Merchants Cafe and Saloon Reviews

Stopped in for a drink after the underground tour across the street. As the oldest bar in Seattle (since 1890) we were up for a historic drink. The drinks were very strong pours – Very! You won’t be disappointed in getting your money’s worth for your drink. The cheese curds were great as were the wings. I ordered the “Merchants Specialty Grilled Cheese-Tillamook cheddar, Cougar Gold aged white cheddar from WSU, cream cheese served on Grand Central Bakery’s famous potato bread, then grilled to perfection.” And added bacon. Glad I added the bacon because I could hardly find the cheese on a grilled cheese sandwich. It was crisply toasted bread with bacon and a hint of cheese (no ooey, gooey cheese stringing from my lips with each bite!!)

After enjoying our underground tour we stopped at the Merchant Cafe. The food was excellent service excellent and the atmosphere was fantastic. It was cool to know that this restaurant had been open since the 1800's would return for sure.

Located in a cool old building, it's Seattle' oldest restaurant with an even better Underground Saloon. The food is good, but nothing special.

If you're looking for new, high tech surroundings, this is not your place. But if you want good, reasonably priced food and genuine artifacts in Pioneer Square, this is the place. The service is friendly and the wait staff is well-informed about the history of he area (much more than the stupidity of the guides on the Underground Tour). My family and I felt like we took a trip back in time and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Terri Smith

Was recommended to this place by underground tour guide (which I do recommend). You get 10% off if you went to the tour. Discount not given to us (of course I didn't notice this until I looked add our receipt after we had left). The place is really neat to look at but was very cold. Had bacon wrapped prawns for appetizer. Very good. But burgers tasted like they were just frozen patties. Not fresh. Notjing special. Limited beer selection. Go for atmosphere but that's it.

Avoid! 20% mandatory gratuity & 3.2% Seattle charge added. This is posted no place before you order. Service was terrible. Makers Mark is not Makers Mark or it is watered down terribly. AVOID AVOID AVOID

If you like visiting old bars, this one has character. You can tell this bar was build at the turn of the century and probably used during prohibition. Old school charm, sat and had a pint before I left town.

Our tour guide feom the Underground Tour recommended the cafe as it offers a 10% discount. We let our server know when we arrived. At the time to pay the bill Anthony P forgot when delivering the bill. When I asked if he remembered to add it he said no as we did not tell him. I said yes we showed our stamp when we arrived. Told me I dis not have to be ignorant when asked ro redo my bill. Brought my bill and threw $3 at me and said there is my 10%. No offer for my friend. A cool atmosphere and drinks are great however sir you lost out by not being respectful of a referral. We were there based on Jim's promotion of the tour.

We decided to go to dinner here because it is supposedly the oldest restaurant in Seattle. We loved the uniqueness of the place. (Its true, the bathrooms are down old creeky stairs.) The food was fast and really good. I loved that they had a sandwhich named after the worlds fair. Each of our meals was served on a plate with a different china pattern which only added to the spice of the place. They also have on tap different Seattle brews so that was an added bonus.

I bought a LivingSocial coupon that included appetizer to share, 2 salads, 2 entrees, dessert and a bottle of wine. The bottle of wine was great, no complaint there. We ordered clam chowder as our appetizer. I could tell from the color of the soup that it was not fresh, it was a little yellowish. Salad was okay, we had caesar salad that was fresh. The entrees were another story. I ordered the chicken and it looked like it was freezer burned, the mash potatoes were greasy and the vegetables were drenched in some sort of sauce. My husband ordered a cheeseburger that did not look appealing, he said it had no flavor, most likely frozen meat. Our waitress was very pleasant and very attentive to us. I told her service was great, but the meal was not. She was apologetic, but it was not her fault.

If you want a worst staff, with worst service, with worst attitude and drunk bartender while at work on a very nice location, Check out Merchant's Cafe and Look for Chelsea! We came in and waited for almost 20min on a late afternoon, no staff was visible that day! We were looking and calling "hello, is anyone here?" There were few people there drinking and told us, she was gone for a long time... a lot of people were standing and waiting for a drink but she never showed up. So, my friend was wandering around and calling, and she saw Chelsea in a small room (im not sure if it was on a staircase she was sitting, closed to the bar) talking on a phone on one hand and a bottle of liqour on the other hand. My friend was calling her and even looked pissed and asked us, "what do you want?" She stood up and went to bar.. we said our drinks we wanted several times and made different cocktails. I said this not what i ordered, and she was even pissed at me. Stared at me like a btch "What do you really want?" Like what?!? Lol. Obviously shes pretty hammered and she was mumbling. She suddenly said, you better leave, not gonna serve you! And we're like... wtf? What did we do? So my friend interrupted, and "hey miss! You were the one started this, and she said.... I'm Chelsea not Miss! HAHA! She's the one who was unprofessional at first, holding a bottle of liqour on shift and showed us the freakin attitude. Idk how the company survived this kind of staff. She's not compatible for hospitality industry! The location is great, it's just the service ruined the experience. So, we left and went to other bar next block and told the bartender our experience that we were at Mercahnt's Cafe and had a terrible and worst experience in Seattle with this bartender.... and he, the first one mentioned "is it Chelsea?"we we like, "Yeah! You know it!" He said she's known in town for her attitude that's why noone goes there! So, now we learned something. Do not go to Merchant's Cafe if youre in Seattle! Otherwise, if you want to experience a worst service in great location, Come check out Chelsea for you to believe it! 🤙🏻

The Service was good. Food was okay. The Bathroom downstairs was very sketchy. Not impressed overall.

Stopped in for an evening night cap after the Battle in Seattle. This was the evening for the Santa Pub Crawl for downtown Seattle and the bar area quickly filled with many Santa's helpers, and all were being very nice. We had a couple of drinks and an appetizer. Service and atmosphere were great, we were staying nearby, but unfortunately we will not have time for a real meal this time, but we will definetly be back on our next visit. Check this spot out if you like places off of the beaten path.

For an evening of a casual, local bar experience, not much could beat this place. It isn't fancy but is a lot of fun with good food and drinks. Having lived in Seattle for many years, we wanted to revisit some of our old haunts on a recent Seattle visit. This one certainly didn't disappoint!

Recommended by the tour Speidel's Underground Tour guide. Doesn't look much from outside but inside is a welcoming traditional bar. Food and drink was reasonably priced. Service was very good. Pleasant staff. Good atmosphere.,

We showed up here for dinner with our kids and although the menu was limited (game day menu) they accommodated us as best they could! Love the history and the atmosphere here! Great place to stop in for a drink or full dinner.

Can't tell you about the food because we never got served! We sat right in front of the bar where the server was too busy talking to to bartender to bother with us. After 15 minutes we left.

