I was invited here by a friend, who claimed this to be "her favorite spot." I immediately found out why. First, I don't have pics this time because I just dove into the food. Everything came out quickly. I had an Orange Blossom cocktail, green beans, chicken dumplings, and the pork rice bowl. My friend ordered sesame balls, and I tried one. 10/10 on everything. Service 100+, Ambiance 100+, Food/Beverage 100+. Shout out to Reginald and the team! I rarely give out five stars, but I could not deny this one. read more

Our Dinner Out group selected Sum Bar for our monthly gathering. The menu is plentiful with a nice simple explanation of each dish. The wait staff is SO personable...we felt like family. Open airy decor with adequate shades that were lowered so the late afternoon Sun didn't blind us. Good selection of wines, mixed drinks and an ok selection of beers. The venue is small so we were glad we had made reservations. There is FREE parking in the metered lot just east of the restaurant. Check in when you arrive in the restaurant so you can take advantage of the complementary parking perk. We all agreed we would return to Sum Bar. read more

I've only been here a couple of times, but I definitely need to be coming back here more often. The vibe is awesome. Low key yet refined. In the times I've been it has not been terribly busy, but a steady amount of folks. For those interested in visiting it's important to keep in mind that Wednesday's has a slightly different menu than the other nights. There is no chicken wontons brought soup but say the veggie dumplings are steamed not fried. It's just a slight variation in the menu, but it makes for a good change mid week. There is street parking available and a some spots to park in a small lot for those not trekking around on foot. Food and Drink - 5* On my most recent visit I had crab rangoon, which is served in a deconstructed way with it being more of a wonton and dip dish. It's creamy yet spicy especially if you dump chili oil into the dip. Great balance! The siu mai comes with four open face dumplings and they were delicious. The chicken wontons brought it home and was definitely my favorite of the bunch. I could make two or three servings of those as an entire meal. For drinks, I tried the Chai Me A River - nice balanced, but booze forward cocktail served up. Service - 5* Food came out so fast! Holy moly, I had barely ordered and it felt like food started showing up. An area that I thought was a huge win was table side water. I drink a lot of water and one of my most common struggles is a full water glass. Not here, they give you an entire bottle. Pricing - 4* The portions are a little small to the cost, but nothing outrageous. It's made up for in the quality. Ultimately between a cocktail and a few dishes plus tip it was about $55-60. Overall - 5* Anyone who is looking for a chill vibe, great dishes, and some cocktails, sake, wine, or beer - get down here! Definitely will continue to pop in here on my trips to GV. read more

See all

I wouldn't go back but it wasn't awful. I feel bad I wasted my calories and money here. If you have had good dim sum anywhere else you will be disappointed. read more

We...love...dim sum. We had so-so experience at Sum Bar when they first opened, gave them some time, and decided to try again last night. The positives: we arrived for our reservation, and were promptly seated. Then things started going downhill. We realized we had only been given cocktail menus, and asked our server for a food menu. They said "I'll get those for you in a bit, would you like to order cocktails?" No, we wanted food menus. Weird. We got menus, and ordered cocktails and appetizers together. 20 minutes later, nothing. Finally our shumai arrived. We asked for the table sauces. The server grabbed some from the shelf realized they were empty, and went in the kitchen to refill. 5 minutes later I saw someone from the kitchen return the (still empty) sauces to the shelf. Flagged down another server, and the exact same thing happened (no sauce for us, server never returned). Our server finally came by , I said that we'd asked 2 people for sauce, it had been 12 minutes, our shumai were cold. They said "oh other tables are using it". WHAT?!? So they get sauce and we don't? The server had our cold shumai warmed up , and our second appetizer arrived (cold cucumbers, took close to 40 minutes). Note: Still no cocktails. 40 minutes in, when we finally received our cocktails, we drank them quickly, finished our 2 appetizers, paid and left to find dinner elsewhere, as we were hungry and had no desire to wait another hour for more food (forget trying to get another drink). So disappointing. Too bad because the cucumbers and warmed up shumai, with sauce, were really very good. read more

Had such a great time at Sum Bar--huge shoutout to Tyra for making our visit extra special! We tried the Crab Rangoon (dip style) and loved it. The Orange Blossom cocktail paired with the sesame balls was a surprising hit--such a good combo. But the real star for me was the Pom de Replay with pork belly rice ball. So good! Definitely a must-order next time, too. The decor and music gave the place an awesome vibe--stylish but relaxed. Super inviting atmosphere. Can't wait to come back and try more from the menu. Highly recommend! read more

