Merchants River House

What a beautiful view ! A lot of gay taking over the bar which I found amusing but some of their conversations a bit off color. some of the residents seemed a little annoyed with having tourist invade their privacy. I guess cause they live in the building and think the bar is their living room. Even waitress spent more time seeing to their needs. I mean if you are studying for a real estate exam, go to a library. One patron did point out a New York famous scat singer who was now like a hundred years old walking to the dinning patio led by his daughter. Overall, an interesting place to have drinks. Maybe I will go back and eat.

Great places for breakfast or brunch with an awesome view of the Hudson.
Loved the eggs Benedict and the French toast.

I really enjoyed the fish n chips and the view and location are fantastic. The service was agents as they weren’t very busy for lunch. The Guinness on tap was not one of the best I’ve had, but the food was good enough to make up for it.
I wouldn’t go raving about the food & drinks at this place but if you are looking for a pretty place on the water with a laid back atmosphere, this is a nice option!

I’ve been looking at this place for a while and wanted for the right time to go. So I decided to take my best friend. When we arrived all I could think was WOW. the scenery and ambiance of the location was simply amazing. The food was to die for and the wait staff was terrific.
I read a lot of the comments from others hoping that I can get a better idea of the place and all I can say is don’t believe what you read. People will have their opinions about this place, but you must experience it for yourself.
I enjoyed every bit of this restraint and if you’re looking for a place to go with a beautiful view and a serene location Merchants River House is the place to be. I’ok be back many times over and hope to see others there.
Thank you Merchants River House for a wonderful time!

What an awesome spot. Staff are friendly and the food superb !! Definitely my best burger in NYC

A good place for tourist because you get the beautiful view!!!
I tried their cod risotto. Especially appreciate the cod’s nice crust and moist center. Risotto was cooked well, but a bit of cheese or salt would have made it even better.
The large pretzel appetizer was good. Big enough for the pasty of 6!

Great view and poor food. The chicken, bacon Mac and cheese did not have any chicken or bacon so we had to send it back. Then we for another order which had finely chopped chicken and bacon in the bread crumbs? We ordered the sesame crusted ahi tuna and steak Au poivre medium well. My tuna had the sesame seeds black as they were scorched and the steak was rare. The hostess was the only one responsive to our table. The waiter came by only twice. However the restaurant acknowledged the issue and comped the check. Which was they only saving grace. Hopefully next time they get it right.

This place is fantastic! All of it — location, food and service! My daughter and I had the best experience here and would highly recommend it! The host was so fun and accommodating! He just makes this place with his genuine smile and huge personality! We felt like we were his friends! We started with the soft pretzel. Oh my gosh, so good! The dipping cheese has a nice kick to it as does the mustard. I had the clam and pancetta pasta. Incredible! Flavor was unique and delicious! Lots of clams! And pancetta! Delicious! My daughter had the fish and chips. Cooked to perfection! Served hot with the best French fries! Yummy! We also tried the chocolate chip cookie which is served warm in a skillet! And the crème brûlée! Both excellent!

The money is for the location and service. Ordered a tuna wrap which wasn’t that great. The yuca fries with it were quite good though. Most folks on the table went for the burgers which they said were good.

I live in the building connected to this restraunt and always find myself here when im too lazy to head over to find a better place. Waitresses are always kind yet always too busy talking to thier coworkers to pay attention. The food is ok, but overpriced for portion and quality. The steak is great, caeser salad is way over-​dressed, margaritas arent the best, also… 31 $ for a small plate of pasta with 3 prawns? Youve got to be kidding, even Joannes could beat that price…

We were unimpressed with this location. Our waitress was lovely, but the young men welcoming people (calling it that is being generous) and seating people were very rude. They were not warm/​friendly and the whole point of this joint is to get a view of the statue of liberty but since I was a party of 2 they stuck us at a lousy center table and not the window table which was a 4 top. Mind you, it’s the middle of January and people aren’t exactly flocking to the Hudson River locations — and I had a reservation. I would be more understanding if they pretended to be apologetic/​sympathetic but they were not.
As for the food/​drinks — lackluster and overpriced. I had a duck salad which was all greens and minimal duck. The cocktail was meh for $ 14
Lastly: a bit of a hygienic issue — maybe all waiters/​waitresses do this but I haven’t noticed. Typically wait staff use the pockets in front of their aprons to carry the check booklets, but every single staff person here was sticking it down the back of their pants. Literally flush against their bare skin, down the back of their pants. No no no, I don’t need you handing me that out of your rear end for me to sign.
Between all of the aforementioned items we were very turned off and won’t be returning. The one female waitress was a doll but the other Asian guys: two enthusiastic thumbs down.

decent food, amazing view and atmosphere. Great if you’re looking for someplace chill with good food who don’t mind if you stay and talk for hours.

Even though this place is in the boondocks and was difficult to find, it was pretty good with customer service. I went for NYE last night and everyone was great! The bartenders attended to each person with urgency and drinks were swell. Waiters were very attentive. Great atmosphere. Loved it thanks guys. This would have been 5 stars but I have it 4 because it is kind of difficult to find.

RATS. Lots of them. Everywhere.
I get it, you’re on the water, but this isn’t Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles… why do i feel like i’m eating in a sewer? And HOW on earth has no one else mentioned this? (I only read a couple reviews though, maybe someone further back mentioned.) Just getting a chance to review now — I went in August.
The food isn’t anything special, but you go for the view. This was a 3^rd date spot for me and I picked the place — luckily he wasn’t squeamish about the rodents (or at least didn’t appear to be). The upside was, they didn’t rush us along, but that’s about it. I asked for 1 kind of wine, they brought another and didn’t tell me. I’m no sommalier, but I noticed the difference bc what I ordered is a wine I buy at home — but when it arrived, it tasted (and looked) different. When I asked, they said «Oh, yeah. We ran out of that so we just gave you another white.» Oh! Okay great. My skate dish was edible; at least I didn’t get sick on anything.
I reported them to the Dept of Health, and I know the ticket was investigated — this was back in August, so I hope that the problem is fixed by now. Service Request # 1−1−1 132 443 191 (you can check it if you go to the
page, and search 311 complaints.) Apparently they did find sufficient evidence, but gave them time to fix it — I have not returned, so I won’t be following-​up with the DOH. If it HAS improved, someone please let me know and maybe i’ll return next year! It IS a pretty killer sunset.

I will give this place 5 stars for its ambience and 3 stars for its food. Not that the food was bad but at a place like this my expectations for food were a tad too much. Having said that I have to admit that they served us some delicious brunch. Right from a fluffy veggie omelette to a perfectly diced crisp fries or from a tasty sausage to a piping cup of joe– they had everything on place. It’s just I had expected a bit more! But the view of the waterfront from this place is just amazing. They also have an outdoor seating which is ideal for summer time!

I really wanted to love this place because I enjoy BPC and there are spectacular views from the restaurant. My experience however was mediocre. I made a reservation a week in advance and when I arrived needed to wait 10 minutes for a hostess to acknowledge my party and another 10 for her to seat us– so I didn’t get seated until 20 minutes after my reservation time. I thought the food was a bit overpriced and didn’t wow me. I don’t mind splurging on a meal if the food is phenomenal, but it’s just your typical American fare.
When it came time to pay the bill, we gave her cash and expected her to come back with change and we could leave the tip with the change. But she never came back! So with the amount of cash we gave her I guess she assumed we wanted to tip 30%. Nervy. The food was decent and had the service been phenomenal, I would want to return, but since that wasn’t the case I probably won’t be back.

Merchants Riverhouse is a great place for all types of parties and is especially kid and family friendly with its child’s menu and colouring pages. The views are fantastic and service is kind and welcoming! Such a lovely atmosphere for lunches and dinners. They also cater to large parties on their patios!
The signature burger is so delicious and goes great with the shoestring fries which is a good portion for two people to share! Very yummy! And their strawberry lemonade is definitely something to get.

Come to Merchants for the location. We enjoyed a lovely view of the Hudson as the sun tucked in behind Jersey city. The hostesses and host were kind and accommodating. After sitting down our waitress promptly arrived but glasses of wine were slow to follow. Salads were good without anything particular to jump up and down about. After another long pause the main courses arrived, also no jumping for this course.
I don’t necessarily blame the restaurant for this but the sidewalk to the river was regularly traversed by an army of rats. They never approached the restaurant but if this type of thing bothers you, don’t sit outside.

I love the location. The service. Having dinner there at night, very quiet… The wine was great. However the waiter said it was a rose from California, it was from France. Which changed everything in term of taste. So good point for that.
The restaurant is nicely located.
The food. Was ok. It wasn’t amazing but decent. A little bit pricy but you pay for the location. Very American food. The ice cream wasn’t good. Very thick and heavy. I got the eggplant and it was good. Nothing special but I still recommend that restaurant.

Mediocrity is the perfect word to describe this Battery Park City neighborhood restaurant. Proximity is what brings me back to the place, because service and food do not stand out here. I made a reservation and was seated promptly upon arrival by a super sweet host. When we sat down, no one brought us water or checked-​in with us for another 10 minutes.
The menu is standard American, but it contains something that’s suitable for everyone in the party. The crab cakes for appetizers tasted microwaved. The burger doesn’t look any better than a fast food burger. The salmon was average. My friend did like his lobster ravioli.
There are many bus boys running around, but flagging down our waitress was hard throughout the entire meal. However, I have to say that everyone I encountered at the restaurant was friendly.
I guess if you live in the neighborhood then Merchants River House is a convenient option for dining, but otherwise, I would say, «Skip it.»