Stopped in for dinner after going on the Underground Seattle Tour. The tour guide pointed out Merchant's and said it is the oldest restaurant in Seattle. It's more of a bar that serves food but still it was worth a visit. They did offer 10% of the cheque by showing them the receipt from the Underground Seattle Tour. Very friendly bartender/waiter who filled us in on the history of this restaurant. Food was ok to good/pricing was reasonable for Seattle. It's in the Pioneer Square neighborhood so the neighborhood is pretty scary and very unsafe at night.

We went into this place after our Underground Tour and were happy to get a small discount on our meal because we had been on it. However, the meal should have been free - the service and food was so bad that we almost left without our bill. We were the only people in the dining area for most of our meal, with only a couple people trickling in toward the end. The waitress was working both the floor and the bar. There was another woman who we think was supposed to be working but she was sitting at the bar gabbing with the girl behind the counter throughout our meal. They managed to ruin a BLT sandwich by burning the bacon and their tomato basil soup tasted like it came out of a jar of Ragu. To make matters worse, following our bad experience we had the owner sending my personal profile on another review site threatening messages long after the visit.

What a great place to sit down and have a meal while touring the Pioneer Square area. My spouse and I love Seattle, but especially this part of town. Whenever we're in the area, we pop in to grab a bite. WE LOVE the SLIDERS! Great atmosphere with lots of history, fantastic wait staff, and great food. Can't say enough good things and can't wait for our next visit in December! We'll definitely be having some sliders!

This historic setting was a great way to end our "Underground Tour" of old Seattle, WA. This quaint old saloon had the original bar and woodwork still in tack with a tin ceiling. The simple menu had great sandwiches with a large selection of beers, cocktails and wines reasonably priced.

If you want to meet someone for a drink. Chances are your friends aren’t here. And they’re really friendly, pour great cocktails and the vibe is chill.

Cool staff and decent selection at the bar. There is also an AirBnB up stairs and some neat history. The building has been a brothel, bar, restaurant, and speakeasy at various times since the mid-19th century. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in the Pioneer Square area...

We went here on our last day in Seattle, group of 19. We had heard of it through the underground Tour, the bar tender (believe he was from Montana) fit right in, our group had a great time. Some of us had food, was decent. Love the downstairs (must drop down there) wish we would have known about it prior to our last day, was really close to the hotel. I enjoyed and so did the rest of the group (we were there 5/21) prior to leaving for an Alaskan Cruise

We had dinner here on our way to the light rail station while enroute to the airport. The food was surprisingly good. The beer selection wasn't as big as I would have expected, mostly Bud Light type beers with only 1 or 2 local craft beer selections. The service was very efficient and friendly. The price of food was decent too.

We went in to Merchants Cafe and had their grilled cheeses sandwich. Talk about fantastic! The sandwich had Tillamook mild cheddar, mild white cheddar, cream cheese, and on the sourdough bread you had a Parmesan crust! That and steak fries and you're in heaven! Don't miss this place!

Five us ate lunch after the underground tour. Each of us had something different and each plate looked and tasted yummy. Service was a little slow. Decor is fitting for the oldest restaurant in Seattle. Go with an adventurous spirit - it would not "fit" to have a modernized restaurant.

I have visited this Saloon a handful of times and every time has bwen a disappointment. The owner 'Darcy' has local homeless people running the kitchen and the bar staff are known drug pushers in the area. The Saloon is below a B and B, also run by 'Darcy' and is being investagated by the Health Department. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Stopped in after Underground Tour for a glass of wine. Worse wine ever.....served in scotch/ bar glasses and charges us $12.00 a glass! Then charged us a surcharge for using a credit card. Total disappointment and rip off!

Popped in for a quick burger before catching the ferry nearby. It seemed nice at first. Cozy and the saloon these is very appropriate and well done. But I overheard the bartender/server bragging about tricking tourists into paying more. And we as well as other guests got overcharged so read your bill/receipt. Furthermore, we had to go outside where the bartender was on his phone and ask him for silverware. We had already helped ourselves to filling our water glasses, getting napkins, etc. because he was outside for half an hour. The only saving grace is the theme and the food was good, but the service makes me not want to bother

I liked that it was a historical place. The food was very good too. I must've been there early because I was one of the only people there.

My family and I had dinner at the Merchants Cafe July 9, 2011. I ejoyed myself so much it was almost midight before i realized it. The atmosphere was fantastic and the new ownership was very personable. The service was great and the minute we tasted the food the great comments started flowing... Great food! Also went on the Spooked in Seattle haunted ghost tour...a fun experience! Can't wait to visit there again...

Listen, when I come to the Merchants, I don't come here for fantastic food, an upscale experience, or even for the best service I can get. The Merchants is a Seattle staple plain and simple, one of the oldest bars in Seattle, and has a very divey feel to it. Generally you will have people come in from the underground tour, and the downstairs reflects that. People are so concerned with service, yet they probably don't know how to go up to the bar and order a drink. Merchants is a chill spot most nights, expect it to be busy during game days especially. The bartenders are no BS, don't be scared to go up and order a drink however.

Stopped in after the Underground Tour. Had the 1962 Seattle Fair chicken sandwich and Underground Cheeseburger. Very tasty and good size portions. We paid $11 for chicken sandwich and fries. I think the burger was $13. Pretty decent for the area! We would come back.

We actually had the luxury of staying right above the bar for a night, so of course we checked it out. One of the beer coolers had broken that morning so our options were limited, but Tony the bartender was very pleasant, attentive, and friendly. We ordered the cheese curds (AMAZING) and I got salmon appetizer that came on a small salad and it was VERY good, although the salmon was not cooked consistently throughout the whole piece (not a dealbreaker though). The second time we went back we got the curds again (and still awesome!) but the bartender seemed disinterested and busy (not Tony), even though no one was there. It will definitely be a place we stop at whenever we are there though!

We went in after the underground tour to have a beer and a bite. The interior is very cool and has kept the historical feel. I love that, keeping with the feel of the tour. Also the entire staff was great! Always a plus. Burgers are great and the beer is cold!

The menu is very limited, especially for gluten free options. The history here is incredible. It is Seattle's oldest restaurant, being started in 1890. Mark provided friendly and very thorough service. I will definitely come back.

we stayed in the old brothel above the saloon. great location and fun history around the place. Tony was a terrific bartender and host.

You should go here. Walked in here because we were hungry and loved it. Food was good and often made from local ingredients from throughout Washington state. True what one of the other reviewers said, not a lot of options, but food was good nonetheless. Even better was the craft beer and drink selections. An added bonus from our visit was that we were tended to by Justin. He is a bartender who gives great service and plenty of laughs both from his various stories about his life, Bar history, and Seattle history. He also gave great beer recommendations. Even better is afterwards we headed downstairs to the underground bar. A second bar downstairs that is dark and reminiscent of a 19th century Transylvanian bordello that Dracula would likely visit. This provides a different drinking experience and overall fun time. Do visit here both for the ambience and history of the establishment.

