay, my husband was unimpressed. For our main course we both had TERRIBLE cuts of meat. It should have been put in spam... not on our plate. oh god it makes me sick thinking about it. I had so mush silver skin or sinew in the fish it was inedible. I commented to the waiter he took the plate and brought it back. They had just cooked it more. The plate looked just as it had left, just crusty now. Not even bothering to re-plate it, but cooking it more just made it more disgusting. $26 plate of bad news...so unprofessional. Then my husband had the poussin, it was terrible fatty and also felt like we were getting the portion one would not serve to anyone. I have had these great birds on other occasions and was wonderful. I am still shocked at how bad it was and that no one cared... well not until I asked for the bill so we could go have a real dinner. I tipped two bucks. I thought that was nice of me. The waiter had comments to make aloud infront of everyone. Wow! So we leave, deciding that was a bad joke and were will we go eat... as we are walking to the car a lady walks out and asks why we did not tip! ugh. I will never ever spend any money in this place, I don't care if Elvis is meeting me there. Too many other great joints in town to waste money here.
(1)
Nirav S.
Downtown Greenville has a wide variety of restaurants, but honestly there was nothing that quite blows your mind away like AGR. Its my abolsute best. Locally sourcing all their, produce, meats, dairy, coffee etc, THE AGR experience is top notch from start to finish. The owners run the place themselves and Darlene pays the perfect host! Their seasonal menus are always changing and have something for everyone. Their desserts, cocktails and wine selection are superb. What I love about this place the most is their excellent food is backed up with the best service. Their staff is awesome and very passionate about the AGR food and menu. Keep it up guys
(5)
Chris C.
The best food I've ever had in SC... If you go with a good attitude and open mind you will enjoy yourself in a great place with great people!
(5)
Sam S.
Expensive but great food. Have been there twice now and was impressed on both occasions. The deserts are the best!
(4)
Steven H.
A couple of friends and I ate at American Grocery last night. While I would like to give it five stars, the bartender keeps it at four stars (more on this in a bit). I do wish I could review the food and bar separately, as the food would definitely be five stars. On the food. EXCELLENT. The restaurant uses ingredients from local farms.....a true fresh farm to table experience. For my starter, I chose the pork belly. FABULOUS.....to die for! Get the pork belly if you go. For those that like pork belly, you know it requires a delicate hand to be cooked properly. This was perfect. After the pork belly, I had the goat cheese, beet and arugula salad. Again, excellent. Fresh and a wonderful palate cleanser prior to my main course. For my main course, I had the Porchetta.....again, fabulous. This chef knows how to do pork. On the service, the wait staff was extremely attentive. Clean silver ware continued to come out, water glass stayed full, perfect service. OK, about the bartender. As we arrived slightly before our reservation time, we decided to have a drink at the bar. The waiter was a young (as in mid 20's) bartender. I asked for a "Sidecar". Not a common drink, but good bartenders in better restaurants know this drink. This bartender had no idea what a sidecar was. I politely told her I could explain it.....when I told her it included brandy, she said they did not have brandy on the bar. So much for that. I changed and said, OK, let me go with a vodka gimlet. The vodka gimlet I received was very average. It was on the rocks (silly me, I didn't say straight up, but gimlets have always been served straight up like martini's in my experience). We proceeded to stick with cocktails through dinner, instead of wine. On my third gimlet, I received it and it was undrinkable....it was almost pure lime juice. I have my doubts about this bartender's abilities.
(4)
Ron H.
Good food and great service..pricey....
(4)
Vivian F.
Delicious food, great service, highly recommended
(5)
baccad c.
Great menu and the food was very well prepared. But we sort of had the sense like maybe the chef cooks for children or fast food diners a lot, everything we had seemed just a bit too greasy, salty, or sweet for what you would normally experience given the creativity of the menu and otherwise fine dining experience. It wasn't just one dish, it was like someone with desensitized taste buds seasoned everything.
(3)
M R.
We recently went here with another couple. I was excited to try such a different restaurant in Greenville. First, the ambiance is just OK. Unfortunately, they have chosen to place their kitchen doors right in the center of the rear wall which negatively affects four or five tables who have to look into the kitchen every time a waiter or waitress goes in or out. It was like a spotlight on the table every time the door opened. Our waiter was fine, a little arrogant for whatever reason and not very friendly. The food was very tasty and creative. The only problem the men had at the table is that it was only half the amount we needed to eat. I'm not an overweight person who requires a ton of food, but it simply wasn't enough. Finally, the prices are too high for the small amount of food we received. A grass fed hangar steak for $30 with part of a potato as a side is just too much. I will not return, but am glad we got to check it out.
(3)
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Address :732 S Main St,Ste A
Greenville, SC, 29601
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Cameron B.
Food was excellent. Atmosphere was good. Only concern was that the service was not executed as well as I'd have liked. We were seated at 6:00. It was the first seating, l think, and there were only a few others in that early. Our waiter was pleasant, polite, and available without being intrusive. However, it was 28 minutes from when we were seated until our cocktails arrived (a martini and a Manhattan, so nothing fancy). Our salads arrived well before we finished our cocktails and without an opportunity to order an alternative drink (wine) to go with them. There was then a long gap between the salads and the main course. We skipped dessert b/c of time constraints (close to 2 hours at that point). Again, excellent food and we will go back. Hopefully service will be a little more crisp next time.
(4)Jason L.
