The Merchant NC
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Cute and charming bar it's where the architecture use to be, apparently this is there new location. Have to climb about 15 stairs to reach the bar fyi. It was pretty dark and dim in there and the tables had a candle on them to make it more intimate I guess. Our server was friendly and helpful in choosing our drinks. The menu was pretty decent lots of choices. I had two different drinks ,one was the paper plane (can't remember the other) . I just wish the martini glass was bigger like the normal size. Overall good experience:
The perfect place for a cocktail!! The vibe was cute and moody. The drinks were tasty and a nice twist on classic cocktail.
Do you like Speakeasy's as much as I do? Then you need to checkout the merchant. Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, The Merchant offers cocktails that are both unique and interactive. They even offer non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails for those who do not partake in the libations, but still enjoy the social environment. They have a variety of cocktails that are categorized by their flavor profile. The Merchant also offers small plates that you can share. They recently launched their fall cocktails and I tried a couple of them. Each of them are very unique and have a different flavor profile. And of course I had to cap it off with my favorite smoked Old Fashioned.
I recently went to the merchant for the first time and had an awesome evening. We went on a Tuesday night and it was not very crowded. I wouldn't say you need. I would say you don't need reservations probably unless you're heading it on the weekend I love the vibe of the place in the interior decoration is beautiful. Of course I totally almost walked by when I was trying to find it. Basically it's upstairs from Vergils look for Vergils, and then you'll notice the hostas, and/or the sign/door that takes you upstairs to the merchant. Their cocktail menu is extensive and it's obvious that that's what they pride themselves on. Of course I'm more of a wine drinker so the cocktail list was pretty much wasted on me, but I did try my friends gin, floral cocktail, and it was really quite good. The servers and the bartenders were friendly, and made some great suggestions. For food the small plates did not disappoint. The menu isn't huge, but they had a ton of variety. We started off with a duck wings and they were super tender and flavorful, definitely something I would get again. Honestly, now that I think about it, I would get everything I ordered again. We also got the crispy brussels sprouts, which were great, but the favorite dish of the night was definitely the steak Frites I loved that they were duck fat fries, so delicious, the steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was sliced for us and really a great dish for sharing with a small group. This spot is a gem and I look forward to dining and drinking there again.
This cozy upstairs spot was the perfect place for a cocktail on a chilly night. Husband and I sat at the bar and ordered cocktails from the new fall cocktail menu. I ordered the Pecan Potion and husband the Dollhouse Nightmares and both exceeded our expectations. The pecan rum in the Pecan Potion sounded interesting and it did not disappoint! It was the perfect cocktail. Husband's came in such a fun glass! The pumpkin foam looked like brains but tasted like pumpkin froyo. I am not a scotch fan but still loved his drink. The attention to detail in these drinks is impressive. They are top notch.
This is one of my favorite places in Raleigh. I tell anyone who's in town and wants to go somewhere to go here. This is a cute speakeasy vibe located above a taco shop. To go inside you enter through a door disguised as a jukebox and head up the stairs to the bar. I normally am able to get accommodated when it is just me and one other person but I recommend reservations. I like that it is never too loud and packed like other places here, it's almost like a hidden gem. The music has also always been great and the atmosphere of the place is amazing. Well decorated, dim lighting, good music, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. The bartenders, hosts, and servers are always super friendly and great too. The food and drinks here are fantastic. The food menu is small but the food is so good. The burger sliders here are one of my favorite sliders ever, the whole table loved them and we ordered more. We also had the buffalo cauliflower, brussels sprouts, duck fat fries, and steak frites. The brussels sprouts were soo crispy and made perfect. The duck fat fries were seasoned well and the herb cream sauce it came with was so good that it was addicting. All the fires were gone. The steak frites was delicious as well and a great entree. This spot is definitely great for birthdays, date nights, girls night out, and any other type of fun occasion. I always enjoy the drinks here and they have tons of fun drinks that are picture worthy like a drink in a smoky glass box, drinks on a tree, cotton candy drink, and the big table drinks. I love that they have big cocktail pitchers for the table because it's so fun and cute. The prices here are fair and the experience is always great.
