Imperial — Restaurant in Asheville

To say I’m disappointed would be generous. I walked into imperial well-dressed, calm, and prepared to enjoy a simple drink. Instead, I was publicly denied service because, according to the bartender, my cologne was “too strong.”

Not because I was intoxicated. Not because I was causing a scene. Because I had the audacity to wear fragrance something that, last I checked, is not banned, dangerous, or even uncommon in nightlife.

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about cologne. This was about control. About someone deciding I didn’t belong based on their own comfort level. About ego, bias, and the kind of quiet prejudice that hides behind fake policies and “preferences.”

The most insulting part? There was no attempt to de-escalate or address the situation with any maturity. No offer to move, no conversation just a smug dismissal as if I should’ve known better than to show up smelling like confidence and care.

It’s wild how quickly hospitality turns into hostility when you walk in as a Black man with presence. Apparently, that alone is enough to unsettle fragile people.

If this is how imperial operates treating guests like problems to be managed rather than people to be welcomed I’d rather spend my money somewhere that knows the difference between a customer and a threat.

This space may have the music and mood, but it severely lacks class. Shame on whoever was behind that bar, and shame on any establishment that condones this kind of selective, performative “professionalism.”

I won’t be back. And if you carry yourself with even a hint of self-respect, you...

We walked in with a group of 6 at an empty bar, had a great cocktail and were chatting with the bartender, who was phenomenal.

Things quickly digressed as the owners girlfriend, who was sitting at the bar day drinking, misheard a comment about a bartender back home, and picked a fight with us.

After realizing she made a mistake and we apologized for possibly offending her she kept trying to jump into our conversations with rude racist jokes. If I was the owner I would be appalled that my girlfriend was verbally accosting and insulting a paying group. There was no one in the bar except for us, and the bartender even apologized to our group for the owner’s girlfriend’s actions.

She kept saying how it makes sense we were a bachelor party because we all looked like a copy paste of each other. When we pointed out that not a single one of us was matching shirt color or style she transitioned to calling us the seven white dwarves. Bad math number one as we were 6 people, and when I pointed out that I wasn’t white she accused me of being rude to the bartender. The same bartender who apologized to us for her actions. I was not the original person she yelled at earlier in the visit either. If you like your business I suggest finding a new person to...

This place is amazing. Cocktail menu is innovative and fresh. The ingredients are visible as you sit at the bar. The mixers are made by hand. Ice is crushed in a burlap bag and wooden hammer old school. Our bartender Drew was friendly, yet Asheville-edgy as well. Great drinks, and he has his own concoction on the menu...tasty! We enjoyed the charcuterie...local meats and an culinary mix of chesses including different animal milk like sheep, goat, and more. The crackers and breads were scrumptious... pumpernickel and sesame crackers and baguette. A smear of French mustard and a local honey made it all the more interesting! Can't say enough! Live music even on a Monday night when we went. Oh, it was a well designed space too. On second floor above 'Table". Kudos...