I'll admit that I was a little disappointed to find that Mert's is a "semi-touristy diner" in Uptown. (The downside being that panhandlers interrupt your meal, if you eat outside.) I was expecting a down and dirty hole-in-the-wall place, but the food more than made up for the location and decor.
The cornbread was hot and delicious with sweet butter. The salmon cakes were actually all salmon - no filler fish - and seared rather than breaded and fried. The red remoulade sauce paired perfectly with the salmon cakes. The delicious mac & cheese was baked and thick rather than just spooned from a pot. The sweetness of the candied yams were just right to balance out the savory salmon and mac & cheese.
The waitress was amazingly friendly - reminded me of a happy drunk. I asked her what's good, and she went through just about everything - I could tell that she eats the food rather than reciting what customers usually get. The funniest part was her saying, "My three favorite sides are..." and then listing five and having to whittle down to three - mac & cheese, collard greens, and yams. Big tip for her!
The local beer on tap is Carolina Blond, and the local wine is Biltmore. (I thought the Merlot was just ok.) Prices are a bit higher ($10-20), as expected for Uptown, but I think the salmon cakes with choice of two sides and cornbread are the best deal at $10.