See all

A must-visit! I've been hearing about Sum Bar for the past year, and just got a chance to make it this summer. It is a small-plate style restaurant, so I suggest go with a group and ordering several things to share. Honestly, everything I've tried on their small but mighty menu is delicious, and they have excellent cocktails as well. My personal favorite are the green beans and the sesame rice balls. I've been twice and can't wait to go back! Got so excited I only took pictures of half the food. The service was excellent both times. Very friendly and helpful, as well as knowledgeable about the menu. read more

See all

Looking for a trendy ambiance, quick service and delicious drinks? Be careful or you'll miss Sum Bar downtown. The restaurant is neighbors to a brewery, and parking can be tricky. There's a small lot that you can park in, but if parking is not on your side, there are local garages and side street parking available. Reservations are recommended if you'd like a table, although walk-ins are welcomed. We made reservations through Resy, and had no issues! I loved the small plates that were amazing for sharing. My friend and I ordered these handful of plates to share and make it a family style mean. Hello shareables for a date night, girls night, or a group gathering! First up were the green beans that were perfectly seasoned, still warm, and full of bite. Highly recommend! The duck breast was chefs kiss. Tender, moist, full of flavor and paired well with the chicken and shiitake wontons. The star of the show was hands down the dim sum. CHILLEEE the entire meal was delightful and paired well with my Manhattan that packed a punch. Run, don't walk. read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum, Duck Breast, Green Beans, Chicken and Shiitake wontons - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

I want to give Sum Bar all five stars bc I really do love it for an upscale evening with cocktails. Such great decor and beautiful restaurant to be in. It's just not where we go for the biggest "bang" for our buck. Don't expect big portions. But other than that the service has always been great, cocktails on point and the food & presentation has been gorgeous. read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

This was so good! It is very very small inside and spots get taken fast make a reservation! We had a large group with a reservation and still had to wait about 30 minutes but it was well worth the wait and they gave us some appetizers while we waited. We met the manager and our server both were great! The plates were so good we barely had any left (hence the pic of the aftermath of all of us eating) We left very very happy! read more

Sum Bar - the table when we all finished - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

See all

We just celebrated Cary's birthday at Sum Bar. They provided us each a glass of Prosecco to celebrate the occasion. Service was exceptional. I was surprised with how fast our food was served too. The place still looks new. Very clean and neat. There is bar seating and a number of tables. Not too loud, not too big... Nice modern atmosphere. We ordered a bottle of Negora Saki which is an unfiltered Saki. Definitely worth trying while you are there. We shared a Crab Rangoon. Something we have had every time we have been here. Crispy chips with crab meat mixed with (I believe) sour cream. Always Very good... The second item we ordered was their Pork Dumplings Dim Sum... which is pork, bok choy, garlic, ginge (No I dont know what Ginge is, but it's good) The third item was a dish of Tempura Mushrooms which are crispy fried mushrooms in dumplings with a delicious herby aioli... We topped that with the Sesame Balls which are fried rice balls covered with sesame seeds with red bean paste they are slightly sweet and always a treat. Tonight we had a dessert. Buckwheat cake. It tastes very much like carrot cake. Excellent way to en the evening. Once again we were not disappointed with the meal and definitely will be back. read more

Everything is delicious here! Don't pass up on the green beans or the crab rangoon! Right across the street from Springhill Suites. read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

We have been wanting to try this and finally made reservations because walk-ins will have difficulty due to limited seating-- FYI!! Anyways even though we had reservations we were seated at the bar ( possibly because we adjusted our reservation and added a person) . Anyways the bar was fun and we learned a lot. They have some fun funky drinks - plus wine beer and sake. The menu is small...just what you will see here and on other reviews and servings are more tapas like. So try many things and order more of what you like later! Our favorites were the green beans and the veggie dumplings... although all are delicious!! Also the crab Rangoon is delicious...now I normally do not like this at other restaurants...but their take on this worked for me with more crab and minimal cream cheese. It's hip little place next to Fireforge brewery with a nice ambiance. Staff and owner were very kind to engage and make suggestions. I personally did not care for the bar chairs/stools as as it only has a small low back (support) but this will not prevent me from returning! read more

See all

Thanks Sum Bar for hosting my 25th B-day dinner! Although a smaller restaurant they were able to accommodate my 12 top reservation +2 unexpected guests the day of. Food was delicious and came out fast for such a large table. They were thoughtful and attentive the entire evening and the round of birthday sake also went down really well! I would highly recommend this place as a stop you should take in Greenville. I look forward to my next visit. read more

