I had been wanting to go to the Merchant for several years now. Finally it happened, and unfortunately I was pretty disappointed. My husband and I went out for dinner here for a Saturday night date night, I was looking forward to good food and good conversation, but that isn't what happened. The first things I noticed were: 1. There is no personal space - we should have introduced ourselves to both of our neighboring tables we were so close! 2. There would be no conversation - I must have said "huh?" a dozen times, as I couldn't hear anything over the blasting music in the "background" 3. Dinner is not what you go to the Merchant for - the food was okay, but as other reviews mentioned not worth the price you pay. The muscles tasted old. 4. You go for the cocktails - which there were many, and if you were just planning on cocktails, it would be a 4-5 star place! 5. You stay for the DJ - because this place is bumping! All in all - not my jam for a nice date night with the hubby, but definitely a place I would grab a cocktail, after dinner, with my friends. read more

Husband and I celebrated our anniversary here for lunch and were quite impressed with the drink menu. He ordered an old fashioned sour- which was excellent in my book. He was quite impressed too! I ordered this delicious drink "La Paloma," and I would rate it an A for presentation, and an A for taste. The atmosphere was quiet and cozy and the rustic, boho feel was a nice place for conversation. The food menu didn't start until 3:30 and dinner menu at 5:00. Thankfully we were there for a late lunch and our drinks and conversation held us over until we could order. Our server was very pleasant and let us place the order slightly before the 3:30. We gave the cheese/ meat board a try. I would give this selection a B- for its effort. Its obvious the food is local and fresh, the meat was excellent and the portion you get is worth the money. The cheese was ok, nothing to write home about. However, half of the tray is full of RAW pickled veggies. Now don't get me wrong, I love veggies, but there were too many. It overtook the board. The jam and honey were excellent additions with the bread. Mustard was an odd selection for this board, we couldn't figure what it would go on... the bread? It was just a weird combination overall. We were excited to hear that there is Tiki Tuesdays and asked to order one of the tiki drinks and we were told they didn't start serving them until 10PM. We were bummed because they were cute, served in a coconut mug! Unfortunately, I am sleeping at 10PM on a Tuesday night, as most nights. That was disappointing to say the least. We might be back for the drinks....maybe.... read more

Merchant - La Poloma - classic cocktail with tequila! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Okay Merchant, you're up to bat. Several Yelpers highly recommend you so we showed up with high expectations. Specifically we heard a rumor that the buffalo style cheese curds were incredible. Were they? We showed up to Merchant around 8pm for a slightly later dinner than usual. It was quite packed and loud by the time we showed up. The host was sitting and disengaged, but he was able to have someone seat us immediately at a 2 person table wedged in the corner by the kitchen. The decor can be described as a pirate ship cabin that has been redecorated by a hipster. The walls have fleured wall paper and the light fixtures remind me of something out of Pirates of the Caribbean between the paper lanterns and the lamp covers made out of old carboys with the bottoms cut off. Even the drink menu had an old canvas map feel to it. The entire north wall is lined with craft liquor for sale, which is nice because sometimes you just need to run out and get a bottle of Pastis but can't find it in a liquor store. I'd describe the atmosphere as a very trendy, kind of hipster bar. Unfortunately, it is quite loud so don't expect to have a good conversation inside. During our visit I had the opportunity to order a fantastic porter that was on rotating tap, the buffalo style cheese curds, the Friday night special (fish fry), and a key lime pie. Let's start with the cheese curds; I was sorely disappointed. The cheese curds were fairly standard but when ordered buffalo style they come with buffalo sauce DUMPED all over them. The first one I put in my mouth honestly reminded me of a buffalo boneless chicken wing, not a cheese curd. The breading was mushy, and you couldn't really taste the cheese. We were so disappointed by the addition of this sauce that we ended up asking our server for a cheese curd without it on the side. The curd without the sauce was quite good. We're going to have to come back again to truly get a feel for the curds at Merchant because we cannot judge them on their buffalo style curds. If you really want to try the buffalo curds, ask for the buffalo sauce on the side. Merchant also offers a HUGE list of craft cocktails. My wife ordered the Lee Ralph, a rum and fruit based cocktail. It was quite smooth so much so that it didn't taste alcoholic. If you're a Yelper, make sure you check in to get $1 off the cocktails! The main course, my fish fry was very well done. It was fresh water perch, served with a house tartar sauce. I do not really like tartar sauce so I can't say much about the sauce, but my wife said it was really good. I ended up asking for a bottle of malt vinegar, which is the only way to truly eat fried fish, in my humble opinion. The fries that came with the meal were VERY salty, but the acid of the malt vinegar paired well, toning down the salt. I really liked the coleslaw, surprisingly. I'm not the biggest fan, but this slaw was very good. It entirely lacked balanced by having tons of vinegar on it, but it paired well with the salt from the fries. I actually liked the overpowering acid in this case. For dessert I ordered the key lime pie. I'm a bit of a key lime pie snob, and this pie has HUGE potential. The filling was incredible, and it had the right about of whipped cream on top. Sadly, there was way too much crust on the pie. The ratio of filling to crust was weighted toward the crust. There should always been more filling than crust. Either the crust needs to be thinner or the filling needs to be thicker. I don't want every bite to taste just like graham cracker. The service at Merchant was fantastic. Our server was very attentive in refilling water, asking how things were, and asking if we needed anything like more drinks. She even took care of my ridiculous requests for a single cheese curd and a bottle of malt vinegar. Merchant, kudos on quality service. We felt very taken care of, even when I was being slightly ridiculous. I also have to mention, Merchant, props on your wine list. It is rare to see such a diverse, interesting, and well put together wine list. It's even rarer to server so many of the wines by the glass. I appreciate this touch. Overall, I really liked Merchant. It had some short comings, but I think I will be a repeat customer. We need to give the cheese curds without sauce another try and explore more of the menu. It pains me a bit to only give Merchant 3 stars because I want to like it. I appreciate the atmosphere, menu diversity, drink quality, and the service. I cannot over look all of the small flaws in the food. The food left me wanting a little bit more. read more

