Merchant's Cafe and Saloon

Austin & Chris where incredibly welcoming from the moment I walked in. Austin helped me choose a drink, when I was unsure of what to order, I really loved it! Chris served up some bomb French fries with his own personal spin on the seasoning that made em real yummy. I had fun just chatting with them and they made my day that was not going so great beforehand 10x better. The atmosphere of the bar itself would've been enough, I could've sat alone and enjoyed my drinks taking it all in-- but the staff really made my experience what it was. Not to mention they have a beautiful piece of preserved Underground Seattle that is a goth girls paradise downstairs from the bar. Thanks for a great night of good service, company, and food/drinks. I'll be back and tell my friends.

Oldest bar in Seattle. Plenty of seating. It's an unassuming bar. Extra loud games on television. Uninterested bar tenders have trouble making menu shots. Is it a sports bar?

I love going to the historic places like this. The basement had great ambiance and felt like a classic old lounge. I was ready to see a ghost. ;) The only thing I wish was that they would have stayed open later. They were closing down around 12am on a Friday. My group met me there but they wouldn't be served so we left. I'd still go back. Just earlier!

What a great place!! Austin was our bartender and we loved the place because of him. Great vibes, wonderful atmosphere. Would definitely go back, the chicken wings were amazing and were hope Austin is working when we do go back.

This place was fun to come inside and look at the historic building. The employees were nice and one member of my party ordered a drink. They have craft beers here and he was impressed with the one he got. The bathroom facilities were nice and the atmosphere was fun. I think the price was average. This was fun for us visiting tourists.

The oldest bar in Seattle… pretty cool. But boy is it old. A bit grungy and over priced drinks. But still very cool place to go!

Whoever that curly headed forever frat boy behind the bar on Tuesdays needs to learn to check for state seals before bending someone’s ID. Went on the underground tour and was told we’d get 10% off if we showed our stamp. Bartender was rude about it, and then fully bent my Real ID from Tennessee in half 3 hours before my flight because it “felt flimsy”. I made him give it back before he could do anything further to damage my property and showed him the hologram. I am a grown woman who definitely is not passing for under 21 (and wasn’t trying to?) it was incredibly unnecessary and my friends ending up closing and leaving because of his attitude.

Great service and atmosphere. Good stronger drinks. We asked if they had any ghost stories and the bartender grabbed us a book of spooky stories and pictures from the Cafe! It's the oldest Cafe in the city of Seattle!

Stopped here after an Under the Streets tour in Seattle :) I love seeing historical/haunted places so we had to come by! Cheese curds, jalapeño poppers, and wings were great! Bar tender was super upbeat, friendly and on top of his job! Really appreciate that I definitely felt a spooky vibe here..and loved it Giving 4 stars because of the bathrooms downstairs for girls the stall doors are broken :( hopefully they're fixed soon! Everyone deserves privacy when doing their business

My friends and I stopped by this bar around 6pm for Santa Con 2024. the lights decorations are pretty but the ambiance is the best on the bottom floor. Nothing fancy but we enjoyed talking with the bartender. We heard that they are sadly closing but we had a good time. We didn't try the food here but drinks were cheap and decent.

I'm not sure what this place is like when it's crazy busy but when it's not it's a definite great spot to stop in Seattle. Great music, fast bartender service, and a really cool vibe both upstairs and downstairs, which I'm told is a classic piece of Seattle history. 100% worth a stop here

The oldest bar in the city. So it makes it a great place to get a drink and relax. There are some skilled bar tenders and great drink list. Service was quick and we did not have to wait long for a space at the bar. I enjoyed my drink. The music was not necessary up to my taste and the overwhelming smell of weed was presto outside which permeated the inside as well. As an old hotel, there are rooms to rent upstairs that were once used as brothel sites back in the day and now you can rent them out as an Airbnb. One could argue not much is changed.

Bathrooms, and city street side parking, a few parking garages nearby. I went here because with the underground tour you get 10% off your order. I got a whiskey ginger, and my friend got one of the specialty cocktails. My well drink was 7$, my friends drink was 11$ and our waitress said she gave us 15% off but our bill was 22$. Which does not add up, not only did we not get 10% off but we I we paid extra. We couldn't talk to the bartender because it seemed like she disappeared after she talked to us and I looked at the bill. Highly disappointed and wish I had never come in. It was Halloween decorated. They had a downstairs but it wasn't open. I wouldn't recommend it. You don't get your 10% off and it's just not worth it. Don't be fooled ny pictures are allll of the decorations there.

Waiting for our Underground Tour to start we were told to show the barkeep our wristband for a discount here. From the outside I'm not sure we would have just walked in, but I'm sure glad we did. It kind of feels like a classy dive bar in here. Crazy right? Beautiful ceiling lights, sort of dark, cozy corners, comfy sofa, mirrors, neon beer signs, old burlesque pictures. A real mix. The bartender was working the whole room. Told to sit anywhere she came right over. QR codes for online menu at the tables. She was super friendly, answered some questions about beer on tap, memorised everyone's order and went off to do her thing. We only had about 40 minutes to wait, but this was a nice little discovery in Pioneer Square. Wish I had a bit more time to chat w/the bartender. We may be back to do so.

Chill spot for a drink after an underground tour. Super sweet waiter who is compassionate when a homeless man came in and tried to instigate an issue so he bought him a soda and he left. Drinks are decent. Nice spot

The bartender Michael was truly a a remarkable persona, I enjoyed his presence and vibe , really made the experience so much better and his other bartender was also nice. Drinks were greats and cheap !!!

I saw roaches, pretty gross and I wouldn't trust the food from there. The public health sanitation rating is very low

Stopped in before our underground tour for a drink. I ordered a Moscow mule, three friends each had a beer. Mule was not ginger beer- it was soda water with lime and tequila- wasn't great. The beers came in plastic cups. We checked out and the bill was given to us- total shocker--- $51 bucks for four drinks!!!! The bartender made a point to tell me gratuity wasn't included. We all left in complete shock at the prices of these drinks. My husband swears we were ripped off but we never had a chance to go back to question the bill. We paid $51.13 for our bill plus a $10 tip. Totally overpriced.

it was the bartenders first day but she didn't know how to make the drinks on the menu and her boss on the phone sitting behind us on the couch was not quick to help. the bathrooms are marginal and there was no paper towel in the men's restroom. hey get points for the nice architecture of the place but lose points on the naked women pics around the bar. doesn't scream classy! they took my wife's drink off the bill because they didn't know how to make what she wanted and she didn't like what they made her.

We found out about this place because we went on a ghost tour in Seattle around Halloween. This place has a lot of history and has been around for a long time, the oldest standing restaurant in Seattle. It was once a Liquor store/ cafe and hotel/ "apartments" as a saloon or I would consider a brothel and a card room. The men would choose which women he wanted by the photographs on the wall. There have been so many different owners due to the "ghostly happenings" so much that it was featured on two different shows. The Dead Files Episode Burned Alive" and I'm not sure on the other name, but I did see it. From what I remember the tour was better than the food. The service was decent, not too busy when we got there as we found a table right away. The food was not the best from what i remember. I know it's changed through the owners, but there were more options to choose from before. I've been here a couple times so it can't be that bad, it's a little different each time.

I didn't eat but the drinks were good and reasonably priced. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Shout out to Amanda. She made me feel very welcome.

Cool old bar and bar tender was super nice. Good place to have a drink before your underground tour.

The place has gone downhill over the past few years. Last few times we checked in here, the kitchen was closed due to bullshit reasons. Every day they hire a different waiter and the place is dingy and nasty looking. Probably won't go back cuz this place is sketch and sus as hell.

Stopped in after taking the Underground tour, pretty good food & drinks. Grabbed some cheese curds, not to fried, not to oily, really tasty.

Classic old Seattle establishment. Beautiful interior. Usual selection of beverages, with good basic bar menu for food.

