Merchant

4.3

1583 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 24 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Lively
Charming

Merchant is Madison's energetic industrial-chic cafe, craft cocktail bar and late night destination specializing in no-nonsense, affordable fare and drink steeped in old school culture and soul.

Our menu features elevated American classics like shrimp cakes, steaks, burgers, and mac and cheese. As Madison’s first craft cocktail bar, our drink list includes twists on classic cocktails using fresh ingredients and heritage spirits, fresh innovative non-alcoholic drinks, and wines from boutique producers, fresh beers on tap, and heritage beers.

Additional information

Location
121 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
Phone number
(608) 259-9799
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Cajun, Cocktail Bar
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Happy Hour Tue–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm Sat, Sun 2:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Late Night Fri, Sat 10:00 pm–1:00 am
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Streetside and Parking ramp available across the street
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Tony Hargrove
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Featured in

45 Wisconsin Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Experiences

Date Night at Merchant! Prixe Fixe $60 for 2
US$30.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Choice of any snack, starter, and any entree, and a bottle of wine to share. Starting at $60 for two guests!
Graduation Weekend at Merchant 2025!
US$10.00 per person
Prepaid
May 9, 2025 - May 10, 2025
Due to such high demand for reservations on graduation weekend, we will be charging a $10 ticket fee per person. This applies to bookings between 2-10pm on both Friday May 9th and Saturday May 10th. This ticket is non-refundable and is simply a fee charged to confirm bookings with us on these dates! In the case of cancellations at any time, this cost will NOT be reimbursed to our guests. All graduation bookings will be programmed for a 2hr dining experience. Every graduate will receive a glass of bubbly from us to celebrate all of their achievements, and all their friends & family of graduates will be offered a sampler of bubbly to cheers them with! We can't wait to host you during graduation weekend!
Merchant Trivia Night Is BACK!
Multiple dates available
Merchant has teamed up with America's Pub Quiz to put on Trivia nights every Sunday from 4-6pm! Grab your favorite group of pals and join us for themed events, hilarious questions, drink specials, and a chance to win gift cards! See you there!

Offers

Everyday Happy Hour!
Multiple dates available
Sun - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.,Sat - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
DRINKS: 50% off draft cocktails $3 Lawnmower Beers $6 Boilermakers BOGO House Wine $6 Gin and Tonics $7 Regrets FOOD: $4 Fries $6 Curds $5 Fondue $6 Olives
Friday Fish Fry
Multiple dates available
Fri - 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wild-caught Lake Superior whitefish from Bodin Fisheries, Bayfield, WI, coleslaw, cornichon tartar sauce, rye bread, butter, warm potato salad w/mustard vinaigrette

What 1,583 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3

4.3 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.1Service
4.5Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Madison
Great for brunch
Madison
Innovative
Madison
Lively
Madison
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Merchant is a vibrant downtown restaurant known for its "delicious food and innovative drinks." The atmosphere is "fantastic," making it a perfect spot for "date night" or gatherings. While some service experiences vary, standout dishes like the "cream cheese pimento deviled eggs and cheese curds" keep patrons coming back for "great meals and lively ambiance."

1,583 Reviews

l
leigh
Greater Boston2 reviews
4.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great drink, great burger…liked the deviled eggs, did not love!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee3 reviews
3.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
Food quality was OK. Portions a bit small, but no real issues. Very slow- food arrived more than 40 minutes after ordering. No mention or apology.
Is this helpful?
H
Heidi
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Brunch was wonderful. Food and drinks spot on! Definitely will be back.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago3 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very cool place to eat. Has a super liberal vibe.
Is this helpful?
A
Angela and Tom
Milwaukee1 review
5.0
Dined on February 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was our first time there, and it was incredible. They go above and beyond when it comes to service. The vibe of the restaurant is everything. This is a place that an eclectic group of people can feel really good at. Our server literally made the experience. The drink menu is on another level. I couldn't recommend this place enough.
MerchantResponded 5 days ago
Thank you so much for the sterling review folks! We very much enjoyed having you at Merchant and are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the whole experience. We look forwards to having y'all back at Merchant for more drinks and fun service!
Is this helpful?
AS
AllisonS
Milwaukee1 review
5.0
Dined on February 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food! The beignets were amazing. I liked that you could make a reservation for brunch.
Is this helpful?
M
Matthew
Chicago3 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff made us feel like vips. Drinks and food were great.
Is this helpful?
T
Tommaso
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wow—how have I not been to Merchant sooner?! I’m actually mad at myself for missing out on this gem for so long. From the very first bite, I knew I was in for something special. We started with the deviled eggs, which were the perfect way to warm up for the main event—just enough to tease the taste buds without spoiling the appetite. But the real star? The shrimp cakes. Hands down, one of the best things I’ve eaten in Madison! Perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside—every bite was next-level delicious. On top of the phenomenal food, the atmosphere was just as impressive. The stylish decor and intimate vibe made for an amazing dinner date, elevating the entire experience. I’m officially hooked. I’ll be coming back again and again to work my way through the menu, and I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for incredible food in Madison. If you haven’t been to Merchant yet—go ASAP. You won’t regret it!
Is this helpful?
O
Osvaldo
Milwaukee2 reviews
4.0
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Our server was friendly but could use more attention to detail. When asked for more water, the server never came back and we asked someone totally different when they came to clear our plates from the appetizer. When it was time for dessert, we did not get new silverware, our beignets were cold by the time I was able to flag our server down to bring us some. As far as the food, I enjoyed the merchant burger, but my wife got the steak and felt disappointed at the fact that she asked for medium well and it came more like medium. She also stated the steak was very bland. My wife wished she’d gotten the burger because it was more flavorful. The drinks were perfect, we got a French martini and an old fashioned. Overall I think it was a great experience but we’d hope for a better experience with the server and if the steak truly was prepared as intended, we wouldn’t order that again.
Is this helpful?
AM
AnneM VIP
Milwaukee12 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious craft cocktails and gourmet comfort food with a southern flair. Wonderful service too!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Merchant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (608) 259-9799.

Merchant is rated 4.3 stars by 1583 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 24 times today

Experiences are available.

121 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703

Additional information

Phone number
(608) 259-9799
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Cajun, Cocktail Bar
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Happy Hour Tue–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm Sat, Sun 2:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Late Night Fri, Sat 10:00 pm–1:00 am
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Streetside and Parking ramp available across the street
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Tony Hargrove
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Featured in

45 Wisconsin Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Merchant

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

45 Wisconsin Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Experiences

Date Night at Merchant! Prixe Fixe $60 for 2

Graduation Weekend at Merchant 2025!

Merchant Trivia Night Is BACK!

Offers

Everyday Happy Hour!

Friday Fish Fry

Menu

What 1,583 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Merchant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Merchant restaurant rated?

Is Merchant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

45 Wisconsin Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day