Very nice, but very expensive. Took advantage of the 3 courses for $30 or my bill would have been double. 1/2 a bottle of wine split with our guests and our bill for a couple for dinner was $111. Well OK. Service was very good. Food tasty... had the organic Sunburst Trout and other tasty Southern regional fare. SaleebScore: Service: 9/10; Food: 8/10; Value 7/10; Ambiance was 8/10 (noise level was vibrant).
(4)
Keelan P.
Only THREE stars? I don't get it. Maybe it's because it's not appreciated in a city this size. But High Cotton SHOULD be appreciated more here. I grew up in Greenville back when it was the land of "Meat and Threes". If you're from here you know what I mean. But this is SO not that (although I still love those too). It's a great, modern restaurant with excellent food. HUGE portions. We were here for brunch on a Sunday and had a great experience. My daughter had the She crab soup and it was great. I had the Farmers Market Omelette and it was amazing. Cocktails were great too.
(5)
Mark W.
This isn't a complete review, I just stopped in for a happy hour beer. The place is upscale and more of a fine dinning kind if stop mostly dates, family dinners and a few work dinners but this place has a good view of the river below.
(4)
Kelly P.
Thank you, Upstate Foodie Fest, for the introduction. I really only came here because on the second to last day of the fest, I saw a brochure listing places, and I was just about to pass this one. So glad I stopped in. I sat at the bar, and had the chance to try a couple cocktails (a very interesting and delicious Berry Spicy Margarita, as well as my new favorite drink, The Greenville Cocktail . . . do this). I also got to try the she crab soup (awesome), the trout that came with a quinoa cake (amazing), and crème brulee (heavenly). And, all the staff was so friendly! (This must be a Southern thing, and I adore it!)
(5)
Tara G.
I'd eaten at High Cotton for dinner before and honestly didn't feel like it was anything special. Yes, it's a beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere and the service was good, but the food felt like anything else you could get at other restaurants downtown. But then I had brunch there on a Sunday afternoon, and now I'm hooked. A friend and I went just before 1 PM and there was no wait. They had a great jazz band playing, too! We ordered a Bloody Mary and a Mimosa; the Bloody Mary was good but I've had much better, both in Greenville and elsewhere. The Mimosa was delicious, though! For food we had the Brioche French Toast and the Duck Confit, both of which were delicious. The duck was different and tasty; the french toast perfectly cooked. The bacon was some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant, too! We even ordered dessert - the Dark Chocolate Terrine (very rich but amazing) and some coconut ice cream. I was just sad that they were out of the dessert of the day, which was a special ice cream sandwich. I may not be a huge fan of dinner at High Cotton, but I'll definitely be back for brunch!
(4)
Craig P.
We have come here for our last two anniversary dinners. Tonight we both had the tangled green salad and the pork chop. The salads were colorful and perfectly dressed. The pork chops were cooked to perfection with a sweet glaze over a bed of beans topped with a roasted okra. The flavors worked nicely together. The view and the service is always good here. Will be back for our next anniversary if not before.
(5)
Steve M.
Stopped in to have a drink and shared the cheese plate. Here is very nice and the wait staff was very friendly. She's played for cheeses from Georgia, which we have never had before. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Maria-Elena T.
I love this restaurant and have eaten here many times for dinner and once for Sunday brunch. This review is for dinner on a Monday night. Valet parking is a little tricky because it is around the corner. But it is complimentary and the guys are great. This evening I had the duck medium rare and it came with two sides. One was a farro that was chewy with beets. Absolutely delicious! The other was a creamy kale which was better than cream spinach. I ordered an additional side which was a special that night: Brown Sugar Baked Sea Island Red Peas. They were firm and not liquid-y like baked beans but reminded me of them. The duck was excellent but next time I would order it medium. The sides stole the show! For dessert I had the pecan pie with extra ice cream. Wow! Order this dessert! It is death row meal worthy. I will dream of this dessert! Love the high ceilings and atmosphere here. Also love that the bartender will transfer the drink bill to your dinner bill. And she did it graciously.
(5)
Molly O.
Amazing brunch spot! Probably one of the best brunches that I've ever had. It was perfect for brunch the day after our wedding. Food, drinks, and service was incredible!
(5)
Neal D.
I only experienced High Cotton for a private wedding reception, so I can't speak to the experience of a having a meal there. That said, the space and views are beautiful, the staff is excellent, and the food served at the reception was very good. Can't wait to go back for a full meal.
(5)
Barbara W.
We stopped into the bar here the other evening for a nightcap. We were tempted by the dessert menu, so we sampled a few to share. Yum. They were all good enough that our discussion turned to the topic of "with such good desserts, why have we never eaten here?". I think we came to the consensus that "it's always seemed like a place for business travelers and events, not for local folks on a night out". Well, we may have all shifted our opinion a bit and have added High Cotton to our list of places we need to come up with an excuse to have dinner soon.
(4)
Kel T.
We've lived in Greenville for almost three years but for whatever reason hadn't tried HC until now. I decided to make reservations for my husband's birthday. We were greeted and seated after a short wait at the bar where we were served by quick and friendly bartenders. I highly recommend the King Estate Pinot Gris. After being seated by the window with a great view of the Reedy River, we opened our menus and were pleasantly surprised to see a birthday wish for my hub printed at the top. Such a nice touch! I started with the baby lettuces salad, which was so crisp and fresh and quite large, and the birthday boy enjoyed the perfectly prepared oxtail appetizer. Although I'm not a grits lover I tried the shrimp and grits mostly out of curiosity, and I wasn't disappointed. The grits are yellow corn rather than white and were quite good. My husband had the tilefish, which is a mild white fish and served with a spicy rice with shrimp. Their special dessert that night was a rhubarb and strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, which was served with a lit candle. So nice. We were not rushed through our meal, and there was a nice wait in between the appetizer and our entrees which allowed us to enjoy our wine and the view, as well as each other. Carly was our server and did an excellent job. I love restaurants who love their customers and try to make them feel special. I'm glad someone realizes that this can sometimes be as important as the food! We will definitely dine here again.
(5)
Doug M.
A very nice way to grab dinner on my first night in town. I strolled the downtown, saw this place, did a quick Yelp check, and decided to give it a go. Good choice. It was only about 5:30, so the place wasn't crowded. I took a hightop seat in the bar area, but overlooking the river outside. Made for fun people watching. The bartender was very good with the service. He kept my (sparkling water) glass filled, cleared plates quickly, kept a check on me, and just made pleasant small talk during the stops. This place puts on an upper endish atmosphere, but it never felt stuffy. I usually like to get sparkling water with my meal, which they had. But it wasn't the usual San Pelligrino or Voss. Instead it was Saratoga. Just a little touch to set out. Another little touch was that the warm bread's butter came sprinkled with some type of salt, for a little extra flavor. I started with the soup of the day, which was Carolina she crab. It came with Sherry Crema and chives, but the best part was the large amount of crap in it. Very tasty. My main course was there maverick shrimp and grits. It was made with stone ground corn grits, country ham, andouille sausage, tomato scallion pan sauce, and shrimp of course. So this may be typical grits down here, but there's nothing like it in the Midwest. It was really excellent. Just a heavy flavor explosion, and all those meats and shrimp coming together. So maybe I just had it on a good night, maybe they're always like this, or maybe I'm just easy to please. Whatever it was, it was a great dinner for me.
(4)
Al C.
Out of town diners celebrating our 23rd anniversary. To say our experience was perfect is an understatement. Our server Morgan was amazing, our window seat was awesome and the food was superlative. I would gladly drive hours to dine here again
(5)
Adam B.
My 5 star rating is for the Easter Brunch. That is the only time I have been to this restaurant, but it was amazing. One of the best brunches of my life. Excellent waitress, live music, excellent food and bloodys. The restaurant was sunny and comfortable. Just a great experience. I highly suggest High Cotton's brunch and I plan on trying their dinner sometime.
(5)
David B.
I only go here in occasion, not because it is too expensive, but because in my opinion, there are equally good restaurants that are half the price. The trout and grouper are the highlights of the dinner menu. The deserts are worth the trip. Overall, High Cotton is a quality establishment with great ambiance, but if I'm being honest, it would not be considered one of the best in ATL or Charlotte, let alone larger cities.
(3)
Liz H.
High Cotton is one of those fancy Greenville restaurants that has decent food and an elegant atmosphere. We went here for brunch with some out of town relatives. I feel like there are certain restaurants in Gville that seem specifically designed to impress out-of-towners and High Cotton is one. It's swanky looking, which is good if your fam (or business dinner guests) are from a big city. It definitely has that fancy appeal as far as asthetics and food selection. But I'd say, for a local, you can do better going to some other less high profile places for a special occasion meal. That being said, we had great, very attentive serivce. There was a special pork belly dish that we all shared as a starter that was dynamite. The brunch menu was sort of your typical fancy brunch fare. Nice typical fancy cocktail menu. But it's a little forgettable to be honest. That being said, it's worth trying.
(4)
Nicole E.
Popped in for happy hour only to be left disappointed. The maverick Mohave seemed to be left high & dry on the fresh muddled basil...why even list it on the menu?! The southern mule was way way spicy & I love spice! If you want a drink that tastes like red chilli then this is the drink for you. The black bean hummus was fine.
(3)
Sara R.
This place was recommended by a colleague and I was very pleased. The ambiance was comfortable and the view was remarkable. The crab cakes were cooked to perfection and the steak melted in my mouth. Next time I come to town, I will make sure to visit again!
(5)
John D.
I always assumed that High Cotton was a retail clothing store every time I passed it while walking in downtown. When I found out it was a highly rated restaurant, however, I made reservations there for my parents' anniversary dinner this past weekend. We showed up earlier than our reservation time, but that wasn't a problem. They immediately escorted us to a well-appointed table with a beautiful waterfront view. I was very surprised that the menu had been printed and personalized just for my parents with a "Happy Anniversary" greeting. The service was exceptional, and the food was absolutely outstanding. Our waiter was very familiar with all of our dishes, and he did an excellent job with explaining them to us. He was quite the salesman with his descriptions of each dish. Every dish we had was beautiful, creative, and delicious. We all started out with the french onion soup of the day, and it was very good. The bread served at the beginning was good as well. My parents both had the trout, which they raved about, and I had the vegetable lasagna, which was superb. Every particle of it was scrumptious. I also had the southern mule to drink, similar to a moscow mule, and it was nice and strong. My parents received glasses of champagne on the house. We had the dark chocolate terrine with coconut ice cream for dessert, and this was the perfect way to conclude a perfect dinner. They even sent us home with a wrapped copy of the personalized menu. We will definitely be back! Highly recommended to all! Can't wait to check out their Sunday brunch...
(5)
Darrel M.
As a business traveler who frequently eats in good restuarants this one leaves a lot to be desired considering the other options you have in the area. Service - The server was not overly friendly and failed to get my order correct even after sending back my meal once for the chef to prepare it the way in which I ordered it. Each server had an arrogant attitude in spite of their being 24 of us who was paying top dollar to be in their establishment. Food: Crab soup was decent, ceasar salad was so so and the NY strip was nothing special. I ordered it well and it came out rare the first time. I sent it back and requested well done, the second time it came out medium well with the center still very pink/red. Dessert - Cheesecake was definately not worth paying for. There are certainly better options in Greenville SC.
(2)
Danno H.
We went there before going to The Lion King. And sat outside by the river. It was a lovely evening with perfect temps for outdoor dining. The waiter was friendly and efficient. We ordered off the special "Lion King" menu. I started with the mill Grits which were excellent. Very flavorful. My wife's salad was OK. We both ordered the grouper and, to be candidly honest, it was one of the worst seafood experiences ever. It was well served (visually) but was tasteless, overcooked and rubbery as a result. So, two courses off the 'special' menu, one beer for me and a glass of wine for her, no desserts, and, with 20% tip, was almost a hundred bucks. I've paid more for dinner but for a lot less, I've had fabulous grouper elsewhere. So, if you go, be forewarned about this particular selection.
(2)
Robert M.
Not as good as the one in charleston. However for greenville it is excellent. Cool river view. Steak was excellent. Cheese tray was kind of boring. Salad was bitter and not very good. Good Beer and wine selection.
High Cotton...Low Cotton. Highs and lows: Highs: service;scenery; spotless; lovely decor;fresh ingredients; yummy pecan dessert and ice cream. Lows: grits, the "highlight", were...off. Bland yet salty and cheesy; water not refilled; salad dressing uninspired; flavors never had me go "yummmmm." ; expensive. I could return for all the highs, and just eat the sure things and drink from the inspired wine menu!
(3)
Lauren A.
Should probably have read the reviews prior to dining here! After being kept waiting over 15 minutes, WITH A RESERVATION, we were finally seated! Our server, Amanda (I believe?) was lovely and couldn't have been more helpful! She was attentive and we were delighted with her service! While the food was quite good, it was ridiculously overpriced! We are from the NY area, so we certainly know high-priced food! This is NOT New York! And the prices should NOT be of the New York ilk. In addition, a young man, Chet (not sure if he was the manager or the kitchen supervisor) couldn't have been ruder or more arrogant! We were shocked, at this type of fine-dining establishment, that someone in a supervisory position would behave in such a deplorable manner! The owners of High Cotton ought to rethink their employment choices and consider sending this young man to etiquette classes. So many other great restaurants in Greenville...don't see any reason to return here!
(2)
Claire M.
This is more of a grudging 3.5-star review...since there were some really great upsides that almost outweighed the negatives. I went here on a Monday night with two attorney colleagues and felt great energy right when we got inside -- mellow live jazz in the bar and lots of tables filled despite the brrrrr-a-licious sub-30 weather. The hostess told us she'd seat us "right when [she] got back from seating another group." Fine, no problem; the music is great. Five minutes go by...then 10...and no hostess to be seen. A couple of other people ask if we've been helped and we explain the situation, and they sort of shrugged and let us continue standing there. Finally we just opted to sit at the bar, where a friendly, attentive and heavy-pouring bartender (ahhh...perfection...) provided us pretty great service. I had the shrimp-stuffed trout ($24) with a terrific corn emulsion rice, one colleague had the Monday crab-filled flounder special ($21), and the other had the tuna tartare and a pear salad. All in all, the food was pretty good, but not blow-me-away great, especially for somewhat stiff prices and stingy portions. Big props though for Swanson merlot by the glass -- anything Swanson makes me a happy diner. Nice to see an Albarino and a Viognier blend as well among the whites, rather than the typical boring array of Chards with a token Sauv Blanc.
(3)
Richard R.
