While The Merchant takes reservations, they won't seat you til your entire party arrives. Unfortunately, the area by the host stand isn't ideal for waiting beyond a couple of small groups. And they seem to do a pretty good weekday lunch business. Three of us opted to share 3 dishes. One from the Appetizer side of the menu, an entree and a flatbread. Maybe because our meal was unintentionally all around cheesy, we were satisfied with the portions The cheesiest was the Housemade Gnocci $11 (Parisienne Gnocci Au Gratin, Mushrooms, Brussel Leaves, Parmesan Cheese). These were really soft pillows, enrobed in melted cheese with a scattering of mushrooms and leaves. It was good, but even for me, this was a really rich dish. The Grilled Flatbread $13 (Sweet Potato, Bacon, Baby Kale, Fontina) felt healthier, and was the only one of the three that I could see myself consuming all by my lonesome if need be. It came with either salad or french fries. Their fries visually resemble those of Mickey D's, but were not as crisp. The flatbread itself was also rather soft and did not hold up the toppings that well. The Stuffed Pepper $14 (wild mushroom and goat cheese stuffing, wild rice, pepper confit) was a surprise. It was not the bell pepper we imagined, but a whole poblano pepper! No, it wasn't spicy, we were told, and I was relieved to find this to be true. It was an interesting mix of flavors and textures, but not quite what I had in mind. It did, however, win over one friend to the wonders of wild rice. It is not a bad option for a sit down place in the Downtown area for lunch. *** 2/2018 lunch visit *** The chilled jumbo shrimp ($3 each) were firm and tasty, but not as large as I had hoped given the price. From the appetizer side, the Housemade Papparaelle $14 wild mushroom bolongnese, cream, parmigiano-reggiano crema were wide al dente ribbons, homey and tasty, while the Baby Kale $12 honey mustard, toasted pepitas, crispy carrots, parmesan cheese was a shareable portion, healthy yet tasty. I opted for a healthier sounding entree - Pan Roasted Sea Trout $16 roasted winter vegetables, red quinoa, tomato maple sauce which was crisp moist fish accompanied by tender squash and firm cauliflower. Praise was heaped upon both the Grilled Marinated Tofu $14 and the Steak Frites $18 by others. Dessert in the form of Floral Panna Cotta $9 Grand Marnier, seasonal compote, granola was quite good, and creamy smooth contrasting with the crisp bits. Service was pleasant and sufficient, but what brought it over the top was the clean towel and club soda offered to a DC whose sleeve had an unintentional close encounter with her plate. read more

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Had a surprisingly good meal here! I ordered the squash and chickpea bowl with chicken and it was AMAZING. Extremely large portion size, very filling, and unique flavors across different sections of the plate. I loved the mint chutney that came with it and only wish there was more of it! The chicken was perfectly cooked and the potatoes and other veggies very well roasted. Only downside was the price point, that bowl alone cost $30, which I wouldn't have expected. My friends ordered the mahi mahi tacos and the ramen, which they also enjoyed, though the ramen is apparently spicy. Overall, convenient location for a meal right next to the downtown crossing T stop and good food, but know that some of the menu items can get pricey. read more

The Merchant - Squash and chickpea bowl - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This New Years eve we decided to go for an early(ish) dinner at The Merchant and they were super accommodating, the food (and drinks) were great and our meal was fairly priced. A few highlights below. 1. Learned upon arrival that I accidentally booked our reservation for the wrong time & staff was happy to change our reservation. 2. Our server was very lovely, quick & answered all questions about the menu. (wish I remember her name) 3. We had ricotta Gnocchi & Pan Seared Dayboat Scallops - both were delicious!!!! 4. On tap espresso martini's are delicious! However, proceed with caution. I had 2 and, well, you get it... All in all, would recommend & The Merchant and will absolutely go back. read more

The Merchant - Oysters & Wine to kill some time - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for Groupon-like deals. And brunch. So when I saw the Gilt City offer for brunch for 2 at The Merchant, I hopped - er clicked - on it immediately. It really was a great deal, as they didn't limit us at all! We could each pick any drink (wines, beers/ciders, cocktails, brunch bevs) and any brunch entree off the menu. The build-your-own Bloody Mary (regularly $11) lets you choose your poison among interesting options of vodka and gin including peppercorn, Thai chili, and maple & bacon flavors. Then you can choose 2 garnishes of your choice (go with the cornichons. Always the cornichons)! The entrees all sound tasty and generally range from $9-15. I went with the eggplant sandwich with peppers and goat cheese. It tasted good - as expected - although it was a bit bread-heavy, and I found myself forking out the insides. Entrees come with a choice of fries, mixed greens, or homefries. Homefries are the obvious choice here, served deliciously hot with caramelized onions. My brunch bud ordered the country pate, served with spicy whole grain mustard, cornicons, and crusty bread. This was a considerable slab of pate, which was fatty and less spreadable than the previous pates I've encountered. Definitely a different brunch delicacy. Overall, we enjoyed our experience - and the deal - at The Merchant. However, the restaurant itself doesn't provide the ideal brunch atmosphere. It's dark wood, dim lighting, and sports on the TVs emit an after-work and late-night drinks vibe rather than a casual morning meal. The large space was also rather empty on Saturday around noon, showing that its brunch popularity has yet to take off. Honestly with all the great brunch options in Boston, I'm not sure if I would go out of my way to pay full price for brunch here. But if you happen to be in the area and need to build-you-own Bloody Mary STAT (hey, it happens), this is the place to do it. read more

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We decided to grab an early dinner after mass today, and saw Merchant and we wanted to try it out. The atmosphere is swanky and sleek, Industrial posh. The menu had appetizers, small plates, salads, and entrees. The prices were on the higher side of what we had been hoping for. I decided on the butternut squash salad and my husband got the burger. The butternut and beet salads were not "lettuce based" salads. It was made up of squash, goat cheese, and cherries like in a casserole type fashion. I like all those things so I was happy with my choice other than the fact it was the size of what I would expect an appetizer to be. Maybe the size of my fist and it was $14! I would have liked to have that on a bed of lettuce to be more filling and worth the $14. My husbands burger came with fries and he said it was delicious and very juicy. The service was 100% on their A game and our water glasses were never less than half empty. We love eating out in Boston and fortunately there are many other restaurants out there to try because we won't be coming back here only because it's a little pricey for the food quantity. read more

The Merchant - The All Natural Burger $16 - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My friend and I stumbled on the merchant on our way to the Orpheum theatre. We walked in on a Saturday night at 6:00 without reservations and were seated right away. I feel like to rate this place I have to give two different scores. The service and the food. So the service was just okay. I feel bad saying this because I almost wonder if our waiter was new. It took forever for our drinks to come out. So long in fact that the manager(?) delivered them and told us she was comping our drinks. She also took our food order for us. I noticed the two people on the side of us had something that looked like salmon (and looked amazing!) but didn't see it on the menu. So not sure if there were specials or what was happening with that. The food. The food was INCREDIBLE. We ordered some Moroccan chickpea dish. I wasn't even sure what that would mean. We also ordered the burger. After trying the moroccan dish, I wasn't looking forward to the burger bc the Moroccan dish was so full of flavor, it was amazing!!! But let me tell you, that burger?! Took us by surprise!! I really enjoyed it!! We ordered a second round of drinks that took equally as long. So that was disappointing. They had 3 or 4 bartenders working so not sure what the problem was. The drinks were tasty, but the food was what was worthy of writing. Overall, we really enjoyed the merchant! If we lived closer we'd definitely come back. I appreciated the manager recognizing how long we waited and comping us. That has never happened in any of our outings, and we have had some lame service before. I'd give this place a 4.2. It would have easily been a 5 if the drinks came out quicker. Especially my last drink that came out at the same time as our bill. I had to chug it so we could leave and make it to our 8:00 concert down the street. I hope to come back soon! read more

The Merchant - The Moroccan chickpea and artichoke dish. - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I really liked coming here after the Sox parade on Wednesday. Some of the staff were dressed in costumes which made the environment even more festive and boisterous. I am not sure what happened with seating when my friend requested a table for two at the host/ess stand. There seemed to be open tables around and lots of guests waiting around but people didn't get seated right away. My friend spotted two seats at the bar so we went there. He ordered his usual tuna melt and I opted for the fried chicken sandwich. Both came out pretty quickly and I loved that the chicken was steaming hot as it warmed me from being outside. The chicken was cut a little big and jagged for my liking but I devoured that and made sure not to eat all my fries. My friend enjoyed his sandwich and finished everything. Volume wasn't too bad considering the lunch crowd, Halloween, and the parade. I liked that one of the bartenders could sniff out a pinot grigio for a guest who couldn't remember which was which. I also liked that we received good service and that the bar seats were a good height and comfortable and not so close that we had to negotiate getting in and out. The inside is also pretty and warm and was slightly decorated for the fall. read more