Update: 2nd visit 8/4/2023 I like how I'm buzzed in at the entrance and someone meets me at the top of the stairs and escorts me to my table. I love that reservations are recommended and there is no wait. I felt like a celeb on this evening. Second time here. The first time I wanted to love The Merchant NC but there were a few marks missed with the server at that time. This time much better experience. The lamb, grilled watermelon salad, and adult grilled cheese were a hit. Everything was delicious. We wanted seconds on the lamb but the kitchen closed a few minutes earlier. This was disappointing. I wished the waitress would've advised us of this. We had wine. Cabernet because you can never go wrong with wine. The staff here seem nice and are welcoming to all. The Merchant NC is a yes for me. I highly recommend this time.
Go. Nothing else needs to be said. Here are more words... because Yelp said to. Like I said. You want cocktails? GO.
Easily and I mean EASILY my favorite bar in all of Raleigh so far and I've been to a couple. Merchant NC did everything right, all the boxes were checked off. Atmosphere Cocktail taste Cocktail presentation Bartenders knowledge of the cocktails Friendly staff Price And anything else you can think of. Came here with a buddy since he doesn't go out to drink that much and man did we have a blast. Tried so many drinks but I remember that "To all the ones I've loved before" and their "Paper Plane" was my favorite. They even make a little paper plane for your glass which is my favorite thing. I've only been to 1 other bar that does that and it's in New York City. Staff was sooooooo friendly and nice to talk to. Music was perfect, not too loud and not too low. Got pretty drunk since every Cocktail was better than the last . I didn't get to try all of the drinks I wanted to so I'll be back to try the rest of the amazing cocktails & try the food as well. Literally every time I'm in town I'll be at this bar everyday. See you guys soon
Found this place on Instagram and wanted to check it out for girls night out. The entrance is very subtle, giving speakeasy vibes forsure. As you enter, you walk up the stairs to the top floor and are met with green velvet seating, low lighting, accented tables and decor. It was very inviting. Now on to the food and service. I would like to point out that we did make a reservation through tock and it required a $10/pp charge to hold the table. That money was put toward the final bill. The host said there wasn't much seating available due to an event going on that took up half of the space. This was ok until we decided we wanted food and the couches we were sitting on didn't allow for us to comfortably eat. Hailey was our server and she was FANTASTIC. She advised us to move to a table, but we were then told we needed to move because they had another reservation coming in. Because we had a party of 3 with a reso, the party of 4 took precedence over us since the table sat 4. We were offered seating at the bar, but that didn't allow us to talk to each other the way we wanted to. Because of us having to move 3 times until they were able to make a table for us, I took away 1 star. Hailey was very apologetic toward the situation and I really appreciated her for trying to make it work for us. Hoping this isn't an issue next time, but be mindful of that when you visit. On to the food and the drinks. Everything was DELICIOUS. We ordered 2 cocktails and 1 mocktail. Food wise, we ordered the duck fat fries, the Buffalo cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sliders and steak frites. Everything was fresh and Delicious. The kitchen does close at 11 just for future reference. Unfortunately I didn't take pics of the food because of the low lighting, the flash was pretty bright. I can't wait to come back with my boyfriend, hopefully without the musical chairs of trying to be seated at a table that I had reserved.
What used to be Level Up bar and arcade is now the Merchant! Offering up some creative cocktails in a classy speak-easy setting. The long space works well, decked out in some stuffed bench seating, quiet tables, brick walls and bar. The menu has a nice smattering of cocktails along with some beers, they only opened up two days earlier so I'm sure there will be some changes and updates soon. Overall I like the space, the music is a bit loud but a great start so far. Another great cocktail option for the Oak City...
