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Mertens Prime, Grand Rapids, MI

Mertens Prime

3.6
3.6
1562 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Romantic
  • Great for creative cocktails
Mertens Prime, located in the historic 1914 New Hotel Mertens lobby in Grand Rapids, offers locally sourced, in-house hand-cut steaks, chops, and unique takes on classics. Scratch made kitchen where we make all the pastas and desserts. We have a large selection for vegan & vegetarian.

Prime features a full-service espresso machine and classic pastries like beignets. Guests can enjoy tableside presentations like filet dinner for two, a weekly curated rolling cheese cart, and bananas fosters and creme brulee.

The kitchen is scratch made and we feature many locally sourced products.

The bar top is one of the largest in Grand Rapids and seats 18 guests along with lounge tables. Our bar features a daily happy hour from 4pm-6pm 7 days a week for both food and beverage! Seasonal mocktails available along with many other non-alcoholic offerings.

Mertens Rooftop offers a full bar and a menu of appetizers. To book a reservation at Mertens Rooftop, select "Outdoor Seating", if available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Steak, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available. The closest crossroads are Oakes St. and Commerce Street. The closest parking ramps are Cherry Street Parking Ramp and Weston Parking Ramp. We do not offer parking validation at this time.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa

Experiences

  • Bubbles for 2

    USD 38.00 per party

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Indulge in a beautiful sparkling selection that is just enough for 2 people. This half bottle of wine is great for anniversaries or date nights. Girls night out maybe?
    Bubbles for 2 photo
  • Dessert Sampler

    USD 20.00 per party

    Prepaid

    1 Feb 2025 - 30 Apr 2025
    Enjoy our Flourless Chocolate Torte (GF), Lemon Bar with a luxurious seasonal berry sauce and our Creme Brulee
  • Wine Tasting With Larry O'Brien

    USD 30.00 per person

    Prepaid

    20 Mar 2025 only
    6:00 pm
    We’re thrilled to invite you to a very special Happy Hour Wine Tasting on Thursday, March 20th from 6:00–7:30 PM at Mertens Prime. This exclusive evening will feature a tasting hosted by none other than Master Sommelier Larry O'Brien — a rare opportunity to connect with one of only 273 Master Sommeliers in the world. Learn more about Larry O'Brien here. As we prepare for this event, we’d love to know how you might help promote it to your guests and network. Having Larry in Grand Rapids is a big deal for wine lovers and hospitality leaders alike, and we’d be honored to collaborate with you in making this a memorable evening for the community. We offer complimentary food from our new spring menu and event guide. Event Details: 📅 Date: Thursday, March 20th ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 📍 Location: Mertens Prime 🍷 Wine selection & pricing: $30 to taste 5 select wines not usually featured by the glass. Complimentary food from new 2025 event guide and Spring Menu 📄 Tasting sheets & order forms will be available. Most wine available to take home same day.

Private dining

What 1,562 people are saying

Mertens Prime reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.6
3.6 based on recent ratings
  • 3.8Food
  • 3.7Service
  • 4.1Ambience
  • 3.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Mertens Prime offers a "beautiful, old-world atmosphere" with a menu that is "very homemade" and features classic French bistro-style dishes and "really good steaks." The rooftop provides a "delightful" city view, complemented by "delicious drinks and bites." Guests appreciate the "attentive and friendly" service, making it a "unique venue" in Grand Rapids.

1,562 Reviews
  1. Candice

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Decided to come to Mertens for date night with my husband. It had been a while since we've dined there, and I've been meaning to visit them again. First off, The new Spring menu is fantastic. We started with some fried mushrooms and housemade peppercorn ranch, which did not disappoint. For our entrees, I had the beef and mushroom stroganoff and my husband had the ribeye and garlic potato puree. Both meals came out looking and tasting great. We ordered a cheesecake and a gf chocolate torte to go, because we were both so stuffed. We ended the night on the rooftop for cocktail as they did an impromptu opening due to the nice weather. It was absolutely lovely. The sunset views of the city are gorgeous. We are both excited to come back to try their Sunday brunch soon too. That menu looks amazing and I love that they have lunch options on it and not just breakfast stuff.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Brunch was so nice. Not crowded. We shared the chicken and Waffles board. Loved the lemon bar. Staff was friendly. Will be back for rooftop.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Indiana2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The cocktails were fantastic. The food was just “ok” for the price. I ordered the steak sandwich and was disappointed in the quantity of meat vs the amount of bread there was. The atmosphere was unique and our service was fabulous. They were launching a new menu, so I’m sure they were just ironing out a few kinks.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great choice for dinner! The duck was crispy and flavorful, and the bone marrow was rich and delicious. Vega was friendly and attentive. I’ll definitely be back!

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  5. Dave

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 27 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff were amazing and the staff way knowledgeable on the menu. The drinks were excellent. Our food was delicious. My wife had the Orange glazed Salmon and Broccolini. I had the Ribeye it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The restaurant has the unique history being and old hotel and the floor is beautiful and you can tell how original. We will be back and can’t wait for rooftop season.

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  6. Kevin

    Grand Rapids1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 21 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Was really excited to finally try Mertens. And after a friend couple had poor service on Valentine’s Day we still kept our date. Also read many poor reviews. It was just as poor. Hostess was not friendly. They were out of many items on menu. Very slow service for almost empty restaurant. Really bummed.

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  7. Lisa

    Chicago4 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 21 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    This was our first time and we won’t return. The service was EXTREMELY slow. We ordered an appetizer and then were told the kitchen didn’t prep it from last night so it wasn’t available. We ordered dinner and two items we ordered were not available and the server had to come back and tell us. We were charged for sauce the waitress suggested for our appetizer. There was an 18% gratuity already added to the bill for 5 people?!? The food was average at best. WAY WAY overpriced for the service, food, portions and overall experience. We would not return nor suggest this restaurant to anyone else. There was no manager in sight to address any concerns.

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  8. Kara

    Grand Rapids1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Was a disappointing experience. We waited for a long time before we were greeted by a server. The bartender was busy chatting while we waited for our drinks. The food was cold and overpriced. Our waiter was friendly but inexperienced. I don’t plan to go back.

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  9. Leia

    Chicago1 review

    1.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Worst restaurant I’ve been to in years. The apps were disgusting and the audacity to charge $67 for that “steak” is a joke. Even the server seemed disappointed in his own restaurant.

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  10. Audra

    Detroit2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious filet mignon, melts in your mouth! Our server was very sweet and attentive!

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FAQs

Mertens Prime offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (616) 551-1713.

Mertens Prime is rated 3.6 stars by 1562 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Mertens Prime

35 Oakes St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Steak, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available. The closest crossroads are Oakes St. and Commerce Street. The closest parking ramps are Cherry Street Parking Ramp and Weston Parking Ramp. We do not offer parking validation at this time.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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