Merchants NY
“The downstairs space was open and I was seated on the plush chairs in front of the fireplace enjoying some prosecco.”
“Now Cafeteria is good for that late night drunking, I need food and loud music to keep me awake.”
“Its very romantic and the downstairs area really looks like someones drawing room.”
Merchants NY
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Sat by the bar and had a bottle of wine. Decent pricing service was fine. They have a really nice downstairs area if you want to chill and have a drink and chat it up. Would come back here again for drinks. I often come here when there is a long wait at Cafeteria restaurant across the street.
Had a nice early Sunday dinner at Merchants last weekend. My friend and I were tired after shopping, and she was having a hard time deciding what to eat. Luckily, Merchants and their American menu (and that we'd already walked almost 20 blocks looking for food) fit the bill!
We sat outside, and started off with $5 happy hour wine and the spicy mango shot (very mango-y, with a slightly spicy kick at the end). Our appetizer was the potato skins, which were four large skins with a little potato still inside, sour cream, and bacon. For entrees, my friend had the chicken ceasar salad and I had the BLT chopped salad. It was really good! Definitely a lot of ingredients with a lot of textures: lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, corn, feta, and onions – but I enjoyed it. The salad comes very highly shredded/chopped so it's easy to eat as well. Polished my plate!
I continued my mango madness with a mango bellini and martini. While we were seated outside, the sky opened up and started pouring, so the servers and bus boys helped us move all of our stuff inside to the balcony level.
I would definitely recommend Merchants as a place to go if you're in the area and need a no-fuss place to eat or drink.
I would give this a 3.5 if I could – 4 is a bit too high only because of the ambience. Food is good!
I stopped in here on a very rainy day. My mom, sister and I were going to go to Cafeteria across the street, but it had a long wait. This was a great second option! The food was better than expected! It definitely has a bar vibe/atmosphere though.
We sat in the back elevated area. This was a good spot to stop in since we were hungry and it was raining. It doesn't have the greatest decor or atmosphere though if you are looking for a trendier spot. The food is good though, and sometimes that is all you need 🙂
FOOD:
-Crostinis with cheese, salami, basil, and parm: Great app – and had 8 pieces, which is great to see as opposed to places that give you 2-4 to split.
-Chopped Salad with chicken, tomatoes, onion: Very good as well! Great to share as a side dish or app, or just have on your own for lunch
-Pressed Sandwich with chicken, tomato, and lettuce – this was really good as well!
Overall, the food was spot on. I only took off stars just for the ambiance and presentation since that really does set the mood for me!
This has been a great spot for years. When I doubt go to Merchants. I also go to the downstairs or sit outside. I've never had to wait and can be seated right away. The lounge is very cozy and intimate. There are couches, a fireplace and dim lighting. I usually come for drinks, lite bits and dessert. The drinks and food are really good. I always have to blow out my night with the brownie a la mode. Then I satisfied. I'll be coming here for many more years to come.
Came to Merchants for brunch with friends to have some drinks and a small bite. The vibe was good and the food was ok. Nice, chill place.
The drinks weren't memorable – I just remember having two and cutting myself off.
Overall, it's a standard place in Manhattan.
The food is okay here but their happy hour is great. $6 red and white wine and $5 well drinks from 4-7pm. I think the food is over priced for the quality and quantity but the salads haven't let me down yet. I like their Cobb salads it was pretty tasty but I don't know if it was worth almost $20. The ambience is cute and cozy it can be a little cleaner. In the basement near the restroom there is more seating and there is a fireplace for those who are in a discreet or romantic mood. The blonde bartender with the funky hair is super friendly and easy to talk to but I don't really care for the crowd. Everyone is grumpy and tired. Some people in this city need sleep.
It was -4 Celsius outside when we popped into this unassuming bar/restaurant! After yoga class close by, my friend suggested this place to eat and drink and what an excellent choice!
We arrived close to 9pm on a weeknight and were immediately led downstairs. The downstairs area is extremely cozy with comfortable lounge chairs, carpeting and a real fireplace! A party was just leaving, and my friend and I scored a two-top table right in front of the fireplace! My friend commented, "it feels like we are in a log cabin." And I couldn't agree more with her. Such a nice little hideout in bustling NYC. The fireplace (and wine) warmed us up immediately!
The food and drinks menu here are extensive. You can get a very decent bottle of wine (average $30/bottle) that won't cost you an arm and a leg! And if you order an entree, you can get a bottle of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for $25, you really can't beat that! We opted for a bottle of Rioja, Onice 2012, from Spain. Full bodied, dry and perfect on a cold cold night!
Food menu had everything from appetizers, to salads, to pasta, etc. We ended up sharing a plate of nachos (minus the beef chili) and it was a generous portion. The nachos were solid, nothing fancy, but it got the job done for 2 hungry people after exercise.
We ended up switching to beers after we polished off the bottle of wine and for 2 people sharing a bottle of wine, 3 beers and a generous portion of nachos, the bill was $66! Such a bargain, and with a cozy fire place to warm your heart and mind! We ended up staying for about 4 hours, and didn't want to leave!
Thanks for a great night! I'll be sure to come back next time for happy hour and after yoga class!
Merchants is nothing special. We came here for lunch after an afternoon of shopping along 6th Ave. I have to be honest – nothing bad about this place, but there was also no positive takeaways, nothing that "WOW"-ed me. Service was very informal (almost a little too quick). I got the BLT salad which was pretty fresh, so can't complain about that. But other than that – not a whole lot going on over here.
If it's nice out, I recommend sitting on the mini deck they have out front along 7th Ave.