Quinoa sweet potato burger with green beans. The burger was great, difficult to eat the green beans on the burger. But still enjoyable! My friend ordered the gnocchi and it seemed like a small portion. I had originally wanted the mushroom loaf, but the kitchen didn't have enough mushrooms. Great atmosphere, reasonable prices. Would recommend!
(4)
Austin W.
I'm from out of town, but every time I do come in, I make it a point to come have lunch or dinner here. The menu is always interesting and new. As picky of an eater as I used to be (seriously, 5 things I used to eat), it surprises me that I look for the rabbit on the menu. Never thought I would enjoy a dish with that in it, but it blew me away. I haven't had anything there I did not enjoy and finish every last crumb. My girlfriend had the Mac & Cheese and said it was the best Mac & Cheese she had ever had (which kinda peeved me, since I made her mine, which is amazing). But you have to give credit where it is due. Since I'm not much of a beer drinker, straight to the cocktails is where I go. Great list of whiskey and vodka drinks that hit the spot with a good steak. They have a massive beer list, but again, that's not where my tastes lie. Though it is fun to look at the board with all the beers listed on it. Definitively sacrifice your fast food or bar food lunch to come try out something new over there. You will not regret it.
(5)
Stacia M.
I'm from out of town, so If you can get past some of the names of the items on the menu ([something] Rabbit Mole, Rabbit Cacciatore, etc.), this place has amazing food. Our party truly enjoyed their meals. And yes, It was really rabbit. Keeping inline with my cleanse, we shared the sweet potato fries (which were in huge quarters with an aioli sauce - amazing!) and for my entree I had sweet potato quinoa patties (a little dry since I didn't want the sandwich), Brussels sprouts with dried apricot (my favorite), and roasted cauliflower.
(4)
Cindy F.
Grabbed a late night bite before the kitchen closed at 10. Had the rabbit sausage - was very good. Chorizo deviled eggs were just ok. The pear pressure drink blew my socks off though. Very strong drink with tons of rosemary. Will definitely be back for that. The truffle leek soup is very good too. And their half beers on Happy Hour is a steal. The decor and history of the bldg is wonderful.
(5)
Alexis R.
Sunday 1/2 pints are a much do. The draft list is great, and they also have several really nice cocktails. The food is gourmet comfort. In the bar, I love the honey manchego bites. It's a small portion, but great to nibble with a beer. For dinner, they have a range of entrees from $9 sandwich to more expensive steak and fish offerings. The vegetarian offerings are limited but i've had the veggie burger and it was OK..with the common problem of too much bun to patty proportioning. Dining makes have had the chicken poblano sandwich and entree fish dishes, and they had enjoyed their meals. The ambience is great - I love the vaulted ceilings and open kitchen. The food is always solid, not disappointing. Never really knock your socks off, but pretty good overall...I really just come here for the wide range of beers...then say if dinner is calling my name.
(4)
Paul G.
High end food and drinks at a reasonable price. Great place to taste a variety of great beers. Caution order of the chalk board not the menu, it may not be current....
(5)
Bryan G.
Meeting a friend of my husbands from his college days for what we hoped would be an amazing meal. Everything looks great on the menu and sounds fantastic from our servers description. We ordered the charcuterie plate as a starter, it was average, not much of a selection. The Brussels sprout salad followed which had no flavor. I ordered shrimp and grits as my entree. The shrimp was over-cooked, the "grits" (which come in a polenta form) were flavorless and too hot for consumption. The salmon was also ordered, both plates were taken from the table with food left on them. We passed on dessert. I would give this joint fewer than three stars if it weren't for our excellent server and the wine list. Maybe a great place for cocktails?
(3)
Nick V.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place when it used to be Tellers, unfortunately, the quality greatly deteriorated when the became Merchants. When we sat down I ordered a cocktail and made it clear to the waiter I don't like sweet drinks. He assured me that the drink I ordered wasn't sweet. Much to my dismay the drink was extremely sweet. They did change the drink out without a fuss for a bourbon on the rocks. The food was meh. Started with the pork belly which was a disjointed dish that looked like they were trying too hard. The pork belly itself was alright, but not anywhere near as crispy as it should be. The plate had a smear of Skippy peanutbutter across the bottom that was completely out of place and ultimately hurt the dish. Last, they sprinkled frozen or canned corn all over the top of the plate. This was also out of place and clearly frozen or canned and just terrible. The dish was a conceptual mess. Had the pork chop for an entree. The pork chop itself was cooked perfectly. Everything outside of the chop went downhillfast. It came with some kind of peach side that was clearly made with canned or frozen peaches and was terrible. It had corn on the side that was the same frozen or canned corn on the appetizer. I brought gave us a side of sweet potatoes to replace the corn and those were good. The waiter was inattentive and kind of aloof. This is not somewhere I would recommend. It is way overpriced for the quality.
(2)
Charlotte M.
I love local farm to table. They even took the location of an old bank and repurposed the building into a restaurant. The restrooms are located in the old bank safe. Love it! The menu shows where all the local food comes from. Even a beer menu of brew companies. Springfield Mothers brewery is now in Lawrence. We all ordered something different. All good. Bread seems to be homemade. All good food. Seemed they needed more service, but it was KU spring break. So some of those kids might not have been around. Highly suggest it. I will return.
(4)
Cara C.
After the excellent food and service we had during our second visit to Merchants, I decided I needed to give it a boost to the full 5 stars. When we arrived, the hostess told us there would be about a 20min wait, but she could text us when the table was ready if we wished to wander about. We were perfectly happy sitting on a bench out front enjoying Mass Street's passersby, but I still appreciated the fact that we could wander around instead of toting around a buzzer or crowding together in a foyer or bar to wait. The wait ended up only being about 5 minutes, so double-bonus! I would like to also note that this visit was on the Sunday over Memorial Day weekend, so the fellow patrons were mainly locals and weekend visitors (eclectic and generally unpretentious), instead of the "Greek Life Parents' Weekend" crowd filling the space with their matching mother-daughter hair highlights and father-son popped collar ensembles like my previous visit. I know restaurants can't really decide who wants to eat with them on a particular night, but the energy of the other patrons does affect one's overall experience, as well as the energy of the staff. Our server was very attentive, bringing us water right away and explaining the drink and menu specials for the night. He offered his personal recommendations in case we needed them and he was clearly well versed in the offerings. It's good when the staff is knowledgable and stands behind their products. The service remained attentive yet unobtrusive throughout the evening, and unlike our first visit, we were able to take our time to converse and linger unrushed through our entire meal. We started with soups. I tried the soup of the day, a beef barley stew, and Gary T. got the house soup, black truffle potato leek. Neither disappointed, although I'd be more inclined to go with the potato next time. My mom decided that a side of bread would be good with our starters, so we were quickly brought some pieces of focaccia drizzled with olive oil and dried herbs, and served with white bean hummus ad hops salt. the bread was a little dried out, as if it had been cut into its pieces several hours earlier, but it still made a good medium for the hummus and salt. I'm not a big bread person anyway. For our main course, opted for the first special, a smoked brisket sandwich served with mac'n'cheese. Gary opted for the surf & turf special, an 8oz grass fed filet from the local meat market, served with four tempura battered jumbo gulf shrimp over a ginger carrot slaw. He also got a side of the mac'n'cheese. I decided to get the white bean and kale griddle cakes with roasted carrots, because I figured I'd be sampling some of Gary's meal and I knew there was a delicious sounding dessert list later. None of our meals disappointed. Gary's steak was so tender he could cut it with his butter knife! It was truly amazing. The shrimp were tasty and crisp. He didn't love the slaw, as it had a slightly bitter taste from some of the greens in it, but I liked it fine. My griddle cakes were delicious too. They had a green tomato chow-chow on top that brought the right amount of sweet an tanginess to the mild flavors of white beans and kale, crisp on the outside, bust moist on the inside. The carrots were perfectly roasted, sweet and tender, not soggy or crunchy. Mom's brisket sandwich was filled with tender flavorful strips of meat and a house-made KC-style bbq sauce slathered on the top bun. It was huge, but she managed to finish the whole thing. She did however save her mac to take home, knowing dessert was next. And so the grand finale: dessert! We selected the goat cheese cheesecake and the peanut butter chocolate cake. The cheesecake was creamy and tart as one would expect from the goat cheese. The crumb crust was crisp and the raspberry puree garnish balanced the flavor perfectly. The peanut butter chocolate cake was delectable as well. I only got one bite before Gary devoured it, so I was unable to make the same emotional connection with it that I made with my cheesecake, but it was deliciously rich and creamy. Lovely service + lovely food + best street in the best town in the world = a dining tri-fecta!
(5)
Marisa B.
As a patron who requires special dietary modifications to my meals, Merchants not only meets - but exceeds my needs. The menu itself has to be one of THE BEST in regards to how each dish is described (for those requiring modifications) than any place I have encountered in Lawrence or Kansas City. I have only seen menus with this accurate and detailed of descriptions in bigger cities that I find to be way more aware of and accommodating to people like myself. So kudos to Merchants for having the sense to create a menu that is marked not only in a way that is helpful for those of us with dietary restrictions. But for also going above and beyond. The staff also understands the menu, and the modifications vs items which are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc. That is also a rarity I find in this area. So that was appreciated as well. The service is kind, helpful, patient, and willing to go above and beyond in my experience. The menu has a good selection of options, including something for everyone. The desserts are absolutely worth saving room for as well. I like the happy hour menu offerings, and look forward to returning for perhaps a drink and desserts only outing soon. Some of my favorite menu items I have experienced were the Yam fries, the brussels sprout salad, the pork belly, and any of the vegan ice cream offerings.
(4)
Bekkah L.
Merchants has really grown on me. I was not into them at first, but I think they've really cleaned up their act. I've been there a few times in the last few months. They change the menu fairly often (seasonally?) but keep some things all the time. Their pasta dishes tend to be really good and their desserts are awesome. Of course there is the beer selection! Great selection and prices (a few are $2 every day during happy hour). The cocktails (which also change seasonally) are hit or miss-- either really good or really disappointing. But at $7, they're at least reasonably priced. Merchants is also very good about taking dietary restrictions into account when you order. Their staff are very familiar with the ingredients and they can make recommendations and substitutions.
(4)
Katrina M.
Had an amazing dinner with a friend. We shared an entree and ordered from the "share" section. Everything was delicious. The beet salad was dressed just right, the gnocchi was fluffy complemented by a rich mushroom sauce. Seriously everything was so good and I'd order it all again. I don't venture out to "new to me" spots very often but I'll be making this place a regular for dinner. Service was also great!
(4)
Sarah F.
This place was fantastic, definitely one of the best in Lawrence. Amazingly accommodating staff, great quality to the food and an overall chill vibe contributed to my loving this place. We were in a mixed group with people with various tastes and food allergies and everyone left happy. I ordered the scallops-they were cooked perfectly. Note: they have just updated their menu so a lot of what I saw here wasn't actually available. What they did have was great and they had some great fresh specials. I would definitely recommend if you are in the area.
(5)
Dave P.
What a great find. Lamb stew was amazing, great mix of flavours and matches very well with the Washington cab. Their wine multiple is around two, possibly less. The did not have the first two bottles of wine we ordered but the waitress handled us well and we still ended up with a great bottle. Mother in law commented that her burger was the best she ever had.
(5)
Trish R.
I had high expectations before visiting Merchants and all expectations were fulfilled (and then some). I had the fish special and a specialty cocktail that the waitress recommended. The atmosphere and service were both outstanding. I would highly recommend to anyone in Lawrence wanting a nice meal out!
(5)
Gaz H.
4.5 I was scared off by the other reviews. Too bad I wanted so long; the kitchen has mad skills, the cocktails were very good, an overall a very enjoyable Saturday night out. Some great food items; the kitchen seems particularly skilled in the use of smokiness (beet salad) and char (side of Brussel sprouts). My wife's red snapper had a lovely crispy outside and tender inside. My flank steak was pleasantly rare. Hard to do it better than that. And the apple cake with the buttermilk ice cream and the cornflake cookie? Epic. Best in show. Applause. Overall win. Will you have to wait to get a drink at the bar? Are the servers a bit too busy to be attentive? Yes and yes. But it's popular and busy. With good reason.
(5)
Maud K.
Updating to add pictures of the drink menu. Happy hour is 4-6 and 9-close. $5 cocktails and select glasses of wine, $3 wells, $2 select beers. Sundays beer is half off all day. Also: the yam fries are shockingly delicious.
(5)
Phil M.
This place was awesome! We really enjoyed our meal and the drinks. Both the drink and food menus were very unique, imaginative, and tasty. Our waitress, Nyasha, was fantastic as well. She was very personable, happy, and helpful. We will definitely come back here when in Lawrence!
(5)
Cassandra A.
While I'm way confused about what happened to Tellers - the place my husband took me the night he proposed - I can get behind this new restaurant. The menu had some pretty awesome food including many ingredients I frequent in my own daily diet - i.e. whole foods. I split a sweet potato quinoa patties with a friend and enjoyed a kale Caesar salad that was amazing. The dressing was very light leaving me feeling perfectly fed when I left. The waitress was great with her recommendations for being a first time guest here! I will probably be okay with coming back here!
(4)
Eric M.
Sunday breakfast/lunch at Merchant was excellent. Best Mac n Cheese ever. 9 people and everyone loved their food!
(5)
Alicia R.
Sunday Funday...1/2 price beer taps all day long. I think this pretty much says it all. They have 30 taps and a great space (both the dining room and bar areas honor this deal), as well as their daily happy hours (4-6 pm) of $1-3 off wines and cocktails and special $2 selected beers. I have only had limited food--the roasted brussels and kale cesar, the bee stings, house foccacia, and the Pub Picnic. The brussels and cesar were out of this world...a great place for veggies--next time I go, I am going to try the brussel salad and the blistered cauliflower. The bee stings (manchego cheese drizzled with truffled local honey and blakc pepper) were also amazing--find these on the snack menu. The house foccacia is soft and warm, butter it up with their honey butter, and it is a great accompaniment to anything you are eating. The Pub Picnic is great--all locally sources, but the portion is a little small for 4 people to share--just a warning, since you are going to want more of the duck prosciutto and goat cheese. The menu is extensive, with tons of veggie options, as well as appetizers, plates to share, sandwiches, and entrees. I want to go back and try a lot more of the offerings (especially since a lot of the food is locally and regionally sourced) As I mentioned above, they have 30 taps, but also a very appealing cocktail menu (I had one with butternut squash and brown butter--the texture was a little weird), but also got to sample a delicious Left Hand Chocolate Milk Stout "float" and some other the cocktails (all very tasty). Each time we have been there, a Friday night and 2 Sundays, our service was great. Very prompt, nice, and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is very upscale, laid-back; nice enough to bring a new romance or your family, but still comfortable enough to hangout and watch the TVs in the bar.
(4)
Lauren F.
Stopped into Merchants to grab a couple drinks in the bar area on a Friday night. Their beer list was long and very impressive, and the menu definitely showed promise. We shared an order of the burrata and falafel and while the burrata was sadly a miss, the falafel was very good and we would definitely order again. Love the old bank space, we'll definitely have to stop in for dinner next time we're in Lawrence.
(4)
Dezeree H.
The one thing I liked about our dinner was the creativity and variety of the menu. However, the actual quality of the food is not on par with the price charged. If I am paying $25 plus for a menu item I expect it to be really good, and not just average in taste.
(2)
Frank L C.
Went for an anniversary dinner with two old friends, and we had a truly fine meal. The server was polite and quick, food was excellent and the wine moderately priced. (The beer selection was tempting as well, but after all a 38th anniversary calls for a good bottle of wine.) Appetizers were good, I enjoyed the rabbit cacciatori, which was tender and flavorful. and dessert was awesome as well.
(4)
Richard A.