Amazing hole in the wall place that we had recommended to us from one of our tours! We had a blast hearing stories from the bartender, Micheal, and he had great recommendations on what to eat and drink off of the menu. Serious spook-spook vibes downstairs on the way to the bathroom! PS the ranch is legit!

It may have history and nostalgia but what it doesn't have is good food or service. The cheese curds were good but it went downhill from there. Clam chowder was bland, grilled cheese tasteless, Klondike Mac and cheese just plain gross. Service was beyond poor..there are way too many places in Seattle that deserve your money. Don't waste your time on this one

After our Safeco walk we wanted to stay in Seattle to have lunch. We were asking a local where there was a very, very casual place to eat and he said Merchants it's the oldest restaurant/bar in Seattle. We were right around the corner. It was dark with a very old bar that would take you back to the honky tonk days along with the décor. They menu was very limited but the service was good. We wouldn't go back but it was worth finding out about the history.

Merchant's is an institution. Otherwise we probably wouldn't go there. But ... that said, we did have a fairly good time. We sat upstairs and did Happy Hour. I had a 7&7 and my husband had a Lemon Drop. We did suspect the chef had to pluck our chicken first when our appetizer took well over 30 minutes to arrive (45 mins. is a good guess-timate). But it was tasty (if not simple) when it arrived (or were we just starving?). Anyhoo, overall, we had a decent time. And, yes, we'd probably go there again ... because after all, it IS The Merchant's. I would recommend this to a friend, but with all the reservations I gave above.

Our tour guide from the Seattle Underground Tour recommended the Merchants Cafe. The food was great. I recommend you try their sliders (appetizer). Our waiter was great. Also, we managed to forget our photo packet from the Underground Tour at the cafe. When we got back to our motel (in Silverdale) I called the cafe and they said they would be happy to mail the photo packet to me. Within a couple of days of returning home, I received the photos. Great service. They went above and beyond in my opinion.

In Pioneer Square, this is one of the oldest, longest running establishments in Seattle. I love to come here and get a cheese burger and beer. It can get a little loud if you come after 7pm.

Stopped in for a quick bowl of clam chowder. It was full of savory spices and plenty of clams, bacon, and salmon. We sat on the small patio in front for some great people-watching. Matt was our server and he was fabulous and friendly. Would definitely visit again.

We popped in for a couple beers and a snack. Staff was friendly, place was busy but not packed, food was good bar food and decor was outdated because I think I read it was the oldest bar there? charming is more like it.

Like most people, I was directed here after the Bill’s Underground tour (which is great). Can’t say the same about this place. Maybe if the tow stairs bar was open or the bartender was not TOTALLY RUDE, it could have been enjoyable. Since the tip was automatic, the bartender did not give a sh-t about service. Somethings you couldn’t even find him. The two stars are for the fried cheese curds (They were amazing) and the fact that the lower level looked like something out of old Seattle. There was even a “ghost story” about the ladies room. Bottom line, Just stay away. Shame on Jim from tour for recommending this place. Total crap and kind of spoiled the tour experience.

I really love the vibe of this place. Our cocktails were outstanding. We ordered cheese curds and coconut shrimp. The shrimp was great, the cheeses curds were a lump of melted cheese and breading, I would say they were over fried. We weren’t given utensils but we’re cool with that. All was acceptable until I used the bathroom. One stall had the door ripped off, one stall had a mop bucket in it. The third stall had our cook who when she left the facilities did not wash her hands. I talked to the bartender who said wasn’t his problem. Gross!! Shouldnt you protect the people you serve? Anyhow, in town for the weekend and we live in PNW, would not recommend going here just for that. Why risk getting sick? To bad because such a historic place. I loved everything about it up to this point. Disappointed and disgusted. Our visit was 5/24/24 3:10-4:00

We were looking for a reasonably quick lunch, and got anything but. Between ordering and receiving food, it was literally 50 minutes. The food wasn't terrible, but nothing to write home about. A salad came on a plate barely large enough to hold it, so that when you took a bite, some fell off the edge. The one person serving the whole room and tending bar seemed well-meaning, but he kept coming by to tell us our food was nearly ready, and then our interminable wait would just continue. Very frustrating -- clearly they market themselves to tourist, because no one who had an experience like ours would ever go back.

After we went on the Underground Tour in Pioneer's Square we started getting our drink on and trying different places. I had the Slow Fashioned which just about knocked me on my butt. The sting of whiskey went away after a few sips. I tried the bacon clam chowder and it was freaking amazing. A strong drink comes with a strong price as it was more than my cup of chowder, but they were both worth it for the experience.

My husband and I dined there last night. We were served by the owner Darcy and the food and service were GREAT. We live in California and will definitely go back on our next trip to Seattle. It's small place with a lot of history, and if you believe the stories possibly a spirit or two(the supernatural kind).

We had a great time eating lunch here. It was nothing spectacular, but good food, reasonably priced, the hostess was nice, open and told stories of this "haunted" establishment. It was an overall great experience.

Love this place, small but with several strong, craft, local IPAs space dust at 8% is tasty. A typical American IPA heavily hopped. However the fuzzduster is a revalation!!!! Food wise the French dip sandwich is lush and well worth a try.

Want to see something with history and ambiance of yester years. Well this place has it being one of the oldest bars around. Loved the decor and drinks were excellent too. Nice place to rest the legs for a bit and have a drink.

Our tour guide pointed out this restaurant as the oldest in Seattle, and it was very close to the Seattle Underground entrance which we wanted to visit, so after checking out the interesting menu, we decided to give it a try. I split a salmon fingers appetizer and grilled cheese sandwich with a friend--both delicious! Seriously--I'd never had better salmon (blackened and grilled), and that was the best grilled cheese sandwich I'd ever tasted, paired with sensational fries. The owner waited on us herself and was justifiably proud of her menu and chef. Then she brought us an order of her deep-fried cheese curds with honey--another treat. Large portions--even split with a friend. Highly recommended!

The burgers were very good and flavorful. Mac and cheese made with Tillamook cheese was delicious. We were surprised to see a mandatory 20% gratuity added to our bill as this was not posted on the menu and we were a small party of 4. Also, 3.2% was added to our bill because we used a credit card. Otherwise, it was a good experience. Our server was very nice and friendly.

I went here today and ordered the cheeseburger. It's hard to screw up a cheeseburger, and luckily for them (and me), they didn't. There was nothing inherently wrong with it; it was just okay. However, it was waaaay overpriced: $12 for a cheeseburger of no higher quality than a whopper from Burger King.

Good atmosphere. Nice bartender, but only employee working. He was completely overwhelmed by the crowd. Send in the troops he needs backup

Just wanted to write a favorable review for the old place! I had read many reviews that were very critical and we had a very nice experience to share. I purchased a "living social" coupon and decided to use it last weekend. The deal was for an appetizer, salad, main dish, dessert and bottle of wine for 2. We started with the Taquitos (sp?) for appetizer. I expected little previously frozen things. They were fabulous! One big chicken taquito cut diagnally with a pesto drizzled around. It looked great and tasted even better. I would definitely order it again. We had the wine which was offered....just a cheap red, but adequate. The salad was my favorite kind. A spring lettuce mix with lots of different veggies chopped in it and tossed with a light (tart, yay!) vinegarette. It was perfect. I ordered the hamburger for the entree and my husband ordered the chicken. The hamburger and fries were great and my husband liked the chicken dish. The dessert was another surprise! We ordered the "Hershey Bar Pie" ....not at all what I expected. Was more like a mousse in a graham cracker cup...very nice! Our waiter was a nice young man...very attentive and the place is a fun old place with lots of character! We would definitely give it a 2 thumbs up! Check it out!

This place is very cool if you like historical spooky places... neat underground bar to stop for a beer on your way in. The complaints I read about the homeless people outside are pointless... every street corner you walk, anywhere in Seattle, has homeless people asking you for money, so it is NOT isolated to this place at all.. Did not see any ghosts, but the old architecture is cool in the rooms!

I ate here while touring Pioneer Square and enjoyed the experience. I had the angus burger and steak fries paired with the chili. My friend had the waygu burger with the chowder. Both were delicious though I think I liked his burger better than mine. It was $3.00 more at $14.00 :-) The building is touted as the oldest restaurant in Seattle and was very interesting architecturally with an old bordello/sports bar ambiance. Although it was a little pricey for a burger, I think it is worth it for the novelty of the place.

The ambiance of this place screams as a really coot, laid back chill kind a of place for a casual beer with friends. Unfortunately, the rest is a bit lacking. The beer tasted good, which is slightly redeeming, but the service was poor and the food tasted like it came from a microwave. one of my friends ordered a Burger and fries... he counted the fries 3 times before eating. the first two counts he had a total of 7. Can you believe that ? only 7 fries. on the third count he only had 6 fries...I ate one. Such a shame. This place could be so much more.

We stopped here for lunch after the Underground Tour. They gave us ten percent off for taking the tour. It was typical bar fare but tasty. The spiced rum and cola was very good. This is the oldest establishment in Seattle. Would have been nice to see something about in the restaurant itself or some kind of story about its history.

Fun! Loved the atmosphere and spooky history. It was a perfect stop for an afternoon drink and cheese bites.

So it started bad when the bathroom is in this horribly lit basement with strobe lights( honestly I wonder if there are strippers down there).The toilets were backed up, garbage was everywhere and the smell... well it was worse than the stench of the underground tour we had just finished. We got our drinks right away but to order was almost a 15 minute wait and then menu had like 10 options on it... 45 minutes later food arrived. It was good but not great and certainly not worth the wait. Wait staff never bothered to check on us, never offered refills or made sure we were doing well. Gratuity was automatically added on a party of 4? I call BS and highly recommend no one enter that place. It might be Seattle’s oldest bar but it’s also one of its worst.

We stayed in the haunted hotel above the Merchants Cafe. It was a good experience. I swore that we had a night visitor at 2am in the kitchen. Lots of clanging going on. We enjoyed the stay.

Good place for people watching. Lots of "Underground Seattle" tours go by there. Food was average, I like the cheeseburger and draft beer I got. The girls did not like the greasy fries but took lots of selfies with locals tourist and homeless walking by.

Just walking around we found this cafe/bar Nice location, historical building AND interior :) Not that busy and still pleasant- good service and also good food. Unexpected nice as we thought it could be a tourist trap. But friendly service, normal priced good food. Used the bathrooms which where also clean so the ladies also happy.

Went on my lunch hour to join my wife. The inside is cool, especially the bar. The young woman server was by herself being both bar tender and waiting tables. The restaurant wasn't particularly crowded, but it took a long to get waited on. Once the food came if was very tasty, no complaints about that. The server seemed easily distracted and my I had to rush through my lunch hour to get back to work. Not sure if we'll be back.

This place have real American burger and a lot of local Seattle beer to choose from. The staff is very friendly and the interior is a bit on the backpacker style. Good value!

I thought long and hard about how to rate Merchant's Cafe...it's old, and I appreciate its provenance in Seattle, a place that is determined to rip down everything. But I can't really say it's a yummy place to go to, or terribly clean. As everyone will tell you - Merchant's is one of the oldest establishments in Seattle. I come here because it's a popular watering hole before games, and the gathering spot of our branch of Sounder's ECS, Barra Fuerza Verde. (!!VIVA SOUNDERS & BFV!!) That gets it one extra star. Nice staff - food and drinks are adequate. You go here more for the history and atmosphere, which is distinctly dive-y and super old school (like, "turn of the century" old school). I can't completely diss that.

We were actually staying in one of the suites above the cafe, so decided to eat there our first night. I had the salmon with spinach/kale and potatoes - for $14! Unreal! It was FABULOUS. Great service there from Alec - the bartender/jack of all trades. I did go into the ladies room, which is reported to have two child ghosts wandering about (google it), and was a little freaked out (only because I knew that beforehand) but did not experience anything crazy. I would definitely recommend it for a stop for happy hour or food in this very historic area of Pioneer Square, but be aware that this area does have several homeless people about. Don't worry though - it's worth a stop to try to sneak a peek at a ghost or two and get something to eat and drink! ;-)

Customer service here is slow. Food is below-average to average, basic, skimpy and stale. Had a French dip sandwich; stale cheap bun (like stale Wonder Bread: stale when dry, instantly falling apart when dipped in the watered down au jus). Skimpy on the beef too. Fries were sparse but hot. Over all it simply was not that good. The best thing I can say is that it put something in my stomach when I was hungry and I didn't get sick. This place depends on the tourist gimmick of being the "oldest restaurant in Seattle." Right in the heart of Pioneer Square, the oldest area of Seattle. Rather than focusing on good food, they're focused on churning through the tourist walking through the area as their business model. I know FEW locals that would make this a destination restaurant. There are better places to eat in and around Pioneer Square.

This is a great place with so much interesting history. A great place to stop in for a drink and learn a little of Seattle's past. Great location. They have air bnb rentals upstairs that are affordable and also excellent to stay in. Close to lots of Seattle attractions

Supposedly the oldest operating restaurant/saloon in Seattle, skip the food enjoy the beer, interesting decor and it is a sports bar atmosphere

This place is super fun. We found it while on a ghost walking tour. It is supposedly one of the most haunted places in Seattle. Although we didn't run into any ghosts... We did have a great time with the fun staff and the food was delicious pub type food! There is also a really cool bar downstairs in the "underground" Seattle.

Stopped in for a drink at the bar after having learned about this place from our guide on Bill Speidel’s Underground Tours. Apparently this is the oldest bar in Seattle. I believe it! If you think the main level has characteristics of days gone by, be sure to go downstairs to see the original bar. We enjoyed beers while chatting with the very affable bartender who happened to be playing the 1974 Warren Beatty classic film ‘The Parallax View’ which was a real treat. A nice way to spend an afternoon.

I stopped in here for a beer after the Mariner's game and while I waited for my bus. I had not been in there for years. Seemed like not enough seating but people figured it out.

This is a good casual spot to grab a drink. It doesn't hurt that it's the oldest restaurant in Seattle either so a lot of history here, and they do a good job of making it look historic but not old and grimy. La Barra Fuerza Verde comes here before Sounders matches and give it an incredibly welcoming vibe.

Yes, I read some of the other reviews and yes, it's supposed to be the oldest bar in Seattle. Atmosphere is really nice, waitress was very nice and friendly, the cheese things were quite tasty also. Not a lot of options on the menu and yes, just like the other reviews, they were out of meatloaf. I ordered the cheese burger, which tasted good but nothing special about it, they didn't even put any type of condiment on it, mayo, ketchup, mustard, nothing. Fries were good too. Whether I return again is up in the air, might be a great place for a drink, but defiantly wouldn't go there JUST for the food. Don't get me wrong, food was good, just nothing special.

Good food. Not expensive, near Pioneer's Sq. It has ALL the story of Seattle. It's the first restaurant in the city. Don't forge to visit the restrooms in the basement. They seem to be stopped in time.

Good place to stop in Pioneer Square for beers and appetizers. Good drink selection, and the fried cheese curds were excellent.

Best best best BLT Sandwich ever! I don’t know what they did to it but I will dream of this sandwich! While you are there treat yourself to the Blood Orange Margarita! That was also dream worthy. Great service and neat ambiance. Enjoyable!

Very cool restaurant with an underground bar. The service was very good however the food was just average

Nice, cozy environment and the food is great. I go there everyday for lunch.

30 minute wait for food. Absolutely awful. Rude. Rude. Patrons fighting for food. We had to leave.......

This historic building invites you to come in and sit awhile. Whether you are having a beer or nursing a wine, the atmosphere is interesting. The staff is very attentive and the mood is comfortable. The prices are very reasonable.

A little hole in the wall with tons of character. It's the oldest cafe in Seattle. My whole family thought the food was delicious! I recommend this place for anyone. But it's not a huge place, so pick your time so you can get a table.

Known for being the oldest restaurant in Seattle, possibly the west coast. I think it should be known for their incredible fresh made burgers and fresh cut fries. If I lived or worked in Seattle I would go everyday!!!!

We took the Seattle ghost tour that stopped at the Merchant's Cafe and Saloon and we instantly decided to go there after for dinner. The atmosphere is amazing and historic, and the haunted basement bar was creepy and mysterious. I wish we had the guts to eat down there! The food was very tasty as if it was made fresh at home. Overalll we were pleasantly surprised and I cannot wait to have my birthday party in that haunted bar! The new owner has done an amazing job on the oldest restaurant in Seattle, a must see.

Wonderful room and pub, we had a 3rd floor room overlooking park, Nice view, but noise early in morning from homeless in the park. Darcy is very nice, helpful. Would definitely stay here again, close to downtown, waterfront.

Stopped for lunch during a recent trip to Seattle. The food, typical pub fare, was generally good for the price, but not standout. The bathrooms are located in the basement, down a flight of creaky and somewhat uneven stairs (it should go without saying that Seattle's oldest restaurant is located in a very old building!), and they are not accessible to people with mobility issues. The one reason that would make me hesitant to return has nothing to do with the food, or with the service generally, but with one thing the server did: he asked to see identification when I presented my Visa card to pay the bill. I thought this was very odd, considering that I was there with my parents, who are in their mid-70's, and our lunch tab came to less than $50. The server said he asks for ID because "they get a lot of tourists", whatever that means. I've traveled over 100,000 miles inside and outside the country in the last ten years, and have purchased hundreds of meals at restaurants in dozens of cities during those trips. Never once was I asked for identification anywhere. Not in Vegas, not in Miami, not in Orlando or anywhere else you might think someone with a stolen credit might go for some R & R. I found it rather bizarre that a server in some Seattle hole-in-the-wall would ask for ID from a 40-something guy who just finished lunch with his elderly parents to the whopping tune of $45. Really?

Stopped in after our underground tour across the street. Did not look like much, but we were pleasantly surprised. Had that old time feel. Food was excellent. Had the chili and the best BLT ever. Also had a salmon sandwich that was very good. The waiter/bartender/chef....gave the place some pizazz and was awesome. Really got into his food. Would highly recommend this place.

Last night me and my boyfriend walked into Merchants Cafe strictly to have a dry place to wait for a taxi. To my suprise we both fell in love with this place. The food was fantastic! We recommend the fried cheese curds. Darcy, the owner, was the best! She sat and talked with us like we were old friends. We ended up staying for 5 hours. We will definitly be back!

We visited the bar after a recommendation from our tour guide from beneath the streets. You get 10% off the bill. We actually found the bar man very pleasant and quickly fulfilled our order taking the 10% off. At the time there were other people from our tour so it’s lovely seeing businesses looking after each other. The beer was lovely. Down stairs is an underground bar which is used as a comedy stage.

Apparently the oldest restaurant in Seattle, the place looks authentically old (which is nice). But at a recent Saturday (non game-day) lunch, you had to place your order at the bar with the one indifferent staffer, who shouldn't be in customer service or was having a bad day. Don't know how many people were in the kitchen, but the food came at different times for different people at our table and the first people to get their food were done by the time the last people got theirs. And the last people at our table got their food before the last people at the next table did, and they ordered before any of us. (So both tables were testy and hungry and took it out on each other instead of the restaurant, which made our lunch even worse.) The food was nothing special but would have been plenty good enough in a historical restaurant with a competent and friendly staff. Not going back here.

This is a very old bar / cafe / saloon - perhaps the oldest in Seattle - so there is a lot of history in the walls, although not a lot to call attention to it and not much in the way of modern atmosphere. I like to get a bourbon and read my book in the afternoon as there is lots of space and the decor is nice.

Saw this bar while on the Seattle underground tour and decided to visit on a subsequent visit to the Pioneer Square area. Friendly atmosphere with Darcy talking us up and giving us a good background of the bar and its history. It can get busy at times though. Good place to grab a cold one and listen to ghost stories.

