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| - Merchant truly makes the most interesting and best craft cocktails in Madison. Their cocktail bible is chock full of clever names and weird descriptions to go along with their drinks. They always have a couple pages of seasonal specials, where you will find drinks mixed with homemade shrubs and syrups made with local ingredients. Where else are you going to find corn-raspberry-rhubarb syrup mixed in your drink? I got something last night with multiple gins and yellow chartreuse. Most cocktails will run you $9-12 but they're almost always delicious. I did have one chai-inspired drink in February which came with sweetened cinnamon whipped cream and separating cream isn't a great look on a cocktail. But 9 times out of 10 I am totally pleased.
They have specials each night of the week, like a burger + beer on Mondays for $13 and Fish Fry Fridays. Their Thursday nights with live music could use some work. Don't get me wrong, I am a musician and I love music. But The Merchant is a rather small restaurant, so having volume levels to a point where you cannot hear what your friend is saying while you're inches away from each other and shouting is unpleasant, to say the least. Maybe it's changed since I last experienced that, but I just avoid the restaurant completely on Thursdays.
That said, Merchant also makes delicious food. They cook their steaks perfectly, cheese curds are so yummy with excellent batter, their pasta is made in house, I adore their frites, and they just nail their desserts. Try any creme brulée if they have one on the menu. Last night, my friend and I shared the s'mores ice cream dessert which had graham cracker and marshmallow ice creams, a Valrhona chocolate sauce, and a bruléed marshmallow. This was insanely good.
Not a cheap place, but definitely worthwhile. Try to go earlier to avoid the young Epic crowd ;)
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