OK, this is a review about the Merchant's bar than the food, which I have not had for over a year. I also wanted to rate this only two stars, but I feared that would be unfair to a mostly-food establishment when I was just reviewing their bar (and particularly only their cocktails). But here's the thing: as someone who was here when Merchant's predecessor Teller's opened back in the early 90s, I've always maintained that, from an aesthetic perspective at least, this property has probably the best bar in town- high ceilings, lots of seats, great lighting (although I do pine for the days when there was no TV, but whatever). And from a beer perspective, they've certainly got it going on. Hard to fault their extensive beer selection. But when it comes to cocktails, man, everything starts to fall apart. I've known this for awhile. This place *should* be, with 715 and Pachamama's, one of the top cocktail bars in town. It SHOULD be. But it's not, and that bothers me. Couple reasons: First, the cocktail list is extremely hit and miss. In most great cocktail joints, even if you don't like a particular cocktail, rarely is it completely unpalatable. But man, there are some drinks on the menu that have made me push the glass back at the bartender. Speaking of bartenders, that's my second gripe: when I went last week (because yes, I do believe in going back and giving places 2nd/3rd chances), the bartender corrected my pronunciation of 'Bulliet" bourbon. I was a little taken aback but because I was unsure of the pronunciation myself, I figured being a bartender, the guy was probably right and I was wrong. No biggie. But after he delivered me a Manhattan that, instead of being stirred and clear, was so shaken and cloudy that I seriously initially thought it was a White Russian, I should have known maybe I shouldn't trust his judgement on things alcohol-y. [and, turns out, I was right, he was wrong. It's pronounced "Bullit" not "Bully-eh." But I'm not gonna gloat- we're all adults here....] Anyway, my point being- you're so close! Part of what makes 715 and Pachamama's so great- from a cocktail perspective- is that they've got great people both creating the cocktail menus and serving them. This permeates everything. Get some of these people!
(3)
Robert B.
In Lawrence for work and found a gem! 4-6 happy hr on all beer under 7%-great. Food is local clean and very very good. Have a fellow worker with food restrictions and he can eat like everyone else, even desserts. But the item that won me over are the Brussel Sprouts- to die for!!! A must try item when in Lawrence. Building even has a bit of Bonnie and Clyde history.....ask your server.
(5)
Cole B.
This review is based on bar/drinks only. I have been to lawrence many times, but this was my first visit to Merchants. I was happy to see 30 craft beers on draft with an up to date draft list. The bartender informed is right away that one of the beers on the list was no longer available. This is great, because I have been to many craft beers bar where I order 4-5 beers on the list only to be told they no longer have it on draft. I can't wait to go back and try the food and cocktails.
(5)
Jennifer E.
Omg I do not know what lawrence did before this place. Gorgeous plating! My fave and addiction are their crab cakes. The staff is very friendly and accommodate for large parties. It's also in a really cool old bank and the women's restroom is in the vault... super cool! Thanks for a great place in a great space!
(5)
Matthew F.
I've dined here several times. They have a good beer selection, but that's about all they have going for them (that's really not that hard to accomplish anyhow). The menu is pretentious and overpriced, and the staff is rude. Most of the servers spend their time bullshitting with each other at the bar and the "management" is pretty much non- existent except for an older women that floats around the place pretending to be important. On another occasion several weeks ago this same woman was HAMMERED drunk when she sat us at our table. She grabbed the menus from the hostess and loudly proclaimed that she would be the one to seat us. She was slurring her words and stumbling all the way to the table. I honestly don't even know what she was attempting to say. Pretty unprofessional. I would suggest dining elsewhere.
(1)
Shanley C.
Merchants Pub & Plate is the latest restaurant to open on Mass Street offering diners a unique experience in both dining and drinking. Also a self-proclaimed gastropub, Merchants Pub & Plate offers 30 beers on tap from breweries across the United States, as well as some local favorites. I made a reservation on a Tuesday evening and had no problem being seated immediately. I took advantage of the Happy Hour beer special and enjoyed a Free State Cloud Hopper IPA for $3 at the recommendation of my server. Merchants' chefs blend seasonal produce and locally sourced meat to create a menu chalked full of Midwestern flavors. The Crispy Walleye Sandwich ($11), made with beer-battered fish, citrus pepper slaw and fresh cilantro, was solid. Don't expect a ton of seasoning - simplicity is what you'll get. The flavor of the fish speaks for itself, along with a hint of spice and a mild taste of cilantro. As a companion to my soup, I ordered the Chef's Seasonal Soup of the Day - Carrot Ginger ($4). This was a perfectly executed vegan soup. Another sandwich I recommend is the Stacked BLT ($10). Local bread, local house cured bacon, locally grown tomatoes - you catch my drift. The bacon is phenomenal. It steals the show. Do not leave Merchants Pub & Plate without dessert. The Sweet Potato Donuts ($7) come to your table piping hot with a warm trio of dipping sauces including: apple butter, bavarian IPA and chocolate ganache. The donut holes are rolled in cinnamon and sugar so I felt like the apple butter was a perfect dipping companion. I burned my tongue severely because I couldn't stop stuffing my face with them. Dessert #2 was the Bourbon Caramel Blondie ($7) with apple cider ice cream and candied bacon. The description alone should send you driving to Mass Street right now. The ice cream and blondie are so sweet that the salty goodness of the bacon is the perfect combo to finish off the flavor of the dessert. It's perfection all around.
(4)
Andrea S.
Had a lovely meal here over the weekend. The specials were nicely prepared--diver scallops with lentil risotto and a rocket salad with melon and prosciutto--and we both enjoyed ourselves. The scallops had a nice sear and were perfectly cooked. The salad was light and delicious... Perfect for a late summer meal. We were seated near the front window and were able to people watch the crowds on Mass St. Have to love Lawrence! Definitely planning to go back. I'd like to try their white bean griddle cakes.
(5)
Denette V.
This is a really great place. More upscale than the name suggests, the chef does an excellent job in the execution of the dishes. Of the three of us, we had their beef steak special, the wild mushroom loaf and the shrimp/chorizo /polenta dish. Fabulous! Each unique with complementary flavors that brought out the stars of each dish. I was raised eating quality beef and find most chefs fail to enhance the flavors of beef. Salt and pepper is all good steak really needs, but this chef kicked it up with a drizzle of chimi churri. Honestly I found the sauce more delightful with the roasted veggies the steak sat on because the seasoning and steak was that good. The other table favorite was the mushroom loaf with a luscious tomato gravy. This dish is just fabulous. The Spanish flare of the shrimp and chorizo dish was good and delightfully balanced. Wine list was interesting with many great pairing choices. Spirits and beers were quite interesting if one wanted that direction. Dessert was unique and well executed as the mains. Wait staff was pleasant and attentive without pressuring. Suggestions, make reservations before you come to town. The place is pretty busy and you will not want to miss out.
(5)
Erik B.
This place is slowly becoming one of the "standards" that me and my friends go to. It's just really good with a great bar/beer selection. It's a nice crowd. It's one of the few places in Lawrence that's nice but not too extravagant...a good first or second date venue. The food has never disappointed, but the portions you get have. If I could give them 4.5 stars, I would. It's a bit pricey for what you get...but overall, I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Natalie W.
I had their chicken sandwich and it came out extremely dry and had no flavor. Their fries were ok. Their beer selection is awesome. I will probably go back for the beer and maybe tey the food again.
(3)
Clarice W.
What's up with Lawrence replacing old classics (Teller's, Milton's...) with more swanky attempts? Came here for drinks on a Friday night; the crowd here is definitely older. Their signature cocktails are disappointing; I can think of several other places in KC and even in Lawrence where I've had better versions of similar drinks. The Sir Barnum sounded interesting (scotch, cream sherry, smoked salt rim) but was far too sweet and the salted rim did not meld well with the flavors. But most of all, it was so hard to get over how aesthetically unappealing the drink looked - it had chunks floating around in it. Please, bartenders, when working with cream liquers it is so crucial to think about how that cream is going to react with the other ingredients! No one wants to take a sip of chunky cocktail!! I didn't eat here but after seeing what they've done to the place, I can't say I want to. I don't like the open kitchen they've tried to create here - in a small space this works as a rustic reminder of farm-to-table style cooking, but in this large bank space it just looks messy. And for the record, I agree with previous Yelpers: this is no gastropub. It's a restaurant with a bar that has a decent variety of beers on tap. There is very little connection between the two. The one thing Merchant's has going for it is the space - even a paint job can't take away the historic feel of those high ceilings.
(2)
Anne H.
We have eaten here multiple times and have always had a great experience! The service is always excellent and servers charming, the food is wonderful, and their beer selection exceeds my husband's standards (which is a feat). We loved this restaurant so much we also had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. Their food translated so well to family-style and they took great care of us and our family - perfectly executing every detail! I highly recommend heading to Merchant's for your next catered gathering. Oh, and don't leave without trying the yam fries!
(5)
K G.
I was so sad that this restaurant looked nothing like a pub, for starters. After I got over the fact that it just looked like a newer version of the last restaurant, I swallowed my disappointment and ordered something unmemorable. It was a tiny portion and was overpriced. Nobody in our party of four was overly impressed with any of their food choices. Too bad. This city really could have benefited from an actual pub with actual pub fare. This is just pretentiousness.
(2)
Farley D.
I expected something different from Merchant's having read about it first. The night I was there was a night there was a basketball game on, so that may have affected the ambiance, but it was completely silent in there, as everyone was watching the game on television. We ordered through the bar, and the service was amiable, yet distant. They had great happy hour specials, and the menu was large, albeit rather plain. Bison bolognese was a let down, brussel sprout salad was plain, and the plowman's plate was skimpy--where they advertised 'meats' on it, all that came was one grilled sausage. Perhaps worth checking out if there's no other option.
(3)
Sandra W.
Please do yourself a favor and go here. Try just about anything on the menu and you'll pretty much have to come back to try the rest. The quinoa and sweet potato burger is a great example of a die hard meat-eater (myself and several friends!) falling in love with a veggie option because it was just that darn good! I can't list all the great options because it would basically be the menu. However.... Sweet potato doughnut holes, bar bites, buffalo chicken meatballs, and scallops. Go after 9 for the best drink specials in town and order whatever speaks to you!
(5)
Kerry P.
This experience was short-lived due to me being partially intoxicated... however we did come here to try the fries and the meatballs from their "late happy hour" menu. Meatballs were good but the fries were saltier than the Dead Sea. And considering that I wasn't sober, it's gotta be REALLY salty. It was basically inedible... Not sure if I want to try this place again as I didn't really have a good experience (food-wise) when it was formally known as Teller's.
(2)
H C.
Like this spot and have enjoyed some wonderful beer pairing dinners here. The food is good. And so is the beer - though I wish they were more into belgium/farmhouse ales, and less into hoppy beers. But that's my own personal preference. The downside is the dining space. It can't quite shake its bank ancestry. The ceiling is so high, it feels vast. Maybe if they painted is another color? On a Friday night out w my beau I want a romantic, cozy spot, so we usually skip it. Saying all that, I love the bar! The happy hour is great. I have drank many a $2 / half price beer here, and had a good time.
(4)
Bill B.
Unfortunately Teller's restaurant, a long standing Lawrence landmark, is now gone. The replacement is Merchants Pub. While not comparable to the upscale Teller's, Merchants serves some very interesting and innovative food. I particularly liked the Tuna Confiture and the Wild Striped Bass. The soup of the day also was excellent. The vegetables that you can order separately are served in large portions. In fact one appetizer and one or two side vegetable could be enough for a dinner. Although Merchants specializes in its large selection of craft beers, the wine list is very good, and includes some modestly priced options. The happy hour is only in the bar area from 4 to 6 pm. But whether in the bar area or the main dining room, this is not a comfortable dining room in which to spend a lot of time. If your preference is for a relaxed three course meal, you may not be happy with the hard wooden chairs. There isn't a cushion anywhere in the restaurant. Also there are many long tables for large groups. When crowded, you won't have much privacy here, and the noise can be considerable. We arrived at 4 pm and avoided those problems, until around the time we were leaving. The server was Rachel. She provided excellent rapid service, but had not been adequately trained. When she opened the wine bottle, she left the cork on the cork screw and then took them away. Obviously she had not been told that she is supposed to remove the cork from the cork screw and leave the cork on the table. Another oddity is the need for a password for guest access to wifi. Most restaurants do not require a password, if the restaurant has a separate guest wifi connection. But at Merchants, both the secure and the guest connections require passwords. When the restaurant is busy, it is a waste of the servers' time to have to find out and provide that password to customers who request it. I booked the reservations on Open Tables. To my astonishment, I got a message from Open Tables (the day after we were there), saying that we had not been there, so would not get credit for the reservation. Of course, I told the hostess that we had reservations, when we arrived. In all the years I've been using Open Tables, I've never before had this happen to me. I have better things to do with my time than having to deal with this kind of mistake by a restaurant. Perhaps Merchants should send their hostesses back to school.
(3)
Ann W.
The food here really seems to be a mixed bag. I like that they have some gluten-free and dairy-free options available, although my gluten-free entree was served with regular, not gluten-free pasta. This could be a huge oops for someone with serious celiac disease. This is something I wanted to mention early in my review because it's important for those who could have a serious reaction to know up front that there may be some level of risk involved in trusting this restaurant to deliver on their dietary restriction requirements. We started out our dinner with a couple of appetizers. We had the rabbit sausage appetizer which was incredibly tasty and served with roasted tart cherries and yams. This was my favorite part of the meal. We also had the scallops which we really should have sent back. $14 dollars for three small scallops and they couldn't bother to rinse the sand off first? If you do not know how to prepare scallops, don't put them on the menu. Scallops should never ever be sandy. My stepfather had the angus steak which was a huge portion. He liked the flavor, but it was a very tough cut that was difficult for him to chew. My mother had the chicken and she reported it was one of the best chicken dishes she had ever had. The hubby had a hamburger which he said was "ok" but it simply didn't hold a candle to his favorite burgers at Blanc or The Burger Stand. My bison dish was served with tiny bits of ground bison meat which was unexpected, and not in a good way. The overall flavor of the sauce was nice, but the dish didn't have enough sauce. The error noted above with serving wheat pasta was unappreciated. It was funny, because at the time, I was a bit shocked that the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente because gluten-free pasta usually doesn't have that perfect bite. Not much later that evening, I discovered that it wasn't gluten-free as ordered. Don't ask me why I know this. The decor is generally nice. I love the old bank building, but I'm not sure what the hell they did to the wall behind the bar. Is this supposed to be artistic? It just looks like a hideous mistake and detracts from the beauty of the space. Our waitress was very quiet in her demeanor and not terribly full of personality, but delivered the food relatively quickly and kept glasses refilled at a reasonable pace. This is one of those places that I think has some promise. I would never ever again order a dish here where I could be exposed to gluten. I don't trust them. I would never order their scallops again. If I happened to be in Downtown Lawrence and wanted a quick bite, I'd be willing to order the rabbit sausage app again. At the prices here, because the quality is such a mixed bag, it's really not worth it to me to come back and work my way through their menu.
(3)
Andrew D.
Absolutely amazing. I've been looking forward to trying this place for long time mostly for the beer. I was pleasantly surprised the food as well. My wife and I tried this for lunch today I had the chipotle chicken my wife had the mac & cheese and crabcakes and the food was just unbelievable. Service was incredible the bartender did a really good job we will definitely be going back.
(5)
Jan A.
The food here is delicious! Stopped in on a Tuesday evening and had the scallops, dinner buddy had the pork tenderloin. Both were prepared perfectly - with interesting accompaniments that enhanced the flavor of the main item. Nice presentation, good portions. We loved it. The wait staff was friendly, knowledgable and efficient. We will definitely be back.
(5)
David K.
Had lunch on a Thursday, got: - burrata appetizer: seemed more like just mozzarella than burrata, but at least good mozzarella. the crostini were more "crosti" than I'd prefer, although made them good teething toys for baby. neither pesto nor mushrooms as flavorful as expected, though toasted garlic was. so: could have been much better, but was still good as-is. - smoked beet salad: the beets weren't smoky, but still good, and the greens (mostly baby spinach, it seemed) were fresh, the dressing subtle, and the green apple slices and fried goat cheese rounded out the dish nicely. no more than the sum of its parts, but good parts (and I was craving some fresh veggies after eating out for a couple days). - falafel: I added this to my salad for $3. I liked it a lot, and helped add some calories (you get two good-sized pieces) to an otherwise light dish. it didn't particularly go with the beet salad, but enjoyable to eat just on its own. - (tried) shrimp & "grits" (polenta cubes): an interesting interpretation, and nice presentation. I didn't like the shrimp as much as that at Free State (or Terrebonne)--maybe b/c it was a little less cooked, and had some slightly tougher strands--but still enjoyable, and the pepperonata went well with it. the sausage (andouille) was really good, too (I guess they make it in-house, I just noticed?), although not spicy. - smoke & mirrors (drink): I don't get more than a few mixed drinks a year, so maybe my bar is low, but I thought this was delicious. - sweet potato donut(hole)s: the donuts themselves (5) had nice texture and flavor (the potato flavor is subtle, though). they come w/ 3 sauces, and the Bavarian cream complements the heavy/fried/sweet donuts well. I didn't like the choc/stout "pudding" (pretty liquidy for "pudding"...), but I don't like beer. the strawberry jam tasted great but (imo) didn't match well with the donuts, so I just ate the jam separately w/ the spoon =) - the building/interior is a nice place to dine. but didn't feel like it was too fancy to bring a baby (for lunch at least). Since I was a tourist, I enjoyed that they had a map of their (local/KS) suppliers on the back of the menu, although otherwise I wouldn't really care about "local" as opposed to "sustainable" (I mean, if someone's degrading the environment in whatever way, I'd rather it *not* be "local" to where I live...). Not cheap ($63 incl. tax and nice tip), but I felt good about it, so I think that warrants 4 stars. But still much room for improvement.
(4)
Matt R.
Take the bartenders advice. Kale Caesar is a very nice change from the traditional. Duck Carnitas - I ate it all by myself; no sharing. Mac and Cheesemonger - make sure to add the bacon!
(5)
John T.
Great restaurant. Its very clean and modern. The food is fresh and delicious. The sandwiches are very good and they are also very reasonable. They have great appetizers. The bourbon ice cream is delicious, and the brown sugar pie is delicious.
(5)
Tim V.
I'll reserve a 5-star review for after I've eaten here more, but I had a great experience. I had the fish sandwich (barramundi?) and a few Lagunitas beers that were on special for an amazing price. The whole menu was more reasonable than I had been led to believe, and for the first time in years, the place looked clean enough to serve food.
(4)
Gordy M.
We raised our kids to be adventurous eaters, and Merchant's hits the mark. Our Boston kiddos were back in Lawrence for a visit, so we decided to meet up here for a family repast. Merchants opened after they headed east, and we don't get to Lawrence too much these days. All together we had six adults, a seven year-old and the newest granddaughter. It was a pleasant evening - rare in July - and the sidewalk table worked out great. The service was friendly and prompt. Along with beers and a couple drink specials we ordered the Pub Picnic and Sweet Corn Arancini for starters. Devoured! The two traditionalists in the crowd played safe with the Sweetlove Farm Chicken and Smoked Pork Chop. They were well-prepared although a tad borrrrr-ing. The aforementioned adventurers opted for Duet of Rabbit, the chef's special catfish creation for the evening, and I just had to taste Moroccan Goat Stew. Now mind you I don't take goat stew at face value, so I questioned our waiter a bit. The goat is grown and butchered locally and never frozen before landing in the chef's stewpot. It was delectably tender and perfectly seasoned with curry and a few other spices I'm sure. It was served with grilled pita, and I added a side of Brussels sprouts. The dish was extremely bountiful, and I had to make myself stop eating it. I was totally full, and I had it again the next day for lunch. Nobody in our group complained about taste or portion. I'm sure that resulted in the fact that all of us together could only muster enough appetite for one Chocolate Beet Tort and some house-made ice cream.
(4)
Richard R.
We are visiting from the Chicago area. Merchant's is a pleasant surprise. The food was excellent. We had muscles for an appetizer which were outstanding. I had shrimp and grits, my wife had the short ribs and my granddaughter had scallops. Each dish was wonderful. They have a nice beer and wine selection, I recommend Merchants for a great dining experience.
(5)
Andrew L.
I understand the owners wanted to capitalize on being Lawrence's very first gastropub. I believe one of the other reviewer's described it best by saying, "a very large variety of beers to accompany overly priced comfort food with local ingredients." I found his description to be right on the mark. The food was rather bland and the beer list left me somewhat overwhelmed. My biggest disappointment was the ambiance of the gastropub. Merchant's used to be Lawrence's nicest restaurant because of their local ingredients, historical references, and family atmosphere. I remember seeing tons of families enjoying a nice meal before a local sporting event, show at the Lied Center, or during the holidays. Now it just seems like an upscale bar. I miss the historical relevance it used to proudly display and the opportunity it provided families to share a quality experience. I have no intention of returning. I would rather spend the extra money at another establishment that provides a more welcoming atmosphere.
(2)
Holly G.
This place is wonderful! I had my first experience during a tasting at Final Fridays. I was hooked, and so ready for them to open. I also got a chance to hear the owners and building owner speak. They are all truly wonderful people and obviously care a lot of about the Lawrence community. More than that the food and service is AMAZING! The food is decently priced and is delicious and is local for a bonus. We went there once and they gave my boyfriend a sample of beer he wanted to try. On that same visit, they got his order wrong, twice. Whoops! But they were able to fix is quickly and were nice about it, and gave him another free drink (I don't think he needed it). Everyone there is incredible. Speaking of incredible, so is there beer/wine selection. A true paradise for those who are interested in that :)
(4)
Trigo B.
We went to Merchants for a nice celebration dinner. The atmosphere was nice, although quite noisy. Our waitress was kind and helpful. I ordered a cocktail that had lemon curd in it. It was quite strange, I couldn't finish it. Some of us ordered angus steak for dinner. The steaks did not meet our expectations. They were somewhat chewy. The side salads were quite delicious. Overall, it was "okay" but I would not recommend it for an important occasion.
(3)
Emily M.
The Merchants people gave a much-needed update to this wonderful space on Mass. St. They stayed true to the bank interior (including the vault bathrooms) and spruced it up nicely. But you're looking for a food and service review, I'm sure. What I said about the interior was probably the most positive thing so far. Well, that and the beer list is wide-ranging and kinda fun. I like the food here. I don't know what "gastropub" means -- a place to eat and have a beer? We have lots of those in Lawrence. I would describe Merchants' food as on the rich side, comfort food, with some modern updates. You will be hard-pressed to eat lightly here. I have liked almost everything I've eaten. The kale Caesar salad has maybe been my surprise favorite, really yummy (and definitely one of the lighter things!). The house potato-leek soup is hearty and tasty. They make a good burger, and the porchetta sandwich is surprisingly garlicky and flavorful (although I found a huge hunk of gristle in mine). If I like the food, why am I not giving it a higher rating? Honestly, the value. My family of four -- 2 adults, 2 kids -- had dinner here recently. Four meals (two regular, two kids menu), three beers, and the total tab was $87 before tip. Yowza! I spend that much at 715 for the 4 of us, but we walk away with leftover containers enough for lunch the next day. (We had no leftovers from Merchants -- good ingredients, but not that big of portions) Between the heavy-duty meals and high prices, we just can't come here that regularly. It's not good for our waistlines or our wallets. I wish the portions were big enough to be able to share, at the prices they charge. I'll be here occasionally, and I'm rooting for them, but Merchants is just not my kind of hangout.
(3)
Allen P.
The good was great, the service was prompt and friendly (handlebar mustache Dan was a little off-putting with his patronizing sincerity and "Valley Girl" intonations, but was very attentive). We really liked the atmosphere and the seating was good (we sat on the second level with a nice view of the overall venue). Although we didn't stop there, the bar was thriving and had great energy and we thought we might come back to try that at a later time. The menu offered some unique (not run of the mill) choices and that was a nice addition to the adventure of trying out a new place. Our food was very tasty and worth the price. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the menu ... both the main menu and the dessert menu arrived with dry crusted food on the surface ... a bit off-putting, but not a reflection on the rest of the evening. I can recommend this location for a good meal and a change from the ordinary.
(3)
Randall F.
If I could give negative stars- I'd start there. Merchants by all appearances is Tellers with a new paint-job on the ceiling. Their snobbery, arrogance, and average food leads me to write the following review: Bringing my family there for a nice meal, I had high hopes. As we walked in and the hostess noticed the two young children in our party I could immediately tell we were in trouble. I was told there were no tables- despite the nearly 20!!!!! empty tables I was looking at. Then after a 20 min. wait while they "tried" to accommodate us- they took us to the third level. Clearly the family level based on the fact that the only other parties dining up there had kids. We sampled a great spread of average food ranging from the deviled eggs, to pickled peppers, Kale Salad, to Pappardelle with lamb sausage. Overall the food was average at best. I'd probably have given the restaurant at least two stars if it were based on taste alone, however the slow service, constant attitude and general lack of care (despite the fact that we dropped well over $100) lead me to leave angry and dissatisfied. Food should have enough flavor to not need excessive salt to make it edible. Everything I had was simply undercooked, under flavored, and over valued. I will NEVER dine here again- and hope that the rest of lawrence will allow this place to wilt on the vine like Tellers did. Lets put a bank back in this building and move on already.
(1)
Jennifer G.
A cool seat by the window on a winter day but a delicious meal. Make it as costly or as cheap as you like. You could leave for $10 or spend $100. Amazing beer selection and I suggestion the tailwind cocktail. Beestings, Brussel sprouts salad and pub picnic were amazing choices. Follow up with goat cheese cheesecake and YONOMNOM happy campers.
(4)
David G.
The city of Lawrence was burned in 1863 and from its ashes arose the town we've come to know and love. That's why the symbol of our town is a phoenix. From the ashes of the former Teller's has arisen a new star on the Lawrence restaurant scene that will certainly become your new favorite. First, get over the fact that while Merchants bought the Teller's building, they are in fact nothing like Teller's. I too miss the mushrooms, but I also miss Paradise Cafe and Panchos. Fact is, tastes change and in later years the Teller's concept changed so much Teller's wasn't really Teller's. If you think this is the new Tellers...go back to grief counseling and move from denial to acceptance. This is not a romantic Italian restaurant. They don't even have pizza ovens anymore. What Merchants has created is a unique local experience incorporating the historic qualities of the former Merchant's Bank as well as local farm-to-table food served gastropub style. The bathrooms are still in a bank vault and the gorgeous light fixtures and copper sculptures as well as the wrought iron fencing remain. This is still a former community bank and the new business located in this place is focused on community. The atmosphere is communal. I feel like I'm walking into a country kitchen. The tables look like reclaimed wood and appear antique, and the high back chairs look like the ones I'd expect in that country kitchen rather than a restaurant. The fact the napkins are tasteful, yet unmistakingly dishrags, sends the message loud and clear they want you to feel at home in every respect. My only fear was that someone would come by telling me to take my elbows off the table, but the service was attentive and responsive. One nice touch is when I said we were going to share our kale Caesar salad, the server was kind enough to split it onto two plates. The place is bright and cheerful with an energetic vibe (see earlier caution if you are looking for a quiet romantic dinner). The beer: Here it isn't an afterthought but an equal player in the dining experience. According to my exhaustive and liver-challenging research, this place has the most open taps in Lawrence (30) but also has a great bottled selections (including gluten free, yeah!) as well as wine and cocktails. Roughly half the beers are local/regional and the other half or craft brews along with some more pedestrian varieties (Old style--really?). As a beer snob, I appreciate the fact that different styles of beers are served in different glasses. I'm not a cocktail guy but the Sir Barnum really piqued my interest and was a sweet and smoky start to my meal - getting my palate ready for a Green Flash Palate Wrecker. Mmm wrecked palate. I lie. I'm more of a stout and porter guy and hope the selection changes for the fall and winter. Kudos for having Old Rasputin stout and double kudos for offering a beer float made with that for dessert. The Food: I'd describe the menu as folksy and accessible but with a funky fresh twist. For example, instead of hot wings appetizer how about buffalo chicken meatballs? Pretzel bread with mustard ale compound butter instead of good old pretzels and mustard. Nice. Nothing here should be unfamiliar to American diners but the preparation is unique, just like Lawrence itself. The vegetarian selections are great (I got the kale and white bean savory cakes) but they are willing to make any selection vegetarian or vegan so don't skip the watermelon arugula salad because it has pork belly on it. My suggestion: ask them to leave it off and put on the crunchy garlic instead. Meal presentation here is beautiful with floral accents when applicable and wonderful array of colors with the heirloom carrots. Leave room for dessert because here have that same Lawrence twist on old classics. My first visit I got the chocolate beet torte. It was kinda like zucchini bread but delicious chocolate through and through. Although they were out of the popular sweet potato donuts, they sound delicious. I took at pass on the blondie brownies with candied bacon, but Mike couldn't' resist anything with bacon. He cleaned his plate. How I found room for dessert I'll never know, but somehow I did. I will say the menu is somewhat limited when compared to some other places. They do a few great dishes and do them very well keeping the items seasonal and local when possible. The pricing is very reasonable with most appetizers under $10. Overall Merchants Pub is a great Lawrence-focused gastropub that combines food and beer and a welcome and familiar style and while respecting the history of the location offering something new and unique to our wonderful town.
(5)
Mike S.
I have been to Merchants twice in the week they have been open and have quickly fallen in love with Lawrence's first true "gastropub" - a restaurant style for those who are unfamiliar which combines upscale comfort food prepared with local ingredients with an impressive beer and wine list. In fact, Merchants has 30 beers on tap, the most of any place in town, including some pretty rare varieties. As a beer aficionado I am quite happy! Food-wise, Merchants has hit home runs both times I have visited. I've tried the buffalo chicken meatball appetizer as well as the peach crostini - unique and delicious. Another unique dish is the kale Caesar salad - the use of kale adds a nice sharpness to the salad that blends nicely with the sweet garlic garnishes. For my main course, I have had the Mac and Cheese (best in the KC area as far as I am concerned, and I love Mac and Cheese!) and the burger, which was a nice, satisfying sandwich. For dessert, the ice cream with bacon was fun and satisfied my sweet tooth. Service was attentive and friendly both visits, although on the second visit things were a little slow with the bar. I would definitely recommend Merchants, both for Lawrencians and visitors from KC (bet this will be a great place to hit before a KU basketball game!)
(5)
Silas G.
I am only giving it a good rating for now. I had to order 3 different entrees before I found one the kitchen could produce that evening. The food was wonderful, the drinks are inspired, and i love the use of the space. I will be back.
(3)
Sarah A.
The good: the crab cakes were great, and the sauces plated with them were delicious; the sweet chili sauce had a great marmaladey citrus kick, the pesto was absolute perfection. The sweet corn risotto balls were creamy and beautifully done - thin crispy exterior and rich bliss on the interior, but the berry chipotle sauce was pointlessly bland, though vividly colored. We both tried tasting it on its own and even with a fairly big fork scoop of the purple sauce, the taste was... Not there. Vaguely berry like. The bad: the "pub picnic" is nearly criminal at $17. The homemade sausage was a strange muddy color, greasy and flavorless and had a bizarre texture. Not sure what the filler is. The prosciutto was also flavorless, and I honestly don't understand how that can happen. It had none of the sweet, salty, richly aged pork flavor you'd expect from prosciutto. There was a huge pile of it and I was so looking forward to prosciutto - but it just tasted like lighly salted thin wax sheets. The spicy giardinara was not pickled, it was mostly just a pot of raw minced garlic with some other vegetables in it. I put a spoonful on some bread and it nearly ruined my entire meal - eating a clove of raw garlic will do that unless you're into that kind of thing. Fortunately, the cream in the risotto did a pretty good job of neutralizing it. The bread and cheese were good. That was all we ate off the plate, and the server did not offer to exchange or comp the dish even though it was still full when he cleared it. Perhaps we should have complained or made a fuss. Based on manager responses to other negative reviews, you MUST send a dish back, complain, or make a fuss if you hope to enjoy an alternative. To me, this means their servers are inadequately trained (for a higher-end restaurant, anyway) - fine dining servers are typically a lot better at everything than ours was, including saying things like "Are you enjoying your meal?" or "Didn't enjoy the pub picnic? Let me see if I can take that off your tab or offer you a dessert since you didn't eat it." You know, basic solicitous courtesy from the server. Not everyone feels comfortable making a fuss or complaining, especially if the waiter is already ill-tempered and it seems like it might start a conflict or just make the dining experience more unpleasant than it already is. Also bad: the service. We had a surly (unsmiling, resentful-acting) server who refilled our drinks once at the meal, so we went without water or tea for a good part of it. The glasses are very small (maybe six ounces) so if you're having anything salty or have multiple share dishes and wish to sip water between them, bring a bottle of your own or hope that you get a better waiter. Trying to get his attention for the dessert menu even though he was pointedly ignoring us (even though we had not been bothering him - not that we could have since he was fussing with something over at the bar for most of our meal, not even bringing drinks) earned us a glare. Merchants - you have a lot of complaints about bad service. This town is literally chockablock with townies who have tons of service experience. You need to steal away at least one or two good servers from 715 or Pachamama's to act as Head Servers to train the inexperienced and monitor the dining room, or hire in a service consultant, and FIX THIS. The menu is too pricey for bottom-barrel service. You also have a lot of complaints about bland food. How does prosciutto even become bland? How long was it sitting sliced in the walk-in? Expecting guests to become negative and to complain in order to be noticed or well served is just bad, bad practice. I have honestly had infinitely better service at chain restaurants off of highways. The dessert menu is probably really nice if you have lots of food allergies, food restrictions, or are in any way dietarily neurotic. Everything seems gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, fun-free, and generally designed for the kind of neurasthenic types who ruin dinner parties. We didn't order anything and went around the corner for dessert. Even though we enjoyed two of the dishes and the bread, we won't be back. There are too many delicious options in Lawrence to make bad service acceptable.
