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| - Merchant & Trade is exactly what you'd expect from another uptown, rooftop bar.
We waited for about 20 minutes to get in on Friday (around 6pm). Once escorted up to the 19th floor of the hotel, the doors opened to a well-decorated bar and indoor/outdoor seating area. As far as rooftop bar decor goes, I think Merchant & Trade slays the other options in Charlotte. They've used a navy and green theme to give it a vibrant feel while providing an overall relaxed environment. Seating options include rocking chairs, coaches, benches, stools, and everything in-between. The view is GREAT, especially if you want to watch a Knights game while drinking overpriced cocktails instead of overpriced beer (oh wait, they have that too!).
The drink and food menu were pretty average compared to its peer institutions. I'd been really hoping for a knockout cocktail menu, but they only had a handful of options, none of which sounded appealing to either my guy or me (and we have pretty different palates). The wine menu is okay, and they've got a good selection of liquors. Like many other uptown locales, you can buy a local craft brew for twice as much as you'll pay for it at the brewery its made at.
The food menu had some promise, and I hope they'll expand it. There were only a handful of appetizers, a few larger dishes, and a couple desserts. The lavash we had was really good, but I would've loved to get something more substantial here. Their vegetarian options were lacking, which is why I hope they'll start offering more selections.
Definitely worth one trip for the view and ambiance. I think it would make a great first date locale!
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