Well, walked by when visiting the Farmers Market a few days ago. Smelled wonderful ! We decided to have lunch today since my friend who just moved to the area had eaten the Salmon Salad before and stated how much she enjoyed it. Showed me a pic she'd snapped of the salad. Looked yummy! Dang!! I was hopeful...Had to wait a bit for the hostess, no biggy. Seated outdoors since it was a lovely day. Ordered a cocktail, asparagus appetizer and our meal. asked for bread, the salmon was definitely overdone, easy fix...asparagus sounded tasty, need some work with this one folks. Asked for bread when placing our order, had to get up to ask the server mid lunch for the forgotten bread. Service, nice young lady, teachable... sealed the 2 star rating when I had to go inside to the hostess stand to retrieve our check., Need to step up the game here. Has great potential, just not there yet. read more

Amazing service, consistent food quality, just a good meal for what you need. I don't know why more people don't come here, the food is spectacular. The service was great because the servers were attentive. The food came out hot when it was ready and the atmosphere was very mellow, not pushy. read more

Mercato Ristorante - Soup & Salad (w/ Salmon) - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Four stars - good I went here with my partner to celebrate our anniversary. There is a large parking lot nearby, so the restaurant is accessible. While we made reservations in advance, it was not that busy. There was a lot of seating, and they can accommodate larger parties. Our waitress was friendly, and we did not wait long for our food. The food was good. I ordered a side of pasta and salad to go with the chicken parmesan because it felt like the dish was lacking without anything else. Based on my experience ordering this dish at other restaurants, chicken parmesan is typically served with other sides. Despite my one gripe, I would recommend going here! read more

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It worked! Mercato called to me on this cold day. Outside, thirties. Inside, warm, cozy, delicious Italian food. They even make their pastas by hand. That's Italian! Prices are reasonable, oh, and the coffee comes with actual sugar cubes. Gotta love the attention to detail! I'll always come back to Mercato! read more

Mercato Ristorante - Love the authenticity of this place, with handmade pastas and breads. Always delicious! - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Came for brunch with a couple colleagues based on a recommendation. Brunch is on the weekends but they also offer their regular menu. Lots of drink choices, we decided to do an appetizer from the regular menu and also some brunch items. I ordered a vanilla latte to go with my omelette and the polenta. My food was delicious. Everything tasted so fresh. We sat outside since it was a gorgeous day and it wasn't too busy plus we had a great view of the farmers market. Service was great! Our server was very attentive and anticipated our needs. I plan to be back with my family next! read more

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I was really disappointed with my experience at Mercato Ristorante. From the start, the service left a lot to be desired. Our waitress seemed annoyed whenever we asked questions and wasn't helpful with recommendations. I asked if they still served an item I had seen in Yelp photos, and instead of answering politely, she came across as short and rude. The food was nothing special. My boyfriend ordered the angel hair pasta with shrimp and said it was very bland and lacked flavor. I ordered the Molto Carne pizza. While the toppings were decent, the crust was so soft in the middle that I couldn't pick up a slice without it folding over and all the toppings sliding off. Dessert was the biggest disappointment. We ordered the bourbon bread pudding, and the bottom was burnt. The burnt flavor completely overpowered the dessert, leaving a bitter taste with every bite. Unfortunately, between the poor service and underwhelming food, this wasn't a good experience, and I wouldn't come back. read more

We were in on a Tuesday for an early dinner (3:30pm), the only customers. Attentive service and good food. My guess in this place is packed on Friday and Saturday nights, as it's across the street from the Market. read more

Mercato Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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The positives first. The polenta with mushroom gravy was amazing. So flavorful and creamy. I could have made a meal of it!! The insalata mista was so fresh. Recommend to all if you prefer simple and fewer ingredients. The steak salad used the same base as the Mista. The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare. I could have used more flavor. Between the Radiatori and Rigatoni it was a tough call. One of us liked one better while another of us liked the other pasta. Both were delicious. I felt the Radiatori pasta was lighter. This restaurant was quite willing to split plates without charging extra for that service. Nice touch. The salad and the pasta dishes had very generous portions. Our deserts included a torte and bread pudding. My favorite was the bread pudding but both were excellent. I can't forget the limoncello. It was homemade in store and was so light and tasty. Three of us tasted it and enjoyed the flavor. Now the few negatives. The bread service while complementary was cold bread with olive oil. Nice touch to be free but to take it over the top, heat the bread. Two of us had water but the server never replenished the water. Server gave two of us the wrong pasta. We couldn't tell the difference between them and started eating the wrong dish. Front of the house needs to be more aware of people with wheelchairs!!! It was a BIG struggle to get in and out!!! Be more aware!!!!! Still, I recommend this place!!! read more

