We had a great time at Merchant Ale House! The beer here is excellent--my wife and I each got a flight, and while we enjoyed everything we tried, the Blueberry Wheat and Sunset Glow were absolute standouts. Super flavourful, refreshing, and unique. The food was just as impressive. I had the Brisket Burger, which was delicious--tangy, spicy, and packed with flavour. My wife ordered the Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich and loved it. The cauliflower was crispy, perfectly cooked, and had just the right amount of kick. Staff is lovely too, accommodating and nice to talk to. Great beer, great food, and a chill vibe--definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

See all

Great food and wonderful crafted beer. The atmosphere is really nice too. Can't go wrong. read more

Made another pit stop on the way to visit friends. Waiting for them to finish their work day, they suggested we pop into one of their favorite local pubs, the Merchant Ale house. The space is very reminiscent of an old English/Irish pub. Located right in the heart of downtown St Catherine's, my wife and I were promptly welcomed in by the staff as if we were regulars. There was a good selection of in house brews, the bartender was quick to offer suggestions, but we let him know we were told to check out the blueberry wheat. We only had time to stay for one drink, but had a good time, the beer was great and we had a good chat with the bartender. Very frequently and welcoming. We only wish we'd had a time to go back and try some other beers. Hopefully we will get a chance to return one day read more

See all

This is a resto-bar. They even brew their own beers in-house (you can see some of the equipment). There is a live band on Sun night 23:00-02:00, and it gets wild.; who knew that Sun nights would be their wildest night! I ordered the following: 1 . Crab Rangoon Dip ($16.75). 2. The Gabagool Sandwich ($17.75). 3. Coke ($?). They have very limited non-alcoholic drinks; they have two non-alcoholic beer. The waitress initially forgot to bring my glass of Coke. It turns out she didn't charge me for the Coke or forgot. The Crab Rangoon was very delicious. There was a hard cheese topping and the crab underneath was scopable. There was shredded crab meat, cream cheese, old cheddar, sesame, sweet chili, Sriracha & time, mozzarella, and served with crispy wonton. I did not taste any spiciness. The Gabagoon Sandwich tasted really good, with a small spicy kick (maybe from pepper?). It consisted of house-made focaccia, tapernade, assorted Italian cured meats, provolone, garlic mayo, and arugula. The service was good, but sometimes it is hard to get their attention. I went late Sun night. They have a live band starting 23:00. It actually started 23:15 with a 3-person band, and it was very loud! I sat 2 tables away from them. They darken the restaurant when they started playing. There are regular tables, high tables, and bar counter seating. There is a 32" TV above the bar. There is one dart board if you feel like playing. It was 3C (feeling like 1C out) and they left the front door open! I had to keep my jacket on since I was about 20 feet from the entrance. They closed the door once the loud music started, probably due to noise restrictions. But I could still hear it when I left. There were women standing outside the restaurant, talking and smoking. There is even one woman outside in a short school-girl kilt; wasn't she cold in 3C temperature?! Who knew little St. Catharines was wild on a late Sun night! There is no free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There are washrooms downstairs, so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2025-222 read more

It was my first time in St Catherine's and went to my followers for a food recommendation, had 3 people say this place. They came thru big time! Extremely excellent service behind the bar, was walked thru the menu and settled on the cheeseburger. absolutely delicious wish I was a better food photographer!!! Can see why the place has a great reputation really cool vibes inside. read more

The Merchant Ale House - Cheeseburger - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

Great brewery!! The beers and food are phenomenal. The salads are all made with extremely fresh ingredients. The BLT had the perfect ratio of bacon for the sandwich. The blueberry beer here is my favorite. They even put fresh blueberries in the beer. The establishment is clean and staff is friendly. read more

See all

The food, the service, the drinks, ALL of it 10/10! Their house brewed Sunset Glow Sour IPA was perfect for casual drinking/bar food. Not your typical sour IPA, lighter and refreshing. The fried chicken sandwich and onion rings were out of this world! Fried but not greasy in the slightest. Live an hour away and already planning our next trip! read more

The Merchant Ale House - Sunset Glow Sour IPA - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

