We went in late on Mother's Day and were seated right away. We did have a reservation. We were greeted by several staff, super friendly atmosphere and unique interior. Sort of reminded me of an old diner that had be renovated to a clean upscale vibe. We ordered the steak kabobs and they were mouthwatering with flavor. My fiancee got an old fashioned and I got a rabbits foot, one of their craft gin cocktails. It was AMAZING, the gentleman's ice cube I believe was made with lavender so as it melted, your drink was even more flavorful and not watered down. He ordered the shiny duck and I the beef fillet and mashed potato. Both were also delicious, this is a farm to table spot so you know it's fresh. One thing which I didn't minus a star for was considering the price point I would think they would offer a vegetable with your meal. Few spears of broccolini or asparagus or carrots, just to make it feel a little more well-rounded of a plate. The were out of a few items being a busy day/night but we didn't mind. We will try them next go around. Our server Erin was just epic, great sense of humor and very attentive! We will be back again and make sure to sit in her section. Cheers to supporting local non chain restaurants! read more

Love it when we find a hidden gem and The Kennedy is definitely that. We sat at the bar and Lindsey provided great service. We had cocktails and they were very good. We had mussels which were excellent and then split a short rib entrée, which was also great. This a very small restaurant but everything was fantastic. read more

Got the leaf lettuce salad ($12) with bistro filet ($8) as the protein. Salad was crunchy and fresh. I got the buttermilk vinaigrette on the side. The filet was seasoned well, but a little stringy and difficult to cut. I give the salad a 4.5/5. We ordered two rounds of the cheddar biscuits. The first round was salty, soft, cheesy, buttery, and delicious. The second batch of biscuits was horrible, as if someone was making it with no recipe. Overmixed, gritty, no cheddar, lacking salt, and very little flavor. Not sure what happened with that. The biscuits are getting a 3/5 due to major inconsistency. read more

The Kennedy - Leaf Lettuce Salad with Filet - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

Start to finish a perfect lunch. I had a delicious mocktail that was similar to a Paloma and my god mother had a glass of wine she was very happy with. They were not terribly busy for lunch on the random Wednesday we went. For starters we had crispy pork skins and cheddar biscuits. For our entree I had the schnitzel which was divine. The sauce with the crunchy pork was on point and a light side salad kept it from being too heavy. My god mother had the duck and the leg was definitely superior to the Brest but both were very tasty and the cook on the Brest was the only complaint of the day. The interior is nice perfect for a date or business lunch. Some cool art around the walls. I especially loved the octopus painting. I hope to return to the Kennedy as the seafood looked delicious read more

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Erin was a great server. She was informative, answered a couple of questions and properly attentive. The atmosphere is upscale diner, it made me think of great Gatsby era. The shiny duck was tasty. I really enjoyed the dark meat, leg portion. If you like rice and kimchi you'll enjoy that. I liked it, but my son who loves kimchi ate more than half of it . Cocktails were very tasty and well presented as was the bottle of red wine. The appetizer pomme frites were yummy with the grated cheese and herbs. My son lined his beef ragu and DIL her shrimp and grits. The rainbow carrots weren't rainbow, but very good. read more

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This is the Best restaurant in Spartanburg! Always stop here for a great meal and service when I'm in town for work!

Food was very good. Service was the BEST. Erin is the GOAT! Very great time with family and friends.

We Visited The Kennedy on Sunday and as we were a bit early for dinner, we decided to have a drink at the bar before our meal. Lindsey, the bartender, was friendly and knowledge. She helped us with fab drink choices. We felt so comfortable at the bar with Lindsey that we decided to have our meal there. Our mussels and cavatelli were outstanding .... So tasty and very nice portions. For dessert we shared the sticky toffee pudding which was heavenly! Swift service, fab food and lovely atmosphere. Check to see if Lindsey is working. You won't be disappointed! Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Had such an amazing dinner at The Kennedy this past weekend before the Nutcracker. We started with the focaccia with rosemary and whipped ricotta, which was honestly amazing and nearly impossible to stop eating. For my entrée, I ordered the Chef's Catch (which was red trout that night), served with couscous succotash. The fish was cooked absolutely perfectly with crispy skin (which I usually discard and don't eat, but not in this case), and the trout itself was tender and well-seasoned. The couscous was well-balanced, and somehow both hearty and light at the same time, in the best way. I had the Wisteria Lane cocktail, a lemon and lavender drink, and it was incredibly well balanced. The lavender added something special without being overpowering, which can be hard to pull off. I typically don't love florals in my drink and I could have had another one of these. It was great. Dessert was the crème brûlée. Perfect texture, crackly top, and was incredible . I also got to try my friend's Shiny Duck entrée, which was excellent as well. Every dish felt thoughtful and well executed. The service was 10/10, they were attentive and took very good care of us the whole time. We'll absolutely be back. read more

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Came here for Sunday lunch while visiting my folks. We were seated in the back dining room with view of the kitchen. The decor was really nice and our server was attentive. My dad ordered the burger, which I thought was good and juicy. Mom had the porchetta roll sandwich. While I didn't take a bite of hers, she gave me a two thumbs up in between bites. I ordered the chicken parm sandwich and the portion was huge. I could only eat half of it and took the rest home to snack on later. Their house made crisps were seasoned well and were just the right amount to complement the sandwich. I would come back next time I visit and will be looking to purchase a gift card to send my folks back. Thanks to the team for a great lunch. read more

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Great place outside the immediate downtown Spartanburg area. Two dining areas inside. Great atmosphere. Andrew was so good as our server. Pace was excellent. Part time Spartanburg residents for 6 years. Third time at the Kennedy. Head and shoulders the best meal we have eaten in this area. The flavors were spectacular. Highly recommend!! read more

