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Mertens Prime, Grand Rapids, MI

Mertens Prime

3.7 (1593)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
35 Oakes St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Charming
  • Romantic
Mertens Prime, located in the historic 1914 New Hotel Mertens lobby in Grand Rapids, offers locally sourced, in-house hand-cut steaks, chops, and unique takes on classics. Scratch made kitchen where we make all the pastas and desserts. We have a large selection for vegan & vegetarian.

Prime features a full-service espresso machine and classic pastries like beignets. Guests can enjoy tableside presentations like filet dinner for two, a weekly curated rolling cheese cart, and bananas fosters and creme brulee.

The kitchen is scratch made and we feature many locally sourced products.

The bar top is one of the largest in Grand Rapids and seats 18 guests along with lounge tables. Our bar features a daily happy hour from 4pm-6pm 7 days a week for both food and beverage! Seasonal mocktails available along with many other non-alcoholic offerings.

Mertens Rooftop offers a full bar and a menu of appetizers. To book a reservation at Mertens Rooftop, select "Outdoor Seating", if available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Steak, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Catering is available for pick up.
  • Private party facilities
    We offer a beautiful private room on our main floor that have all of the turn-of-the-century charm as our main dining room. Mertens Rooftop is also available for private events. See mertensgr.com for details, including complete event guides with menu and pricing options.
  • Neighborhood
    Grand Rapids
  • Cross street
    Oakes St SW, between Ionia Ave and Commerce Ave
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available. The closest crossroads are Oakes St. and Commerce Street. The closest parking ramps are Cherry Street Parking Ramp and Weston Parking Ramp. We do not offer parking validation at this time.
  • Public transit
    Oakes & Ionia bust stop
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Rooftop Dining starting May 2nd

    May 2, 2025 - Oct 19, 2025
    Elevate your evening at Mertens Rooftop, where stunning views of downtown Grand Rapids pair perfectly with our thoughtfully curated menu of shareable small plates. Relax and unwind in our vibrant outdoor setting, ideal for social gatherings and intimate conversations. We invite you to savor your rooftop experience at a leisurely pace, as we adhere to a two-hour dining duration to ensure every guest can fully enjoy this exceptional space.
    Rooftop Dining starting May 2nd Photo

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What 1,593 people are saying

Mertens Prime 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

3.7
3.7 based on recent ratings
  • 3.8Food
  • 3.9Service
  • 4.1Ambience
  • 3.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Grand Rapids

    Great for brunch

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Mertens Prime offers a "fantastic" dining experience, with highlights including "incredible steak" and a "great wine list." Guests appreciate the "lovely ambience" and "historical charm." Service is often praised as "excellent" with standout servers like Vega and Candice. The rooftop dining and unique menu options enhance its appeal as a special occasion destination.

1,593 Reviews
  1. Joanne VIP

    Pittsburgh45 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We went here on Mother's Day evening -- and I think the staff were just tired after having worked the Mother's Day brunch crowd... Our food was excellent, and our waitress was excellent -- and they did give us a discount since they were not at the top of their game. But, it was nearly 45 minutes before we finally got our bottle of wine. Again, the food was excellent & our server did the very best to keep us informed. We might give the rooftop dining a try another time.

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  2. Jake

    Grand Rapids5 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Nothing online said the only option would be a buffet. The buffet was worse than what you’d get for free at a cheap hotel. Overcooked steak. Overcooked sausage patties. Best Western-style scrambled eggs. Absolutely mediocre food options, prepared poorly and confusingly laid out. No mention of price ($50/person) or that an 18% gratuity would be included…when we had to get our own food! Just a terrible overall experience.

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  3. Nicole VIP

    Grand Rapids21 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    We went to Mertens for Mother’s Day brunch. I was not aware ahead of time that it was buffet only, which would have been ok, except the buffet was not at all close to then quality that we’ve come to expect from Mertens. There really wasn’t anything special about it. For $50 a person, I would expect a carving station or fresh waffles, omelets, specialty desserts or something that would stand out as more than a standard buffet. It was a disappointing and expensive brunch out.