Ok, so it was a rough night at AGR. My dinner guest ordered the duck pate which came with charred bread and a cheese that was bitter. When she complained, there was not much resolution as she had to wait an additional 10 minutes for a different cheese and then the same bread that was served at the start of the meal. They offered us more bread and nothing came. I had ordered the ricotta cheese starter with mushrooms which was great but not for 12 dollars and not at that portion size. I then had the kale salad which came almost completely bare. It was barely dressed up and maybe had enough cheese to feed a mouse. I have to give a compliment on the one starter that was priced right and well executed which was the pork belly. I would say if you really want to experience this restaurant and all it has to offer i would get the prix fixe meal, which is what I originally wanted to do, but they insist if you get that then everyone at the entire table has to get it. How would you convince an entire table to spend 55 dollars on a meal that may have a dish or two they aren't even interested in.
(3)JM B.
Had an absolutely amazing dinner last night for restaurant week. The Rabbit sausage was outstanding and was a perfect starter for guy who has a big appetite. I chose the duo of beef for my entree and it was also delicious, the tenderloin and beef tongue were both cooked perfectly. My dessert was the frozen espresso soufflé, and I can't do it justice with a description but that was one of the most satisfying desserts I've had in quite awhile. Love this restaurant, I will continue to go back again and again. Also if you love bourbon or whiskey make sure you try a sazerac from the bar, they make a great one.
(5)Dana R.
My hubby and I went here for our anniversary in June and haven't been inspired to return. Everything was ok... It was different than some of the other upscale restaurants but none of the flavors were mind blowing...gotta get it again. And the fish was over salted...and that wAs after we requested as little salt as possible. If you are trying to pick a place to try in downtown go Rick Erwin's for upscale or Green Lettuce for more casual.
(3)Barbara W.
As an enthusiastic supporter of the growing Greenville food scene, I felt like I owed American Grocery a second chance. Once again, a delicious mussel appetizer. Also once again, the rest of our experience left us wanting. The rest of our meal was ok at best. We got a charcuterie plate, and the cheese had obviously been sliced perhaps the day before...as they were dried out. Halfway through our meal (while waiting for our second round of drinks), a table of apparent VIPs were seated, and our waiter completely forgot us. We watched as our drinks sat on the bar for 15 minutes, while our waiter served wine to the VIP table, who had ordered it well after we ordered our drinks. Two strikes and you're out, American Grocery. I will be taking my future business elsewhere.
(1)Fish F.
I was staying in Greenville, SC en route from Columbia, SC to Ashville, NC and asked the Hotel Manager for some recommendations for restaurants in the every more popular "Farm to Table" category. She printed a list of restaurants that fit this description for historic downtown Greenville and after looking a several menus I choose American Grocery Restaurant , and was very please with the fulfillment of special requests on OpenTable, the Service and the Food and the proximity to the river and nice shops. I started with a wonderful summer salad of tomato and watermelon with a hint of a jalapeno and a light vinaigrette (Summer Salad - watermelon, white cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, jalapeño, mint, cilantro, basil, green onion, lime - chile vinaigrette 11). Followed by a perfect Rabbit with gnocchi and fresh greens (Confit of Local Rabbit, baby carrots, house made gnocchi, wild mushrooms, arugula, sauce moutarde 28) with an extra side of caramelized onions and spaetzle (charred onion spaetzle 7). The bread came with in house made local peach preserves and I asked for some extra and had it with the in house made peach tea sorbet (7). To finish I had a pear tart with chai ice cream (Pear Upside-Down Cake, chai ice cream, spiced walnuts, ginger - balsamic gastrique 9)
(4)Michael H.
It took us eight hours to get from Denver to Greenville, South Carolina after a rather lengthy delay at O'Hare airport in Chicago. We had made a wedding anniversary reservation here a month in advance based on local recommendations and our Yelp research. The evening meal here was definitely the best part of our day. Highlights: obviously Chef cares about his food. The ingredients were all very fresh and we could almost picture Chef parked at the farmers market or driving out to local farms to get the most fresh produce possible. Favorite items of ours were the pork belly appetizer, the rabbit pate, and a very soft and delicious triple cream cheese served with pepitas. The trout seemed fresh and carefully prepared, though the flavors of the accompanying veggies did not work great with the fish. Lowlights: our waitress was friendly but not very efficient. It seemed that it took hours to bring out the food. Maybe this is a cultural difference in that we are more used to speedy service. We did have a question about where the delicious cheese was made. Our waitress said she would find out and let us know later. Two hours later we did never hear another word about the cheese production location. We were here to celebrate our wedding anniversary but the restaurant either didn't recall that or chose not to mention or acknowledge it. Also we were seated directly in front of the kitchen at one of the least pleasant tables in the place. Not exactly what we had hoped for when we made the reservation a month in advance. Overall, this is a good restaurant with a nice wine selection and interesting food, but we felt it was clearly a notch (or maybe 2) down from as good as it gets. We expected more given the high ratings and relatively high prices.
(3)Audrey G.
I took my boyfriend here for dinner for his birthday this past Tuesday. The restaurant was slow, not many tables at all. Our server was Ian, who was an excellent server (btw). Service wasn't the issue...it was the food. I expected AGR to be delicious, as I have wanted to try them ever since I discovered the restaurant below the salon I frequent. The Violet Hour is a great drink and the Fried Deviled Eggs are delicious but that's all I would agree that is enjoyable. I ordered the Sunburst Trout and my boyfriend ordered the Rabbit Confit...both taste as if someone poured a large amount of S A L T all over our food. Seriously? NO. That is an amateur mistake and I expect much more from a restaurant that brands itself as a higher end restaurant. Very DISAPPOINTING! Needless to say, I will not be returning. Ian should go work at another restaurant where the chef doesn't cover the food in salt. Sassafras & Soby's are much better options, I would suggest either of those!
(2)Kenneth C.