Sum Bar - bbq pork - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

See all

First things first, Sum Bar is not your traditional dim sum place. We started with the tempura mushrooms, which were a disappointment. They were excessively greasy and lacked the usual light, crisp texture and golden color you'd expect from tempura. Next came the dumplings. While not terrible, they were quite uninspired--nothing special compared to what you could get at a fast-food chain like Panda Express. The "famous" crab rangoon also fell short of expectations, featuring imitation crab meat that just didn't hit the mark. Finally, the Siu Mai was quite dry. It lacked the juiciness and flavor you'd find in authentic dim sum. On a positive note, the bartenders were fantastic, and the alcohol selection was excellent, definitely the highlight of our visit. For that reason, I am giving Sum Bar two stars. While it may not impress dim sum enthusiasts, it could still be a good introduction for newcomers. Oh and very expensive, for the quality! read more

Sum Bar - Tempura Mushrooms - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

I'm not one to give out fives, but this place deserves it. We tried almost everything on then menu and all were fantastic. From the crab ragoon to the lettuce wraps, the chicken, green beans (no joke) short rib, and other all top notch. Decor ok, simple and clean. The service was good, the short ribs came out slower than THEY expected so they gave us a comp order of green beans and took off the charge for the other. My favorite the ragoon, chicken was out of bounds. and short rib. The lettuce shrimp was great. Great drinks If you're in Greenville SC it's a must try Go and really enjoy. read more

My wife and I ate at Sum Bar tonight while on vacation in Greenville. It was outstanding! Something that Columbia badly needs: a Dim Sum restaurant. I was tipped off that Greenville has a new Dim Sum restaurant by a WYFF TV 4 story that the owner of Sum Bar is the topic of an James Beard Foundation awarded documentary about her opening the restaurant about 18 months ago. The food was outstanding! The best Dim Sum that we have eaten since vacationing in Boston's Chinatown. We shared Pork Dumplings, Siu Mai with Roe, Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Wontons, Steamed Bao, Char Siu Pork, Egg Tarts and Sesame Balls with Red Bean Paste. Each of these items were delicious, well presented and had a nuanced blend of spice and heat. I heartily recommend trying Sum Bar. You will be not be disappointed. read more

See all

Food- Good! Nice but small selection for the menu. Got it in a timely matter and their chili oil is good. Service- HORRIBLE! Our server hardly came around. Didn't go over the menu whatsoever. They don't offer any takeout boxes. We had to ask our server for refills on drinks several times. We didn't even get a menu when we sat down and had to ask for one. We would ask for something and our server said she would get it and she would go straight to the bar area and lean against the wall and start texting. We had to literally wave her over which I hate doing! Atmosphere-Small and simple. Not kid friendly imo. It was also insanely hot in there. No AC. The concept is good and it is a good addition to GVL but I have no desire to come back because of the horrible service. read more

See all

Sum Bar is such a great spot! I love that they have lots of small shareable plates. My table got the shrimp toast, congee, siu mai, butternut squash fritters, and gai lan. All of it tasted great, and I have no complaints. I think the standout was the congee. It was my first time having congee. I loved the simplicity of it and being able to customize bites with the variety of toppings. Make sure to get the sauce tray. I loved adding the chili oil for an extra kick. It was spicy and smokey. The inside was small but felt cozy. It was nice being able to look around and see what others were getting to tack on to our order. read more

See all

A modern take on your classic shanghai esc cuisine. Lots of chili oil, dumplings, buns, and seafood options. It was amazing and I'll be back! Drinks were great too. The physical restaurant is quite small so make sure to get reservations. read more

See all

We came here for our 6 year anniversary and we will definitely be back! I've patiently waited for the right time to come here, and it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic. A must have are the crab Rangoon wonton nachos. And our personal favorite dish was the chicken wontons, but not if you can't handle spice. Our server, Sarah truly made our anniversary visit an amazing time. And the space is just perfect for a small but unique downtown Greenville experience. Plus, check out my cute panda time glass the Yu Gin Sum, Yu Lose Sum came in! read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

I over all enjoyed my meal with my friend. The food is tasty. I would like to note the following: 1) I think prices are a little too high for the size of the dishes. 2) this is not dim sum like you would get it in a Chinatown in a big city 3) we felt hurried in eating. That did not sit well with me and would make me 2nd guess going back. We were there about 1.5 hours, we had drinks with our meal and enjoyed our time. But as soon as we paid our check they asked us to move to the bar so they could sit other people....guess what we were about to leave anyways! So I give them 4 stars but if 3.5 stars existed, that would be more accurate. read more

