Breakwater

Happy we dropped in while visiting Greenville. Enjoyed the scallops appetizer and tuna as an entrée. The bar gets really fun too later!

Normally, I don’t do restaurant week. If I’m going to judge a restaurant, I want to do it on their normal fare on an average day. But my gf put me in the Cobra Clutch and told me I’m going. We tried their restaurant week 3 course meal and an extra appetizer. The ahi tuna tartare appetizer was good. There just wasn’t a whole lot of it. Don’t expect enough to share. We both had the clam chowder and it was tasty. Our entrees were incredibly under-​seasoned. I had the fried chicken and it was super bland. It didn’t taste like there was any salt in it at all. Sacrilege. My gf’s fish had the same issue. Super bland. The desserts were decent and really, not all that memorable. The kicker for me was the drinks. In my 15 or so years of drinking alcohol, I have never sent a drink back… until now. My caipirinha was just bad. I took a few sips just to make sure I couldn’t just choke it down. Nope. Couldn’t do it.
The service was very good. Our server (think his name was John) was excellent and on point with everything.
Overall, there are better options for downtown. We may revisit this place during a regular day but not for awhile.

First opinion on the appearance from a distance was it looked like a decent place at the bar… From a distance restaurant was empty and this was early evening. First opinion when I entered the restaurant/​bar was unwelcoming. First opinion on the staff and Employees is they are not well mannered and definitely have no problem voicing their opinion. Did Managment take action? No not really. How long have I been in Greenville? Over ten years. Have you worked in this industry? Yes. Would I recommend this place to first time visitors? No. Much better restaurants, atmospheres, and employees at near by restaurants.

Had the tuna entrée and it was terrific. Our waiter was professional and very attentive. Most fun was had in the bar with the energetic bartenders pouring manhattans and old fashioneds.

We were headed somewhere else but parking put us right here. We tried it and enjoyed our meals. Very we’ll prepared and presented. Server was great. A bit pricey for all the options downtown has to offer.

My husband and I had been receiving emails about changes in the bar and on the menu, so we wanted to give Breakwater another try. I liked the little booths that used to be in the bar, but they’ve now been replaced by tables. The new bar stools are nice. Unfortunately, the bar space is still just as small and extremely loud.
We were disappointed with the southern sampler as the duck was too rare, and the beef served tartare and not listed as such on the menu. Fortunately my husband will eat raw, and he said the flavors were good. Our server Esther very kindly brought us more duck that was properly smoked, as well as a side of calamari. Not enough pita was served with the hummus and the pita was tough to chew anyway, which to me equals not fresh. There just doesn’t seem to be as much love put into the food as before.

Relaxed and trendy atmosphere. Appreciated William’s (server) honesty and suggestions. He was very helpful and an awesome server. Food was great, from the appetizers, breads, entrees to desserts. All just delicious.

Didn’t enjoy this date night especially considering there are lots of dining options in downtown Greenville when have 1 night here a year.
Food: 2.5, Service: 2.5, Atmosphere: 4
Cost to worth it rating: 1 (fish entrée: 28)
Return worthiness: no
Highlights:
— Pecan tart: delicious and just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect melty texture and firm nuts. Bourbon ice cream with the caramel drizzle was a nice compliment. 5 stars
— Open late: reservations til 10 on the weekend
— Speed of service: food came quickly and waters kept on being refilled.
— Drink list: decent options and good amount of wines by the glass
— $ 75 couples meal deal: each get an appetizer and entrée then share dessert and a bottle of wine
Midlights:
— Fried chicken and gravy: hub’s entrée. Was ok – other places we might say good but in the south there’s a lot of competition. Chicken was moist but lacked enough seasoning. 3 stars
— Sparkling shiraz: loved that they had it on the menu and it was called black bubbles cause I love sparkling reds. However this wasn’t a great version of it.
Lowlights:
— Halibut special: horrible. Fish was a chunk of flavorless rubber served under room temperature. Accompanying vegetables were over salted. Only reason I kept eating it was I was hoping it’d get better. And I was really hungry. Enjoyed the basil and shrimp and knew they were meant to be chilled but I’d have preferred warm. 1 star
— Waiter: not friendly at all and lacking any energy. Part of the reason I didn’t say anything about the fish when I should have. He didn’t seem approachable or like he would care.
— Cornbread: mini muffins that were burnt dark brown and dry. Not sure how these made it out of the kitchen.
Super disappointing and glad other reviewers haven’t had the same experience. Hope the waiter just had a bad day and their kitchen quality control already went home. Not a place I’d go back to unless it was the bar area for a drink.

