Paloma Greenville — Restaurant in Greenville

Paloma was my favorite space of all the many places we visited in Greenville. Love the blend of indoor and outdoor seating with the big interior roofed bar's open doors. Floor to ceiling windows allow the warm wind to flow through and the light to shine in. Very high ceilings make the room even more spacious in feel. A metallic metal mesh hangs a few feet down all around the square wood ceiling over the bar. It shimmers in the sunlight. Black ceiling fans, hanging silver lights in the shape of balls, marble counters and modern art add to the contemporary feel.

Located downtown in the new AC Hotel by Marriott and billed as a Spanish/Modern Mediterranean Tapas Bar, this would be my go-to place for drinks with friends or colleagues if I lived here.

Our bartender made us the best cocktail we had during this trip and perhaps anywhere ever. (See photos) Under the bebidas (spanish for drinks) menu, my partner and I each chose the Elderflower Spritz made with Engine Gin, St. Germain, Cava and Q grapefruit. What a surprise when she pulled out a metal can in the shape and size of an oil can and squirted a clear liquid over ice into two round old fashioned glasses. I asked, "Is that ours?!" Not familiar with the brand and its unique packaging, we thought it was a riot, and now have to buy some of our own. It's a 42% London Dry gin handmade in NW Italy with limited quantities. Perfect.

A master mixer, all the components were blended into a concoction so unique, colorful, flavorful, fruity and bubbly it's now hard to imagine drinking any other cocktail. She also made a finer version of our friend's usual order, too, which always includes a coconut rum, OJ, cranberry juice and cherries.

We only had time for drinks as we were headed to Rick's for dinner, but the smaller sized menu has something for everyone from tapas to sandwiches, including a beef and veggie burger plus fish and chips, three salads with add-on proteins and a few desserts. Large selection of liquor and beer on tap. Mocktails are also available. Learning Greenville, restaurants close early here so another plus is they're open later since Paloma is a bar within a hotel. (11PM Wednesday and Thursday; midnight Friday and Saturday. 2-10 Sunday; 4-10...

We arrived to Paloma around 7pm so excited for our first experience. We gave our name & number to the hostess who said it would be a hour+ wait before we could be seated, which was fine because we were willing to wait. We asked if we could get drinks from the bar while we wait & they said we could not purchase from the bar but recommended that we buy bottles of wine from the AC hotel. We decided to follow their recommendation & purchased 2 bottles. The AC hotel did not provide wine glasses & said we needed to get them from Paloma. Paloma would not provide wine glasses so there was obviously a massive miscommunication between the hotel staff & hotel restaurant. Then we were offered a table that was too small for our party & we proceeded to try to return the wine we just bought from the hotel which the hotel staff would not allow although we had purchased it minutes before. We also received a text message from Paloma that our table was ready 5 minutes after their first initial time frame of an hour wait.

The manager Zach completely evaded the situation & did nothing to rectify how upset we were. After following their suggestions, wasting money on distasteful wine bottles from the hotel, not being able to return them, being seated at a table too small for our party & being ignored by the manager we fully expected at least a credit for the wine we paid for.

If there is going to be a relationship with the AC Hotel & the restaurant I would hope they get on the same page before they make these recommendations to waiting guests. Also PALOMA DOES NOT TAKE RESERVATIONS which leads to a very unorganized waitlist.

Food was great, but honestly not worth the hoopla that we endured...

Edited for clarification: I visited Paloma Greenville with my peers at a company celebration. It’s a smaller group setting. The tables are set, no combining tables due to the design. The waitress, Rebecca, was a complete sweetheart who was trying very hard to provide top tier service for our large group and her other tables.

I was targeted by the manager and security during the last hour or two I was there. They ended up calling the police on me for trespassing, when I was using the bathroom as a paying customer just because I was ‘deemed for having too much to drink.’

When security tried to escort me out initially, I told him that I was served by Paloma and I was finishing the drink that I was served, as agreed with the manager 5 minutes before he came over to kick me out. He stepped aside and said oh I’m just gonna stay here because I work here while being very rude to out table of people. Fast-forward 30 minutes later, and I come in to use the restroom after being outside, both the security officer and the head of security, cornered me after coming out of the restroom and told me to leave. They served a trespass notice that I could never come back. They absolutely targeted me for no reason. They had no reason to cut me off, or trespass me from the premises, other than their ego. They were wrong, and they refused to admit it. Do not go to Paloma, Greenville, or you’ll end up in the back of a squad car for NO REASON other than the staff...