Taverne Royal Merchant

Great atmosphere! Great two man band! Great service and great food! We had the bison tartar and local cheese plate. Highly recommended. The manager was very friendly and welcoming.

This restaurant seems to have shut its doors for good. Tried to go there last night based on great reviews and there were boards in the windows.

Came by here on a Saturday to grab a bite before heading out with some friends.
They had a burger special… Unilocal knows I love burgers so I ordered the burger. I ordered a local beer and the place was playing some fantastic music. The space is pretty cool — with a good mix of standing tables and cool looking booths.
The bartender was awesome — great conversation and the group next to us were a bunch of locals and super friendly. The burger and fries arrived and the burger was very large. I didn’t confirm but I have a feeling they would have cooked that burger medium rare if I asked but it was definitely not overcooked and bloody delicious. All in all it was under $ 20 for an awesome burger and a pint. Would come back just for the music.

Hey that was pretty good pub food. I heard the burger was very good, and sampled the margarita pizza which was very tasty. I had the wings, which were surprisingly good for a montreal pub, and the pouting was great. Large hoegarden made it complete.

My wife and I stopped by this attractive, dimly lit pub for a late weeknight dinner and were definitely not disappointed!
Several different DJs had the place nodding with a great atmosphere, staff and guests were having a good time but it wasn’t too packed or deafening.
Food was delicious– we had a classic poutine and a small meatball pizza which were both very well executed. And as cocktail nerds we really enjoyed our Hendricks G&Ts (served with cucumber!) and a deliciously on-​point Negroni.

Owned by the same people that run Le gros jambon, The Royal Merchant is an excellent choice for those looking for a place to drink and eat at the beautiful Old Port of Montréal.
They have delicious Hamburgers and Poutine, but they also have healthier options such as salad and fish.
The ambiance is quite pleasant, with a very antique look and dim light that makes for a very comfortable place.
The waitress are nice and they frequently make sure that you are satisfied with your meal.
The price is okay. Considering the average charged for a meal in the area, I would say that it is somewhat reasonable.

What a score. Food, drinks (c/​o Lutia) and amazing DJ. I will for sure be a regular. So impressed.

I love this gem of a place. Gorgeous, dimly lit atmosphere, great wine and cocktail list complete with a DJ on select nights. I had the most amazing breakfast pizza for Sunday brunch. What genius came up with the idea of a pizza with grilled brussel sprouts, poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise sauce? OH! Ryan Dixon. That’s who. Dixon is hands in the top 5 of chef’s in Montréal. Definitely a place to check out. I highly recommend this place.

I really like this place. Casual but cool, friendly. Fries and mayonnaise were excellent.

Découvert lors d’un 5 à 7 Unilocal lors du Burger Week, cette place est vraiment sympa.
Bien que je suis passé devant 2 fois avant de trouver l’endroit.
La décoration rappel bien une taverne qu’on pouvait trouver sur un port.
Les serveurs étaient vraiment sympa, et savaient improviser comme le dit Hugo dans son avis.
Les deux burgers étaient vraiment excellents, une sauce magique, un pain envoûtant, une viande tendre et goûteuse. (Ils étaient tellement bon qu’on en est venu à se demander quel serai notre burger parfais, discussion très intéressante ^^)
Que demander de plus?
A oui des bonnes frites, ben oui elle étaient bonne juste croustillante comme il faut, pas trop grasse, salées correctement.
C’était vraiment une bonne expérience culinaire =)

We went here before our dinner (at another restaurant) for some drinks. My wife and I had a few different mixed drinks and a few beers, all of which were great. The staff was very personable and friendly and made great recommendations for what to have at the restaurant we were going to later that evening.
We only had one appetizer, the pierogies, which were great.

Delicious cocktail list, and a bartender happy to whip you up a Sazerac or anything else your wise-​drinking little heart desires. There’s a nice list of wines and bubbles too and a cider and a couple beers on tap. The room has gorgeous dark booths and a cozy back area, and is way less umm formal than others in the area. The food is likely to be great since its the folks behind L’Orignal and Gros Jambon, and the Burger Week burger is two sliders with fried salami (my favourite!)

Superbe endroit pour aller prendre une verre et déguster des huîtres après le travail! Une ambiance décontractée pour le Vieux Montréal, Le Royal Merchant vous accueille avec le sourire, de la musique rock (bcp de 80’s) et un menu exceptionnel!
Et faites confiance au bar staff– ils connaissent bien leur cocktails! De vraies délices!

Mardi 3 septembre 2013
À partir du Square Victoria, d’un pas décidé, je me rends à un super événement qui donne faim, comme un rêve éveillé gourmand anticipant la Semaine du Burger ! Ahhhhhhhh ! des délicieux hamburgers avec fromage ! S.V.P. Né connaissant pas l’endroit, Royal Merchant, mais connaissant bien les lieux, le Vieux Montréal (un endroit où on retourne encore et encore, typique, pour tous les films qu’on y tourne), une odeur de grillade monte dans l’air. Oui, on approche. 394 St-​Jacques Ouest.
La devanture n’a pas été encore modifiée… c’est probablement tout nouveau. Une fois à l’intérieur, un décor épuré mais tellement cocooning et cosy. De beaux bancs de resto encastrés dans des cabines, musique des années ’80, j’adore ! Suis-​je au paradis? Peut-​être ?
Un apéro? OUI OUI OUI ! La très charmante barmaid s’affaire à me préparer un cocktail, voyant qu’il manqué quelques alcools dont je fais la demande… mais sans attendre, apparaît un somptueux Negroni légèrement trafiqué… mais Ohhhhhh ! qu’envoûtant, rafraîchissant, apaisant… On y retrouve tous les goûts et les parfums attendus. De la magie, vous dites ! non, de la chimie mixologique ! Un art que possède à la perfection notre charmante demoiselle en service.
…C’est lorsqu’on laisse l’improvisation se faire que la véritable artiste se révèle…
Suite du repas: deux fabuleux burgers grandeur moyenne apparaissent sur une assiette accompagnée d’un panier de frites ! Enfin des frites servies de la bonne manière, à la bonne température, avec la bonne croustillance ! Quelle sensation d’une bonne viande encastrée dans un des premiers bons pains à burger, sauce maison parfaite, assaisonnements acides, salés, amers et boucannants… Enfin pour une deuxième fois ! Voici un cuisinier qui a compris ce qu’est un BURGER ORIGINAL, un burger artisanal. Oui, on utilise les bons ingrédients. Nos papilles dégustent donc ardemment un bon pain qui rappelle le Bretzel… Hmmmmmmm ! le Bretzel … Petit côté sucré, petit côté salé, l’amalgame organoleptique démarre une semaine en beauté.
Que dire de plus? Notre rendez-​vous se termine avec l’anticipation de la prochaine participation ou qui sait, un retour à l’endroit juste pour venir y déguster quelque chose d’autre !
Tuesday September 3^rd 2013
From Square Victoria, with only one idea in mind, I walk to my super event already making me hungry for more, like a gluton awaken dream for the Burger Week ! Ahhhhhhhh ! Delicious hamburgers WITH CHEESE PLEASE ! Not knowing the place Royal Merchant but knowing well the Old Montréal (seen everywhere in movies), a seducing smoky odor starts to tinkle my olfactive sensors. It must be 394 St-​Jacques West.
The front of the place doesn’t give anything out. It must be new. Let’s enter. Nice place, cosy, simple décor, cabine-​seats made for cocooning. Ambiance music is playing… the ’80 ! YEAH ! My favorite decade. I’m in heaven ?
A cocktail? YES YES YES ! The charming barmaid is promptly preparing my science potion seing that all the alcohol I’m asking about are missing in action… Not to bother her… Appearing in front of my eyes is a Negroni, with few changes, but still … Ohhhhhhh ! so enticing, refreshing and calming… Everything seems to be there in terms of end result taste. Magic, you say ! No mixologic chemistry ! An art visibly and perfectly understood by our damsel.
… It is only when you let improvisation run its course that the real artist reveals herself…
Meal follow-​up: two medium-​sized burgers arrive on a plate accompanied by a nice market-​like basket of fries ! Yes, thank you, fries are finally served correctly, at the right temperature, with the right crunchyness ! What an amazing feeling entering your body by food, well pattied inside the right burger buns perfectly shaped and cooked, revealing a Bretzel memory. Hmmmmmmm Bretzel … Tastebuds are detecting a partially salty, partially acid, partially sweet, partially smoky taste… And I’m happy for a second time ! That cook understands the quality of original making and choosing the best ingredients to obtain the optimal organoleptic amalgamation, starting a great week.
What more to say? Our rendez-​vous ends there with the anticipation of a next occasion, or maybe just the thought of returning at the same place again to try something else !

The Royal Merchant is a tavern style restaurant with a classy, unique atmosphere aimed to make any guest feel at home. The Merchant is a place to meet friends, have a cocktail or indulge in our sumptuous comfort food. The accommodating service is rapid enough to allow you to enjoy your lunch break or laid back enough to let you spend an afternoon catching up with friends.