The Kennedy

We wanted to try some place different than our usual spots and drove an hour to get here. The bartender tonight was spot on. She was very busy but was still so efficient and guided us in the right direction for our drinks. She took excellent care of us, coursing our meals perfectly. We tried the Fois Gras, Drop Biscuits, Foccocia, Potatoes Brava, The Shiny Duck and Shrimp and Grits. Everything we had was spectacular!! We ended with the Toffee Pudding and Cookie Brownie (forgot the name), whatever it was. Holy Cow. Amazing. This is going to be our new date night restaurant from now on. Thank you so much!

Enjoyed a lovely Valentine’s dinner! Dylan was a very attentive waiter and took great care of us. Our food was delicious beyond was we expected! Certainly our favorite steak out in a long time. I’m interested to see how the menu changes in a few months

The wait staff was wonderful. I was with a party of 12 with a 7pm reservation. The reason for not receiving 5 stars is due to the kitchen fiasco. Myself and another party member ordered salmon. My dish came out last and uncooked. I had to send it back twice. The other dish was brought out (forgotten) while everyone else was finishing up. They did comp our whole table with free desserts for those that wanted it but what occurred was unfortunate for first time guests. The salmon was enjoyable once it was edible. I did love that I was able to create a meal a la carte which is one of the reasons why there is a four star rating instead of a three. The Paradise Punch was delicious 😋. The table shared a few appetizers. The Mez Cowgirl drink presentation was impressive. 💕

Came here for our first time Saturday night and can’t believe we’ve been sleeping on this gem! We had an incredible experience from the bar, and then in then again in the dining room. The food was *chef’s kiss* and the service from Erin was top notch! The Caesar salad is a must! As well as their rainbow carrots! If you’re a wine drinker like myself It was so refreshing to see the out of the norm line up. I was actually excited for each glass I tried! We talked the entire way home and then again this morning about what we’re planning to try next time! Cannot wait to come back!

So our food choice was an excellent choice Him: Shrimp and Grits, Pimento Cheese with Grilled Bread, Her: Pork Schnitzel, Chips, Pork Skins and Creme Brulee everything from the food, ambiance and service 12/10 EXCELLENT!!

You know when a meal just hits right -- this was the experience we had at The Kennedy today. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was nice and comfortable -- it was just perfect. Erin, our server, was absolutely amazing. She really set the tone for a great meal and was super attentive- helping us with what we needed before we even had to ask. I had the Brussels sprouts and chicken Parmesan sandwich - both 10/10!! Thank you Erin and the rest of the awesome staff at The Kennedy!

I want to start off by saying I have been waiting with immense anticipation to try this restaurant. Unfortunately I never got the chance. After waiting for approximately twenty minutes my fiancé and I walked out. I would have been ok if we had at least received a drink but all we got was water from the bartender who told us Erin would be serving us. While waiting the table next to us was served and we believe he must have been employee or known by the staff. They seated him right as we entered. He was sat and served while all we had was water. Another table was sat while we waited and a server came to take their drink orders. All the while we have yet to be served or even a welcome from our waitress. I am disappointed and I’m concerned that everyone seemed to be receiving adequate service while I didn’t. The only thing that stood out was the fact that I didn’t seem to look like anyone else. And while I hate pulling the race card it’s hard for me not to believe that potentially played apart of not receiving service. I understand some servers don’t like serving people who they believe may not tip but I do my best to always take care of the staff and be a great patron. I know me saying the Kennedy will never get my business means nothing but I want it to be known that my experience was horrible. The worst part is today is my engagement anniversary and this was the only place we wanted to celebrate.

This is our favorite restaurant! We love the atmosphere, and the servers are the best. We order a variety of food and share. It’s great to see what specials they have, and their menu changes often, so it’s fun to try new food all the time!

Great cocktails. Creative menu for both drinks and food. The shaved porchetta sandwich was so good I ordered a second one to go. Friendly and attentive server and really chill atmosphere. We stumbled on this place when we were in Spartanburg and are going to make a point to go back when we are there again.

