Vault & Vator

My boyfriend found this unique bar on our first day in Greenville! Good eye “mi amor”. For this occasion, we decided to visit Vault & Vator.

Location: This is the worst part because the place is hard to find. It is located in the basement of a building and the entrance is through the parking lot. The entrance has no big sign or anything very visible. We circled the building and walked right by it the first time. We had to ask some locals on the street where the bar was. Either way, the bar is located in the heart of Greenville, SC.

Parking: The bar does not have its own parking lot. You have to pay for parking unless you are lucky enough to get a free parking spot on the street. We paid around $5 for 2 hours of parking.

Service: The bar is very small, only about 8 tables in total, so we decided to sit at the bar. The service is pretty standard. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable about cocktails.

Drinks quality: Not disappointed. The drinks are really good and unique. The flavors are completely different from any standard American Bar. We got Lavender Fields (Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, Lavender-Vanilla Liqueur, Crème de Violette, Pineapple, Lemon, Cardamom Syrup, topped with Butterfly Pea Tea), a refreshing, relaxing, mild, and nice smelling drink, and Bitter Sweet Symphony (Rye Whiskey, Fernet, Punt e Mes, Ginger Syrup, Cranberry Bitters, Angostura Bitters) that taste very similar to bourbon old fashioned.

Price: Completely acceptable. The quality of the drinks and the atmosphere are worth what you pay for the drinks. We pay for 2 cocktails $29.19 plus tip.

Atmosphere: This is the best part. The bar is dark, but comfortable, cozy, romantic, a bit small, quiet, you can talk without any problem. We enjoyed the atmosphere. It was a great cocktail experience for us. Every aspect is unique. You can feel how the tastes of the drinks match with the concept and decorations of the bar.

Recommendation: Open your eyes wide, so you can see the bar door. Park anywhere and explore downtown on the way to this bar. This is not a bar for just any type of person, if you are a lover of sports bars and full-of-people atmosphere, this bar will probably not be exciting to you.

Would I visit this bar again? May be…if I’m bored or if a friend invite me, I’d get up and go there, but I wouldn’t intentionally plan to go again once I experienced the vibe and knew the drinks already because I’ve been to better bars with similar themes.