Changed. I always rave about this place. Especially with Smoke and dagger. Unfortunately there was a significant change when I came back to a new location. Not a good change. Venue: larger venue compared to their original former venue. Similar speakeasy vibe. Love the ambience, NY speakeasy feel. Drinks : ordered the famous smoke and dagger. Also espresso martini. Smoke and dagger does not taste the same. Looks similar but some elements missing. Drinks feel like it was not shaken enough. Drink was very sour without balance. Just was not the same. Came in a smoke box like before. Brought family members after bragging about this place and had not much to say. Espresso martini was very bitter. Service: the lady that served us not personable. Maybe she was not having a good. The place I was looking so much forward to end up in disappointment. read more
This is your typical cocktail bar located in an old building. There are multiple places like this in downtown Raleigh, nothing really stands out about this one. They no longer serve food like they did in their old location. Essentially this is like the Architect 2.0. I don't think they changed anything from the previous ownership. Even the Green Light bar is still there. If you want some expensive cocktails in a nice atmosphere, this is as good as any other cocktail bar in downtown Raleigh. read more
9 months ago
A hidden gem- absolute vibe. Great drinks. Will definitely be back. Don't judge by the outside. read more
10 months ago
Cute and charming bar it's where the architecture use to be, apparently this is there new location. Have to climb about 15 stairs to reach the bar fyi. It was pretty dark and dim in there and the tables had a candle on them to make it more intimate I guess. Our server was friendly and helpful in choosing our drinks. The menu was pretty decent lots of choices. I had two different drinks ,one was the paper plane (can't remember the other) . I just wish the martini glass was bigger like the normal size. Overall good experience: read more
3 months ago
4 months ago
The perfect spot for date night if you love fun cocktails! The drinks were delicious and service was great. Not very busy for a Saturday night so it was perfect. read more
Do you like Speakeasy's as much as I do? Then you need to checkout the merchant. Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, The Merchant offers cocktails that are both unique and interactive. They even offer non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails for those who do not partake in the libations, but still enjoy the social environment. They have a variety of cocktails that are categorized by their flavor profile. The Merchant also offers small plates that you can share. They recently launched their fall cocktails and I tried a couple of them. Each of them are very unique and have a different flavor profile. And of course I had to cap it off with my favorite smoked Old Fashioned. read more
5 months ago
I recently went to the merchant for the first time and had an awesome evening. We went on a Tuesday night and it was not very crowded. I wouldn't say you need. I would say you don't need reservations probably unless you're heading it on the weekend I love the vibe of the place in the interior decoration is beautiful. Of course I totally almost walked by when I was trying to find it. Basically it's upstairs from Vergils look for Vergils, and then you'll notice the hostas, and/or the sign/door that takes you upstairs to the merchant. Their cocktail menu is extensive and it's obvious that that's what they pride themselves on. Of course I'm more of a wine drinker so the cocktail list was pretty much wasted on me, but I did try my friends gin, floral cocktail, and it was really quite good. The servers and the bartenders were friendly, and made some great suggestions. For food the small plates did not disappoint. The menu isn't huge, but they had a ton of variety. We started off with a duck wings and they were super tender and flavorful, definitely something I would get again. Honestly, now that I think about it, I would get everything I ordered again. We also got the crispy brussels sprouts, which were great, but the favorite dish of the night was definitely the steak Frites I loved that they were duck fat fries, so delicious, the steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was sliced for us and really a great dish for sharing with a small group. This spot is a gem and I look forward to dining and drinking there again. read more
This cozy upstairs spot was the perfect place for a cocktail on a chilly night. Husband and I sat at the bar and ordered cocktails from the new fall cocktail menu. I ordered the Pecan Potion and husband the Dollhouse Nightmares and both exceeded our expectations. The pecan rum in the Pecan Potion sounded interesting and it did not disappoint! It was the perfect cocktail. Husband's came in such a fun glass! The pumpkin foam looked like brains but tasted like pumpkin froyo. I am not a scotch fan but still loved his drink. The attention to detail in these drinks is impressive. They are top notch. read more
3 years ago
