Tucked above one of downtown Raleigh’s most storied stairwells, The Merchant NC now calls 108 1/2 East Hargett Street home, sharing an entrance with its longtime sister bar, The Green Light Bar. The Merchant was previously located at 126 S Salisbury St.
This historic building has quietly hosted nightlife, social clubs, and late-night gatherings for decades, and The Merchant continues that tradition with a modern, cocktail-forward approach. Inside, guests will find a moody, intimate setting centered around expertly crafted drinks, premium spirits, and an effortlessly cool vibe.
You will always find great cocktails, conversation, and atmosphere in one of Raleigh’s most iconic downtown spaces.
21+ | Cocktails only | No food
Filipp Nesterov
We’ve been to The Merchant twice now, and both times were amazing. Great drinks, great music, and a really good vibe overall. The first time we came with friends and just sat at a table. The second time it was just my wife and me, and we sat at the bar. The staff made me a custom drink, which was awesome.
Overall, I’m super impressed with the atmosphere and the style of the place. I also really liked that all the bartenders were in matching uniforms—it definitely shows a professional approach. Just a great spot with a great vibe.
… moreChip Haver
We went here to try something new for Restaurant Week (RW)… you’d think that they want to really shine so that you would come back when it’s not Restaurant Week
First, the wings from the regular menu were great! We each ordered some of the RW menu items and shared.
The focaccia bread did not impress, the Brussels sprouts were very dry and bland. The carbonara was OK and the steak frites was pretty good.
It was not busy when we were seated, but busy when we left. Our second drink order for the table was never received and the waiter forgot to send to the bar…I think poor service from a nice person was the main reason we would not return again.
… moreERIC Gilbert
The duck fat fries hit the spot after a few drinks! The Love Potion No. 126 was sweet and boozy. And it was the first time I’ve had a cocktail with Boba poppers in it. It was fruity and strong. And the flower was a lovely garnish. 9.6/10 for the Love Potion!
… moreRicki Leak
Sue was a phenomenal server. Please promote or give a raise. She was incredibly super knowledgeable about the menu, great customer service and friendly.
The chicken wings are sweet and savory. The outside texture gives a good crunch. I enjoyed the drinks. However, the scenery is the best. How cool is the outside door and the entrance up to the merchant. It is aesthetically pleasing, beautiful scenery. Not to mention the merchant sliders are juicy, fully of flavor and delicious.
… moreC Price (Lola)
I do not know why IN GOD’S GREEN EARTH they QUIT SELLING FOOD. This was one of my favorite places to go and now they’ve moved and no longer have a kitchen. The drinks are good, atmosphere is great but overall alcohol sales are not what they use to be in previous years. The new space is lovely however, They’ll need something else here to generate foot traffic and stand out.
Ideas: Live Performers, Hookah, Karaoke nights, Private Parties, Burlesque Night, a Photo Booth, something…idk something. If you take something away you need to replace it with something else to keep your customers.
… moreTalia C
I came here a week or so ago and had the best time! I ordered the (drinks – smoke and daggers, paper plane and the icon American dream. For the food: Duck Wings, Crispy Brussel Sprouts and had the death by chocolate for dessert). I sat at the bar and had the best Bartender ever! I’ll definitely be back! The vibe is immaculate and the music was great!
… moreKayla Senf
The food, vibe, and location were 11/10. The one area that would have made this a 5 star experience was the wait time for food and drinks, it was significant especially for a small plates and cocktail bar. I got the espresso martini and the presentation and flavor were amazing.
… moreManisit Das
A cozy bar with plenty of spacing and great service that doesn’t feel cramped. Great place to enjoy an elaborate selection of drinks and have a conversation.
… moreD Lucas
The food was good, we ordered several entrees to share with the table and everyone was pleased. The atmosphere was great, the music was nice but not too loud. The service was awful. Not really sure what’s our waiters issue was but she was terrible. She was rude, didn’t smile much and had an attitude the entire time before she handed off our table to someone else because she was leaving. The next server was great. We were talkative and nice. I didn’t like the fact that our tip was going to be spilt between the both of them because we felt like she didn’t deserve a penny. Either way, it’s a nice place to visit, but your server will make or break your night.
… moreMJ Worldwide
I was really excited to come here. The atmosphere was beautiful and the music was jumping. Truly enjoyed my food and had exceptional service from Jacob. Then when we were about 3/4 finished we were asked to move tables to accommodate another party. As we were moving the table of four departed behind us. If the host would have waited one more minute he would have had his table of four and could have left us undisturbed. As I looked around there were a lot of other seating options but he chose to tell us to move. Jacob apologized several times but the experience was ruined. I did not feel valued as a customer and this is not a cheap place to eat. They tried to bring our food to us but I didn’t want it anymore after the host half cleared our old table and then brought our food to us. Tasteless actions on the part of the host. It’s the little things that make an experience but it’s the big things like asking us to move mid meal that break it. Good food, ultimately poor service. Do better. Not handicapped accessible.
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