Hot diggity dog! They have a High Cotton in Greenville. I didn't get a chance to visit them in Charleston, so I was super thrilled to find them here in downtown Greenville. They are located right on the Reedy River along the city walk in one of the prettiest downtown areas I've ever seen. The building it's housed in has great architecture and High Cotton's interior space will not disappoint. We'd just got back from touring Asheville and some local waterfalls most of the day and were not in proper dress attire. So I went inside to ask if I could get a to-go order of Shrimp N Grits while the family played outside with other kids near the river. The Hostess and Manager were so nice and told me my windbreaker pants, sleeveless top and white sneakers were perfectly acceptable and invited me to sit down, but I wouldn't have felt comfortable. This was an evening crowd of classy people in classy clothing in a very classy place with amazing live jazz musician playing beautifully. I would have looked like a throbbing wart on a sore thumb, but I truly appreciated the warm welcome by the staff. The chef agreed to make me a half order of the Shrimp N Grits as a sampler and I was very pleased. They weren't my favorite, but definitely in my top three. The Andouille Sausage was delicious and the shrimp were large and fresh. The gravy was more of a thick broth, but smooth and very satisfying. My order came in two containers, one for the shrimp & gravy, the other for just the grits. I decided to sample the grits before combining the two and found them to be bland. However, after combining it with the shrimp the balance of taste was restored. I can only imagine how great this dish would be if the grits were also incredible even without the shrimp & gravy. FAST FORWARD ONE DAY We returned the following morning for brunch since it was our last day in Greenville. I need to accept a simple fact. I'm just not High Cotton material, at least not when it comes to breakfast. I love the look and feel of this place and the staff goes out of their way to please you, but I've had much better breakfast for far less money elsewhere. I want to be classy and clean up well in public, maybe rub elbows with the fancy pants of the town like Leonardo in Titanic. But really, no matter how nice the decor or classy the people dining there, I just want great food! * My Huevos Rancheros were good, but not something I would ever order here again. * My mom's steak was very good, but the potatoes were only ok and the egg was not properly cooked over easy (according to mom). The yolk was like jelly and not runny. * The fried oyster appetizer looked amazing, but tasted average. Also, I've never had a oyster so chewy that I had to spit it out because I couldn't break down the meat, but several of the oysters on my plate were that chewy. * My youngest ordered fried shrimp w/ fries, but these shrimp had no breading and looked grilled. Taste was better than most other items we sampled, but the fries were nothing special. THE VERDICT I wish I'd stopped at the Shrimp N Grits the first night. I'm sure this is a matter of ordering the right meal and although I'm a little reluctant, I will give them another try on my next visit to Greenville.
(3)
Traci B.
Delightful meal. I almost passed up this restaurant based on some other reviews but glad I decided to try it. The fried green tomatoes included pimento cheese and sweet pickles - both of which I absolutely avoid. This combination/preparation was a pleasant surprise. The eggplant and sweet potato lasagna was full of flavor and was filling without being overly heavy or laden with cheese and sauce. The flavors stood on their own. My service was very good- maybe not high end formal dinning good. But all in all they were attentive, responsive and really knew the menu.
(4)
Opie J.
Brunch VERY good. I would rate the other meals hear a 4-star minimum, but have to give the Brunch a 5 Star. Food and Service excellent. Fried oyster app the best I can recall...anywhere. The Huevos Ranchero was very very good (definitely on the meaty side with the chorizo and the sausage. The Bacon as a side is very good. The Grits however left us speechless...delicious and I don't typically even like Grits..must try. Also, the lump crab cake benedict was real crab and delicious..ask for extra hollandaise (they kind of skimped I thought). The omelet was fresh and healthy. The iced tea has a hint of mint - also a must have. Oh, did I mention the grilled salmon salad...again great. Terrell the waiter was super. Also not pricey for a meal of that quality. Drinks and everything for around $15 each. Enjoy.
(5)
Josh N.
This place was incredible.. They have valet parking.. You are sitting overlooking reedy river and Main Street bridge.. We were seated right away without a reservation.. The dinner menu was quite impressive.. The pork fat empanadas were to die for!!! The trout was awesome says my wife and the venison made me speechless. Nothing better than beautiful food placed on a plate only to be backed up forwards and backwards by taste...
(5)
DeAnne M.
High Cotton has a great casual atmosphere at the bar. The happy hour has an extensive cocktail, beer, and wine selections at reasonable prices. I had my fav, the High Cotton burger with fries. The house vodka is tasty with tonic and a twist of lime. This is a great place to stop after work for a refreshing adult beverage.
(5)
Thomas S.
High Cotton Greenville is a place I've been wanting dine at for a while, and they delivered in a good way. Located in one of the relatively new developments, the location next to the Reedy River makes it a great spot for Sunday brunch (provided you get a table overlooking the river). Food first: The Duck Hash was ordered by 3 out of 4 people at our table, and I was impressed not only in the uniqueness of the dish but the taste as well. I would give it 3.5/5 as it was good but did not flip the proverbial skirt up. My favorite was the Crab soup that was overwhelmingly filling but very good at the same time. Next to the soup, I truly enjoyed the Shrmp & Grits that was ordered by another companion, of which I cleaned up afterwards. While the service was a bit slow at the table it was very good prior to our seating, at the bar. We had a couple bloody marys that were great, however so thick we could only drink one. Their small but quality selection of beers helped tide me over throughout the meal. The meal itself was decently priced with the Duck Hash coming in at only $12. It's a great location and the parking is free for 2 hours. I highly recommend taking a walk through the west end afterwards, maybe picking up some Gelato and walking off that crab soup.
(4)
Cary A.
This place is hit or miss and I haven't determined why. I think the quality of service is descent yet sub-par for fine dining price points, although every server is different there. I would like to see more server education since a major part of the dining experience is knowledge of wait staff. The entrees have ranged from wonderful to "truncation required." I enjoy the location and the ambiance is definitely its strongest attribute. I think the location causes me to "expect more" from the establishment. With prime real estate in the heart of the city, and views that are wonderful, i just expect the rest of my dining experience to follow suit, food, service, etc... I will eat here again as I feel I haven't exhausted the experience, but knowing what to expect helps mitigate raised expectations.
(3)
Jackie F.
A group of seven of us drove down from Charlotte, NC for the Artisphere festival on Mother's Day weekend. We had brunch at High Cotton. The restaurant has three levels and had a trio playing / singing. It's right in downtown Greenville. The food was delicious. They give you a basket of cornbread which was very good. I had shrimp (and andouille sausage) and grits. The grits were stone ground and very creamy. It was excellent. The wait staff was mediocre. Nothing impressive. They weren't bad, just nothing to make you give them a larger tip.
(4)
Denise P.
Lousy, lousy service. Food only adequate. Waited 45 minutes for a table and, yes, we had reservations. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(1)
Allison F.
Are cheese grits supposed to be cold? I don't think so. Actually, everything on my plate at brunch yesterday was lukewarm. The flavors were delicious, but I wish they had brought my meal out right away instead of leaving it sitting on the counter for however long after it was prepared. What a way to insult Eggs Benedict. I hate it when that happens. And they seemed to have plenty of help. Aargh!
(3)
Robin D.
I've been to High Cotton twice, both times for Sunday brunch and enjoyed it. They have a "Waffle of the Day" at brunch and the descriptions have sounded so good I haven't been able to order anything else! Our servers have been very attentive and the food is good, but I had to take off one star because the prices are a little high. I wasn't paying either time I've been there, so I think that helped me enjoy the experience more than if I had been paying! It is a great location!
(4)
Chuck J.
Thought it was overpriced, the food was just ok. The views are the best part.
Decent food, good service. Went to this restaurant twice and both time the service was good. Food was good as well, but nothing exceptional. The location and ambience are wonderful! Worth trying at least once.
(3)
Sam S.
I don't eat at this level of restaurant often but I have eaten better food then this often, in Greenville and elsewhere. Not terrible I would just go to other places before this place again.
(2)
Megan T.
I give High Cotton a 3 star review because the people were friendly and the resturant was nice. The free valet parking had a huge play in it too. It's ONLY 3 stars because I made a reservation 2 days in advance for a window seat. It was supposed to be a romantic night between my loved one and I. We got there and had to wait a bit to be seated. We were seated right in between a lot of people, and NOT in a window seat. I was touching elbows with strangers, and it was loud so my loved one and I couldn't talk. It was pretty akward because we couldn't talk. Our waiter was in training, so the following was not his fault. We waited 30 minutes for our order to be taken. His trainer said they would be right back with bread (all of the tables around us got bread); it's the next day and I'm still waiting on that bread. It took an hour to get our entres. The food: I got the buttermilk fried oysters for a starter. The batter/breading was good and crunchy but they were wayyyy over salted and cooked too long. For my entre I got the maverick shrimp and grits. The shrimp, beef and sausage were all good. The grits, not so much. They tasted sour. He got the clams for a starter and thought they were great. He got the local rabbit for his entre and enjoyed it, but thought it was missing something. For dessert I got the peach cobbler. The taste was really good, but it was a tad bit burned. Overall: I like this place. I really do. But it was not the "magical" night I had hoped for. Instead it was expensive food that I didn't care for (overall) and an akward silence between me and the S.O. because of the seating. I believe high cotton could definitely do better, but for now I think I'll stick with other resturants that are a bit cheaper and have that "magical", warm fairytale experience. Update: I downgraded it to one star because not even one person has apologized for our experience. This is disappointing from an establishment as nice as this one. I will not be returning to this location.
(1)
Cris K.
Sexy, Smooth, and Adorable - the food, the atmosphere, the wine. it was all so good we passed on dessert. Enjoy the choices of meat and cheese appetizer. You will find it delicious.
(5)
Kristi L.
never been for dinner- BUT their pri fix 10 dollar lunch is the best deal in town! you get a small salad, half a sandwich, cup of soup AND creme brulee FOR 10 bucks! the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing, which is so nice during the middle of a hectic day. and it's a beautiful view over the river. i tell all my friends about this great deal!
(5)
Andrea B.
Good food and good service. We've been there for happy hour when its been packed and got the same great service as when we were there during a time where there was hardly anyone there. The food was good, not excellent but still a nice place to visit when downtown. The view doesn't hurt wither.
(4)
Julie C.
This is definitely my favorite restaurant in Greenville. The food and service is extremely consistent. High Cotton is a great place for a date night or a business meeting. Try sitting at the bar during happy hour and ordering a hamburger and a discounted mixed drink!
(5)
Lucy W.
Great Moscow mules at the bar, and beautiful huge windows overlooking the river. I stopped by after trying to get dinner at the Lazy Goat, which was having an event. Food was just ok...the she crab soup was a bit bland and full of shell bits so I really couldn't eat it. The dessert was fabulous though- I had a decadent chocolate terrine with marshmallow sauce. The crowd was kind of dressy, like this was the one night on the town for couples while there's a babysitter at home. Bar was a nice place to grab a meal...good people watching.
(3)
Sylvia Y.
my girlfriends and i went to high cotton for dinner after a show at the bilo center. we didn't have reservations, but we got ourselves drinks at the bar and waited maybe 10 minutes or so, and got seated downstairs. the view was nice, though we were not right by the windows overlooking the reedy river. our server was attentive, and very nice. i ordered a steak, my friends ordered fish, pork, and chicken. ALL of our food was really great. Their sides were really good too. I had the grilled asparagus with my steak. A perfect combo. To me, the restaurant felt like it caters to the older folks (no offense), the whole jacket required ambiance made us 20-30 somethings feel little out of place with our jeans and tops. Maybe next time, we'll check this place out with different attires.
(4)
J R.
Knowledgeable waitress made great suggestions. Kitchen was accommodating of a substitution we requested. Food was superb!
(5)
Bradley S.
Doesn't really live up to the hype. Portions are very meager. Food is good, but there are a lot better options in Greenville, most of which are much more reasonably priced.
(2)
Sheridan P.
overall, i've had mixed experiences here. the first time, we were seated and were left waiting for about 5 minutes. the server arrives and informs us that she is still in training, but they're too busy to provide us another server. there were no people seated on either side of us. all courses mediocre and poor service. the next time, we decided to make early reservations (to avoid another situation like the one outlined above). we discovered that they still had happy hour going--which translates to $10 burgers and fries. it was A LOT of food. service was awesome too. the carpaccio was great--very fresh and simple. overall: pretty good wine list. okay beer selection. i agree with the sentiment that you probably have to okay a couple of times to get a real idea of the place.
(2)
Keith W.
Had dinner there with a group Wednesday evening. I would not recommend the lobster bisque. It was more like lobster broth. I had the filet and crab cake entree. The crab cake was great, but the filet was more like a medallion. I was able to cut into 4 small bites. I don't think I'll be a repeat customer.
(1)
Robert J.
High Cotton is a must visit in Greenville. The location on near Reedy River Falls and Falls Park next to the Peace Center is perfect. Hostess and wait staff are cordial, attentive and friendly. The Sunday Brunch was delightful. We were seated next to cast members from Wicked and enjoyed a wonderful Valentines Day. Be sure to have a signature Bloody Mary. You cannot miss with the Eggs Benedict. Highly recommended.
I was in SC on business, and went to dinner in Greenville. First, I was very impressed with Greenville. It is a very beautiful city with a vibrant downtown and lots of places to eat and drink. We went to High Cotton by accident - we found a parking place and went there because it looked nice. Boy am I glad we happened to pick High Cotton. I absolutely loved the food. It was fresh and tasty with connections to local producers. Trying to be healthy, I ordered the Springer Mountain Chicken Breast, expecting to get a typical boring yet healthy meal. I was completely wrong as the chicken and sides were absolutely delicious. My friend ordered the Trout and it was even more delicious than the chicken. The food was so good I called my wife and told her I had found a restaurant that I had to bring her to sometime. Service was friendly, and the view of the river beautiful. All in all a very great experience.
(4)
M. Y.
Great for date night, girls night out, or reception... Great location, excellent service, amazing wine list. Went with friends last weekend and had an amazing server who made great suggestions for pairing wine with certain dishes. Was quite accommodating as well, given the food allergies in our party One of the ladies in my group raved about the shrimp and grits Definitely will return next time I'm in Downtown Greenville.
(5)
William W.
I was in town for the small plate crawl and this place really was busy. I hope to get back soon and see what else they do. I really like the bar scene.
(5)
David M.
Lovely meal. Service was delightful. Betty and Apple salad great, mushroom bisque a little touch but ate it all. Sweet potato, eggplant "lasagna" super great, chicken awesome, dessert terrine absolutely perfect. Would eat here again and again.
(4)
Jeff B.
This is probably the best lunch dish in Greenville County. Brussels sprouts with blue crab. Have it with a nice glass of wine
(5)
Dana R.
Our server Cameron was awesome! I had the pork chop. It was ok...a little too thick for my liking. The sugar peas was ok but I made them more enjoyable by combining the grits to cut some of the sweetness. I had peach cobbler for desert but didn't like that they left the skin on the peaches and the cobbler was too much like a spice cake. I plan on returning to try other menus items.
(4)
Collin W.
This is overall an excellent restaurant. They gladly accepted a reservation last minute, and when we arrived, we were immediately seated. The service was very good. The server explained the menu to is and made several recommendations. She clearly enjoyed her job. For the appetizer, I had the mushroom soup, and I had roast duck for the entree. The roast duck is definitely what I recommend. It was delicious. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that I believe they are just a little overpriced overall.
(4)
D'Arcy L.
