Review The Merchant Kitchen - Winnipeg

Heard great things about this restaurant but found it to be somewhat average. Corn with nachos tasted like canned corn with some cheese on top. Korean chicken was basic fried chicken and nothing more. Dandan noodles were good again but nothing special except sauce was tasty. After hearing good reviews I was disappointed and found it pricey for what you received. Pleasant service

WOW! Scallop dish was pretty unreal! All our food was plated well and tasted delicious! Appreciated that the cooks could make the dish vegan with tofu. Loved the atmosphere in here, very neat that they have a fully open kitchen and we could watch the cooks cooking. The wall art was impressive! Would recommend coming here if you are looking for a cozy, dim lit atmosphere and good food!

I enjoyed a lit. Food was yum. What can I say about the service. Our server was amazing. She is the best. She made us so comfortable. I really enjoyed the dinner and the atmosphere. Will love to go again.

We went with a big group of friends and got the buffet menu for $35. Food was okay and the portion size was fair too. After finishing our food I did a little calculation and the buffet menu we tried - if we were to order them individually would have been cheaper than the buffet? Not sure if it was a good deal since the buffet is not unlimited amount of food. Drink menu is good and they have quite a lot of tequila and mezcal shots/sips. Good place to go with friends but price wasn't really reasonable. The Korean chicken is nothing close to a korean chicken at all. Sauces were not close to Korean style either.

First time in a long time I have had really good fried rice at a restaurant. The Thai basil fried rice delivered in flavor. The Korean fried chicken was tasty but no crunch at all. I think they use too much MSG--I drank a bottle of water the restaurant provided and I was still so thirsty after. I understand it is "elevated" streetfood (which is an oxymoron in itself) but it's a bit pricy.

Went with girls group to share 8 different dishes and 100% didn't dissappoint. Everything was 10/10. Highly recommend and us ladies will certainly be back. We ever tried every dessert. Service was also amazing our waitress was so pleassant and friendly, knew her menu and all recommendations down to the tricks were spot on.

4 items ordered: Habanero wings, Beets, Thai rice, Dan Dan noodles. Overall: good and will satisfy two people. Recommend the Thai rice. Interesting food fusions. Nice to see they serve Mezcal here. Service seated at the bar: good. Decor seems juxtaposed. “Shared” space restrooms, private stalls.

What a lovely patio, food was very flavourful. Great options to customize protein. The yuca fries were my favorite.

This is truly one of the best restaurants in Winnipeg. A share your orders concept, that are all absolutely incredible!

It was so delicious. I had the steak sandwich with yuca chips (Lunch special). Beautiful blending of flavours. Definitely recommend! Loved it!!

went for lunch today. it was too much YUM!!!! i'm addicted to the kfc ban mi sandwich. too good. + the peeps are always wonderful. thank you!!!

Food was delicious! Started with guacamole (very fresh) then Super Food salad, and chicken tacos and pickerel tacos - yummy! We had to ask twice for our Brussels sprouts dish - finally came after we finished the other dishes �. Staff was apologetic & we weren't charged for the forgotten/late dish!

Fantastic! Pregame before the Roger Waters show, wings, corn and lots of drinks, great food, great Sevice, and Bobby is the best! Can't wait to go back and try the fried chicken...😋

always a great time when i come to the Merchant Kitchen! I love the family style service and good drinks selection as well. Thai Fried Rice is one of my staples - though there hasn't been a miss. That chocolate torte - omg. bliss!

Brutal service. Waiter took 20 minutes to come to our table and the restaurant was half empty. Waiter did not want to discuss our questions about the menu with us and seemed very annoyed we didn't decide what to order quickly. We had to walk out without even getting our bill because the waiter stopped coming by at all. menu looked interesting, but too bad I will never go back there

Service and food were phenomenal! Loved the spin on street food. Paired a beautiful reasonable prices cava with korean fried chicken, grilled corn, beef empanada, roasted broccoli, tequila fried churros, and Mexican fried ice cream. Everything came out delicious. Can't wait to go back and try some more of the menu items.

We had a 50th Birthday there this past weekend and the staff worked with me to accommodate all requests. Food was delicious, service was great and everybody had a great time. Thank you!

Great food (delicious options!) and friendly, quick service. Very good experience. Highly recommended!!

Menu is amazing. Complemented with a great wine selection makes every meal outstanding!

Awesome restaurant. Great food, service and the interior design is outstanding. We also loved the Instagram posting option!!!

Found it too expensive I wouldn't go back. Three pickerel tacos for $18 and I was still hungry? I forgot the waitress's name but she was very nice and very friendly

I was floored by how amazing our service was. It was very evident that the serving staff work well together and help each other out. The food was so delicious!! Will be back!

whenever i'm planning a dinner event i always book/suggest the Merchant and order 1 or 2 of everything! We eat like kings and have the best time!

Well I can officially say I’ve eaten the most expensive fried chicken of my life and it was BAD. For the price($44 for 10 pieces) I expected a lot better! Hardly any crunch to the coating, seasoned well and had great sauces but damn was it sad biting into my “$5 drum stick” and hearing no crunch at all. The fried rice was enough for maybe 3 not the 5 of us as the waiter said it would. The grilled corn was oddly cut off of the Cob table side which completely took the fun out of eating it on the Cob... staff was prompt and friendly, Sapporo on tap! This saved the meal. Food 4/10 staff and atmosphere 7/10

Well developed flavour and unique twists. Great place to go with a group for sharing plates. We enjoyed lobster tempura tacos, pork tacos, tempura, green beans with broccoli and pistachio tart. <br/><br/>Excellent service, but acoustics are a problem when it’s busy - couldn’t converse well with our table of six without shouting.

Amazing experience at the Merch!! I reserved for a large group for an early dinner prior to a work Christmas party and around double the amount of work colleagues showed up. The staff was excellent at accommodating us (adding table and keep track of everyone moving around) they charged us a set price of $25/person and brought out lots of delicious food. Every dish was excellent! Would recommend for large groups!