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Very tasty food, I enjoyed their lamb sliders and their chicken sandwich very much. The inside is decorated well. The seats could use cushions, still 5 stars though. read more

Moco loco burger is the BEST SAVORY burger in town! But caution folks, just one per two weeks or even a month is more than enough...!!!!! This crazy place about local food even makes its own house burrata!! If you haven't tried it (OMG WHY NOT!), its this awesome creamy cheese that lets you spread it over whatever you want. I mean, I like the Italian original at Osteria better, but hey, this is probably as good as local gets! Pastas are always good here too. It's more American Italian, but at least ingredients and flavors are awesome! Drinks are always good!!! Anything with an egg white is DELICIOUS!! I'm not sure I like the atmosphere after 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.. It's more like a club. Very loud music and you have to stand around. Definitely not where I would go to chill out with friends and chat.. But hey, maybe that's your scene. Always packed on weekends during dinner. so make a reservation! AND it's on open table too! Also, look out for the daily specials! Mondays you get burger specials with beer, Tuesdays date night... And other special events ;) read more

Merchant - Valkyrie - all time merchant favorite! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Can you give six stars? I'm giving six stars. If you ever meet me, you'll know within an hour that merchant is one of my favorite restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Everything about every meal and drink I've had here has only been positive. To start: service is always top notch. Chefs and cooks are competent and accommodating; if you have any questions about diet or ingredients, servers are always willing to find out for you. Speaking of servers, ask for Kristin if she's available. I wish I could give her a review too, but I'll just say, most honest, competent, and one of the best servers I've had the pleasure of being served by. In my last review, I went into deep detail of every meal I've had here. Overall, I love the mussels here. Decadent, creamy (no dairy!), almost tart perfection with mussels and onions cooked just right. Mussels weren't my favorite food until I came to Madison. Drinks; I've had many and let me say, they're all amazing. Go with your gut; if you think you'll like it, you'll most likely love it. My favorite is the sharknado, and pear's sake is a close second. Desserts; red beet chocolate cake, hand's down. It's a large dessert, so I definitely recommend sharing. Surprisingly, I've never had to wait for a table. Most of the time I have a reservation, but the few times I've come here without one, I've been seated within ten minutes. I can rave about this place all day, which i do to many of my out-of-town friends. Come here for a drink ($2 off for happy hour), or come here for the fun servers and the good food. You can bet you'll run into me here! read more

Merchant - Famous whiskey sour with egg white. Promised I'd try it, and very well worth the hype! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

