Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Mertens Prime, Grand Rapids, MI

Mertens Prime

3.7 (1585)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
35 Oakes St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for special occasions
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

  • Bubbles for 2

    $38.00 per party

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Indulge in a beautiful sparkling selection that is just enough for 2 people. This half bottle of wine is great for anniversaries or date nights. Girls night out maybe?
    Bubbles for 2 Photo
  • Dessert Sampler

    $20.00 per party

    Prepaid

    Feb 1, 2025 - Apr 30, 2025
    Enjoy our Flourless Chocolate Torte (GF), Lemon Bar with a luxurious seasonal berry sauce and our Creme Brulee
    Dessert Sampler Photo
  • 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.

What 1,585 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
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Grand Rapids / Western Michigan

    Romantic

  • Grand Rapids

    Healthy

  • Grand Rapids

    Romantic

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.

1,585 Reviews
  1. Larry

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

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

    Is this helpful?

  2. Angelica

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    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!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Mary Jane

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    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!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Charley

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It had been over a year since I'd been to Mertens. They've made some changes to the menu, which is pretty great to be honest. Prices are more affordable and they even cut their steaks in house. We started with fried mushrooms. They were delicious. I had the ribeye and my wife had the steak and fries for our entrees. Both steaks were flavorful and cooked to proper temp. Our server, Vega was very attentive and took great care of us. My wife wants to try their brunch menu, so I'm sure we will be back relatively soon.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kitty

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wow! This was our first time trying Mertens Prime and what a beautiful place. I about gasped when I saw the tiled flooring. I was told that it dates back to 1914 and cannot believe how gorgeous it is. This place is like a museum. We sat at a cute half moon booth and were greeted immediately by friendly staff. We started with an order of figs in a blanket and crab Rangoon dip. Both were excellent. For entrees, my husband and I had the filet dinner for 2. We chose the Brussel sprouts and the garlic potatoes for our sides. I love how our server came out and actually cut the steak for us. I've never experienced a tableside feature like that. Anyways, everything tasted amazing. I was so stuffed that I wasn't able to eat dessert, but we took a cheesecake home to try later. And it was on the house because it was my husband's birthday! We loved it! Can't wait for their rooftop to open officially!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. frank

    Detroit2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The service was very good. However, the restaurant was not crowded, and it took a very long time for us to get served dinner. The steaks were delicious, however, the other dishes were just average. For the price, you would expect all dishes to be high quality.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Amy

    Unspecified1 review

    1.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Terrible:( Had a 4pm reservation(when they opened) Told them we were goi g to My daughter’s graduation . Ordered, an hour and a half to get our food! Incomplete orders and 2 of us ordered a dish that was unacceptable. We had to leave! Could not even stay to eat and they took 1 enter off the bill. I was so embarrassed and my daughter was in tears. This was a special occasion for my family and was just awful. Very expensive for what was finally put in front of us. They restaurant had 2 tables full only They didn’t care how we felt.

    Is this helpful?

  8. David

    Phoenix1 review

    1.0

    Dined on April 22, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Bad food bad drinks and bad service. Triple crown.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Lauren

    Indiana1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Mertens was absolutely delicious! That was an incredible steak! (Filet mignon) My fiance for the shrimp and scallop scampi a d he absolutely loved it too. The cheese board was wonderful also. Our server made me and incredible martini too just by asking me a few questions. I was so good all around! Thank you!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Joel

    Grand Rapids1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Unfortunately pretty lousy experience for Easter brunch. At $300 for 5 people we expected more and we have had dinner there before maybe 3 years ago and it was great. However Costco quiches, scramble, eggs, bacon and ham just missed the mark.

    Is this helpful?

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 1585 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
11:00 PM
Booked 15 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.
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
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