I really love it here! I've been multiple times. Their grilled corn is the best in the city!! And I've tried quite a lot of grilled corn at other mexican restaurants.. nothing compares.

The atmosphere was great. The service was fine. The food came out really fast. Their instagram is really well marketed and when I imagined eating their food, I imagined super flavourful food. I was a little disappointed overall by the meal. We had the jerk chicken tacos: chicken was a bit dry, I thought they were would be spicier but they were a little bland. We also had the Nagoya style wings which were just okay. The fried rice was recommended and although it was full of prawns, it was a bit on the oily side. We tried the tuna tartare which I thought would come with some kind of chip or something but it was just tuna. It was fresh tasting but bland. The highlight was probably the Dan Dan noodles which had a great flavour and was nice and spicey. I don't know if I would go back but I had higher expectations. If you go, get the Dan Dan noodles.

Website says Exciting. Flavourful. Shared. The shared part is correct. Our experience was just "okay". Had it not been for excellent service, it would have scored less. The people from the host/hostess stand to servers to bartenders were all terrific but the food we had fell very far from expectation. A $12.00 cocktail arrived that was so tiny it surely couldn't have even contained 1/4 ounce of gin. We shared several plates, the only notable one being the noodle dish, which was nicely spicy, well seasoned and all-around enjoyable. $13 chips and guac featured La Cocina chips and we really thought for $13 they'd be house made. Bland guacamole was served in an annoying tiny mason jar alongside another mason jar of unseasoned salsa di arbol. The yucca fries were cooked well and served with a 5 Spice ketchup. Not really a highlight though----kinda hard to mess up fries. The Korean fried chicken that came recommended was again under-seasoned and bland. The outer crunch was nice but it was on top of sweaty, rubbery chicken skin that hadn't been rendered properly. Certainly infinitely better fried chicken to have in this city. The atmosphere was nice and cozy and the service was awesome but the food was just.......boring. There was a group of us and my portion of the bill was $60 for a few shared bites and a cocktail. I can think of so many other places I'd rather have spent that $60.

I went here with a friend and we weren’t super impressed. Upon arriving, they told us that they didn’t have any tables available (we did not have a reservation) but there was room at the bar. We sat at the bar. During our entire stay at the restaurant, there were empty dining tables. <br/><br/>My friend ordered the jerk chicken tacos and I ordered the crispy pickerel tacos, and we tried each other’s too. Mine was okay, but nothing to write home about. Hers was not so good. The chicken was mixed with a sauce, which made the texture like chicken salad. <br/><br/>The service was alright. The bartender was friendly and courteous. We are happy we went because we like checking out new (to us) restaurants, but we will not go back to this one

Food is mainly just okay. The corn dish is delicious. The cocktails are the biggest draw for me. Great place for a late night bevy. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.

very disappointed in the quality of food to the pricing. i had ordered the tuna tacos, and for 20 dollars you got 3 small pieces with kimchi that wasn't that great. found the food very basic to be charging at such a high end. the korean fried chicken was almost in the $50 range which is wild considering it didn't taste authentic. i wouldn't recommend this place to anyone

I had been to The Merchant kitchen 2 years ago and had a great experience...last night was far from that. Our server Julia was EXTREMELY rude and inappropriate. We had met some friends who had already ordered and were enjoying their food. The waitress came over and took our drink order after we sat down. When she arrived with our drinks we placed a food order. We waited...and waited...and waited. It had been about an hour. We noticed the chefs were cleaning and not cooking, so we asked our server Julia when we could expect our order and she replied in a snarky tone...."what? Umm.. you didn't order food...at least not from me....I asked you guys if you guys wanted anything and I was completely ignored by everyone" we told her we did as I pointed to both on the menu to show her and she was the only one serving. If she made a mistake and forgot..fine accidents happen....but the comments were not necessary. Our friends were all done eating so I just requested the bills for our drinks. She said " Well you didn't order from me I'm sure of that...but if you want it I can place your order now". I replied no it's too late just the bills please and she stormed off. She brought us our Bill....one... singular... after I asked for us to each have our BILLS. She then proceeded to insult someone in our party when she noticed she didn't tip. This was because we were now all offended by her snarky rude comments and didn't think a tip was deserved. She went on to make inappropriate comments such as " you know I have to give a cut of my tips to the bar tender that made your one drink" (as her bill was only a drink). Then another person in our party was paying she said " I don't get why people are giving me attitude I gave you good service". These comments were really unprofessional. We asked to speak to a manager and were told by the bartender our server was the manager. So there was no addressing the issues there because she was being so difficult. Our party was over 10 people, everyone had ordered food and several drinks. She lost out on a large tip because her attitude...and also lost many many customers because none of us will be returning and nor will those that we told of our experience to. Which is too bad because the food is good. Julia's attitude...not so much.

The Swizzle Styx dined here yesterday and we won't be rushing back. The restaurant and atmosphere were great. Service was not very good, a bit slow and a couple of drink mix ups. The Kung Pow wings were great, shrimp & kimchi lettuce wraps were mostly kimchi, nachos were not enjoyed, corn was delicious, spicy Thai fried rice was tasty but hardly any prawns.

Service was slow, and the "family style" service just means they don't know how to time meals. One person was done before another received food. <br/>The food itself was ok - but unremarkable.

I visited in October 2016 with two friends and I have to say I was quite disappointed with the food. The atmosphere was OK, the service unremarkable and unmemorable, but the food was flat. The brussel sprouts were under-done and basically raw, and the highly hyped KFC, was extremely disappointing and overrated. Will I go back? Not any time soon, as there are tastier and more affordable places to go in my opinion.