It's the best restaurant in Greenville and proves it every time we go. The cheese plate alone is incredible. We snuck in for foodie fest and loved it. The meatball was fantastic and every single course, finishing with the smores dessert was fantastic. Do yourself a favor and give it a try!
(5)Stephen L.
Went here with a group of nine on a slow Thursday night. Service was quick and friendly. The dining room is smallish, but not cramped. We could actually hear each other, which was nice. The rainbow trout was very nice, and others in my group enjoyed the beef tongue and rabbit. No one thought much of the salads, though. The espresso mousse dessert was lovely and light- citrus and esoresso went together surprisingly well.
(4)Erin G.
Eh, a bit contrived if you ask me. I do respect the attention to deal the servers have. I was actually quite awestruck at their precision in every thing they do (from putting down forks, folding napkins, etc), but their focus at perfecting details left them to forget about the big picture.. being friendly, timely, and making sure their costumers are enjoying their experience at this restaurant. I remember liking the food, but it wasn't too memorable for me. I think it's worth checking out once but it's not a place I would go to again.
(3)Greg R.
Rabbit confit, Salt-crusted grass fed ribeye - Oh my! Wonderful meal at American Grocery. Drinks, Food and Service is all fabulous. I started my experience with the bar tenders choice cocktail - just told them I like it sour. What a great decision - got to try something new that was perfect. 3 bottles of wine later, some good conversation with friends, wonderful food and we left fully content. The price point of American Grocery - makes for a special occasion and not a weekly visit but when you do go, you will be extremely satisfied.
(5)Ryan G.
One of the worst service experiences in the past 12 months. Having heard some good comments on this place since moving to Greenville, I was excited to try it out. I have been to and sampled over 25 restaurants in just the past 2 months since moving to Greenville and I was amazingly shocked at how bad the service was here. We sat at the bar (because we did not have a reservation). We sat down and it took over 10 mins for our bartender (Kurt) to even acknowledge us (and there was only 1 other person at the bar). Let me help paint the scene: We arrived at 7:15pm. The place was empty except for 2 tables and one other patron at end of the bar. We had to ask for food menus, drink menus, and his attention. He never greeted us, welcomed us, or as it turns out, spoke to us the entire 90 mins we were there. He never checked in on us, offered us another drink when our glasses where empty for 15 mins, offered us water, or asked how we were doing - once...not even once. We had to stand up and get dressed after asking for our check several times. We ordered a drink each and then when I asked a question "tell me about the fried deviled eggs" his response was, "it's exactly as it reads". I followed it up with, "can you tell me what the reviews are? Do people enjoy them? Do you like them? What do they come with? etc. .etc.." No response. In short, let me say in fairness, that the two items we ordered were above average. The fried deviled eggs were excellent and worth ordering. The grilled shrimp too was great. Unfortunately, we stopped there, as we were so turned off by the service we canceled our dinner order and went to another spot - Soby's...which was both fantastic service and food. I'd suggest if you go, do yourself a favor and try sitting a table and leave quickly at the slightest hint of bad service. The food is very pricey here and if you are willing to pay for pricey food, we should expect excellent - or at least average service. On the bill I left a note expressing my dissatisfaction, my name and phone number should anybody inquire as to why I felt so. If I hear from anyone, I'll reply here with how the conversation and outcome turned out. Good luck.
(1)Shaun G.
Impeccable restaurant! One of the most flawless and delicious meals I've ever had. Service stood out above the food. Not a knock on the food though. They do simple dishes extremely well and timed perfectly to be brought out so as you're not rushed. It makes the food that much better. Dishes don't sit under a heat lamp for 15+ minutes and brought to you piping hot. American Grocery sets the standard for how restaurants should operate. The menu won't break your wallet either. You could spend $40 and walk out a very proud glutton knowing you've been to one of the best in Greenville.
(5)Craig B.
Excellent food. Top notch. I ordered off their special foodie menu. The Wagyu beef was perfect but the potatoes were unbelievable.
(5)Adam S.
We had a terrible experience. The manager/owner was extremely rude when we asked why the Duck which was advertised was not on the menu during their restaurant week. We made a reservation for 9:15pm and they made us wait for more than 30min for a table, so we sat at the bar. Luckily the bartender was very pleasant and helpful. Given that we are into the farm to table concept we were excited to try it, but never will we return. The rabbit sausage and mussels were good but the pork loin and trout were sub par. I wouldn't recommend it.
(1)Veronica C.
Food was delicious first of all. We arrived alittle early for our 7:30 pm reservation. We still had to wait 20 mins after our reservation time. They sat us at a table but there was an empty booth that we wanted. When we asked for it the waiter rudely said its reserved. Then the food was tiny. Delicious but tiny servings. After we were done eating our dessert the owner requested we hurry up because the table was reserved for a 9:30pm party. Yes it took two hours to get our three course meal.
(3)Tom B.
Very good meals. Pork belly appetizer was awesome. Had the Duck and Trout as the main courses and they were excellent. Will definitely return.
(4)Ryan H.
Very disappointing to see what this once-promising restaurant has become. The service is horrible. No one cares in the restaurant about the customers or the food anymore. It used to be art. Now it's just sad. Our food came out in an hour and a half. The entire meal took 3 hours, and not because it was a 10 course Michelin starred experience; no, it took 3 hours because the service is horrendous. Food was marginal. Especially for the wait time. We will NEVER go back. This had been one of my most recommended restaurants to friends and visitors to Greenville. Not anymore. Adieu, American Grocery. It was fun while it lasted.
(1)Joe C.
Updating my review. Still 5 stars after all these years... We only visit a couple times a year and it's never enough; best restaurant in town, hands down. Highest quality ingredients and consistently exquisite execution. Also note, best mixologist in town - you will not get a better cocktail anywhere.
(5)Tami B.