While the decor was pleasing to the eye, the service and food quality left me wanting more After catching a show at the Majestic, the wife and I dropped in to Merchant for a drink and a light meal. Our first impression was positive - the setting gave off a hip but friendly vibe. After a short wait, our server came by and took our drink order. She seemed rushed and wasn't all that helpful recommending a selection from the wine list. While the bartender provided us with a generous pour, neither the Domaine de Oritoire Le P'tit Cotes du Rhone nor the Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc left much of an impression. After receiving our wine and ordering the daily flat bread special, we did not see our waitress for 30 minutes, so there was no chance to replace the drinks with another selection. While the flatbread sounded tasty, it was poorly executed. It was generously topped with goat cheese, bacon, asparagus and shallots. Unfortunately, crust was bland tasting, too thick and became soggy from supporting all of the toppings. Another complication was the ginormous size of the toppings (whole strips of bacon and thick spears of asparagus) which made the dish difficult to consume. Crumbling the bacon and cutting the asparagus to bite sized pieces would have allowed a better balance of flavors in each bite. While I L-O-V-E roasted shallots, these were undercooked and lacked the sweetness found in properly caramelized shallots. Due to the open floor plan, it was difficult to carry on a conversation due the excessive noise level. While I love the vibe given off by Merchant, the level of service and the quality of food left me unimpressed. In the future, I'll be more inclined to go to Graze or Johnny Delmonico's rather than return to Merchant when in search for a late night snack. read more

I dined her for Restaurant Week because I thought the menu looked fantastic. For $30, you got an app, entree and dessert. Add a class of wine (limited selection) for $7. Overall, great price. For my app, I ordered the Butternut Squash soup which turned out to be one of the best soups I've eaten. It was amazing. For my entree, I had the steak frites. Steak was nicely seasoned, flavorful and the fries were perfectly crispy. Toe end the meal, dessert was ice cream s'more. The gram cracker was flakey and complimented the dish very well. So, all be told, overall the meal was good. Where Merchant loses points are the following": - Slow Service: our dessert was melted by the time it got to our table. The waiter clearly forgot about. She approached our table and realized we were without our dessert. We had waited a good 10 minutes for it to arrive. Realizing it was a little bit busy, I blew it off but c'mon... we had ice cream brought to us melted! Ruined the moment. - $4 for ice tea that does not come with a refill! WHAT?! $4 for water with a tea bag in it? Stunned! My BF asked for a refill. I guess I should thank the waitress for letting us know that refills were not free. I have never dined at a place where A) refills were not free besides booze of course, B) you paid $4 for some damn ice tea. I asked my BF if the ice tea was at least good. He said he has tasted much better. - Tight places: table are too damn close to each other. Hard to hold a private conversation. One of my, if not thee, biggest pet peeves I have with some restaurants. Not matter how good the food is, if I have to basically share table space with other diners, I will not be pleased. I am not sure what to make of Merchant. If you're a drinker, you will love Merchant as their alcohol selection is virtually overwhelming. There is a drink for you somewhere in the 15 page book of booze. Food wise, there are better options in WI that support locally owned farms and businesses. Sorry, I just cannot get over the fact that ice tea is $4 and does not include refills. At least have ONE free refill. I am truly shocked that Merchant apparently thinks is OK. You almost feel robbed. That alone would make me not want to come back. It is just.... well... wrong. read more

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After years of trying to get to Merchant, we finally made it! It seems like we never have a good reason to get to Madison. Thankfully, it lived up to our expectations. It was super busy on a Saturday night so the bar was several people deep. The wait was a reasonable 45 mins or so at about 7pm. I am looking foward to returning at either an earlier time or less busy day so we can spend more time with the cocktail menu and appreciating the cocktail craftsmanship. Service was perfect and the food was pretty good. I thought the menu lacked a little depth so my socks stayed firmly attached during dinner. However, we were mainly there for the cocktails so we still thoroughly enjoyed our "mom & dad night out!" read more

No thanks. Overpriced deli sandwiches with a side of *SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE* what's that?!?! I CANT HEAR YOU WITH THIS LOUD MUSIC AND COCKTAIL SHAKER IN MY EAR. I get it. Loud music, dark lighting and craft cocktails are in trend right now, but I can't see my menu. Unprofessional bartenders broin' it up, whippin up $24 drinks. I call that CLASSSSAYYY!! I'll give it another go when I'm reincarnated into a fly buzzing around their sticky dirty bar. Adios read more