We needed to kill an hour before the underground tour started so went to Merchants for a quick bite. I got the fettuccine and my wife got a burger. I was shocked with how good it was, hands down the best fettuccine I have had in years. The cheese was obviously fresh and the pasta was perfect. My wife said the hamburger was also great. to top it off the service was great and we got a discount because we were on the underground tour. When you go, because you should, be sure to check out the lower level. As a historic building they can't make a lot of changes and the stairs are just a hoot. I thought it was convenient in a bar because if you can make it back up the stairs from the restroom you are sober enough to have another.

This restaurant seemed really popular - it was crowded mid-day during the week for lunch. Some great views depending on where you sit. The food is good, interesting drink specials.

I love old, historic buildings and was looking forward to a quick dinner at Merchants Cafe. It was a very disappointing experience. Just because a building is old, doesn't mean it must be dirty. The entry rug looks like it hasn't been cleaned for the last twenty years. Although there are interesting architectural details, particularly the ceiling, the place feels like no one has cleaned the grime since the 1897 fire. The food was also a mess. I had the entree shrimp salad. The prawns were decent size, but cooked without any seasoning. Just some butter and garlic would have done wonders. The grilled cheese sandwich was just okay. Added to that, the service was slow and two of three orders came from the kitchen missing items. All in all, very disappointing for a place that has so much potential.

We came here after a ghost tour of Pioneer Square. The drinks are very good here. I particularly enjoyed the slow fashioned (and old fashioned made with Rock & Rye). The building has and early 20th century feel to it complete with chandelier and paneled ceilings. The building is reportedly haunted which adds an extra element of adventure to a visit.

One of the original 1800's buildings around Pioneer Square, this great bar reeks of history & atmosphere. Friendly bar staff, great range of beers, good wines, and small but tasty menu. Best bar we went into in Seattle.

Came here with the Seattle spook tour and not only did they run out of Irish death beer, but the bartender spent ten minutes chatting on the phone ignoring us. Ended up missing half the ghost tour conversation only to end up sober. Ghost tours should avoid bars that won't serve their clients.

Merchants Café and Saloon is (according to guide books and the bartender) is the oldest continuously operating Saloon on the west coast. The food is mainly pub grub. I had a salmon burger and fries which were good. It is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Pioneer Square After

Oldest in Seattle. Wow. Nice selection of beer. Some food. You go for the history. Quite cool in the underground part. OK prices and OK service (counter).

This is a very historic restaurant and bar in an excellent location on Pioneer Square. It is the oldest eating place in Seattle. Unfortunately, this gem is mismanaged. The menu is pathetic. We ordered meat loaf but they were "Out" so we ordered Salmon and they were "Out". Then we ordered Mac and Cheese and yes, you guessed it, they were "Out". Service was slow and inattentive. It took 35 minutes to get our food. The bartender had the back door open and it was cold inside so we asked her to close the door. She said she couldn't because "The cook is airing out the walk-in". I cannot recommend this business.

My 8 year old neice loves everything paranormal and after she watched this cafe featured on "When Ghosts Attack" she wanted to eat there. When we had lunch, the neice creeped us all out by dangling her amulet over the table and asking the ghosts questions. The amulet swung in a circle for yes and back and forth for no. The neice reported that she felt a tugging on her arm at one point. Another time she asked the ghost for a sign it was there and a decorative ribbon began to sway when no breeze could be felt. Shortly after the neice announced that the ghost was at our table, I felt an abrupt cold chill on my upper body. A few minutes later my brother noted that there was a sudden chill on his lower legs. There is a stack of clippings and old photos about the strange happenings in the place that was fun to flip through. The manager took time to talk to us and let my neice play with a creepy doll belonging to a ghost in the basement. The neice is already begging to go back and since I really enjoyed my grilled cheese sandwich and the whole experience, I will be taking her back soon.

This is a very fun bar in Seattle it contains a lot of history and the drinks were great. The bar tender was very friendly as were the locals that were there.

Really cool interior, great for a late afternoon drink with friends. Great cocktails with a lot of history. Will definitely be back.

We arrived in pioneer square at lunch time and our hotel suggested this resturant. Wonderful food. Friendly waiters, an interesting building.

After doing the Underground Seattle Walking Tour, we settled on this place for lunch. Located in the oldest continuing restaurant in Seattle, history was abundant. Featuring a beautiful bar, the food was also good. The service was friendly and when we asked about the building's history, we were provided with a folder with a very detailed history if the place, including ghost sightings! Be sure to check out the lower level.

After the Underground Tour we were guided by the docents to go to this place. They offer a 10% discount if you are coming from the tour and clearly there is a relationship between these businesses because this place is the worst. (Here comes a true story.) After our tour we went to Merchants Cafe. They had one employee. She had about 8 people at the bar she was tending. She was also the waitress. It took a long time but we finally got our food. When we did I saw my chicken sandwich consisted of about 3 tiny little pieces of chicken each the size of a quarter sitting on a big bun. And they were uncooked. I had to bring the food back to the bar because, remember, there is only one employee. No one liked their food so we decided to look at some reviews which we should have done first. My daughter actually found ANOTHER recent review by someone who got raw chicken. How many undercooked chickens can this place serve in one week? Pioneer Square is a great place to visit and has really great places to eat. Don't be a fool like I was and take the easy way out by taking the recommendation of a tour guide. Use Trip Advisor to find a GOOD restaurant in Pioneer Square as there are many.

How can you not love a trip to Seattle's oldest saloon, a very haunted venue, with it's own Seattle underground section to view? The deep fried Beechers cheese curds were were light, fluffy little clouds of bliss. Closer to a beignet with cheese than a cheese stick. The clam chowder with the bacon roe base was dam good and you should washing it down with the blood orange margarita or French kiss. The service was slow but steady and friendly and it was just a short jaunt to the bar if we needed something quicker. Be sure to ask about the history and hauntings or take a Spooked in Seattle tour which makes a stop there as well

We were being shown around Seattle by Cookielee's relatives, and decided to get a bite to eat before going on the Underground Tour. This restaurant is located just around the corner from the tour in Pioneer Square. Advertised as Seattle's oldest restaurant, it certainly didn't lack character. The décor, tin ceiling and old bar back transported me back to a simpler time. If you enjoy old buildings, this restaurant is definitely for you. I can't recall what the rest of my group ordered but I choose the grilled chicken sandwich and was pleased with my choice. Actually, I was only able to finish half of it as it was quite large and very juicy. Our waiter Alec was pleasant and efficient. If your visiting Seattle and are a history buff, you must include Pioneer Square, the Underground Tour and lunch or at least a drink at Merchant's Café.

We stopped for lunch here. The building is very historical. Love the huge bar with the wood and historical atmosphere. The service was excellent, free poured alcohol. We ordered the salmon and shrimps. The shrimps on mixed greens and dressing was delicious as was the salmon, just perfect. The prices were very reasonable. Easy to find and a parking right across the street.