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  4. Matt

    Chicago1 review

    1.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Made reservations for Mother's Day brunch. A red flag went off when we walked in and A) It was 10% full and B) No worker seemed to really care that we walked inside. We were seated at the back corner and our waitress came to take our drink order, we asked if it was just the buffet or if we could order off the brunch menu as well, "yes, buffet" was her reply. I love a good mystery. She then came back to let me know that they were out of red sangria. Okay I'll have a bloody Mary, thanks. We then sat at the table for fifteen minutes, just kind of waiting around. My youngest son was starving so he and I went to look at the buffet, maybe they have plates laid out like they do at a buffet....nothing. Our server and another wait staff were opposite us folding napkins, a lot of napkin folding going on. Occasionally the waiter would look at us and then to our waitress next to him. I believe he was trying to do what experts call "nonverbal persuasion" or "subconscious influence". It didn't work but thanks for trying my man. We then got up and walked to our car drove a few blocks over to a bustling San Chez, who were kind enough to squeeze us in a small window of time they had, and proceeded to have a wonderful Mother's Day brunch.

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  5. Paul

    Detroit1 review

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Booked a reservation for an anniversary dinner and noted that in the reservation. Took 25-30 minutes for anyone to come to our table to greet us and get us a glass of water. The waitress only came to our table every 30 min. We had to get up and go ask the bartender to get her for us. We had only managed to order apps in an hour and a half. After apps we waited another 30 min and still had not put our main entrees in. We got our bill and left, we went elsewhere. There are much better restaurants in Grand Rapids that are less expensive and a better experience. Over 2 hours of dinning and only managed to get a drink and an appetizer.

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  6. Nicole

    Grand Rapids1 review

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I was disappointed that a few menu items were not available. I made this reservation for my birthday specifically to have bananas foster, only to be told they were no longer serving it. Please note or remove it from the menu.

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  7. Lynn VIP

    Grand Rapids82 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Unfortunately we no longer can recommend this place. The menu has changed, and not for the better. Clearly cutting corners - my shrimp and scallop scampi was made with tiny popcorn shrimp and about 4 scallops the size of a small gumdrop. They now bring you tons of bread but the butter was hard as a rock so kind of pointless. Prices were fine for what you got before, but now everything is even more expensive for poorer quality. Insultingly so. We won’t be back anymore which is a shame because we used to enjoy this place.

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  8. Larry

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food, incredible cocktails and friendly staff. We will be back!

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  9. Angelica

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was amazing & food is always so good! Always recommend this for a nice dinner!

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  10. Mary Jane

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    After looking for a restaurant to eat at while visiting downtown, we decided on Mertens Prime. It was a hidden gem for sure. The ambiance is stunning. I love how unique it was and enjoyed the variety of the menu. I wanted a good steak and this didn't disappoint. Next time we are back downtown, we will for sure come back. Also...BEST espresso martini I've ever had. Hands down!

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FAQs

Mertens Prime offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (616) 551-1713.

Mertens Prime is rated 3.7 stars by 1593 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. Grand Rapids / Western Michigan
  4. Grand Rapids
  5. Grand Rapids

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Mertens Prime

35 Oakes St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Oakes St SW, between Ionia Ave and Commerce Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Grand Rapids
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Steak, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available. The closest crossroads are Oakes St. and Commerce Street. The closest parking ramps are Cherry Street Parking Ramp and Weston Parking Ramp. We do not offer parking validation at this time.
  • Public transit
    Oakes & Ionia bust stop
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Catering is available for pick up.
  • Private party facilities
    We offer a beautiful private room on our main floor that have all of the turn-of-the-century charm as our main dining room. Mertens Rooftop is also available for private events. See mertensgr.com for details, including complete event guides with menu and pricing options.
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