Mercado On Kent

Perhaps the fact that I could get a last minute table for 8 on a Friday night should have been a warning sign. But after reading great reviews, I was excited to bring out of town guests to this place. From beginning to end the service was so bad that it dragged everything else down with it.
For a start, the drinks were weak and slow to come. And they never came as a full round. It was always «Oh, it takes longer to make that drink (a Margarita) so it will take longer to arrive.» Poor etiquette. One of our party also sent his margarita back to the bar to get more tequila added to it.
When it came to ordering, our sour-​faced waitress advised on 4 – 5 tapas per person. To me, having spent a lot of time in Spain, this seemed excessive. But obviously she knew the portion sizes better than we did, and most of our party left hungry. Particularly one guest who had ordered the chorizo burger and at the time of ordering was asked if she wanted it to come at the same time as the tapas plates. Obviously, yes, she did. But yet it arrived 50 minutes late. Why? Because «this is tapas, the food comes out when it’s ready.» Yes, we all understand the concept of tapas, but not the concept of making someone else wait an age for their dinner then make them eat alone because everyone else has finished.
The food, when each dish was finally slung on the table with long delays in between, was okay. Overpriced for what you got, but okay. I’d say you definitely have to order more than you think necessary because you really don’t get a lot. The patatas bravas were just ok. The octopus salad and blackened rice were great. The flat breads are boring and although the pork cheeks were tender, they came drowning in a sea of this heavy, creamy sauce, which you had to swim your fork around in to actually find the meat.
When we complained and asked for the manager, he took almost as long to come as the food did. Apparently he was «busy with a private party.» He tried to brush off our grievances with a laugh and «oh well, here’s some free tequila shots to soften the blow.» Errr… what is this? A nasty NYU bar circa 1999? I think not. And we’re not 18 either. The shots remained untouched.
When the check came, they’d comped the burger and taken a round of drinks off, but for us, it was too little, too late. We’d much rather have enjoyed a great meal in a great restaurant.
It’s a nice looking place too, but on a Friday night this place should be heaving. Instead, patrons were sparse. Now I know why. Less form, more function please.

I went to Mercado on Kent with my boyfriend last night because Scoutmob was offering a deal for 50% off of the menu. After eating here, I would be glad to come without a deal like that.
The restaurant is spacious and aesthetically pleasing, but we went after peak dinner hours so it was kind of dead. We are both vegetarians, and there were a surprising amount of small plates to choose from.
For tapas, we got blistered peppers with sea salt (a little too salty but satisfying), crispy potatoes with a spicy tomato and white sauce (good, but not spectacular).
The highlight of the meal was a swiss chard salad with a variety of different mushrooms and black truffle vinaigrette. It was delicious! The dressing was the best part, and the mushrooms weren’t overcooked.
Their cheese plates are generous, and we also got a mini flatbread toast with spiced pear and melted blue cheese, which was the perfect ending to the meal.
The service was prompt, and the pacing of dishes was great. We got two free bread baskets, which was nice.
The only thing I would say is that some of the food was a tiny bit oversalted, but otherwise me and my boyfriend had a really great meal that was super affordable, especially after a $ 20 discount.

really delicious basque restaurant; heavy on the seafood, olive oil and salt. just the way i like it! the space is airy with lots of wood and large windows. the service was casual and attentive, which i prefer.

Tapas done *very well*. Waaaay fancier than the greasier tapas bars that I’ve frequented in Spain.
I highly recommend, in order of mind-​blowing deliciousness /​freshness:
1. BACALAO FRITO ($ 12) — battered fresh cod pieces.
2. PATATAS BRAVAS ($ 6) — crispy potatoes, piping hot, drizzled with a spicy/​creamy sauce
3. BOQUERONES ($ 9) — anchovies (can’t go wrong here)
As a side, get the PAN CON TOMATE — their whole grain toast topped with tomato. It’s basically the tastiest bruschetta ever.
Their whole basement is a bakery, so their breads are freshly baked. Yum.
Beautiful interior — spacious, wooden, airy, elegant.

