Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Merchant, Madison, WI

Merchant

4 (1609)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
121 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 32 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for happy hour
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

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • 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
  • Phone number
    (608) 259-9799
  • Website
    http://www.merchantmadison.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Tony Hargrove
  • Private party facilities
    We have semi-private dining available. Please call (608) 259-9799 to speak to management.
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    121 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
  • Neighborhood
    Madison
  • Cross street
    E. Doty Street
  • Parking details
    Streetside and Parking ramp available across the street
  • Public transit
    Downtown bus lines are one block away.
  • Entertainment
    We have Madison's finest DJs late night on Friday and Saturday nights and live bands on Thursdays at 9:30. Please check the entertainment schedule athttp://www.merchantmadison.com/entertainment/
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Kosher, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Date Night at Merchant! Prixe Fixe $60 for 2

    $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!
    Date Night at Merchant! Prixe Fixe $60 for 2 Photo

Offers

  • Everyday Happy Hour!

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM,Sat - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    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

    Everyday Happy Hour! Photo

  • Friday Fish Fry

    Multiple dates available
    Fri - 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Wild-caught Lake Superior whitefish from Bodin Fisheries, Bayfield, WI, coleslaw, cornichon tartar sauce, rye bread, butter, warm potato salad w/mustard vinaigrette

    Friday Fish Fry Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,609 people are saying

Merchant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.0
4.0 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 3.8Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.0Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Madison

    Great for brunch

  • Madison

    Innovative

  • Madison

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Merchant offers a lively atmosphere with "excellent cuisine and service." Patrons praise its "great vibe" and cocktails, although some mention service inconsistencies and longer wait times. Highlights include the "delicious craft cocktails" and the "southern flair" in its comfort food. Dog-friendly patio dining adds to its charm, despite occasional billing issues.
1,609 Reviews

  1. Raquel VIP

    Las Vegas11 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    We had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. I ordered a steak, which arrived overcooked. I sent it back and received another—also overcooked. After two failed attempts, I gave up and chose not to eat. Despite this, the restaurant still charged me for the steak, stating it was because it was an “expensive item,” even though I didn’t eat it. When I raised my concerns, the management showed no interest in making things right. They offered the excuse that the steak was overcooked due to the lighting in the kitchen, which made it hard for staff to tell if it was cooked properly—an odd and frankly unacceptable explanation. Overall, this was a poor experience in both food quality and customer service. I left hungry and frustrated. I won’t be returning, and I wouldn’t recommend this place to others.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Paul

    Philadelphia County1 review

    3.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Just eh. Slow waiter. Menu needs more creativity. Won’t return.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Alex

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lots of fun. Good food and the outside was a great setting.
    MerchantResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, Alex! We're thrilled you had a great time while joining us and you enjoyed your food! We hope you'll join us again and hope it's very soon :) Cheers!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Mary

    Wisconsin14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a larger group for dinner and sat inside. Our server was fairly attentive, although sort of became less so at the end (but likely more busy?). Food was generally good, although 3 of us with “medium” burgers had very well done ones (despite “medium” stated on the menu!). But overall the food was quite reasonable, and drinks were fairly good (although dry martini had way too much vermouth—-again, don’t advertise things on your menu I if you’re not going to prepare them that way, is all I ask.). We go to Merchant periodically and will continue to do so; they are fairly solid every time we go, but suffer from staffing issues like every other place.
    MerchantResponded on June 2, 2025
    Thanks for taking the time to review us, Mary! We're thrilled to hear that you and your group had a good dining experience with us. And thank you for your feedback on your burgers & martini so we can discuss with our Team and work toward improvements. But overall we're glad to know that you enjoyed our food and drinks :) Thanks again for the feedback and we're very much looking forward to your next visit!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Steve VIP

    Wisconsin5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 30, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Very dog friendly restaurant when eating on the patio with our pooch.
    MerchantResponded on June 2, 2025
    Thanks for the feedback, Steve! We're thrilled to hear that you and your pooch enjoyed your dining experience at Merchant. It's always great to know that our patio is welcoming to all our guests. We're sorry to see that you found our food to be just average. We strive to provide the best food and service to our customers, and your feedback helps us improve. We hope to see you again soon for another chance to impress!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Richard

    Wisconsin2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    We liked our server but we waited an hour for our food and they didn’t put sauce on the side as requested. Nice atmosphere.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Amy

    Chicago / Illinois8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful time celebrating Mother’s Day at Merchant. Great food and service! The setting is awesome!
    MerchantResponded on May 12, 2025
    Thanks for visiting us, Amy! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful time celebrating Mother's Day at Merchant and we were able to make the day extra special :) We hope you'll join us again very soon, we're looking forward to it!

    Is this helpful?

  8. kelli

    Orange County2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Service was slow and good just ok. Many better options in Madison
    MerchantResponded on May 12, 2025
    Hi Kelli, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at Merchant. We're sorry to hear that you found our service to be slow. We always aim to provide a smooth and enjoyable dining experience for our guests and we're sorry we missed the mark. Your feedback is important to us and we will certainly work on improving our service speed. We appreciate your comments and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Joshua

    Wisconsin1 review

    1.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I requested patio seating that was confirmed by the restaurant. However, when I arrived, the restaurant had no knowledge of this request and did not make any effort to remedy the situation. I will not dine here again.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Carly

    Chicago / Illinois5 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Having been a server myself for many years, I understand someone may be new, however this was horrible. We waited for all our drinks, having to get our drinks ourselves from the bar. My allergy, due to cross contamination, did not allow me the potatoes for brunch. Yet, they decided themselves to not give me anything instead. Until i asked. I then received greasy toast. Will not go back.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

Merchant is rated 4 stars by 1609 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Wisconsin
  4. Madison
  5. Madison

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 32 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Merchant

121 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703

Additional information

  • Cross street
    E. Doty Street
  • Neighborhood
    Madison
  • 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
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Cajun, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Streetside and Parking ramp available across the street
  • Public transit
    Downtown bus lines are one block away.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Tony Hargrove
  • Entertainment
    We have Madison's finest DJs late night on Friday and Saturday nights and live bands on Thursdays at 9:30. Please check the entertainment schedule athttp://www.merchantmadison.com/entertainment/
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Kosher, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Restaurant reservation software
  • Industry insights
  • Hospitality resources
  • Marketing resources
  • Operation resources
  • How to open a restaurant
  • For restaurants
  • For restaurant groups
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo