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  4. Cincinnati
  5. Over the Rhine

The Mercer OTR

4.6
4.6
1270 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
The Mercer OTR offers European-inspired New American cuisine. The dining room offers a comfortable place to enjoy great food and the bar is the perfect spot for a classic cocktail or light bite.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


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Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary American, Modern European, American

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm

  • Phone number

    (513) 421-5111

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Executive chef

    Corey Graham

  • Private party facilities

    We do not have a private party room at The Mercer, however we do rent out the restaurant completely at times. Our main dining area is quite quiet and large business dinners do well despite the space not being private.

  • Private party contact

    Emmy Friedrichs: (513) 421-5111

  • Neighborhood

    Over the Rhine

  • Cross street

    Mercer Street

  • Parking details

    Garage parking, street parking, no valet at this time

  • Public transit

    Bus line, Streetcar Vine/12th Stop

  • Additional

    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 1,270 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.6
4.6 based on all time ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

  1. Cherk

    Cincinnati

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and service!

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  2. LisaD

    Chicago

    39 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    39 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Outstanding dining experience. The food was phenomenal. The cauliflower appetizer was delicious, the endive salad amazing, and the salmon was lick your plate clean spectacular! Wonderful service. Can’t wait to go back.

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  3. RachelM

    Cincinnati

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on January 22, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What a really neat place to have dinner. The food was great, the waiting for fun, and it was a great place to hang out with friends.

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  4. DanielleH

    Cincinnati

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on January 22, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Food was excellent, especially the chicken wings and risotto. Half price wine bottles on a Friday was awesome too. Our waiter was very personable.

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  5. FrankSound

    Cincinnati

    29 reviews

    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Who would have thought that olives as an appetizer would have been great but they were! Deviled eggs were good too with a delicate touch of dill. Risotto was really good. Involtini(?) chicken might have been a bit salty but only in hindsight when we realized our thirst and our rings were more difficult to remove in the evening, LOL. Oh, and the pork belly appetizer was seriously good too. Love that parsnip purée! Our server, Ebba, was excellent and informed. The only negative was the a shortish wine list and a $100 for The Prisoner Red Blend too much even by restaurant standards.

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  6. GabbyC

    Louisville

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place BLEW us away… the ambiance was AMAZING. We loved the NYC vibes and incredible service. The food was even better! this will be the first place i take my family when they come into town.

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  7. MeganG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    My husband and I split the burger and it was incredible! We also got the truffle fries and a salad and it was the perfect amount of food and everything was excellent quality. Wine bottles are also half price on Fridays which is an incredible deal!

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  8. CourtneyB

    London

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 13, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved our wait staff and all of the food was delicious! We wanted to take the house bread home in loaves and the other two courses were just as delectable. Great drinks, view, and menu. A hidden gem of OTR!

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  9. DonaldS

    Cincinnati

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 8, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Second time I have dined at Mercer. Food was great and nice craft cocktails. Green Goddess salad is awesome and split to share. Chicken Involtini was amazing! Will be sure to go back!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on January 8, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Lovely time

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had an excellent meal last night. Several Open Table reviewers have commented on poor service in the past, but this has certainly not our experience. Our server, Kenzi, was terrific…friendly, informative, and attentive. Other staff also checked in on us, promptly cleared, etc. We have been there a couple of times over the past several months and can recommend the short ribs and the salmon as worth the trip. We like the atmosphere. It’s a bit quieter than other OTR restaurants, and tables are appropriately spaced for the pandemic.The restaurant also is nicely accessible given the parking garage next door. Also easy distance from Washington Park and Music Hall. We agree that, with wine and drinks, Mercer can be a bit pricey (worth it, though),but would be an excellent value if coming on half-price wine nights.

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  12. Justin

    Kansas City

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on January 1, 2022

    overall3food3service4ambience3
    The wings were very good and had a great smoke flavor. The risotto was average the rice did not get evenly cooked and some of the rice was not done. The cesar salad was very plain, fresh black pepper was not offered and the salad had a strange fishy flavor. The staff never asked how our meal was and didn't even question the fact that the salad was hardly touched.

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    Western NC

    6 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2021

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    The food was outstanding. Cocktails were average. I would still go back.

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  14. AutumnL

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 31, 2021

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    We had a great time at this restaurant. We will be back.

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  15. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 30, 2021

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    I got the salmon and my husband got the short ribs. Both were delicious! We also got the 3 layer chocolate cake which was really good. It was a very slow night for them so service was great and fast. Overall we had an enjoyable birthday dinner.

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  16. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 22, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Birthday dinner. We had a lovely time.