Sum Bar - Pork belly and tempura mushrooms - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

As a fusion restaurant, this was a pretty enjoyable experience! - 3.5/5 As an authentic dim sum restaurant, I was a little disappointed. - 1.5/5 I was visiting from out-of-state to visit a friend for a week and knowing that I love my Asian food, she had made a reservation for us here. I'm Chinese and have lived in multiple Asian food hotspots, so I've had my fair share of dim sum with diverse influences. Since it was just us two, we didn't get to try too many dishes but we got a few of my favorites: Crab Rangoon, Siu Mai, Char Siu BBQ Pork, and Gai Lan. I enjoyed them all, and it satisfied my craving for dim sum, so I'll give them that! However, it's worth mentioning that all the dishes leaned heavily on the salty side. The Char Siu BBQ Pork, in particular, was covered in such a strong sauce, I could barely taste the pork itself. That being said, Sum Bar definitely has a unique twist I haven't quite tasted elsewhere - quite tasty but not what I had in mind for traditional dim sum. read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

See all

I reeeeally wanted to love it because we were so excited about Greenville getting a dim sum spot. It's more trendy fusion style and not authentic but that's fine with us. The cocktails we got were pretty good, but a bit underwhelming. The menu selection was a bit small and we did try a few things we really liked (crab Rangoon dip was my favorite) but a most of the dishes just didn't wow us. There was nothing bad - just not standout to make us want to return. Service was ok, server seemed overwhelmed so was just a bit slow. For the price and hype when it opened I think we just expected a bit more. Hopefully we can try it out again in the future one day and maybe have a more exciting experience read more

Sum Bar - Crab Rangoon dip (very good) and pork belly (just ok). Cocktail was a margarita style and overly sweet - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

Really wanted to like this place bc I've been waiting to come here since before they had a building, but it's now 4:40, the place opens at 4:30 per Yelp and per their front door, and the employees inside still have the door locked, haven't acknowledged us outside at front door, and are just doing their thing which does not include serving patrons. They even have a policy that you can make a reservation but if you no show, it's $20. I feel like they owe me $ for making me wait without any explanation. read more

I enjoyed Sum Bar! I was travelling to Greenville for work so I stopped in for an early dinner and was able to be seated at the counter. It is a small restaurant and filled up quickly as it got later. The menu is also very small, but I enjoyed what I ordered - the cucumbers, bao buns, and dumplings. I would say the plates are quite small and maybe a little pricey for what you are getting. If I could rate 4.5, I would. My cocktail was good but a little too strong for my taste, it felt like the alcohol overpowered it too much. Definitely use the chili oil, but as other reviews mention, a little goes a long way. Very spicy! Overall, it's a cute spot and I would go back! read more

To go order. The staff was amazing. Didn't have a large dim sum menu, or any menu. More like a mini appetizer menu. But American BBQ style rib meat, not the red sweet Asian sauce most well recognize. It was dumbed down to SE American expectations. The Chinese broccoli tasted, and looked, like collard greens. Bitter, Not the soft flavor, young stalks most expect in Chinatowns across the USA and Europe. The sauce wasn't the lobster sauce either. It was different. Not bad, just not close to what you might expect. The shu mai was 4 pcs per order. For the price presented, in most Dim Sum restaurants in major cities should've been at least 6. Greenville isn't even close to major. The dumplings were the only thing we ordered that was close, but soggy and thin. More like wontons made for soup, but very tasty. Not sure I would recommend it. Nice staff but not really dim sum either. Not really Cantonese or Mandarin. Very "dumbed" down for SE Americans. "Fusion"? Eh. read more

A great place to sample and share small dishes. They have a small menu that you can order from. We made reservations for mother's day and there were 13 of us in our party. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu and shared it with everyone. The plates are all small tapas portions so don't expect large serving portions. We did enjoy everything we got and I think my fave is the green beans. They have a great cocktail menu. With several of us ordering drinks we had a taste of all the cocktails. In my opinion, out of all the baijiu cocktails, the best one is The Last Character. Dining is still by reservations only. I think I'll be back for the cocktails. read more

See all

Our friends had highly recommended this place so was really looking forward to eating here. The food arrived lukewarm and mediocre and tasted reheated. The crab rangoon dip was made with artificial crab but did not say that on the menu so lacked the flavor fresh crab has. Vegan dumplings arrived fried but did not mention that on the menu. Very disappointed. read more

i have been wanting to try sum bar for quite some time and i was not disappointed! the chai mocktail was zesty and refreshing, the food was amazing- the pork dumplings were our favorite- and the vibe was so fun and lowkey. we had the best servers at the bar- they were lovely and friendly! perfect for a date night or girls night. read more

