Decided to try this place on my birthday for the first time, and now I'm sitting here waiting on them to remake my wife's chicken paprikash which was cold, and my Salmon, which was undercooked in the middle. I'm giving them one star because they argued with me that the Salmon was done medium, and that I must just want it well done. I asked...."ok...what temperature is Medium VS Well done?". Their response? "I don't know". When I pointed out the USDA guidelines say to cook Salmon to 145 deg to kill Listeria, his response was , and I quote. "I don't know anything about that...it's just the way we do things here". Well ok then. You can do them without us. Our remade food was actually very good....but if you don't know what you're talking about, how about you don't try and lecture me about how the fish should be cooked. read more

Came in for dinner on a Sunday night. It was busy but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Our server was friendly and attentive, unfortunately I forgot her name, but she did a great job. The food was good, especially the charc board! The pasta was a little lackluster but that's on me for getting the only pasta dish on the menu. Overall it was delicious though and we'd definitely go back next time we're in Kent. read more

A Kent must try! We had a long wait but it was worth every second. We requested outside also so that delayed the wait time. The hostess was very nice and accommodating. The patio was so perfect overlooking the river with such great views and furnished so nicely. We ordered the charcuterie board as an appetizer and it was good with plenty variety at a decent price. My husband ordered a special of truffle spaghetti and meatballs. It was so good with a great truffle balance with the marinara sauce. I got Big Kent Sandwich because obviously you have to try the local sandwich. Everyone we were with loved their food. The portions were great for the very reasonable prices. The drinks were so great! So many to choose from can't wait to go back and try more. read more

The River Merchant - Ube Halaya - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

We were blown away by the river merchant. Excellent service from start to finish. Great selection of drinks and great beers on tap. Full bar. Wait staff is attentive and very knowledgeable. All of our dishes were excellent from appetizers to main to dessert. Highly recommended. We will be back. read more

I have been here multiple times and have always enjoyed myself. Good menu, small enough they can execute it but with enough options to please most crowds. Service is always friendly and even when they are busy the staff is attentive. They have a nice outdoor seating area that is NOT, I repeat not in the parking lot. Sorry putting tables in or next to the parking lot is one of my pet peeves. Don't do it. Just don't. read more

See all

My dish was fine but my guest had something that disagreed with her. Overall it could have been a pleasant experience, and I might give them another try one day. read more

Our server was very nice. Food was just okay. App was overcooked and fish was just meh. Nothing wrong with it- just tasted more like frozen Aldi fish than a nice restaurant. Drinks were good. I was just expecting so much more after things I read and it was just an average experience. read more

They put their whole budussy into the food. It was so amazing I almost shit myself on the spot. The chicken was amazing, and bird flu free. I will 100% be going back soon. read more

Great pick. This place opened during COVID and survived through a tough time. After eating there I can see why. Steak frites was great, a little too many tomatoes for me but those frites were excellent! Roasted vegetable orzo is the most ordered meal surprisingly. It to was great. Sweet potato tots were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Overall really enjoyed my visit and hope to be back again. read more

See all

Yesterday, there were nine of us at the river merchant for lunch. We had excellent service, great food, and my friends loved the decor. I want to thank everyone there for making us feel welcome! Looking forward to going again soon. read more

My new go to place when in the area. They do an excellent job, COVID precautions, in my opinion. Food is excellent, have never had a bad experience here. Tip for the evening, make sure you make a reservation. read more

See all

My husband and I are always looking for new places to try,today we tried River Merchant in Kent. Very nice atmosphere and very nice staff. Food was delicious! My husband had a salmon burger with sweet potato tots and I had a flat bread with sauté mushrooms & onions topped with goat cheese-excellent. We will definitely be back read more

Have you ever seen peace sign dipping sauce?! This restaurant should definitely be on your radar if you are ever visiting the Kent state campus. Featured: 1. Homemade #foccacia with #yinyang olive oil and balsamic 2. Korean BBQ Brisket Tacos (AMAZING!) 3. Cherry cobbler (#omg) 4. #homemade dream bars 5. Fresh #crumbcake This spot was so yummy, we went back 2 nights in a row. Check out therivermerchant , and you're welcome. I will be back! read more

See all

I want to like this restaurant and have given it three tries now. But I just find the experience too bland to return. They use good quality ingredients BUT food is consistently under seasoned during preparation. It feels like someone is on a crusade against sodium, and we are all suffering because of it. My burger was high quality meat, but tasted as if there was zero seasoning when cooked. The maple Brussels sprouts needed salt and pepper, and gave off "we use frozen veggies" vibes. Bartenders were ok, but very focused on finishing their side work and cutting out for the night vs. asking if food and drink were satisfying. This restaurant is a decent dent in the wallet for a night out, each time I've left without feeling satisfied. read more

Impressive drink menu-- great selection and great variety for just about anyone's taste. Food was done well, very flavorful-- burgers and chicken sandwich were worth the try. Overall friendly staff with good timing despite it being very busy when we went. Comfortable atmosphere with a great view. read more