(2)
Courtney C.
I had been looking forward to the trying this place since I heard of it's opening. I am not a Lawrence resident so I had no sentimental attachment to the former restaurant that once occupied this space. I can not speak to it's former glory all I know is the new inception is absolutely fantastic. We met friends here for a late brunch one Sunday afternoon. I was excited to see that beers where 1/2 off and that they run food specials until the dinner menu was released. So many places don't offer any type of "happy hour" specials on the weekends. The foursome shared a "Pub Picnic" which consisted of house cured duck prosciutto and house made bratwurst, seasonal Farmer's cheese and a spicy giardiniara served with grilled baguette and stone ground mustard as well as an order of the house made beer bread focaccia with honey butter. We spent the afternoon snacking and drinking delicious beers and before we knew it the dinner menu had arrived. Why yes, thank you we will try the Chef's special. The food presented was more beautiful than described and tasted better than I could have even expected. 3 medallions of perfectly cooked pork tenderloin on a bed of avocado and goat cheese glaze and a side of forbidden rice and olive tapenade. It was a Mediterranean dream and made me yearn for southern Greece. Upon completing our afternoon we promptly made a pact to meet at this place every month to engage in some well deserved frivolity and buffoonery. See you soon. Cheers!
(4)
Martine P.
We look forward to going back...soon! We were intrigued by many of the entrees as there is a variety of flavors and textures. Myself and my foodie friend, accustomed to enjoying quality food, decided to enjoy wine and then to share two of the entrees; which the kitchen kindly accommodated us without question. We chose the Sweet Love Chicken which was prepared perfectly, moist and succulent with flavors of rosemary. The creamed greens were spiced just right and the yam wedges were rightly a bit firm and not mushy. Topping it all off with the tomato-peppadew jam was a treat. We learned that most of that entree is local produce from the Lawrence vicinity, which is very cool. Then, we also shared the KILLER Mac and Cheesemonger topped with breadcrumbs. Are you kidding me? I'd go back just for this! Experiencing both of these entrees with a bottle of wine was a perfect way to experience the delicious food at Merchant's Pub. The music volume was just right. The place was busy for a Monday evening, including a couple families with kids. There was energetic noise, but we could easily carry on a conversation. It's not a stuffy place, yet you'd feel comfortable in dress attire or casual jeans. I might have enjoyed the lighting a bit dimmer, but I'm a romantic. Overall, it was all great! Yay! I'm a fan. The only thing that would made our experience 5 star would have been if the waitress would have known the specials a bit better and if she had offered us dessert and coffee. Based on the reviews I'm now reading, we missed out by not partaking in the them. So, back we'll go to enjoy wine, share and experience more entrees and stay for dessert.
(4)
Shelly D.
I've been to Merchants a few times already and have had a great experience across the board. The beer selection is the best in Lawrence, and I love a couple of their beer cocktails as well. One of my trips was for happy hour so we shared several dishes from their snack menu at the bar. My favorites are the Bee Stings cheese, the chicken meatballs and the peach crostini. For dinner, I've had the Mac and Cheese (amazing) and the pork sandwich with fries (also wonderful). When we asked our server some questions about the menu options, she was helpful and friendly. Everyone I've gone to Merchants with has had great things to say. If you haven't been there yet, you've definitely got to try it for yourself!
(5)
Kat F.
It looks hopeful for this relatively new restaurant. We've only eaten here once, but man, was it good (mostly). The Manchego cheese drizzled with truffle infused honey sent me over the moon!! I'm so glad I perused the menus on-line before we dined, or I wouldn't have known to order this one. The bread was pretty dry and fairly run of the mill. Our Pinot bottle (recommended by our server) was perfect, but it's coming off the menu (why?). Despite my reservations, we ordered the Mac and Cheese... Yum Yum Yum... and the potatoes under the porkchop were amazing!! The chop itself was good but dry, but I would order it again just to get at those potatoes!! Merchants is so close to being totally awesome. They do not need to worry (in my limited experience) about putting the right components together, but rather the difficulty may be crafting each component so that it shines in its own right. I hope they can pull it off! If they do, this place will be the best in Lawrence. I can't wait to give it another go!!!
(4)
Ckm M.
We had a great late lunch. The food is thoughtful and delicious. We sampled many small plates. Great atmosphere. We are very much atmosphere and food people and highly recommend Merchant's!
(5)
Steven M.
I've used Yelp for a few years when traveling to find places to eat. It never occurred to me to use it in my hometown because word of mouth is usually good enough. I should have looked through the reviews. The warning signs are there. My girlfriend and I went here after a couple of our friends raved about this place. It was bad enough to get me to actually sign up to yelp to post a review. This really feels like another pretentious, overpriced downtown Lawrence restaurant that will limp along for a year or two and disappear. The 30 beers on tap may draw some people in to try it, but the food isn't going to keep people coming back. We went for dinner on a weeknight and were seated right away. Then the wait began. It's not one of those things you notice as first. We were looking over the menu and slowly began to notice that several tables that came in after us already had drinks and one couple had appetizers. A waitress finally showed up as we started discussing how long do you wait before you just get up and leave. From this point on service was acceptable. The owners may want to rethink the T-shirt attire it's not a good look on a fair number of the waitstaff. We had crab cake appetizers which were very good, but then we both had trouble settling on a main course. The menu just was not terribly interesting. She had the Pork Cutlets and I had the Striped Bass. The presentation was good, but the food was maybe a touch over cooked. At the prices here I should be blown away, but wasn't. The biggest problem was the food was bland, aggressively bland. I rarely add salt or pepper to my meals preferring to enjoy the food as the chef intended, but this was one of the few times I found myself looking for a pepper shaker. Anything to add some spice as the chef had removed all flavor from the cardboard and paste I was eating.
(1)
Jessie M.
That was, hands down, the WORST experience I have ever had. I had lunch here the day before, and it was decent. I came back for dinner: my son's chicken was uncooked, indelible and did NOT taste like chicken (it was dark meat and possibly rabbit?). My Sea Bass was shiny, cold uncooked. My husband's pork cutlet was pink (really pink) and our friend's hamburger, cold. I was served the wrong soup 3 times. I seriously think our waiter was actually the dishwasher pulled out of the dish room due to the large crowd! He was in a t-shirt and jeans, with a "deer in the headlights" look about him. Un believable. You take your health into your own hands here.
(1)
Nick H.
We stopped at Merchants on a Thursday night for dinner and a few drinks. We sat at the bar and ordered a couple appetizers. The buffalo chicken meatballs are delicious. We also ordered the spring rolls, which were also very good. For my main coarse, I ordered the short rib sloppy joe. The meat was very tender and spiced to perfection. I would recommend Merchants for any night out on the town.
(4)
Anne R.
Second time having dinner, the food was great and the service was very good! Becoming one of my very favorite restaurants in Lawrence. Love the varied menu and excellent ingredients.
(4)
P O.
I've been to Merchants three times now- once for happy hour, once for dinner and once for lunch- and feel like I can write a fair review. Happy hour deals include some wines for $5/ glass, $2 off cocktails (originally priced $7-$11 I think) and a few $4 beers. There is a snack menu also with some offerings for around $5. I miss the bar area comfy chairs and couches that Tellers had; the tall tables are rather stiff and uncomfortable. "Pommes Frites" should really be called fries at am British/ American themed restaurant. They were delicious though. I appreciate very much the effort towards a beer- focused bar, which we don't have in Lawrence. I don't think the beer menu represents the best beer out there though. In particular, beers from the Northwest are entirely unrepresented. Ninkasi Total Domination please! I had the pimento cheese sandwich, which was unremarkable. The squash and mushrooms that came with it were delicious. I had very good service in the bar area, which left me unprepared for the poor service in the dining room. The hostess made us wait for several minutes before she seated us, while she brought water to some other tables and did some other things. This, at a time that wasn't particularly busy, while there were plenty of tables available. After we were seated it took several minutes for our server to make her way to us. She never asked how our food was, in fact never came to check on us after bringing our food. We asked a different server for bread and did let her know that our vegetables were uncooked to the point that we really needed a steak knife to cut them. It was too bad because properly roasted carrots are so delicious. The white bean cakes were great. I got a side of broccolini which was also crunchy and undercooked. Way overpriced for the quality of food. I'll stick to the bar side in the future.
(3)
Kent S.
Simply put, it's excellent. All of the entrees have a unique touch as the chef seems to have put a lot of thought into each item on the menu. I was just looking for something basic so had the Merchant Burger and fries. It was perhaps one of the best I've ever had - incredibly flavorful ingredients that required no additional condiments. I love that all the food is locally sourced and the place has a relaxed atmosphere that makes you just want to chill. Oh, and let's not forget the 30 craft beers! If you are particular about the quality and source of the food you eat, you will love this place.
(5)
Allan R.
JUST had lunch here (9/27/13) with 2 friends. Server Jessica was great! Atmosphere was great! Beer selection is amazing! Crab Cakes outstanding!! Bourbon Caramel Blondie was far to sweet. I've had much better. Porchetta Brioche was horrible. I'll not order it again nor would I recommend it. The greens in it were inedible and the pork was very fatty. Will I go back? Yes, as I'm having dinner here this evening. I always give a place 3 tries.
(2)
L C.
Awful. Everything was bland and NOT worth the huge price tag. We had the fried rice balls and nothing about the plate was flavorful or even close to as interesting as it was trying to be. I had the white bean kale cakes and they were mushy and bland. They were served with a white cheese, which looked great, but tasted like unflavored ricotta. Not worth $17. My mom had the rabbit, which she said was so tough she had to pick it up to eat it. $22. Then we got some weird, stale, again bland dessert that had peanut butter cake and banana marscapone that looked like vomit. I miss Teller's. If they can't start making food that tastes great and stop trying to be trendy, this restaurant won't last long. It's a shame.
(1)
Cherie S.
We came for the food, not the beer, so this review can't help you if you're looking for beer information. We had a large group, and since it was our first time here, we decided to share everything family style so that we could each sample more of the menu. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and five entrees, along with house red wine, hot tea, and house made lemonade. The appetizers we tried were the crab cakes, scallops, bread (focaccia), and skewered pork belly. For entrees, we had the steak, pork tenderloin special, rabbit caccitore, cornmeal breaded trout, pumpkin/ricotta stuffed ravioli, and bison Bolognese. Food wasn't uniformly great, but much of it was good (see more below). Overall, we think it's a heavier (think fat, salt) menu compared to our favorite place in town (on the 700 block), with some good options for appetizers. Next time, maybe we'll just come for drinks and appetizers. First: drinks and service were fine, though it took quite awhile for our simple drink order to arrive, and they forgot one of them. They were quite busy with several large groups, so it didn't seem unreasonable, but they could've done better. We really liked the scallop appetizer, seared and served with oyster mushrooms and other tasty bits. The crab cakes were fine, nicely sized and meaty. The skewered pork belly was very good - flavorful, meaty, and with great texture. Any of these could have served as a main dish given their heft, though I'd want a light salad or something to cut the grease. The bread was mediocre at best, it came with sweetened butter which made it seem a little less dry and less devoid of flavor, but we'll certainly skip it in the future. The main dishes didn't include anything from their sandwich menu, which again looked pretty heavy. We enjoyed the rabbit cacciatore (tasted like chicken!) The pumpkin ravioli was a nice option. I have to say though, that none of the main dishes excited us as anything super memorable. The fish was breaded and fried; it was a bit over-cooked at the edges and lacked flavor. The steak was cooked fine, but didn't have any particular grilled or especially meaty flavor to it. The noodles were blah. Overall, the food (mains, especially) just didn't quite live up to the beautiful space, moderate to upper-end prices, and comparisons to our favorite local spot that serves house-made pasta, locally sourced meats, and lighter options. We'll go again for drinks and appetizers, and then if the menu gets updated, maybe we'll give it another try. Until then, I wish them success!
(3)
Dsrt W.
Love this place, GREAT service, really good tap. Very careful about my gluten issues. And the food was top rate, I would go well out of my way to eat here.
(5)
Mark R.
Awesome little pub. They have a great selection of spirits and food. I got a burger there and it was actually really good. Much better than what I was expecting. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. A very cool place.
(5)
Becca B.
My husband and I had an amazing meal at Merchant's and also had the pleasure of eating at the Chef's Table. I highly recommend it if you have a chance. It was very fun to watch all of the dishes come together and interact with the staff. My husband specifically asked for a food pairing with a specific beer and the chef and co-owner recommended a perfect match! We had the soup of the day...a spicy tomato that my husband said was the best soup he had ever had! I had the potato leek soup with truffle oil...so good! We also had the deviled eggs which were beautiful and yummy. The pretzel bread was perfect with the ale butter. I loved the crab cakes...the different sauces all add something special. The pork cutlets were delicious and huge! We topped off the meal with the bourbon caramel blondie topped with homemade apple cider ice cream and candied bacon. Yes bacon! It was killer. This is a place to sit and enjoy each bite. While it was a perfect date night it would also be great for a family meal, lunch with friends or just a drink and snacks! You don't have to be a "foodie" to enjoy Merchant's...go hungry because it is hard to choose!
(5)
Russ B.
My wife and I went here for our date night. I had the BLT with fries...DELICIOUS! The staff was extremely helpful and our waitress made excellent recommendations from their impressive assortment of beers on tap. I definitely plan on returning here in the near future. Get here early on the weekends as it gets extremely busy later in the evening.
(5)
Mark F.
Save your money. I took my wife and daughter here expecting something above par and got anything but. Tables are set to close where wait staff easily bump into you while tending to other guests. Our waitress never smiled, would not speak loud enough for us to hear her, and only returned to the table when it was time to give the check; someone else filled our drinks and delivered our food. The food was average, at best; spices are not well balanced or paired together. I ordered the pork sandwich which was about 20% fat; for the price I expected better. Lawrence has much better to offer at other establishments, I suggest you chose one of them.
(1)
Alisa B.
Merchants just continues to get better and better! The menu is creative, the service is fabulous and we have a great time every time we eat there. Literally, we have never had a bad experience there. Tonight, we brought our friends who are serious foodies and world travelers (they are from Hong Kong). They were very impressed. The goat main course won rave reviews and the salmon was perfectly cooked. The mint chocolate chip ice cream, clearly made from scratch with real mint, was both luscious and refreshing. My Jameson and gingerale cocktail was perfect, and our great waiter John suggested a great pale ale for the guys. All together, a lovely meal, delivered at a relaxed pace, that allowed us time to catch up with dear friends. What more could we ask? Nothing! Thanks to the entire team at Merchants!
(5)
Gayle S.
Was first restaurant we went to in lawerence and was very pleased. Crab cakes soooo good. Smoked pork main meal tender and tasty , end with sweet potato donut for sweet desert loved but sauce so so with donut. Great atmosphere too.
(4)
S L.
We have dined at this restaurant 3 times and each experience was fantastic! The food is delicious, there are lots of great beers on tap, and the service and atmosphere are almost perfect. I highly recommend the pub picnic and the beer floats, but everything else has been excellent, too.
(5)
A.K. M.
Ate here this past weekend. I like the face lift inside and the ambiance was more swanky (or trying to be) then tellers. I though the appetizers were the strongest course. I had charcuterie, the shrimp and cheese plate. All were awesome and well selected. However my main course was lacking. I ordered the Mac and cheese and it was just too intense. One bite and I was just....overwhelmed. I will add a star for service however. My server was really great, attentive and knowledgeable.
(4)
Laura K.
Inventive food, especially the vegetarian choices!!! Incredible beer selection, friendly and knowledgeable service, my supper club pals and I all very satisfied!
(5)
Jay C.