Their Caesar salad is amazing! I have liked everything I've tried. I usually get the Tagliatelle with shrimp, it is delicious. Their pumpkin ravioli is very good. Service is always friendly. Not a huge restaurant but cozy and quaint. Have been for both lunch and dinner and will be back! read more

I love Mercato. My husband proposed to me on their terrace last summer. The food is excellent and the cocktails hit the spot. Today, I went in for the vegan eggnog and asked for the chef's choice vegan plate. I was served bland pasta noodles with mushrooms and a little spinach. How does vegan translate to no spicing? My mother is first generation Italian and I adapt half of her recipes to vegan. Oregano, rosemary, thyme... there are so many options. Vegan butter and cream are available but I understand an additional expense (not compared to what I paid for plain noodles with mushrooms). It seems clear to me the chef lacks imagination is cursed with writer's block when asked to cook for a vegan. I poured tapatio and black pepper over it for taste. I could have saved money and prepared a better authentic Italian dish myself. Vegan does not mean bland. My husband loved his brie mushroom omelet. Strongly recommend if you aren't vegan. read more

Ever had pasta that's right on the knife's edge of perfection--one grain of salt away from too much, yet magically balanced? That's exactly what we experienced at Mercato in Olympia. My friends and I ordered the amatriciana, and it turned out to be one of the best spaghetti dishes we've had in ages. It was seriously impressive how the chef nailed that perfect seasoning. I'm not a big fan of sugary cocktails, so when our server offered the Limoncello Lemondrop without the sugar rim, it was spot-on. Refreshing, sophisticated, and ideal for slow sipping--I appreciated their willingness to accommodate my preferences. Desserts were an easy choice to share, with extra spoons provided. The bread pudding was warm, comforting, and tasty, even if not groundbreaking. The tiramisu delivered exactly the rich, satisfying flavor we were craving. Service deserves its own shout-out. Every team member--from the hostess and server to the busboys--was genuinely friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was lively yet still comfortable enough for easy conversation. The restaurant was spotless, parking was a breeze, and it's easy to find. Yes, it's a bit of a splurge, but Mercato delivered a meal worth every penny--especially when paired with an evening at the theater. We're already looking forward to our next visit! read more

Enjoyed a fine meal at Mercato Ristorante, a quaint restaurant downtown Olympia, with my friend. We started with the calamari paired with a lemon aïoli; light, flavorful, and a perfect opener. For our mains, we had the salmon salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and apples (beautifully balanced and fresh), and we also shared the sausage radiatori pasta, which was evenly rich and delicious. The atmosphere was wonderful. Even though the restaurant was fully booked, they seated us in a cozy center booth right in front of the chef's kitchen. It was such a treat watching the chefs work and seeing all the gorgeous dishes come out. Our waitress was amazing; attentive, friendly, and the timing of our meals was spot-on despite how packed the place was. We left happy, full, and already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommend! read more

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Wow. This is my new favorite pizza spot. The Molte Carne was INCREDIBLE. The crust was thin and crispy and the seasoning was bursting in my mouth. Sounds goofy, but it's a very correct explanation. As I type this...I am still tasting those tiny pepperonis! They delightful server brought out some fresh focaccia bread doused in olive oil, basaltic vinegar and a touch of salt. Again...INCREDIBLE. The Pear and Gorgonzola salad was delicious but he blackberry vinaigrette stole the show on this dish. We sat on the patio which had ample umbrella coverage so that we weren't roasting in the read more

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The food here at Mercato is superb! Moving from the San Francisco Bay Area 12 years ago, I have always missed the rich hearty Italian food. I think I may have found the place that makes my heart happy. Service is always a 10, Drinks are made to perfection I typically go for a manhattan or old fashion. My go to favorite is the antipasti salmon, calamari bites a must have, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Brb headed to grab my coat! read more