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful dinner at Breakwater, one of the best we have had in a long time. Not only was the food first rate, the hostess, the waiter and the manager all contributed to a really pleasant night. Everything worked. The martini I had was first rate. The special appetizer, tomato pie, was to die for. Think of 3 layers of heirloom tomatoes, with mozzarella and parmesan and asiago cheese, baked in a think pie crust. It tasted like a tomato pizza and it was a huge, easily enough for two. My wife’s imaginative shrimp and crab appetizer salad on fried avocado also was excellent. I followed that with a perfectly-​done medium rare pork chop with faro, rice and vegetable, while she had a swordfish special. Both were winners. Although I didn’t need it, I couldn’t resist the beignets with chocolate sauce that took me right back to New Orleans. I should add that Breakwater has a modern, attractive décor with windows all around. We arrived just as a huge thunderstorm broke and we watched it through the large plate-​glass window. The waiter was pleasant, helpful and available. It’s unusual for a restaurant to have such great food along with all the service and ambiance necessary for a good meal, but this place really has it. We will be back soon.

Excellent dinner and drinks. Have been back twice and will make it as one of our favorites. Staff was excellent with their recommendations.

Maybe the best Greenville has to offer! I LOVE the salmon. Menu changes occasionally so it’s always a surprise and always good!

Enjoyed the atmosphere. Coconut martini is a must. Pimento cheese starter and scallop starter was good, although small. Caprese salad was great. Waiter really talked up the fish special which was to be similar to flounder. It was fishy and bland. One of us told the manager we felt the special was fishy– he comped her meal but no other. I wasn’t looking for a free meal but this does not seem the right approach when 3 of 8 in our party ordered it.

We had an early dinner here. Service was good and the food was good. The wife had southern fried chicken and it was very good. I had the lamb meatloaf. The meatloaf itself was good, nothing special, but still good and better than ‘traditional’ meatloaf. The sauce was excellent and the potatoes were very good. The bread they give you before the meal was very good.

I came here for dinner while on a business trip and this was an excellent place to dine. I’m from the Los Angeles area, and I have to say the service my group received get was top notch. The hostess was very attentive to our large party of 7 even without a reservation. Steven was our server and made great recommendations. I ate the braised beef, wedge salad and the crème brûlée. Everything was excellent, the service was a 10 out of 10 and the food matched. I will definitely be back the next time I’m in Greenville.

Are there last Friday, had the filet and it was great! Service was fast and polite. Will definitely be back.

First of the booth seating is terribly uncomfortable.
Started with the southern sampler of duck pastrami was surprisingly smoky and tasty with pimento cheese which was very dry and chunky but still a good flavor butter bean hummus was dry and the carne cruda was flavorless
Grilled rack of lamb was cooked ok but very small portion for the price. The pecan fig risotto was fantastic but too sweet for my hubby.
My beef medallions were ok. Not a whole lot of flavor going on. Did not like the roasted marble potatoes they were inconsistent and every other bite was like I was eating dirt. It was very bizarre! And the seasonal veg was snap peas which I think they forgot to cook. For $ 88 we left hungry and unsatisfied. Want a good elegant meal for the same price, go to rick’s! He doesn’t disappoint!

We had a half dozen appetizers because nothing on the dinner menu looks like anything we couldn’t do at home cheaper (and better). Nothing very impressive on the appetizer menu, either. Service was adequate, but nothing special. My «very dry Tanqueray» martini was neither dry nor, I suspect, Tanqueray. The dining room is too crowded, and too noisy. It is impossible to have a private conversation in this pretentious, over-​priced restaurant.

Such a great dining experience!
Started with the fried calamari, which was served sprinkled with hot sauce and with a side of homemade ranch dressing. The squid was tender and silky, and the acid of the hot sauce nicely offset the richness of the batter.
Our other appetizer was the hummus platter, with butter bean hummus, olives, feta cheese, and pita. The hummus was incredibly creamy and tasty, and I ate it all myself with no help from my dining companion!
For his entrée, my husband had the southern fried chicken and red skin mashed potatoes. He ordered it without gravy, and when the plate arrived covered with white gravy, we were disappointed. However, when we sent it back, the manager took the time to come to our table and even took it off our bill. He was so kind, and when he lingered to chat we were charmed by how friendly and genuine he was. The replacement chicken (prepared to my husband’s liking) arrived very quickly, and it was perfect.
For my entrée, I had the shrimp and grits. I am a NYer, so I don’t have much experience with this dish, but I enjoyed it so much I wish I could eat it once a week. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, and even though the prawns weren’t very large, I received a generous number of them. The grits were creamy and warm and very soulful, and the whole plate was drizzled with a ham gravy that tasted like silky, miraculously ungreasy bacon.
For dessert we had the pecan tart and the chocolate lava cake, both of which were amazing and could have easily been shared were we not in a vacationy gluttonous mood.
We will be going here again for sure!

I ordered the Braised Short Ribs, Collard Greens, Mashed Potatoes & Red Pepper Relish! I am not a big beef person at all but this was a superb dish!

Breakwater continues to be my #1 recommended bar scene for Thur-​Sat night just about any week of the year. Arrive somewhere around 9pm and watch the magic begin. This is where Greenville’s beautiful people hang-​out. Partially due to the décor and music and partially due to the great bar service.
Bottom line is if you want to be at the ‘hot spot’ at 10pm on a Thur, Fri or Sat, Breakwater is the place to be.