Whoa! I had read about this place when it first opened and was really looking forward to trying it. Then I heard that the place had changed chefs a few weeks into its existence and became reluctant. Well, I finally tried it and it was wonderful. Hands down some of the best, most thoughtfully composed tapas I have had. Get the black rice! Great bread and desserts too. They must have scored themselves a hell of a pastry chef. My wife and I were seriously shocked and surprised by Mercado. We even caught ourselves speaking metaphorically about the food. For shame! One last thing since no one has mentioned it: they now have a liquor license and the beer and wine list is well thought out.

The night that we had planned on checking out Mercado On Kent, Scoutmob happened to offer a 50% off discount (of up to $ 30 off), which worked out perfectly. Our $ 60 meal came out to be $ 30, which is an awesome deal for the unique, well-​executed dishes you’ll get to try here. Definitely stop by before the Scoutmob deal expires… effective Monday through Thursday!
We got the following dishes:
— Charcuterie: you can get just one type of meat, but we picked three for a lesser price for each.
1) Leg aged 12 months: this was extremely interesting to me, and I felt like you could almost smell the animal. I thought it was okay.
2) Top loin, paprika rub, 90-​day cure: this was our favorite.
3) Chorizo: I usually love chorizo but I’ve only gotten it cooked. This was a little difficult for me to eat.
Conclusion: Definitely get the charcuterie platter if you’re into fine, aged meats. I like meat but only the usual stuff, so I’m glad I got to try these but I was happy that I was with my boyfriend, who loved it all.
— Crispy potatoes, spicy tomato sauce, aioli: they give you a decent amount for the price. Definitely good for sharing!
— Chorizo burger: the burger was tasty, but I had wished that there was some depth to the patty, because it was kinda airy and not as fulfilling as it looks. Definitely not recommended if you’re ridiculously hungry.
— Paella: deceptively filling. I wish the rice in it was a little more firm because the dish was soupy. Still, it was tasty and I highly recommend it if you’re a seafood lover. I believe it came with lobster, scallops, and mussels.
Service: The workers here were very nice. The dishes came out one after the other and they were perfectly attentive.
Atmosphere: Super cool! First of all, the décor is pretty great. High ceilings, big windows, partially marbled walls, open kitchen (but you can’t really see what they’re doing), two ovens (which I couldn’t figure out what they were used for), large bathroom, etc. It’s very OPEN and they offer different types of seating. Sit at the kitchen bar if you can, because the tables against the wall are super close together and you won’t be able to have a private conversation.

Great spanish tapas place in Brooklyn. The desserts at Mercado are SO good, you have to get the chocolate chip pain perdu!

mercado on kent — absolutely worth a visit
recently some friends and i went to mercado, probably looking more forward to the fresh baked breads than anything. wow, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into! we walked into the stark, modern building and were instantly hit with a satiating aroma coming from the bakery downstairs. it was almost 8pm and they were still cranking out their delicious goods. we sat, had our wine opened (it’s b.y.o., for now) and browsed the somewhat limited but delictable looking menu. while we took our time deciding, gorgeous little rolls were sent over. we tasted a traditional sourdough, chocolate chip (would pair marvelously with a latte on a sunday morning), an everything type and a whole wheat option. all were very tasty, especially when dipped in the red pepper /​chili oil served on the side. if that weren’t enough to whet our appetites, the kitchen then sent out some fried sage and some sort of spicy green pepper, um-​hmm.
we decided to start with pickeled sardines. i expected a brackish type dish you’d normally find but these were light and packed with tangy citrus flavor. the sardines were followed up with a warm mushroom salad, mercado’s version of fried mozzerella (but much more delicious) and some stuffed peppers. all were mouthwateringly amazing.
for dinner we stuck with the seafood options (good friday friendly). the scallops were caramelized on the top and bottom, then tender and billowy after the first bite. they also had an olive tapenade type purée served along side. mmm, i’m smiling just thinking about it! after that, our seafood paella was full of distinctive saffron flavor and each of the mussels, shrimp, clams and scungilli were cooked to tender perfection.
we ordered a few desserts but the chocoloate pain perdu was the best by far. it was served atop chocolate consume and was complimented with a velvety dollop of cream and a milk chocolate straw. this lavish dish proved a perfect ending.
go… soon!