Have been a couple times throughout the last year and was always okay, never great but okay. Decided to bring in a couple friends from out of town over the Christmas break and was really disappointed. The food was flavorless and underwhelming for the price. Even the KFC which used to always be good was dried out and tasted old. The kale salad was just kale, red onion, canned oranges and mayo dressing. The nachos and kung pao wings where decent and the only dishes with a balanced flavor. The Sam noodles where over cooked and way over priced. Had a couple specials, a taco and a goat dish which where the same as the rest. Really unfortunate how this evening went. The room was great, service was good and drinks where decent but a little pricey. Too be fair I went back for lunch today to see if it was just a bad night for them, but had the Latino and the meat was dry and old, soup tasted like a package blend. Too bad so much potential. <br/>

Nice place! Good drinks (expensive though) and good food. Tried the nachos which sounded weird but were so good, special was lamb curry samosas which were awesome as well. As well had the Sam Sam noodles (spicy) and the Thai fried rice, both were super good. It is family style servings which I like. However, they didn't have any chairs for toddlers which I found weird considering the "family" theme. Service and food was great and prices were good for the serving size.

I found many positives with my experience at the merchant kitchen. Firstly, the service was prompt and the atmosphere was very modern. The service staff were knowledgeable of the food and did make great food/drink suggestions. <br/><br/>However, there were some drawbacks to the Asian and Latino fusion. For example, the kimchi tuna tacos were pretty awful. The tuna was under seasoned, and the kimchi tasted like it came out of a jar and not House made. I apologise if it is House made, but it was just not anywhere near authentic. <br/><br/>I would say the Korean fried chicken was delicious. The batter was a little heavy which some would find as a negative, but I found that it made the actual chicken to be more tender. The grilled corn was also something that I would recommend. You may ask, how do you elevate grilled corn? The answer is a delicious heavy sauce to go with that corn. <br/><br/>Overall, this restaurant seems to have many positives going for it. If one were to be keen enough to have a visit, I would avoid the most of the Asian side of the menu and stick to the more Latin influenced dishes.

Have been 3 times now, each time with similar results: Hit and miss.<br/>It's a menu that almost works, but unfortunately some of the attempts at fusion fall flat.<br/>You can depend on their KFC to be beautifully battered and tender.<br/>The roasted broccoli should be removed from the menu: dry, crunchy [in an unpleasant way] and flavourless with too little topping.<br/>The Lahp is almost worthwhile. Tasty, fresh, but somehow lacking in fulfilment.<br/>Tacos are fine, tasty without really standing out.<br/>Staff were pleasant and attentive. <br/>Just not the value one would hope for.

We made reservations on a Friday evening and the whole night was fantastic the service was excellent the food was some of the best I've ever had. I would recommend this restaurant to everybody

The Merchant Kitchen is a happening restaurant in downtown Winnipeg with the perfect atmosphere for any type of lively night out - birthdays, girls night out, etc. The decor is fabulous.<br/><br/>Our visit started out a bit rough service wise but I was very impressed when the server offered us free dessert without us even having to complain about the service. This is A+ in my books, as we didn't have to get our feathers ruffled and appreciated the compensation.<br/><br/>Our meal came promptly after placing our order. I had the green curry mussels which were VERY tasty and had the perfect spice level IMO. The portion size was great. We also tried the nachos to start, which had really interesting flavours but like most nachos at restaurants, there was not enough toppings for the amount of chips.<br/><br/>The dessert wasn't my style but I think others would appreciate it more - think spicy chocolate cake.<br/><br/>The price range is a little high here but I was happy with the quality/portion size of my food. I'd say the drink price is too high but understandable given its location.

Had a great time eating here tonight. I shared a few dishes with my girlfriend and we were very happy with the quality of the food and the service. The bartender was very knowledgeable of the scotch and tequila on hand.

A very trendy little spot conveniently located across from the MTS Centre. The sort of spot I imagine hipsters in beanies and ball-choking pants frequenting. The two big pluses were the spot-on service and coed bathroom. An ideal place to have a drink before a Jets game. <br/><br/>The food was a disappointment. I can see that in some ways the menu is trying to be ambitious, but there is more to creating an "asian inspired" dish than adding peanuts. C'mon. Those poor, poor Sam Sam noodles sat in a bowl dreaming of being something better. <br/><br/>The mussels (which of course had peanuts) were not a complete disaster, but not as good as what I make at home. The broth had a nice lime, cilantro flavour. I brought my mom with me on this visit and what I absolutely love about her is her ability to make the absolute best of everything. She was spooning some of the broth from the mussels over the Sam Sam noodles, trying to coax them into being something more.<br/><br/>I would recommend this place if you are in need of a place to drink. Avoid dining until this place has a massive menu overhaul.

What drew me to this place was the menu. You will eat some interesting dishes that you've probably never heard of. Great for family style sharing. The fried chicken was very delicious, breading had great flavour and had the perfect amount of crispiness, not to mention the sauce it comes with adds a nice sweet touch. Tried the brussels sprouts, and found them too salty for my liking unfortunately. The carnitas tacos were alright, i liked the pickled onion touch, but didn't find meat to be amazing. Expected more from the Sam noodles, but unfortunately I wasn't too crazy about them. Worth a try if you're with a big group and want to try several things.

Went for an finance session hosted at this place. It was a decent place with some good interiors. A small portion was allocated to us for meet ups. A buffet was set up for us wit 4 types of salads. I liked the chicken salad very much.

Cool, busy, bar atmosphere. The decor is modern rustic-chic with a large mural near the kitchen. Gets noisy and it's popular with a 20- to 30-something crowd. The drinks were excellent! I love a pisco anything, and their capel pisco is sweet and fresh. Their dark and stormy is Asian-inspired with five spice and lime, and their margarita picante has Laphroiag scotch and jalapeño to kick it up a notch. Craft cocktails or glasses of wine are about $10-12 on average which isn't unreasonable. Their food is Asian/Latin fusion and delicious. It's generally pricey for what you get (as many dishes can be fairly simple and small). Our favourites include the Brussels sprouts and the Nagoya wings. Service at the bar was very good and the bartenders are helpful. Be prepared for a modern, open unisex washroom where you'll wash hands next to the opposite sex.