I've been hearing good things about Merchant's cocktails for a while, so decided to check it out for restaurant week. The cocktail menu did not disappoint, each description I read sounded amazing. The restaurant was so dark, though, that I had to hold my candle up to to the menu to read it, and even that was still difficult. I love ambiance and candlelight as much as the next person - but I also like being able to read my menus and see my food. The food was quite good. I rarely order chicken in restaurants because it is so often overdone, but the chicken was moist, delicious and paired beautifully with the flavors of the sauce and side. The farro pasta was the perfect winter dish and both of our appetizers (carpaccio and ricotta) were a great start to the meal. Servers were friendly and attentive. Overall a solid meal and I will definitely return, if only to work my way through that cocktail list. read more

We're planning a trip to Madison, namely just to go back to this place. The food is a gastropub wet dream. I wouldn't shut up about the food, or the ambiance, or the music! They were playing a bunch of New Wave stuff. We ordered drinks, and I loved the Agrabah's Flower. Delicate, with a lot of sass. Served with 2 little jasmine flowers floating atop a pink foam. We sat in the back, near the kitchen- perfect quiet spot! We shared a cheese platter between three people, more than enough for all of us, and I a rabid cheese lover myself. I ordered a special, which was a wide noodle with a tomato based sauce. Very generous portion, SO delicious. I can't remember what I had, as it's been a couple of months since we were there, but I have pictures, which I sometimes look at fondly, and long to return to this haven of delectable delights for the tastebuds. read more

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WARNING: I'm pretty sure there's some witchcraft going on in there. You may: a) sip them so enthusiastically that the drink is suddenly gone in no time-flat b) order another round of drinks just so that you can pace yourself better than the first time c) look away from the bill when it comes because you already know you over-ordered d) feel post-cocktail remorse e) quickly get over said post-cocktail remorse c) ask the bartender what's in the cocktail, but come to the conclusion (after the third ingredient is listed) that it's best if the bartender make the drinks, and not you .... these can't be things that only happen to me, right? lol All jokes aside, I think Merchant is one of those places you HAVE to bring your visitors from out of town. If you haven't been, check it out! ***P.S. - Tikki Night is a hoot*** ***P.P.S. - their Warm Farro Salad is supreme*** read more

I had dinner at Merchant on my first trip to Madison and I loved this spot! The food and drinks were excellent, the service was great, and the space was modern and fun. I loved my Moscow Mule cocktail, the cheese curds were amazing (get them with both the ranch and hot sauce on the side so you can experience both flavors!), the olive appetizer was good, and my pork paparadelle was absolutely delicious! The service was quite good, and we appreciated the fact that the waitress was very patient and came back multiple times to take our order, since we were yapping away and took a while to decide on what we wanted. The restaurant is centrally located, spacious, and was packed on a Tuesday night. Great spot! read more

Merchant Madison is good but far from great. I felt strangely underwhelmed and unimpressed by their weekend brunch. AMBIANCE: The vibe is upscale cocktail bar meets American brunch. Dark space and brick walls were brightened up by fresh florals. FOOD: I ordered the Merchant Omelet at $11. Basically it was an omelet with kale, with a side of mixed greens and huge roasted potato wedges. I enjoyed the kale in my omelet, and that was the selling factor that pushed me to order this dish. The mixed greens were lightly tossed in balsamic, but it was so faint I couldn't even tell. With the right ingredients, I feel like I can reproduce this dish, which is a carnal restaurant sin in my book. I also sampled the Steamed Mussels, Cheese Curds, and Hand-Cut Fries. Steamed Mussels were good, but not special. Cheese Curds tasted too buttery for me - I suppose it was the buttermilk ranch, but I felt it was too much. Fries were normal - better with regular ketchup than their malt vinegar aioli. DRINKS: Their craft cocktail menu and spirits selection is very extensive, which sets them apart. $1 craft cocktails with Yelp check-in. I got to sample a few cocktails, and though I wasn't the biggest fan of all of them, they all tasted unique. My favorite was a cocktail my brother got, which was a lemony mix of IPA beer and liquor. I think it was the Scotch Hopper, but I am not sure. Their cocktails are definitely their unique selling point. SERVICE: Our server offered our party of 14 the option of separate checks, which I thought was a nice gesture. Usually, large parties have to ask about this, and with larger parties it's typically not even an option due to mandatory gratuity. read more

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I went for brunch so this review is just based on that, I have no opinion on drinks and other meals. For a brunch that seems like love was made into the dishes, Merchant Madison does a great job. A friend and I both got the omelette made with oyster mushrooms and sauteed onions with potatoes and a side salad. I am not giving five starts because the salad contained a ton of frieze, when it should have had more spring lettuce. Frieze is not a good base lettuce because it is so prickly. The potatoes were AMAZING, perfect amount. The omelet was delicious too but was also coated in oil (so it would come out of the pan perfectly?), which I know is not necessary, just a gross shortcut. I just ignored that unneeded added calories. Coffee was great. Price was great too for quality and size. read more

Merchant - Omelette with oyster mushrooms and sautéed onions. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

DISCLAIMER: I've never eaten here, however - this is my #1 dancing bar in non-covid times. Great mixture of young people with a strong queer presence. Great cocktails, and they serve tecate cheap and with a lime wedge (as one should). read more

I came here for dinner when it wasn't too busy. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. I heard that the cheese curds here was something worth trying so I ordered that along with the Merchant burger. The cheese curds and dipping sauce was very tasty. Worth a try if you've never had them! The burger was good except I felt like the goat cheese was a bit too overpowering for the rest of the burger. I ordered the Bourbin Budino for dessert which I really liked. Overall, good food for a decent price. read more

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I recently went to Merchant for the second time. The first time was for dinner during restaurant week a few years ago, and I just now had the opportunity to come back for brunch. Finally. Their ingredients are locally sourced, and if you're really interested, you can flip over the menu and see a map of where it all comes from. While I know they're also known of their drinks, I'm much more a fan of their food. The drinks are far too complicated, the menu far too long, and I find it overwhelming. The food though. Delicious. On this trip I had a breakfast burrito. A tequila braised pork burrito with scrambled eggs, black beans, corn pico de gallo, white cheddar, topped with cheddar queso, served with salsa, sour cream & field greens. I wish I lived closer than three hours away so I could eat this every day. To drink, I had a mimosa, which was an average mimosa. I also had the "El Burbujas" cockatail. Altos Blanco tequila, peach syrup, grapefruit and lime juices, seltzer and Jamaican bitters. And it tasted nothing like what I expected. It pretty much tasted like tequila, seltzer and bitters. Odd. Like I said, food is better than the booze. They do have a decent craft beer list though, which is always a good fall back. read more

Merchant - Breakfast Burrito. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Have been here twice and had a wonderful experience both times! The first time, I came here for dinner as a school assignment. The owner came to our class to discuss his creative work/entrepreneurial process behind the restaurant + it was very cool. The second time was for brunch. The concept is farm de table in terms food and drinks. There's a large drink list, all with fresh locally sourced ingredients. During my second visit (Saturday brunch), I got a Bloody Mary and my boyfriend got a mimosa and they were very SO good! I like that they give you the option of having the bloody spicy bc I like it hot! The mix was unique and very fresh. In addition, the food was very fresh and tasteful as well. During my first visit, I ordered the pork pappardelle, which was very rich and flavorful. The second time, I ordered the breakfast burrito for brunch and the dish was just as good. I like merchant because it has a very unique atmosphere. You can tell that there has been a lot of thought put into the decor + that the staff are very knowledgable. Overall, merchant is a wonderfully offbeat joint to get farm de table food. read more

Merchant - The breakfast burrito - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We went for brunch and enjoyed the trendy vibe and farm-to-table offerings. -Very friendly staff. We arrived an hour before our reservation and they were able to accommodate us early. -Atmosphere is bustling and exciting with a great central bar. -They do craft cocktails and non-alcoholic creations as well including homemade sodas. -They specialize in locally sourced ingredients and you can see the list of all the farms and providers they use in the area. -Fried cheese curds were excellent. -Eggs and Omelettes were delicious--with fantastic crunchy potatoes on the side. -Chicken sandwich was awesome. -They also sell many of the wines and beers on premises if you want to take some more with you to go! read more