The Merchant - Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich w French Fries ($14) - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The Merchant is effortlessly elegant and the lighting is perfect for selfies. Moreover, the wait staff will offer to take your pics for you, and they'll do an excellent job of it too. Perhaps this is part of staff training here? Regardless, those pics were too chic, truly! I did not eat here, but I drank. And I drank a lot because I was on a date with a man whose personality was a poltergeist: shapeless, confused and destructive. I had a sharp Negroni which seemed to ask "Akshat, why do you go to chic places with the sort of person who wore bloody sweatpants to a first date?" I followed this up with an in-house concoction comprising of gin, a chamomile liqeur (maybe?) and St. Germaine which was expertly crafted, a panoply of crisp flavours fostering clarity a la "This is not the father of your children. Run." The staff member who took my pic commiserated with me after because she noticed that I was in agony. "You're a handsome guy," she said. "You can and will do better." AND WILL. I about cried. In conclusion, The Merchant strikes the perfect balance between an ambiance that is both arresting and perfectly welcoming. The staff members go above and beyond be it drinks or sh*t-talking boys. I cannot recommend this enough. But, for a second date. You owe it to yourself to truly enjoy the vespertine pleasures The Merchant serves up. And on the rocks, if you ask. read more

Came here on my trip to Boston because it was near by my hotel, it was a pretty good restaurant. When sitting down, no server came to our table for a while, not even to ask for drinks. We had to ask the server for another table if he was a server and he said yes and then we ordered. He didn't come up to us to take our order we had to ask him which was unprofessional in my opinion. The server was nice afterwards and the food was good but very over salted. The mashed potatoes and the gnocchi were both very over salted but perhaps some people like very salty foods. I think it's better to have less salt because then you can add more if you like but you can't take any away. We ended up telling the server about the overly salted food and the manager came to see us shortly after and told us he would comp the gnocchi so we did not have to pay for that and he also gave a complimentary dessert due to the circumstances. I was glad the manager cared about us and made it right in the end but I give it a 3 due to the poor service by the server and overly salted food. The inside of the restaurant was nicely decorated and dim lights. Espresso Martinis were amazing although! read more

This place was pretty good! Nothing very special about the menu. Pretty pricy for what they were offering.... but overall quality was very good. I got the swordfish tacos which were so bomb. Friends got the scallops and the steak frites, they said they were very good. Kind of slow service, but it is what it is I guess. It kind of took the special feeling of my boyfriends birthday dinner away... but okay. I mean we didn't leave feeling ill or gross so I would say this place was pretty clean and solid!! read more

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The service was good and the atmosphere was great. But the food was average and the drink that my sister got wasn't so great. My sister got the steak and I got the cod. My sister thinks the steak wasn't flavorful and I thought my cod was bland but the presentation looks beautiful and it fills us both up. And the one dollar oyster was wonderful. Although the food wasn't so great at the time, my sister and I are willing to come back to give it another try just because the service was excellent. We will probably order different food on the menu. read more

The Merchant - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is our go to spot for post work drinks just due to convenience and location. There is usually enough room either for a table or standing room by the bar - the food here is decent, just bar food selection. They have the typical wings to some more unique bar food options like wontons, baffle cauliflower, and spring rolls. The service can be a little slow at times, we usually have to flag down a waiter/waitress in order to put in second rounds of drinks. Brunch here is a much better experience, more variation in their food menu. I am quite pleased with their beer and cocktail menu - they are not a wine bar, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that the selection there is limited. Great place to get a drink, I have yet to have dinner there so can't speak to that but will update my review if I ever do. Overall the atmosphere can be quite loud, but its easy and convenient if you are in the downtown financial district. read more

Found this restaurant on yelp when my wife and I were in town and looking for a new place to try....the food was very good , but the service was lacking...not horrible, but we felt ignored at times and felt like communication was lacking. We may try again in the future. read more

The Merchant - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Went here for dinner last night with friends and ordered grilled sea trout with rice, veggies and lightly poached eggs. The side dish was super salty and completely inedible. I have never sent food back in a restaurant before, but had to do it for the first time last night because the only thing I can eat is the fish, since rice and veggies and the egg were all blended together. My server suggested that I eat the fish and he'll bring some extra rice for me, which I thought would be the same dish, with veggie, egg and flavor. However what i got was plain rice, no veggie, no egg or flavor. And he just dropped it off with explaining or asking if the replacement was acceptable. I was quite stunned with both the quality of food and the service. Would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