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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! read more

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Great food. All fresh, farm to table , prepared and presented so well. I had the shrimp and grits which isn't something I would trust. Sauce was tasty , plenty of shrimp - not sausage or other mystery meats ! Service was fast and she knew the menu! Helped us by quickly going thru menu with us. Food was very well prepared. Nice ambience - Bathrooms were so clean and great smelling hand wash. Best meal I have had ... most southern cooking I have seen is mostly chicken. heavy and greasy. Highly recommend. It is downtown Spartanburg so has to get off freeway and see some of the country. read more

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. read more

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After 5 years of coming here, The Kennedy seems to be on a downhill. Service was below par, our waitress just seemed to go through the motions and waited 20 minutes for apetizers and 30 minutes between dishes. Mussels where a mix bag of small medium and a couple of large size pieces. Not the standard for this place. Ordered one of their staple dishes, shrimp and grits. Incredibly disappointing. This dish before came with very creamy grits, a beatiful rich sauce and 6 large prawns. This time we got served coarse size grits with some kind of leafy veggie, simple sauce and 4 medium shrimps. It seems there is either a new owner or chef in town. Whatever it is, we will probably not return. read more

The Kennedy once held the (non competitive) prestige of being the best restaurant in Spartanburg, but unfortunately it no longer lives up to that reputation. Our family visited recently and left thoroughly disappointed. The raw oysters smelled rank, and the grilled oysters were barely cooked at all--essentially just warmed up with mayo on top. The steaks were overcooked, the potatoes oversalted, and the drinks overly sweet. Everything seemed to have lost its edge. The service was excellent and deserves no criticism, but whoever is running the kitchen seriously needs to reconsider their decisions. It also explained a lot when we noticed the restaurant was nearly empty on a Saturday night at 7 p.m. read more

I had a business dinner at The Kennedy recently. It's a pretty good spot overall. I think modern upscale casual is a good descriptor of the environment. It is quiet enough for you to be able to enjoy your conversations without having to speak too loudly. I ordered the steak sandwich with the house chips. Look at the pictures of the house chips. How amazing do they look? Well, unfortunately, the chips dragged my meal down significantly. The perfectly fried chips in the picture were not the chips that I was served. Frankly, I find it insulting that I was served chips that were clearly fried for too long. You see, when you slice something as thin as a potato chip, you really don't need to fry them for that long. You can easily tell by the color of the chips when they are fried for far too long. The fact that the expo and my server both allowed that dish to be served rather than asking for another side of chips to be dropped (which would not really have delayed the meal at all), is just silly. I'd accept crappy house chips from a large chain or even a non-chain casual dining restaurant. For an upscale casual restaurant that doesn't even have a soda fountain, I absolutely cannot accept that I was served chips that were burnt to an inedible crisp. It hurt an otherwise good experience and a good steak sandwich. It's enough to drag this down to a 2 star experience for me and make me not want to return, in spite of the promise I see. read more

Food is always phenomenal Service is A1 The ambience is relaxed and inviting We have eaten here multiple times and we have not had a bad experience once. read more

Terrible service. Waitress was very rude. Service was slow - 1.5+ hours before we got our dinners and restaurant was about half full. Kitchen was out of multiple menu items. Very overpriced. Food was good. Won't be back. read more

If you're looking for a "farm to table" restaurant you will find it at The Kennedy. I went there today for lunch with my sister who was visiting me and we had excellent service, soup to nuts, experience. I look forward to dining at The Kennedy again. read more

Absolutely transcendent! I got the schnitzel, huge portion, one of the best meals I've had. Seasoned immaculately! My mother got the catch of the day, a rainbow trout, "superbly seasoned and the skin was super crispy and delicious." We both ate a huge portion despite being usually light eaters. Our server, Geri, was excellent! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

The Kennedy - Shaved porchetta sandwich - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

Great food and ambience. Reminded me of a Charleston SC restaurant. Looking forward to our next visit.

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. read more

The Kennedy - Crawfish Dumpling with fried onions in a creamy broth - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

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

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Enjoyed our visit here before concert. The food (bruschetta, chicken parm, salad with a steak topper) and service were all excellent. Our server, Portia, was fabulous (and also made a great Old Fashioned since she was also the bartender!). We will definitely return next time we're in Spartanburg. read more

Nice experience. Food was great, very creative dishes and the service was excellent! We will return.

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

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. read more

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Chicken Parmesan was recommended and certainly lived up to its hype. We also enjoyed the roasted seasonal vegetables. Service was good and rounded out an enjoyable experience. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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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 read more

The Kennedy - Recommend for local distillery - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

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Food was great and service was excellent - loved the cocktails & the shrimp and grits were perfect! read more

The Kennedy - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

For starters the food was delicious and the service was great. Enjoyed the atmosphere totally. Will definitely go again and will recommend The Kennedy. read more

Stopped by for dinner while on a work trip.. best decision ever. We sat at the bar with our bartender Chris and are so glad we did. Chris cares about his product and was more than happy to share his knowledge. Loved it so much I came back for lunch the very next day. Crème brûlée and the burnt chocolate dessert were to die for and I am DREAMING about the day I get to come back to taste it again!! The steak and gauchette dish was okay but the steak sandwich was the best sandwich i've ever had (pretty reasonably priced too) read more

The Kennedy - Steak and gauchettes - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

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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. read more

The Kennedy - Steak with a side of gritd - New American Near Me - Spartanburg, South Carolina

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. read more

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. read more