Situated in the main entrance of the newly built ALT hotel, you're instantly greeted by the modern Asian style ambiance. A kind lady had sat us down with waters. We ordered a variety of menu items which I'll list below with my opinion.<br/><br/>Korean fried chicken: Basically fried chicken. Nothing special, honestly. Crispy and cooked lol.<br/><br/>Thai fried rice: Overall, tasted OK. Had basil dispersed throughout which increased the flavour.<br/><br/>Hotdog: A hotdog with mayo, ketchup and seaweed flakes. Definitely not worth the price!<br/><br/>Tequila churros: Now I was expecting this to be really good, but my expectations got the best of me. The plate came out with cubes of fried batter infused with tequila and dusted with powdered sugar. There was no chocolate sauce! This missing ingredient ruined it. Somehow some tasted really salty. <br/><br/>Frankly, the food was mediocre, but the atmosphere was good. Do with this review as you please.

It's definitely in a sketchy area of town, So I would recommend an armored truck or a at least a cab to get you there. I walked and immediately regretted it. But as you leave this crime riddled street and go inside its like stepping into a new world. Super modern and full of people. Music's playing and you immediately forget outside. It was busy, so I sat at the bar and watched some hockey while I waited. One of the bartenders went over the specials with me and handed me a menu. If you like modern street food this is the place, Korean fried chicken, empanadas, roasted brussel sprouts and tacos? I was sold before any food came out.Ended up ordering kimchi lettuce wraps and carnitas. I was not disappointed, the lettuce wraps had a few sauces and some crunchy shrimp to go with the kimchi and they were great. The consideration in choosing the flavors built a very simple dish into something that exceeded expectations. The carnitas, which is a staple in my household, were great. Pickled onion, cohita cheese and excellent pork. The other highlight of the night/benefit of sitting at the bar were the drinks. I started with a Sapporo but after watching these guys mix drinks it was an easy decision to set the beer aside for the night. I had a negroni made with all the care and attention it could have been given. Good gin, the right amount of Campari and you got to watch these guys in action. After that they recommended an old fashion made with an aged rum and some coconut stuff. I'm not really sure, but it was quite a take on the old fashioned. Naturally I had to see their take on the original afterwards. Since I was already going to have a headache tomorrow there may or may not have been another negroni to cap the night off.A good restaurant sends you out full and content, a great one you end up inadvertently drunk and reminiscing about the meal for days to come. This is hands down the best spot I've been to in Winnipeg and although I'm not a local, can say this is one of the best spots in town for a good meal and a great night out.

We had a great experience at The Merchant Kitchen! The infusion of Asian and Latin American cuisines was unique and delicious. As a party of three, we enjoyed the pork shoulder carnitas, wok fried brussels sprouts, Korean fried chicken, spicy thai fried rice, and pound cake cinnamon churros--all of the dishes were exceptional! It was more than enough food for the three of us, and we took some home to enjoy the next day. The service at The Merchant Kitchen was something that really stood out to all three of us. Our server was perfectly attentive. The dishes, (which come out in the order of preparation), were served with what felt like perfect timing. We cannot wait to come back to order some of these same dishes, and make a few new favourites. Thanks for a wonderful evening!

We went with a group of 5. Restaurant is nice, server was great except after ordering 2 items they came back and said they were out so it took awhile to order. One big problem we had was that plates came out one at a time and not together. They said it was because all the food was considered shareables. We all ordered sandwiches. Since when is a hot dog or salad shareable? By the time I got my sandwich everyone else was finished eating. Not the best experience. They should change that or offer to have all your food come out at once. The food itself tasted good but it wasn't anything to rave about. Glad we tried it but that will be our last time.

I visited The Merchant Kitchen for the first time last night with my boyfriend, and was thoroughly impressed! The atmosphere was lively, the decor was unique, and the restaurant was very clean. With their outdoor speakers, the experience began before I even walked in the door! <br/>Our waitress was very friendly, and did a good job of explaining how the restaurant works (it's street food style, so the way they serve and prepare the food is very different from other restaurants in Winnipeg). She also helped us decide what to order, by giving recommendations and descriptions of the dishes.<br/>We ended up ordering the duck rolls, Tokyo dog, and Korean fried chicken. <br/>The duck rolls were served cold, which surprised me, but were delicious nevertheless! The Tokyo dog was a unique fusion of the traditional american hotdog and asian street food. I am not a hotdog person at all, but I actually really enjoyed their version of it! The Korean fried chicken was the best damn chicken I have ever tasted. If you go and only order one dish, I would recommend making it this. The Merchant Kitchen is a great place for fun dates, or for sharing yummy food and drinks with a couple friends! <br/>All in all, great experience! I would definitely go again.

Merchant Kitchen prides itself on fusion cuisine and indeed each dish was a nice mixture of Asian and Latino inspired taste. And while on paper everything sounds great, the majority of the dishes lacked balance and finesse and instead became a uninspired combination of random flavours. And while there are certainly some dishes to like, The Merchant Kitchen is overall simply average.

Fantastic meal! Went with a group of about 15 people and service, presentation and quality of food was phenomenal. I would recommend an old fashioned to start with, followed by the Brussell sprouts and Korean fried chicken. The flavours of each were outstanding.

Rather disappointing. 20 minute wait to get drink orders (was not busy). Only two craft beers on tap. Their signature dish of Korean fried chicken was burnt and when brought to their attention was met with indifference.