We can only rate the onion rings on the food side after waiting almost 25 minutes for those to come. There were 10 total people in the place at the time. We had to leave when after being there for almost an hour our burger and meatball grinder still hadnt showed up. I couldnt take it any longer. Waitress/Bartender really didnt seem very sympathtic. How this place could stay in business that long with such terrible service is beyond me. Went to Jimmy Johns around the corner and had our food in less than 2 minutes. Not from the area so locals may think differently.

We were brought here bc of the undergrounds and drinks are good....I'm writing this as we wait for our appetizers....its taking time....the only have two people working in front....that sums it up the bartender....only the girl is hauling a** the guy seems to not care....I'm only giving this a 4 stars bc she is kicking ass...give this place a try I'm sure on other days the service is better

The deep fried mac and cheese nibblers for $3 was a good treat as was the Apricot Ale. If you're around Pioneer Square, check this place out for it's 3-7pm happy hour. Also, be sure to dip downstairs to see the restaurant's "underground" from the original city. Seattle's oldest restaurant is worth dropping by.

It is a historic spot in Pioneer Square. Food and drink were excellent and not expensive. The waiters will share ghost stories of the place over the years and this just adds to the fun. Highly recommended after a Beneath the Streets tour!

Phenomenal. Personable server, no, beyond personable, if the food had been bad, it still would have been worth the experience. Beautiful restored interior, good menu, lots of selection. Lots of good beers on tap. We went at the recommendation of the underground tour guide and were not disappointed. The kids had the taquitos and turkey sandwich, I had the hot wing salad. Un-freaking-believable....seriously. Couldn't finish our plates, as much as we would have liked to.

When visiting Seattle, I visited Merchant's more than any other place. The staff is really chill, and I love the atmosphere. There is a lot of history to the place, and Merchant's holds on to it by maintaining circa 1900 pieces, including the ceiling which is gorgeous. Also, the place isn't meant to be gourmet, expensive dining, but the fries and dipping sauce they give you with them is just the best. I'm not sure what the dipping sauce is exactly, but it was amazingly good. I plan to be back here again, no doubt.

I went to the Merchant and had one of their awesome burgers and ended up staying for 4 hours before I realized it. It is such a cool old bar. Bartender said they were under new management but I don't know what the old management was like so that didn't matter much to me. We went back for New Years Eve and it was GREAT. They had a DJ, bartenders were great, and the cover was only $10 for a new years party compared to $75 next door (or so I heard, I didn't go next door). Don't normally write reviews but I was looking for a website to show my cousin and found these reviews...I love the place. (p.s. - still never found a website and every business should have one)

The bar was located right by our underground tour- so we headed over after knowing it’s the oldest bar in Seattle and haunted. We had speciality drinks Blood Orange Margaritas and a Sleepless in Seattle. Both delicious and the sleepless was strong. The bartender took time to tell us his haunting story. The rest rooms are in the basement.

We, (two couples), stopped in there after doing the Underground Tour to have a couple of drinks on a beautiful afternoon. The place was pretty dark and dingy looking - definitely didn't look real clean. First thing - the gentleman bartending acted like we were really putting him out to set down at the bar and have a drink They were out of three different whiskey's we asked for, (jack Daniel's, etc - nothing fancy). The gentleman bartending didn't know what flavors the two slushies were in the freezer machines sitting on the bar, (like pina colada), etc. My wife then got a Bloody Mary - it took about 10 minutes for him to make it and it tasted very bad. My wife didn't even drink it. There were a total of 6 people in the place, 4 of them being us. The price for those 4 drinks? $32 before a tip. I would find another place.

We had such a blast at the Merchant – Seattle’s oldest restaurant. From the attentive, friendly service from our fantastic waitress Illiana (sp?), (who remembered us from our visit the previous day) and the history lesson and ghost stories from the restaurant / pub’s delightful owner, Darcy, it was the perfect way to spend an evening out with friends. We immediately felt at home and like we’d been coming there for years. The room itself is fantastic – one of the oldest restaurants on the west coast, and a former brothel, it certainly looks the part. Old dark wood, mismatched red table linens, and old pictures made you feel like you were drinking in a bit of history as well as beer. We had only appetizers, but they were delicious, and the food coming out to the other tables looked fantastic. Try the deep-fried cheese curds with the honey dip. Pints of local, craft beer for $4.00 has to be among the best deals in the city. Darcy features local beer and wine, and locally sourced ingredients wherever she can, and one feels she really cares about making the place the Seattle landmark it deserves to be. The Merchant also offers a free shuttle to the stadium on Seahawks game days. Great building, great staff, great value, and a warm welcoming atmosphere. We can’t wait for our next visit. Well done, Darcy!

Stooped for lunch at Seattle haunted cafe ! Limited menu ! Food portions large ! Friendly waitress ! Went to washroom where ghosts hav been seen ! No orbs or ghosts seen ! Cocktails pricey ! Food reasonable x

Very cool atmosphere, good music, great food and good service.

We stopped here after the Underground tour and enjoyed a cold beverage after in Seattles Oldest Saloon. GREAT customer service! We will be back!

It's a good place to stop by for dinner and drinks after the underground tour. Loved the alfredo but pulled pork not so good. Our waiter was very friendly.

This place was brought up on our underground tour. Cool little bar. Carlos the bartender becomes your BFF in 5 min!

We got off the ferry hungry and wondering where we would stop for dinner. After wandering around for a while, we saw the Merchants Cafe. They say that it is the oldest operating bar in Seattle and that it used to be a brothel. It has a lot of character, that is to say that it is old and could do with some refurbishing. The restrooms are down some uneven and potentially dangerous stairs. I think most people would have trouble walking down them after a few drinks. The restrooms themselves are just barely passable. We ordered a pitcher of beer that the waitress recommended. It arrived warm, close to room temperature. When we told the waitress, she brought us pitcher of a different beer, which was only slightly cooler. We placed our orders for food. It took an inordinately long time (over 35 minutes) for the orders to come up. When we asked, the waitress told us that with only one cook on duty our orders would take some time. As food did begin to arrive, in most cases it was good. We had the Yesler Sliders (Kobe beef), which arrived cold. Had they been warm, they would have been great. The blackened salmon fingers (over a small salad) were well cooked and spicy. Onion rings were hot, but a bit oily. During our time there, the bar began to fill up. I think it might be better as a neighborhood bar than a dining establishment.

Had a drink and basket of onion rings for $19. Onion rings had an enormous amount of batter, all stuck together and batter not cook through. Had 2 bites and left. Waitress didn’t question why I didn’t eat any (she probably knew). Service and drink generally ok though.

We waited for 45 minutes before receiving our food and we were the only people in there. When we got our food it was burnt badly and still somehow cold. The salmon serving was very small and fried to a blackened crisp. Don't bother wasting your time or money here. You will be very disappointed.