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What more can I say but that this is an amazing restaurant. We loved it from top to bottom. Fresh menu, great service, amazing decor and a great overall vibe. We did Sunday brunch and it was delicious! The Bloody Mary is great ( I love it mixed with tequila) yum! And as I said the food is farm to table fresh and so so good. We will definitely be back the next time we are in town to visit our son! read more

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Really wanted to love this place, the restaurant ambiance looked amazing. However, we waited forever to get our overpriced and over salted breakfast. French toast should not taste salty. Sad not love this, poor service with a disconnected waitress. Disappointing all around. read more

The food is great! Really good serving sizes, and tasty. Their Bloody Marys are AMAZING! Especially the super spicy ones, and they come with a Miller High Life chaser. The service is friendly and efficient! Love the ambiance- good music and great outdoor seating. Love coming here for brunch. read more

Came here on a Saturday night upon the recommendation of someone who lives in Madison - we were looking for the 'best burgers' in town. Started off with an original order of cheese curds - crisp, thin crusted curds that we're outstanding- highly recommend !! I had the merchant burger, my partner had a burger with cheddar and egg. Buns were toasted and burgers were amazing ! One of the best we have had!! The place was crowded with a lot of tables reserved. We found spots at the bar which we liked- service and staff were attentive and super friendly. The only slight disappointment was the brandy old fashioned- nothing special for me. Would definitely return!!! read more

Merchant is a restaurant/bar with fancy internal decor and outdoor seating in the spring and summer months. I went there for brunch and was extremely impressed with what I got: eggs benedict and this chocolate/cherry custard thing. The restaurant is best experienced if you like drinking alcoholic beverages. I don't, so all I had was iced tea, and I couldn't enjoy a lot of the stuff behind the bar. (They have all these liquor bottles lined up horizontally in 1930s gangster movie fashion.) The drink menu is evidently famous: a multi-page flip-through booklet with many complicated drinks that certain consumers try to replicate themselves. NOTE: even though my teetolater (sp) ways affected how much I could enjoy Merchant, it did NOT affect how much I rated it here, so relax. At ANOTHER restaurant, I had a pretty horrible eggs benedict a week ago with sauce that was pretty bland and hopeless. The sauce is the make or break, and it was incredible here. Fellow diners were envious, too, over my cherry/chocolate custard dessert, which I almost didn't order until I saw people make a fuss over it when another table got it, and I walked over to confirm "visually." So why a star off? Cheese curds were mediocre and inconsistent. Overly salted, and one plate arrived with yellow cheddar (preferred) and another with white cheddar (non-preferred). This makes it hard to know whether you'll want cheese curds if you have strong yellow/white curd views like me. Bonus: if you love to buy liquor, there's a "bourgeois" liquor store attached to Merchant. Photos attached. Great if you're a "dinner's over, but the party's just beginning..." type. Overall, I recommend Merchant highly!!!! read more

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In Madison for a wedding from NYC and found Merchant. Our server Tori was top notch. The food was amazing. The whole meal was more than we could have hoped for and we will absolutely recommend. read more

Great restaurant, locally sourced food and delicious cocktails, but the star attraction was the service. Our server, Tori, expertly guided through the menu and made sure our dinning experience was stellar. read more

A bit pricey, below average service, but really delicious. Went to Merchant right around 5 on a Thursday night and asked to be aware outside. We were told the patio was reserved at 6:30, and we said we could be out of there well before then. Our waitress didn't come to the table for 10 minutes, though in that time we were given water by someone else. We ordered drinks and an appetizer, which also took a while to come out. When the waitress put the drinks down, she mixed them up, which was fine because I noticed as soon as I tasted the one in front of me. My partner had already downed half of the drink that I ordered though. Oops. The drinks were good, and fairly strong. The Patatas Bravas were pretty good-- crispy, though I wanted more flavor in the Harissa aioli. I didn't sense any heat at all. For our main courses, we had a beet salad (small for the price), Thai tomato soup (deliciously spicy and served with huge pieces of Texas Toast), and brat sliders with frites (served in foil, dripping with grease and a bit difficult to eat, but packed with flavor). Generally, the service was really slow, and we ended up leaving after 6:30, I think to the dismay of the anxious-looking hostess. The fare was really good, if a bit pricey. I'll definitely give it another try! read more