Went there last night for my daughter's birthday. Food was ok but not worth raving about. The kicker was....we asked for 4 small plates so we could eat the birthday cake I brought in. We were informed that there was a $2.50 charge per person for the plate. I asked why and a female stated that it was their policy to charge $2.50 per person for plates for cakes brought in. So we were charged $10.00 to use their 4 small plates. So much for goodwill. What started out a celebratory dinner turned into a somewhat frustrating situation. None of us are cheap but neither did we understand how a restaurant could charge for plate usage. Seriously American Grocery? Greenville is such a "goodwill" community. You need to follow your community's example. Wouldn't consider going back if it were free.
(1)Nicole W.
This is the best restaurant in Greenville! Pricy but it is worth it, fit for foodies. I absolutely love EVERY unique cocktail on the menu, the bartender is amazing! Never had a bad meal or dish, such a great restaurant for a special date night or dinner!
(5)Bob M.
I had high hopes, since my neighbor said the American Grocery serves good food. We had an 8:00 PM middle-of-the-week reservation and the place was virtually empty. The service was lackluster at best and the menu was limited. I had an overpriced Rib eye that was a poor cut of meat and served cold. Our business group of 8 were all underwhelmed by the service and put off by the food. Poor service extended the meal until 11:30 PM! A noteworthy observation was multiple beers being shuttled to the kitchen area for employee consumption. Our recommendation: keep on looking - there are multiple restaurants in the area with great food and outstanding service. No way our group would ever come back to the American Grocery. True rating = minus four stars.
(1)Diane E.
We started with happy hour drinks, Kirk did a great job. We had a perfect storm. A bartenders special w/bourbon and a sazarac. All amazing. Our favorite dish was the fried sracha chicken skin. The muscle appetizer and the sweetbreads were savory and well done if a little salty. The donut hole with whipped cream and nuts was wonderful but a little sweet. We shared the rabbit, rabbit parts, tongue. All good. Not on the top of my list to reorder. If I had it to do again, I would do happy hour at the bar and do the appetizer combination.
(4)Tara M.
My husband and I went to AG tonight (12-5-2014) for a light dinner since we both had a late lunch. We decided that we would split an entre'. The martini's took 20 minutes. The food was just OK but when we got the bill.......there were all these EXTRA charges for Blue cheese stuffed olives (which were horrible) and up charges for splitting a plate ($10.00) stuffing the olives ($2.00) and a $1.00 charge for something I can't even recognize. All in all we had 2 martini's , two salads, and one entre' (flounder) The bill was $92.00 plus tip which we only left 10%. Not through ranting...... The food isn't even that good! Think about it.... Flounder for $42.00??? and Two really crappy martini's. If you ask me, the bartender should go back to school and they could do with a taster for the blue cheese ad olives.....they were disgusting and not edible. So sorry we had to pay for it. Warning you. They will survive by location alone.
(2)Victor H.
I've been to American Grocery four times now, over the past two years, and though I am still ambivalent about it, I think it deserves five stars. Here's why: I love the ambiance and design of the place. It's small. It's well furnished. It's well lighted. There are some nice little corners to sit in, as well as banquette seating if you can stand it (I hate banquette seating, but will tolerate it when necessary.) The place just has a nice, comfortable character. The bar is ok. It's moderately well stocked (especially with Bourbons and Ryes). The cocktail menu is good, and includes some interesting choices. However, it's also important to be prepared to make the classics. It would be nice to stock simple things like Campari. It lasts forever, and adds so much to so many cocktails. With dinner I had two cocktails. The first was a Manhattan that I ordered with Bulleit Rye. It was ok. Not sufficiently chilled/diluted, and shaken. Manhattans should be stirred since they develop a nasty, ugly foam when shaken. Cocktails need more attention these days; stirring and shaking are not perfunctory tasks. Each is an important part of the final product, and the choice is critical. My second drink was a house concoction called a French Tickler. The recipe looks good, but the end product had a little too much ginger, and lost all the St. Germaine character. It was good, but not outstanding. The service has always been attentive, informed, and well... stuffy. With all due respect to the staff, I think they are a little full of themselves, and need to relax a bit. On the other hand, I have never felt neglected, ignored, or ill served, and I believe they are justifiably proud of the menus. The food is always superb. I can't stress how much respect I have for a restaurant that really takes time to be creative and interesting, without being outrageous or trendy. On my last visit the menu included two rabbit dishes, and braised beef tongue, out of six entrees. That takes some courage, I think. Most people do not expect that sort of variety. On this visit, my companion and I started our meal sharing the Pork and Beef Albondigas. A wonderful, spicy dish served with a luscious broth. My entree was Braised Beef Tongue. The plate is presented with three "roulades" of braised tongue, horseradish gnocchi, arugula, and pickled mustard seeds. Everything works wonderfully; the arugula being an excellent foil to the richness of the tongue. My only complaint was that the gnocchi did not have enough horseradish bite. The smoked tomato creme used to dress the plate was the icing on the cake, and the mustard seeds add a little kick. Oh, the Fried Deviled Egg is, like, totally "to die for". Totally. So, for all its little ups and downs, I love American Grocery, and will return whenever I am in Greenville.
(5)AJ S.
I would love to give this restaurant 5 stars. The food is wonderful; this is an authentic locavore restaurant, and I want to support it. I've never had a fried devilled egg before: wow. The seafood dinners were beautifully cooked (an unusual experience) with creatively designed and bright tasting complements. But (big but) the service really sucks. We arrived on a Saturday night with the restaurant only half full. Our waiter did not show up for about five minutes, then five minutes more to take our drink order (a glass of wine and a cup of tea) and 10 more to get it. A minute later, the devilled egg came out immediately followed by soup and a salad: more plates than the table could hold. We nicely asked them to take the next course back till we were finished. Big mistake. It took a while to get them back when we asked. And so it went. Plates were not cleared promptly. When we were nearly done, our waiter was putting glasses on shelves, and it took quite a while till he came over. As others have mentioned here, this type of service is typical. I think this could be about the best restaurant in Greenville if someone cared to run it right, but it will be a while before I give it another chance.
(3)Vang H.
Let me start out by saying: yum yum. This is a great farm-to-table place. Being new to Greenville, we were looking for somewhere to celebrate our anniversary on yelp. AGR had great reviews and we were thoroughly impressed! Being a big fan of letting chefs and Sommeliers do what they do best, we went with the prix fixe menu w / wine pairings. I was grateful for the creativity in the dishes and found the braised beef tongue my favorite - the tongue was braised and then pulled, possibly shaped and pan seared but it ended up somewhat similar to a pulled beef bbq. The vegetables, like their meat, are from local farms in the area. You could taste the freshness as their watermelon, heirloom tomatoes and greens came bursting with flavor. Everyone here was very attentive and friendly. I look forward to coming back. Definitely recommend AGR - and the prix fixe menu. There is one thing I hope they do soon... I went to the restroom and saw menus from the past up. Pork prix fixe menu from 2008 - pork, pork and more pork. *Oink* Please do this again and save us two seats.
(5)Michele K.
Was looking to do the tasting, but I wasn't thrilled with beef tongue as being the entree. So, I went off the a la carte menu with a goat cheese salad and rib-eye. The salad was seriously the best salad I've ever had in my life! As for the entree itself, it was very good but not amazing. It looked more like prime rib vs rib-eye. I guess I just prefer a steak with the seared and crispy outside and soft inside instead of all cut up and arranged on my plate. I have nothing but good things to say about the service. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The atmosphere was also very nice. Just a small place with about 20 tables. Why am I giving 4 stars instead of 5? Mostly because I would have liked to see a more offerings on the menu. I understand that they are all about using food that is in season and locally grown when possible,but still think more than 6 entree offerings wouldn't be a big issue.
(4)Lianna G.
If I could give Negative 5 stars I would! I never write reviews ( as everyone says) , however this was necessary!! The service was painfully horrible! The Owner was beyond rude, the fact that this place is still open boggles my mind! The ambiance, which I find to be extremely important was uncomfortable and unappetizing to put it kindly. Ambiance is what you remember, how the place made you feel.. it should be an experience! The chairs were uncomfortable, the table we had was oddly placed right in from of the kitchen which gave us an unfortunate view of the staff preparing our food - which was not pleasant. I expect staff in the kitchen to be dressed properly, hair back etc... that was not the case! Food was OK, nothing too impressive I think it was the steak that we got that was fine but definitely not memorable. I was so turned off by the overall evening of the rude owner, horrible service, embarrassingly disgusting drinks ( how someone can mess up a MANHATTAN cocktail) in the age of GOOGLE is beyond me! Save your time and money at pick just about any other restaurant on Main Street!
(1)J H.
Yum! A very unique menu... And I loved everything I ate! Never would have tried beef tongue, but it was perfectly cooked, very tender and delicious! The pork belly was amazing and perfectly rendered. I recommend both of those menu items with 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up!! Make sure you get wait staff to recommend a flight of wine... Mine was a perfect complement to the meal. My friend had a flight of bourbon that was spot on as well.
(5)Barry P.
Went to this place last night for Restaurant Week (RW), where many good places in Greenville have a 3 for $30 offer. Place was much smaller than I visualized with only 10-15 4 tops. The menu (normal and RW) features fresh ingredients and changes daily. Short story. Food was 5-star, service middle of road. Its ok to say today's menu "changed from yesterday" but not to offer something (flavor of sorbet) and then say we don't have it (at 630 PM). The server struggled with this and really didn't seem to care. Strongly dislike when servers begin to frown as soon as you are there for "the special." We had a $15 pp wine pairing with each course, and sommelier Darlene did make a change to provide a really nice California Pinot Noir instead of the white on the menu. It was a 'Luli' 2011 from the Santa Lucia Highlands and the wine estate of Mark and Jeff Pisoni. We are on the search for that this week as it was "to die for." I had Beef Albondiga for starters with grits, red chile, cilantro cream, and pepitas. Very tasty and nicely spiced and presented. We both had the Palmetto Farms Chicken with sweet potato hash and mushroom ragoût. It had fried chicken batter as a side accouterments. I had the Salted Caramel Brownie for dessert. When my wife didn't like the "backup" flavor of sorbet and said she wanted something light, the servers answer was to offer a second brownie to go. We are such fans of the Table 301 chain that we won't go back even with the great food and preparation. The wait staff there was a cut above what we experienced last evening and first impressions are lasting with this reviewer :(
(4)Whoopie G.
I've tried every restaurant in greenville twice. For upscale, this restaurant sets the bar in food. Food quality, preparation, and presentation is spot on.
(5)Rebecca F.
We came here for our 5th anniversary and loved everything about it. Service was friendly and courteous. Food was delicious and portions were generous. Everyone there seemed happy and the venue itself was lovely. We would return without a question!
(5)Matt T.
Meh: disappointed in the food quality, as the meat I got tasted like Vienna sausages; even other guests's foods were underwhelming. Had their signature cocktail, a version of the Kentucky Mule (bourbon + Blenheim's spicy ginger beer flavored with bacon) - good! Having said all this, it was a year ago. Perhaps it was an off night, but certainly not worth the cost for another trial.
(2)Tim A.