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  17. bettinar

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 19, 2021

    overall5food5service3ambience5
    Hostess and food were great. Server was not great, but then another server stepped in

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  18. EmilyF

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 19, 2021

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Great date spot! A little drafty next to the windows.

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  19. TiramisuT

    Cincinnati

    37 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on December 17, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Kensie took great care of us. She had recommendations and was cheerful and sweet. The food was all wonderful - fried cauliflower and bruschetta trio appetizers, seared salmon, burger and fries, and bolognese. Yummy!

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  20. SheilaK

    Cincinnati

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on December 15, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a great meal. Chef Corry did a great job dealing with my allergies and serving a very tasty meal.

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  21. JohnG

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 12, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and ambience. Sat in the bar area, but was very comfortable and not overly loud. Santa-con was in process, so enjoyed the sideshow.

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  22. LTWatt

    Las Vegas

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2021

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    There was a faulty light fixture and upon us pointing it out the manager moved us without attitude or issues. Our server seemed new or very young. Made some minor errors not worth ruining our evening.

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  23. Tyler

    Cincinnati

    80 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    80 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great meal and experience. Server was attentive and helpful.

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  24. LizA

    Cincinnati

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 10, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  25. Bobby

    Cincinnati

    343 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    343 reviews

    Dined on December 10, 2021

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Everything here is very good. I believe this is a place you could throw a dart at the menu and be very happy with your selection. The Mercer is definitely our go-to place in OTR when we go to Ensemble Theatre. So, I rate it the best on Vine. Highly recommend the mushroom risotto and short rib entrees.

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  26. LaneC

    Oklahoma City

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 10, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful food, attentive wait staff, and a lovely experience!

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  27. TimmyG

    Cincinnati

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 5, 2021

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    6 people Booth. I don’t like Booths

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  28. Steve

    Cincinnati

    36 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food very good as usual. Ate in the bar area which was comfortable. Nice evening

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  29. gates

    Cincinnati

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2021

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    The Mercer Food was excellent. I had the risotto, but overall we felt somewhat overpriced, especially the burgers. Any extras cost extra, nothing included, loved the ambiance. We had Dante who was an excellent, friendly, server.

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  30. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Such a wonderful experience! amazing and attentive servers and hostesses, fabulous cuisine. Highly recommend!!!

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 27, 2021

    overall1food1service4ambience3
    Our server was very nice, Mackenzie, and our cocktails tasted great. The drawback is that they were both extremely short pours. We tried the appetizer special, mushroom truffle bruschetta. It came out as a single crostini, the glaze was bright purple (re: Barney), and the taste was not good. The serving size was ridiculously small as well. We also tried the butternut squash soup. It had a good taste but it was not even warm. We shared our feedback with our server. The manager returned and was rude, saying she could’ve done something if we had told her. Um…..no one came to our table for quite a while, and when our server stopped by — we told her our issues. Hello! We left, skipping entrees. We will not be back, and we will be happy to influence our friends and associates to AVOID The Mercer!

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  32. Campbell

    Louisville

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were not expecting much from the Mercer but it was well beyond our expectations. We had a fantastic meal. Service was great despite us being boisterous. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an upscale meal in OTR

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  33. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2021

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Our waitress was

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2021

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Got together with a friend and had some wonderful service. They respected my allergens and has great wine!

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  35. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great ambience, drinks, and service. Very accommodating with food restrictions.

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  36. Diningwell

    Cincinnati

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and staff.

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  37. GeoffZ

    Minneapolis

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 6, 2021

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    I've had the burger 2x times now and probably will get it again whenever I go back for the 3rd time. It's become my favorite casual date night spot with my wife.

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  38. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 6, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Mercer never disappoints. The Chicken Involtini was out of bounds amazing and the cocktails are always top notch.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    All great. Love the bar area and food!

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  40. JeffG

    Cincinnati

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really great setting, not too loud. Menu was outstanding and food quality was fantastic. Highly recommend.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables
  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks

FAQs

The Mercer OTR offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (513) 421-5111.

The Mercer OTR is rated 4.6 stars by 1270 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for The Mercer OTR

1324 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Mercer Street

  • Neighborhood

    Over the Rhine

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary American, Modern European, American

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Parking details

    Garage parking, street parking, no valet at this time

  • Public transit

    Bus line, Streetcar Vine/12th Stop

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Corey Graham

  • Additional

    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Phone number

    (513) 421-5111

  • Private party facilities

    We do not have a private party room at The Mercer, however we do rent out the restaurant completely at times. Our main dining area is quite quiet and large business dinners do well despite the space not being private.

  • Private party contact

    Emmy Friedrichs: (513) 421-5111

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  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
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