Had a great time at the Merchant kitchen last night.  We did our annual cousin's dinner here and was a great experience all around.  Unfortunately we didn't realize that there was a Jets game that night so it made parking more expensive and difficult than usual.  But the company, food and drinks made up for it.  I started with a Mojito, which would be the best I have found in Winnipeg.  The corn was absolutely delicious and I will be back for the Bahn Mi I had.  I had it with the tempura shrimp and it was by far one of the best unique sandwiches I have had.  We were late in ordering, due to trying to find a parking spot, so we had to move from the table to the bar to accommodate a large group that was coming.  They helped us move to the bar, were very apologetic, though it was due to no fault of theirs and offered us all a free drink.  These days, where at a lot of restaurants if there is bad food, they offer you no compensation, I thought this was a very nice gesture.  So another Mojito was thoroughly enjoyed.  It is loud inside but I will definitely be back.  Maybe for lunch next time.  And loved the design of the interior!!

Came here for dinner tonight with friends, fabulous place!! very busy, but the servers seemed very confused at everyone's orders! we kept getting the next table's food. Ordered everything that was suppose to be fabulous and they we're. The big meals was suppose to be ordered 30-45 minutes to give them time to make, fine, so we ordered appetizers, and the fried rice. Everything came except the rice until we were finished eating, really? rice is should be the easiest on the menu. The churros definitely not like they were in Mexico. Very disappointing, maybe prior to the Jets game next time, but definitely not  a destination. The server did not even apologize when she placed the last order on the table when we sent it back.

I like the idea of the restaurant and the ambience of the restaurant was chic and trendy. However, our server Alessandra, was off-putting and rude. We had a party of about 15 and she made each of us uncomfortable and unwelcome in the restaurant. We will not be returning.

Both the service and food were great. Had the duck rolls, Nagoya wings, lahp wrap, Thai fried rice and the tortilla soup. <br/><br/>The fried rice was definitely the winner. It was delicious and could compete with any dish from any restaurant. It's a dish that you would go back for. <br/><br/>The only dish I was a little disappointed with was the duck rolls. They tasted ok but it's the only dish that I felt was small for the price. Also it didn't help that I ate something similar at a Chinese restaurant earlier in day and I got a larger plate, more duck for less money. <br/><br/>

A number of people seem to like it. I thought meh. Some others describe the food as elegant street food. Street food never becomes elegant. Sorry, I reserve elegant for a different type of cuisine. The room is cool, or should I say cold, and the type that will wear out fast. It's trendy in the most absolute way. Getting tired of this decor will come fast. Eat here three times and it's out of your system and you will seek a comforting environment to relax in. Not compete with the loudness the room produces. But like Earls and Browns, a certain clientele will like that atmosphere. I give 3 years max, as it doesn't have the staying power of the fore mentioned. Although nieve Winnipegers could keep it going longer. But it it will be by Winnipeg neophytes who rarely get to Toronto or Montreal, or even other Winnipeg eateries that put the emphasis on food and service,  let alone other big cities, where restaraunts survive on bringing real cuisine to the table. Trendy to the max, my experience was forgettable. Can't rememember what was tasty, just the trendy room. Unlike the the 5 dinners out after this place, where as, I remember the food with fondness. Future patrons of this place, the crowd that gets too old for Kawaii Crepe.

Went here for a work dinner and the service and food we're both exceptional! We ordered most of the starters and each one just got more and more amazing! Everything has a cool different spin on it and you don't realize until it comes to the table! The Thai fried rice is a perfect example of this, I thought it was normal fried rice but once it gets into your mouth the flavors are so different than any regular fried rice. Definitely recommend this new restaurant! Amazing!

Service was great, food was decent. Will go back and bring friends as there are plates intended for larger groups. Stylish atmosphere is casual and inviting. Bathrooms are good. Exits are well marked. Water is good. Beer selection isn't overwhelming. Nice wine list. Your smart phone will show 'E' the entire time. Didn't ask for wifi. Yeah, go.

Was slightly disappointed by this restaurant. Started with the tuna tacos which were quite bland and overpriced for the portion size. The brussel sprouts were good but incredibly salty and we found that we couldn't really eat more than a taste. The corn on the cob was good but again at one cob per order the portion size was small to share. The superfood salad and shrimp lettuce wraps were very tasty and definitely worth trying. <br/><br/>On a side note - the restaurant is in fact very loud. Not the best place to go to with a group of 6 as it is very hard to hear everyone.

Damn good food. Options for really small plates and really big plates. The duck tacos were amazing and the Brussel sprouts had an amazing Asian Ginger flavour that will hopefully retire the bacon that most restaurants add to this dish in this city. Next time I am trying the Korean fried chicken for 10. <br/><br/>Carlie was an amazing server.

Guacamole And Chips. So good

Winnipeg’s Portage Ave and its side streets were once the home to many of the cities’ great restaurants. Rudy’s, Moxie’s and most recently The Merchant Kitchen have blazed the way for the trend to reignite. Upon my return from an evening at The Merchant Kitchen, I told D that he would love everything about the “kitchen”: the central bar, the communal tables, the open kitchen, the clever cocktails and the food!

