merchants restaurant

consistentlygoodfood and service. my husband and i have dined upstairs and downstairs at merchants for regular dates and special dates such as our anniversary. we've always received genuine care from everyone from the hostess to the servers and chefs. the food is wonderful and fresh.

it wasgoodbut not great.  called for a reservation and they told us they were not taking reservations that night but we could come and get on the list and it wouldn't be too long of a wait.  it ended up being an hour.  we made a lap on broadway and then sat and waited a while longer.  when seated it was fine.  they brought some popcorn to nibble on.  that may have been the best thing all night.  we had drinks and they did have agoodcocktail and beer program.  we had the blackened tilapia and chicken fried chicken with an order of the duck fat tater tots to share.  the tots were great.  highly recommended.  the tilapia was well prepared and had a nice sauce.  the chicken wasgoodbut they skimped on the gravy.  if there had been more gravy it would have improved the dish.  service was good.  it's a solid choice.

2nd time here - first time was upstairs and a bit more formal - didn't rate it highly.  this year we ate casual outside and it was much more enjoyable.  just dropped by for a lunch snack - was busy but well organised and wait staff were helpful finding us agoodseat.
had some wings then built our own burgers - so many options - enjoyable.
beers weregoodand the champagne cocktail was a hit.
pricing was fine and service fairly quick especially considering that it was reasonably busy.
tip - sit outside and you get all the vibes and music overflow from broadway!

we've eaten many meals at merchants and the food is always great.  i can't think of anything that i haven't liked.  the building itself is historic and dates back to 1892 according to their website.  it was an old pharmacy/retail space originally and then a hotel and finally, a restaurant.  you can read about this stuff on their web page. i like the atmosphere and the crowd is rather professional.  this place is refreshing considering its location...a bar-lined street full of bar food, music, and beer. 

i've had most of my meals downstairs but there is also an upper level that is a bit more formal.  there is a different menu for upstairs.  many times we have reservations for lunch but i they aren't required.

 i love their duck fat tater tots! they are sogoodand come with three sauces.  the tomato bisque and guacamole are also great choices.  as for entrees, so far, all the selections i've tried have been great.  some of my favorites are  the salmon blt, the bbq pulled pork sandwich, the soup n sammie, and the cheeseburger.  the also have a full bar and fun drink menu. the upstairs menu is fantastic.

enjoyed cocktail selections and sampling of southern inspired appetizers.goodsized portions and everything we tried was full of flavor. a must stop the next time we are in town.

just okay. we had the duck tator tots appetizer and the sauces weregoodbut the tots were no different than sonic. the entree's were good, not great. our waitress was very nice but was wearing a white apron which was filthy. that does not set the right example for cleanliness for the rest of the restaurant and kitchen. as busy as this place is with early reservations required to make it in the door, we left a bit disappointed.

oh my god, heaven in my mouth!!! the bestgoodand drinks. the tennessee mojito delicious! the jambalaya to die for! services was amazing!!

great restaurant on broadway to escape the loud tourist scene. salmon with sweet potatoes was great. enjoyed brisket with cornbread.goodservice, waitress was really sweet. loved my gluten free cider!

great service, loved the chicken fried chicken. main floor is a little loud but still a fun place for dinner.goodpricing for the main floor menu.

ate upstairs last night. lots to like but it was ultimately ruined by salt. ( and i love salt... literally this is the first tome its ever happened to me.) we really liked dave the waiter and he gave great wine recommendations and knew flavor profiles very well. we started with pork belly wraps and pimento cheese on flap jacks. pork belly wasgoodbut finished with heavy salt. i had a salad, duck fat fries, eggplant, and collards, and the wife had short ribs. the short ribs were great, salad was nothing special, fries were very salty, eggplant was bland, and collards were unedible because of salt. it all was nicely presented and menu looked good, and its a shame about the salt.

wow, great food and service .... wow, great food and service
brady,goodserver, and makes agoodold fashion

my friend and i had the fish tacos and they weregoodbut nothing to write home about. the service wasn't awful and they were pretty accommodating for the size of our group. a friend had the burger and she really liked it and another member of our group had the chicken sandwich. she wasn't impressed much with it. the cheese dip was really good.

i'm glad i didn't look at the reviews or rating on this place before going there or else i probably wouldn't have gone. the food wasgoodand so was the service. our group had bloody marys and the backwoods bellini (miller high life, peach schnaps, and orange juice). we started with the duck fat tater tots, fried green tomatoes, and deviled eggs. all were good, however i did expect more out of the tots,like a poutine. i had the soup and sammy but echange chili for the tomato soup. it also came with kettle chips. soooo good! two of my dining partners got the lobster mac and cheese which had a great consistency and the right amount of cheesyness. i woulf totally recommend this place!

laid back tasty lunch at the bar - a welcome escape from the packed streets of cma fest.goodservice too!

delicious. this place is sogoodand has a very funky style! it's a nice change from all the honky tonk bars in downtown (ironically enough its right across from honky tonk)! the service is great, both times iv been iv sat at the bar and immediately gotten service! had a turkey club and sweet potato fries! sogoodand affordable considering its not a trashy bar!