My girlfriend heard about this place's concept and we were really excited to come check it out, but after eating here it's pretty unlikely we will return. Our server was attentive and really knew his stuff when it came to the menu. He was relaxed and confident, and rocked a stellar beard which I admired lustily from afar. However, he was totally unapproachable and it made it difficult to relax. I've worked in fine dining so I understand being professional, but the service here sort of seeped arrogance and made me feel borderline uncomfortable. I doubt this will change anytime soon as most joints of this nature are hipster-level pretentious and won't listen to their clientele (regardless of the fact that this issue is well documented in the previous reviews). I liked the local selection of beers and the server recommended a glass of wine to accompany my girlfriend's meal that she was very happy with. I had the rabbit and my girlfriend ordered the tongue. Hers was quite good, mine quite underwhelming ,and we agreed both were intensively overpriced for the product American Grocery delivers. If I recall correctly, some of the entrees approached the $40 mark with $10-$15 appetizers and side salads and similarly priced wine by the glass. I've marked this place as "Spendy" using the guideline of an entree and one drink, but I beg you: DON'T DO THIS! You should really order more or your server will very likely crop dust you while purposefully maintaining eye contact with your wife. I think our server even made a remark about how they usually do a full 4 courses upon taking our apparently too simple order (in his defense, I think he was just trying to explain that our food may take awhile to arrive, but you could tell he was really thinking, "You excel at poverty.") Now, am I saying their food is bad? Absolutely not, but you can go eat as good or better food for less money in a better atmosphere with friendlier servers in a multitude of Greenville's downtown establishments. TLDR: poor value for your money and just a bit too cool for me; consider this is coming from an ex-indie rock musician. I'd avoid this place unless there was a two hour wait everywhere else. And even then I'd probably just grab some beef jerky from CVS and wait until I got home.
(2)Barry B.
Everything - cocktails, wine, apps, entrees and deserts was spectacular. Started with fried deviled egg and crispy chicken skins. Both were decadent. Moved on to charcuterie tray with cheese and country pâté (outstanding) and then split the mussels and corn crepes. Of course we had to try the cobbler for two. It was fantastic. The blueberries and peaches were allowed to stand on their own without being saturated in sugar. Service was attentive without being overbearing.
(4)Denine Z.
Second time to AGR. Was disappointed yet again so I will not be back. Given same table, same waiter and service slow. I had the spring lamb loin as my entree and my husband's rib-eye was much better and tender. The lamb was served rare which was great but it was tough. Hate to nitpick but I am over this restaurant.
(2)Jennifer W.
This place was more of a 3.5 stars for me, but I'm going to round up just because I really enjoyed the food here. My boyfriend and I went for a late vday date and we got the sweetbreads as our app and lobster fettuccine & the beef tongue as our entree. We also got the chocolate terrine which I really really enjoyed and I'm not a huge fan of desserts. Our sweetbread app was by far our favorite dish of the night and it was just delicious. The lobster fettuccine was solid and I really enjoyed that everything was perfectly cooked. My boyfriend's only gripe with it was it wasn't as flavorful as he thought it was going to be. On the flip side, my beef tongue had tons of flavor as it came with a bbq like sauce and gnoccis. The only thing that sort of threw me off was that the beef tongue was shredded. Overall, really good food. On the other hand, the service left a bit to be desired. Our waiter was sort of cold and not super informative. Also, the bread service was a little odd. They don't give you a bread basket (that's fine) but they gave you just one slice of bread after you order. We had to ask for more bread (bread was delicious as was the butter and olive oil) and again they only gave us a slice. At most fine dining places I've been to, when they do the bread service like this, they usually come back a couple times to give you more bread. just. weird. Anyways, a nice fine dining option in Greenville since a lot of the nicer restaurants in Greenville seem to just be steakhouses.
(4)Markus H.
AGR is certainly not the cheapest place in town, but definitely one of the best. If you want to support local business and farmers this is the place to do so. We had mussels, fish and steak and had a blast in quality and flavor. Thanks for that! :)
(4)Win W.
Warning: I describe everything in detail. My boyfriend and I are in from out of town and wanted a special night out. We had checked reviews for three restaurants in West End and decided upon AGR; the pig in the logo is like secret culinary code for "real" food. Keep in mind this menu changes daily-- items I mention might not be available during your visit. I am rating AGR 5 stars because it exceeded my expectations. Upon entering, we were greeted warmly and promptly seated. Our table afforded an excellent view of the entire restaurant. Our waiter (wish I had gotten his name) was polite and nonintrusive. We started with cocktails. I had the Pig on the Porch, the beau had the French Tickler. The Pig was garnished with a house made chicharron (pork rind) and it was perfectly crisp and not over-salted. The Tickler was bright and fruity, and not too sweet. To start, we ordered veal sweetbreads with pasta primavera and spring peas. In a word, heavenly. The pasta was definitely hand made, and the veal was perfectly tender and moist. For entrees, I had the braised beef tongue with black pepper gnocchi. The beef medallions were seared on the outside to add a delicate crunch. The gnocchi was perfect. Not too dry, not too peppery. The beau had potato-crusted mountain trout with braised kale and crispy leeks. While it was exquisitely prepared, this dish wasn't quite as memorable as the beef tongue. However, the fish was perfectly prepared and the flavor was mellow. The kale was tender but not soggy. For dessert, we shared the house made donuts with lemon pastry creme and buttermilk glaze. They were to die for. Perfectly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, just sweet enough. Portion size for all dishes was on the larger size of what I expected, but I didn't find them to be too big. Atmosphere is subdued and comfortable. This restaurant was an echo of home and I couldn't have imagined a better meal.
(5)Jay L.