Mercato Ristorante - Old fashion for starter's Tasty! - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Had the Italian Sausage Omelet italian sausage, mama lil's peppers, caramelized onion, parmesan, potatoes or polenta & ciabatta and it was good. Another member of our party had the Hash which was cold. The toast was small and no flavor. The service was the worst. She spent more time talking to people she knew than serving the tables. If you have to ask multiple times for ketchup and drinks to be served and it's not busy then you aren't doing what you get paid for. Won't be back read more

We went there for dinner last night. Spent over $300 and only one person actually enjoyed their meal. Salmon overcooked, and the angel hair pasta clumped together. It was that overcooked. The shrimp also overcooked. The only decent meal was the New York steak. I realize it was a busy Saturday night, but even our service was terrible. I was really looking forward to trying Mercado's out. So disappointed I won't even try again. read more

I recently ate here with a friend for dinner. It has been years since I have been to Mercato for reasons mentioned in my previous review. This time the service was outstanding. Our server was friendly, attentive, made good recommendations, and paced our meal perfectly. I had the pumpkin ravioli which changed since the last time I ate here. The sauce was runny almost like it was a broth the ravioli was in. The taste was good but there were only 6 raviolis for $23.00. This dish didn't come with a side salad, soup, or anything other than bread, which WAS DELICIOUS. I purchased a side ceasar salad which was good but it was 9.00 for a tiny salad. I don't see myself going back anytime soon. The food is ok but it is very expensive. My bill was 43.00 for small portions of ravioli, salad, and an icetea. It was not very busy during prime dinner hours, so I am guessing others agree that the prices are too high for the portions. Meh. read more

I have such mixed opinions here - came here for a work dinner and we were able to sit in a private room for no additional charge, which was awesome. I would say the food was good enough, I wasn't blown away but I also wasn't disappointed. Service was good and we had a large party and the food came out quickly. I wish I could give half stars, I think based off the food I would say 3.5 stars, but the atmosphere was great and checked the box we needed for an elevated client dinner! read more

Gave Mercato a couple more chances and it was great. I even made a special request so server checked with kitchen and they did it! Great service and kitchen did a fantastic job which we so appreciated read more

We had a family member visiting and she wanted Italian, so we took her to Mercato's, even though we had a bad experience in November. We wrote to them without a response. Our guest and I ordered the Penne pasta. We received a pasta made with rigatoni noodles, which I don't like. It was very bland, our guest asked for a cup of alfredo. She poured it all over it. I ate a small portion of it but didn't finish it. My partner ordered NY steak, medium well. When she received her steak, one entire side was burnt. The bill was over $130.00 dollars. It was so disappointing, next time we will try Pellegrino's. read more

Mercato Ristorante - Penne with Rigatoni Noodle - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Well it was a colder than normal morning here in Olympia. My friend and I were at the local farmers market and we kept getting the amazing smell in the air. We asked a few folks an they told us it was Mercato. So, we walked in and were seated promptly. We were lucky enough to get in before brunch was over. My friend ordered the shrimp and grits breakfast, and I ordered the basic eggs, potatoes and bacon. The food was very good. The service was fast and ambience was that of a small Italian style restaurant. We both talked more about the menu for lunch or dinner. I guess we will be coming back to try another item or two off the menu. read more

Mercato Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in Geneva. The food was excellent--richly flavored, authentic, and clearly prepared with care. Every dish we tried was delicious, from the injera to the perfectly spiced stews. The service was equally impressive: warm, attentive, and welcoming, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to enjoy genuine Ethiopian cuisine in Geneva. read more

The first time we came the food was a bit salty, but this time it had better balance. We enjoyed the salad, two pasta dishes, and the dessert we ordered. The service was good too. read more

Until last night this was one of my favorite places. We were there to celebrate my son's birthday. What a disappointment after raving about this little gem. The waiter didn't ask for all of our drink orders. After my recommendation, half of us ordered the pear salad which was lacking in most ingredients and the romaine was tough. Again because of my raves, half of us ordered the pumpkin ravioli that tasted only of lemons. The steak dish was tough and overcooked, although I had cautioned against ordering steak in an Italian restaurant. Again, I highly recommended the bread pudding. Mine had no caramel sauce and the ice cream did not have the richness of Olympic Mountain. Luckily the birthday recipient said the tagliatelle was the best thing so far. Everything was overpowered by lemon however. The only good thing was the wine. So far they have never failed there. read more

Post sneaky service fee for 6 or more at a table., Good starters, entrees just average.. Won't visit again. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Oly. Fantastic in house made pasta and excellent cocktails. My favorite is the Caesar salad with salmon. We moved here 5 years ago and have been disappointed by the quality of food in Oly but this place is consistently excellent. Love the warmth of the bar area and the festive summery feel of the patio. read more

My experience at this restaurant was a large party for my girlfriend's birthday, and I was beyond shocked how spectacular the service was. They provided a great space for over 20 people, they constantly made sure everyone had their drink, and I really enjoyed the pizza. I thought it was very nice of them to do separate checks for everyone as well. Their hard work did not go unnoticed! We look forward to come back as a family. read more

Mercato Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Super friendly staff. Great food for price. Plenty of seating, including at the bar if you're waiting for friends or just want to hang out solo. read more

Restaurant has a nice vibe and every table was filled. Wasn't crazy about the food because the flavors were way too bold. The pear and Gorgonzola salad was nice, but the polenta fritta had too much Gorgonzola so it was a little too salty. Maybe a little less Gorgonzola chunks and it would be solid. The pumpkin ravioli in apple cider cream sauce sounded weird, so I was down to try it. But dude, too much apple cider vinegar made it tart. I honestly wanted to meet the chef so I could ask him, "Taste this. Do you like this dish?" Maybe they used regular apple cider but it was sour and my sister agreed that maybe this was an aberration. After that dish, we didn't want to try the desserts, even though there was a crème brûlée on the menu and I love crème brûlée. I'll come back to see if maybe the food is better on a slow night. read more

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Came in with a large group around 20. Had one of the rooms reserved. We pretty much all had drinks and our glasses were kept full. Salads came in first. Seemed like somehow had a large variety ordered. In short time the meals came. Most ordered steak. Server was very attentive to verify the steaks were cooked properly. I ordered sausage noodle, cheese dish (yes no steak for me). It was fantastic. To much to eat though, so some became next days lunch. Desserts were good. Most ordered this chocolate torte. I ordered the sorbet of the day.....perfect way to finish the meal. I was truly impressed with the food and service. Absolutely fantastic. read more

My wife and I make it our regular date night to go here. The food is always amazing and the service is always professional and very warm and welcoming. Great place! read more

Good service and not packed for brunch but steak was over cooked and the dish needed maybe some sauce since the potatoes and steak were dry the eggs needed to be over easy. I would definitely go for dinner over brunch. read more

What an amazing upscale Italian restaurant here in Olympia. We stopped by for a team dinner on a cold Tuesday evening. We had a reservation so could bag the inside room for a larger group like ours. We ordered the following items: 1. Eggplant: Kinda like the eggplant parmesan but with mozarella. This was good and their marinara sauce tasted fresh 2. Polenta Fritte: Devoured their mushroom & gorgonzola sauce which paired well with the fried polenta 3. Prawns Caprese: This was really good and the tomato+mozarella served with the prawns were delicious too 4. Mains: Tagliatelle (with shrimp, white wine and Garlic sauce), Ravioli, Penne, Grilled Salmon Salad & Panino Caprese. All our mains were delicious except the Panino Caprese was a tad too greasy for some of my colleagues. The pasta was freshly made and their sauces were to die for. Their salmon was fresh and perfectly cooked too. 5. Margherita Pizza: Thin crust nice snacky Margherita pizza. Loved it and it was so light we dint mind eating a slice in between our delicious pasta too 6. Desserts: Please do yourself a favor and same some appetite for their freaking awesome desserts. We tried their Tiramisu (one of the best I have ever had), Siciliano (chocolate gelato with nuts and blood orange liqeur AMAZING) & bread pudding which was good too. 7. Drinks: Old Fashioned (they make a very good old fashioned unlike some other places which add loads of sugar syrup this place does it perfectly balanced) and they have loads of wine options too. We liked their red wines (I dont remember which one we ordered) Service was great and food was out quick. I highly recommend this place and we certainly devoured our meal here. Definitely one of my fav italian dining options in Olympia. read more

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Great atmosphere. We were seated without a reservation. Delicious food! Excellent service - will certainly go again.