Busy spot in downtown St Catherines on a Saturday night. Since it's downtown, it's street parking ONLY or paid lot. If there's an event going on in the area, you'll be subject to $20 parking, UNLESS you're savvy at finding street parking. The Merchant Ale House is a resto/bar, but they do brew their own beers. Staff were friendly! There was at least 1 beer on the menu that they were out of. I believe flights were ~$15 for 4-5. A pint was close to $10. They had a wide range of beers. Since it's really more of a bar, it was a bit difficult to pick up bottles to-go. If you're seated, you can always ask the servers and they'll bring them to you / put them on your bill! read more

The Merchant Ale House - Beer menu - they did NOT have Bad Blood, the dark lager - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

Great food and beer, Bailey was great and fun atmosphere! Highly recommend! If you're looking for a good burger, this is great!!

Nice folks. However the beer selection has pointed toward lane, tasteless products. Examples: highest IBU of any item available was 35. No porters. The only IPA was a marginal hazy. read more

Very nice atmosphere and staff. Has a good list of craft beers here. 4 glasses in a flight for $15.00. Good selection and location, right in downtown At. Catherine's ON. Open late until 2:00 a.m. Recommend. read more

The Merchant Ale House was the last stop of food and alcohol crawl in the area. I was wined out, beer-ed out but this little brewery pub is worth our while to stop over before we heading home. Dark.... While I looked at my Yelp friend and our nice server with those sleepy eyes.. I want Tasting Flight ($9.50) - Maris Mild, Strawberry Blonde, Dark Wheat, Ginger. Beers brewed in house were all pretty decent and I love how they have seasonal varieties. The vibe is really laid back and quiet. A lot of students having a night cap with their friends. Definitely worth dropping by for a drink or 2 when you are in the area. I know what I want to drink next time.. Drunken Monkey Oatmeal Stout! That monkey on the tap is just too cute to be missed! Check their Facebook page for special: 7 for $7 all day menu sounded good. read more

See all

Avoid the $7 menu on Tuesday. It's not worth the savings. Quality of the food dropped off, burger tasted of frozen burger and the fries lacked the crispness from other visits. Very disappointed. Beer was still good. read more

A hidden gem in St. Catherine's! Great vibes in an elevated brewery where everything is excellent across the board- food? Excellent. Service? Excellent? House-made brews? EXCELLENT. The historic building adds to a cozy and welcoming atmosphere where it's easy to lose track of time. Must visit for anyone in the St. Catherine's area. read more

These guys get it! Ultra clean taps of house-made beer. The seasonal scotch ale is my new all-time favourite beer. The atmosphere was amazing, staff were radiant and had a great sense of humour, and the FOOD!! They take their menu seriously without any ego. Simple, good food that you can tell was made with passion and respect. I can say, if you appreciate a true gastropub that holds themselves to a high standard, get over here and fill your feed tubes with some of their solids and liquids! read more

The Merchant Ale House - Pulled pork and avocado egg rolls. BOOM!! - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

This has been one of my go to spots for awhile now. The seltzers are amazing and the food has always been great. The only reason I don't give a 5 star is because They got rid of the loaded fries which was my favourite item on their menu :( read more

Ok little pub that brews their own beers located on the main strip of St Paul street. This strip houses a lot of restaurants, pubs, bars and shops. It's everything that Yelp would love as it's littered with local businesses. The local brewed beers are solid and the food is what you would come to expect from a pub. The staff are cool and there is live music here as well. Come out to veg out and it's not a bad place to drag a date if they're a pub type. If they want a legit pub there is one down the street but this is a good start. read more

Surprisingly accommodating of vegans. Not only do the have a vegan chicken shawarma on the menu, they have additional non-menu items. The most notable is their vegan chicken wings, which are chopped soy patties, fried and tossed in sauce and served with celery and carrot sticks. These wings were delicious. They also have vegan cheese, so you can get nachos and other items made vegan. I am not a beer drinker but I did sample their blueberry beer and I found it more drinkable that any other beer. If I ever became a beer drinker, that will be my gateway beer. It does get a little warm inside in the summer. read more