The Merchant seems like a good go-to after work bar. I actually came here on a small vacation with my fiancee to meet up some of her friends before a longer night of drinking. As per my first comment, the place was packed at ~6pm. We eventually carved out some room at the bar; service was fine and fairly attentive, but the bar staff was having a bit of trouble keeping up with everyone. For a beer bar, I was kind of disappointed in how many beers they ran out of during the night; they really need a status system for taps given that this happened 3 times to me on different beers. At the end of the night this is forgivable, but not at like 6:30pm. My fiancée loved their Merchant 75 cocktail for the record. We tried a few appetizers like the chicken wings and popcorn shrimp which were both decent. After returning later on for dinner, I continued with the strong IPA lineup which served me well. I got the scallops which,while not seared as thoroughly as I would like, were high quality and fresh. They were paired with mushrooms, pureed sweet potato and apple bacon jam which was a great combo as you could probably guess. This really made the dish for me. Like most scallops dishes it was a bit small for the price but still enjoyable. My fiancee ordered the chicken wings which she enjoyed. Overall I'd give this place 3.5 stars but I'll round up here as the negatives seem to be things that are either very fixable or are probably freak occurrences. As an after work bar, this place fits the bill. read more

Came in last night with my friends for the first time and was impressed. We came from having a drink somewhere else and I was impressed with the space, our drinks, and the food. We had the shishito peppers, fries with the aioli, and the ribs. My friend isn't big on eating meat off the bone but once she saw how tender the meat was and how it came right off - she tried it and liked it too. The bartender was very friendly and attentive. I will definitely be back! read more

After a little disappointment at a nearby joint, I wanted to have a nice delicious filling meal. I don't know if it was because I was hungry or ya'll just really really good, but my wish was granted! The All-Natural Burger was just that, it was all natural (I finally know what beef is supposed to taste like!) I liked the fries too, it was lightly seasoned. Also, got the Matcha Martini, which I enjoyed, but I recommend serving it on the rocks next time please. read more

"It's Friday, do you know where your drink is?" the chalkboard outside inquired playfully as I stepped in. Why yes, yes, I do, it's at The Merchant. The interior of the place is really nice with wood everywhere and low lighting, and you definitely get the impression you're coming into a classy, old-school kinda place when you enter. The bartender's black apron, crisp white dress shirt and tie, and amicable demeanor only added to this feeling. I just had a quick bite: the Croque Madame, with salad. The latter was just mesclun with a little dressing. It was perhaps a little under-dressed (unlike the bartender) however there was still enough to give it some zingy flavour. The sandwich was great - you can't really taste any of the cheese, but that wasn't really bad thing as the ham was deliciously honeyed and bread nice and crispy. Great food, great atmosphere, great experience. Recommended! read more

The Merchant - Le Croque Madame - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Trout with moroccan spices was delicious, both times. Lively atmosphere. Tip- make a reservation or be prepared to wait- gets crowded.

We enjoyed our meal here! The ambiance and decor was nice. The food was pretty good; the oysters were great, the chicken wings had great flavor but were a little dry, and the fish and chips were yummy! The location of the restaurant is great. Overall, a good experience but nothing that would really blow us away. read more

The Merchant - Dining room - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I was visiting Boston for work and two different meetings suggested we meet here. One for lunch and one for dinner. MAKE A RESERVATION. Glad we did! It was packed on both occasions. So lunch. Fried chicken sandwich. Meh. Needed some more salt. Service was spot on. Dinner. Now here's why I'm going full five stars when I'd honestly say my chicken sandwich on its own was a 3. Hostess who greats you. Top notch. My cod. Meh. Needed some more salt. Maybe I need less salt? But here's where the 5's separate themselves from the 3's in my humble opinion. I'm there for a work meeting so I don't really notice, but the waiter comes over and says the kitchen is running slow. Would we like a complimentary salad while we wait. Sure. Thank you. But honestly. Packed house and I didn't feel like the kitchen was running slow. Maybe that's the problem. People just want everything so quickly that they forget to enjoy their conversations? I'm happy to take my time at dinner. So it's loud. Really loud and my meeting partner is soft spoken. This resulted in some confusion with my guest's order. No ones fault. Just happens. Waiter apologizes. Smiles. Super nice. Boom. Burger fixed with a brand new burger within a few minutes. Manager pops over. Apologizes. Asks how the new burger came out? Now here's where I can and will overlook my questions about the lack of salt (and that's on me because I could have added salt, but for some reason, I usually just eat the meal as prepared by the chefs and cooks). When it's time to pay the bill, they don't charge us for the burger! I've been through so much worse with barely a smile. We really didn't mind and felt bad sending the burger back -- dietary issues so couldn't be helped. So here's my summary. Ambiance. 5 stars. Food. 3 stars. Service. 5 stars. Intangibles. 10 stars. Double thumbs up to the management team for a very well trained staff! read more

I've been here for lunch, after work drinks and dinner and have been pleased every time. The Moscow mule here is one of my faves in Boston. The food for lunch has large portions and are reasonably priced. For lunch I had the pan seared trout which came with plenty of couscous and an 8oz filet of trout cooked perfectly. My friend had the tuna melt which she could only eat half of since it was so large and said she really enjoyed it. We also shared a side of Asian wings which had a nice spicy and sweet tang. For dinner the short rib is tender and juicy and definitely a top dish at merchant. Place gets packed after work for drinks and during lunch as it's in the financial district. Make a res on open table to make sure you get a seat! read more

Meh. The atmosphere here is just ok. It's VERY loud. No one greeted me, even though I entered twice (looking for the rest of my party.) I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen with shrimp. Adding shrimp cost $9 and I got only 2 or 3, pretty stingy! The taste of the broth was off. It could have been the addition of brussel sprouts, which was an unwelcome surprise. The menu noted 'Brussels' and not 'brussel sprouts'. I guess it was wishful thinking these were two different things!? Cabbage suits ramen, but not brussel sprouts. I also ordered a watermelon mocktail. It was good once watered down since it was a bit too sweet. Also, I thought was strange was the water is served in a bottle on the table, but no ice in it or the glasses. This is common in Europe, but this is America, we love our ice, especially in the summer! read more

I'm disappointed there aren't more stars to give - this place is Fabulous! The fried tofu is to die for, tuna melt at lunch is so tasty. Have been here numerous times and have never been disappointed. The staff are always welcoming and friendly. read more

I started by sampling their extensive list of IPAs specialty draft beers. Nick the bartender was very good at making sure I had a sample before I ordered a full bottle or draft. I told him I was waiting on someone and they did not push me for an order even though the bar was getting very full. I did finally order the lobster ravioli appetizer which was done perfectly with seasonal vegetables and a brown butter. They even provided me with a quick charger for my Apple 6s which seconded as a coaster. This was unusual for me but worked very well. U I would highly recommend this restaurant and I'm adding a photo read more

The Merchant - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Some of the best food I've had in a long time! I loved the service as the waitress we had made us feel welcomed! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE MERCHANT!!! read more

Just when you thought any dark wood, backlit kinda brasstropub (new portmanteau for the win?!) opening up near the Financial/DTX is there to capitalize on location with overpriced, mediocre food, The Merchant steps up and says, "Nuh uh." Get the burger. A real nice sear on a juicy, hand-packed patty topped with aged cheddar and perfectly rendered quality bacon, on a black pepper aioli slathered brioche bun. Side of fries or dressed baby greens, all for $16 (save a buck if you get one during lunch hours). That thick, crisp bacon crunches up the otherwise soft sandwich, and the pepper spices up the spread. It's quite the offering, so much so, it's the only entree I've ordered in the few times I've been. Love to the beer list, broken out by style and giving the sours/ciders fans a decent choice. The Anderson Valley Melon Gose is quite the spring refresher - give it a guzzle when you swing through. Service staff is attentive, especially during a quieter midday dalliance when tables in the massive dining room are readily available. And they locally source most proteins, save (naturally) the Painted Hills beef coming straight outta Oregon. Friggin' Oregon... we had Portland first! Jerks. Only dings come from a very torched bottom to the brioche bun last visit, and the odd soundtrack. Background Pandora playlist bounced from .fun to Matchbox 20, and (Nickel)back again. I'm all for guilty 90s butt rock, but not while I'm eating. Save it for when we're washing down the ol' Wrangler in a Hypercolor tank, sweet Zubaz and neon Wayfarers, bro. read more