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My bartender, JR...not sure what it stands for but "Jolly Right" would be my vote because he is an amazing mixologist, very talented and recommends just the right drink. After running 13 miles, I decided alcohol and salmon were calling me. This place has an extensive cocktail menu, complete with (not bedtime) stories and history. Great touch. I decided on Chulman's Space Punch because punch just sounds fun and it includes rum and everyone loves rum. Served with a massive cinnamon stick and star fruit, honey and Duquesne Rhum (fancy word for rum), i was hooked. Could have had two, but held back. JR recommended a simple arugula salad and I needed some protein. He said I could add salmon for $4. What...maybe two bites of salmon? I was skeptical. When the salad came, it was an entree portion. Surely, the rhum was playing tricks and he said $14...Outstanding salad. The bill came and there it was...$4 for the salmon. I could not believe it. It was like winning the WI fish lottery. Great spot; hang at the bar. Met a nice couple and we chatted about cocktails and their talented daughter, a budding photographer. Look forward to coming back in September. read more

Merchant - rhum drink with cinnamon stick. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great place near the Square to grab a cold beer or craft cocktail. The smash burger and fries was great. Server and staff were excellent. Will definitely be going back. read more

The food was good but nothing out of this world. The cheese curds were good and different than your average fried curds-not super greasy but really cheesy. The house-made ranch was amazing! The waitress even brought some extra out with carrots. The pork pappardelle was good and the house-made ricotta was delicious! The Beef Carpaccio was also very good but a small portion. The Merchant Burger was small but packed with flavor. The fries were ordinary. The aioli was out standing! The service was a little slow at times but really friendly! read more

Merchant - Extra ranch and carrots. Amazing! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Merchant is a fresh dinner experience that combines a lively atmosphere with great food and drinks. The food menu changes, while maintaining the classics that you will probably order over and over again. There is also a large range of great cocktails which have never disappointed. I have seen a mix of delicious-sounding vegetarian options on the menu, but have not tried them. Overall you get a versatile establishment that is appropriate for date nights of all ages (perhaps leaning on the younger side when it gets late), meeting with friends, or just going out for a drink after wandering the square. Try: Just about everything; the moules frites, pork chop, and apple upside down cake were a few of my favorites. read more

My friends and I stopped by for restaurant week, and it was a hit! Off the restaurant week menu, I had: the radish&ricotta salad, the BBQ pork shank, and the raspberry gelato&fresh fruit. Merchant also offers their restaurant week menu a la carte, so the three of us shared an order of the steamed mussels. Appetizer: The bacon bits on the radish&ricotta salad was a nice surprise! I'm not typically a fan of radishes, but I loved how the radishes were coated in a light dressing and then sprinkled with bacon and paired with fresh strawberries. Such a refreshing combination! The steamed mussels were also delicious, especially with the white wine reduction. I thought the mussels were a little on the small side and kind of dry, but they were definitely very enjoyable when paired with the white wine sauce. Entree: Don't be fooled by the size of the pork shank. It doesn't look like all that much food, but trust me, it is more than enough to satisfy even the most voracious of appetites!! The baked pinto beans and the sauteed collard greens were also delicious and provided a nice complement to the pork! Dessert: I am glad I chose the gelato for dessert (to share!), it was a great palate cleanser and a nice, light way to finish off an otherwise heavy meal. :) Cocktail: I also had the kohana hana cocktail, per recommendation of our server. It came served in a lager bottle, dressed with a tiny orchid. I love it when my cocktails have a little bit of flair! ;) I loved the fact that she knew right a way which ones to recommend when I told her that I wanted something more tangy - that's how you know that they really know their stuff! I definitely think I will be trying the 'Not Yet 25' at some point in the next few weeks, since I only have 28 more days where that drink will actually be applicable. Dining at Merchant was overall a very pleasant experience. I'd definitely recommend it for a nice evening out! read more

Great food, great drinks and awesome outdoor seating. We had the Charcuterie board and cheese curds , which were both very good. Frankly we tried around 4-5 different cocktails and they were all amazing. The best one I found was the Smoking Barrel. Their Old fashioned is really great too. read more