I tried this place for lunch and it was kind of a mixed experience. Overall, I liked the food that I received, but the portions are quite small. When you compare the price vs. the quantity of food, it calls into question the overall value of eating here. <br/><br/>Visually, the place has a very modern look. The restaurant is on the main floor of the hotel and was smaller than what I was expecting. The dominant feature is a centrally located bar. There are some booths along a long padded bench and well padded chairs. It is brightly lit and an open room. There weren't very many people there when I visited, but I can foresee it being very noisy if there are more than a few people in the place. Across from the bar is a screen that can be lowered to show games/movies from a projector. The screen was not unfurled while I was there. One wall has exposed brick with a mural of two roosters on it. The kitchen is a small, open kitchen. <br/><br/>Service was extremely good. The servers were very knowledgeable about the menu and were very quick with drink refills. They were very friendly and more than happy to make suggestions.<br/><br/>The menu leans more towards Asian than it does Latin. If you don't like pork, your options become more limited. While the theme of the place is sharing, the small sizes of the portions quickly drives up the prices. They have sandwiches, soups and salads combined with their take on staple menu items such as chicken wings. Entree prices range from $10 to $70 for a (shareable) platter. I was intrigued by the Korean fried chicken, but it is 3 lbs and far too much food for myself ($44). I would like to return with a couple of other people and give it a try. I ordered carnitas (pork tacos) and the Thai chicken wings. The tacos were $10 and the wings $14. The tacos were quite good. The pork was flavourful, incredibly tender and very moist. The thai style wings have a variety of flavours which gives them a unique taste in comparison to what you get on Winnipeg's chicken wing market. The wings are breaded with a sauce on them and also accompanied by a dipping sauce. I was expecting something spicier, but I was pleased with the flavour. The dipping sauce had a mint flavour and went well with the wings. I normally don't have dessert with lunch, but I tried the chili chocolate cake. It was $9 for a fairly small slice. It was delicious. The cake was moist, the chocolate sauce was very good and it was accompanied by candied orange and ginger which made for a great flavour profile. <br/><br/>Ultimately  I think this place would be better suited to appetizers and drinks vs. having a full meal. Ordering enough food to fill you up will get pretty pricey unless you are with a big enough group to take advantage of the platters.

This is the new restaurant attached to the new Alt Hotel near the MTS Centre. The entrance to this place is just north of the hotel entrance in a not so obvious door but you can enter from the hotel lobby. The place looks pretty funky inside, I would say it's an open concept bar with dining tables splashed around. The place is loud even when it's half full. The concept is Latin and Asian street food so lots of small plates to share and some sharing plates that taken from NYC's David Chang's Momofuku's concept of shared fried chicken platter. But here's the thing, it's not authentic Latin or Asian but of an inspired by concept. Between the two, I would lean towards the Latin dishes as the Asian ones are a disappointment. Our server even told us that some of the Asian dishes will not be what we expected so we opted not to order them.<br/><br/>Thai style wings ($14) - garlic, chile, ginger, lime, tamarind with salted mango and lime dressing. Now all those flavours definitely make me think back to my time in Thailand but this dish didn't. All those flavours blended into each other and I just couldn't figure out what I was tasting - same goes for the dipping sauce.<br/><br/>Grilled corn ($8) with mayo, sour cream, cotija cheese, chili powder, lime and cilantro. They should probably rename this as "grilled corn on the cob" because that's how its presented so a bit difficult to eat with all the dressing on there and harder to share so you have to cut the niblets off. Overall good flavours but a bit overpriced for one ear of corn.<br/><br/>Tuna tacos ($15) - grilled rare tuna, asian coleslaw, charred jalapeno salsa and red onion. This one tastes similar to all the other tuna tacos you've ever had but it was missing some acid which would have helped pull this dish together.<br/><br/>De Montano salad ($15) - butter leaf lettuce, radishes, corn, jicama, cherry tomatoes, avocado, fried tortilla chips, cotija cheese and garlic lime dressing. This was probably the best dish overall, a nice refreshing salad with good flavours and enough to share between 2-3 people.<br/><br/>Best part of the place were the cocktails at $9- $12. Recommend the capel pisco and the margarita picante which were $12 each, a bit pricey but they were good.<br/><br/>Service was informative from our server but food and drink service was pretty slow considering the place was not full at all. I'd come back for drinks and an appetizer but not for dinner as the overall food doesn't deliver on expectations plus it takes a lot to get full so the bill can add up quickly. Just as a comparison, for the same price for two people we would have been full at Segovia but here we didn't feel like we ha had a meal.

I so wanted to like this place - the atmosphere, location and owners are all great - but unfortunately those pluses can't make up for the horrible food. I've visited three times and tried a bunch of different dishes, never finding a good one. The flank steak tacos were completely bland and blue rare, making them impossible to bite. The papaya salad was swimming in a dressing of pure vinegar - it was impossible to finish. The chicken on the kung pod had sinew and had clearly been cooked the night before, shredded and placed on top. The bahn mi was served on a disgusting hotdog bun, there wasn't a hint of tang or crunch to the vegetables and the shrimp were so undercooked that they were grey all the way through. The broccoli had a nice sear on it but it had clearly been steamed before roasted so was soggy in the middle. This place is not authentic like it try to claim - food from these regions, and from Chino Latinos in Minneapolis (clearly copies the concept) is actually flavourful and prepared with care.  So disappointed.

Dropped in today and had lunch at Merchant Kitchen. Really enjoyed the experience. They have a great atmosphere, lots of natural light and well point interior design. I had the tortilla soup which was very good, and my friend had the Merchant ramen, which I tried and it was also very tasty. We also started with the Carnitas tacos, the wraps were fresh, the pork was tender and cooked perfectly, and the avocado and cilantro were just the right amount. <br/><br/>Didn't try the cocktails but if they are half as good as the food, this spot will be a homerun. Overall I would definitely recommend checking this spot out!

Interesting concept. The food is served tapas-style. Very tasty, but be careful with the small portions it adds up quickly ($). The highlight was definitely the excellent customer service all around which made our experience extra special. The decor is contemporary and chic, make sure to check out the lobby of the ALT hotel with the photo wall! My biggest issue with this restaurant is the noise level, it was impossible to hear each other and we were just two! It is located just across the street from the MTS Centre, seems like it would be the perfect place to have a drink and/or dinner before a show.

Really great spot!  The food is excellent, and the cocktails are really good too.  Also great atmosphere and service!  The only problem is that it can get really loud, even when the restaurant is not that full.  But other than that, it's very good and a really great addition to the neighbourhood!

