Mertens Prime

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1. A

   Anonymous

   Grand Rapids

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Wonderful experience. The menu is big and the mix of French/steaks is just right. Great candle-lit ambiance, esp for Grand Rapids.

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThank you! We love our menu too. : )

   Report
2. J

   Jessica

   Grand Rapids

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Absolutely must come to this restaurant! Drinks were amazing, food was superb especially the beet salad ugh so good. Service was great and attentive without rushing us through our meal. We ended our night with table side performance of making banana foster then rooftop nightcaps. Worth every penny and the portions are insanely huge. We will be coming back for more.

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThank you so much for the kind words!

   Report
3. RV

   ReneeV

   Detroit

   10 reviews

   5.0

   10 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   overall5food5service4ambience5

   Special night out downtown. Hoping to get to rooftop after but short, light rain shut it down. Highly recommend but save up before hand.$$$$$

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThank you for the nice review! Let's hope for sunshine on the next visit. It's incredible when the post-dinner rooftop drink times-up with the sunset.

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4. CM

   ChristineM

   Chicago

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   overall5food5service5ambience3

   Great food! Great service! Josh was awesome!!! The manager (young man) from Houghton was also very attentive and helpful!!!

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThank you for the kind words! We'll pass on the compliments to our wonderful team! : )

   Report
5. TK

   TomK

   Los Angeles

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on June 18, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   The meal exceeded our expectations. Great food and service with much history.

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThank you so much Tom!

   Report
6. R

   Runandeat

   Grand Rapids

   24 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   24 reviews

   Dined on June 18, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   First time and it was great except for the music. I suggest classic music

   Mertens PrimeResponded 1 day agoThanks for the great review and the feedback! It's appreciated!

   Report
7. G

   Garrick

   Houston

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on June 11, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   First class service and delicious food, highly recommend

   Report
8. RS

   RobertS

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on June 7, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   The entire experience was exceptional. The food was fantastic, the wine list, and the ambiance. The staff in particular took it the the next level. Austin and Justin were great, they were attentive and knowledgeable without being stuffy. I can't wait to go back.

   Report
9. J

   Jeremy

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on June 4, 2022

   overall3food2service5ambience4

   Skyler, our server, was great. We had poutine and Valdion cheese, both of which were good (but not great), as well as onion soup that was not good at all, lacking flavor and color. Tried to replace it with the turtle soup, which was like a bland minestrone. Prices were high, and the ambiance reflected that. Food was not to the same standard as the prices and decor. Staff and service were great.

   Report
10. JE

    JulieE

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great place for a nice night out or a special occassion!

    Report
11. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Fiancé ordered the herb roasted chicken and I ordered the Rib-eye. Both were excellent! Wait staff was inexperienced but very nice. Went to the rooftop after dinner for a drink, beautiful view and cool vibe. Will be back.

    Report
12. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on June 2, 2022

    overall3food3service2ambience4

    the food was ok, for the price could have been better. the ambiance was cool but the chairs were so uncomfortable! I almost couldn’t wait to leave because it felt like i was sitting on a rock. the service was ok, waiter was nice but took so long to come back and it wasn’t busy.

    Report
13. NG

    NorwayGirl

    Seattle

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 30, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Celebrated our 35th anniversary with dinner, drinks & dessert! The Mediterranean-spiced lamb tagine and peach-topped pork chop were delicious! The table-side dessert presentation was a treat.

    Report
14. M

    Mmf60

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 29, 2022

    overall3food3service5ambience5

    Food was ok, server was great The option to go to the rooftop was a plus

    Report
15. C

    Chedda

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall2food2service2ambience3

    Was expecting much more due to such a high price tag. Food was okay, but not spectacular as I had hoped. Steak was undercooked, and the knife I received wasn’t sharp. Hacked away at the meat for 20 min before I gave up and finished my wine so I could get out of there. Aside from that, the ambiance was decent and the bar looked very nice. Wide selection of nice wine and spirits. Wouldn’t recommend for food.

    Report
16. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall1food1service5ambience4

    The service and ambiance were great, but the food was incredibly terrible for the price. I’ve eaten at many great steakhouses and if I’m ordering a $63 filet mignon my expectations are pretty high. We could’ve made it ourselves at home on the grill for a quarter of the cost. The star of the show were the French fries. Those were great, everything else about the $300 meal was a severe disappointment.