The rabbit sausage special with sweet potato tempura was fantastic. Excellent, knowledgable, and comfortable service. The blonde bartendress is hot!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dessert Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Anrenee R.
Quinoa sweet potato burger with green beans. The burger was great, difficult to eat the green beans on the burger. But still enjoyable! My friend ordered the gnocchi and it seemed like a small portion. I had originally wanted the mushroom loaf, but the kitchen didn't have enough mushrooms. Great atmosphere, reasonable prices. Would recommend!
(4)Austin W.
I'm from out of town, but every time I do come in, I make it a point to come have lunch or dinner here. The menu is always interesting and new. As picky of an eater as I used to be (seriously, 5 things I used to eat), it surprises me that I look for the rabbit on the menu. Never thought I would enjoy a dish with that in it, but it blew me away. I haven't had anything there I did not enjoy and finish every last crumb. My girlfriend had the Mac & Cheese and said it was the best Mac & Cheese she had ever had (which kinda peeved me, since I made her mine, which is amazing). But you have to give credit where it is due. Since I'm not much of a beer drinker, straight to the cocktails is where I go. Great list of whiskey and vodka drinks that hit the spot with a good steak. They have a massive beer list, but again, that's not where my tastes lie. Though it is fun to look at the board with all the beers listed on it. Definitively sacrifice your fast food or bar food lunch to come try out something new over there. You will not regret it.
(5)Stacia M.
I'm from out of town, so If you can get past some of the names of the items on the menu ([something] Rabbit Mole, Rabbit Cacciatore, etc.), this place has amazing food. Our party truly enjoyed their meals. And yes, It was really rabbit. Keeping inline with my cleanse, we shared the sweet potato fries (which were in huge quarters with an aioli sauce - amazing!) and for my entree I had sweet potato quinoa patties (a little dry since I didn't want the sandwich), Brussels sprouts with dried apricot (my favorite), and roasted cauliflower.
(4)Cindy F.
Grabbed a late night bite before the kitchen closed at 10. Had the rabbit sausage - was very good. Chorizo deviled eggs were just ok. The pear pressure drink blew my socks off though. Very strong drink with tons of rosemary. Will definitely be back for that. The truffle leek soup is very good too. And their half beers on Happy Hour is a steal. The decor and history of the bldg is wonderful.
(5)Alexis R.
Sunday 1/2 pints are a much do. The draft list is great, and they also have several really nice cocktails. The food is gourmet comfort. In the bar, I love the honey manchego bites. It's a small portion, but great to nibble with a beer. For dinner, they have a range of entrees from $9 sandwich to more expensive steak and fish offerings. The vegetarian offerings are limited but i've had the veggie burger and it was OK..with the common problem of too much bun to patty proportioning. Dining makes have had the chicken poblano sandwich and entree fish dishes, and they had enjoyed their meals. The ambience is great - I love the vaulted ceilings and open kitchen. The food is always solid, not disappointing. Never really knock your socks off, but pretty good overall...I really just come here for the wide range of beers...then say if dinner is calling my name.
(4)Paul G.
High end food and drinks at a reasonable price. Great place to taste a variety of great beers. Caution order of the chalk board not the menu, it may not be current....
(5)Bryan G.
Meeting a friend of my husbands from his college days for what we hoped would be an amazing meal. Everything looks great on the menu and sounds fantastic from our servers description. We ordered the charcuterie plate as a starter, it was average, not much of a selection. The Brussels sprout salad followed which had no flavor. I ordered shrimp and grits as my entree. The shrimp was over-cooked, the "grits" (which come in a polenta form) were flavorless and too hot for consumption. The salmon was also ordered, both plates were taken from the table with food left on them. We passed on dessert. I would give this joint fewer than three stars if it weren't for our excellent server and the wine list. Maybe a great place for cocktails?
(3)Nick V.
I thoroughly enjoyed this place when it used to be Tellers, unfortunately, the quality greatly deteriorated when the became Merchants. When we sat down I ordered a cocktail and made it clear to the waiter I don't like sweet drinks. He assured me that the drink I ordered wasn't sweet. Much to my dismay the drink was extremely sweet. They did change the drink out without a fuss for a bourbon on the rocks. The food was meh. Started with the pork belly which was a disjointed dish that looked like they were trying too hard. The pork belly itself was alright, but not anywhere near as crispy as it should be. The plate had a smear of Skippy peanutbutter across the bottom that was completely out of place and ultimately hurt the dish. Last, they sprinkled frozen or canned corn all over the top of the plate. This was also out of place and clearly frozen or canned and just terrible. The dish was a conceptual mess. Had the pork chop for an entree. The pork chop itself was cooked perfectly. Everything outside of the chop went downhillfast. It came with some kind of peach side that was clearly made with canned or frozen peaches and was terrible. It had corn on the side that was the same frozen or canned corn on the appetizer. I brought gave us a side of sweet potatoes to replace the corn and those were good. The waiter was inattentive and kind of aloof. This is not somewhere I would recommend. It is way overpriced for the quality.
(2)Charlotte M.
I love local farm to table. They even took the location of an old bank and repurposed the building into a restaurant. The restrooms are located in the old bank safe. Love it! The menu shows where all the local food comes from. Even a beer menu of brew companies. Springfield Mothers brewery is now in Lawrence. We all ordered something different. All good. Bread seems to be homemade. All good food. Seemed they needed more service, but it was KU spring break. So some of those kids might not have been around. Highly suggest it. I will return.
(4)Cara C.
After the excellent food and service we had during our second visit to Merchants, I decided I needed to give it a boost to the full 5 stars. When we arrived, the hostess told us there would be about a 20min wait, but she could text us when the table was ready if we wished to wander about. We were perfectly happy sitting on a bench out front enjoying Mass Street's passersby, but I still appreciated the fact that we could wander around instead of toting around a buzzer or crowding together in a foyer or bar to wait. The wait ended up only being about 5 minutes, so double-bonus! I would like to also note that this visit was on the Sunday over Memorial Day weekend, so the fellow patrons were mainly locals and weekend visitors (eclectic and generally unpretentious), instead of the "Greek Life Parents' Weekend" crowd filling the space with their matching mother-daughter hair highlights and father-son popped collar ensembles like my previous visit. I know restaurants can't really decide who wants to eat with them on a particular night, but the energy of the other patrons does affect one's overall experience, as well as the energy of the staff. Our server was very attentive, bringing us water right away and explaining the drink and menu specials for the night. He offered his personal recommendations in case we needed them and he was clearly well versed in the offerings. It's good when the staff is knowledgable and stands behind their products. The service remained attentive yet unobtrusive throughout the evening, and unlike our first visit, we were able to take our time to converse and linger unrushed through our entire meal. We started with soups. I tried the soup of the day, a beef barley stew, and Gary T. got the house soup, black truffle potato leek. Neither disappointed, although I'd be more inclined to go with the potato next time. My mom decided that a side of bread would be good with our starters, so we were quickly brought some pieces of focaccia drizzled with olive oil and dried herbs, and served with white bean hummus ad hops salt. the bread was a little dried out, as if it had been cut into its pieces several hours earlier, but it still made a good medium for the hummus and salt. I'm not a big bread person anyway. For our main course, opted for the first special, a smoked brisket sandwich served with mac'n'cheese. Gary opted for the surf & turf special, an 8oz grass fed filet from the local meat market, served with four tempura battered jumbo gulf shrimp over a ginger carrot slaw. He also got a side of the mac'n'cheese. I decided to get the white bean and kale griddle cakes with roasted carrots, because I figured I'd be sampling some of Gary's meal and I knew there was a delicious sounding dessert list later. None of our meals disappointed. Gary's steak was so tender he could cut it with his butter knife! It was truly amazing. The shrimp were tasty and crisp. He didn't love the slaw, as it had a slightly bitter taste from some of the greens in it, but I liked it fine. My griddle cakes were delicious too. They had a green tomato chow-chow on top that brought the right amount of sweet an tanginess to the mild flavors of white beans and kale, crisp on the outside, bust moist on the inside. The carrots were perfectly roasted, sweet and tender, not soggy or crunchy. Mom's brisket sandwich was filled with tender flavorful strips of meat and a house-made KC-style bbq sauce slathered on the top bun. It was huge, but she managed to finish the whole thing. She did however save her mac to take home, knowing dessert was next. And so the grand finale: dessert! We selected the goat cheese cheesecake and the peanut butter chocolate cake. The cheesecake was creamy and tart as one would expect from the goat cheese. The crumb crust was crisp and the raspberry puree garnish balanced the flavor perfectly. The peanut butter chocolate cake was delectable as well. I only got one bite before Gary devoured it, so I was unable to make the same emotional connection with it that I made with my cheesecake, but it was deliciously rich and creamy. Lovely service + lovely food + best street in the best town in the world = a dining tri-fecta!
(5)Marisa B.
As a patron who requires special dietary modifications to my meals, Merchants not only meets - but exceeds my needs. The menu itself has to be one of THE BEST in regards to how each dish is described (for those requiring modifications) than any place I have encountered in Lawrence or Kansas City. I have only seen menus with this accurate and detailed of descriptions in bigger cities that I find to be way more aware of and accommodating to people like myself. So kudos to Merchants for having the sense to create a menu that is marked not only in a way that is helpful for those of us with dietary restrictions. But for also going above and beyond. The staff also understands the menu, and the modifications vs items which are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc. That is also a rarity I find in this area. So that was appreciated as well. The service is kind, helpful, patient, and willing to go above and beyond in my experience. The menu has a good selection of options, including something for everyone. The desserts are absolutely worth saving room for as well. I like the happy hour menu offerings, and look forward to returning for perhaps a drink and desserts only outing soon. Some of my favorite menu items I have experienced were the Yam fries, the brussels sprout salad, the pork belly, and any of the vegan ice cream offerings.
(4)Bekkah L.
Merchants has really grown on me. I was not into them at first, but I think they've really cleaned up their act. I've been there a few times in the last few months. They change the menu fairly often (seasonally?) but keep some things all the time. Their pasta dishes tend to be really good and their desserts are awesome. Of course there is the beer selection! Great selection and prices (a few are $2 every day during happy hour). The cocktails (which also change seasonally) are hit or miss-- either really good or really disappointing. But at $7, they're at least reasonably priced. Merchants is also very good about taking dietary restrictions into account when you order. Their staff are very familiar with the ingredients and they can make recommendations and substitutions.
(4)Katrina M.
Had an amazing dinner with a friend. We shared an entree and ordered from the "share" section. Everything was delicious. The beet salad was dressed just right, the gnocchi was fluffy complemented by a rich mushroom sauce. Seriously everything was so good and I'd order it all again. I don't venture out to "new to me" spots very often but I'll be making this place a regular for dinner. Service was also great!
(4)Sarah F.
This place was fantastic, definitely one of the best in Lawrence. Amazingly accommodating staff, great quality to the food and an overall chill vibe contributed to my loving this place. We were in a mixed group with people with various tastes and food allergies and everyone left happy. I ordered the scallops-they were cooked perfectly. Note: they have just updated their menu so a lot of what I saw here wasn't actually available. What they did have was great and they had some great fresh specials. I would definitely recommend if you are in the area.
(5)Dave P.
What a great find. Lamb stew was amazing, great mix of flavours and matches very well with the Washington cab. Their wine multiple is around two, possibly less. The did not have the first two bottles of wine we ordered but the waitress handled us well and we still ended up with a great bottle. Mother in law commented that her burger was the best she ever had.
(5)Trish R.
I had high expectations before visiting Merchants and all expectations were fulfilled (and then some). I had the fish special and a specialty cocktail that the waitress recommended. The atmosphere and service were both outstanding. I would highly recommend to anyone in Lawrence wanting a nice meal out!
(5)Gaz H.
4.5 I was scared off by the other reviews. Too bad I wanted so long; the kitchen has mad skills, the cocktails were very good, an overall a very enjoyable Saturday night out. Some great food items; the kitchen seems particularly skilled in the use of smokiness (beet salad) and char (side of Brussel sprouts). My wife's red snapper had a lovely crispy outside and tender inside. My flank steak was pleasantly rare. Hard to do it better than that. And the apple cake with the buttermilk ice cream and the cornflake cookie? Epic. Best in show. Applause. Overall win. Will you have to wait to get a drink at the bar? Are the servers a bit too busy to be attentive? Yes and yes. But it's popular and busy. With good reason.
(5)Maud K.
Updating to add pictures of the drink menu. Happy hour is 4-6 and 9-close. $5 cocktails and select glasses of wine, $3 wells, $2 select beers. Sundays beer is half off all day. Also: the yam fries are shockingly delicious.
(5)Phil M.
This place was awesome! We really enjoyed our meal and the drinks. Both the drink and food menus were very unique, imaginative, and tasty. Our waitress, Nyasha, was fantastic as well. She was very personable, happy, and helpful. We will definitely come back here when in Lawrence!
(5)Cassandra A.
While I'm way confused about what happened to Tellers - the place my husband took me the night he proposed - I can get behind this new restaurant. The menu had some pretty awesome food including many ingredients I frequent in my own daily diet - i.e. whole foods. I split a sweet potato quinoa patties with a friend and enjoyed a kale Caesar salad that was amazing. The dressing was very light leaving me feeling perfectly fed when I left. The waitress was great with her recommendations for being a first time guest here! I will probably be okay with coming back here!
(4)Eric M.
Sunday breakfast/lunch at Merchant was excellent. Best Mac n Cheese ever. 9 people and everyone loved their food!
(5)Alicia R.
Sunday Funday...1/2 price beer taps all day long. I think this pretty much says it all. They have 30 taps and a great space (both the dining room and bar areas honor this deal), as well as their daily happy hours (4-6 pm) of $1-3 off wines and cocktails and special $2 selected beers. I have only had limited food--the roasted brussels and kale cesar, the bee stings, house foccacia, and the Pub Picnic. The brussels and cesar were out of this world...a great place for veggies--next time I go, I am going to try the brussel salad and the blistered cauliflower. The bee stings (manchego cheese drizzled with truffled local honey and blakc pepper) were also amazing--find these on the snack menu. The house foccacia is soft and warm, butter it up with their honey butter, and it is a great accompaniment to anything you are eating. The Pub Picnic is great--all locally sources, but the portion is a little small for 4 people to share--just a warning, since you are going to want more of the duck prosciutto and goat cheese. The menu is extensive, with tons of veggie options, as well as appetizers, plates to share, sandwiches, and entrees. I want to go back and try a lot more of the offerings (especially since a lot of the food is locally and regionally sourced) As I mentioned above, they have 30 taps, but also a very appealing cocktail menu (I had one with butternut squash and brown butter--the texture was a little weird), but also got to sample a delicious Left Hand Chocolate Milk Stout "float" and some other the cocktails (all very tasty). Each time we have been there, a Friday night and 2 Sundays, our service was great. Very prompt, nice, and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is very upscale, laid-back; nice enough to bring a new romance or your family, but still comfortable enough to hangout and watch the TVs in the bar.
(4)Lauren F.
Stopped into Merchants to grab a couple drinks in the bar area on a Friday night. Their beer list was long and very impressive, and the menu definitely showed promise. We shared an order of the burrata and falafel and while the burrata was sadly a miss, the falafel was very good and we would definitely order again. Love the old bank space, we'll definitely have to stop in for dinner next time we're in Lawrence.
(4)Dezeree H.
The one thing I liked about our dinner was the creativity and variety of the menu. However, the actual quality of the food is not on par with the price charged. If I am paying $25 plus for a menu item I expect it to be really good, and not just average in taste.
(2)Frank L C.
Went for an anniversary dinner with two old friends, and we had a truly fine meal. The server was polite and quick, food was excellent and the wine moderately priced. (The beer selection was tempting as well, but after all a 38th anniversary calls for a good bottle of wine.) Appetizers were good, I enjoyed the rabbit cacciatori, which was tender and flavorful. and dessert was awesome as well.
(4)Richard A.