This is one of my favorite places in Raleigh. I tell anyone who's in town and wants to go somewhere to go here. This is a cute speakeasy vibe located above a taco shop. To go inside you enter through a door disguised as a jukebox and head up the stairs to the bar. I normally am able to get accommodated when it is just me and one other person but I recommend reservations. I like that it is never too loud and packed like other places here, it's almost like a hidden gem. The music has also always been great and the atmosphere of the place is amazing. Well decorated, dim lighting, good music, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. The bartenders, hosts, and servers are always super friendly and great too. The food and drinks here are fantastic. The food menu is small but the food is so good. The burger sliders here are one of my favorite sliders ever, the whole table loved them and we ordered more. We also had the buffalo cauliflower, brussels sprouts, duck fat fries, and steak frites. The brussels sprouts were soo crispy and made perfect. The duck fat fries were seasoned well and the herb cream sauce it came with was so good that it was addicting. All the fires were gone. The steak frites was delicious as well and a great entree. This spot is definitely great for birthdays, date nights, girls night out, and any other type of fun occasion. I always enjoy the drinks here and they have tons of fun drinks that are picture worthy like a drink in a smoky glass box, drinks on a tree, cotton candy drink, and the big table drinks. I love that they have big cocktail pitchers for the table because it's so fun and cute. The prices here are fair and the experience is always great. read more
Update: 2nd visit 8/4/2023 I like how I'm buzzed in at the entrance and someone meets me at the top of the stairs and escorts me to my table. I love that reservations are recommended and there is no wait. I felt like a celeb on this evening. Second time here. The first time I wanted to love The Merchant NC but there were a few marks missed with the server at that time. This time much better experience. The lamb, grilled watermelon salad, and adult grilled cheese were a hit. Everything was delicious. We wanted seconds on the lamb but the kitchen closed a few minutes earlier. This was disappointing. I wished the waitress would've advised us of this. We had wine. Cabernet because you can never go wrong with wine. The staff here seem nice and are welcoming to all. The Merchant NC is a yes for me. I highly recommend this time. read more
6 months ago
2 years ago
What a great time!!! It was my wife's bday and we loved it!! Sue was great!! We will be back!! Great drinks, great place!! read more
4 years ago
Easily and I mean EASILY my favorite bar in all of Raleigh so far and I've been to a couple. Merchant NC did everything right, all the boxes were checked off. Atmosphere Cocktail taste Cocktail presentation Bartenders knowledge of the cocktails Friendly staff Price And anything else you can think of. Came here with a buddy since he doesn't go out to drink that much and man did we have a blast. Tried so many drinks but I remember that "To all the ones I've loved before" and their "Paper Plane" was my favorite. They even make a little paper plane for your glass which is my favorite thing. I've only been to 1 other bar that does that and it's in New York City. Staff was sooooooo friendly and nice to talk to. Music was perfect, not too loud and not too low. Got pretty drunk since every Cocktail was better than the last . I didn't get to try all of the drinks I wanted to so I'll be back to try the rest of the amazing cocktails & try the food as well. Literally every time I'm in town I'll be at this bar everyday. See you guys soon read more
Found this place on Instagram and wanted to check it out for girls night out. The entrance is very subtle, giving speakeasy vibes forsure. As you enter, you walk up the stairs to the top floor and are met with green velvet seating, low lighting, accented tables and decor. It was very inviting. Now on to the food and service. I would like to point out that we did make a reservation through tock and it required a $10/pp charge to hold the table. That money was put toward the final bill. The host said there wasn't much seating available due to an event going on that took up half of the space. This was ok until we decided we wanted food and the couches we were sitting on didn't allow for us to comfortably eat. Hailey was our server and she was FANTASTIC. She advised us to move to a table, but we were then told we needed to move because they had another reservation coming in. Because we had a party of 3 with a reso, the party of 4 took precedence over us since the table sat 4. We were offered seating at the bar, but that didn't allow us to talk to each other the way we wanted to. Because of us having to move 3 times until they were able to make a table for us, I took away 1 star. Hailey was very apologetic toward the situation and I really appreciated her for trying to make it work for us. Hoping this isn't an issue next time, but be mindful of that when you visit. On to the food and the drinks. Everything was DELICIOUS. We ordered 2 cocktails and 1 mocktail. Food wise, we ordered the duck fat fries, the Buffalo cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sliders and steak frites. Everything was fresh and Delicious. The kitchen does close at 11 just for future reference. Unfortunately I didn't take pics of the food because of the low lighting, the flash was pretty bright. I can't wait to come back with my boyfriend, hopefully without the musical chairs of trying to be seated at a table that I had reserved. read more
What used to be Level Up bar and arcade is now the Merchant! Offering up some creative cocktails in a classy speak-easy setting. The long space works well, decked out in some stuffed bench seating, quiet tables, brick walls and bar. The menu has a nice smattering of cocktails along with some beers, they only opened up two days earlier so I'm sure there will be some changes and updates soon. Overall I like the space, the music is a bit loud but a great start so far. Another great cocktail option for the Oak City... read more
4 years ago
The Speakeasy-ness of it all!!! I am absolutely in awe of The Merchant. A 5 star bar is one with great great ambiance, amazing, unique cocktails, A1 service and tasty eats. The Merchant has all of the above and then some. I visited after work on a Tuesday, without a reservation, and was seated promptly as it had not gotten busy yet. One of the fist things that made my jaw drop open were the extra wide, comfy bar chairs (insert heart eyes emoji here). I must have looked like a Lion taking photos of the chairs, but never have I ever sat at a bar where my rump sighed as soon as it snuggled in the chair. Be warned that if you go solo, as I did, you may struggle with scooting the chair up closer to the bar. They are HEAVY. The ambiance was so soothing and relaxing, the decor so elegant, the music had me wanting to ask for the playlist. It was a whole vibe! The artist formerly known as "the bartender " was exceptionally courteous. I asked for the most popular, unique, IG-worthy cocktail they had and he replied, Smoke & Daggers. He was so gracious to allow me to record him making it as well. It was ART, (tasty art) as was the Black Sails/Blue cocktail cocktail and the non alcoholic, Thai Tea Party that is adorned with a honeycomb. For food, I ordered the Merchant Sliders. I guess they are only cooked one way, because I wasn't asked how I wanted them cooked. They were delicious nonetheless. So if you haven't been, what are you waiting for! read more
Really fancy vibe, music is on the louder side. Cozy and cute booth side to sit on. Note you need to go upstairs to get inside here. Bartender was very nice! read more
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Chris B.
Hi Tracy! Thank you so much for the review! We deeply appreciate the…
3 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
A very cool experience. Gotta get on the list, but then you gain access to the stairwell to the speakeasy. The place smells like the smoky Smoke and Dagger cocktail (a cool plus to stopping by). That drink is good, by the way -- light and not sweet, and worth the show. I actually liked my friend's cocktail better: Fear and Loathing in the Carolinas. Oh, and even though you have to wait downstairs, there are probably seats open ;) But it's all in good fun and worth a stop in. Great place to wrap up a night. read more
Visited this place for a drink and it was quite the experience! It can be a little hard to find so ask the virgils hostess and they will get you situated! The drinks were delicious, a little pricy but for some you are also paying for the experience! The main thing I didn't like and the reason for 4 stars and not 5 was the noise level. The music was so loud I had to lean over the table to talk to my wife in order to hear each other. I definitely recommend for a date night or after dinner drinks! Worth a visit!! read more
5 years ago
Atmosphere yes. Drinks hell yes. Company subpar - be sure to bring friends that hype up your Yelp life, not tear you down into a deep dark abyss where all you can see is the small flame sitting on the table reminding you that your life is a morsel of joy compared to the lavender filled glass of love sitting in front of you. But in any case 10/10 recommend! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Have been to Merchant a few times since it opened I have enjoyed every visit I have had! The drinks are incredibly well made and they have options for all taste pallets. Ambiance is great with their low lighting and music. Last time I went the music was a touch louder than I cared for but it was still a fun time! Highly recommend for a pre dinner or post dinner cocktails! read more
3 years ago
The ambience is perfect for date night or just a hang out. The drinks are magnificent and the staff is so friendly no matter how busy they are! Thank you Merchant for never disappointing! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great environment to grab some cocktails. It's exciting to feel exclusive with the classy drinks and overall vibe. Go check it out! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
First off the food and drinks were absolutely delicious, no joke the best fries I have ever had. And the room is so cute, the cutest speakeasy!!! 1000% recommend going here!!! read more
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More info about The Merchant NC
108 1/2 E Hargett St
Raleigh, NC 27601
Fayetteville Street
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(919) 833-3866
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Ask the Community - The Merchant NC
Can I make a reservation or is it just walk in?
They take walk ins. I prefer to make a reservation because sitting is limited, especially for large groups.
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