Wonderful new addition to the Williamsburg dining arena. The rabbit is out of this world. Great space and excellent service. I will be a repeat customer. Don’t miss the «navajas» — razor clams.

Had an incredible meal with my fiancé tonight — we loved the food, the space, great music and ambiance and the staff was very friendly and attentive.
Our meal consisted of 4 small plates, the charcuterie platter and one large plate. It was more than enough food as we probably could have done with one less small plate but we were excited to try as much as we could.
The 4 small plates we decide on were:
Gambas (shrimp) — two perfectly cooked and seasoned shrimp with head on
Braised pork cheeks with fried egg — delicious! The cheeks were tender and tasty and the fried egg with runny yolk paired very nicely
Patatas Bravas (crispy potatoes w spicy tomato sauce) — simple but so good!
Razor clams (one of the specials) — tasty but some were a bit too chewy
For our charcuterie platter — we opted for the chorizo, duck prosciutto, and lomo iberico. Everything was delicious but the lomo iberico was our favorite!
For our large plate, we had the pork loin. Great quality pork and perfectly cooked but could have used a little more seasoning. The purée that accompanied it was a bit too sweet but overall, still an enjoyable dish.
I’m thrilled to welcome Mercado to the neighborhood and look forward to many more delicious meals there to come!

Although the reviews of this restaurant were generally stellar, the restaurant definitely left me wanting for something more special.
The initial experience of walking in is that the restaurant is beautifully decorated, but extremely spartan. There was no one there! The service was fantastic, but it seemed that every dish had something missing: seasoning, acid, heat, etc.
We had:
Croquetas w/​Serrano Ham — needed salt
Gambas — very good
Warm Mushroom Salad — needed acid
Guernica Peppers — good, but were only peppers
Brochetas del Pulpo — very good
Monje Cheese — good
Iberico Pork Loin — the highlight of the meal, although a few pieces were tough
Coconut Olive Oil Cake w/​ice cream — ice cream was delicious, but the cake was very dry
All in all, I wouldn’t choose this restaurant over Txikito in Manhattan, but I’m glad I got to experience it before it becomes swarmed this summer.

The food at Mercado on Kent is amazing. The service is amazing. The place is amazing. BYOB, amazing!
Fine, daring and bold flavors, and the lovely wood-​burning oven make this place a really nice treat. I will go back and this time I will try absolutely everything on the menu. Yes, everything!

Great space, fantastic food, great service! It was a little hard to find but definitely worth getting lost. There’s no liquor license yet so it’s BYOB. Went with a group of friends, ordered a bunch of the tapas-​style plates and had a GREAT night! Will definitely be back.

I live just down the block so it was a no brainer I was going to try it. I’m not going to bury the lead… It’s a solidly good restaurant. I fear for it in that location, but I think it’ll develop a following. The block of South 2^nd is developing quite the restaurant row. Issa, 1 or 8 and La Superior close-​by. Mercado really impressed me. The décor is well thought out, the food is well prepared and we were rewarded with a free desert that truly was one of the best I’ve had ever. I’ll be back and the bakery is even more of a plus. when the liquor license comes through they’ll be on a rocket.

This place could have been 4 stars, but made some big mistakes.
1. Food — 3.5 stars
2. Ambiance — 4 stars
3. Service — 4 stars
4. Food poisoning — minus 4 stars
5. Charging two of my friends double on their cards — minus 4 stars
The food was overall good. Croquettes and jamon toast stick out to me. The bread that we had was fantastic, with some great sauce to dip it in. However, every dish had bread, and they reuse the rolls that are served at the beginning in some of their meals (the 3 mini sandwiches, most notably). I ended the meal feeling like half of what I had eaten was bread. That might have been my fault.
The real big miss was the pork belly. It ended up being so well done that it tasted more like pork chop. They were very attentive on how well the food was going (I guess trying to make sure their early customers liked it), and offered to cook another one right away. The second one came out tasting much better.
However, I have to guess the reason they’re overcooking the pork belly was because they have poor quality pork, or they’re not storing it appropriately. Because all of us who ate the pork belly got a mild fever that night.
And then we found out that they charged two of my friends twice on their cards (and didn’t charge me at all). This is pretty bad. You just have to be really careful with people’s cards. They’re trusting you, and you need to take it seriously, and not rush through charging people if you’re not confident with what you’re doing.
So basically, good concept, but needs to be better managed. Won’t be going back.

Best restaurant that I have been to for a while. The space is large and the the ambiance which includes brick burning ovens give the place an interesting feel. This part of Williamsburg is just beginning to develop but will be booming soon considering the eventual construction of the Domino high rises. The place is still BYOB which is great as well. To start off the rolls are accompanied by a Basque dipping sauce which were delicious. We ordered some of the special small dishes which were uniformly excellent including scallops and crab toast. The larger dishes included the steak, fideua and oven a tender roasted hen special. For dessert we tried the almond cake (just ok) and the chocolate bread pudding which was as good and decadent as it gets. Great food, décor, and service even though a long walk from the M or L.
CLOSED!

At first glance, a Spanish market that bakes its own bread and offers juicy cuts of meat by the pound shouldn’t be located across from an abandoned sugar factory. If we’ve learned anything about what makes a restaurant sucessful, the first word that comes to mind is «location». Are people going to go all the way to South Williamsburg to dine on anchovies, jamon iberico, and cheeses that are spelled with nineteen x’s and q’s?
While the jury is out on whether this section of Brooklyn will become a new hot spot for culinary innovation, Mercado on Kent is a reminder that carefully constructed dishes and sleek design create the perfect conversation piece, even without the ability to order a glass of wine as of this moment.
A basket of fresh baked rolls including one infused with cocoa is a welcomed starter as well as the anchovies, crab toast, and the aforementioned charcuterie options.
Sample as many dishes as you can, but six dishes split between a party of three had the filling effect we were looking for on this night. End the night with a dessert such as cheesecake or almond cake topped with a nest of sugar.
In time, Mercado on Kent could be the première location to purchase Spanish breads, meats, and cheeses, as well as offer those looking for an upscale night out sanctimony. One thing is for certain. If you’re going to build up a neighborhood, a quality market is a great start to attract other businesses and residents. You just might want to add an explanation regarding the pronounciation of those Basquian cheeses.

After the anticipation, came the disappointment.
A friend of mine raved about Mercado after trying it for the first time two weeks ago. I really wanted to love this place as much as it was described to me by him.
I need to remember that I absolutely cannot take my mother to a place I have not tried, because she is the worlds toughest food critic! Ok, besides my mother’s opinion, which I value highly, I was trying my best to give each dish more chances…
So let me get into it.
We walk in around 7:30. Host greets us after having a personal moment with a server. He proceeds to sit us as close to the entrance on a high top. I stop him, ask him nicely if we could be as far away from the door as possible, since it was 28 degrees outside. He sighs and asks, «Would you like to sit at the counter?» I shake my head no and think about how uncomfortable it would be to share dishes with my mother and sister. Then I ask if we can sit in the booth. He said that he couldn’t let us take any of the booths because it was reserved. Well great. I sighed and sat at the farthest high top in the middle of the large dining area. My mom complained a little about how her legs hurt and were swinging. Ha… typical.
We look over the decent sized menu. Everything to me looks like tapas. My sister says «Why is the menu so small?» I think she didn’t realize what half the menu options were, and that you could possibly mix and match, and share as much as you want.” Server came over and poured some water in our glasses. My mother said «Do you have anything to drink?» The server said «sorry we don’t have our liquor license yet, but you are free to bring your own bottle». I thought to myself. opps. I forgot to tell her that. I offered to go to the nearest shop and buy her a bottle. She didn’t need to drink that badly though. We stuck with water.
Now onto the food…
Presentation: I would give them five stars, even six stars for presentation. I guess sometimes presentation can be deceiving!
Food runner brings over olive oil and various rolls of bread that looks SO delicious. I reach for the first one that looks like raisin bread or could it be chocolate chips?! It was chocolate chips! WOW! Grabbed it and it was hard as a stone. Almost chipped my tooth it was so hard. My mom tried the sourdough one, and it was even harder. I carefully ripped apart each piece of bread from the different rolls. I was so hungry I wanted to try them all and see if it was still tough to eat. It was!
The most memorable item on the menu was the croquettes. They should be called mini croquettes. The size of a tater tot! Four of them to be exact. You can mix between Ham, Mushroom, Clam, or… I forgot the last one. Anyways, I wanted only the mushroom ones. They were good, but too small to really enjoy the flavoring.
We also ordered some cold cuts, duck proscuitto, ham proscuitto, and salami. How could you mess that up? You cant. It also comes with a few thin slices of the hard bread again. More like biscuits if you want to call it that.
Excited about our entrees because the presentation plates passing from kitchen to other tables were coming out fairly quickly. They had a lot of people working in that kitchen! Prepping and cooking, I was ready to eat good food. My mouth was salivating for that chorizo burger I ordered!
Chorizo burger with tomato bun — It was a mixture of beef and chorizo (correct me if I’m wrong, but thats what I tasted) fairly dry, not enough flavor and I didn’t even eat the bun. The side of fried onions and lettuce was more exciting.
Clams, calamari, seafood spagetti pasta — My sister had this dish. It arrived in a cute skillet and the spagetti was cut up into one inch threads surrounding two clams, calamari, etc — I enjoyed the seafood, but the pasta was flavorless.
Suckling pig with poached pear — This was my mother’s dish and by far the worst one of all. My mother said «They do not know how to cook suckling pig, its supposed to have crispy skin» I tried it and I just got a bunch of cartilage bone in my mouth and the rest tasted like lard. BLEH. She took five small bites and didn’t even finish it.
Server came back with dessert menus after the table was cleared. Our water was filled by the nice food runner (which was most helpful of all when not too busy)
Again my eyes were deceived because I saw an incredible sugar tulle nest on top of a dessert that passed by, I had to give them one more chance before deducting another star. My sister and I shared the almond cake with vanilla crème and sugar tulle on top. I took one bite and it reminded me of the hard bread! Bleh! Nothing like the Spanish version at all. Server completely doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I asked her for the recommendation and she should of just responded with how great it looks.
I didn’t want to be so harsh, but there is definitely a lot of menu changes that are needed.
The good thing though, is the food is really INEXPENSIVE without liquor.

I checked this place out last week and it was so new it wasn’t in Unilocal yet — and because of my laziness in not following up sooner, I can’t be the first to review them.
Once you walk in you know the place is special. It’s a gorgeous space with a great mix of classic and modern taste. Lots of antique looking wood and huge brick ovens. The high ceilings make the place feel very airy and open.
The food was all really good. The bread (yes the bread!) was outstanding. The one complaint is that it’s really hard to figure out how much to order. We managed to order way too much but it didn’t really both us since it was all so good. My favorites were the pork belly sandwich and a roasted pepper of some kind that was in a cream sauce. Can’t wait to head back to try the other dises — and to go when they have their liquor license!

No liquor license yet so saving the 5^th star for my next trip. Great space, spectacular food, clean flavors and excellent service. Looking forward to the bakery being open regular hours as well. All around great experience!