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

Mertens Prime

3.7 (1603)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
35 Oakes St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 8 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Charming
  • 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
  • Rooftop Fireworks!

    $50.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Jul 5, 2025 only
    Take in the fireworks on Mertens Rooftop! Each RESERVATION includes a complimentary welcome drink for each guest and one special dessert *from our select menu* for the table. Guests may arrive at any time after 8:30PM. The venue will close at 11:30PM. This event is non-refundable and is rain-or-shine.
    Rooftop Fireworks! Photo

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

What 1,603 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
  • 4.0Service
  • 4.1Ambience
  • 3.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Grand Rapids / Western Michigan

    Romantic

  • Grand Rapids

    Great for brunch

  • Grand Rapids

    Healthy

  • Grand Rapids

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Grand Rapids

    Romantic

  • Grand Rapids

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Mertens Prime offers a "beautiful ambiance" with unique historical elements, perfect for special occasions. Diners rave about the "incredible steak" and "fantastic cocktails." While some have experienced service delays, the "friendly and attentive" staff often enhance the dining experience. The rooftop offers "gorgeous sunset views," adding to its charm.
1,603 Reviews
  1. Cindy

    Grand Rapids / Western Michigan6 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    We went in with high expectations. Quality does not come close to meeting prices, especially in comparison to restaurants with comparable prices and menus. Service was acceptable, but the waitress/bartender didn't know much about the menu and certainly not how to make the drinks. We had the filet for two. The steak was charred in places, it couldn't be cut, and close to rare in others. The salad was bagged lettuce with bottled dressing and a few very large croutons. We were given a very small piece of bread with poor quality olive oil. I didn't finish my meal and threw away the leftover steak. We get far better meals at Longhorn for less than half the price.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Laura

    Chicago / Illinois5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful spot. Went for all seafood with calamari and then the crab cakes!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Maya

    Unspecified2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our third time here. Laila was wonderful and made our night wonderful. Great shrimp pasta. We appreciate having mocktail and non-alcoholic options. Don't skip dessert.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Nancy

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan12 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    When we went it was very quiet. Only 1 or 2 other patrons in the place. The food was good but nothing exceptional.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jon

    Chicago / Illinois1 review

    1.0

    Dined on June 20, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    The hostess sat us and then nobody came back to our table. After 20 minutes we left and went elsewhere.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Zach

    New York City1 review

    1.0

    Dined on June 17, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    My wife and I made a reservation at 6:30 for our anniversary dinner. We had movie tickets for 8pm and expected to be done in plenty of time. It took a minute for us to be seated, but our table was fine. No server ever arrived at our table. After about 10 minutes, someone finally gave us water and took our drink orders. After waiting for nearly 35 minutes, we realized that we were probably not going to make our movie at the rate we were going, so I asked the bartender if our drinks had been made yet so that we could possibly just find another restaurant. She rudely responded that our drinks were “right there” and pointed down the bar. When our drinks finally arrived, they were incorrect. We decided to just leave - there was no way our meal was going to come in time. We let the bartender know that we weren’t going to order dinner and that we wanted to leave, at which point we were told to ‘just go’ and sarcastically told ‘have a nice day’ and “byyyyeeeeeee” as we walked out. Needless to say, we are never coming back and we will be advising all our friends to avoid this restaurant in future.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Doug

    Baltimore / Maryland1 review

    1.0

    Dined on June 17, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Experience was poor. Service was disappointing. Food was below average.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Ginny VIP

    Grand Rapids / Western Michigan11 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    We left detailed feedback for the restaurant in private. Our food was really good. It took a long time for us to be greeted by a server, and it took a very long time for us to get our food.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Maya

    Unspecified2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love the white couches and marble tables. Pretty at sunset!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Myonbe

    Grand Rapids / Western Michigan1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fine dinning! Refreshing spirits! Nice tasteful bread!

    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 1603 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
11:30 PM
Booked 8 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 Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
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