OK, this is a review about the Merchant's bar than the food, which I have not had for over a year. I also wanted to rate this only two stars, but I feared that would be unfair to a mostly-food establishment when I was just reviewing their bar (and particularly only their cocktails). But here's the thing: as someone who was here when Merchant's predecessor Teller's opened back in the early 90s, I've always maintained that, from an aesthetic perspective at least, this property has probably the best bar in town- high ceilings, lots of seats, great lighting (although I do pine for the days when there was no TV, but whatever). And from a beer perspective, they've certainly got it going on. Hard to fault their extensive beer selection. But when it comes to cocktails, man, everything starts to fall apart. I've known this for awhile. This place *should* be, with 715 and Pachamama's, one of the top cocktail bars in town. It SHOULD be. But it's not, and that bothers me. Couple reasons: First, the cocktail list is extremely hit and miss. In most great cocktail joints, even if you don't like a particular cocktail, rarely is it completely unpalatable. But man, there are some drinks on the menu that have made me push the glass back at the bartender. Speaking of bartenders, that's my second gripe: when I went last week (because yes, I do believe in going back and giving places 2nd/3rd chances), the bartender corrected my pronunciation of 'Bulliet" bourbon. I was a little taken aback but because I was unsure of the pronunciation myself, I figured being a bartender, the guy was probably right and I was wrong. No biggie. But after he delivered me a Manhattan that, instead of being stirred and clear, was so shaken and cloudy that I seriously initially thought it was a White Russian, I should have known maybe I shouldn't trust his judgement on things alcohol-y. [and, turns out, I was right, he was wrong. It's pronounced "Bullit" not "Bully-eh." But I'm not gonna gloat- we're all adults here....] Anyway, my point being- you're so close! Part of what makes 715 and Pachamama's so great- from a cocktail perspective- is that they've got great people both creating the cocktail menus and serving them. This permeates everything. Get some of these people!
(3)Robert B.
In Lawrence for work and found a gem! 4-6 happy hr on all beer under 7%-great. Food is local clean and very very good. Have a fellow worker with food restrictions and he can eat like everyone else, even desserts. But the item that won me over are the Brussel Sprouts- to die for!!! A must try item when in Lawrence. Building even has a bit of Bonnie and Clyde history.....ask your server.
(5)Cole B.
This review is based on bar/drinks only. I have been to lawrence many times, but this was my first visit to Merchants. I was happy to see 30 craft beers on draft with an up to date draft list. The bartender informed is right away that one of the beers on the list was no longer available. This is great, because I have been to many craft beers bar where I order 4-5 beers on the list only to be told they no longer have it on draft. I can't wait to go back and try the food and cocktails.
(5)Jennifer E.
Omg I do not know what lawrence did before this place. Gorgeous plating! My fave and addiction are their crab cakes. The staff is very friendly and accommodate for large parties. It's also in a really cool old bank and the women's restroom is in the vault... super cool! Thanks for a great place in a great space!
(5)Matthew F.
I've dined here several times. They have a good beer selection, but that's about all they have going for them (that's really not that hard to accomplish anyhow). The menu is pretentious and overpriced, and the staff is rude. Most of the servers spend their time bullshitting with each other at the bar and the "management" is pretty much non- existent except for an older women that floats around the place pretending to be important. On another occasion several weeks ago this same woman was HAMMERED drunk when she sat us at our table. She grabbed the menus from the hostess and loudly proclaimed that she would be the one to seat us. She was slurring her words and stumbling all the way to the table. I honestly don't even know what she was attempting to say. Pretty unprofessional. I would suggest dining elsewhere.
(1)Shanley C.
Merchants Pub & Plate is the latest restaurant to open on Mass Street offering diners a unique experience in both dining and drinking. Also a self-proclaimed gastropub, Merchants Pub & Plate offers 30 beers on tap from breweries across the United States, as well as some local favorites. I made a reservation on a Tuesday evening and had no problem being seated immediately. I took advantage of the Happy Hour beer special and enjoyed a Free State Cloud Hopper IPA for $3 at the recommendation of my server. Merchants' chefs blend seasonal produce and locally sourced meat to create a menu chalked full of Midwestern flavors. The Crispy Walleye Sandwich ($11), made with beer-battered fish, citrus pepper slaw and fresh cilantro, was solid. Don't expect a ton of seasoning - simplicity is what you'll get. The flavor of the fish speaks for itself, along with a hint of spice and a mild taste of cilantro. As a companion to my soup, I ordered the Chef's Seasonal Soup of the Day - Carrot Ginger ($4). This was a perfectly executed vegan soup. Another sandwich I recommend is the Stacked BLT ($10). Local bread, local house cured bacon, locally grown tomatoes - you catch my drift. The bacon is phenomenal. It steals the show. Do not leave Merchants Pub & Plate without dessert. The Sweet Potato Donuts ($7) come to your table piping hot with a warm trio of dipping sauces including: apple butter, bavarian IPA and chocolate ganache. The donut holes are rolled in cinnamon and sugar so I felt like the apple butter was a perfect dipping companion. I burned my tongue severely because I couldn't stop stuffing my face with them. Dessert #2 was the Bourbon Caramel Blondie ($7) with apple cider ice cream and candied bacon. The description alone should send you driving to Mass Street right now. The ice cream and blondie are so sweet that the salty goodness of the bacon is the perfect combo to finish off the flavor of the dessert. It's perfection all around.
(4)Andrea S.
Had a lovely meal here over the weekend. The specials were nicely prepared--diver scallops with lentil risotto and a rocket salad with melon and prosciutto--and we both enjoyed ourselves. The scallops had a nice sear and were perfectly cooked. The salad was light and delicious... Perfect for a late summer meal. We were seated near the front window and were able to people watch the crowds on Mass St. Have to love Lawrence! Definitely planning to go back. I'd like to try their white bean griddle cakes.
(5)Denette V.
This is a really great place. More upscale than the name suggests, the chef does an excellent job in the execution of the dishes. Of the three of us, we had their beef steak special, the wild mushroom loaf and the shrimp/chorizo /polenta dish. Fabulous! Each unique with complementary flavors that brought out the stars of each dish. I was raised eating quality beef and find most chefs fail to enhance the flavors of beef. Salt and pepper is all good steak really needs, but this chef kicked it up with a drizzle of chimi churri. Honestly I found the sauce more delightful with the roasted veggies the steak sat on because the seasoning and steak was that good. The other table favorite was the mushroom loaf with a luscious tomato gravy. This dish is just fabulous. The Spanish flare of the shrimp and chorizo dish was good and delightfully balanced. Wine list was interesting with many great pairing choices. Spirits and beers were quite interesting if one wanted that direction. Dessert was unique and well executed as the mains. Wait staff was pleasant and attentive without pressuring. Suggestions, make reservations before you come to town. The place is pretty busy and you will not want to miss out.
(5)Erik B.
This place is slowly becoming one of the "standards" that me and my friends go to. It's just really good with a great bar/beer selection. It's a nice crowd. It's one of the few places in Lawrence that's nice but not too extravagant...a good first or second date venue. The food has never disappointed, but the portions you get have. If I could give them 4.5 stars, I would. It's a bit pricey for what you get...but overall, I highly recommend this place.
(4)Natalie W.
I had their chicken sandwich and it came out extremely dry and had no flavor. Their fries were ok. Their beer selection is awesome. I will probably go back for the beer and maybe tey the food again.
(3)Clarice W.
What's up with Lawrence replacing old classics (Teller's, Milton's...) with more swanky attempts? Came here for drinks on a Friday night; the crowd here is definitely older. Their signature cocktails are disappointing; I can think of several other places in KC and even in Lawrence where I've had better versions of similar drinks. The Sir Barnum sounded interesting (scotch, cream sherry, smoked salt rim) but was far too sweet and the salted rim did not meld well with the flavors. But most of all, it was so hard to get over how aesthetically unappealing the drink looked - it had chunks floating around in it. Please, bartenders, when working with cream liquers it is so crucial to think about how that cream is going to react with the other ingredients! No one wants to take a sip of chunky cocktail!! I didn't eat here but after seeing what they've done to the place, I can't say I want to. I don't like the open kitchen they've tried to create here - in a small space this works as a rustic reminder of farm-to-table style cooking, but in this large bank space it just looks messy. And for the record, I agree with previous Yelpers: this is no gastropub. It's a restaurant with a bar that has a decent variety of beers on tap. There is very little connection between the two. The one thing Merchant's has going for it is the space - even a paint job can't take away the historic feel of those high ceilings.
(2)Anne H.
We have eaten here multiple times and have always had a great experience! The service is always excellent and servers charming, the food is wonderful, and their beer selection exceeds my husband's standards (which is a feat). We loved this restaurant so much we also had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. Their food translated so well to family-style and they took great care of us and our family - perfectly executing every detail! I highly recommend heading to Merchant's for your next catered gathering. Oh, and don't leave without trying the yam fries!
(5)K G.
I was so sad that this restaurant looked nothing like a pub, for starters. After I got over the fact that it just looked like a newer version of the last restaurant, I swallowed my disappointment and ordered something unmemorable. It was a tiny portion and was overpriced. Nobody in our party of four was overly impressed with any of their food choices. Too bad. This city really could have benefited from an actual pub with actual pub fare. This is just pretentiousness.
(2)Farley D.
I expected something different from Merchant's having read about it first. The night I was there was a night there was a basketball game on, so that may have affected the ambiance, but it was completely silent in there, as everyone was watching the game on television. We ordered through the bar, and the service was amiable, yet distant. They had great happy hour specials, and the menu was large, albeit rather plain. Bison bolognese was a let down, brussel sprout salad was plain, and the plowman's plate was skimpy--where they advertised 'meats' on it, all that came was one grilled sausage. Perhaps worth checking out if there's no other option.
(3)Sandra W.
Please do yourself a favor and go here. Try just about anything on the menu and you'll pretty much have to come back to try the rest. The quinoa and sweet potato burger is a great example of a die hard meat-eater (myself and several friends!) falling in love with a veggie option because it was just that darn good! I can't list all the great options because it would basically be the menu. However.... Sweet potato doughnut holes, bar bites, buffalo chicken meatballs, and scallops. Go after 9 for the best drink specials in town and order whatever speaks to you!
(5)Kerry P.
This experience was short-lived due to me being partially intoxicated... however we did come here to try the fries and the meatballs from their "late happy hour" menu. Meatballs were good but the fries were saltier than the Dead Sea. And considering that I wasn't sober, it's gotta be REALLY salty. It was basically inedible... Not sure if I want to try this place again as I didn't really have a good experience (food-wise) when it was formally known as Teller's.
(2)H C.
Like this spot and have enjoyed some wonderful beer pairing dinners here. The food is good. And so is the beer - though I wish they were more into belgium/farmhouse ales, and less into hoppy beers. But that's my own personal preference. The downside is the dining space. It can't quite shake its bank ancestry. The ceiling is so high, it feels vast. Maybe if they painted is another color? On a Friday night out w my beau I want a romantic, cozy spot, so we usually skip it. Saying all that, I love the bar! The happy hour is great. I have drank many a $2 / half price beer here, and had a good time.
(4)Bill B.
Unfortunately Teller's restaurant, a long standing Lawrence landmark, is now gone. The replacement is Merchants Pub. While not comparable to the upscale Teller's, Merchants serves some very interesting and innovative food. I particularly liked the Tuna Confiture and the Wild Striped Bass. The soup of the day also was excellent. The vegetables that you can order separately are served in large portions. In fact one appetizer and one or two side vegetable could be enough for a dinner. Although Merchants specializes in its large selection of craft beers, the wine list is very good, and includes some modestly priced options. The happy hour is only in the bar area from 4 to 6 pm. But whether in the bar area or the main dining room, this is not a comfortable dining room in which to spend a lot of time. If your preference is for a relaxed three course meal, you may not be happy with the hard wooden chairs. There isn't a cushion anywhere in the restaurant. Also there are many long tables for large groups. When crowded, you won't have much privacy here, and the noise can be considerable. We arrived at 4 pm and avoided those problems, until around the time we were leaving. The server was Rachel. She provided excellent rapid service, but had not been adequately trained. When she opened the wine bottle, she left the cork on the cork screw and then took them away. Obviously she had not been told that she is supposed to remove the cork from the cork screw and leave the cork on the table. Another oddity is the need for a password for guest access to wifi. Most restaurants do not require a password, if the restaurant has a separate guest wifi connection. But at Merchants, both the secure and the guest connections require passwords. When the restaurant is busy, it is a waste of the servers' time to have to find out and provide that password to customers who request it. I booked the reservations on Open Tables. To my astonishment, I got a message from Open Tables (the day after we were there), saying that we had not been there, so would not get credit for the reservation. Of course, I told the hostess that we had reservations, when we arrived. In all the years I've been using Open Tables, I've never before had this happen to me. I have better things to do with my time than having to deal with this kind of mistake by a restaurant. Perhaps Merchants should send their hostesses back to school.
(3)Ann W.
The food here really seems to be a mixed bag. I like that they have some gluten-free and dairy-free options available, although my gluten-free entree was served with regular, not gluten-free pasta. This could be a huge oops for someone with serious celiac disease. This is something I wanted to mention early in my review because it's important for those who could have a serious reaction to know up front that there may be some level of risk involved in trusting this restaurant to deliver on their dietary restriction requirements. We started out our dinner with a couple of appetizers. We had the rabbit sausage appetizer which was incredibly tasty and served with roasted tart cherries and yams. This was my favorite part of the meal. We also had the scallops which we really should have sent back. $14 dollars for three small scallops and they couldn't bother to rinse the sand off first? If you do not know how to prepare scallops, don't put them on the menu. Scallops should never ever be sandy. My stepfather had the angus steak which was a huge portion. He liked the flavor, but it was a very tough cut that was difficult for him to chew. My mother had the chicken and she reported it was one of the best chicken dishes she had ever had. The hubby had a hamburger which he said was "ok" but it simply didn't hold a candle to his favorite burgers at Blanc or The Burger Stand. My bison dish was served with tiny bits of ground bison meat which was unexpected, and not in a good way. The overall flavor of the sauce was nice, but the dish didn't have enough sauce. The error noted above with serving wheat pasta was unappreciated. It was funny, because at the time, I was a bit shocked that the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente because gluten-free pasta usually doesn't have that perfect bite. Not much later that evening, I discovered that it wasn't gluten-free as ordered. Don't ask me why I know this. The decor is generally nice. I love the old bank building, but I'm not sure what the hell they did to the wall behind the bar. Is this supposed to be artistic? It just looks like a hideous mistake and detracts from the beauty of the space. Our waitress was very quiet in her demeanor and not terribly full of personality, but delivered the food relatively quickly and kept glasses refilled at a reasonable pace. This is one of those places that I think has some promise. I would never ever again order a dish here where I could be exposed to gluten. I don't trust them. I would never order their scallops again. If I happened to be in Downtown Lawrence and wanted a quick bite, I'd be willing to order the rabbit sausage app again. At the prices here, because the quality is such a mixed bag, it's really not worth it to me to come back and work my way through their menu.
(3)Andrew D.
Absolutely amazing. I've been looking forward to trying this place for long time mostly for the beer. I was pleasantly surprised the food as well. My wife and I tried this for lunch today I had the chipotle chicken my wife had the mac & cheese and crabcakes and the food was just unbelievable. Service was incredible the bartender did a really good job we will definitely be going back.
(5)Jan A.
The food here is delicious! Stopped in on a Tuesday evening and had the scallops, dinner buddy had the pork tenderloin. Both were prepared perfectly - with interesting accompaniments that enhanced the flavor of the main item. Nice presentation, good portions. We loved it. The wait staff was friendly, knowledgable and efficient. We will definitely be back.
(5)David K.
Had lunch on a Thursday, got: - burrata appetizer: seemed more like just mozzarella than burrata, but at least good mozzarella. the crostini were more "crosti" than I'd prefer, although made them good teething toys for baby. neither pesto nor mushrooms as flavorful as expected, though toasted garlic was. so: could have been much better, but was still good as-is. - smoked beet salad: the beets weren't smoky, but still good, and the greens (mostly baby spinach, it seemed) were fresh, the dressing subtle, and the green apple slices and fried goat cheese rounded out the dish nicely. no more than the sum of its parts, but good parts (and I was craving some fresh veggies after eating out for a couple days). - falafel: I added this to my salad for $3. I liked it a lot, and helped add some calories (you get two good-sized pieces) to an otherwise light dish. it didn't particularly go with the beet salad, but enjoyable to eat just on its own. - (tried) shrimp & "grits" (polenta cubes): an interesting interpretation, and nice presentation. I didn't like the shrimp as much as that at Free State (or Terrebonne)--maybe b/c it was a little less cooked, and had some slightly tougher strands--but still enjoyable, and the pepperonata went well with it. the sausage (andouille) was really good, too (I guess they make it in-house, I just noticed?), although not spicy. - smoke & mirrors (drink): I don't get more than a few mixed drinks a year, so maybe my bar is low, but I thought this was delicious. - sweet potato donut(hole)s: the donuts themselves (5) had nice texture and flavor (the potato flavor is subtle, though). they come w/ 3 sauces, and the Bavarian cream complements the heavy/fried/sweet donuts well. I didn't like the choc/stout "pudding" (pretty liquidy for "pudding"...), but I don't like beer. the strawberry jam tasted great but (imo) didn't match well with the donuts, so I just ate the jam separately w/ the spoon =) - the building/interior is a nice place to dine. but didn't feel like it was too fancy to bring a baby (for lunch at least). Since I was a tourist, I enjoyed that they had a map of their (local/KS) suppliers on the back of the menu, although otherwise I wouldn't really care about "local" as opposed to "sustainable" (I mean, if someone's degrading the environment in whatever way, I'd rather it *not* be "local" to where I live...). Not cheap ($63 incl. tax and nice tip), but I felt good about it, so I think that warrants 4 stars. But still much room for improvement.