Lunch with friends! Absolutely lovely-great company, great food , great ambience! Ordered the pear gorgonzola salad-to DIE for! Those tasty crunchy garbanzos topped off this healthy salad. Service was friendly, on time and just right! By the way-I sure appreciate freshly brewed tea! read more

Blah food at a moderate to high price point. First the good news: drinks were tasty and I appreciated the wine selection. Next the bad: The complimentary focaccia squares were served cold...like from the fridge...with balsamic and olive oil scattered over the top. Some was a bit undercooked. The fried polenta app was tasty if eaten immediately. But The eggplant app was utterly flavorless. Mozzarella melted over slices of roasted eggplant stacked on watery marinara. It improved with extremely vigorous application of salt and pepper, but was still blah. One pasta dish had very limp noodles...3-4 minutes past al dente. Another was properly cooked, but the sauce again lacked flavor. Extra red pepper flake helped but those in the sauce had disappeared. Service was okay. The main room is much prettier in the evening than during the day. We were previewing restaurants with an eye to a large wedding dinner. It will not be held at Mercato. read more

Pros Service is above and beyond great Fast seating Wonderful food Perfect portion size but also shareable Great food options Cons You have to do some work to make things vegan but it's not a real con read more

Mercato Ristorante - Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The food was appetizing. I order the Prawns Caprese (not pictured) minus the prosciutto these were FRIE, paired perfectly with fresh mozz and roma tomato and drizzled with balsamic YUMYYYYYY. I also got the salmon. The salmon itself lack flavor but the couscous flavorsome, soft and creamy. I could have got the couscous alone and would have been satisfied. I LOVEDDD the donuts, I would go there just to get those alone. The donuts came with this warm gooey caramel sauce that was to die for. DISCLAIMER You can't just have one! My mouth Is watering just thinking about them. My friend order the ravioli which was twist on the traditional dish. It was sweet and rich perfect for the fall season. The ravioli is filled with pumpkin and the cream sauce was apple cider based and it came topped with fresh Washington apples. The also served bread which is a traditional Italian bread super tasty remaindered me of a high-quality pizza crust -my favorite part of the pizza. The bartender was super helpful directed us through their list of crafted drinks. We tried the Black berry bubbles, Strawberry basil lemonade, French 75 and two other seasonal drinks I can't remember the name of. I advise to you make a reservation but this place is pretty popular. I was a walk in and we waited approximately 20-30 minutes until our table was ready. But the bar was vacant so we enjoyed a drink until we were seated. There is outdoor seating but it fill up fast. I suggest using OpenTable, it display all and any available time slots for a reservation my go to app. The is also an outdoor seating area, from what I gathered they did have warmer set up outside. Our waitress was okay. I felt like she was probably having a bad day. But she didn't make the experience positive. I didn't take it personal but they have to do better. But the hostess and bartender made up for where she lacked. There is ample parking. There is a parking lot attached to the establishment and some across the street. There is also street parking. read more

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Great food and really good service. Appetizer was amazing. Will definitely go back to try different menu items.

Some thoughts on todays' outing to Mercato's in Olympia Although it is beautifully situated and is in a lovely location, our sojourn there for alfresco dining was a bit of an incongruence. First point of battle was even trying to navigate the parking apps that are required of the streetside parking slots. Our server told us it is best to try to get parking in the lots instead, as we could not get the pay-n-park app to work At All. Then we ordered food. All three meals were indeed excellent. It was rather slow in the outside dining area, so we asked permission to have drinks and play some cribbage, which was graciously given. However, once our server left, we did not have a single person check in with us for drinks for over 2 hours. Literally no service. That was a bit odd. We flagged the bartender down, who seemed a tad annoyed, for refills on our respective drinks, but then again, we seemed to be invisible to the incoming shift for some reason. The weirdest thing of all was gathering our to-go boxes and finding one of them covered inside and out with ants! The food completely ruined. Like i said, a rather odd combination of things that occurred, and with the idea we probably would recommend it for at least a one time visit, but overall, the experience was not stellar. read more