Never have I been treated so poorly at fine dining. Service equaled a McDonald's, the hostesses had the attitude from hell. The food is excellent, the service adequate, the owners need to stay home. I will never go back and will tell all my friends to watch out for the shark/hostess. Good luck and good bye
(1)johnny b.
I mean I hate to sound snobby but the food was mediocre. I'm sure its great for a small city like Greenville. I'm really picky though I think most of the restaurants in Chicago are not that good. There are some great ones but on average I thought philly and nyc had much better restaurants. Anyway. Apps were good(I really liked the pork belly), Trout sucked, Duck solid so 2 stars. I'd go back if someone else was paying but food was just ok and presentation weak. This never has any bearing on my rating but server was an ass. Usually I like that cause it means this place is really good. This time not so much. Honestly he didn't do anything. There were 3 other people bringing the food and filling glasses he came out took the order and then just chilled. Great jig. The good. Thought the interior and setup of the place was awesome. Usually restaurants pack the tables in but spacious and I really liked the lighting and interior. Great place for groups I would think although wasn't too busy when we went.
(2)Tim B.
I was really impressed (and then not) with this place. Decor and restaurant flow seemed good, service was strong however they were out of the first wine I ordered and then out of part of the salad I ordered?? Heirloom Tomatoe with Watermelon Sorbet. I know the menu changes often but, I was really disappointed. That said, what was delivered to the table was well prepared and well balanced. If you go soon, try the Duck!! Loved it. I would have gone 4 stars if not for the mishaps. Hopefully I will find a reson to be back in Greenville soon and give it another shot.
(3)Rob A.
Good quality food, ridiculously small portions for the money. The house made from scratch drinks are very tasty. I agree with previous reviews- very very slooooow service and a "Pretty Woman" clothing store scene uppity staff- it's retail guys and you work in it. Keep focused on who pays your wages! I won't be going back- should've went to Larkins!
(2)Chase E.
Time after time this place always does us right!
(5)Mary L.
I have eaten here 4-5 times over the last year. The menu is interesting - I always find several items that are tempting and after ordering I have not been disappointed. My last visit was on New Year's Eve - again another delightful meal. This is the best restaurant in Greenville and I've eaten at all the Table 401 restaurants, High Cotton, and Larkins.
(5)Jennfier C.
It was rainy and we had a hard time finding and choosing a place for dinner. As we drove by, we said, Oh, doesn't that look cute! After parking, which seemed easier on this side of Main St, we read the menu in the window and within seconds looked at each other and said YES! We had a friendly greeting and were immediately seated. Lovely ambiance, warm, welcoming, comfortable. nice size, maybe 15-20 tables and a sweet little bar in the front window. We quickly decided that the appetizers all looked good and that each of us was going to order a few and share - no entrees. BTW - everything is homemade here, very nice focus on seasonal dishes and seasonings. Mussels in a paprika cream sauce - this was incredible! Mussels were perfect and the cream sauce was so amazing. Perfect with the mussels and for dunking the homemade sourdough bread into! Cheese and pate plate was surprisingly yummy. great flavors and textures with some good whole grain mustard on the side. The maple pork belly with grits and pecans was like eating dessert for dinner, in a really good way. Sweet and salty goodness, melt in your mouth. The local braised lamb with horseradish gnocchi was a fall/winter treat, but slightly disappointing in that there really was hardly a flavor of horseradish. I was really looking forward to that. OK, dessert did not disappoint, at all! The cheese plate with blue cheese and honey was a favorite, but the special chai spiced creme brule with ginger cookie was the "icing on the cake"! Wonderful spicy flavor with the sweet creme and a really prefect crunchy/soft ginger cookie reminded me of the holiday season. The drinks from the bar were delightful (their specialty drink list is impressive!), and they have a very nice wine list to select from too! Thank you to our server , John R, who seemed to be enjoying what we were ordering as much as we were and and providing great service. We enjoyed everything about this place! I would have given it 5 stars, expect for the horseradish gnocchi.
(4)Gaby F.
My review is for cocktails only, as we did not eat. The Honey Bee's Knees and French Tickler were very good indeed. And the Scotch eggs looked good!
(4)MC C.
I'm someone who doesn't usually write reviews unless I feel very strongly (either good or bad) about the food or service at a restaurant. In this case, it's the latter. I have never in my life had more rude, snooty, service. My husband, parents, and I came here after dinner at Breakwaters (it was great, I must add) to have a drink before calling it a night. My mom was interested in the watermelon cooler but instead of simple syrup she wanted to request club soda (she's watching her sugar). Before she could even get it out of her mouth, the RUDE bartender cut her off and claimed no substitutions allowed. I can understand that the specialty cocktails are hand crafted and made that way for a reason, but a little bit of customer service and accommodation can go a long way sometimes for an extremely simple request. When I asked for my drink, (champagne with a little splash of watermelon), I was told it was going to be "way more expensive" than the champagne drink on the menu (keep in mind I was not requesting changes to be made to any of their drinks). Fine, okay, no big deal; but did you have to be so rude about it? My husband went to speak with the manager once we had finished our drinks and she said she was sorry we had a bad experience. That's it. Did not come over to apologize to the rest of the party or even extend any sort of olive branch so that we might accept her apology and return at a later date. My husband told her that we had been planning on coming her for dinner for sometime now, but after this experience, we would not be returning. She shrugged it off as if we didn't matter as a customer to her. Overall, extremely poor customer service. These people have zero grasp on what going above and beyond to improve your customer experience means and it resulted in major disappointment on the customer end. We will never return here.
(1)chris m.
amazing all around. we moved here from San Francisco and this restaurant rivals any of the best i had there. the prix fixe is a good deal, and the braised beef tongue is out of this world. Rock on AGR!
(5)Jay G.