See all

this is hands down the coolest place in Greenville. for me it's such a homey vibe and getting to watch them blossom is such a treat. Feels like you're intimately involved in someone's passion project. They throw cool events, and do all kinds of sick collabs, the food is always excellent and so different compared to anything else you can find for 100s of miles.... Kinda pricey but who cares, Greenville doesnt have enough culture like this imo. read more

We finally got into Sum Bar last night. They are still reservations only and typically open them on Sundays. If you wait for the email list to tell you that reservations opened...then you're probably too late to get a spot. The service was wonderful. Everyone from the host to the waitress to the woman that cleaned up the glass I broke () was so kind. The food was really good and came out quickly. The shrimp and pork dumplings were my favorite. If you have your heart set on something that you see on the online menu it might be a good idea to call ahead because about half the menu was different. We missed the pork bao but part of this restaurant's experience is trying what's fresh. One thing we missed was on the menu was that the "optional roe" on the Siu Mai dumplings. There was no price attached and the waitress didn't mention it. It ended up an extra $2 per order. The cocktails were good. I got the As Told By Ginger (cause 90s Nickelodeon kid) and my partner got the spiced old fashioned. We ordered 7 things and 2 drinks and spent about $100 before tax and tip. My partner was still a little hungry afterward. We'll be back soon to check out whatever the latest menu is. read more

Sum Bar - Siu Mai Dumpling, Crab Rangoon Starter, As Told By Ginger cocktail, Spiced Old Fashioned - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

Love this place. A nice contrast to Fireforge with a fun vibe.,Hreat bar and sake, dim sum is always fun and delicious. My only wish is for a bigger menu. read more

This is a great place to share plates. I was surprised at the size of the menu, there was more to offer than I was expecting. The atmosphere was intimate and created a nice ambiance. I sat at the bar with a friend and the bar tender was friendly. Overall- the food was good and I would go back. Be warned- they don't have to go boxes so take a container of your own to bring left overs. They encourage you to do so! read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

See all

Wow. Sum Bar was worth the wait. Because we've been trying to get a reservation for a while, we decided to go ahead and try the entire menu. It did not disappoint. From the cocktails to the starters to the Dim Sum. The food and drink experience was top tier. You can tell everything was specifically curated for goodness and flavor. Favorites: Crab Rangoon Dumplings Char Sui BBQ pork The service, from the moment you walked in, was kind and accommodating. We sat at the bar and were able to experience the full dining experience. Our bartender/ server, Kristen was a delight. She answered all of our questions and gave us her recommendations. I felt like we had an interaction with all of the servers and bartenders at some point. Everyone was so attentive. Overall, I will definitely be back. I'm grateful we have places like Sum Bar here in Greenville that bring culture and good food to our little big town. Thank you Sum Bar for an incredible dining experience. I can't wait to return. read more

See all

We had the Gai Lan, Crab Rangoon, Char Siu BBQ Pork, Dumplings, and Veggie Dumplings. If you're used to traditional dim sum this is definitely a more modernized take. read more

Sum Bar - Dim Sum Near Me - Greenville, South Carolina

Excellent!! Minimal menu with great choices. Had a few amazing dishes: Crab Rangoon, SuiMai, and Amazing Dumplings. Excellent small hole in the wall. The waitress warned us about the spiciness of the Red Chili oil... be warned!! Amazing taste... VERY SPICY! a little goes a long way. read more

My wife and I just went to Sum Bar for the second time in about a month (yay bday and anniversary so close ) and I don't have a single bad thing to say. We've been 5-6 times now and we've never had a bad experience. The food is always fantastic, the service is incredible, and the restaurant is just so cozy. The owner even remembered us tonight from our last visit and that was so unexpected but so nice too. I could say much much more, but 10/5 stars if I could, Sum Bar is truly our fav place to read more

No where like this in Greenville. Everything on their menu is perfection. Their cocktails are so fun and get you to try something a little different! Great and simple wine bottle menu which I love. Their menu is the perfect size to try so many amazing dishes - grandmas green beans being one of the bestttttt. Great service - great owner and just love what this place and these people are doing in Greenville. Their pop ups that they've had in the restaurant are so good and love seeing them support others starting out and needing space! read more

Nice waitress! Very small seating areas, both my husband and I did not enjoy the food, but others might!