Had a wonderful group dinner here with work colleagues. High cotton exudes Greenville elegance and sophistication! The views from the restaurant on a nice summer evening speak tranquility, class and make for an excellent dining experience. Alas we were in October so the days are shorter! On this fine evening I had the she crab soup (very sherry spiked) and then the Scottish salmon which came with some asparagus and on a bed of mash potatoes! Salmon was cooked just to my liking just before medium! The dinner talk we had made for a wonderful evening! Thanks HC!
(4)
Tierra H.
I was bringing my boyfriend "home" with me to Greenville for the first time ever. We do brunch all the time in DC and have been to some amazing places. It was very important for me to find something at least equally amazing in Greenville. My mind immediately went to my old stand-by, High Cotton. When I lived in Greenville, I had been here for many brunches and they never disappointed me. We had reservations for 12:30. The hostess took us to our table promptly. You'll want to make reservations here, as the couple who came in before us was having to wait 25-30 minutes. The dining room is gorgeous. Very well decorated, with stunning views of Fall's Park and other things I love about Greenville. We were taken to the downstairs dining room, which offers great views and people-watching as well. I love that there is a piano-player playing during the meal. It was light, happy music and wasn't overbearing or obnoxious. Immediately, we were given cornbread in a basket. It was really tasty, as was the sweet cream butter that went with it. We opted for sweet tea and french toast (both of us) and I had grits in addition to my meal. These truly are the best grits I have ever had! I think restaurants typically get a little pretentious in their grit-making sometimes. They use lots of cream and the grits have this sweetness to them that annoys me. But High Cotton got it right. Creamy grits without being too creamy and not sweet. The french toast was out of this world! It was topped with fruit. Also, the bacon that we had with the meal was super-good. Just an all-around good meal! The service was excellent. Beautiful southern charm. We never wanted for anything, as our server anticipated everything. It's rare to see service THAT good. One thing you'll notice is that you can be dressed up or dressed down -- you'll feel comfortable here. We were dressy-casual. I saw people in the requisite seersucker as well as jeans and a nice shirt. Thank you, High Cotton, for showing an out-of-town guest what a real southern brunch looked like. I couldn't have been happier with everything and the next time we are in Greenville, we'll be putting in a reservation for brunch!
(5)
Gina B.
Went for a post-Christmas brunch while home with my family. Great location; yummy brunch with a view of snowy downtown G-vegas and the Reedy River. Our meal started with a basket of cornbread - moist and quite good. I had the Huevos Rancheros. Eggs cooked perfectly and served with a spicy mixture of black beans, chorizo, and beef. Excellent but the highlight was the side of cheese grits - creamy and buttery and awesome. So good they won over my Yankee parents who have always been anti-grits. Definitely choose them over the ho hum potatoes.
(4)
Harvey W.
I attended a dinner, which was a surprise birthday party for a friend. We all reviewed the menu online to have an idea of what we wanted to order when we got there. The waiter passed around menus, but the menu was different than the online version. It had no prices and some of the side dishes were different. We were then told that the dinner price for each person was $50, not including drinks. It was still $50 even if you just ordered an appetizer. SURPRISE! We were never told about this special menul. Being we were there to celebrate a birthday, we ordered from that special menu and paid that special price. The food was okay, but definitely over priced. Would I eat there again? Probably not.
(2)
Heather M.
Seven of us went to High Cotton before a Broadway show at the Peace Center. The view was amazing, and the server took excellent care of us. He knew we were on a time crunch and was very attentive. The food and wine was delicious. Diners at our table ordered chicken, fish, steak and the pork chop. Everyone gave rave reviews of their meal. I made a substitution on my order, and they were very accommodating. The bread and butter they served was delicious too! Picture perfect dining experience!
(5)
Kim Z.
Came here on Saturday (4/13/13) for lunch. All the food was amazingly fresh! I was also surprised at how inexpensive their lunch menu was. We were a table of 7 and the bill just barely touched $100! The lunch portions were absolutely perfect, filling but you didn't feel sluggish afterward. The restaurant is stunning and the views are fantastic. All of the staff was exceedingly friendly and I was also shocked that the restaurant wasn't that full! Plenty of open tables! I had the salad with chicken/blue cheese (can't remember the name) which was great. I also had a wonderful piece of pecan pie! Not overly sweet, it was so delicious! Presentation was also beautiful on every plate brought to our table. The corn bread is sweet and warm when served. Perfect. I noticed also that there was a bridal or baby shower going on upstairs in a space. What a great place to host an event like that!
(5)
Christopher J.
I've dined at High Cotton in Charleston and it was fabulous - like a photocopy, the Greenville version didn't quite live up to the original. My son and I went for seafood, but the limited selection didn't appeal to either of us - so we had steaks instead. We started with the fried green tomatoes which were OK, but not great. My filet was cooked perfectly and the blue cheese gratin added a terrific flavor. I was very happy with my selection of the filet over perfectly cooked asparagus. My son had the New York Strip and his steak wasn't quite as good. He said it had great flavor, but had too much gristle. The service was very good, with a slight miss when I had to remind my waitress to bring the glass of wine that I had asked be brought out with my dinner.
(4)
Bernie B.
Bar tenders are exceptional every time I've visited. So much so that's it's worth eating at the bar. Shrimp and grits are outstanding as are most entrees. Apps have fallen off. The reason you didn't get 4 stars is because you served tuna on watermelon. Ridiculous and small small proration. Also, for what you get at your level of dining is a touch too expensive.
(3)
Brittany P.
Nice fine dining experience. The staff is so friendly and if you tell them what you're celebrating they go out of their way to celebrate with you. Went here for our anniversary and they gave us a complimentary toast, and the whole staff signed a congratulations card for us. The chicken was incredible. And the bartenders really know how to mix drinks.
I cannot complain about High Cotton. I will say though, I've only ever eaten there for lunch. They have daily specials for around $10 and they have always been exquisite. This is my favorite fine dining in Greenville. The cornbread that comes with the meal is always accompanied by brown-sugar butter which is a nice touch. The duck confit was excellent, served with a chutney and over their signature grits if I remember correctly. Quite excellent. I would also recommend the BLT or the She-Crab soup any (and every) day of the week. Bottom line: Fabulous food that is only eclipsed by the great service. The lunch prices are spot on for this level of quality but I've heard that the evening meal is likely above my price range as a poor college student.
(5)
Valerie M.
Pros: Wonderful atmosphere. Love the downtown location. Nice view. Fried okra was tasty Cons: Took 10 minutes to get drink orders. Server offered particular wines, and then came back 5-10 minutes later and said they were out Ordered 2 appetizers, 1 came out and then received salads. Had to remind the server about the 2nd appetizer "Crab cakes" appetizer is A crab cake- that's right, 1 small crab cake for $6 Shrimp and grits left something to be desired- they add lots of extras that are not necessary- like peas. Desert- pound cake- was extra dry Service is slow and inattentive Out of ranch dressing (what?!?) because "they ran out during lunch" High priced for the service and quality of food. Food in general is average. Maybe it was just an off night for them.
Had the lunch box special - BLT, soup, salad, and creme brulee. What a deal! Also had the mule cocktail and Greenville cocktail. They do a great job with the drinks. It is also on the river with lots of windows. Great spot to drink with friends!
(4)
Katherine G.
I found this restaurant on yelp becuase I was looking for a good setting on the river in the downtown Greenville area. It sits right nextdoor from the Hampton Inn downtown and you can't go wrong. The atmosphere was so pleasent and the menu is a nice twist on your typical American food. I had shrimp and gritz with a small salad. It was not expensive for lunch and the portions were a good size. Service was excellent! After lunch take a strole along the river path to explore the wonderful area:-)
(4)
Tara F.
It was just okay. I had the sea bass with succotash. I guess that night I wanted a little more substance. It was a little lacking for me. Maybe I will go back and try something different.
(3)
Eve K.
Go for their excellent Sunday brunch: great food, music, and prices. 4.5 stars Cost to worth it rating: 4.5 (with 2 mimosas each and an entree total was a very reasonable $35) Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - $3 mimosas: and great ones at that - Live jazz music: not akin to New Orleans party style but mellow and pleasant none-the-less - Special local pork omelet: with caramelized onions and pesto and one of the fluffiest omelets ever - Fried pork: another special which was like country fried steak but with pork. Perfectly salted savory gravy and crisp breading. - Cornbread: basket of sweet, moist muffins like I like em - Decor: from the lively painting of the bridge to the fancy lights and high ceilings to the I love Greenville license plate by the kitchen, it made for a classy yet casual environment Lowlights: - Potato hash: feel like this was misnamed, as they were really oily roasted potatoes - Upstairs, downstairs: makes it hard on the wait staff to have to go up and down the stairs to retrieve drinks (and causes a bit of a wait on our end) One of the best meals we had on our Greenville weekend this visit, so we'll be back.
(4)
Alex L.
Good food, but had a poor service experience. Waiter was blatantly upset that we did not order drinks aside from water or desserts. He was quite offensive. Contacted manager after and he was apathetic, didn't seem to care about his offensive wait staff. Will not return.
(1)
Austin G.
On my road trip along the southeast, I decided to stop in downtown Greenville, SC. Beautiful sites and friendly people. I saw High Cotton and was greeted by 3 positive people. The design, colors, layout of the whole restaurant is amazing. The cornbread to start your meal with is amazing with their sweet butter. I decided to try a caesar salad to start with and it was pretty good, I've had better. The crab cake was delicious though. A little spiciness to it and sweet ness of the tangerines perfectly laid out on the plate. Service was amazing! Friendly, proper, approached the table at the right times not seeming like they were over doing it! A little pricey but that's ok.
(4)
Thom B.
My son and I wandered in late on a Friday night. I was really surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed. The food was great. I had the shrimp and grits, and can honestly say that they were the best grits I've experienced. My son had the duck, which was also very good. I found the service very responsive but unobtrusive, just as I would expect at this price range. The atmosphere was very nice as well. The best part may have been the excellent jazz trio playing near the bar. Overall, the meal and experience were excellent and I hope to return when I'm back in town.
(5)
Billal B.
It's as good as it gets. I went there with a work group thinking the food would be ordinary, but little did I know how good their food was. We ordered 2 appetizers, shrimp and salmon, but they weren't that amazing in my opinion. For my entree, I ordered the Crab Cakes, and they were phenomenal. Smooth and flavorful! The entree was beyond delicious. I'm not a big crab cake kid of person, but I could definitely go their again for the platter. Once I thought the food could not get any better, it did. My final order was the Creme Brulee and it was luscious. The food literary blew me away and our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu. I highly recommend this place to anyone!
(5)
Joe P.
Went to High Cotton on August 25th 2013....we had reservations but arrived about 20 minutes early and were promptly seated at the bar until we could be seated at our table. The bartender was very accommodating and informed us of the drink specials going on so we ordered two glasses of red wine ($4 x 2)....and he gave us Very generous pours almost filling the glasses. We were seated within 10 minutes of getting our wine and our waiter promptly introduced himself and smartly goes over the menu and nightly specials. We already had appetizers at another restaurant earlier in the day so we went directly to our main courses. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits ($25) and my wife ordered the Pan Sheared Trout with Succotash ($23)...but the Succotash is made with bacon in it (she's a vegetarian) so she had it substituted with grits. After our orders were taken our waiter arrives within a few minutes with some freshly cut and warm crusty bread and butter...and he also confirms that the Chef had no problems substituting the grits for the Succotash. Our food arrives within 10 minutes or so....my Shrimp & Grits were very tasty and nice and hot. The grits were creamy and the shrimp were cooked perfectly tender. There were big pieces of what appeared to be roasted or grilled cherry tomatoes in the broth/sauce covering the dish and though the Shrimp & Grits were a little different than what I had ate in the past (I'm used to a thicker gravy type sauce) they were very good and I left nothing. My wife's Trout was again expertly cooked with caramelizing/browning on the edges and tender in the middle. It was plated on top of the grits and that perhaps was why my wife thought it was a tad salty but it was her decision to forgo the Succotash. During dinner I noticed another customer with an exotic pale blue drink....it was called a "Huck Finn" ($9) and I found this recipe on line charlestonmag.com/charle… but it is a different color because our Bartender I think put a squirt or two of Blueberry syrup in it changing the color of the drink....all I can say is that if you order this drink you will not be disappointed...it was very refreshing and I was smiling the rest of the evening!! We also shared a slice of the Pecan Pie with a small scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream ($7)....and honesty it was good but really nothing special. All in all...I don't know how anyone could not enjoy an evening at High Cotton....the food was really good, drinks were good and generous and the view and restaurant setting right off the river is just beautiful.
(4)
J J.
I thought the food was good. It's got a great location beside the river, and good, knowledgable service. The dinner I had wasn't great by no means, and for the price, you expect that, but still a solid place.
(3)
Leilane V.
I loved the open-ness to the village and main street and the river. The food was fabulous and the service and wine list extraordinary. Definitely will become a regular.
(5)
Hardy E.
I gave them one star because it does have great views of downtown. Service: is slow Food: It isn't worth the price. (Am I paying for food or their rent?) Food presentation: Very weak
(1)
J H.
Great service, apps and wine!
(4)
Barry P.
Went there last weekend at the end of restaurant week. Great food, good service, wonderful ambiance even at 30F in Greenville The had a special 3 for 30 special for restaurant week. We met some online friends there and had a great time! I had an ahi tuna tartare like app with soy reduction. Ordered local chicken breast with roast mushrooms. They substituted duck (with my permission) when told they sold out. All wonderful. Finished with one of the best key lime pies I ever had. Server was a bit stressed but service ok! Loved the experience as an out of towner; this was my second time there. Sat outside by the river with their famous cheesbugrer last summer. A great spot; on to find other 4 star ones when I move soon!
(4)
Ryan R.
Delicious food, very upscale atmosphere. I stopped by for lunch on a Saturday and was stunned at how few people were there. This place is popping on weekend nights so make a reservation. They have an awesome view of the river and Main St so give it a try!
(4)
Ray V.
The food and service was superb, nice location, the prices a little high but we really enjoyed out meal. P.S. save room for desert
(5)
Marcie A.
We went here for a Valentine's day meal the weekend before the big day and we really enjoyed ourselves! Three atmosphere was warm and inviting with a jazz singer in the bar area. The waiter was patient with us indecisive folk, providing suggestions to help us along. He was also able to suggest two wines for us that paired perfectly with our meals. The three-course Valentine's special menu looked like a steal, but we opted for the regular menu entrees. Between the two of us, the blackened trout and seasonal southern veggies both rated pretty high on the tastiness scale. The roasted pear salad to start is also highly recommended. One word of caution to those not familiar with southern cuisine: if you are expecting it vegetarian, make sure you explicitly ask if it has meat in it. All of those unsuspecting veggie sides are traditionally made with meat, but fail to list it. It only takes one bite of ham hock to realize the error in your trusting ways... Overall, we would definitely go back if we are in Greenville again. Though, admittedly I'll request to do happy hour in the bar area, sipping on those enticing cocktails while soaking in the sound of their live musicians.
(4)
Wayne W.