Always a good time at the merchant's cafe! Michael, Anthony and Najet are dope and make fantastic drinks.

There is a reason why your staff is malcontent, and people quit left and right; its you Darci. My girlfriend and I wanted an idealic weekend retreat. What we got was a room not fully cleaned prior (due to another firing decision of hers) but we were cheritable with the expectation not being fullfilled upon arrival. The owner arrived well before the stated time and had a tantrum. As she did I started doing all the cleaning I was about to start anyways; yet she has the gall to tell my girlfriend via text I didn't do anything at all. Yeah fucking right, Then she goes onto AirBnB and writes the most two faced review I've seen. Well, if you are going to potentially stay there, don't. She will hit your AirBnB profile with all the ferocity of a petulant child.

Dude! This place is awesome, I love coming here. Open late and unpretentious, strong drinks and awesome music, I always feel welcome. Mostly due to Sara, she is one the best bartenders in Seattle, but honestly they are all awesome. There's food but only till 7 so come here on a fullish stomach unless you wanna get drunk (hey, if that's your thing...)

Some friends and I decided to stop in here after seeing it on our Speilders underground tour of old Seattle. We came in, it was Thursday night around 730PM, hardly anyone present. The bar ambiance and just uniqueness gets this place 3 stars. Loved it. We got in, ordered some beers, didn't have too much on tap but had enough. Bartender was super cool and got us drinks super fast, great service. We just wanted a good place to have a conversation and catch up with old friends, this place accomplished that for us. Side note, they have an underground bar and lounge area under the bar, how awesome. Only reason I knocked this place down a bit was for two reasons. Had a few cockroaches running around and the vagrants outside are probably keeping folks away from here. They do approach and ask for things, be on guard at night. Overall for the middle of the day or weekend is probably fine and should be visited for a good time.

My GF and I rolled in here just before midnight on 10/2, after flying in from San Antonio for the Rams/Seahawks game. the kitchen was closed by then, but we had a few drinks. The bartender, Carlos, was pretty righteous. He made a good drink, and was quite a showman with a great personality. We enjoyed it very much.

A piece of Seattle History As we were taking the walking tour of underground Seattle, we came out of the subterranean world for a while and passed by Merchants Cafe and Saloon. Our tour guide noted that this establishment is the oldest contentiously functioning saloon in the region and that we would get a 10% discount if we flashed our tour wristbands there. She went on to endorse their salmon dish! We decided to give it a try! Inside you will find an interesting combination of old and less old decoration. The chandeliers are interesting as is the lamp in the corner! One wonders what establishment they belonged to prior to moving to their current home! Anyhow, after we sat down, the bartender who served the dual role of the barman and waiter, came to take our order. I ordered the salmon on a bed of greens. It was as good as advertised. The drinks were good too, but the atmosphere was the kicker. The story goes that the location is still visited by the ghosts of a few who used to get wasted here. That adds an edge to one's dinner. I myself could not spot a visitors from the other side, but then again the lady sitting on the table next to us seemed to have some vintage cloths on!!

We stayed at an Air BNB room above the Merchant Saloon. When we arrived everything was great but our code on the reservation got mixed up. We talked to the bartender Micheal and he took care of everything, super friendly, reassuring and really knew what he was doing. He greeted us when we came in the bar too because he thought we were coming in for a drink but once we chatted about the Air BnB he knew exactly what to do. So Thanks! Micheal kicks ass.

Stood directly in front of the bar tender for 15 min. Waiting to give him a drink order. He took 3 other peoples orders that walked up to the bar as I stood there.

This is a great bar .. history , great drinks , great Bartender .. even some ghost stories .. try the cheese curds

We were in town for a concert and came across this saloon for some day drinking. We really had a great time. Chelsea was our bartender and she was so sweet and friendly. She made me a Chai White Russian and it was so good. It was fun exploring the basement bar and I would recommend stopping by if you like historic haunts. Met we some great people while hanging out too. All the best to Chris, you are an amazing man!!