The Merchant - Farmers and Suppliers - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We dropped by for lunch on a weekday. Very few people in the house. Our waiter was nice and took our order promptly. The food came very late though and it was not particularly tasty. It was in fact bland. Tres leches for dessert and it was underwhelming as well. Please note that we are vegetarians and so cannot speak for the meat dishes. read more

The Merchant - Marinated tofu - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Solid!!! I had the roasted beets with whipped feta. Awesome. Tuna tartar? Great. Bartender was so responsive and decor makes you feel like you've arrived somewhere. Two thumbs up!!!! read more

The Merchant has dollar oyster from 5p-7p on weekdays. My brother and myself sat at the bar. We got about 2 dozen oysters, 2 beers each and appetizer wings. The oysters were just average and still had some dirt on some of them. You get what you pay for. The beers ($6-8 each) were bit over price. Our crispy chicken wings came with 4 wings for $9. It was fairly good and crispy. Just was a little disappointing how many wings we got for $9. The Merchant just looks like any other bar in Boston. There is nothing that makes it stand out. My bill came to $65 for all these items. Come here for $1 oyster and get over charged for the others. Wouldn't recommend this place because how over price it is for what you get. read more

The Merchant - $1 oysters - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Went here for food and drinks last night. We had the mussels and poutine to share and I ordered a rigatoni dish that had pulled pork and mushroom in it. The drinks were good. I started with a Louboutin martini, it was good, but a bit bitter for me. The mussels were ok, I've had better at other places. The poutine didn't have gravy which I thought poutine usually does, but it was very good. My rigatoni was too salty...I ate around the pulled pork because there was too much of pork but not enough pasta too even out my tastebuds. Nice atmosphere, friendly service. I may return in the future, but not super eager to. read more

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The Merchant is a standard work lunch spot, but super happy that I stopped by for the Foreign Correspondents Club, a pop up speakeasy in the lower level of The Merchant. Creative cocktails and small plates inspired by beautiful cities around the globe. Maybe you'll find your next travel destination on you visit! read more

The Merchant - *Lamb's milk - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The Merchant is ready for prime time! I haven't given a five star review in a while, so I guess it's time. We ate here on a Saturday night and the restaurant was kind of dead. This place is slammed during the week, but quiet during the weekends due to it's Financial District location. I would recommend coming in on the weekend if possible. For food we had a daily special appetizer that was a vegetable pasta. It was something different that you don't often see and was very tasty. My wife had the halibut and I had the daily special which was a striped bass (we posted pictures of both). They were both cooked perfectly and were delicious. The most expensive entrée on the menu is $28, so this place is a great value for the quality of food you get. You could go to other more "established" restaurants and pay 20% more for less creative and well executed cuisine. All of the wines (rose, tempranillo and malbec) we tasted were good. They have several wines on tap which are a great value ($8). My brother also had a few cocktails which he enjoyed (also a good value at $9-11...). Our server Nicholas was top notch. He was knowledgeable and attentive. The place has a great ambience, especially when it's less crowded on the weekends and you can hear the cool music they are playing. I recommend that you check this place out! read more

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I've gone to Merchant a various times - for lunch in downtown/financial district, post-work happy hour and drinks in general. I think it's in a great location in the middle of downtown and great for lunch and happy hour. Parking is probably not the easiest in this area so I would park farther and walk or take the train. The restaurant is pretty interesting. It has a very cool and trendy vibes and I love going just to be inside. During the summer time they can open the massive window in the front for some fresh air. The room is pretty tight with a long bar and as much seating as they can fit. Merchant would be somewhere I would grab a small dinner or quick drink before continuing my night probably not the spot I'll stay at the entire evening. It's not a bad place for a small group. It may seem more trendy and dressy because if all the workers who come from the financial district and downtown area. It's generally a pretty casual vibe. The food is good. They try to create their own version of dishes so it's not just another American bar and restaurant. Their aioli burger is really good! They also have a lot of pricier entrees you can try. I usually stick to more simple dishes or apps when I'm there. They have a good variety on their menu and it looks like they have a late night menu too now. read more