Im a regular here and tonight was disappointing. However I would like to point out that our server Jon was phenomenal. My party ordered 3 burgers and we all complained of the burgers tasting like seafood. Upon pointing this out, we were informed by the manager that this was a regular complaint from others customers (yikes). The manager was unsympathetic, showed very minimal interest in improving our dining experience, and tried to make excuses rather than taking accountability for what we were served. We love this place and their drinks are consistently great; for being regulars at this restaurant, tonight's experience just felt unacceptable. read more

Delightful. I liked the decor, felt homey and a warm use of textiles, glass and wood. The radish and sourdough board was good and I ate it as my dinner. I also had a good taste of the burger and it was more tasty than I've had in a long time. Blue cheese not over powering and you can add a fried egg! So so good. Duck confit was fantastic. Very pleased with our waitress. She was engaging and helpful answering my questions about the cocktails and size of plates. read more

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Our visit started a bit rocky but once the road was righted I could see that this is an impressive restaurant and bar (and liquor store). There we two groups at the hostess stand when we walked in and we took our place in line. There seemed to be a bit of chaos with the staff behind the podium and when we reached the front of the line we were told the hostess called in and servers were trying to cover her duties. We were shown to our table and the experience was nothing but stellar from that point forward. A super cheery, but not fake, waitress came to take our order. I promptly choose the Saturday morning brunch requisite; a Bloody Mary. The Merchant take is excellent. For starters one can take the traditional route and have their drink with vodka. Or you can substitute gin and have a Bloody Margaret. Or a Bloody Maria (tequila instead of vodka) is also an option. Judging by the glasses of fresh herbs on the bar rail and the extensive selection of spirits behind the bar I knew their bloody mix would be homemade, and most likely tasty, before the drink even arrived. The good news is the drink completely lived up to my advanced hype. The mix had layers of spices, Worcestershire being the deepest, then some hints of horseradish and a bright finish of celery salt on the end. Garnish was simple, but as long as the mix is good it's a good drink for me. The special of the day was a market omelet filled with fresh vegetables. Since we had just come from the Farmer's Market this sounded like the perfect choice. Fresh shiitake mushrooms, asparagus, sunchokes, and spinach. All were well seasoned and sauteed in olive oil before being stuffed inside the light and fluffy omelet. A side of rosemary and parmesan potatoes rounded out the dish nicely. Our service was wonderful - not too attentive but not neglectful either and she really did a good job on creating a fun and positive atmosphere. And back to the aforementioned liquor store. It's not exactly a store per se (see my photo) but there is an entire wall full of spirits and wines for retail purchase. There's many places in Madison I'd like to try for the first time, but I have a feeling I may be back at the Merchant for again before I get through that list. read more

Merchant - A liquor sales wall in the restaurant, well played! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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We went during restaurant week. I had grilled Turgeon and soup with a wisely based cocktail. The soup was a cold soup and delicious. The Turgeon was over seasoned. Cocktail was nicely done. Service was prompt but rushed. If you decide to dine there Friday or Saturday make sure to go prior to 8. It turns into a nightclub around 10 and you can't hear your neighbors speak. read more

Have seen this place many times while walking to or eating at Marigold Kitchen. But, per a recommendation from a friend I decided to give it a try. Some friend.... I should have left when I noticed not just my water glass was dirty, but also my dining companion. And... every single glass on every table I could see was also dirty. So, I should not have been surprised when my holder for cream was also really dirty. I should have got up and left... Side note: since when has it become acceptable to serve room temp tap water out of a bottle? This is just lazy all the way around. But cheese curds... my friend said cheese curds were awesome. So we ordered them and she even offered to put the buffalo sauce on the side. Sounds great! We both ordered the Market Sandwich. An English muffin sandwich with egg, bacon, tomato, onions and a truffled cheese. So our sandwiches came out- no cheese curds.. we told the person who brought our food- we had also ordered cheese curds. He said I don't think your server put them in. Well... I guess we are not going to try the cheese curds. Our server then comes over and says "did you guys order cheese curds?" Hey B you asked if we wanted the buffalo sauce on the side... The sandwich was not good. An English muffin should be cooked and crispy. This was a dense soggy chewy English muffin. For $14?!? That comes with a salad that is not even advertised on the menu. I have had a better breakfast sandwich from Kwik Trip. And that is less than $3. I don't think I could be friends with anyone that would go here over Marigold across the street. There is a reason there is never a line here. Worst Breakfast Ever... read more

Merchant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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