(4)Matt R.
Take the bartenders advice. Kale Caesar is a very nice change from the traditional. Duck Carnitas - I ate it all by myself; no sharing. Mac and Cheesemonger - make sure to add the bacon!
(5)John T.
Great restaurant. Its very clean and modern. The food is fresh and delicious. The sandwiches are very good and they are also very reasonable. They have great appetizers. The bourbon ice cream is delicious, and the brown sugar pie is delicious.
(5)Tim V.
I'll reserve a 5-star review for after I've eaten here more, but I had a great experience. I had the fish sandwich (barramundi?) and a few Lagunitas beers that were on special for an amazing price. The whole menu was more reasonable than I had been led to believe, and for the first time in years, the place looked clean enough to serve food.
(4)Gordy M.
We raised our kids to be adventurous eaters, and Merchant's hits the mark. Our Boston kiddos were back in Lawrence for a visit, so we decided to meet up here for a family repast. Merchants opened after they headed east, and we don't get to Lawrence too much these days. All together we had six adults, a seven year-old and the newest granddaughter. It was a pleasant evening - rare in July - and the sidewalk table worked out great. The service was friendly and prompt. Along with beers and a couple drink specials we ordered the Pub Picnic and Sweet Corn Arancini for starters. Devoured! The two traditionalists in the crowd played safe with the Sweetlove Farm Chicken and Smoked Pork Chop. They were well-prepared although a tad borrrrr-ing. The aforementioned adventurers opted for Duet of Rabbit, the chef's special catfish creation for the evening, and I just had to taste Moroccan Goat Stew. Now mind you I don't take goat stew at face value, so I questioned our waiter a bit. The goat is grown and butchered locally and never frozen before landing in the chef's stewpot. It was delectably tender and perfectly seasoned with curry and a few other spices I'm sure. It was served with grilled pita, and I added a side of Brussels sprouts. The dish was extremely bountiful, and I had to make myself stop eating it. I was totally full, and I had it again the next day for lunch. Nobody in our group complained about taste or portion. I'm sure that resulted in the fact that all of us together could only muster enough appetite for one Chocolate Beet Tort and some house-made ice cream.
(4)Richard R.
We are visiting from the Chicago area. Merchant's is a pleasant surprise. The food was excellent. We had muscles for an appetizer which were outstanding. I had shrimp and grits, my wife had the short ribs and my granddaughter had scallops. Each dish was wonderful. They have a nice beer and wine selection, I recommend Merchants for a great dining experience.
(5)Andrew L.
I understand the owners wanted to capitalize on being Lawrence's very first gastropub. I believe one of the other reviewer's described it best by saying, "a very large variety of beers to accompany overly priced comfort food with local ingredients." I found his description to be right on the mark. The food was rather bland and the beer list left me somewhat overwhelmed. My biggest disappointment was the ambiance of the gastropub. Merchant's used to be Lawrence's nicest restaurant because of their local ingredients, historical references, and family atmosphere. I remember seeing tons of families enjoying a nice meal before a local sporting event, show at the Lied Center, or during the holidays. Now it just seems like an upscale bar. I miss the historical relevance it used to proudly display and the opportunity it provided families to share a quality experience. I have no intention of returning. I would rather spend the extra money at another establishment that provides a more welcoming atmosphere.
(2)Holly G.
This place is wonderful! I had my first experience during a tasting at Final Fridays. I was hooked, and so ready for them to open. I also got a chance to hear the owners and building owner speak. They are all truly wonderful people and obviously care a lot of about the Lawrence community. More than that the food and service is AMAZING! The food is decently priced and is delicious and is local for a bonus. We went there once and they gave my boyfriend a sample of beer he wanted to try. On that same visit, they got his order wrong, twice. Whoops! But they were able to fix is quickly and were nice about it, and gave him another free drink (I don't think he needed it). Everyone there is incredible. Speaking of incredible, so is there beer/wine selection. A true paradise for those who are interested in that :)
(4)Trigo B.
We went to Merchants for a nice celebration dinner. The atmosphere was nice, although quite noisy. Our waitress was kind and helpful. I ordered a cocktail that had lemon curd in it. It was quite strange, I couldn't finish it. Some of us ordered angus steak for dinner. The steaks did not meet our expectations. They were somewhat chewy. The side salads were quite delicious. Overall, it was "okay" but I would not recommend it for an important occasion.
(3)Emily M.
The Merchants people gave a much-needed update to this wonderful space on Mass. St. They stayed true to the bank interior (including the vault bathrooms) and spruced it up nicely. But you're looking for a food and service review, I'm sure. What I said about the interior was probably the most positive thing so far. Well, that and the beer list is wide-ranging and kinda fun. I like the food here. I don't know what "gastropub" means -- a place to eat and have a beer? We have lots of those in Lawrence. I would describe Merchants' food as on the rich side, comfort food, with some modern updates. You will be hard-pressed to eat lightly here. I have liked almost everything I've eaten. The kale Caesar salad has maybe been my surprise favorite, really yummy (and definitely one of the lighter things!). The house potato-leek soup is hearty and tasty. They make a good burger, and the porchetta sandwich is surprisingly garlicky and flavorful (although I found a huge hunk of gristle in mine). If I like the food, why am I not giving it a higher rating? Honestly, the value. My family of four -- 2 adults, 2 kids -- had dinner here recently. Four meals (two regular, two kids menu), three beers, and the total tab was $87 before tip. Yowza! I spend that much at 715 for the 4 of us, but we walk away with leftover containers enough for lunch the next day. (We had no leftovers from Merchants -- good ingredients, but not that big of portions) Between the heavy-duty meals and high prices, we just can't come here that regularly. It's not good for our waistlines or our wallets. I wish the portions were big enough to be able to share, at the prices they charge. I'll be here occasionally, and I'm rooting for them, but Merchants is just not my kind of hangout.
(3)Allen P.
The good was great, the service was prompt and friendly (handlebar mustache Dan was a little off-putting with his patronizing sincerity and "Valley Girl" intonations, but was very attentive). We really liked the atmosphere and the seating was good (we sat on the second level with a nice view of the overall venue). Although we didn't stop there, the bar was thriving and had great energy and we thought we might come back to try that at a later time. The menu offered some unique (not run of the mill) choices and that was a nice addition to the adventure of trying out a new place. Our food was very tasty and worth the price. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the menu ... both the main menu and the dessert menu arrived with dry crusted food on the surface ... a bit off-putting, but not a reflection on the rest of the evening. I can recommend this location for a good meal and a change from the ordinary.
(3)Randall F.
If I could give negative stars- I'd start there. Merchants by all appearances is Tellers with a new paint-job on the ceiling. Their snobbery, arrogance, and average food leads me to write the following review: Bringing my family there for a nice meal, I had high hopes. As we walked in and the hostess noticed the two young children in our party I could immediately tell we were in trouble. I was told there were no tables- despite the nearly 20!!!!! empty tables I was looking at. Then after a 20 min. wait while they "tried" to accommodate us- they took us to the third level. Clearly the family level based on the fact that the only other parties dining up there had kids. We sampled a great spread of average food ranging from the deviled eggs, to pickled peppers, Kale Salad, to Pappardelle with lamb sausage. Overall the food was average at best. I'd probably have given the restaurant at least two stars if it were based on taste alone, however the slow service, constant attitude and general lack of care (despite the fact that we dropped well over $100) lead me to leave angry and dissatisfied. Food should have enough flavor to not need excessive salt to make it edible. Everything I had was simply undercooked, under flavored, and over valued. I will NEVER dine here again- and hope that the rest of lawrence will allow this place to wilt on the vine like Tellers did. Lets put a bank back in this building and move on already.
(1)Jennifer G.
A cool seat by the window on a winter day but a delicious meal. Make it as costly or as cheap as you like. You could leave for $10 or spend $100. Amazing beer selection and I suggestion the tailwind cocktail. Beestings, Brussel sprouts salad and pub picnic were amazing choices. Follow up with goat cheese cheesecake and YONOMNOM happy campers.
(4)David G.
The city of Lawrence was burned in 1863 and from its ashes arose the town we've come to know and love. That's why the symbol of our town is a phoenix. From the ashes of the former Teller's has arisen a new star on the Lawrence restaurant scene that will certainly become your new favorite. First, get over the fact that while Merchants bought the Teller's building, they are in fact nothing like Teller's. I too miss the mushrooms, but I also miss Paradise Cafe and Panchos. Fact is, tastes change and in later years the Teller's concept changed so much Teller's wasn't really Teller's. If you think this is the new Tellers...go back to grief counseling and move from denial to acceptance. This is not a romantic Italian restaurant. They don't even have pizza ovens anymore. What Merchants has created is a unique local experience incorporating the historic qualities of the former Merchant's Bank as well as local farm-to-table food served gastropub style. The bathrooms are still in a bank vault and the gorgeous light fixtures and copper sculptures as well as the wrought iron fencing remain. This is still a former community bank and the new business located in this place is focused on community. The atmosphere is communal. I feel like I'm walking into a country kitchen. The tables look like reclaimed wood and appear antique, and the high back chairs look like the ones I'd expect in that country kitchen rather than a restaurant. The fact the napkins are tasteful, yet unmistakingly dishrags, sends the message loud and clear they want you to feel at home in every respect. My only fear was that someone would come by telling me to take my elbows off the table, but the service was attentive and responsive. One nice touch is when I said we were going to share our kale Caesar salad, the server was kind enough to split it onto two plates. The place is bright and cheerful with an energetic vibe (see earlier caution if you are looking for a quiet romantic dinner). The beer: Here it isn't an afterthought but an equal player in the dining experience. According to my exhaustive and liver-challenging research, this place has the most open taps in Lawrence (30) but also has a great bottled selections (including gluten free, yeah!) as well as wine and cocktails. Roughly half the beers are local/regional and the other half or craft brews along with some more pedestrian varieties (Old style--really?). As a beer snob, I appreciate the fact that different styles of beers are served in different glasses. I'm not a cocktail guy but the Sir Barnum really piqued my interest and was a sweet and smoky start to my meal - getting my palate ready for a Green Flash Palate Wrecker. Mmm wrecked palate. I lie. I'm more of a stout and porter guy and hope the selection changes for the fall and winter. Kudos for having Old Rasputin stout and double kudos for offering a beer float made with that for dessert. The Food: I'd describe the menu as folksy and accessible but with a funky fresh twist. For example, instead of hot wings appetizer how about buffalo chicken meatballs? Pretzel bread with mustard ale compound butter instead of good old pretzels and mustard. Nice. Nothing here should be unfamiliar to American diners but the preparation is unique, just like Lawrence itself. The vegetarian selections are great (I got the kale and white bean savory cakes) but they are willing to make any selection vegetarian or vegan so don't skip the watermelon arugula salad because it has pork belly on it. My suggestion: ask them to leave it off and put on the crunchy garlic instead. Meal presentation here is beautiful with floral accents when applicable and wonderful array of colors with the heirloom carrots. Leave room for dessert because here have that same Lawrence twist on old classics. My first visit I got the chocolate beet torte. It was kinda like zucchini bread but delicious chocolate through and through. Although they were out of the popular sweet potato donuts, they sound delicious. I took at pass on the blondie brownies with candied bacon, but Mike couldn't' resist anything with bacon. He cleaned his plate. How I found room for dessert I'll never know, but somehow I did. I will say the menu is somewhat limited when compared to some other places. They do a few great dishes and do them very well keeping the items seasonal and local when possible. The pricing is very reasonable with most appetizers under $10. Overall Merchants Pub is a great Lawrence-focused gastropub that combines food and beer and a welcome and familiar style and while respecting the history of the location offering something new and unique to our wonderful town.
(5)Mike S.
I have been to Merchants twice in the week they have been open and have quickly fallen in love with Lawrence's first true "gastropub" - a restaurant style for those who are unfamiliar which combines upscale comfort food prepared with local ingredients with an impressive beer and wine list. In fact, Merchants has 30 beers on tap, the most of any place in town, including some pretty rare varieties. As a beer aficionado I am quite happy! Food-wise, Merchants has hit home runs both times I have visited. I've tried the buffalo chicken meatball appetizer as well as the peach crostini - unique and delicious. Another unique dish is the kale Caesar salad - the use of kale adds a nice sharpness to the salad that blends nicely with the sweet garlic garnishes. For my main course, I have had the Mac and Cheese (best in the KC area as far as I am concerned, and I love Mac and Cheese!) and the burger, which was a nice, satisfying sandwich. For dessert, the ice cream with bacon was fun and satisfied my sweet tooth. Service was attentive and friendly both visits, although on the second visit things were a little slow with the bar. I would definitely recommend Merchants, both for Lawrencians and visitors from KC (bet this will be a great place to hit before a KU basketball game!)
(5)Silas G.
I am only giving it a good rating for now. I had to order 3 different entrees before I found one the kitchen could produce that evening. The food was wonderful, the drinks are inspired, and i love the use of the space. I will be back.
(3)Sarah A.
The good: the crab cakes were great, and the sauces plated with them were delicious; the sweet chili sauce had a great marmaladey citrus kick, the pesto was absolute perfection. The sweet corn risotto balls were creamy and beautifully done - thin crispy exterior and rich bliss on the interior, but the berry chipotle sauce was pointlessly bland, though vividly colored. We both tried tasting it on its own and even with a fairly big fork scoop of the purple sauce, the taste was... Not there. Vaguely berry like. The bad: the "pub picnic" is nearly criminal at $17. The homemade sausage was a strange muddy color, greasy and flavorless and had a bizarre texture. Not sure what the filler is. The prosciutto was also flavorless, and I honestly don't understand how that can happen. It had none of the sweet, salty, richly aged pork flavor you'd expect from prosciutto. There was a huge pile of it and I was so looking forward to prosciutto - but it just tasted like lighly salted thin wax sheets. The spicy giardinara was not pickled, it was mostly just a pot of raw minced garlic with some other vegetables in it. I put a spoonful on some bread and it nearly ruined my entire meal - eating a clove of raw garlic will do that unless you're into that kind of thing. Fortunately, the cream in the risotto did a pretty good job of neutralizing it. The bread and cheese were good. That was all we ate off the plate, and the server did not offer to exchange or comp the dish even though it was still full when he cleared it. Perhaps we should have complained or made a fuss. Based on manager responses to other negative reviews, you MUST send a dish back, complain, or make a fuss if you hope to enjoy an alternative. To me, this means their servers are inadequately trained (for a higher-end restaurant, anyway) - fine dining servers are typically a lot better at everything than ours was, including saying things like "Are you enjoying your meal?" or "Didn't enjoy the pub picnic? Let me see if I can take that off your tab or offer you a dessert since you didn't eat it." You know, basic solicitous courtesy from the server. Not everyone feels comfortable making a fuss or complaining, especially if the waiter is already ill-tempered and it seems like it might start a conflict or just make the dining experience more unpleasant than it already is. Also bad: the service. We had a surly (unsmiling, resentful-acting) server who refilled our drinks once at the meal, so we went without water or tea for a good part of it. The glasses are very small (maybe six ounces) so if you're having anything salty or have multiple share dishes and wish to sip water between them, bring a bottle of your own or hope that you get a better waiter. Trying to get his attention for the dessert menu even though he was pointedly ignoring us (even though we had not been bothering him - not that we could have since he was fussing with something over at the bar for most of our meal, not even bringing drinks) earned us a glare. Merchants - you have a lot of complaints about bad service. This town is literally chockablock with townies who have tons of service experience. You need to steal away at least one or two good servers from 715 or Pachamama's to act as Head Servers to train the inexperienced and monitor the dining room, or hire in a service consultant, and FIX THIS. The menu is too pricey for bottom-barrel service. You also have a lot of complaints about bland food. How does prosciutto even become bland? How long was it sitting sliced in the walk-in? Expecting guests to become negative and to complain in order to be noticed or well served is just bad, bad practice. I have honestly had infinitely better service at chain restaurants off of highways. The dessert menu is probably really nice if you have lots of food allergies, food restrictions, or are in any way dietarily neurotic. Everything seems gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, fun-free, and generally designed for the kind of neurasthenic types who ruin dinner parties. We didn't order anything and went around the corner for dessert. Even though we enjoyed two of the dishes and the bread, we won't be back. There are too many delicious options in Lawrence to make bad service acceptable.