I would be lieing if I said the food here wasn't really good. I got the Reuben and an all meat appetizer. The Reuben and fries were great, but the appetizer was too expensive for what I got. Overall, it was good. However, the service wasn't anything to brag about and the cost was a bit heavy. I would come here for drinks with friends, but I am sure there are better options nearby. read more

Stopped here for dinner on our way from niagara to toronto on a Saturday night. We were offered a table quickly in the cozy, quiet basement. Food and service was great, beer was good, bathroom was clean. read more

I have been to the merch a few times now and have never left super disappointed. Yeah their beer options aren't the best but they are made I house which is refreshing. The place is always one of the busiest downtown and for good reason, it's clean, the service is great and the beers are reasonably priced. Their ginger ale is actually quite good but not as gingery as expected, I was thinking something more akin to hard ginger ale but this was more of a pale ale with a little ginger. Their blueberry ale (or wheat I forget) was pretty terrible though, tastes of artificial blueberries (the few real they throw in the glass aren't fooling me!) I don't think I've ever had the food or if I did it was nothing memorable, overall one of the nicer bars in St. Catharines. read more

Wow this place is fantastic! The food was astoundingly wonderful and the beer was pretty good. The atmosphere and casual ambiance fits this place perfectly. The decor is great and in addition to house brewed beer they also offer house infused liquors. I didn't try any of the liquor myself, but my friend got the grapefruit vodka with sprite and loved it. I ordered the strawberry blonde beer which I rated a 4.25 out of 5 on Untappd. It had great strawberry flavor. I also ordered the soup of the day which was some type of mushroom soup. Wow that soup was fantastic! It was a purée style soup with cheese on top and I wish I remembered the name because it was bomb! I then ordered the chicken and waffles. Who would have thought a little place in St. Catherine's Canada would have such a handle on the southern favorite! BEST CHICKEN & WAFFLES EVER!!!!! The dish was beautifully presented and the crunch of the fried chicken was other worldly! The flavors went together so well I swear they were married! If you get the chicken and waffles you won't regret it! Definitely check this place out if you are in the area. This is not your average bar food, The Merchant takes bar food to a new level- refined and modern! read more

The Merchant Ale House - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

The selection of beer is good (when it's in and the keg has been changed) The food is really nice, my gf and I had "The board" and it was really good. The meats and cheeses were really nice with a pint of cold beer, I will come back and recommend anyone looking for a good time to come out and visit cause you won't be disappointed. read more

Cozy yet spacious place with a great selection of ales (and lagers, IPAs, stouts, etc, etc). I like to stop in and see what's new on the taps as they are updated on a fairly regular basis. Situated in a great area for small shops and whatnot too. The bar staff has always been friendly and helpful when I've been in. Although I've not had the opportunity to sample the food here, they do get bonus points for having a vegan option or more. (Last visit was a mushroom soup, which WAS tempting but I was only stopping in before heading to a dinner shortly after). read more

The food was absolutely delicious and looked amazing! Our service was great (even though the poor servers have to run up 3 flights of stairs for everything). My family and I had a great evening! Will most definitely be coming back! read more

Nice atmos, found the drinks priced abit high. If you are an avid beer drinker and don't mind paying premium prices for your brew, worth a try. read more

Good beer, below average food. Try blueberry wheat beer! The soups were bland. Our service was slow as well. I feel like they just forgot about us. read more

Great place and I've been coming since the day they opened (literally). Staff always friendly, and beer always good. The menu is hit and miss and they are slowly minimizing it. It's too bad because menu has become so hipster there is very little that isn't smoked or bacon. They removed some really good items too. But they keep those stupid shoestring fries (which at thin and get cold really quickly). Ah well it's still the best beer in town. read more

When I first moved to St. Catharines, I missed my former home. That was until I found the Merch and immediately knew this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Delicious beer brewed onsite. Many vegan options. I would not know how to even suggest augmenting the establishment because they are so dangerously close to perfection. The most troubling experience at the Merch will be when you are asked if you would like another pint. But then again it is never that troubling. Just say yes. Oh and the staff are all lovely. read more

Loved this place! The service was friendly and knowledge. The selection of beers was great! The wine list was small but very enjoyable. We have the chicken and waffles -the perfect balance of sweet and savory maple and mustard with plenty of crispiness and satisfaction! The side salad was light and fresh with great flavor. The fish and chips is huge and crispy. The coleslaw, and tarter sauce are some of the best I've had. I upgraded to the sweet potato wedges with Siracusa mayo - for the win! We stumbled upon a delicious lunch start to finish! read more

Beer is pretty good! All of the ones we tried were delicious (especially the blueberry!! Best I've had so far) but I absolutely hated the strawberry beer (tasted like pure cheap syrup...yuck!). I ordered the chicken nuggets with fries and though the fries were delicious the chicken was odd, breading fell right off and chicken was so flaky I almost thought I had been given fish. Boyfriend got the fish and chips which was good, not great. Glad we tried it and the restaurant was really cool inside, had a great atmosphere and decor. Probably wouldn't go back. read more

The Merchant Ale House - Flights were tasty! - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

The food at this popular downtown brewpub is terrific. Friendly staff, too. I had their fried green tomato sandwich and can now say this is my new favourite sandwich! A breaded and fried crispy green tomato slice, topped with some fresh tomato slices, avocado, fresh basil and a wickedly delicious pimento cheese spread. The Merchant Lager was really good, too! read more

The Merchant Ale House - Fried green tomato sandwich with side salad (Aug, 2014 - part of the Tuesday "7 for $7" menu) - Pubs Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

Great bar/tavern/pub. The house made beers are excellent. Food is very good. Best wings I have had in a long time. Finally a place that knows the perfect size wings and how to cook them so they are crisp but not greasy. read more

This is an awesome place! They brew their own beers, which can be hit or miss, but definitely a hit here! I've tried most of them and they are all great! The food might be better than the beer! Never had a bad meal here! Seasonal menu keeps me coming back all the time to try new things! Definitely check this place out! read more

Food is so good and so much and the beer selection is fantastic. Inside is cozy and I like it but I just find depends on who is your server on completing the experience. read more

Food was very tasty, and came out in a very timely manner. The restaurant had a great atmosphere, and the prices were very affordable. Only iffy part was the washrooms.. the women's one was under renovations though, so it seems that they will be improved! Would recommend this place for sure, and will likely be back! Lots of nice little shops things to do in the area as well. read more

Food is fantastic, beer is amazing, atmosphere is perfect.... everything is just to good! Been here over a dozen times and it gets better every time. It's a must try! Fried green tomato sandwich is super tasty. Burger with cheese is deliciousness. Onion rings are massive and the best I've ever had. Nachos are nachos, but fantastic with layers of cheese and toppings. Chicken and waffles are winner winner chicken dinner good. Guys, just go...You'll love it! read more

they have a very good selection of food, and the food is good! service isn't the best, as when i ordered they took a long time to even come address me being there, and there wasn't very many people in there, the food wasn't exactly worth the wait but still good, if the service was faster! read more

I had the nacho's and I found the chips rather stale and the cheese hardened. To add to it the waitress was one of the worst I have ever had serve me. Never checked on us to see if we needed anything, she didn't communicate with us again after she took our order. Just a horrible experience and I will not go back. I am not one to usually complain but this time around warranted it. read more

We went to Merchant last night after a show at the Meridian Centre. When we walked in the door a lady behind the bar told us to sit wherever but it was bar service only. We ordered our drinks and found a table. Not even 5 minutes later, a male server comes over and tells us our table is reserved at 11:30 so we would have to move by that time... it was 10:55. I told him that we were told we could sit wherever but he didn't care. 11:17 the same man comes back and tells us that the reservation has already arrived and we needed to "either go downstairs or stand against the wall" We couldn't believe it. My friend goes "well I guess we will just chug our beers and leave" and he goes "Great! Thanks!". So unprofessional and honestly ridiculous. We definitely won't be back. How can you push paying customers out the door. If you over sat, that's your problem not ours. How can you ask us to move after telling us to sit wherever. Train your staff properly. read more