Decent place with a good wine selection and decent food. Pork chops were a bit overrated, several steaks were over cooked, service was terrible. Our server disappeared for extended periods of time leaving the table dry several times. I won't be back.
(3)
Nicole P.
I was very pleased with our first visit here, and will be back... I had a lobster minestrone, and the stock used for it was great and lots of lobster chunks... yum. The service though is what really made us happy! a good wine by the glass list and an interesting menu. They way over sauced my carpaccio which was a bummer... :( The steak was great and the sauces well executed! but I would like to come back and enjoy the desserts one night... It seems to take a few rounds to really feel it out. The veiws of the restaurant and the nightly jazz make it a good things for me!
(4)
Solomon W.
High Cotton is definitely Hoity Toity, so do not expect to fit in wearing shorts and a polo. The restaurant will give you great service, but the people around you may give you looks... I like the decor a lot, but it is definitely a fancy occasion. Sadly, the menu was actually more New American than I would have liked. I was expecting fancy biscuits and gravy (which I like a whole lot), chicken and waffles, and other Southern grub. The menu was somewhat fancy. I do like the emphasis on buying local from small-town farmers. The prices are not off the charts, so that was nice. I left stuffed like a turkey for under a Jackson. I had to try their Charleston Crab Soup (she crab), and their local berry French toast sounded appealing. Obviously, I had to round out the cream and fat and carbs with more fat and carbs: a very affordable $3 side of Timms Mill Grits. Corn-based goods: The cornbread was dry, too mealy, and bland. The grits had an amazing cheesy flavor, but I had 4 too many lumps in my bowl. Although the generous portion was fantastic, I would have traded half the bowl for a smoother texture. The milled grain was definitely preapred creamy enough, though. Soup: I would have preferred my soup slightly warmer, but the flavor was spot on. The sherry was light, there was chunks of crab, and the fresh vegetables cut the excess of cream. The French Toast was nice and moist in the middle, but I like my exterior to be crispy, and it was far from that. Also, the "berries" was merely some goopy jam-like sauce. Disappointing. The 2 slices of bacon were crisp. The grub here is definitely well thought out, but I really found the vibe too be too uppity for what they offer. This is a solid dining experience because of the care taken in the food (house-made charcuterie!) and the restaurant itself. If you can afford yourself a fancy dinner, check High Cotton out.
(3)
TP M.
Yummy brunch! Never disappointed with a meal here. Great location, consistently good service and fabulous food.
(5)
Kay C.
This place is fantastic. The decor and vibe are high end. The views form the tables near the windows are spectacular. The main course was flawless. The dessert could have been better. I would definitely go back for the whole experience.
(4)
Ann Marie D.
We went here for brunch today- the place we originally chose to go was closed, and this was the first place off the top of my head I could think of that also served brunch. Alright. The food gets the 3 stars, as it was the best part of the dining experience, and for the record the food was VERY Good. We had the Sourdough french toast, the peach pancakes, the classic eggs Benedict and the Crab cakes egg Benedict. The service however was slow, and left something to be desired, which unfortunately means it does not earn any more than 3 stars for this review.
(3)
Linda P.
Such a bitter disappointment. Stopped in following an event at the Peace Center. No greeting; had to seat ourselves. Waiter finally came for drink orders; got orders wrong. We had to ask for a menu. Not the best variety/selection but we did find something. Once the food was delivered we were essentially ignored. We finally asked for the check and departed...vowing to find some place else after the next Peace Center excursion.
(1)
Jessica W.
All-in-all a great experience sitting on the patio overlooking the Reedy river! Food: To start, we ordered the hummus and fried oysters - both of which were delicious! The oysters were plump and fresh and the breading was nice and light. The hummus had a bit of a twist with black eyed peas added into the mix. I'm normally not a black eyed pea fan at all - but this was delish! For my main meal, I ordered the salmon with a truffle sauce which was very good as well. I was hoping for the truffle flavor to come through a bit more as it was a bit too subtle for my taste. Finished off with the chocolate mousse cake...I mean, how can you go wrong w/ that?? Atmos: It was a gorgeous South Carolina night, so we sat outside on the patio. The patio was nothing more than a concrete slab with about 10-15 tables and chairs, but the Reedy River running just below it made for a very relaxing and scenic atmosphere. Service: Service was nothing special. Our server may have been new (to serving in general). He gave us each about 3 sets of silverware, none of which had all of the needed utensils in them. He also described the salmon as 'fishy in a good way'. Ha - but I still ordered it, so he didn't turn me off too much. Price: Fairly pricey, but a good weekend or special occasion spot.
(4)
Germaine N.
The seasonal Pumpkin brisks was excellent. I have never had Shrimp & Grits until now, and I think it was a great place to try it. As much as I don't like shrimp, I think the combination of grits, sausage, corn and shrimp was excellent. As for desert I have the Creme Bruille. The sugar was not melted, just burnt granular sugar, which was not ideal and distracting from the creme.
(4)
Joel O.
We sat upstairs and the view is great. Our server was very friendly and service was shared and very prompt. I could nitpick about some insignificant things that should be at an upscale restaurant, but those things do to bother me too much. There was a nice three piece jazz band playing. On to the food. The wine list is great. The reserve wine list is very affordable and diverse. The bread is ok; however, whatever butter they give you might be the creamiest most flavorful butter I've ever had. I can't believe I'm raving about butter, but it was that good. Started off with the oysters gratin. Great combination of smoky flavor and creamy sauce. I had the shrimp n grits, and it was good, but not compared to my Date's ribeye steak. Cooked to perfection and the meat was a great cut. Really recommend it. Overall, a great experience. We just woke up, and looked at each other and both felt it was such a wonderful night, and what more can you ask for?
(4)
Lisa P.
Had the thanksgiving dinner last night...way overpriced for the very small servings. Ordered a cocktail that did not taste good at all, told the server and he took it away but we were still charged for it. Service was less than expected, server forgot our bread...just didn't seem to care or want to be there.
(1)
Austin J.
High Cotton is a cool place. The ambiance really characterizes some of the finest that Greenville has to offer. I've only been there for brunch, and it may be a bit pricey, but it is simply fantastic food and service. My buddies and I have made High Cotton somewhat of a hangover brunch tradition. It is a pretty classy place, so when four college dudes dressed in either basketball shorts and hats, or the clothes from the night before stumbled in, we expected to get some looks. I'll never forget how of all the characteristics that would prevent us from fitting in at such an elegant restaurant, the only thing the hostess said to us was, "Please take your hats off...right this way to your table." HC, for your accepting staff, you can expect several hungover dudes to stumble in Sunday morning after Furman University's homecoming for many years to come. (btw...wtf is a Maverick Bar & Grill?)
(5)
J. G.
One of our favorite date night places in Greenville. The food is exquisite and the service is impeccable. We always enjoy a quiet, romantic date night at High Cotton. TIP - if there is a show at the Peace Center and you are not going to it, tell everyone you come across you are not going to the show and that you want to take your time...you will enjoy your experience even more.
(5)
Bryan K.
Having eaten at High Cotton in Charleston a number of times, I arrived at High Cotton in Greenville with 'high' expectations. And, as expected, they delivered. Walking in, I was immediately struck by the ambiance -- high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows on one side of the place, great lighting, an inviting bar and soothing / appropriate live music. After sitting at the bar for a drink we were seated at nice table near the band along the wall of windows. The dinner service, like the bar service, was attentive and professional. The food was well-prepared and delicious. While I don't eat much red meat, I couldn't resist the NY Strip complemented by 3 creative sides (for the table) including collard green, some sort of black-eyed pea succotash and, yep, you guessed it, grits! (we are in the south!) The wine list as you would expect is extensive and adventurous. Being a South African, I often default to my country's nectar and found a nice Syrah on their menu that fit the bill. Finally, the location of the restaurant couldn't be better. It's on the main drag in downtown Greenville and a quick walk to most of the other nightlife attractions there, including a very nice Westin Hotel where I stayed. While I'm not an expert on Greenville's offerings, I would bet that High Cotton is one of the city's top eateries. One note: Since Greenville is a smaller town and for perhaps other reasons, the clientele at High Cotton seemed to be a more mature, more monied crowd. I brought the average age down a bit, but sort of enjoyed that. In Atlanta or another bigger city, this place would have been filled with more yuppies I would be just another generic face.
(5)
Travis L.
The atmosphere of this place is not private or cozy. It's more of a place to see and be seen. The floor to ceiling windows give a great view of the park and/or the creek and the decor is top-notch clean glass and chrome. However, the long shared banquet along with the three story high ceiling left me feeling exposed and uneasy. That being said, my classy wife and I did have fun launching each other on the bouncy seats. The jazz trio playing at brunch were good and laid down a nice low-key soundtrack to soften the place a bit the Sunday I was there. The food is swanky-southern, and pretty well done. While the options still seem to be various riffs on meat and potatoes, the chef is clearly trying to crystallize individual flavors out of southern comfort food, and mostly succeeds. The trout I had for Sunday brunch was perfectly pan fried and seasoned, but the sweet potato risotto it was so carefully laid upon was bland with very little in the way of sweet potato and not much else from the vegetable kingdom to be seen on the plate. My wife's duck hash with eggs and mustard BBQ sauce was good. The eggs were well cooked, and they did not slack on the duck confit, including a hearty ducky portion that tasted excellent, if a little on the salty side, even for confit. Their Charleston crab soup was excellently done with large chunks of creamy sweet crab and a perfect cream broth delicately accented with sherry. The garden omelette was disappointing with strangely seasoned eggs and vegetables too anemic even for January hot houses. The cornbread that comes with every meal was moist and not too dense. The butter served with it was light and sweet. Pity the flavors of the butter and bread didn't seem to match each other. I'm sorry I didn't try the drinks. Their brunch Bloody Mary seemed particularly popular. The service was extremely capable and very attentive when present, although our servers did seem to disappear for more extended portions of time than I would expect in a place like this. All in all, the prices are much lower than I would've expected given the fact that they are clearly striving for a higher quality of food, atmosphere, and service. This is a nice place to go when in Downtown Greenville and looking to impress, but it doesn't quite meet the expectations it is setting for itself.
(3)
Gee T.
Went there for lunch. Really cool looking place and it must have an awesome atmosphere at night. Had the caesar salad (not bad) but having to cut the whole thing myself kinda sucked 'cause I haven't mastered the whole kinife and fork thing. The pulled pork plate was great though. The sauce was a mustard base without all that vinegar that most places use. Really good food and a decent price. I recommend it for lunch especially if you're into older snobby looking women that like to be looked at but sneer when you do. ;-)
(4)
Cheryl H.
We came here to celebrate our Mother's 87th birthday and it was a perfect day with a perfect meal. We had reservations for 12;30 and were seated immediately by excellent staff. A basket of warm cornbread with pats of fresh butter held us while we pondered the menu's excellent choices. Food came quickly and was perfectly cooked, nice and hot. The vichyssoise was mild, cool and delicious, the wine-perfect! We will definitely be back to this lovely restaurant. After lunch we were close enough to the Reedy River so we wandered downtown and along the river.
(5)
John O.
High Cotton: sounds like a place where you can some real great southern cuisine. Unfortunately, most of the menu items (with the exception of shrimp n grits) sounded like something you would order in San Francisco. Nevertheless, the service and food made for a fine dining experience. I brought a group of 8 here for business after a very long meeting. We were seated in the downstairs area, with nice views of the river. The inside is very swank, cool, and exudes the fine dining vibe. Starters: mostly salads, and were nice -- mixed field greens, nothing extraordinary. Main course: I ordered the special of the day: the grouper (caught in Charleston). Other popular selections included duck and filet mignon. I thought the grouper was excellent, done very well ($28). Fresh sourdough bread was also nice. Everyone seemed quite happy with their meals. Wine: a fairly extensive wine menu, and was pretty content with the 3 bottles selected. Dessert: Blueberry cobbler with peach ice cream. Most excellent! Other selections included the standard creme brulets and sorbets..... Service: very good. Our server was probably the best out of any restaurants in Greenville that I went to on this last trip. I also like the fact that they don't have a mandatory 20% tip added for large groups (unlike Soby's). Total for 8 people inc tip: $615. Not cheap.......it's definitely a place you go to knowing you're gonna drop $100-$200 for two people (including wine). Nice place, will definitely consider coming back next time I'm in Gvegas.
(4)
Mary I.
AGAIN, the bar is a special find! I had dinner at the bar last night before going to the Peace Center. I had the pleasure of being served by Whitney the bartender. I arrived at 6:00pm and until 6:30pm there were happy hour prices at the bar - that means $3.50 bar brands, $2 off wines, beers and Top shelf alcohol. I had the Burger for dinner with white Sweet Potato Fries. It was excellent! The burger was juicy, cooked to perfection and the fries were great! Before the burger I had a specialty drink that was Cucumber and Rosemary Collins type drink, unique and tasty. With my dinner I had a glass of wine. We were in and out of there in plenty of time for our show starring Dianna Ross! This is in Walking distance from the Peace Center and they have free Valet Parking, LOVE IT!
(5)
Brian S.
I had the lunch express, a two course special that changes daily. It was a crispy braised short rib with green beans and blue cheese whipped potatoes. The meat was tender and delicious and the potatoes were perfect, I'm not even a potato fan(but love blue cheese). I'm stuffed and satisfied. My girlfriend got the prime filet with fries, rare... what a woman!!! It disappeared pretty quick. Rembert the bartender was quick and accommodating. With a couple good jokes as well...
(5)
Pranee C.
Food was good. Atmosphere was nice. Service was great. And they do have valet! But if you leave too late, get your key from the hostess.
(3)
Kathy C.
Food is good but over hyped. Great location on the river.
(3)
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Address :550 S Main St,Ste 100
Greenville, SC, 29601
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
JP S.
Very nice, but very expensive. Took advantage of the 3 courses for $30 or my bill would have been double. 1/2 a bottle of wine split with our guests and our bill for a couple for dinner was $111. Well OK. Service was very good. Food tasty... had the organic Sunburst Trout and other tasty Southern regional fare. SaleebScore: Service: 9/10; Food: 8/10; Value 7/10; Ambiance was 8/10 (noise level was vibrant).
(4)Keelan P.
Only THREE stars? I don't get it. Maybe it's because it's not appreciated in a city this size. But High Cotton SHOULD be appreciated more here. I grew up in Greenville back when it was the land of "Meat and Threes". If you're from here you know what I mean. But this is SO not that (although I still love those too). It's a great, modern restaurant with excellent food. HUGE portions. We were here for brunch on a Sunday and had a great experience. My daughter had the She crab soup and it was great. I had the Farmers Market Omelette and it was amazing. Cocktails were great too.
(5)Mark W.
This isn't a complete review, I just stopped in for a happy hour beer. The place is upscale and more of a fine dinning kind if stop mostly dates, family dinners and a few work dinners but this place has a good view of the river below.
(4)Kelly P.