We met some friends in Kent last Saturday and ate lunch at the River Merchant for the first time. The hostess and wait staff were all polite, friendly, and accommodating, and the food was excellent. We will stop again the next time we are in Kent. read more

I'm gonna be kind of a whiner here with this. All though this place is usually a little in for drinks, service, food and general pleasantries, this time gel short. Ordered the Korean bbq apps which were so frogged good. Three tacos, tender meat, slaw and just perfect. I ordered the BIG kent sandwich with sweet potato tots. This sucker is supposed to have brisket, slaw and pickle jalapeños on marble rye. I'm sitting here watching plates go out with gnarly masterful food just piling on the plates, so excited thinking "if that's a normal plate, some titled BIG Kent is gonna be epic" This sandwich comes out on regular looking square bread, an inch of slaw, and no joke, MAYBE an ounce of fatty brisket. Shit was so disappointing. The flavor was OK but it was literally a slaw sandwich. Should have gotten literally anything else. River Merchant, for the loss. Tacos were on point tho. read more

See all

So I've always been a fan of The River Merchant! Excellent food Amazing staff Beautiful atmosphere The place has it all. I've reviewed it before and have been back many times since, but this week?!?! GAME CHANGER! This week they added amazing laminated size business cards in the restrooms that you can hand the staff if YOU or the washroom needs assistance! Cameron and the team at The River Merchant are always one step ahead and having this little addition for all guests to feel safe is awesome!! read more

See all

They set us back in the corner at around table but there was a cold draft and the ceiling fans were going. I'm sure this would be an amazing spot to sit in in the summer when they have both of the huge glass garage doors raised out onto the balcony but it was a little too cold and uncomfortable for us. However, the food was amazing! Everything was delicious and the staff were super friendly. read more

See all

Stopped here while on the road and it was well worth the wait! The best food service and atmosphere!! Top quality meat that was so tender...DIVINE! We can't wait to return!! read more

For a high end restaurant, I was very disappointed with the chicken paprikash. My dish was very very bland, lacked salt and the meat was overcooked. The noodles were not drained properly, as my plate had a pool of water. (The noodles looked home made and had a nice texture. It will taste good if it was accommodated with a good sauce or seasoned properly. )The watery noodles were topped with 2 fried breaded chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are fattier meat and yet they were overcooked and dry. The chicken is topped with some paprikash and sour cream sauce as well as fried onions. The chicken breading was nice and crispy but it had no flavor. The sauce was bland. Even the sparse fried onions did not provide any saltiness to the chicken or to the watery noodles at all. The broccoli with the dish tasted like it was boiled, again no seasoning. I requested for some extra paprikash sauce. This took a while to deliver. (And there is an upcharge for extra sauce.) I gave the feedback to the wait staff about how bland the dish was, but there was no response from him. read more

Wow! This place was great! We went on a Tuesday night and the only seating available was the bar. I had the Big Kent without a bun, it was delicious! My husband had the Beef Tips and while he said it was good, he was still hungry and finished up my fries. We normally don't order dessert but the Dream Bar sounded great and it was delicious! Tons of coconut. Husband ordered a Brown Buttered Old Fashioned and it was wonderful too. We can't wait to go back. read more

See all

This place has it all. Great vibe, great food, friendly and attentive staff. We don't live in the area but come this way to visit friends and family. Have been here 3 times. Love the rotating menu. read more

I've been here for so many different reasons: business, family dinner, wine selection for a gift and simply the views. Everything I've gotten has been on point and they're kid friendly. If you're simply looking for a great selection of wines or craft beers, this is also your place. I like ambiance when choosing my wine... going to a grocery store just doesn't appeal to me and this is worth the extra "hassle". If you go, know that you can park next door and definitely sit overlooking the water with an Aperol spritz. The joy is in the name after all! read more

This was our first time to The River Merchant, and we were blown away! We sat at the bar while we waited for a table (30 minute wait, they take reservations but only for parties of 5+). They have a great selection of drinks, from local craft beers to upscale wines. When we were seated, we were so happy to get a table outside by the river. Such a nice view! The food menu was somewhat short, but everything on it sounded good. We ended up getting the Nashville Chicken Gyro and Chicken Paprikash (which was a special). Both were amazing, and we can't wait to try more of the menu soon. This is definitely a new favorite for us! read more

The River Merchant - Nashville Hot Chicken Gyro - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

Delicious food, good amount of wine to choose from. Excellent surroundings, and if it's warm eat on the deck and enjoy the river view.

Delicious unique menu items. The perogi, sweet potato tots, salads, are all great. Bonus if you can sit on the back deck during nice weather. read more

I've been wanting to go here since they opened and am bummed I missed making it during warmer weather to enjoy the beautiful back patio. But after the wonderful experience we had on Valentine's Day weekend, I know we'll go back to try that patio this spring! We made a reservation a week out and when we showed up about 15 mins early, we were seated in our booth right away. Our waitress was wonderful and reviewed the specials and drink menu with us when we said we were first timers. My husband went with the maple bacon old fashioned and I almost got the special wine flight but just went with the Riesling, my go-to wine. I liked that they offer a 9 oz pour instead of just the usual 6 oz. we were treating ourselves so I went 9! We had the focaccia with balsamic oil appetizer and it was brought warm and soft to our table pretty fast even though the place was busy with couples celebrating. My husband ordered the surf and turf special--bacon wrapped filet, scallops, and tomato risotto. I got the shrimp scampi with garlic sauce, polenta, and shaved Brussels sprouts. When our meals showed up, they were plated just beautifully. We are eaters and love the experience of eating out in general, so while the food looked very classy, we were glad it wasn't tiny portions like some "nicer" restaurants like to serve. We both got full from our meals and I even left nearly a whole polenta cake. We unfortunately had no room for dessert, but tiramisu was the special. The restaurant itself is beautifully lit and decorated, and the kitchen is open so you can see the chefs cooking. The bar is a large U and wraps around. There are booths, tables, and high tops. The staff were all wearing masks AND gloves, and it's clear they take pride in offering a clean, safe dining experience. The bar had dividers, too. We just absolutely loved our meals and it was the perfect date night out. The prices were also appropriate given the upscale experience. The little market in front has both chilled and regular beer and wine to go. Like I said, an all around great experience and I'm looking forward to going back for the patio views some spring! read more

See all

Beautiful setting by the river. Patio was busy when arrived- 6:30 on Wednesday- but was emptying out the longer we stayed. The food was good, our steak and burger both a little overdone from how we ordered but flavorful. read more

The River Merchant - Cali Burger - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

See all

Cocktails - 10/10 after attending over 10 times I can confidently say this is one of my favorite stops in town even if you're just passing through. Food - if you're at all an olive lover, yes, yes, a must try as a starter! Everything on this menu has been absolutely wonderful so far. The burgers and sandwiches are amazing. The entrée protein dishes are cooked to perfection. The flatbreads are unique and delicious. Atmosphere - I've never had a bad experience and the staff are nice/knowledgeable. You can dress up or down for this establishment. It's great for a quick drink, a quick bite, or a special occasion you're celebrating. It has a very laid-back rustic vibe in the warmer months. The walls come up and turn into the outdoors. The patio backs right up on top of the Cuyahoga river, enjoying the glamour of a secret gem hidden under a canopy of trees. The ambience is very romantic at night with twinkle lights in the air. read more

Delicious food, great drink selection and service was fantastic! We had a really good - modern- delicious meal .

My favorite spot in Kent! Great bar & food never disappoints! Nice for celebrations or just amazing weeknight meal.

Great food, service and ambiance! Been here several times when we've visited our son at Kent St. Love this place!

Great find! My husband and I went for lunch today. It's a very cute atmosphere, with wonderful food and service. Very clean. I'm looking forward to going back and maybe eating out on the patio on a warm Summers night and enjoying a glass of wine. read more

It's a great location. The food is great and I would recommend sitting outside by the rail with a view of the river. The service was great and view even better. read more

The food and service make this restaurant one of the best in Kent! I highly recommend this location.

After making an outdoor reservation (which is a big plus these days, that not many restaurants offer), I went to The River Merchant with my husband and parents. To begin, the atmosphere and outdoor seating were great. There was plenty of outdoor seating, and everyone was spaced out well. We were sat promptly at our reservation time and brought water immediately. However, we then waited over 10 minutes for a waitress to come to the table. Throughout the meal, she was not terribly attentive which was kind of a bummer. However, it didn't ruin the experience. It just made for a very slow, casually-paced dining experience. We tried a wide variety of different menu items, including: Fire Roasted Feta Dip (based on all the Yelp reviews - was very good), House Caesar Salad, Oven Roasted Whole Wings, Chicken Breast Entree, Prosciutto Flatbread, & Smoked Salmon Flatbread. They were all good but not mind-blowing. I had the Prosciutto Flatbread and would definitely order it again. The only slight negatives were that the chicken breast was pretty plain and dry, and the salad was soaked in dressing. Some people like that, but I would definitely get dressing on the side next time. As an overall opinion, I would come back here for small plates/flatbreads and to try some cocktails (that menu looked great, but we didn't try any this time). read more

See all

They did a fantastic job with the renovation. It's so open and trendy. We got reservations to sit on the patio. You can't beat the view. The service was great too. The pesto flatbread was absolutely delicious. I would order it again in a heartbeat. The burger was solid, but wasn't as memorable as I was hoping it would be. I thought I would taste more of the bacon jam, but honestly didn't even remember it was on there until I was done. Just an everyday burger, which is fine. I also ordered it medium rare and it didn't even really have any pink in the middle, but was still juicy, so that's good. Loved the fries! Good beer menu. The mixed drinks were pretty pricey, but I guess that's what you're going to run into at a really nice place like this. read more

See all

Hadn't been to the RM in the winter.. Cozy atmosphere in the winter with the doors down and the patio closed and a little tight with the seating but still great service, had a great old fashion and my wife found a good bottle of wine and our meals from kitchen where delicious and filling! Only disappointing thing is that they were between desserts from the kitchen and nothing jumped out at me read more

The only good thing about this place is the back patio, if you do not sit there, there is no reason to go to this restaurant.