Really enjoyed it here. Grabbed a beer at the bar before being seated at our table. Great ambiance, beer list, and super-friendly bartenders. When we were seated, we were treated to a delicious feast of food, fun, and friendly waitstaff. We had both the gnocchi and crabcake apps, the former absolutely brilliant, the latter pretty good, but overshadowed by the amazingness of the gnocchi. For dinner, I had the slow-roasted chicken that was moist and bursted with flavor. My wife got the burger which, honestly, was one of the best burgers I've tasted in quite a while. It came with fries that the waiter over-praised as "McDonalds fries perfected". They were good, but not brilliant. We had the chocolate lava cake for dessert and it was quite tasty. My only complaint for the night was that our waiter disappeared for a long while after we finished our meals even though he was aware we were on a time crunch to get to a show. We had to call to him a few times to get our check. Also, even though we were clearly finished, we kept getting food delivered to our table by mistake. After the second time, after I said "sorry, this isn't ours, we are finished and waiting for the check", the server said "are you sure this isn't yours?" Um, yeah, pretty sure. I get that they were busy and a little disorganized, but never question a customer, especially when we have a half-eaten dessert at our table and you're bringing over appetizers. Still, a very good meal, and overall good experience. Would definitely go again and I highly recommend it to anybody in the area looking for a place for dinner. read more

The place is beautiful.inside and bar staff was nice, the low star rating is because I ordered the mushroom ceviche which is an entree and the portion size was like an appetizer. Yet my sister got the croque madame which was a full size entree. I said to the bartender im.still.hungry so he brought me some bread. I wish I had taken a photo of my 6 bite entree.so you could have a laugh. Ill.try again but come on chef, you arent feeding children the mushroom plate and for $12.00, thats just wrong. read more

Got a gilt city deal to try brunch at The Merchant. My first impression was that I should have bought the dinner deal. The decor is classy with dark wood. It is really spacious for after work or night. However I was willing to give it a shot for brunch. And I'm really glad I did because the brunch was awesome. I ordered the croque Madame and the sandwich is huge. I had the options for home fries, greens or regular fries as my side. This sandwich was absolutely delicious. The ham extremely flavorful. The bread, gruyere cheese, the sauce just fantastic. My husband had the big breakfast. The sausage is amazing. It is like the chicken and waffles types sausage. We asked and the meat is actually pork. The big breakfast also came with French toast. For anyone who likes healthy French toast, this is as healthy as you can get. Very fresh with oats and grains. He was also able to substitute fruit for home fries at no extra charge. We each had a bloody Mary and the options for vodka are fantastic. I had the bully boy bacon and maple infused vodka. Just perfect. Our server definitely took his time making it, too. And when it comes to service, this place is top notch. Both the manager and a server catered to our table. They even asked if we had parked right outside because the police officer was about to tow the car outside. Can't get better than that! Would love to return. It will be a challenge for a while given the construction that is happening at the corner of Franklin and Washington, but I definitely recommend this place. Just walk through it. read more

The Merchant - Croque madam - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Pretty cool place. Went here with a big group on a Friday and had good food, good service. There are not a lot of restaurants in downtown crossing, so glad something finally opened up. I really liked the atmosphere here, very cool vibe and decor. We had great service, they were very attentive. I had the mushroom risotto, which I didn't love, but my friend LOVED it. The other girls ordered the trout, steak frietes and they were both happy with their meals. They give you bread which is to die for! Would go here again, even though I wasn't crazy about what I ordered the other food was still good. read more

Update: Instead of taking responsibility for the poor decisions of their staff and the way they treat customers. The Merchant replied to my previous comment by blaming state law as the reason for their sub par service and mistreatment of customers. This is disppointing. Especially since we went to two other establishments that night that were very friendly and happy to serve all patrons regardless of skin color or size of group (I guess these other establishments were breaking the law somehow... According to merchant at least.) read more

I'm fortunate to work in a neighborhood with plenty of lunch options! The other day, we had a work lunch at The Merchant - the type of venue that has suits bustling in and out during lunch hours. It's great for casual office meetings, with it's hardwood floors, polished tables, and tall, open patio windows. I ordered the classic Fish & Chips, with beer-battered cod, shoestring fries and tartar sauce. Usually I get part-way through fish & chips, and get tired of all the fried-ness. This dish was so delicious, though, I polished the plate! The fish was fried to absolute perfection - not too thick & greasy, yet not falling apart either. It was a light, flaky portion. My coworker ordered the Croque Madame, with smoked ham, gruyere, bechemel, and of course a giant fried egg! All in all, our office lunch here was great. The waiters were speedy and friendly, and the food was delicious! read more

The Merchant - fish n chips! http://www.chowdownbythebay.blogspot.com/2014/09/paint-nite-downtown-lunch-at-merchant.html - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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