Omg I love Chelsea! She was the greatest host. Please, Merchants make her your top bartender. She's worth a raise for sure!!!

I love this place!!!!! Carlos made us feel at home and made our experience the top of the cherry!! Wish I could've found this place at the beginning of our trip! Music is on point !! Would definitely come back for just this place. Thank you Carlos for just making our day better and being so genuine to us. We loved you!

Just randomly walking by after a ball game and found this place. Seattle's oldest bar. Great drinks- has the apersol spritz! and ordered a garden burger- which was really good. Checked out the basement lounge- which was cool, but definitely had the basement aroma to it... but hey- it's an old building , I'd expect it. Loved the vibe- will go back again.

Decor - 5 Service - 3 Ambiance - 4 Food - 3 Prices - 3.5 This place looks great and the food and prices are average. It's a bit odd to have such great decor and heritage covered by 3 big screen tv's playing sporting events but otherwise it's definitely worth a try. The guide on the haunted tour actually broke the door to the business on our visit so it was a bit cold lol but I would go back again. Loved the couch by the fireplace in the corner where we ate.

Beware: This restaurant hires homeless folks - one in particular- that stole our camera. See photo attached. During our visit to Merchant's cafe, a person who was "working" (bussing tables) stole our diaper bag and all the contents. We know this was stolen as the episode was captured on video cameras and was confirmed by the, manager, Tony. Tony showed my husband the surveillance video, and the person is bussing tables for 10 minutes before he comes downstairs and comes face to face with me while I was breastfeeding my six month old baby. The person told me that was he was sent down to clean up a mess and that I needed to leave. I felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave immediately and wondered why I felt this way towards an employee. We left in haste and we forgot to grab our bag (our fault!). Losing our recently purchased camera (this was a big purchase for us) to capture memories of our children made me feel awful. I understand that most acts of crime are completely out of restaurant's control. However, the manager admitted that the restaurant "hires" homeless people of the street when they ask for a hot meal. While they may find it admirable to "hire" homeless people off the streets, it places patrons at a risk and they may not realize they need to watch their children and belongings more closely! It is my expectation that the employees in a restaurant have been vetted through interviews, background checks, and references to ensure that potential criminals (thieves, sex offenders) are not allowed to serve my kids. (I feel sick just thinking about this!) I came here to enjoy and relax but this place is NOT for that.

Good place for a drink and a quick lunch, Fish sandwich and chicken sandwich great, quick service and Chelsea brought a pitcher of ice tea to the table!

Two people working at the bar are the only employees we saw on a Saturday evening, and those two didn't seem like they wanted to be there. The female of the two went to bring us food menu, but never made it back. The male of the two went to bring us water and drinks that we ordered, but didn't make it back either until he was asked again 15 minutes later. He didn't apologize, just acted like he walked right out of the movie Memento, and short-term memory loss is a cool thing. In case you're wondering, they weren't busy. No reason to go there unless you're interested in their "haunted" history. Seattle has no shortage of excellent bars and pubs.

I came here when I was in Seattle for a few days during a road trip. I happened to be staying at a place close to this bar and I randomly decided to stop here to get some food and drinks. It was a pleasant experience and the atmosphere is eerily satisfying. I didn't know this place was allegedly haunted before coming here but after realizing that it is I could definitely feel a palpable, albeit pleasant, presence within the establishment. Tending to more worldly matters though, the food was great and I had a lengthy discussion with the bartender who gave me some great life advice. Whether you are looking to come here for a bite to eat, to watch a game, or you just want to experience the old time, supernatural vibes that it has to offer, it is well worth the trip.

Awesome people, awesome service! Chelsea was exceptional. Warm and welcoming to out of towners! Food was great too!

Good food! Drinks were ok. Place has a lot of history. Didn't see the ghost. But we will come back and try again. Cheese curds and onion rings are yummy. Every one should stop in! Oldest bar in seattle

We stayed above this place and went down because it was so convenient. It's such a cool spot and the bartender Sarah was absolutely amazing! She got us good drinks, a good story, and had plenty of recommendations for us to do on our travels.

I love old bars and this one is pretty cool Seattle's oldest bar 1890 and the decor is very cool old stained glass chandelier and an ornate carved bar Beer selection is ok Margarita special excellent My only complaint is this cool old bar is covered with a huge flat screen tv Gggggrrrrrrrr Friendly service

Of all the "oldest bars in Seattle", I'd put Merchants at the top of my list. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. It's low light, but it's a warm, red glow. Sunday was packed because I happened to fall in there after a Seahawks game. Go Hawks! Even so, Michael at the bar was juggling everybody very well. He also knew the history of the place. The guy next to me ordered a burger, which looked fantastic. That's on my to do list. I also didn't know until after that the cheese curds are Beechers. That's on my to do list. I had the clam chowder and fish and chips. The clam chowder was out of this world good. I will clarify that it is a very thick, creamy style, and peppery with lots of chunks of potatoes and a good amount of chopped up clam. I'm going to be honest. When the fish n chips came out, my face went deadpan. There were 3 pieces of fish and some fries, and the fish looked small. However, the fish were tasty thick pieces of cod, and the fries were hot and crispy. It was all good. Suffice it to say, returning to Merchants very soon is on my to do list.

Try the underground bar with David and if your up for the wicked haunted stories enjoy a cocktail. He will will custom make you a cocktail to your taste. Excellent service and delicious cocktails. Enjoy....

We LOVED saloon and all the history it celebrated! The bartender was the star of the show! He was super nice and attentive and told us stories about the bar wild past, there in pioneer square. The vibe was clean and mellow and welcoming!

Disappointing. Used to come here a lot. Service and atmosphere weren't aweful. We went in before a Sounders game, place was pretty empty. Probably because the volume on the music was at 86 db. Waited 12 minutes for a server. There isn't one anymore. Went to the bar to order from the bartender who watched us come in, but just kept dancing and singing to the 3 people at the bar. K. 2 people at the table next to us. Ordered a pitcher. 2 of the 3 glasses look like they hadn't been washed. Np, got new ones. Beer is luke warm. 55° Let's get food! No, actually let's go somewhere else. Get the tab. 1 pitcher, $27. Seriously?

Michael is a wonderful bartender. He spent time getting to know us and made amazing drinks. Thanks for a fun experience.

$12 mimosas were tiny... if the server wasn't such a sweetheart I'd be bummed about it. It's alllll good, we went across the street to Fado and got a mimosa carafe for $12, image attached

Nooooo.... This place really needs to get it together! I came here around 3pm Friday night and it was chaotic. Server/ bartender was covering the whole floor and I was ignored for a bit. Clam chowder was not creamy.... was with a bunch of grounded potatoes.

Walked in here because it says it's a cigar bar. Thought it would be cool to have a drink and smoke a cigar. Fake news, it's not a cigar bar. Pretty cool inside and walked to the downstairs bar and it's closed. But it's a Monday, so what do I expect. Got a beer for $7.00, it was cold and tasted pretty good. Bad choice of music and the bartender kept going outside and to the back. But I was 1 of 4 people in there. It claims to be one of the oldest bars in Seattle. Sooo they might have that claim going for them. Had 1 drink and left...

I always go here with my friends and coworkers. Not only are the cheese curds to die for, but the service is always top notch. I want to thank Chelsea with the buns in her hair and Michael for always giving the best service and for being so friendly! If you don't know what you want, you can tell Chelsea flavors that you like or dislike and she can make a personalized cocktail on the spot. She's absolutely amazing! The bar itself is the oldest in seattle and has a lot of history. If you like ghosts or haunted spots, this is your spot. If you don't like ghosts, this is still your spot because the drinks are always great quality!

Fantastic bar, great beer and great appetizers. The fried cheese curds and pickled veggies were fabulous. Great location right in Pioneer Square.