Merci

First time at Merci. We took at advantage of Restaurant week. We went early and it was quiet. Service was very attentive and helpful. Food was very good the brioche for app the salmon was excellent and the desert were awsome. The spinach, mirepoix with the salmon buerre blanc was salty, really salty. But the salmon was cooked perfect. The Bulgogi flavor was sweet and spicy but the meat did not taste freshly sliced, but had been sitting awhile. The side of rice and carrots was very good. Overall it was ying and yang. But the service and the company was what made it a food night.

I have never experienced such phenomenal waitstaff as I did when visiting Merci. The night my sister and I had visited, the ticket system broke and orders were messed up because the technology was down. The bartender, Derek, who was working his first shift there, was constantly moving and assisting his co-workers throughout the night. Servers Kat and Alicia were frantically making sure the orders that got technologically lost made it to the kitchen, always with a friendly smile and tone. What could have been chaos was handled phenomenally by these three. Because our orders disappeared when the technology shut down, we experienced a long wait for our food. This did not bother us, as we had nowhere to be and were compensated in free drinks while we waited. When everything was figured out and everyone had been served, the food was fantastic. Chefs Troy and Tyler are extremely talented at making flavorful and filling dishes. As our food finally arrived, the owner, Trish, visited us to personally thank us for our patience and understanding. She was extremely knowledgeable and genuine and has a beautiful way of seeing the world. Every single thing presented by the restaurant has a personal meaning behind it and I am thankful I got to hear the stories behind the drinks! I can not stress enough how lovely the environment and the people working here are, and I can't wait to visit in the summer when the windows completely open the restaurant up.

I loved Merci. The ambience is elegant, with uncovered brick walls, lots of warm wood, and funky decor. My Madison host pointed out the folding window-wall where he sat this summer, enjoying fresh air and up-close view of the capitol. We bellied up to the bar, where we had a nice conversation with handsome young Sam, who sampled a champagne beer for us. Kat, our waitress, was a treat, too. When I complimented the decor, she insisted on showing me their private dining/ conference room, where I had to photograph the brick wall and text my friends about my first evening in Madison. I mentioned the room to my friend, who hadn't seen it himself, and was glad to know this was available, it sounded like he would be scheduling a couple meetings there. My French onion soup was delicious: a bit on the salty side, which is great for me but might be too much for some. The salad Nicoise was fresh and good; I almost hadn't ordered it because I dislike canned anchovies, but they were fresh little fillets, and the boiled eggs were done perfectly. The baguette slices really took the meal over the top, served with soft garlic butter topped with crunchy salt. My friend tried their chocolate torte after dinner, served with tiny scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream and strawberries, and the spoonful I tried nearly broke my resolve not to order dessert. It was a great place to impress a visitor to Madison, and I look forward to dining there again.