Went here last Tuesday and the dining area was bustling. Each of the dishes we sampled (pics uploaded) were delicious. The broccoli had a great flavour with the mint. The corn on the cob was very tasty... Surprisingly so and I highly recommend that dish. The beans were another great option and the Tuna tacos were also very well balanced and flavourful. The Tuna was seared perfectly and the jalapeno was a great piquant addition. <br/><br/>I ordered the spicy margherita and while it was a tasty sipping drink I would caution somebody from ordering it if they are sensitive to spice.... It packed a good punch. That being said, it had a satisfying heat for one who likes their food turned up a few notches. It was great to sipping drink and I enjoyed the high end, premium tequila. It was a pleasant, appreciated ingredient. <br/><br/>I know it can be tough for a restaurant to get things right when they are so new, but this was an exemplary instance where everything was smooth and perfected. The decor was top notch and the detail of having the random red chair thrown into the mix was novel and intriguing. <br/><br/>This is a very upscale spot to take somebody who loves food and is not so easily impressed. It's a great new addition to the Winnipeg dining scene.

Everything about this place was warm and inviting.  The room is fantastic, the staff were friendly and knew what they were talking about.  The food, chef Eric Lee is making some darn good food over there!  Unless your name is Joey Tribbiani, be prepared to share your food!<br/>  I find it hard to believe that the Merchant Kitchen has only been open for a couple of weeks.  I have been twice already and can't wait to go back!

Location, location, location!!! I've been there 5 times in the first 3 weeks and each time I try something new and get blown away each and every time. I highly recommend the Korean Friend Chicken, Carnitas, Peppers and the duck rolls to start. We will be back many more times!!!

Completely tasteless.... Starting to wonder if the positive reviews were made by staff to boost business. <br/>Ordered the lettuce wraps, all three taco varieties, peppers and gucamole appetizer. <br/>Lettuce wraps had absolutely no taste. I was shocked by the lack of flavour. Best part - Our lettuce was no larger than the palm of my hand which made wrapping impossible. The lettuce was also brown in spots so we ended up eating roughly 1/4 of the dish.<br/>Same story with the tacos. Major lack of flavour. Steak tacos were cold which was weird but perhaps this is the way they're served? Also, the shells were either raw or not cooked properly because when folded in half and lifted, the contents completely fell through.<br/>Very lacklustre experience. Ended up making a last minute reservation at The Lobby on York and ate there instead. Merchant will be a nice place to grab a drink before a Jets game or concert but nothing more. What a bust.

AMAZING!!!. Absolutely AMAZING restaurant!! Great service, Great food and Great atmosphere!!!

Amazing!. Went to the Merchant Kitchen for lunch with co-workers and we have not stopped talking about it! All the staff were amazing - the hostess sat us promptly, was pleasant and courteous. Our server was amazing - explained the concept of family style and we did not go thirsty (completely on the glass fill up ball)!<br/><br/>The food is served family style for the table to share - which we were not too sure about at first, but afterwards LOVED the concept.<br/><br/>We ordered the Duck Rolls, Shrimp and Kimchi Lettuce Wraps, Nachos, Carne Asada and Thai Wings and shared it all. If you like international foods this is the place for you - you can try it all and leave satisfied. The food was hands down amazing! If you LOVE wings -you have to try the wings here.<br/><br/>When all was said and done the bill was just under $20 each (including a non-alcoholic beverage). Well worth the reasonable price for a sit down lunch in an amazing setting.<br/><br/>I would highly recommend this restaurant. Two thumbs WAY up!<br/><br/>Already planning when I can go again :)

Don't bother. Boring and over priced. Just goto an actual food truck.<br/><br/>Nothing special about a menu that just serves a bunch of stuff you can get better versions from a number of other places......and pay MUCH LESS

Underwhelming. I really don't have anything good to say about this restaurant, the whole experience was underwhelming. The food was way over priced for the portion sizes of the dishes, expecially the guacamole - $14 for bland avacodos in a small dish. The carne asada tacos and tuna tacos had potential in flavour, but they were again way too small for the price, as were the chicken wings, which we swore had to be pigeon wings, they were to tiny! We also ordered the tempura shrimp lettuce wraps, which were impossible to eat with the limp butter lettuce that was given with the dish. The decor is great, and the location is great (other that there not being a sign on the door or building) but we were shocked that there were no hooks or a shelf in the washroom stalls for a purse. You have to either hold your purse on your lap or under your arm while you are in the stall...or put in on the floor! Come on! After that, we were totally turned off and then finding out it was the same Exec. Chef from Pizzaria Gusto, one of our favorite restaurants in Winnipeg, we were shocked! We have never left Pizzaria Gusto hungry. The three of us left The Merchant Kitchen hungry and very disappointed. We will not be returning and will not be recommending this restaurant to others.

The food was excellent. I would suggest the tacos and corn. The closest I have seen to authentic Mexican street food in Winnipeg. The Asian style food was not as good as the Mexican inspired dishes, but still very good. Thhe cocktails were also fantastic, everyone was very pleased. The only issues were that it was very noisy, and the place was only 1/3 full, so I can't imagine what it would be like on a full night, and it did take some time for our drinks to arrive. The wait staff were very friendly and attentive. I would have no concerns recommending for people out with friends, date night, or a ladies night out.

The food was better than the service, but that's not saying much.. On a busy Friday night was sat at the bar & within 15 minutes moved to a table. Good!<br/>My drink was served in a chipped/cracked glass, then returned in a new glass but the same glass filled drink. Bad!<br/>Guacamole served with La Cocina chips. Not worth the cost. <br/>Grilled Corn. Good!<br/>Roasted Broccoli. Not worth the cost.<br/>Korean Fried Chicken. Good!<br/>Took forever to get any drinks. Server kept forgetting, even the manager forgot.