We live downtown and have been going to AGR since they opened 5 years ago. They are easily one of the top restaurants in Greenville for fine dining.
(5)John R.
Go. Like, yesterday.
(5)Hardy E.
Best restaurant in Greenville! I've never had a bad meal yet. The Duck is amazing.
(5)Nicole P.
We have had our worst experience here. This actually tops the worst restaurant experience my husband and I have ever had. Yes I may sound dramatic, but it was so bad I did not even want to write the review and relive that terrible night. We went in on a Tuesday night, it was fairly empty. They have those small two person tables. I like to have Champagne and sparkling water, sometimes some hot tea... I may not have finished my Champagne when I get a wine for the course... I need space. So I NICELY asked for a non-miget table. We were placed right in front of the door to the kitchen. It already seemed like a snub. The terrible waiter we had was more concerned with two other tables he had, they were "people of town" and kept blowing us off, cut me off, did not answer questions and at one point asked if I knew what wine I wanted cause he need to take the list from me. (he gave it to the table he was spending all out time with) I felt like a 3rd class citizen. I am very embarrassed for them. The first course was okay, my husband was unimpressed. For our main course we both had TERRIBLE cuts of meat. It should have been put in spam... not on our plate. oh god it makes me sick thinking about it. I had so mush silver skin or sinew in the fish it was inedible. I commented to the waiter he took the plate and brought it back. They had just cooked it more. The plate looked just as it had left, just crusty now. Not even bothering to re-plate it, but cooking it more just made it more disgusting. $26 plate of bad news...so unprofessional. Then my husband had the poussin, it was terrible fatty and also felt like we were getting the portion one would not serve to anyone. I have had these great birds on other occasions and was wonderful. I am still shocked at how bad it was and that no one cared... well not until I asked for the bill so we could go have a real dinner. I tipped two bucks. I thought that was nice of me. The waiter had comments to make aloud infront of everyone. Wow! So we leave, deciding that was a bad joke and were will we go eat... as we are walking to the car a lady walks out and asks why we did not tip! ugh. I will never ever spend any money in this place, I don't care if Elvis is meeting me there. Too many other great joints in town to waste money here.
(1)Nirav S.
Downtown Greenville has a wide variety of restaurants, but honestly there was nothing that quite blows your mind away like AGR. Its my abolsute best. Locally sourcing all their, produce, meats, dairy, coffee etc, THE AGR experience is top notch from start to finish. The owners run the place themselves and Darlene pays the perfect host! Their seasonal menus are always changing and have something for everyone. Their desserts, cocktails and wine selection are superb. What I love about this place the most is their excellent food is backed up with the best service. Their staff is awesome and very passionate about the AGR food and menu. Keep it up guys
(5)Chris C.
The best food I've ever had in SC... If you go with a good attitude and open mind you will enjoy yourself in a great place with great people!
(5)Sam S.
Expensive but great food. Have been there twice now and was impressed on both occasions. The deserts are the best!
(4)Steven H.
A couple of friends and I ate at American Grocery last night. While I would like to give it five stars, the bartender keeps it at four stars (more on this in a bit). I do wish I could review the food and bar separately, as the food would definitely be five stars. On the food. EXCELLENT. The restaurant uses ingredients from local farms.....a true fresh farm to table experience. For my starter, I chose the pork belly. FABULOUS.....to die for! Get the pork belly if you go. For those that like pork belly, you know it requires a delicate hand to be cooked properly. This was perfect. After the pork belly, I had the goat cheese, beet and arugula salad. Again, excellent. Fresh and a wonderful palate cleanser prior to my main course. For my main course, I had the Porchetta.....again, fabulous. This chef knows how to do pork. On the service, the wait staff was extremely attentive. Clean silver ware continued to come out, water glass stayed full, perfect service. OK, about the bartender. As we arrived slightly before our reservation time, we decided to have a drink at the bar. The waiter was a young (as in mid 20's) bartender. I asked for a "Sidecar". Not a common drink, but good bartenders in better restaurants know this drink. This bartender had no idea what a sidecar was. I politely told her I could explain it.....when I told her it included brandy, she said they did not have brandy on the bar. So much for that. I changed and said, OK, let me go with a vodka gimlet. The vodka gimlet I received was very average. It was on the rocks (silly me, I didn't say straight up, but gimlets have always been served straight up like martini's in my experience). We proceeded to stick with cocktails through dinner, instead of wine. On my third gimlet, I received it and it was undrinkable....it was almost pure lime juice. I have my doubts about this bartender's abilities.
(4)Ron H.
Good food and great service..pricey....
(4)Vivian F.
Delicious food, great service, highly recommended
(5)baccad c.
Great menu and the food was very well prepared. But we sort of had the sense like maybe the chef cooks for children or fast food diners a lot, everything we had seemed just a bit too greasy, salty, or sweet for what you would normally experience given the creativity of the menu and otherwise fine dining experience. It wasn't just one dish, it was like someone with desensitized taste buds seasoned everything.
(3)M R.
We recently went here with another couple. I was excited to try such a different restaurant in Greenville. First, the ambiance is just OK. Unfortunately, they have chosen to place their kitchen doors right in the center of the rear wall which negatively affects four or five tables who have to look into the kitchen every time a waiter or waitress goes in or out. It was like a spotlight on the table every time the door opened. Our waiter was fine, a little arrogant for whatever reason and not very friendly. The food was very tasty and creative. The only problem the men had at the table is that it was only half the amount we needed to eat. I'm not an overweight person who requires a ton of food, but it simply wasn't enough. Finally, the prices are too high for the small amount of food we received. A grass fed hangar steak for $30 with part of a potato as a side is just too much. I will not return, but am glad we got to check it out.
(3)