I've met friends here for drinks plenty of times, but never knew how good the food is. YUMMY. We just had burgers (waguy beef) and pulled pork but they were exceptional. I think the menu must be new. It was different than what was listed on this site.

Photos others have posted are deceiving. This joint is really a dive bar across the street from the homeless camp called Pioneer Square. HAs a great old-timey vibe. The baar appears to be the iriginal, complete with brass foot stool that has disappeared from most bars. Barkeep was overly busy, but still found time to make us feel welcome. Great draft selections. Place is typically very busy with limited seating.

I visit Seattle about twice a year for family occasions. Every time I am there I try to get downtown at least one day, so my time in the city is precious. On a recent trip, I walked Pioneer Square for the day and found this restaurant to eat. It is the oldest cafe in Seattle, built in 1897 or something. They offer history and good eats. They tell their story on the menu, as well as newspaper articles and postcards. Good burgers! and good service! For visitors and locals alike, I reccommend it!

We ate there before the underground tour and it was great. Awesome atmosphere and decor, plus the bartender came and talked to us about the history of the restaurant. Really cool place.

We stopped in for a bite after Bill Spiedel's Underground tour. I had a great bloody mary and we split a bowl of clam chowder (YUM!) and the 1962 Seattle Fair Chicken Sandwich which was really tasty. It was nice to visit this spot on a slow time of day. the architecture is really cool, and the bartender was friendly.

Had an early dinner. Tried the cheese sandwich and a cup of their special clam chowder. Very good. Enjoyed with a local brew and I was set for the evening. An interesting place. A little small so I'm sure it can feel crowded when busy. We were there on a Monday night in late January, so crowds weren't a problem. The decorations are early 20th Century, maybe late 19th. It is supposed to be one of the oldest establishments in the area, and looks the part. But the food is good, the beverages well served, and the staff very friendly.

Bartender was super cool, the place itself is very cool. I wish there was more about the history of the place it’s fun to sit there and imagine all the things that have gone down in the 120 or so years it’s been open but maybe like a greatest hits would be cool to have up somewhere.

Absolutely a funky place! We loved it! I think the managers name is Tony and he really was a huge help with everything! He also talked us into ordering their home made cheese curds and they were amazing. Lots of hidden places in this old building, very old and historical. Very busy place on weekends. We rented a room upstairs which was great as well..:) Tony held our luggage for us behind the bar until our room was ready. Loved the location as well!

Walked in & was tough getting a table, and when we did no one came to help us. I went to the bar & the young man that helped me immediately became very friendly & helpful. He gave me menus, then came to the table & took our orders. We had our drinks promptly & the food came very shortly after. Bacon cheeseburger was fantastic & the IPA was cold & tasty. I probably will go back on a future visit to Seattle.

Stopped in for a drink after the underground tour. Cold beer. Good hamburger. Service was a bit slow but it was daytime and one server was in charge of everything...bartender waitress cashier..everything except cooking. So it's understandable that the service was slow

While this wasn't my favorite bar in Seattle, the Man Friend and I really enjoyed it. After we ducked out of our boring tour of the underground, we camped out here while he got some work done. The drinks weren't anything fancy but the bartender was a lot of fun. Definitely worth a stop for a drink.

I admit, I didn't really do my research on this one. I read cafe and it had good ratings so I picked it for lunch when we visited Pioneer Square. It is an old bar and it smells like it too. The furnishings could use some updating. The bar is a bit creepy but you can wander around and see the original bar in the basement. The food and service are mediocore. There was one waitress/bartender on and she kept leaving the bar area to go out to the alley to smoke. It was tough to get her attention and she was trying to deal with alot of tables, smoke and deal with the homeless people wanting to use the bathroom. My husband had a burger and I had the pulled pork. It wasn't anything special or to write home about. They have a book about the ghosts in the building, which helps it's creepy ambience. It's neat to look around but I wouldn't eat here again.

We stopped here after doing the Seattle Underground Tour. Weren't too hungry so we shared a basket of Fries (thin cut and seasoned to a crisp with their own dipping sauce) and the Deep Fried Cheese Curds, also with dipping sauce. Both were yummy, but the Cheese Curds got our best vote. The service was friendly and laid back. The interior has beautiful lights hanging from the ceiling and red cloth table cloths on all the tables (with no glass tops covering them) which was a nice touch. Didn't feel any spooks present. Downstairs are the bathrooms (3 seaters, no waiting) and more dining area and bar for busy times. The kitchen is also downstairs. I can see where it could be creepy down there. A good visit no matter what.

I've been coming here off and on for almost 40 years. It's always been an interestingly historical old place, usually with adequate food and drink. I'm sure the place has changed ownership several times over the years, but the present owner seems to upgraded the food quality and training of the staff. My wife and I recently stopped in and greatly enjoyed a cheeseburger and fettuccini, which were both expertly prepaired and promptly served. The biggest changed I noted was the quality of the waitstaff. Our server was gracious, friendly, and knew the menu well. It was obvious that the other waiters and waitresses were also good. This usually means good management. I think the current owner, Darcy, is doing a great job! The prices are quite reasonable for thin area, as well.

This pub is historically the oldest pub in Seattle and kinda cool. However do not use the mens or ladies washroom, major clean up and repairs are required. Good beer and good service.

This historical building transports you back in time. The owner did a great job of restoring & decorating the place and sat with us to chat about its interesting past. For lunch we split the yummiest Grilled Cheese (combo of cheeses including Cougar Gold!) w/ Steak Fries & Spicy Pulled Pork Sanwich; both were extremely savory & tasty. Over all, our visit here was memorable & we have zero complaints so we'll be back. Thanks Darcy & Staff & Go Cougs! : - ]

The bartenders create a certain mystique about the place as they describe the events that took place there in the days of the Yukon gold rush and following. The food, especially the cheese curds, is hearty and tasty, and you can't help staring at the paintings and furnishings. Much of it looks authentic. Downstairs is just plain creepy.

Was having lunch with some co-workers and wound up here by accident. Quite possibly the worst dining experience I've ever had. Apparently they were training a new cook that day. Food took forever and was awful when it finally came out. Bartender was very apologetic and didn't charge us for lunch. Nice gesture I suppose but I will never be back. Plenty of other options in Pioneer Square.

The outside of this "Cafe" is quite deceptive. When entering, there is a large old bar and a very small eating establishment. Most of the patrons were local patrons, there was a stairway down that I understood had entertainment in the evenings. Waitress was gracious and waited on us promptly. Appetizer of fried cheese curds was okay, but probably would not order if by chance I went back.

The classic exterior and then, once inside, the low key lighting and ageing fixtures and fittings are testament to Merchants authenticity as one of its oldest bars. This is complemented by the seedier side of its location. A different piece of Seattle, but interesting to visit, and with good beer too.