Over-priced, Mediocre "Asian" Food. Dishes are "family style". Had 2 dishes off the "bowls" section (kung pao & kim chi) and they tasted the same. Flavours were over powered by spiciness. Duck rolls and guac was alright, you're better off getting authentic asian food from an actual Asian restaurant for literally a third of the price. 4 dishes and 3 drinks came out to $110 dollars plus $10 parking for an hour. Very unimpressed, definitely NOT worth it!!! Good quick and friendly service though.

New Restaurant Didn't Disappoint. We visited Merchant Kitchen on May 11th and were pleasantly surprised, for a brand new restaurant. Heck, there wasn't even a sign on the outside yet, which made it a bit of a challenge to find the right door to go in. <br/><br/>That is where any hint of frustration or disappointment ended! The atmosphere is warm & host and serving staff friendly & knowledgable. The best way to describe the menu is "family-style" or sharing. While the servings in some dishes weren't large, neither was the pricing. <br/><br/>We had a variety of dishes, but the table favourites, were the Nagoya style chicken wings, which we re-ordered, the shrimp & kimchi lettuce wraps, grilled corn-on-the-cob in a delicious cheese sauce & two styles of tacos, one with pork shoulder (Carnitas) & the other with flank steak (Carne Asada), both small by normal standards (3 to a plate so if more then 3 of you, order more than one plate), peasant noodles and the Cuban Sandwich, which would be a great lunch selection. The absolute hit of the evening, though, was the Korean Fried Chicken. Crispy on the outside and mouth-watering tender on the inside. The only slight disappointment was the nachos. Expecting more of the standard style, these were practically "deconstructed". Not my idea of nachos. <br/><br/>Family style is a fun way to go. Food is brought out as it is ready in the kitchen. Bottom line, there is always something being added and every dish is piping hot!<br/><br/>For being only open a week or so, the staff were extremely friendly & attentive, without being obtrusive. This will quickly become one of the hot spots downtown for great atmosphere coupled with fantastic food. I can't wait to go back.

A great new addition to the downtown.. Dinner for two with reservations, sat promptly by the ubiquitous late teen/early twenties girls in LBD's (that made me a bit nervous that we were in for a cookie cutter experience but fears were alleviated).<br/><br/>Fun interior, light, and airy with an open kitchen (stools at the chef's counter but stacked plates indicate that they are not seating people there yet). Huge mix of patrons probably because of the attached ALT Hotel from hipsters to families with babes in arms. <br/><br/>This is a chef NOT afraid of flavour and spicing. Ordered the Duck Spring Rolls, Papaya Salad, Hot Wings, a few different cocktails, Fried and Pound Cake with Hot Chocolate.<br/><br/>The Spring Rolls were the only thing that we felt could have used more flavour... primarily of the duck itself, Very understated and had to be thought about to get a taste of. The papaya salad was full of flavour and spice (especially when paired with a jalapeno margarita!). Hot wings were indeed hot in spice, perfect temperature, plump and meaty. Should come with a finger bowl and extra napkins though! Very sticky... just as they should be :) Fried cake is just plain brilliant and Merchant offers up a great version... delicious! There was one more savoury dish as well but for the life of me I can't remember it now... but whatever it was I remember really enjoying it!<br/><br/>Cocktails were very good and not a bad deal for the content and craft ($10-12 each).<br/><br/>Being on Open Table makes getting a reservation easy, something appreciated when it's in such a busy event area (right across from the MTS Arena<br/><br/>All told 4 dishes, 5 cocktails and one dessert came to $125 taxes in. Felt it was very fair for the food and experience.<br/><br/>A special thank you to our busy server Ashley for the attentive service :)

Great atmosphere, food is well below expectations. This place has a great vibe and the decor is funky and different from most places in this city. It is new so I am hoping that things will improve with time. There is a giant screen for sports fans and a cool bar in the center, communal tables and smaller tables in an adjacent room.<br/>The staff is friendly but our server knew little about the menu and had to "ask the kitchen" about several things including if the $44 3lb korean fried chicken to share came with any side dishes.The popcorn/corn puff mix served with drinks is yummy and spicy. I had the bahn mi with flank steak which was tasteless,dry and on a hard baguette. The accompanying slaw was literally shredded cabbage and carrot with little to no dressing and was inedible. The chicken wings were spicy and good but the accompanying sauce was tasteless. The carne tacos were tiny and the tortillas were soggy from resting on lime wedges. The korean fried chicken was the only thing that looked good although I did not taste it, it seemed to be the only good thing we ordered but for $44 with no sides it hardly seems worth it. The 2 "bowls" that were ordered were skimpy on the chicken and not very flavorful for asian dishes.For dessert I had a bite of the doughnut which was served cold and so not worth another bite. The cocktails are fun and were good. The wine list is short but good and well priced.This place has potential as the owners/chef are not new to the restaurant business. I hope that this is just growing pains as I would love to go back and try it again.I know that you can do better. It is a great location and will be packed at lunch and pre/post games and concerts.All the best!

Casual atmosphere, elegant street food. A restaurant like this has been a long time coming for Winnipeg! The atmosphere is casual and everyone is friendly (though on their first night the service has understandably yet to be streamlined). The menu is gluten-friendly (with easy mods), veg-friendly, and ranges from wings to a whole roast duck to share. <br/><br/>I had the carnitas tacos which were the best tacos I've had in Winnipeg, though very small. My friend with celiac had the Lucky Kung Pao (with rice noodles) and really enjoyed it. We both tried the Tokyo Drift cocktail--I was glad to see that a place boasting it's craft cocktail menu delivered something so interesting, but my friend wasn't sold on it. I could see myself ordering it again. For dessert I had the Pound Cake Cinnamon Churros (served with hot chocolate for dipping). They were very rich and definitely meant to be shared. <br/><br/>I'm glad to see such an interesting concept come to life in Winnipeg! <br/><br/>P.S.: They must have known I'd be coming as many of the dishes (and some cocktails!) included one of my favourite ingredients: Thai basil :)