Incredibly average. There is nothing special about Merchants River House.
The burger was average, the Caprese salad was average.
Overall I’ve had better.

Lots of outdoor seating with views of the water. Food was «meh,» standard American fare. Maybe just go for evening drinks?

Awful place.
Slow service.
Rude staff.
Waited about 15 mins for water. It wasn’t refilled when empty.
Waited 10mins for a coffee (after getting other drinks served)
Had to ask for service 2 times.
Food greasy.
Just incredibly sad because this place could be great.
Oh great view.
I did return. It failed again. Poor, slow service/​bad attitudes & awful food. More fool me.

pros
outside seating, good food, friendly staff
cons
servers are overwhelmed running to deal with customers inside and outside, drinks are ok but nothing to rave about.
overall my experience was alright.

Gave this place another go tonight after being contacted by the staff about my experience and had a much better time!
Full disclosure: I was offered a beverage on-​the-​house when messaged and took them up on it.
My friend and I came for drinks and sat in the outdoor dining area. My piña colada on the rocks was very good and the staff in general was far more attentive — albeit still a bit disorganized. But it’s nice to see these guys are trying taking it up a notch.

Great location and a view of the Hudson. It looks attractive from the outside but once inside, it is narrow and tight. In good weather, there is outdoor seating. This is the time to come here. There is usually sport on the TV in the bar.
The food is OK. The service really depends on the individual serving your table. I can tell by the interaction of the employees that management struggles to keep things together.

IN SHORT: A local spot built for those spontaneous afternoons when all you can think about is grabbing tall drink by the water.
THE STORY: With striped walls and checkered tablecloths, Merchants River House reflects its casual waterfront setting that begs for hearty American fare and cold brews. While the food is nothing special, with even the Merchants Signature Burger with applewood smoked bacon, white cheddar, caramelized onions, spicy barbecue sauce, and frizzled onions all stacked between a brioche bun lacking virtually any salt, it’s the setting that will have locals crowding the outdoor patio in warmer months.
The offerings are standard and simple, falling comfortably within any expectations of the laid back space. Many tables enjoy the 4 Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese, loaded with white cheddar, white American, romano, and parmesan cheeses and topped with buttered bread crumbs, which although pleasurable in all the right ways, will not set any culinary records.
The best way to enjoy this bistro is with a neighbor on a warm spring or summer day with a bucket of 6 beers for $ 32. Again, Merchants River House is not catering to anyone looking for a rare microbrew, but it is providing a setting that reminds one of easier days spent with a Bud on the water.
Ultimately, Merchants River House has mastered the feel of a cheap establishment in a small beach town, with nothing particularly notable except for the unerring, friendly service that makes you feel right at home with the simple pleasures of a burger and beer.

Great restaurant. FANTASTIC View of the Statue of Liberty and the water. My husband and I came here after going to the WTC. It was freezing cold and this place was warm and cozy. No Tourist trap vibe. Locals at the bar.
Our server, Skip, was great. Very friendly and attentive. I has the rotisserie chicken which was good and my husband had the house hamburger which he describes as fantastic. Right on the water with a fantastic view.
Even the music was great. We really loved this place. Will come back!

Came here for lunch with a client.
Atmosphere (⁵⁄₅): The atmosphere is key here. As a native Floridian, I love anything with a waterfront view. Beautiful view of Jersey City on the Hudson River in Battery Park. Unfortunately it was a rainy /​overcast day, but if the weather is nice, I’m sure it would be nice to sit outside.
Service (²⁄₅): Our server was decently attentive in the beginning with filling our waters up and bringing the food out promptly. We sat at the table for awhile after we finished our meal. It was frustrating because the server was no where to be found for the bill and my client had a meeting coming up. I almost went to look for her, but thankfully she eventually came to drop the check off.
Food (4.5÷5): The salads are very tasty. Ordered the lamb shank for the main dish and it was very good, but could have used some more spice /​flavor to it.
Overall, I liked this place. Mainly for the atmosphere, but the food was good too.

Location is right by the water, so you get a great view. I think this place would be great to dine at during the summertime. I came here for brunch on a Sunday. Plenty of seats as it wasn’t too busy.
Food:
Coffee $ 3 — OK. Not the most satisfying cup of coffee
Chef’s Special Quiche $ 16 — the description sounded much better than it tasted. the quiche was overly salted, most likely due to the goat cheese. The mixed greens salad that accompanied it was pretty good. I liked the balsamic dressing on it.
4 cheese baked mac & cheese $ 11 — a bit bland.
Service:
Waiter was friendly, but our water was never refilled.
Overall, the experience was meh, I’ve experienced better.