Thank you, Upstate Foodie Fest, for the introduction. I really only came here because on the second to last day of the fest, I saw a brochure listing places, and I was just about to pass this one. So glad I stopped in. I sat at the bar, and had the chance to try a couple cocktails (a very interesting and delicious Berry Spicy Margarita, as well as my new favorite drink, The Greenville Cocktail . . . do this). I also got to try the she crab soup (awesome), the trout that came with a quinoa cake (amazing), and crème brulee (heavenly). And, all the staff was so friendly! (This must be a Southern thing, and I adore it!)
(5)Tara G.
I'd eaten at High Cotton for dinner before and honestly didn't feel like it was anything special. Yes, it's a beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere and the service was good, but the food felt like anything else you could get at other restaurants downtown. But then I had brunch there on a Sunday afternoon, and now I'm hooked. A friend and I went just before 1 PM and there was no wait. They had a great jazz band playing, too! We ordered a Bloody Mary and a Mimosa; the Bloody Mary was good but I've had much better, both in Greenville and elsewhere. The Mimosa was delicious, though! For food we had the Brioche French Toast and the Duck Confit, both of which were delicious. The duck was different and tasty; the french toast perfectly cooked. The bacon was some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant, too! We even ordered dessert - the Dark Chocolate Terrine (very rich but amazing) and some coconut ice cream. I was just sad that they were out of the dessert of the day, which was a special ice cream sandwich. I may not be a huge fan of dinner at High Cotton, but I'll definitely be back for brunch!
(4)Craig P.
We have come here for our last two anniversary dinners. Tonight we both had the tangled green salad and the pork chop. The salads were colorful and perfectly dressed. The pork chops were cooked to perfection with a sweet glaze over a bed of beans topped with a roasted okra. The flavors worked nicely together. The view and the service is always good here. Will be back for our next anniversary if not before.
(5)Steve M.
Stopped in to have a drink and shared the cheese plate. Here is very nice and the wait staff was very friendly. She's played for cheeses from Georgia, which we have never had before. Overall a good experience.
(4)Maria-Elena T.
I love this restaurant and have eaten here many times for dinner and once for Sunday brunch. This review is for dinner on a Monday night. Valet parking is a little tricky because it is around the corner. But it is complimentary and the guys are great. This evening I had the duck medium rare and it came with two sides. One was a farro that was chewy with beets. Absolutely delicious! The other was a creamy kale which was better than cream spinach. I ordered an additional side which was a special that night: Brown Sugar Baked Sea Island Red Peas. They were firm and not liquid-y like baked beans but reminded me of them. The duck was excellent but next time I would order it medium. The sides stole the show! For dessert I had the pecan pie with extra ice cream. Wow! Order this dessert! It is death row meal worthy. I will dream of this dessert! Love the high ceilings and atmosphere here. Also love that the bartender will transfer the drink bill to your dinner bill. And she did it graciously.
(5)Molly O.
Amazing brunch spot! Probably one of the best brunches that I've ever had. It was perfect for brunch the day after our wedding. Food, drinks, and service was incredible!
(5)Neal D.
I only experienced High Cotton for a private wedding reception, so I can't speak to the experience of a having a meal there. That said, the space and views are beautiful, the staff is excellent, and the food served at the reception was very good. Can't wait to go back for a full meal.
(5)Barbara W.
We stopped into the bar here the other evening for a nightcap. We were tempted by the dessert menu, so we sampled a few to share. Yum. They were all good enough that our discussion turned to the topic of "with such good desserts, why have we never eaten here?". I think we came to the consensus that "it's always seemed like a place for business travelers and events, not for local folks on a night out". Well, we may have all shifted our opinion a bit and have added High Cotton to our list of places we need to come up with an excuse to have dinner soon.
(4)Kel T.
We've lived in Greenville for almost three years but for whatever reason hadn't tried HC until now. I decided to make reservations for my husband's birthday. We were greeted and seated after a short wait at the bar where we were served by quick and friendly bartenders. I highly recommend the King Estate Pinot Gris. After being seated by the window with a great view of the Reedy River, we opened our menus and were pleasantly surprised to see a birthday wish for my hub printed at the top. Such a nice touch! I started with the baby lettuces salad, which was so crisp and fresh and quite large, and the birthday boy enjoyed the perfectly prepared oxtail appetizer. Although I'm not a grits lover I tried the shrimp and grits mostly out of curiosity, and I wasn't disappointed. The grits are yellow corn rather than white and were quite good. My husband had the tilefish, which is a mild white fish and served with a spicy rice with shrimp. Their special dessert that night was a rhubarb and strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, which was served with a lit candle. So nice. We were not rushed through our meal, and there was a nice wait in between the appetizer and our entrees which allowed us to enjoy our wine and the view, as well as each other. Carly was our server and did an excellent job. I love restaurants who love their customers and try to make them feel special. I'm glad someone realizes that this can sometimes be as important as the food! We will definitely dine here again.
(5)Doug M.
A very nice way to grab dinner on my first night in town. I strolled the downtown, saw this place, did a quick Yelp check, and decided to give it a go. Good choice. It was only about 5:30, so the place wasn't crowded. I took a hightop seat in the bar area, but overlooking the river outside. Made for fun people watching. The bartender was very good with the service. He kept my (sparkling water) glass filled, cleared plates quickly, kept a check on me, and just made pleasant small talk during the stops. This place puts on an upper endish atmosphere, but it never felt stuffy. I usually like to get sparkling water with my meal, which they had. But it wasn't the usual San Pelligrino or Voss. Instead it was Saratoga. Just a little touch to set out. Another little touch was that the warm bread's butter came sprinkled with some type of salt, for a little extra flavor. I started with the soup of the day, which was Carolina she crab. It came with Sherry Crema and chives, but the best part was the large amount of crap in it. Very tasty. My main course was there maverick shrimp and grits. It was made with stone ground corn grits, country ham, andouille sausage, tomato scallion pan sauce, and shrimp of course. So this may be typical grits down here, but there's nothing like it in the Midwest. It was really excellent. Just a heavy flavor explosion, and all those meats and shrimp coming together. So maybe I just had it on a good night, maybe they're always like this, or maybe I'm just easy to please. Whatever it was, it was a great dinner for me.
(4)Al C.
Out of town diners celebrating our 23rd anniversary. To say our experience was perfect is an understatement. Our server Morgan was amazing, our window seat was awesome and the food was superlative. I would gladly drive hours to dine here again
(5)Adam B.
My 5 star rating is for the Easter Brunch. That is the only time I have been to this restaurant, but it was amazing. One of the best brunches of my life. Excellent waitress, live music, excellent food and bloodys. The restaurant was sunny and comfortable. Just a great experience. I highly suggest High Cotton's brunch and I plan on trying their dinner sometime.
(5)David B.
I only go here in occasion, not because it is too expensive, but because in my opinion, there are equally good restaurants that are half the price. The trout and grouper are the highlights of the dinner menu. The deserts are worth the trip. Overall, High Cotton is a quality establishment with great ambiance, but if I'm being honest, it would not be considered one of the best in ATL or Charlotte, let alone larger cities.
(3)Liz H.
High Cotton is one of those fancy Greenville restaurants that has decent food and an elegant atmosphere. We went here for brunch with some out of town relatives. I feel like there are certain restaurants in Gville that seem specifically designed to impress out-of-towners and High Cotton is one. It's swanky looking, which is good if your fam (or business dinner guests) are from a big city. It definitely has that fancy appeal as far as asthetics and food selection. But I'd say, for a local, you can do better going to some other less high profile places for a special occasion meal. That being said, we had great, very attentive serivce. There was a special pork belly dish that we all shared as a starter that was dynamite. The brunch menu was sort of your typical fancy brunch fare. Nice typical fancy cocktail menu. But it's a little forgettable to be honest. That being said, it's worth trying.
(4)Nicole E.
Popped in for happy hour only to be left disappointed. The maverick Mohave seemed to be left high & dry on the fresh muddled basil...why even list it on the menu?! The southern mule was way way spicy & I love spice! If you want a drink that tastes like red chilli then this is the drink for you. The black bean hummus was fine.
(3)Sara R.
This place was recommended by a colleague and I was very pleased. The ambiance was comfortable and the view was remarkable. The crab cakes were cooked to perfection and the steak melted in my mouth. Next time I come to town, I will make sure to visit again!
(5)John D.
I always assumed that High Cotton was a retail clothing store every time I passed it while walking in downtown. When I found out it was a highly rated restaurant, however, I made reservations there for my parents' anniversary dinner this past weekend. We showed up earlier than our reservation time, but that wasn't a problem. They immediately escorted us to a well-appointed table with a beautiful waterfront view. I was very surprised that the menu had been printed and personalized just for my parents with a "Happy Anniversary" greeting. The service was exceptional, and the food was absolutely outstanding. Our waiter was very familiar with all of our dishes, and he did an excellent job with explaining them to us. He was quite the salesman with his descriptions of each dish. Every dish we had was beautiful, creative, and delicious. We all started out with the french onion soup of the day, and it was very good. The bread served at the beginning was good as well. My parents both had the trout, which they raved about, and I had the vegetable lasagna, which was superb. Every particle of it was scrumptious. I also had the southern mule to drink, similar to a moscow mule, and it was nice and strong. My parents received glasses of champagne on the house. We had the dark chocolate terrine with coconut ice cream for dessert, and this was the perfect way to conclude a perfect dinner. They even sent us home with a wrapped copy of the personalized menu. We will definitely be back! Highly recommended to all! Can't wait to check out their Sunday brunch...
(5)Darrel M.
As a business traveler who frequently eats in good restuarants this one leaves a lot to be desired considering the other options you have in the area. Service - The server was not overly friendly and failed to get my order correct even after sending back my meal once for the chef to prepare it the way in which I ordered it. Each server had an arrogant attitude in spite of their being 24 of us who was paying top dollar to be in their establishment. Food: Crab soup was decent, ceasar salad was so so and the NY strip was nothing special. I ordered it well and it came out rare the first time. I sent it back and requested well done, the second time it came out medium well with the center still very pink/red. Dessert - Cheesecake was definately not worth paying for. There are certainly better options in Greenville SC.
(2)Danno H.
We went there before going to The Lion King. And sat outside by the river. It was a lovely evening with perfect temps for outdoor dining. The waiter was friendly and efficient. We ordered off the special "Lion King" menu. I started with the mill Grits which were excellent. Very flavorful. My wife's salad was OK. We both ordered the grouper and, to be candidly honest, it was one of the worst seafood experiences ever. It was well served (visually) but was tasteless, overcooked and rubbery as a result. So, two courses off the 'special' menu, one beer for me and a glass of wine for her, no desserts, and, with 20% tip, was almost a hundred bucks. I've paid more for dinner but for a lot less, I've had fabulous grouper elsewhere. So, if you go, be forewarned about this particular selection.
(2)Robert M.
Not as good as the one in charleston. However for greenville it is excellent. Cool river view. Steak was excellent. Cheese tray was kind of boring. Salad was bitter and not very good. Good Beer and wine selection.
(4)Ed K.
Great place. Took my fiancée here for our anniversary and had a great time. The view was excellent and we were seated where I requested on my reservation. We received great service by our server and she was very knowledgable about the different dishes. The food was delicious I had the shrimp and grits and my fiancée had the pan seared chicken. Some people complained about High Cotton being pricey, with a place like this you should be expecting that, it's not exactly a McDonald's. Definitely worth the money.
(5)suzanne s.
High Cotton...Low Cotton. Highs and lows: Highs: service;scenery; spotless; lovely decor;fresh ingredients; yummy pecan dessert and ice cream. Lows: grits, the "highlight", were...off. Bland yet salty and cheesy; water not refilled; salad dressing uninspired; flavors never had me go "yummmmm." ; expensive. I could return for all the highs, and just eat the sure things and drink from the inspired wine menu!
(3)Lauren A.
Should probably have read the reviews prior to dining here! After being kept waiting over 15 minutes, WITH A RESERVATION, we were finally seated! Our server, Amanda (I believe?) was lovely and couldn't have been more helpful! She was attentive and we were delighted with her service! While the food was quite good, it was ridiculously overpriced! We are from the NY area, so we certainly know high-priced food! This is NOT New York! And the prices should NOT be of the New York ilk. In addition, a young man, Chet (not sure if he was the manager or the kitchen supervisor) couldn't have been ruder or more arrogant! We were shocked, at this type of fine-dining establishment, that someone in a supervisory position would behave in such a deplorable manner! The owners of High Cotton ought to rethink their employment choices and consider sending this young man to etiquette classes. So many other great restaurants in Greenville...don't see any reason to return here!
(2)Claire M.
This is more of a grudging 3.5-star review...since there were some really great upsides that almost outweighed the negatives. I went here on a Monday night with two attorney colleagues and felt great energy right when we got inside -- mellow live jazz in the bar and lots of tables filled despite the brrrrr-a-licious sub-30 weather. The hostess told us she'd seat us "right when [she] got back from seating another group." Fine, no problem; the music is great. Five minutes go by...then 10...and no hostess to be seen. A couple of other people ask if we've been helped and we explain the situation, and they sort of shrugged and let us continue standing there. Finally we just opted to sit at the bar, where a friendly, attentive and heavy-pouring bartender (ahhh...perfection...) provided us pretty great service. I had the shrimp-stuffed trout ($24) with a terrific corn emulsion rice, one colleague had the Monday crab-filled flounder special ($21), and the other had the tuna tartare and a pear salad. All in all, the food was pretty good, but not blow-me-away great, especially for somewhat stiff prices and stingy portions. Big props though for Swanson merlot by the glass -- anything Swanson makes me a happy diner. Nice to see an Albarino and a Viognier blend as well among the whites, rather than the typical boring array of Chards with a token Sauv Blanc.
(3)Richard R.
Hot diggity dog! They have a High Cotton in Greenville. I didn't get a chance to visit them in Charleston, so I was super thrilled to find them here in downtown Greenville. They are located right on the Reedy River along the city walk in one of the prettiest downtown areas I've ever seen. The building it's housed in has great architecture and High Cotton's interior space will not disappoint. We'd just got back from touring Asheville and some local waterfalls most of the day and were not in proper dress attire. So I went inside to ask if I could get a to-go order of Shrimp N Grits while the family played outside with other kids near the river. The Hostess and Manager were so nice and told me my windbreaker pants, sleeveless top and white sneakers were perfectly acceptable and invited me to sit down, but I wouldn't have felt comfortable. This was an evening crowd of classy people in classy clothing in a very classy place with amazing live jazz musician playing beautifully. I would have looked like a throbbing wart on a sore thumb, but I truly appreciated the warm welcome by the staff. The chef agreed to make me a half order of the Shrimp N Grits as a sampler and I was very pleased. They weren't my favorite, but definitely in my top three. The Andouille Sausage was delicious and the shrimp were large and fresh. The gravy was more of a thick broth, but smooth and very satisfying. My order came in two containers, one for the shrimp & gravy, the other for just the grits. I decided to sample the grits before combining the two and found them to be bland. However, after combining it with the shrimp the balance of taste was restored. I can only imagine how great this dish would be if the grits were also incredible even without the shrimp & gravy. FAST FORWARD ONE DAY We returned the following morning for brunch since it was our last day in Greenville. I need to accept a simple fact. I'm just not High Cotton material, at least not when it comes to breakfast. I love the look and feel of this place and the staff goes out of their way to please you, but I've had much better breakfast for far less money elsewhere. I want to be classy and clean up well in public, maybe rub elbows with the fancy pants of the town like Leonardo in Titanic. But really, no matter how nice the decor or classy the people dining there, I just want great food! * My Huevos Rancheros were good, but not something I would ever order here again. * My mom's steak was very good, but the potatoes were only ok and the egg was not properly cooked over easy (according to mom). The yolk was like jelly and not runny. * The fried oyster appetizer looked amazing, but tasted average. Also, I've never had a oyster so chewy that I had to spit it out because I couldn't break down the meat, but several of the oysters on my plate were that chewy. * My youngest ordered fried shrimp w/ fries, but these shrimp had no breading and looked grilled. Taste was better than most other items we sampled, but the fries were nothing special. THE VERDICT I wish I'd stopped at the Shrimp N Grits the first night. I'm sure this is a matter of ordering the right meal and although I'm a little reluctant, I will give them another try on my next visit to Greenville.