(2)Courtney C.
I had been looking forward to the trying this place since I heard of it's opening. I am not a Lawrence resident so I had no sentimental attachment to the former restaurant that once occupied this space. I can not speak to it's former glory all I know is the new inception is absolutely fantastic. We met friends here for a late brunch one Sunday afternoon. I was excited to see that beers where 1/2 off and that they run food specials until the dinner menu was released. So many places don't offer any type of "happy hour" specials on the weekends. The foursome shared a "Pub Picnic" which consisted of house cured duck prosciutto and house made bratwurst, seasonal Farmer's cheese and a spicy giardiniara served with grilled baguette and stone ground mustard as well as an order of the house made beer bread focaccia with honey butter. We spent the afternoon snacking and drinking delicious beers and before we knew it the dinner menu had arrived. Why yes, thank you we will try the Chef's special. The food presented was more beautiful than described and tasted better than I could have even expected. 3 medallions of perfectly cooked pork tenderloin on a bed of avocado and goat cheese glaze and a side of forbidden rice and olive tapenade. It was a Mediterranean dream and made me yearn for southern Greece. Upon completing our afternoon we promptly made a pact to meet at this place every month to engage in some well deserved frivolity and buffoonery. See you soon. Cheers!
(4)Martine P.
We look forward to going back...soon! We were intrigued by many of the entrees as there is a variety of flavors and textures. Myself and my foodie friend, accustomed to enjoying quality food, decided to enjoy wine and then to share two of the entrees; which the kitchen kindly accommodated us without question. We chose the Sweet Love Chicken which was prepared perfectly, moist and succulent with flavors of rosemary. The creamed greens were spiced just right and the yam wedges were rightly a bit firm and not mushy. Topping it all off with the tomato-peppadew jam was a treat. We learned that most of that entree is local produce from the Lawrence vicinity, which is very cool. Then, we also shared the KILLER Mac and Cheesemonger topped with breadcrumbs. Are you kidding me? I'd go back just for this! Experiencing both of these entrees with a bottle of wine was a perfect way to experience the delicious food at Merchant's Pub. The music volume was just right. The place was busy for a Monday evening, including a couple families with kids. There was energetic noise, but we could easily carry on a conversation. It's not a stuffy place, yet you'd feel comfortable in dress attire or casual jeans. I might have enjoyed the lighting a bit dimmer, but I'm a romantic. Overall, it was all great! Yay! I'm a fan. The only thing that would made our experience 5 star would have been if the waitress would have known the specials a bit better and if she had offered us dessert and coffee. Based on the reviews I'm now reading, we missed out by not partaking in the them. So, back we'll go to enjoy wine, share and experience more entrees and stay for dessert.
(4)Shelly D.
I've been to Merchants a few times already and have had a great experience across the board. The beer selection is the best in Lawrence, and I love a couple of their beer cocktails as well. One of my trips was for happy hour so we shared several dishes from their snack menu at the bar. My favorites are the Bee Stings cheese, the chicken meatballs and the peach crostini. For dinner, I've had the Mac and Cheese (amazing) and the pork sandwich with fries (also wonderful). When we asked our server some questions about the menu options, she was helpful and friendly. Everyone I've gone to Merchants with has had great things to say. If you haven't been there yet, you've definitely got to try it for yourself!
(5)Kat F.
It looks hopeful for this relatively new restaurant. We've only eaten here once, but man, was it good (mostly). The Manchego cheese drizzled with truffle infused honey sent me over the moon!! I'm so glad I perused the menus on-line before we dined, or I wouldn't have known to order this one. The bread was pretty dry and fairly run of the mill. Our Pinot bottle (recommended by our server) was perfect, but it's coming off the menu (why?). Despite my reservations, we ordered the Mac and Cheese... Yum Yum Yum... and the potatoes under the porkchop were amazing!! The chop itself was good but dry, but I would order it again just to get at those potatoes!! Merchants is so close to being totally awesome. They do not need to worry (in my limited experience) about putting the right components together, but rather the difficulty may be crafting each component so that it shines in its own right. I hope they can pull it off! If they do, this place will be the best in Lawrence. I can't wait to give it another go!!!
(4)Ckm M.
We had a great late lunch. The food is thoughtful and delicious. We sampled many small plates. Great atmosphere. We are very much atmosphere and food people and highly recommend Merchant's!
(5)Steven M.
I've used Yelp for a few years when traveling to find places to eat. It never occurred to me to use it in my hometown because word of mouth is usually good enough. I should have looked through the reviews. The warning signs are there. My girlfriend and I went here after a couple of our friends raved about this place. It was bad enough to get me to actually sign up to yelp to post a review. This really feels like another pretentious, overpriced downtown Lawrence restaurant that will limp along for a year or two and disappear. The 30 beers on tap may draw some people in to try it, but the food isn't going to keep people coming back. We went for dinner on a weeknight and were seated right away. Then the wait began. It's not one of those things you notice as first. We were looking over the menu and slowly began to notice that several tables that came in after us already had drinks and one couple had appetizers. A waitress finally showed up as we started discussing how long do you wait before you just get up and leave. From this point on service was acceptable. The owners may want to rethink the T-shirt attire it's not a good look on a fair number of the waitstaff. We had crab cake appetizers which were very good, but then we both had trouble settling on a main course. The menu just was not terribly interesting. She had the Pork Cutlets and I had the Striped Bass. The presentation was good, but the food was maybe a touch over cooked. At the prices here I should be blown away, but wasn't. The biggest problem was the food was bland, aggressively bland. I rarely add salt or pepper to my meals preferring to enjoy the food as the chef intended, but this was one of the few times I found myself looking for a pepper shaker. Anything to add some spice as the chef had removed all flavor from the cardboard and paste I was eating.
(1)Jessie M.
That was, hands down, the WORST experience I have ever had. I had lunch here the day before, and it was decent. I came back for dinner: my son's chicken was uncooked, indelible and did NOT taste like chicken (it was dark meat and possibly rabbit?). My Sea Bass was shiny, cold uncooked. My husband's pork cutlet was pink (really pink) and our friend's hamburger, cold. I was served the wrong soup 3 times. I seriously think our waiter was actually the dishwasher pulled out of the dish room due to the large crowd! He was in a t-shirt and jeans, with a "deer in the headlights" look about him. Un believable. You take your health into your own hands here.
(1)Nick H.
We stopped at Merchants on a Thursday night for dinner and a few drinks. We sat at the bar and ordered a couple appetizers. The buffalo chicken meatballs are delicious. We also ordered the spring rolls, which were also very good. For my main coarse, I ordered the short rib sloppy joe. The meat was very tender and spiced to perfection. I would recommend Merchants for any night out on the town.
(4)Anne R.
Second time having dinner, the food was great and the service was very good! Becoming one of my very favorite restaurants in Lawrence. Love the varied menu and excellent ingredients.
(4)P O.
I've been to Merchants three times now- once for happy hour, once for dinner and once for lunch- and feel like I can write a fair review. Happy hour deals include some wines for $5/ glass, $2 off cocktails (originally priced $7-$11 I think) and a few $4 beers. There is a snack menu also with some offerings for around $5. I miss the bar area comfy chairs and couches that Tellers had; the tall tables are rather stiff and uncomfortable. "Pommes Frites" should really be called fries at am British/ American themed restaurant. They were delicious though. I appreciate very much the effort towards a beer- focused bar, which we don't have in Lawrence. I don't think the beer menu represents the best beer out there though. In particular, beers from the Northwest are entirely unrepresented. Ninkasi Total Domination please! I had the pimento cheese sandwich, which was unremarkable. The squash and mushrooms that came with it were delicious. I had very good service in the bar area, which left me unprepared for the poor service in the dining room. The hostess made us wait for several minutes before she seated us, while she brought water to some other tables and did some other things. This, at a time that wasn't particularly busy, while there were plenty of tables available. After we were seated it took several minutes for our server to make her way to us. She never asked how our food was, in fact never came to check on us after bringing our food. We asked a different server for bread and did let her know that our vegetables were uncooked to the point that we really needed a steak knife to cut them. It was too bad because properly roasted carrots are so delicious. The white bean cakes were great. I got a side of broccolini which was also crunchy and undercooked. Way overpriced for the quality of food. I'll stick to the bar side in the future.
(3)Kent S.
Simply put, it's excellent. All of the entrees have a unique touch as the chef seems to have put a lot of thought into each item on the menu. I was just looking for something basic so had the Merchant Burger and fries. It was perhaps one of the best I've ever had - incredibly flavorful ingredients that required no additional condiments. I love that all the food is locally sourced and the place has a relaxed atmosphere that makes you just want to chill. Oh, and let's not forget the 30 craft beers! If you are particular about the quality and source of the food you eat, you will love this place.
(5)Allan R.
JUST had lunch here (9/27/13) with 2 friends. Server Jessica was great! Atmosphere was great! Beer selection is amazing! Crab Cakes outstanding!! Bourbon Caramel Blondie was far to sweet. I've had much better. Porchetta Brioche was horrible. I'll not order it again nor would I recommend it. The greens in it were inedible and the pork was very fatty. Will I go back? Yes, as I'm having dinner here this evening. I always give a place 3 tries.
(2)L C.
Awful. Everything was bland and NOT worth the huge price tag. We had the fried rice balls and nothing about the plate was flavorful or even close to as interesting as it was trying to be. I had the white bean kale cakes and they were mushy and bland. They were served with a white cheese, which looked great, but tasted like unflavored ricotta. Not worth $17. My mom had the rabbit, which she said was so tough she had to pick it up to eat it. $22. Then we got some weird, stale, again bland dessert that had peanut butter cake and banana marscapone that looked like vomit. I miss Teller's. If they can't start making food that tastes great and stop trying to be trendy, this restaurant won't last long. It's a shame.
(1)Cherie S.
We came for the food, not the beer, so this review can't help you if you're looking for beer information. We had a large group, and since it was our first time here, we decided to share everything family style so that we could each sample more of the menu. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and five entrees, along with house red wine, hot tea, and house made lemonade. The appetizers we tried were the crab cakes, scallops, bread (focaccia), and skewered pork belly. For entrees, we had the steak, pork tenderloin special, rabbit caccitore, cornmeal breaded trout, pumpkin/ricotta stuffed ravioli, and bison Bolognese. Food wasn't uniformly great, but much of it was good (see more below). Overall, we think it's a heavier (think fat, salt) menu compared to our favorite place in town (on the 700 block), with some good options for appetizers. Next time, maybe we'll just come for drinks and appetizers. First: drinks and service were fine, though it took quite awhile for our simple drink order to arrive, and they forgot one of them. They were quite busy with several large groups, so it didn't seem unreasonable, but they could've done better. We really liked the scallop appetizer, seared and served with oyster mushrooms and other tasty bits. The crab cakes were fine, nicely sized and meaty. The skewered pork belly was very good - flavorful, meaty, and with great texture. Any of these could have served as a main dish given their heft, though I'd want a light salad or something to cut the grease. The bread was mediocre at best, it came with sweetened butter which made it seem a little less dry and less devoid of flavor, but we'll certainly skip it in the future. The main dishes didn't include anything from their sandwich menu, which again looked pretty heavy. We enjoyed the rabbit cacciatore (tasted like chicken!) The pumpkin ravioli was a nice option. I have to say though, that none of the main dishes excited us as anything super memorable. The fish was breaded and fried; it was a bit over-cooked at the edges and lacked flavor. The steak was cooked fine, but didn't have any particular grilled or especially meaty flavor to it. The noodles were blah. Overall, the food (mains, especially) just didn't quite live up to the beautiful space, moderate to upper-end prices, and comparisons to our favorite local spot that serves house-made pasta, locally sourced meats, and lighter options. We'll go again for drinks and appetizers, and then if the menu gets updated, maybe we'll give it another try. Until then, I wish them success!
(3)Dsrt W.
Love this place, GREAT service, really good tap. Very careful about my gluten issues. And the food was top rate, I would go well out of my way to eat here.
(5)Mark R.
Awesome little pub. They have a great selection of spirits and food. I got a burger there and it was actually really good. Much better than what I was expecting. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. A very cool place.
(5)Becca B.
My husband and I had an amazing meal at Merchant's and also had the pleasure of eating at the Chef's Table. I highly recommend it if you have a chance. It was very fun to watch all of the dishes come together and interact with the staff. My husband specifically asked for a food pairing with a specific beer and the chef and co-owner recommended a perfect match! We had the soup of the day...a spicy tomato that my husband said was the best soup he had ever had! I had the potato leek soup with truffle oil...so good! We also had the deviled eggs which were beautiful and yummy. The pretzel bread was perfect with the ale butter. I loved the crab cakes...the different sauces all add something special. The pork cutlets were delicious and huge! We topped off the meal with the bourbon caramel blondie topped with homemade apple cider ice cream and candied bacon. Yes bacon! It was killer. This is a place to sit and enjoy each bite. While it was a perfect date night it would also be great for a family meal, lunch with friends or just a drink and snacks! You don't have to be a "foodie" to enjoy Merchant's...go hungry because it is hard to choose!
(5)Russ B.
My wife and I went here for our date night. I had the BLT with fries...DELICIOUS! The staff was extremely helpful and our waitress made excellent recommendations from their impressive assortment of beers on tap. I definitely plan on returning here in the near future. Get here early on the weekends as it gets extremely busy later in the evening.
(5)Mark F.
Save your money. I took my wife and daughter here expecting something above par and got anything but. Tables are set to close where wait staff easily bump into you while tending to other guests. Our waitress never smiled, would not speak loud enough for us to hear her, and only returned to the table when it was time to give the check; someone else filled our drinks and delivered our food. The food was average, at best; spices are not well balanced or paired together. I ordered the pork sandwich which was about 20% fat; for the price I expected better. Lawrence has much better to offer at other establishments, I suggest you chose one of them.
(1)Alisa B.
Merchants just continues to get better and better! The menu is creative, the service is fabulous and we have a great time every time we eat there. Literally, we have never had a bad experience there. Tonight, we brought our friends who are serious foodies and world travelers (they are from Hong Kong). They were very impressed. The goat main course won rave reviews and the salmon was perfectly cooked. The mint chocolate chip ice cream, clearly made from scratch with real mint, was both luscious and refreshing. My Jameson and gingerale cocktail was perfect, and our great waiter John suggested a great pale ale for the guys. All together, a lovely meal, delivered at a relaxed pace, that allowed us time to catch up with dear friends. What more could we ask? Nothing! Thanks to the entire team at Merchants!
(5)Gayle S.
Was first restaurant we went to in lawerence and was very pleased. Crab cakes soooo good. Smoked pork main meal tender and tasty , end with sweet potato donut for sweet desert loved but sauce so so with donut. Great atmosphere too.
(4)S L.
We have dined at this restaurant 3 times and each experience was fantastic! The food is delicious, there are lots of great beers on tap, and the service and atmosphere are almost perfect. I highly recommend the pub picnic and the beer floats, but everything else has been excellent, too.
(5)A.K. M.
Ate here this past weekend. I like the face lift inside and the ambiance was more swanky (or trying to be) then tellers. I though the appetizers were the strongest course. I had charcuterie, the shrimp and cheese plate. All were awesome and well selected. However my main course was lacking. I ordered the Mac and cheese and it was just too intense. One bite and I was just....overwhelmed. I will add a star for service however. My server was really great, attentive and knowledgeable.
(4)Laura K.
Inventive food, especially the vegetarian choices!!! Incredible beer selection, friendly and knowledgeable service, my supper club pals and I all very satisfied!
(5)Jay C.
The rabbit sausage special with sweet potato tempura was fantastic. Excellent, knowledgable, and comfortable service. The blonde bartendress is hot!
(5)