We've wanted to stop in and give the Kennedy a try and now I am so glad we did. We got a last minute resy, so we understood it would be a 5:00PM dinner trip. There were 5 of us and we had everything from Steak to italian. Everything was delish. The steak was undercooked but we refused to send it back so it was our fault. The service is slower but everything is prepared fresh. Strongly recommend giving this a try but make reservations well in advance or else you too will have an early meal. Deconstructed deserts below and all delish.

Amazing food and service worth the drive off of the freeway Great retro vibe and excellent cuisine and good prices

My husband and I had been dying to try The Kennedy! We ended up going for his birthday dinner, and I thought it was a nice upscale spot. For food, We LOVED the Caprese bruschetta. The bread was phenomenal. It was fresh! The pesto tasted so good! Highly recommend. The grilled carrots were okay. Not bad, not great. The steak sandwich was another menu win! I love dunking my sandwich in some au jus, and this one did not disappoint. Plus, can we talk about the beautiful chips? It was so good. The dessert was honestly the worst part :( it is called burnt chocolate spoon bread, but the burnt flavor was yucky. Not what you want from a dessert. Overall, I'd give the food a 7/10. There were some great items and some not-so-great items, but The Kennedy does have a great selection to try different things! Our waiter was so friendly! Great service! He gave us a free dessert for my husband's birthday so kind and kept the energy alive!

I've been twice now. Food and service have been great both times. I love the aesthetics! Wish they had a happy hour!

This restaurant NEVER EVER disappoints. The staff is so friendly and helpful and the food is absolutely delicious. My server Rachel was THE BEST, very patient when making recommendations and kind. The crawfish and dumplings is a must have as well as the crème brûlée. The vibe is very welcoming and light. I can't wait to come back again.

We had a lovely meal here. We had reservations and were seated immediately. The decor had a fun art deco vibe. The drink menu was interesting. I had a version of a French 75 that also had butterfly tea syrup, Hubbie had a vibe drink that also had a butterfly tea purple ice cube. We started with the line to dip which was quite yummy. Next we shared a Caesar salad. The dressing was good but it needed a little something more- it was just okay and honestly could have been grilled more. We also split the seafood curry dish. The broth was very tasty. Our sever was very helpful and pleasant. Overall a very nice experience.

Food was great, decor retro, service was good. The servers seemed overwhelmed, but nice. Kristen was great and super knowledgeable of the drink and food menu. She handles the bar area along with our table. It's a nice restaurant for either date night or girls night out

Hubby and I had a taste for mussels and stopped by The Kennedy for a special lunch. We haven't dined there in a long time and we're hoping for a special afternoon. We were greeted immediately and walked to our table. Our server was very attentive and left us to peruse the menu.....First thing we noticed was the wear on the chairs and table tops.... The chipped black tabletops almost looked dirty and the black colored wood on the chairs, in our opinion, needs a fresh coat of paint. Also some of the very large white tags underneath the chairs were hanging down... (really noticeable when the chairs are painted black and upholstered with blue velvet) And the paper menus were stained, worn and one a bit torn. Seems as though the hostess would have noticed to give us clean menus. Our server checked on us attentively and the mussels and wine were very tasty! Suggestion...We would have loved to receive a finger bowl. We both had to pop to the restroom to wash our hands. There is No way to eat mussels without touching the saucy shells. To sum up... the service, food and wine was good but in our opinion the interior needs a bit of attention and the paper menus should be replaced when they are stained and worn. Attention to those issues might lift the restaurant up to match their pricey menu.

Pretty great experience but do not go based on other yelp reviews! I went to this place because I was in town for a conference so per usual I looked up a couple restaurants on yelp before hand and reserved a table for Saturday night. The patio was outside but the restaurant is on a busier intersection so it sorta feels like you're eating on the street. There was no grilled octopus :( (apparently a seasonal special only) and there weren't any brussel sprouts or anything that shows on yelp as a raving review. I ended ordered the steak and swapping the grits for potatoes. The grits were over salted IMO but the steak was phenomenal. I wish the steak had less sauce on it or it came on the side because I don't think it complimented the steak very well. Learn from my lesson and check out the menu BEFORE.

Food was delicious, and we loved the waffle chips. I had the steak sandwich, kids got a burger and chicken parm sandwich and my husband had the Caesar salad. Great find for lunch!

An absolutely incredible dinner was had last night at The Kennedy. I was on a girls weekend with a bunch of friends and we came here and we're promptly seated. The waiter was so detailed that he remembered our names and called us each by name every time he came by. My meal started with the crawfish dumpling which was incredible. A perfect mix of creamy broth and small, sweet crawfish. Next up was duck, prepared perfectly, with a side of vegetables. Delicious, light and seemingly healthy. The wine and cocktail list was immense and the mixed drinks each had a special flair. The art deco design in the restaurant only added to the atmosphere. I must go whenever you're in Spartanburg.

Fantastic restaurant on our drive through town. We sat at the bar with two great bartenders. We had the mussels - they were outstanding! Fresh and fabulous tomato garlicky sauce. We also had the charred Cesar salad with their famous aioli sauce and shared a smash burger with fresh made fries. Everything was fantastic. I would make the effort to go back if possible.

We visited Spartanburg this weekend for the first time and picked The Kennedy as our first stop, Saturday lunch. Our server Iman was playing hostess, bartender, server, etc. and she was absolutely terrific. Being vegetarian, our favorite food item was the grain bowl followed by the pomme frites which were good but soft so will try the pommes gaufrettes (chips) next time. The glazed carrots were flavorful but really soft and gooey and we just couldn't eat them. I think if they were sliced, they might be more appealing. We are doing a dry January so had two mocktails and really liked the Virgin Paloma (margarita) and the Lavendar Lemonade. It was great to have those options. Ambiance is nice and I do recommend The Kennedy. I would like to give it a 4.5 seeing the meat and seafood options on the menu but went with 4 stars for our experience.

I wish I've taken a picture but is almost gone. Soooo delicious! I stop for a work task. First time in Spartanburg looking for a yummy bite. And was not disappointed at all. 100 recommended! Geri was my server and she was super super nice and helpful!! If you are here please do yourself a favor and try it. .

Great variety on the menu. Great service. Quaint place. Something for everyone and value for the money

Went on Sunday, Rachel is the Best Server! Anticipated needs before requested! Very friendly and professional. The music set the best ambiance, and cocktails are amazing! I Love the Kennedy, and recommend to everyone I meet!

Food is often very good. But Please I beg you do something with the au poive sauce It's putrid and rancid and ruined very good steaks

Food never disappoints, ambiance is always cozy and styled to Art Deco style, and service is always responsive and considerate! Our favorite spot in Spartanburg! Top recs are their Pomme Frites, Herloom Carrots, and Burnt Chocolate Spoon Bread)

This was a delicious lunch spot! Perfect portions, amazing food, lovely vibe! Will definitely return!

Amazing experience from start to finish! The great experience was fostered by the amazing bartender and more. Chris, and great company had at the L shaped bar! And the cherry on top was the wonderful progressive dinner that I had! Chris was extremely knowledgeable of the chemistry of alcohol and mixtures: which makes a perfect cocktail. I didn't have wines: but the menu reflected a great list of reds, whites and cavas! So many wonderful food choices could be had: as this was my first time, I chose small plates so I could sample the wonderful menu! The patrons who frequent the restaurant were all having the tuna starter, thus I joined them. The tuna was perfect, ample amount of tuna, with good sauces, and freshness! No fishy taste existed. The portion was quite significant for a starter. Progressing with my meal. I had the crawfish dumplings: very different than the description on the menu but ohhhhh so flavorful! Plus a bit of spice at the end! Lastly. Don't forget room for dessert! Great experience had from food to hospitality: this place is definitely on my list. Thanks for the great experience!

A new favorite restaurant that is open on Sunday! From the minute we walked in, the staff was welcoming and the overall "vibe" was great. We were offered brunch or lunch since we arrived in between menus. As you can see, we opted for lunch. The smash burger was cooked as ordered and delicious. The meat was flavorful but not too salty. Chicken parm also fresh and tasty. Our waitress was perfectly attentive. Things that also stood out were good music at a decent volume and comfortable seats.

Worst dining experiences ever! Will NEVER RETURN, Martini was so horrible that I couldn't even drink it. Salad gross. Poor service ! TERRIBLE AMBIENCE. No wonder we were the only people there. Total ripoff.....should be ashamed!

The Kennedy consistently has a very attentive and well versed staff. The house cocktails are the best in Spartanburg and there are no bad choices on the menu.

The farm to table approach in this restaurant is outstanding. The food is beyond fresh, so well, seasoned and put together. In combinations that you wouldn't think so. The chicken Parm was outstanding with homemade ricotta cheese Gnocchi was the best I have ever tasted. Craft cocktails as well and homemade desserts round out an amazing experience. I would highly recommend this local gem.

Flew in from Ca. And found this place... amazing, fresh food, and AMAZING service!!! Thank you guys and hope to visit again!

Great food. Great atmosphere. I had the French dip. Can't wait to try everything else

I had the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. The grits were creamy and light. The shrimp cooked to perfection, firm but moist. I really enjoyed it. Ambiance was perfect. I was single that night, and sat at the bar and met many nice people and good conversation.

This place is classy af. I've had such a good experience the two times I've been here. Great atmosphere and food. Will return.

The food was really delicious and the service fantastic. Still dreaming about the pork belly!

All I can say, is disappointing and our second visit in the last four months. In fact, this was our anniversary and thought we would try it again. Service is really bad and food OK. Definitely a lot of new people, but I would not recommend sitting at the bar. Not cheap and my steak sandwich had fried onions that had been I think scraped off the bottom of the pan and not worth it for 15 bucks.

Good food, great portion sizes. Not mind blowing but good service. Plan to park across the street, nice place/ ambiance.

Stopped here spontaneously on our way to Spartanburg hospital to see my dad. My husband and I were so pleasantly surprised by how AMAZING everything was about this place. Hands down one of the best places I've eaten. The chefs know their stuff for sure. The atmosphere and server were also wonderful. We got a variety of things to share. I wish I had taken more photos of the food. We had the dumplings, burger, brussel sprouts, and a salad. Everything was amazing and very reasonably priced. I got a gin drink from the menu which was great.

WOW! I was driving from Charleston SC to Asheville, North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC was a good midway point to grab lunch. So I looked on yelp for somewhere with great food and thank God, The Kennedy popped up! I sat at the bar and had the crawfish and dumplings bowl, which is actually housemade ricotta gnocchi. The juxtaposition of the garlic cream sauce with the crispy tiny slices of leek were truly delicious! And I got a side of their locally baked sourdough bread... Yum! I'm going to stop here for dinner. On my way back through town soon! Can't wait!

Stopped here during our first visit to the Spartanburg area and found this amazing place on Yelp, of course, but nothing on this app could have prepared us for the incredible food and service we experienced here. Our experience began with a restaurant so full of reservations the hostess begrudgingly began to tell me they couldn't accept walk-ins. However the manager, Jarrod, kindly sat us and served us because the restaurant was a bit short staffed for the night. Our dinner began with an impeccable Pinot Grigio and delicious rye whiskey cocktail, followed by one of the tastiest appetizers we have had in many months, the Crawfish and dumplings; ending with the Shrimp and Grits and must-have Creme brulee. I highly recommend this restaurant, but its status here will also speak for itself.

Amazing service. Had bruschetta and dessert. Both were some of the best I've had. Wonderful ambiance.

Not sure how much more can I add to the already great reviews. But this is one of a handful of restaurants in the Asheville-Charlotte-Greenville foodie triangle that is in our top 5. Our experience is always consistent. Great location and ambiance, top service all around, and the food is fantastic and great cockatils. I keep going back for the Crawfish and Dumplings, Mussels, Shrimp and Grits, Salads, Pork Shank, Steak and Frites and the Bahn Mi Sandwich. Everything we have had is fresh, well prepared and well presented. One only gripe....price of some items are a bit high based on what you get. I love the Bahn Mi Sandwich, but very small portion of pork belly.

Great food, great service with a menu that is always evolving and fun. Every time we've been there it's been a new experience in a good way!

This is our go-to spot when we have out-of-town visitors. Great food, a unique menu, and a stellar atmosphere.

This restaurant is like a blast from the past! The exterior is almost as cool as the interior: warm, eccentric, and a great place for a date. Found this gem on Yelp (duh) while traveling for work. Took myself out and was quickly seated at a table in the main dining area, but the bar looked even cozier. The menu is 5 star! Oysters, duck, delectable sandwiches that makes it hard to choose. Started with the crispy brussel sprouts which was definitely enough for two. Great flavor and char with the mix of cucumber and mint. Next ordered was the duck confit sandwich. The bread was buttered and grilled to perfection, surprisingly easy to eat, and the french fries were the perfect pairing. Would highly recommend stopping by The Kennedy next time you're in Spartanburg!

Well...this is apparently the "ladies lunching spot" and place to be seen in Spartanburg, SC. Fantastic redesign of a building with exquisite art deco style. Food and service was pretty good but we waited quite a while for our lunch to be served despite their not being overwhelmed with patrons but that happens in the time of Covid. I had the loster roll and hubby had what he thought was going to be a "pork belly" sandwich. Turns out ...the pork belly seemed more like slow roasted Boston butt. My lobster roll had some great fresh herb content but was mostly a salad of claw meat and not really a fulfilling amount of real lobster. Their french fries were fantastic as was the aioli! I would definitely go back for dinner service and I must admit...I am a sucker for quality French knives. Lunch was pricey for two with no drinks.....round $55.00 before tip.

Food is very good and service is great. It's pricy but nice ambience for a special meal. Nice variety of foods and some unusual taste combinations.

This wasn't a fit for us. It's difficult to know what kind of portion to choose, and better naming of dishes or some sort of vision statement would have made things clearer - Deconstructed Banana Pudding, or that type of nomenclature. It was very pricey and we were not impressed with the wine list. We are probably more conservative diners being used to Europe.

As soon as you walk in, this tiny but mighty restaurant blows you away. The decor is a little niche, it has a Great Gatsby kind of energy, but it's well done and definitely adds to the charm. The drinks, mock tails included, are always fantastic. I love the lavender lemonade, and I order it every time I come in. The food is amazing. Every. Single. Time. The pork belly Bahn Mi is so good, it has a perfect salty bite to it. The starters are so amazing, and the portions are great. The mussels are a great option for seafood lovers. The pork shank is always super tender. I could go on forever about how great the food is. Even the desserts. The fantastic service is just the cherry on top. The staff is always super attentive, kind, and helpful. I wouldn't change a thing about this place.

I guess Spartanburg really wasn't ready for small plates. They reworked their menu to have more larger plates rather than tapas. I was disappointed by this but the quality of food is still extremely high. I tried their new octopus dish with the succotash and it was perfectly balanced and I loved the texture of the celery root puree. The heirloom tomato sauce was bright and salty and paired well with the octopus. The octopus was the star this time. I especially enjoyed the heirloom tomato appetizer. The tomato's, peaches, ricotta and pesto paired so perfectly. Sweet and salty perfection. Again, the pork belly and grits were on point and the portion of pork belly was generous. They said that they'll be changing the menu monthly.

Met a few friends there for our "girls happy hour". We sat at the bar and had the most amazing cocktails prepared by Chris and apps. The pimento cheese was the best I've ever had. What impressed me the most and made our time there the best was how Knowledgeable Chris is. He not only created unique cocktails he gave us a sample of a few things to try. He is truly a professional mixologist and great guy. We did not have dinner there this time. The Kennedy is an excellent restaurant in Spartanburg for creative and unusual meal choices and perfect for date nights and special occasions. Everyone is friendly and professional. I highly recommend trying it and especially encourage the Greenville Yelpers to come and see what makes this restaurant so special.

Loved it. Food was amazing! the best was the duck and dumplings and roasted carrots. The decor is nice and the staff was quick and friendly.

I usually come to a restaurant twice just to see if it's consistent and if I was just too hungry the first time. Both times service was so slow! First time food was great. Second time, was not that good unfortunately. Would I be back? Ehhhh maybe, but not for a while. You have limited options in the area.

Did not have table service. Just sat at the bar. Had appetizers and drinks. Fantastic bartender and the food was wonderful. Can't wait to go back.