(3)Traci B.
Delightful meal. I almost passed up this restaurant based on some other reviews but glad I decided to try it. The fried green tomatoes included pimento cheese and sweet pickles - both of which I absolutely avoid. This combination/preparation was a pleasant surprise. The eggplant and sweet potato lasagna was full of flavor and was filling without being overly heavy or laden with cheese and sauce. The flavors stood on their own. My service was very good- maybe not high end formal dinning good. But all in all they were attentive, responsive and really knew the menu.
(4)Opie J.
Brunch VERY good. I would rate the other meals hear a 4-star minimum, but have to give the Brunch a 5 Star. Food and Service excellent. Fried oyster app the best I can recall...anywhere. The Huevos Ranchero was very very good (definitely on the meaty side with the chorizo and the sausage. The Bacon as a side is very good. The Grits however left us speechless...delicious and I don't typically even like Grits..must try. Also, the lump crab cake benedict was real crab and delicious..ask for extra hollandaise (they kind of skimped I thought). The omelet was fresh and healthy. The iced tea has a hint of mint - also a must have. Oh, did I mention the grilled salmon salad...again great. Terrell the waiter was super. Also not pricey for a meal of that quality. Drinks and everything for around $15 each. Enjoy.
(5)Josh N.
This place was incredible.. They have valet parking.. You are sitting overlooking reedy river and Main Street bridge.. We were seated right away without a reservation.. The dinner menu was quite impressive.. The pork fat empanadas were to die for!!! The trout was awesome says my wife and the venison made me speechless. Nothing better than beautiful food placed on a plate only to be backed up forwards and backwards by taste...
(5)DeAnne M.
High Cotton has a great casual atmosphere at the bar. The happy hour has an extensive cocktail, beer, and wine selections at reasonable prices. I had my fav, the High Cotton burger with fries. The house vodka is tasty with tonic and a twist of lime. This is a great place to stop after work for a refreshing adult beverage.
(5)Thomas S.
High Cotton Greenville is a place I've been wanting dine at for a while, and they delivered in a good way. Located in one of the relatively new developments, the location next to the Reedy River makes it a great spot for Sunday brunch (provided you get a table overlooking the river). Food first: The Duck Hash was ordered by 3 out of 4 people at our table, and I was impressed not only in the uniqueness of the dish but the taste as well. I would give it 3.5/5 as it was good but did not flip the proverbial skirt up. My favorite was the Crab soup that was overwhelmingly filling but very good at the same time. Next to the soup, I truly enjoyed the Shrmp & Grits that was ordered by another companion, of which I cleaned up afterwards. While the service was a bit slow at the table it was very good prior to our seating, at the bar. We had a couple bloody marys that were great, however so thick we could only drink one. Their small but quality selection of beers helped tide me over throughout the meal. The meal itself was decently priced with the Duck Hash coming in at only $12. It's a great location and the parking is free for 2 hours. I highly recommend taking a walk through the west end afterwards, maybe picking up some Gelato and walking off that crab soup.
(4)Cary A.
This place is hit or miss and I haven't determined why. I think the quality of service is descent yet sub-par for fine dining price points, although every server is different there. I would like to see more server education since a major part of the dining experience is knowledge of wait staff. The entrees have ranged from wonderful to "truncation required." I enjoy the location and the ambiance is definitely its strongest attribute. I think the location causes me to "expect more" from the establishment. With prime real estate in the heart of the city, and views that are wonderful, i just expect the rest of my dining experience to follow suit, food, service, etc... I will eat here again as I feel I haven't exhausted the experience, but knowing what to expect helps mitigate raised expectations.
(3)Jackie F.
A group of seven of us drove down from Charlotte, NC for the Artisphere festival on Mother's Day weekend. We had brunch at High Cotton. The restaurant has three levels and had a trio playing / singing. It's right in downtown Greenville. The food was delicious. They give you a basket of cornbread which was very good. I had shrimp (and andouille sausage) and grits. The grits were stone ground and very creamy. It was excellent. The wait staff was mediocre. Nothing impressive. They weren't bad, just nothing to make you give them a larger tip.
(4)Denise P.
Lousy, lousy service. Food only adequate. Waited 45 minutes for a table and, yes, we had reservations. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Allison F.
Are cheese grits supposed to be cold? I don't think so. Actually, everything on my plate at brunch yesterday was lukewarm. The flavors were delicious, but I wish they had brought my meal out right away instead of leaving it sitting on the counter for however long after it was prepared. What a way to insult Eggs Benedict. I hate it when that happens. And they seemed to have plenty of help. Aargh!
(3)Robin D.
I've been to High Cotton twice, both times for Sunday brunch and enjoyed it. They have a "Waffle of the Day" at brunch and the descriptions have sounded so good I haven't been able to order anything else! Our servers have been very attentive and the food is good, but I had to take off one star because the prices are a little high. I wasn't paying either time I've been there, so I think that helped me enjoy the experience more than if I had been paying! It is a great location!
(4)Chuck J.
Thought it was overpriced, the food was just ok. The views are the best part.
(1)Allen S.
My friend and I dined here for lunch about a month ago. We shared the High Cotton Charcuterie house-made pâté, liver mousse, sausage and ham, pickles mustards and toast. It was delicious and memorable. They explained this was there house specialty and I can understand why. The mousse was delicate and complex, The ham was refined and flavorful perfectly salted but not over-bearing. My dining companion requested the Shellfish & Butter Lettuce salad it came with shrimp and lump crab, cucumbers, radish and citrus segments, yuzu vinaigrette. When I sampled this, it had a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness which complimented the lump crab and shrimp nicely. I had the Mushroom soup it was very good and velvety delicious. The service was fantastic. In closing we both had a great experience. I'm looking forward to eating there for dinner in the near future. Thank you High Cotton.
(4)Master P.
Decent food, good service. Went to this restaurant twice and both time the service was good. Food was good as well, but nothing exceptional. The location and ambience are wonderful! Worth trying at least once.
(3)Sam S.
I don't eat at this level of restaurant often but I have eaten better food then this often, in Greenville and elsewhere. Not terrible I would just go to other places before this place again.
(2)Megan T.
I give High Cotton a 3 star review because the people were friendly and the resturant was nice. The free valet parking had a huge play in it too. It's ONLY 3 stars because I made a reservation 2 days in advance for a window seat. It was supposed to be a romantic night between my loved one and I. We got there and had to wait a bit to be seated. We were seated right in between a lot of people, and NOT in a window seat. I was touching elbows with strangers, and it was loud so my loved one and I couldn't talk. It was pretty akward because we couldn't talk. Our waiter was in training, so the following was not his fault. We waited 30 minutes for our order to be taken. His trainer said they would be right back with bread (all of the tables around us got bread); it's the next day and I'm still waiting on that bread. It took an hour to get our entres. The food: I got the buttermilk fried oysters for a starter. The batter/breading was good and crunchy but they were wayyyy over salted and cooked too long. For my entre I got the maverick shrimp and grits. The shrimp, beef and sausage were all good. The grits, not so much. They tasted sour. He got the clams for a starter and thought they were great. He got the local rabbit for his entre and enjoyed it, but thought it was missing something. For dessert I got the peach cobbler. The taste was really good, but it was a tad bit burned. Overall: I like this place. I really do. But it was not the "magical" night I had hoped for. Instead it was expensive food that I didn't care for (overall) and an akward silence between me and the S.O. because of the seating. I believe high cotton could definitely do better, but for now I think I'll stick with other resturants that are a bit cheaper and have that "magical", warm fairytale experience. Update: I downgraded it to one star because not even one person has apologized for our experience. This is disappointing from an establishment as nice as this one. I will not be returning to this location.
(1)Cris K.
Sexy, Smooth, and Adorable - the food, the atmosphere, the wine. it was all so good we passed on dessert. Enjoy the choices of meat and cheese appetizer. You will find it delicious.
(5)Kristi L.
never been for dinner- BUT their pri fix 10 dollar lunch is the best deal in town! you get a small salad, half a sandwich, cup of soup AND creme brulee FOR 10 bucks! the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing, which is so nice during the middle of a hectic day. and it's a beautiful view over the river. i tell all my friends about this great deal!
(5)Andrea B.
Good food and good service. We've been there for happy hour when its been packed and got the same great service as when we were there during a time where there was hardly anyone there. The food was good, not excellent but still a nice place to visit when downtown. The view doesn't hurt wither.
(4)Julie C.
This is definitely my favorite restaurant in Greenville. The food and service is extremely consistent. High Cotton is a great place for a date night or a business meeting. Try sitting at the bar during happy hour and ordering a hamburger and a discounted mixed drink!
(5)Lucy W.
Great Moscow mules at the bar, and beautiful huge windows overlooking the river. I stopped by after trying to get dinner at the Lazy Goat, which was having an event. Food was just ok...the she crab soup was a bit bland and full of shell bits so I really couldn't eat it. The dessert was fabulous though- I had a decadent chocolate terrine with marshmallow sauce. The crowd was kind of dressy, like this was the one night on the town for couples while there's a babysitter at home. Bar was a nice place to grab a meal...good people watching.
(3)Sylvia Y.
my girlfriends and i went to high cotton for dinner after a show at the bilo center. we didn't have reservations, but we got ourselves drinks at the bar and waited maybe 10 minutes or so, and got seated downstairs. the view was nice, though we were not right by the windows overlooking the reedy river. our server was attentive, and very nice. i ordered a steak, my friends ordered fish, pork, and chicken. ALL of our food was really great. Their sides were really good too. I had the grilled asparagus with my steak. A perfect combo. To me, the restaurant felt like it caters to the older folks (no offense), the whole jacket required ambiance made us 20-30 somethings feel little out of place with our jeans and tops. Maybe next time, we'll check this place out with different attires.
(4)J R.
Knowledgeable waitress made great suggestions. Kitchen was accommodating of a substitution we requested. Food was superb!
(5)Bradley S.
Doesn't really live up to the hype. Portions are very meager. Food is good, but there are a lot better options in Greenville, most of which are much more reasonably priced.
(2)Sheridan P.
overall, i've had mixed experiences here. the first time, we were seated and were left waiting for about 5 minutes. the server arrives and informs us that she is still in training, but they're too busy to provide us another server. there were no people seated on either side of us. all courses mediocre and poor service. the next time, we decided to make early reservations (to avoid another situation like the one outlined above). we discovered that they still had happy hour going--which translates to $10 burgers and fries. it was A LOT of food. service was awesome too. the carpaccio was great--very fresh and simple. overall: pretty good wine list. okay beer selection. i agree with the sentiment that you probably have to okay a couple of times to get a real idea of the place.
(2)Keith W.
Had dinner there with a group Wednesday evening. I would not recommend the lobster bisque. It was more like lobster broth. I had the filet and crab cake entree. The crab cake was great, but the filet was more like a medallion. I was able to cut into 4 small bites. I don't think I'll be a repeat customer.
(1)Robert J.
High Cotton is a must visit in Greenville. The location on near Reedy River Falls and Falls Park next to the Peace Center is perfect. Hostess and wait staff are cordial, attentive and friendly. The Sunday Brunch was delightful. We were seated next to cast members from Wicked and enjoyed a wonderful Valentines Day. Be sure to have a signature Bloody Mary. You cannot miss with the Eggs Benedict. Highly recommended.
(5)vernice l.
I was VERY impressed with this place. The ambience was great! It was a REALLY cool and hip place! I loved it. I wish High Cotton was in SF. The food was so yummy!! I loved my appetizer. It had lobster with a sweet corn soufflé. I never had anything like that before. It was amazing!!! My fish entrée was excellent and the pecan soufflé was yummy! If you are in Greenville, you have to check out this place!!
(5)Chris W.
I was in SC on business, and went to dinner in Greenville. First, I was very impressed with Greenville. It is a very beautiful city with a vibrant downtown and lots of places to eat and drink. We went to High Cotton by accident - we found a parking place and went there because it looked nice. Boy am I glad we happened to pick High Cotton. I absolutely loved the food. It was fresh and tasty with connections to local producers. Trying to be healthy, I ordered the Springer Mountain Chicken Breast, expecting to get a typical boring yet healthy meal. I was completely wrong as the chicken and sides were absolutely delicious. My friend ordered the Trout and it was even more delicious than the chicken. The food was so good I called my wife and told her I had found a restaurant that I had to bring her to sometime. Service was friendly, and the view of the river beautiful. All in all a very great experience.
(4)M. Y.
Great for date night, girls night out, or reception... Great location, excellent service, amazing wine list. Went with friends last weekend and had an amazing server who made great suggestions for pairing wine with certain dishes. Was quite accommodating as well, given the food allergies in our party One of the ladies in my group raved about the shrimp and grits Definitely will return next time I'm in Downtown Greenville.
(5)William W.
I was in town for the small plate crawl and this place really was busy. I hope to get back soon and see what else they do. I really like the bar scene.
(5)David M.
Lovely meal. Service was delightful. Betty and Apple salad great, mushroom bisque a little touch but ate it all. Sweet potato, eggplant "lasagna" super great, chicken awesome, dessert terrine absolutely perfect. Would eat here again and again.
(4)Jeff B.
This is probably the best lunch dish in Greenville County. Brussels sprouts with blue crab. Have it with a nice glass of wine
(5)Dana R.
Our server Cameron was awesome! I had the pork chop. It was ok...a little too thick for my liking. The sugar peas was ok but I made them more enjoyable by combining the grits to cut some of the sweetness. I had peach cobbler for desert but didn't like that they left the skin on the peaches and the cobbler was too much like a spice cake. I plan on returning to try other menus items.
(4)Collin W.
This is overall an excellent restaurant. They gladly accepted a reservation last minute, and when we arrived, we were immediately seated. The service was very good. The server explained the menu to is and made several recommendations. She clearly enjoyed her job. For the appetizer, I had the mushroom soup, and I had roast duck for the entree. The roast duck is definitely what I recommend. It was delicious. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that I believe they are just a little overpriced overall.
(4)D'Arcy L.
Had a wonderful group dinner here with work colleagues. High cotton exudes Greenville elegance and sophistication! The views from the restaurant on a nice summer evening speak tranquility, class and make for an excellent dining experience. Alas we were in October so the days are shorter! On this fine evening I had the she crab soup (very sherry spiked) and then the Scottish salmon which came with some asparagus and on a bed of mash potatoes! Salmon was cooked just to my liking just before medium! The dinner talk we had made for a wonderful evening! Thanks HC!
(4)Tierra H.
I was bringing my boyfriend "home" with me to Greenville for the first time ever. We do brunch all the time in DC and have been to some amazing places. It was very important for me to find something at least equally amazing in Greenville. My mind immediately went to my old stand-by, High Cotton. When I lived in Greenville, I had been here for many brunches and they never disappointed me. We had reservations for 12:30. The hostess took us to our table promptly. You'll want to make reservations here, as the couple who came in before us was having to wait 25-30 minutes. The dining room is gorgeous. Very well decorated, with stunning views of Fall's Park and other things I love about Greenville. We were taken to the downstairs dining room, which offers great views and people-watching as well. I love that there is a piano-player playing during the meal. It was light, happy music and wasn't overbearing or obnoxious. Immediately, we were given cornbread in a basket. It was really tasty, as was the sweet cream butter that went with it. We opted for sweet tea and french toast (both of us) and I had grits in addition to my meal. These truly are the best grits I have ever had! I think restaurants typically get a little pretentious in their grit-making sometimes. They use lots of cream and the grits have this sweetness to them that annoys me. But High Cotton got it right. Creamy grits without being too creamy and not sweet. The french toast was out of this world! It was topped with fruit. Also, the bacon that we had with the meal was super-good. Just an all-around good meal! The service was excellent. Beautiful southern charm. We never wanted for anything, as our server anticipated everything. It's rare to see service THAT good. One thing you'll notice is that you can be dressed up or dressed down -- you'll feel comfortable here. We were dressy-casual. I saw people in the requisite seersucker as well as jeans and a nice shirt. Thank you, High Cotton, for showing an out-of-town guest what a real southern brunch looked like. I couldn't have been happier with everything and the next time we are in Greenville, we'll be putting in a reservation for brunch!
(5)Gina B.
Went for a post-Christmas brunch while home with my family. Great location; yummy brunch with a view of snowy downtown G-vegas and the Reedy River. Our meal started with a basket of cornbread - moist and quite good. I had the Huevos Rancheros. Eggs cooked perfectly and served with a spicy mixture of black beans, chorizo, and beef. Excellent but the highlight was the side of cheese grits - creamy and buttery and awesome. So good they won over my Yankee parents who have always been anti-grits. Definitely choose them over the ho hum potatoes.
(4)Harvey W.
I attended a dinner, which was a surprise birthday party for a friend. We all reviewed the menu online to have an idea of what we wanted to order when we got there. The waiter passed around menus, but the menu was different than the online version. It had no prices and some of the side dishes were different. We were then told that the dinner price for each person was $50, not including drinks. It was still $50 even if you just ordered an appetizer. SURPRISE! We were never told about this special menul. Being we were there to celebrate a birthday, we ordered from that special menu and paid that special price. The food was okay, but definitely over priced. Would I eat there again? Probably not.
(2)Heather M.
Seven of us went to High Cotton before a Broadway show at the Peace Center. The view was amazing, and the server took excellent care of us. He knew we were on a time crunch and was very attentive. The food and wine was delicious. Diners at our table ordered chicken, fish, steak and the pork chop. Everyone gave rave reviews of their meal. I made a substitution on my order, and they were very accommodating. The bread and butter they served was delicious too! Picture perfect dining experience!
(5)Kim Z.
Came here on Saturday (4/13/13) for lunch. All the food was amazingly fresh! I was also surprised at how inexpensive their lunch menu was. We were a table of 7 and the bill just barely touched $100! The lunch portions were absolutely perfect, filling but you didn't feel sluggish afterward. The restaurant is stunning and the views are fantastic. All of the staff was exceedingly friendly and I was also shocked that the restaurant wasn't that full! Plenty of open tables! I had the salad with chicken/blue cheese (can't remember the name) which was great. I also had a wonderful piece of pecan pie! Not overly sweet, it was so delicious! Presentation was also beautiful on every plate brought to our table. The corn bread is sweet and warm when served. Perfect. I noticed also that there was a bridal or baby shower going on upstairs in a space. What a great place to host an event like that!
(5)Christopher J.
I've dined at High Cotton in Charleston and it was fabulous - like a photocopy, the Greenville version didn't quite live up to the original. My son and I went for seafood, but the limited selection didn't appeal to either of us - so we had steaks instead. We started with the fried green tomatoes which were OK, but not great. My filet was cooked perfectly and the blue cheese gratin added a terrific flavor. I was very happy with my selection of the filet over perfectly cooked asparagus. My son had the New York Strip and his steak wasn't quite as good. He said it had great flavor, but had too much gristle. The service was very good, with a slight miss when I had to remind my waitress to bring the glass of wine that I had asked be brought out with my dinner.
(4)Bernie B.
Bar tenders are exceptional every time I've visited. So much so that's it's worth eating at the bar. Shrimp and grits are outstanding as are most entrees. Apps have fallen off. The reason you didn't get 4 stars is because you served tuna on watermelon. Ridiculous and small small proration. Also, for what you get at your level of dining is a touch too expensive.
(3)Brittany P.
Nice fine dining experience. The staff is so friendly and if you tell them what you're celebrating they go out of their way to celebrate with you. Went here for our anniversary and they gave us a complimentary toast, and the whole staff signed a congratulations card for us. The chicken was incredible. And the bartenders really know how to mix drinks.
(5)Roger W.
My wife and I had our anniversary dinner at High Cotton. I had a marvelous meal of venison and beets (the special of the day). I finished it off with the dark chocolate terrine which was just a great mélange of flavors. My wife was a little less pleased than I. Her crab soup was a bit bland (as noted in another review) and the cheesecake dessert had a texture she didn't find appealing. I would give my meal a five and hers a four. As always, the ambience and service were great. This was our third time there and we will definitely be back.
(4)D T.
I cannot complain about High Cotton. I will say though, I've only ever eaten there for lunch. They have daily specials for around $10 and they have always been exquisite. This is my favorite fine dining in Greenville. The cornbread that comes with the meal is always accompanied by brown-sugar butter which is a nice touch. The duck confit was excellent, served with a chutney and over their signature grits if I remember correctly. Quite excellent. I would also recommend the BLT or the She-Crab soup any (and every) day of the week. Bottom line: Fabulous food that is only eclipsed by the great service. The lunch prices are spot on for this level of quality but I've heard that the evening meal is likely above my price range as a poor college student.
(5)Valerie M.
Pros: Wonderful atmosphere. Love the downtown location. Nice view. Fried okra was tasty Cons: Took 10 minutes to get drink orders. Server offered particular wines, and then came back 5-10 minutes later and said they were out Ordered 2 appetizers, 1 came out and then received salads. Had to remind the server about the 2nd appetizer "Crab cakes" appetizer is A crab cake- that's right, 1 small crab cake for $6 Shrimp and grits left something to be desired- they add lots of extras that are not necessary- like peas. Desert- pound cake- was extra dry Service is slow and inattentive Out of ranch dressing (what?!?) because "they ran out during lunch" High priced for the service and quality of food. Food in general is average. Maybe it was just an off night for them.
(2)Helene J.
First of all I would like to thank Paul, our waiter for a fabulous job and Adrian Carpenter, Executive Chef and his team for graciously sharing his philosophy on food and his team on the excellent preparation of the food. My husband and I really appreciate Chef Carpenter for his support of the local farmers and produce markets. Now, as to the meals, we thoroughly enjoyed the shrimp with spaetzle appetizer in a sea urchin broth which was the first time I have seen this offered on a menu. Our entrees were superb; I had the grouper with citrus sauce; I could have this sauce on anything , it was that yummy. My husband had the eggplant and squash lasagna which had no noodles and was equally as scrumptious. For dessert I had the creme brûlée which was prepared in the classic tradition which I prefer and it met all of my expectations. Also, a thoughtful surprise was a menu presented to us wishing us a Happy Anniversary with our names and complimentary champagne.
(5)Rachel S.
Had the lunch box special - BLT, soup, salad, and creme brulee. What a deal! Also had the mule cocktail and Greenville cocktail. They do a great job with the drinks. It is also on the river with lots of windows. Great spot to drink with friends!
(4)Katherine G.
I found this restaurant on yelp becuase I was looking for a good setting on the river in the downtown Greenville area. It sits right nextdoor from the Hampton Inn downtown and you can't go wrong. The atmosphere was so pleasent and the menu is a nice twist on your typical American food. I had shrimp and gritz with a small salad. It was not expensive for lunch and the portions were a good size. Service was excellent! After lunch take a strole along the river path to explore the wonderful area:-)
(4)Tara F.
It was just okay. I had the sea bass with succotash. I guess that night I wanted a little more substance. It was a little lacking for me. Maybe I will go back and try something different.
(3)Eve K.
Go for their excellent Sunday brunch: great food, music, and prices. 4.5 stars Cost to worth it rating: 4.5 (with 2 mimosas each and an entree total was a very reasonable $35) Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - $3 mimosas: and great ones at that - Live jazz music: not akin to New Orleans party style but mellow and pleasant none-the-less - Special local pork omelet: with caramelized onions and pesto and one of the fluffiest omelets ever - Fried pork: another special which was like country fried steak but with pork. Perfectly salted savory gravy and crisp breading. - Cornbread: basket of sweet, moist muffins like I like em - Decor: from the lively painting of the bridge to the fancy lights and high ceilings to the I love Greenville license plate by the kitchen, it made for a classy yet casual environment Lowlights: - Potato hash: feel like this was misnamed, as they were really oily roasted potatoes - Upstairs, downstairs: makes it hard on the wait staff to have to go up and down the stairs to retrieve drinks (and causes a bit of a wait on our end) One of the best meals we had on our Greenville weekend this visit, so we'll be back.
(4)Alex L.
Good food, but had a poor service experience. Waiter was blatantly upset that we did not order drinks aside from water or desserts. He was quite offensive. Contacted manager after and he was apathetic, didn't seem to care about his offensive wait staff. Will not return.
(1)Austin G.
On my road trip along the southeast, I decided to stop in downtown Greenville, SC. Beautiful sites and friendly people. I saw High Cotton and was greeted by 3 positive people. The design, colors, layout of the whole restaurant is amazing. The cornbread to start your meal with is amazing with their sweet butter. I decided to try a caesar salad to start with and it was pretty good, I've had better. The crab cake was delicious though. A little spiciness to it and sweet ness of the tangerines perfectly laid out on the plate. Service was amazing! Friendly, proper, approached the table at the right times not seeming like they were over doing it! A little pricey but that's ok.
(4)Thom B.
My son and I wandered in late on a Friday night. I was really surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed. The food was great. I had the shrimp and grits, and can honestly say that they were the best grits I've experienced. My son had the duck, which was also very good. I found the service very responsive but unobtrusive, just as I would expect at this price range. The atmosphere was very nice as well. The best part may have been the excellent jazz trio playing near the bar. Overall, the meal and experience were excellent and I hope to return when I'm back in town.
(5)Billal B.
It's as good as it gets. I went there with a work group thinking the food would be ordinary, but little did I know how good their food was. We ordered 2 appetizers, shrimp and salmon, but they weren't that amazing in my opinion. For my entree, I ordered the Crab Cakes, and they were phenomenal. Smooth and flavorful! The entree was beyond delicious. I'm not a big crab cake kid of person, but I could definitely go their again for the platter. Once I thought the food could not get any better, it did. My final order was the Creme Brulee and it was luscious. The food literary blew me away and our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu. I highly recommend this place to anyone!
(5)Joe P.
Went to High Cotton on August 25th 2013....we had reservations but arrived about 20 minutes early and were promptly seated at the bar until we could be seated at our table. The bartender was very accommodating and informed us of the drink specials going on so we ordered two glasses of red wine ($4 x 2)....and he gave us Very generous pours almost filling the glasses. We were seated within 10 minutes of getting our wine and our waiter promptly introduced himself and smartly goes over the menu and nightly specials. We already had appetizers at another restaurant earlier in the day so we went directly to our main courses. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits ($25) and my wife ordered the Pan Sheared Trout with Succotash ($23)...but the Succotash is made with bacon in it (she's a vegetarian) so she had it substituted with grits. After our orders were taken our waiter arrives within a few minutes with some freshly cut and warm crusty bread and butter...and he also confirms that the Chef had no problems substituting the grits for the Succotash. Our food arrives within 10 minutes or so....my Shrimp & Grits were very tasty and nice and hot. The grits were creamy and the shrimp were cooked perfectly tender. There were big pieces of what appeared to be roasted or grilled cherry tomatoes in the broth/sauce covering the dish and though the Shrimp & Grits were a little different than what I had ate in the past (I'm used to a thicker gravy type sauce) they were very good and I left nothing. My wife's Trout was again expertly cooked with caramelizing/browning on the edges and tender in the middle. It was plated on top of the grits and that perhaps was why my wife thought it was a tad salty but it was her decision to forgo the Succotash. During dinner I noticed another customer with an exotic pale blue drink....it was called a "Huck Finn" ($9) and I found this recipe on line charlestonmag.com/charle… but it is a different color because our Bartender I think put a squirt or two of Blueberry syrup in it changing the color of the drink....all I can say is that if you order this drink you will not be disappointed...it was very refreshing and I was smiling the rest of the evening!! We also shared a slice of the Pecan Pie with a small scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream ($7)....and honesty it was good but really nothing special. All in all...I don't know how anyone could not enjoy an evening at High Cotton....the food was really good, drinks were good and generous and the view and restaurant setting right off the river is just beautiful.
(4)J J.
I thought the food was good. It's got a great location beside the river, and good, knowledgable service. The dinner I had wasn't great by no means, and for the price, you expect that, but still a solid place.
(3)Leilane V.
I loved the open-ness to the village and main street and the river. The food was fabulous and the service and wine list extraordinary. Definitely will become a regular.
(5)Hardy E.
I gave them one star because it does have great views of downtown. Service: is slow Food: It isn't worth the price. (Am I paying for food or their rent?) Food presentation: Very weak
(1)J H.
Great service, apps and wine!
(4)Barry P.
Went there last weekend at the end of restaurant week. Great food, good service, wonderful ambiance even at 30F in Greenville The had a special 3 for 30 special for restaurant week. We met some online friends there and had a great time! I had an ahi tuna tartare like app with soy reduction. Ordered local chicken breast with roast mushrooms. They substituted duck (with my permission) when told they sold out. All wonderful. Finished with one of the best key lime pies I ever had. Server was a bit stressed but service ok! Loved the experience as an out of towner; this was my second time there. Sat outside by the river with their famous cheesbugrer last summer. A great spot; on to find other 4 star ones when I move soon!
(4)Ryan R.
Delicious food, very upscale atmosphere. I stopped by for lunch on a Saturday and was stunned at how few people were there. This place is popping on weekend nights so make a reservation. They have an awesome view of the river and Main St so give it a try!
(4)Ray V.
The food and service was superb, nice location, the prices a little high but we really enjoyed out meal. P.S. save room for desert
(5)Marcie A.
We went here for a Valentine's day meal the weekend before the big day and we really enjoyed ourselves! Three atmosphere was warm and inviting with a jazz singer in the bar area. The waiter was patient with us indecisive folk, providing suggestions to help us along. He was also able to suggest two wines for us that paired perfectly with our meals. The three-course Valentine's special menu looked like a steal, but we opted for the regular menu entrees. Between the two of us, the blackened trout and seasonal southern veggies both rated pretty high on the tastiness scale. The roasted pear salad to start is also highly recommended. One word of caution to those not familiar with southern cuisine: if you are expecting it vegetarian, make sure you explicitly ask if it has meat in it. All of those unsuspecting veggie sides are traditionally made with meat, but fail to list it. It only takes one bite of ham hock to realize the error in your trusting ways... Overall, we would definitely go back if we are in Greenville again. Though, admittedly I'll request to do happy hour in the bar area, sipping on those enticing cocktails while soaking in the sound of their live musicians.
(4)Wayne W.
Decent place with a good wine selection and decent food. Pork chops were a bit overrated, several steaks were over cooked, service was terrible. Our server disappeared for extended periods of time leaving the table dry several times. I won't be back.
(3)Nicole P.
I was very pleased with our first visit here, and will be back... I had a lobster minestrone, and the stock used for it was great and lots of lobster chunks... yum. The service though is what really made us happy! a good wine by the glass list and an interesting menu. They way over sauced my carpaccio which was a bummer... :( The steak was great and the sauces well executed! but I would like to come back and enjoy the desserts one night... It seems to take a few rounds to really feel it out. The veiws of the restaurant and the nightly jazz make it a good things for me!
(4)Solomon W.
High Cotton is definitely Hoity Toity, so do not expect to fit in wearing shorts and a polo. The restaurant will give you great service, but the people around you may give you looks... I like the decor a lot, but it is definitely a fancy occasion. Sadly, the menu was actually more New American than I would have liked. I was expecting fancy biscuits and gravy (which I like a whole lot), chicken and waffles, and other Southern grub. The menu was somewhat fancy. I do like the emphasis on buying local from small-town farmers. The prices are not off the charts, so that was nice. I left stuffed like a turkey for under a Jackson. I had to try their Charleston Crab Soup (she crab), and their local berry French toast sounded appealing. Obviously, I had to round out the cream and fat and carbs with more fat and carbs: a very affordable $3 side of Timms Mill Grits. Corn-based goods: The cornbread was dry, too mealy, and bland. The grits had an amazing cheesy flavor, but I had 4 too many lumps in my bowl. Although the generous portion was fantastic, I would have traded half the bowl for a smoother texture. The milled grain was definitely preapred creamy enough, though. Soup: I would have preferred my soup slightly warmer, but the flavor was spot on. The sherry was light, there was chunks of crab, and the fresh vegetables cut the excess of cream. The French Toast was nice and moist in the middle, but I like my exterior to be crispy, and it was far from that. Also, the "berries" was merely some goopy jam-like sauce. Disappointing. The 2 slices of bacon were crisp. The grub here is definitely well thought out, but I really found the vibe too be too uppity for what they offer. This is a solid dining experience because of the care taken in the food (house-made charcuterie!) and the restaurant itself. If you can afford yourself a fancy dinner, check High Cotton out.
(3)TP M.
Yummy brunch! Never disappointed with a meal here. Great location, consistently good service and fabulous food.
(5)Kay C.
This place is fantastic. The decor and vibe are high end. The views form the tables near the windows are spectacular. The main course was flawless. The dessert could have been better. I would definitely go back for the whole experience.
(4)Ann Marie D.
We went here for brunch today- the place we originally chose to go was closed, and this was the first place off the top of my head I could think of that also served brunch. Alright. The food gets the 3 stars, as it was the best part of the dining experience, and for the record the food was VERY Good. We had the Sourdough french toast, the peach pancakes, the classic eggs Benedict and the Crab cakes egg Benedict. The service however was slow, and left something to be desired, which unfortunately means it does not earn any more than 3 stars for this review.
(3)Linda P.
Such a bitter disappointment. Stopped in following an event at the Peace Center. No greeting; had to seat ourselves. Waiter finally came for drink orders; got orders wrong. We had to ask for a menu. Not the best variety/selection but we did find something. Once the food was delivered we were essentially ignored. We finally asked for the check and departed...vowing to find some place else after the next Peace Center excursion.
(1)Jessica W.
All-in-all a great experience sitting on the patio overlooking the Reedy river! Food: To start, we ordered the hummus and fried oysters - both of which were delicious! The oysters were plump and fresh and the breading was nice and light. The hummus had a bit of a twist with black eyed peas added into the mix. I'm normally not a black eyed pea fan at all - but this was delish! For my main meal, I ordered the salmon with a truffle sauce which was very good as well. I was hoping for the truffle flavor to come through a bit more as it was a bit too subtle for my taste. Finished off with the chocolate mousse cake...I mean, how can you go wrong w/ that?? Atmos: It was a gorgeous South Carolina night, so we sat outside on the patio. The patio was nothing more than a concrete slab with about 10-15 tables and chairs, but the Reedy River running just below it made for a very relaxing and scenic atmosphere. Service: Service was nothing special. Our server may have been new (to serving in general). He gave us each about 3 sets of silverware, none of which had all of the needed utensils in them. He also described the salmon as 'fishy in a good way'. Ha - but I still ordered it, so he didn't turn me off too much. Price: Fairly pricey, but a good weekend or special occasion spot.
(4)Germaine N.
The seasonal Pumpkin brisks was excellent. I have never had Shrimp & Grits until now, and I think it was a great place to try it. As much as I don't like shrimp, I think the combination of grits, sausage, corn and shrimp was excellent. As for desert I have the Creme Bruille. The sugar was not melted, just burnt granular sugar, which was not ideal and distracting from the creme.
(4)Joel O.
We sat upstairs and the view is great. Our server was very friendly and service was shared and very prompt. I could nitpick about some insignificant things that should be at an upscale restaurant, but those things do to bother me too much. There was a nice three piece jazz band playing. On to the food. The wine list is great. The reserve wine list is very affordable and diverse. The bread is ok; however, whatever butter they give you might be the creamiest most flavorful butter I've ever had. I can't believe I'm raving about butter, but it was that good. Started off with the oysters gratin. Great combination of smoky flavor and creamy sauce. I had the shrimp n grits, and it was good, but not compared to my Date's ribeye steak. Cooked to perfection and the meat was a great cut. Really recommend it. Overall, a great experience. We just woke up, and looked at each other and both felt it was such a wonderful night, and what more can you ask for?
(4)Lisa P.
Had the thanksgiving dinner last night...way overpriced for the very small servings. Ordered a cocktail that did not taste good at all, told the server and he took it away but we were still charged for it. Service was less than expected, server forgot our bread...just didn't seem to care or want to be there.
(1)Austin J.
High Cotton is a cool place. The ambiance really characterizes some of the finest that Greenville has to offer. I've only been there for brunch, and it may be a bit pricey, but it is simply fantastic food and service. My buddies and I have made High Cotton somewhat of a hangover brunch tradition. It is a pretty classy place, so when four college dudes dressed in either basketball shorts and hats, or the clothes from the night before stumbled in, we expected to get some looks. I'll never forget how of all the characteristics that would prevent us from fitting in at such an elegant restaurant, the only thing the hostess said to us was, "Please take your hats off...right this way to your table." HC, for your accepting staff, you can expect several hungover dudes to stumble in Sunday morning after Furman University's homecoming for many years to come. (btw...wtf is a Maverick Bar & Grill?)
(5)J. G.
One of our favorite date night places in Greenville. The food is exquisite and the service is impeccable. We always enjoy a quiet, romantic date night at High Cotton. TIP - if there is a show at the Peace Center and you are not going to it, tell everyone you come across you are not going to the show and that you want to take your time...you will enjoy your experience even more.
(5)Bryan K.
Having eaten at High Cotton in Charleston a number of times, I arrived at High Cotton in Greenville with 'high' expectations. And, as expected, they delivered. Walking in, I was immediately struck by the ambiance -- high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows on one side of the place, great lighting, an inviting bar and soothing / appropriate live music. After sitting at the bar for a drink we were seated at nice table near the band along the wall of windows. The dinner service, like the bar service, was attentive and professional. The food was well-prepared and delicious. While I don't eat much red meat, I couldn't resist the NY Strip complemented by 3 creative sides (for the table) including collard green, some sort of black-eyed pea succotash and, yep, you guessed it, grits! (we are in the south!) The wine list as you would expect is extensive and adventurous. Being a South African, I often default to my country's nectar and found a nice Syrah on their menu that fit the bill. Finally, the location of the restaurant couldn't be better. It's on the main drag in downtown Greenville and a quick walk to most of the other nightlife attractions there, including a very nice Westin Hotel where I stayed. While I'm not an expert on Greenville's offerings, I would bet that High Cotton is one of the city's top eateries. One note: Since Greenville is a smaller town and for perhaps other reasons, the clientele at High Cotton seemed to be a more mature, more monied crowd. I brought the average age down a bit, but sort of enjoyed that. In Atlanta or another bigger city, this place would have been filled with more yuppies I would be just another generic face.
(5)Travis L.
The atmosphere of this place is not private or cozy. It's more of a place to see and be seen. The floor to ceiling windows give a great view of the park and/or the creek and the decor is top-notch clean glass and chrome. However, the long shared banquet along with the three story high ceiling left me feeling exposed and uneasy. That being said, my classy wife and I did have fun launching each other on the bouncy seats. The jazz trio playing at brunch were good and laid down a nice low-key soundtrack to soften the place a bit the Sunday I was there. The food is swanky-southern, and pretty well done. While the options still seem to be various riffs on meat and potatoes, the chef is clearly trying to crystallize individual flavors out of southern comfort food, and mostly succeeds. The trout I had for Sunday brunch was perfectly pan fried and seasoned, but the sweet potato risotto it was so carefully laid upon was bland with very little in the way of sweet potato and not much else from the vegetable kingdom to be seen on the plate. My wife's duck hash with eggs and mustard BBQ sauce was good. The eggs were well cooked, and they did not slack on the duck confit, including a hearty ducky portion that tasted excellent, if a little on the salty side, even for confit. Their Charleston crab soup was excellently done with large chunks of creamy sweet crab and a perfect cream broth delicately accented with sherry. The garden omelette was disappointing with strangely seasoned eggs and vegetables too anemic even for January hot houses. The cornbread that comes with every meal was moist and not too dense. The butter served with it was light and sweet. Pity the flavors of the butter and bread didn't seem to match each other. I'm sorry I didn't try the drinks. Their brunch Bloody Mary seemed particularly popular. The service was extremely capable and very attentive when present, although our servers did seem to disappear for more extended portions of time than I would expect in a place like this. All in all, the prices are much lower than I would've expected given the fact that they are clearly striving for a higher quality of food, atmosphere, and service. This is a nice place to go when in Downtown Greenville and looking to impress, but it doesn't quite meet the expectations it is setting for itself.
(3)Gee T.
Went there for lunch. Really cool looking place and it must have an awesome atmosphere at night. Had the caesar salad (not bad) but having to cut the whole thing myself kinda sucked 'cause I haven't mastered the whole kinife and fork thing. The pulled pork plate was great though. The sauce was a mustard base without all that vinegar that most places use. Really good food and a decent price. I recommend it for lunch especially if you're into older snobby looking women that like to be looked at but sneer when you do. ;-)
(4)Cheryl H.
We came here to celebrate our Mother's 87th birthday and it was a perfect day with a perfect meal. We had reservations for 12;30 and were seated immediately by excellent staff. A basket of warm cornbread with pats of fresh butter held us while we pondered the menu's excellent choices. Food came quickly and was perfectly cooked, nice and hot. The vichyssoise was mild, cool and delicious, the wine-perfect! We will definitely be back to this lovely restaurant. After lunch we were close enough to the Reedy River so we wandered downtown and along the river.
(5)John O.
High Cotton: sounds like a place where you can some real great southern cuisine. Unfortunately, most of the menu items (with the exception of shrimp n grits) sounded like something you would order in San Francisco. Nevertheless, the service and food made for a fine dining experience. I brought a group of 8 here for business after a very long meeting. We were seated in the downstairs area, with nice views of the river. The inside is very swank, cool, and exudes the fine dining vibe. Starters: mostly salads, and were nice -- mixed field greens, nothing extraordinary. Main course: I ordered the special of the day: the grouper (caught in Charleston). Other popular selections included duck and filet mignon. I thought the grouper was excellent, done very well ($28). Fresh sourdough bread was also nice. Everyone seemed quite happy with their meals. Wine: a fairly extensive wine menu, and was pretty content with the 3 bottles selected. Dessert: Blueberry cobbler with peach ice cream. Most excellent! Other selections included the standard creme brulets and sorbets..... Service: very good. Our server was probably the best out of any restaurants in Greenville that I went to on this last trip. I also like the fact that they don't have a mandatory 20% tip added for large groups (unlike Soby's). Total for 8 people inc tip: $615. Not cheap.......it's definitely a place you go to knowing you're gonna drop $100-$200 for two people (including wine). Nice place, will definitely consider coming back next time I'm in Gvegas.
(4)Mary I.
AGAIN, the bar is a special find! I had dinner at the bar last night before going to the Peace Center. I had the pleasure of being served by Whitney the bartender. I arrived at 6:00pm and until 6:30pm there were happy hour prices at the bar - that means $3.50 bar brands, $2 off wines, beers and Top shelf alcohol. I had the Burger for dinner with white Sweet Potato Fries. It was excellent! The burger was juicy, cooked to perfection and the fries were great! Before the burger I had a specialty drink that was Cucumber and Rosemary Collins type drink, unique and tasty. With my dinner I had a glass of wine. We were in and out of there in plenty of time for our show starring Dianna Ross! This is in Walking distance from the Peace Center and they have free Valet Parking, LOVE IT!
(5)Brian S.
I had the lunch express, a two course special that changes daily. It was a crispy braised short rib with green beans and blue cheese whipped potatoes. The meat was tender and delicious and the potatoes were perfect, I'm not even a potato fan(but love blue cheese). I'm stuffed and satisfied. My girlfriend got the prime filet with fries, rare... what a woman!!! It disappeared pretty quick. Rembert the bartender was quick and accommodating. With a couple good jokes as well...
(5)Pranee C.
Food was good. Atmosphere was nice. Service was great. And they do have valet! But if you leave too late, get your key from the hostess.
(3)Kathy C.
Food is good but over hyped. Great location on the river.
(3)