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17. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Delightful

    Report
18. RW

    ReneeW

    Detroit

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Food was excellent. Service good. Would recommend

    Report
19. S

    Steakoscar

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 27, 2022

    overall3food2service4ambience4

    We chose to dine at Merten’s for my wife’s birthday. The lady at the front was not very pleasant or welcoming. The bartender was very nice and helpful. Our server was very helpful, pleasant and nice. However, my wife ordered her steak medium and I ordered mine medium-well. When our steaks arrived at our table, they were very under cooked. Our server took the steaks back and brought them back. Both steaks were very over cooked. My wife’s steak was so dry and over cooked, she could only eat half. My steak was over cooked as well. We have eaten at your restaurant many times and this was the worst experience. We hope that this gets corrected but we’re not sure if we’ll be back anytime soon.

    Report
20. C

    Charlie

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 27, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Really interesting facility & decor, professional staff, excellent food---flavorful and well presented, and throwback drink menu. I would suggest a variety of cheeses for the cheese plate. Will certainly return for special occassions.

    Report
21. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    We were celebrating our wedding anniversary. Our waiter was very attentive. We enjoyed the Petit Filet and Pork Chop; both very tasty!

    Report
22. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 22, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5

    Service was phenomenal, ambience very cool, but food took quite some time. We were there on a Sunday night and our food took almost an hour.

    Report
23. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Denver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Dinner before the symphony. I have always loved the ambiance of this restaurant. I love that they have embraced the vintage vibe of the building. I always feel like just around the corner I’m going to time travel back to 1940 Grand Rapids, it’s kind of magical. I’m really glad they survived the pandemic and I think the menu is better now. Simpler and the food is very good. The French table wine (@$7/glass) is the best wine value in Grand Rapids. It’s this lovely dry crisp Sancerre served very cold. I had the salmon, perfectly done and not overwrought with “toppings,” and my husband loved his New York Strip. The cheese course was also fun and a nice change from routine apps. Even their basic coffee tasted better than other restaurants. All in all, I am glad Mertens is still here and we plan on going a lot. This is not even mentioning the rooftop is also is very fun…

    Report
24. P

    Paul

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 21, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    The food was good but, not great. The pork chop that my date had was well seasoned but, dry. My salmon was very good, not outstanding

    Report
25. G

    Greg

    Caribbean

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 20, 2022

    overall3food3service5ambience3

    Service was excellent. We were taken care of by one of the bartenders who also serves as the Sommelier. He was very knowledgeable and attentive. The main courses (pork chop and duck) were lacking flavor and quite disappointing. I feel like this place lacks a true vision- do you want to be a French restaurant or a steakhouse? My two cents: focus on perfecting your French cuisine. This place was wonderful when it was New Mertens Hotel. Food was great, atmosphere was more lively, and the price point was much more approachable. Once again, service was great, food was average at best.

    Mertens PrimeResponded on May 21, 2022Hi Greg, thanks for the kind words about Matt! We do wish you enjoyed your dishes more and appreciate the feedback as always!

    Report
26. MT

    MoradT

    Chicago

    26 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2022

    overall3food4service3ambience3

    Great NY strip, well prepared to order. Bernaise sauce was balanced. Cheese platter lacked verity and was poorly presented , the bread was cold. Deviled eggs and bacon bits were delicious. Poutine (Mustard) basically is an order of fries mixed up by the sauce of choice. Very limited seafood choices. Salmon was adequately prepared but lacked flavor. Wine selection is relatively expansive with some good French wine choices.

    Report
27. JH

    JohnH

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 20, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great atmosphere Great food Great Service -Justin was excellent!

    Report
28. GR

    GRTom

    Detroit

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 17, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    First time visiting Mertens Prime. Service was very good but not great due to what I suspect was a staff shortage. We were not rushed and things came on time. The beet salad was delish but the vichyssoise was more like mashed potatoes in a bowl than a soup. The 8 oz filets were done med rare to our order, just right. Sides were big enough to share. The Bananas Foster was New Orleans good! The price was Chicago style $$$$ which is a bit rich for Grand Rapids.

    Mertens PrimeResponded on May 21, 2022Hi Tom, thanks very much for all of the kind words! As a small, family-owned restaurant that doesnt have the size of many others, it is certainly getting more and more challenging to keep up with the pricing changes to ensure that the business can recover. Please know that we're looking at menu changes all the time to try to balance the happiness of our guests, team and restaurant. Thanks again!

    Report
29. JB

    JimB

    Grand Rapids

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience3

    We went to Mertens for our first time to celebrate a big birthday. The food was absolutely outstanding! To no fault of theirs, the restaurant was understaffed and our dinner turned into a three hour long meal. The bartender was actually serving because of the staff shortage and he was amazing. We will definitely be back!

    Report
30. R

    Ryan

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 13, 2022

    overall2food1service3ambience4

    I would avoid if you are seeking a good steak. As a steakhouse you would expect an $80 steak to be cooked to perfection. Our table of 4 was celebrating a special occasion and all ordered different cuts. All 4 of the steaks arrived well done, even though most of us ordered medium-rare. We asked for this to be corrected and they did go back to try to deliver properly cooked steaks. The next time they arrived they were not as overcooked, but still cooked further than medium-rare/medium and actually were very un-evenly cooked this time. The manager blamed the issue on new kitchen equipment that the staff was still getting used to. To me this would seem to indicate that patrons at the moment are paying full price for a testing/calibration plate of food? Incredibly disappointing - I'd definitely go elsewhere for steak. Other than that the drinks, sides, servers were pleasant.

    Report
31. N

    Nash

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 12, 2022

    overall3food3service1ambience3

    The rooftop is always great. The service in the restaurant wasn’t the same. We sat at 5:20 and it wasn’t until 5:55 we got our drinks (two people.) One in our party is allergic to dairy and they told her she couldn’t substitute the sweet potato mash for something else. Overall slow, bad service for a Thursday when it wasn’t that busy. Food was alright though. Won’t go back any time soon.

    Report
32. SS

    StevenS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 9, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The overall ambience was cool and sophisticated. This is a historical building with many classic craftsman touches which made me feel like I was somewhere special. The lighting was soft and at just the right level. The sound level was quiet with just enough sound to remind me I was not dinning alone. The food was well presented and delicious. The service was excellent just what I would expect from a fine dining establishment. I'm looking forward toy next dinner there.

    Report
33. KL

    KLPW

    Chicago

    5 reviews

    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall3food2service2ambience3

    I was very much looking forward to dining here as they offered coquilles St. Jacques which is one of my favorite meals. While the scallops were mostly tender and flavorful, the sauce was dominated by minced mushrooms that hid any flavor nuances that should have been there. The dish was topped by cheese made tough by too long under the broiler. I was also looking forward to the pot de crème Which had a good flavor but the consistency was strangely grainy. The service was sub-par. Our water and wine refills were forgotten and there was an unfortunate incident with the water bottle falling into the slushy ice water bowl meant to keep it chilled. Our waitress had at least 4 tables to serve and servers had to make flambé desserts which took a lot of time away from other tables.

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34. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Poutine, Duck, roast chicken, cheesecake were all incredible. Best meal I’ve had in a long time.

    Report
35. WO

    WarrenO

    Jacksonville

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience3

    Did not care for the “rustic/beat up appearance of the dining area we were seated in.

    Report
36. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Wonderful Mother’s Day family dinner. Everything was perfect.

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37. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The staff at Mertens is top notch. Patty called me personally after I made my reservation to let me know that there was a handicap accessible entrance for my mother and was there when we arrived to assist us. She also gave us a table near the door to minimize how much walking my Mom had to do and waited with her after our meal while I ran to get the car. Our server, Justin, was delightful in every regard. He gave us personalized recommendations when we had questions about the menu and took great care not to rush us but also made sure that our needs were met at all times. Candace checked on us just enough to make us feel welcome but not so often as to pester us. All in all we had a lovely Mother’s Day celebration and I look forward to dining at Mertens again.

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38. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    Bad experience, will not be coming back. Planned to have a nice dinner with my mother who was visiting, it was our first time dining here. After being seated for over 30min we decided to leave since no one came to take our order. There are many other nice restaurants in Grand Rapids with better service.

    Report
39. PK

    PatrickK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience5

    Amazing food quality, service was good. Would definitely visit again in the future.

    Report
40. R

    Rachel

    Grand Rapids

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2022

    overall4food4service3ambience5

    Great ambiance and experience. Still working out some service bumps, which is to be expected as we navigate covid-level staffing (missing napkins, which were quickly provided once we asked - and not great knowledge of the menu from our waiter.) But all the staff were friendly and responsive, which I appreciated. My duck was expensive, and while the crispy leg was DELICIOUS, the duck breast was a little dry and the "risotto" tasted like white rice. We loved all our cocktails - and were impressed with all the options for drinks. We had a great time, but would expect more for the price.

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