This place is pretty new to Kent and I was so excited to get to eat here after visiting the wine market they have. We called for a reservation the day before and got a beautiful seat on the patio overlooking the water (exactly what I was hoping for), the patio is so pretty and has a great view of the river. We started with a glass of Sauvignon blanc and riesling, the riesling is on the sweeter end but both were still good. We also got some beers they have a pretty nice local selection. The cocktail list also looked delicious but we didn't try any. For food we got the fire roasted feta dip with pita bread and the Korean bbq brisket tacos off the small plates menu. Both were incredible, I couldn't pick a favorite. These two small plates alone probably would have been enough food for the 2 of us. The tacos have so much flavor and come with pickled onions and avocado to add on to your liking. We were blown away by the feta dip, it reminded me of the top of a pizza taste and the feta wasn't too much. We also split the apple glazed pork chop with roasted onions, potatoes and Brussels with bacon jam. Again a huge portion but delicious - you can really taste the apple flavor (we didn't get as much of the bacon) and the cut was cooked perfectly for us. We will definitely be back! Service was also great! Our waiter was so helpful and the small plates came out super quick. read more

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Okay that creamy leek sauce with the Kobe Meatloaf & asparagus is DANGEROUS! I could drink it. Don't ever take it off the menu!

Came here for lunch with family and was SO pleasantly surprised! The food was delicious, incredibly flavorful and the menu was full of options that looked amazing! Definitely recommend stopping here if you're in the Kent area! read more

My partner and I tried The River Merchant for the first time this afternoon, and we're already big fans. Their patio is awesome. Some tables get some sun, others get shade, and most offer a great view of the Cuyahoga River. Their dining room and bar area are also roomy and aesthetically pleasing. We shared a "Merchant Bite" (appetizer), a small plate, and a flatbread. For an app we ordered the Marinated Olives, which were delicious. There was a good mix of green and black olives, and the fresh thyme and rosemary added a nice touch of herbal earthiness. The small plate was the "Charred Octopus". The octopus was tender and delicious, just shy of being cooked through but certainly not a dealbreaker. It was served on a bed of bok choy slaw, which was a little on the sweeter side but had a little heat to balance it out. The "Smoked Trout" flatbread was also very tasty. It had just enough dill cream cheese to add flavor and creaminess and was loaded with fresh arugula. Each slice had several bite-sized slices of smoked trout, which was deliciously pungent, smoky, and salty. All in all, it was a great meal with great ambiance. I'm already looking forward to my next dining experience. read more

The River Merchant - Charred Octopus - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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Got the Cali burger! It was really good and tasteful, while the fries were crispy. The waiter was quick and was always around if you needed anything. As for the seating, we sat in a booth which was very clean. The place has moody lighting which is kinda nice and calm. Overall I would come back to eat. read more

Indoor or outdoor seating. Modern theme. Drink options including wine, martinis and other coctails. Had a lemon coctail that was very tasty and refreshing. The menu has a variety of flatbread, appetizers, salads, soup, burger, and entrees. I had the prosciutto and goat cheese flatbread that was flavorful and filling. Their dream bar desert with coconut was to die for. And to top it all off the service was good. Also prices where reasonable. Would absolutely reccomend! read more

The River Merchant - Prosciutto and goat cheese flat bread - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

The wife and I can hardly believe that Kent has such a peaceful and scenic spot along the Cuyahoga River (expect an occasional train on opposite bank though) Fries and drink selection (wine for her --- beer is more my taste) are absolutely amazing read more

Wonderfull selection of Wines from all over. Did notice their sparkling wines could use a few new faces, Such as a little know great Sonoma Brut from Gloria Ferrar. In my years spent in California, friends had worked at high end restaurants near a famous bay, lets say where birds are. .. At any rate one great way to test a Sparkling wine is to leave it uncapped overnight and if you still have rising bubbles in the a.m. you have a winner.Well Gloria Ferrar Sonoma Brut does not dissapoint. Perhaps the owners could take a suggestion and give it a try, they could easily have a great sparkling added to their menu. read more

Ambiance- nice, comfortable, cozy. The deck is nice in the summer overlooking the River. Food- a little bit hit and miss. Menu is somewhat limited. My daughter really liked the sweet potato crusted pizza w chicken. GF options are actually better than most places. Creative but pricey cocktails -&13 for a good but tiny margarita; blackberry alcohol free mule was good at half that price. Flat iron steak was pretty tough though cooked to medium rare as ordered; a sweet sauce/glaze was too sweet. Accompanying vegetables were cooked well though under seasoned. Mashed potatoes- eh. Service - friendly but inattentive. Plates piled up, water glasses not filled. read more

Another "must" in Kent Ohio. Remarkable selection of unique wine from around the world. Mark up is very competitive and coupled with a small corky fee, makes for a wonderful experience. The food is also five star. I highly recommend the Mushroom flatbread, part of their new Fall menu. Sorry no pictures forgot cell. All this combined with great service makes for a wonderful evening. read more

Todd and I enjoyed the gorgeous patio views and lovely company! So grateful to have you back in the 330/256. There is no better person to "get lost with." We worked up an appetite for cocktails after perusing Kent's flea market. Lots of good things to tempt the palette and pocketbook. read more

The River Merchant - The CamBurglar with seasoned pommel fries. So good! Great company and music enjoyed on the patio! Summers are the best along the river. - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

Amazing Sunday Brunch! We stopped in for brunch today and we're not disappointed. Excellent coffee from bent tree and scrumptious Bloody Mary's. Definitely get the sweet potato tots - to die for- served with a sriracha aioli WOW! They were everyone's favorite part of the meal. My husband got the chorizo omelet and loved it, Gouda was a great touch and the avocado crema was fantastic. The biscuits tasted homemade with just the right texture- a little bit of crisp and then melt in your mouth goodness. I liked that they had options to build your own breakfast - what an awesome idea! The sausage was really good too. They reminded me a little of the sausages we ate when visiting Scotland. Great atmosphere and excellent wait staff. We will be back to try the French toast, mimosas, and to check out the patio! read more

I've been to this establishment twice so far; once for dinner and once for brunch. Both times, the place was hopping. Even so, the service was really good. Servers were attentive and friendly, but not over-bearing. The food was also very good, and a cut or six above "bar food." Today's brunch included a terrific Bloody Mary alongside eggs benedict with smoked salmon and asparagus. Sweet potato tots that packed the plate. We added on a side of brioche French toast with blueberry coulis. Yummy! The venue sits in front of the river in the heart of Kent, a cool little college town, and has open air dining in season. Even if you can't get seated outside, the floor to ceiling doors open so the walls fall away to make it feel like you're outside. If you're headed there on a weekend, I strongly recommend a reservation. You can also pick up a local craft beer or a nice bottle of wine from the shop on your way out. read more

Much respect for this place. They were able to handle a graduation party group of 12 without a hitch. We shared a bunch of different appetizers and entrees. Everyone agreed that the food was great. The only knock is that a lack of parking during the peak hours forced a a few of us to park quite far away across 43 on a side street. read more

Went here for a dinner with my parents and boyfriend, first time back in the area in years & I've heard incredible things about this spot. Fantastic views, great vibe, delicious food but TERRIBLE server (Sean?). He was obviously having a bad day and my parents chose to look past it but he was incredibly rude and looked at my dad like he was from a different planet when he asked for a glass of water without ice. He clearly didn't want to be at work. Looked around and the rest of the servers seemed great so I think if we had a different server, I would give it 5 stars no doubt. read more

First time there was our anniversary, based on a recommendation from friends. Great wine, food and atmosphere! The wine selection was great! Not the old standbys most restaurants carry. We sat on the deck overlooking the river and had a wonderful server. Highly recommend! read more

Underwhelmed and I think room for improvement overall. The location was pretty nice, with easy parking. The building/inside was nicely decorated. Our server was kind, though distracted. I went here for a brunch. We started with some sort of brunch appetizer flight. I could tell they made it ahead of time because everything was cold, even the things that shouldn't be cold. Plus the Nutella for dipping was hard... so not dip-able. Very unfortunate. I understand preparing ahead of time to be more efficient, but the delivery to the customer was not a great experience. I had the biscuits and gravy. It really was very bland. The gravy just tasted like the simplest rue, with very little sausage. It was also served to me cold. I think I only took three bites before packing it off and just doctoring it up at home. Everyone else seemed to like their dish though, despite them all being slightly cold. I don't know if that is a kitchen timing issue or what. My sibling seems to go there very often and enjoys the omelettes, so I wouldn't say I'll never be back. I just don't know when. ALSO!! I think they had just started serving brunch, so maybe they have worked out a lot of these issues by now. read more

Beautiful patio in the summer months. Their menu is always evolving, which is great for a regular always getting to try new dishes. The food is amazing, and their drink list is well curated to pair with their menu. If their main parking lot is full, they have an overflow parking lot a little bit further north on N. Mantua st. on the right side of the road. read more

Food is delicious. My date and I split both meals-specials of the day. We also enjoyed dessert. Atmosphere is beautiful with options to eat outside on the patio beside the river. Staff was attentive and helpful. read more

Very tasty food. We sat outside next to river. It was lunch time and it was v nice. Waiter was very friendly girl.

Great place to eat and drink and be with the ones you love. Good selection of drinks and great vibe along the river.

The food was delicious! The service was great and friendly. The decor was awesome! The only reason I'm giving a 4 star instead of a five star is it was really cold inside. They have a lot of garage doors that are drafty. They should put a plastic isinglass outside with a space heater. That would keep the garage areas warm and reduce the cold gusts from door opening and closing. Bring your appetizer and Jacket! read more

Waited a COVID YEAR to visit River Merchant and we will be back often. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the place was hopping, including the patio. But care is taken to seat you apart from others. Even so, it was welcoming. The staff was on time, food was great and the atmosphere open. Would love to overlook the river next time but frankly, the seats just inside on a high top were comfy - light and a breeze! Thanks C Thomas for building a top notch place. read more

My favorite place to eat! They have great food and if you can sit on the patio, you must!

Food is always amazing and the wine is such a staple here. I always bring a bottle home!

Very nice patio, good interior and nice staff. Over priced, frozen food. My advice get a drink, enjoy the patio and eat elsewhere. read more

First time at this restaurant. Very good waitress. Food was fair ,however over priced. Quality was fair nice view from patio, however chairs were uncomfortable. I wouldn't go out of my way to return. read more

Love this place. Cameron manages the place so well and effortlessly, always calm and in control, because it is usually pretty busy. The view can't be beat, literally sitting on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. Food and service is consistently great. Nightly specials add to the menu choices of many sandwiches (the Kent my fav) flat breads, salads and full entrees. Many different craft cocktails, brews and wine choices. read more

Friendly, efficient staff. Good food, extensive beverage list. Will definitely return!

The atmosphere inside is great. I haven't used their patio yet, but I hear it's nice. If you want to eat here without the crowd, you really need to go during off hours. The quality of the food has really led to it being busy during all the normal meal service hours. The menu has the perfect amount of variety. Everything they serve sounds amazing and everything that I've tried so far is. They don't have a giant menu filled with mediocre items - it's got good selection of high quality food. I would say this is THE place to go for sit down service in Kent. read more

Who can complain about anything while sitting on their fabulous deck by the Cuyahoga River?...had a strange warm glow even despite a little rain one visit, and a dying propane heater on a second visit...The fantastic food, drink, and setting more than compensates! (You take a little risk to enjoy sitting outside.) For me, the highlight here is the food. As appetizers, I've loved the Fire Roasted Feta Dip, Beer Brisket Tacos, and Pomes Frites (fries). In my opinion, these cannot be improved upon. The Cali Burger and Caesar Salad with Steak were also great. The drinks are good too, of course. They have a good beer and liquor selection and the cocktails are enticing. Keep it up! We will be back. read more

Omg, what can I say about this new restaurant? Nothing bad, that's for sure! Beautiful to start with, excellent social distancing, informative and attentive servers and great food! Love all the garage doors, the view on the river with the fall colors is stunning! Prices very reasonable for the area. Very roomy inside, great ambiance and large bar. Wonderful all the way around!! A++. read more

The River Merchant - Caesar salad with grilled chicken - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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WOW! I came into town from Oregon to see my family for the holidays and I ended up eating here twice because it was that great of an experience. I grew up in Kent and remember the previous iterations of this business. If you came here when it was Riverside, you must go now. The changes are delightful and so much for the better! The menu is delightful and has something for everyone! I had the chicken pasta and the shrimp dinner. The flatbread my dad ordered was amazing and they were so accommodating to his special order requests. The portions or perfectly sized and very filling. The wine shop allows you to pick a bottle to have with your meal if you don't want what they offer. Both of our servers were excellent and personable. The manager stopped over to talk to us and make sure we were all taken care of throughout our meal. It really was a wonderful experience and I'll definitely come back again and again when I'm home! read more

4 stars as I did not eat here, yet! Met a friend for a drink over the holiday. The bar service was very good. The restaurant has a great looking patio with open air atmosphere to get together with family/friends to enjoy warmer weather. Looking forward to trying the food here this summer! read more

The food was amazing but the service could be better. We got the prosciutto flatbread and the mushroom burger. We also enjoyed the ambiance a lot! read more

This place is just great! I have had 3 dining experiences there, all of which were excellent. I love the added outdoor dining. The menu is diverse and we appreciated the gluten-free options on some of the dishes. I am especially fond of the Nashville Hot Chicken Gyro, the feta dip and the Korean BBQ Tacos. I look forward to our next visit when we are back in the area. read more

My boyfriend and I ate dinner here today for the first time. 10/10 recommend the food was fantastic and the ambiance is great. We started off with some drinks and the feta dip appetizer which was so good we ate every single bite. I got the Fire Grilled Salmon and my boyfriend got the Merchant Burger. The best restaurant we have tried yet in Kent. We will definitely be back and can't wait for the patio to be open. read more

The River Merchant - Winter Berry Mule - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

The food is delicious. The service is great. I love how it is was made in a church. :) read more

Holy smokes you guys - am I going to be the first to review this place? Score one for the badge collection, am I right? On the real though, I stayed the weekend in Kent with a cherished friend who lives a hop, skip and a jump away from this establishment which I believe opened super recently. Let me tell you how classy it looked inside + outside on the patio! There's a scenic river flowing around you as you're perched among trees with a beautiful breeze rolling through. The interior decorations impressed me greatly and the staff was even prepared with disposable and washable menus & silverware depending upon the guests' preference. I couldn't pass up a real linen silverware set, so we stepped up our lunch experience a notch more. There is a retail option for beverages as well - though I didn't get to take a gander at the prices - it appeared they had several options. The food itself was good - I wouldn't say I was over the moon with my sandwich however I did LOVE the feta cheese dip. If you guys like a nice warm gooey flavorful dip with pita (okay why did I even say IF?) then you've gotta order this as your appetizer. Perhaps your entire meal? It was absolutely the star of the show. I also ordered the chicken sandwich blackened and it wasn't the blackened part I didn't like, though it was a little heavy on the seasoning, the actual chicken itself was not super tender. It kind of bounced back at me, if you know what I mean. As we all know, chicken is a finicky beast and it could really just depend where the batch came from - I even get breasts from West Side Market and from one week to the next it can be entirely different. My point? I am picky about grilled chicken. I wasn't crazy about the one I had so I took it off the sandwich and ate the toppings and bun alone and actually, still really enjoyed the meal. One downside is that there weren't any veggie patties or black bean burger substitutes. Outside of fish, not too many other options. This is merely a note for the restaurant to consider, but by all means, there are salads for vegetarians or vegans to order! The serving staff and managers on shift were very nice and attentive. This was the first weekend after everything was shut down by Governor DeWine and I felt they executed the layout and cleanliness to a tea. My cocktail was their Mocktail add tequila - I couldn't resist - it sounded so good! Grapefruit juice, lemon juice + soda water + tequila. Give me a yummy Paloma any day! I will certainly be back to try something different. I know during this insane time menus are limited for a reason, but I'd like to see a few more selections in the future. As a person who also doesn't eat fish (yes I get it, I suck) I felt like there wasn't a big selection for me. Still, I REALLY enjoyed the experience and you can not beat this patio in surrounding areas. That is for certain!!! read more

I know that everytime I come this place is veryvveery clean and the place is just very very neat!!-@@!2'ma read more

The River Merchant - PROFIL PICTURE - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio