The Merchant Tavern

I was a big fan of this restaurant. We came on a busy Friday night and we managed to get a seat at a counter overlooking the kitchen. It was fun watching the chefs prepare our meals. The food was delicious with the scallop crudo being a highlight.

A gem on Water St.! Our server James was amazing and candid in his recommendations. The 20oz ribeye steak for two was cooked to perfection with a VERY tasty demi glaze, and accompaniments of mushrooms, fries, and broccoli were outstanding and memorable! Specialty cocktails were creative and tasty. Craft beer choices were plentiful. A great experience all in all with our highest 5 star recommendation, go there soon!

Sat at the chef’s table, had the tasting menu. Highly recommend. Chef served up a delicious 5 course tasting menu, paired with the wine pairings carefully chosen by the sommelier. Great food, great drink, great experience. Bravo! I won’t post all the food images. It’s a tasting menu, a little mystery makes it even better!

Dined at the Merchant Tavern recently while on vacation from the US. It was a special milestone birthday, so my husband and I looked at reviews of restaurants and chose this one. The interior is lovely, very industrial chic with very high ceilings. It’s beautifully decorated. I kept ogling the paintings on the wall to the left as you walk in the front entrance. SO beautiful. We were seated at a high top right up against very loud people at the bar, when we had requested a nice table for two. I’d say this was the least desirable table in the entire restaurant, but so be it. I ordered my standard vodka martini with a lemon twist, and when it arrived, I had to wonder if the server had consumed ¾ of it on the way to the table (see photo). It was an expensive drink too! I was not happy, but wasn’t sure if it was a Canadian thing with standard measures? In the states, martinis arrive filled to the brim. I did see other drinks going out in martini glasses that were a bit fuller, so I don’t know. We chose to split the charcuterie board as our starter. This was the best part of the meal. Nice selection of meats and cheeses, though the price was pretty insane 45CAN (32USD). Still, everything tasted nice. For our entrees, I ordered the duck breast with Brussels sprouts and cherries and my husband ordered their pasta special. My duck dish was really a disappointment. The duck was the toughest I’d ever had, very chewy—the kind of meat you chew and chew and the piece never gets smaller. The Brussels sprouts consisted of THREE single LEAVES of the sprouts. And add to that the dish was so overly salted it was almost inedible. I’m a home chef and like things well seasoned, but this was way over the top. Husband’s pasta was cooked perfectly, but again the dish was so over salted he didn’t finish it. We took the leftovers back to our AirBnB but threw them out. Also, our server had no personality at all and wasn’t very attentive. C’est la vie. Sadly, that was our last attempt at dining at an upscale restaurant while in the St. John’s area. We had great experiences at more casual places that served fish and chips and burgers. We are foodies and were so excited to experience some great restaurants while on holiday. The Merchant Tavern discouraged us from spending our tourist dollars on any other fine-dining spots.

Hands down THE BEST food spot in St.John’s. The food was utterly scrumptious, they cooked the seafood and everything so well. Did not disappoint. It was a shame that we only came here the day before we are leaving- we would have come TWICE. Need to make reservation well in advance (~ one week). Don’t miss this spot if you’re visiting St.John’s!

Not sure how this doesn’t have a 4.8 or higher. This was one of the best meals I ate while on the island. The NL Cod was perfect. Tasty, succulent and well seasoned. Bonus points for the old fashioned and extra bonus points for the creme brulee having the perfect glass shell.

This restaurant offers customers a high quality dining experience with exceptional dishes, great service, and a lively atmosphere. I have been twice in the past few weeks, once sitting at a table and once at the bar with a friend. Firstly, you know it's a good restaurant when staff are knowledgeable about the menu. The service was friendly and above expectation. Each order was elegantly plated, and I did not leave hungry. There was not a single appetizer, course, or dessert I ate that I didn't love. They have an elegant drink menu, and also offer special menus on occasions like Cinco de Mayo. I will absolutely be a returning customer, and will recommend the restaurant to all my friends who visit St. John's.

We have eaten many times at Merchant Tavern and have noticed the quality of our meal decline over the years. There was a time where the food was both delicious and aesthetically pleasing, however this was not our recent experience. As for the service the waiter was unaware of all the daily specials but thankfully the sommelier clarified them for us. We were quite please with the sommelier wine recommendations.