Il Mercante image

Il Mercante

Bar Cocktail bar

One of the Top rated Cocktail bars in Venice


Address

Fondamenta Frari, 2564, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

Website

www.ilmercantevenezia.com

Contact

+39 347 829 3158

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.80 (843 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 6 pm to 1 am
  • Saturday: 6 pm to 1 am
  • Sunday: 6 pm to 12 am
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 6 pm to 12:30 am
  • Wednesday: 6 pm to 12:30 am
  • Thursday: 6 pm to 12:30 am

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: cocktail (21) Venice (18) cocktails (17) drinks (16) great (10) service (8) good (7) lovely (7) staff (6) nice (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Austin L. 1 year ago on Google
    Incredible cocktails and cicchetti. The upstairs is so cool and they play old school American music. The vibe is like an American speakeasy. Easily one of the best cocktails I have ever had. I watched the bartender send back a bag of coffee that was not to his satisfaction, so know the ingredients are high quality.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Steve D. 9 months ago on Google • 116 reviews
    Amazing drinks and service. Honestly some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had in my life. The “Nikki old fashioned” is quite possibly the best old fashioned I’ve ever had. The other version of the old fashioned is called the “pulled pork” which is served with a coated pickle which you’re to bite/sip/bite with. We came here 2 nights in a row, and plan to come tomorrow before we leave for the airport. It’s that good! They deserve all the stars - I would give a 10 if I could.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Patrick R. 2 years ago on Google
    This was by far the most impressive cocktail bar in Venice -- enough to bring us back two different nights. The cocktail list here is the most interesting that we encountered in Venice -- the ingredients and tastes diverse and even a bit weird. Of particular note was an old fashioned with hints of balsamic vinegar. We sat indoors the first visit -- it was warm but it is a fantastic setting for cocktails. The staff was attentive and quick with our drinks, something much appreciated in the summertime heat. On subsequent visits we were able to get seats outdoors which we appreciated more -- it was a bit cooler than indoors. The menu is quite extensive with three categories to choose from; we focused on the last page which had cocktails that come with a small 1 Euro food pairing -- highly recommend that you get the paired food item. Another thing worth mentioning is the panino that is on the menu -- one of the best 'drunk' foods that I've had in a while. Give this place a shot, no doubt you will be coming back again and again until you've had a taste of the entire menu.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ashleigh D. 9 months ago on Google • 122 reviews
    The best cocktail bar I’ve been to. The service was amazing and the cocktails were truly works of art. They were a great balance and so unique. The servers explained them well to make sure we would like the intense drinks we were ordering. The interior of the venue was stunning as well, so cozy with great paintings on the walls.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Benjamin L. 10 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    After reading reviews and having high hopes for this cocktail bar, it completely lived up to expectations, and probably exceeded them. We were welcomed by friendly, cool staff who suggested we sat upstairs. We lounged in the perfectly staged room, listened to slow classics that set the mood for the incredible range of drinks, unlike any other we’ve experienced. Anywhere. If you’re in Venice and you don’t stop in at Il Mercante for a drink, you are doing yourself a disservice.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Riccardo Tosetto P. 3 months ago on Google • 185 reviews New
    For sure the best cocktail bar in Venice. I come here when I can with my friends or for a special occasion or simply if I want to drink a very good cocktail. The atmosphere is incredibly nice, it’s seems to be inside another historical period. Drinks are elaborate and sofisticate, good for every palate. It’s expensive compare to one year ago but it’s the consequence about living in a place like Venice! Totally recommended if you are around and if you like good drinks!

  • 5/5 Lisa G. 5 months ago on Google • 22 reviews
    Came for one, stayed for five. Server took us on a lovely cocktail journey fitting our palate perfectly. Well crafted with good liquor. Kept us hydrated too. No hangover the next day. All servers and bartenders were friendly.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Re:New You E. 2 years ago on Google
    We spent 5 days in Venice and had cocktails at various places. This was by far the best. Prices were reasonable, the venue is intimate and classy without being pompous or stuffy. The staff were super friendly and relaxed and the cocktails were exceptional.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Will L. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice setting, decent cocktails. Menus are inventive and interesting. Seating is available inside or outside but is limited so you may have to wait later at night.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Haley C. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent drinks! Each drink gives you a little bit of history about Venice which is pretty cool! Number four is absolutely delicious if you like coffee! My boyfriend really liked number five if you’re a whiskey drinker!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert D. 2 years ago on Google
    I loved everything about this bar. The setting, that you can sit next to the canal and watch a beautiful church while having your cocktail, the creativity of the menu and how beautifully combined both the drinks and the side dishes are and the great service! I had some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had here, and I have been to a lot of great cocktail bars, so that’s a good grade!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Anton M. 1 year ago on Google
    Likely the only serious cocktail bar in Venice. Absolutely unique creations, and inventive infusions using locally sourced ingredients. Absolutely lovely, knowledgable and fun staff and a super cute, intimate interior on two floors, each with their own feel. As an avid cocktail drinker, this spot is highly recommended! 😍🍸
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Junyoung P. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent creative cocktail. Tiramisu cocktail was a great experience of taste !
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 insideahead 3 months ago on Google • 28 reviews New
    My favourite bar in Venice for sure! Incredible experience, stayed at the counter alone and the boys made me company all night long. Drinks with nice techniques and great balance. Top quality no doubt. Thank you so much!

  • 5/5 Brad S. 2 months ago on Google • 13 reviews New
    Awesome cocktail bar! Espresso martini made with real espresso over vodka. Great vibe and atmosphere. Great service and nice jazz music.

  • 5/5 Leanna F. 5 months ago on Google • 5 reviews
    The drinks are expensive, but they are so worth it. Some of the best drinks I've ever had in my life. Every cocktail was amazing with great flavors and unique tastes. I would only recommend going if you're looking for a very cool cocktail, because otherwise you'll just be spending money for something you don't understand and appreciate. The servers were very kind and the inside is decorated beautifully.

  • 5/5 Lauren R. 5 months ago on Google • 5 reviews
    Wonderful 1940s vibe inside w velvet sofas and dark hues walls upstairs. Lighting could less bright, but then it might get too sexy ;). Cocktails are true craft and art. They go beyond citrus mixes with savory and rich ingredients like sage, lavender, cheese, sherry, almond, fig, bergamot, black pepper, Marsala and more. Loved this place for cocktails that can shift your existential mood 🙏

  • 5/5 Simon D. 2 years ago on Google
    One of the best bars in Venice. Great cocktails, snacks, good atmosphere and vibe. Check out the first floor! They have bar tables outside and you can sit by the canals and sip your drinks, watch people passing by and enjoy life! Highly recommended!!

  • 5/5 Keith B. 6 months ago on Google
    This is the best cocktail bar I've ever visited, hands down. The drinks were absolutely amazing and the atmosphere very charming and special. From the outside you get the impression that it's nothing special at all, once in, wow! A lovely lovely evening spent with my now wife and my lovely mother in law. We even managed to fund our way back to the hotel through the winding streets of Venice, despite being slightly worse for wear. If you're after a lovely evening in Venice, give Il Mercante a go, you won't be disappointed. Will be going again when we visit Venice next.

  • 5/5 Анастасия �. 5 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    All cocktails are interesting and delicious. The waiters tell me in detail how to drink each cocktail. I was upset that there is no such institution in the city in which I live. The pickle was bitten by me and the cocktail was drunk before the photo was taken.

  • 5/5 Rach 2 years ago on Google
    Super nice people, really cool side dishes to drinks

  • 1/5 Giovanni G. 2 years ago on Google
    The service was very bad. A guy keeps the door of the place closed, and he talks in a very non polite way, lacking respect of the people that wants to take a drink. I was waiting to enter, at the end I’ve decided to change place, o it by listening to the way the guy was talking Definitely not worth to go, it will ruin your experience in Venice

  • 5/5 Louisa B. 2 years ago on Google
    Great bar, great service, great cocktails. Very unique drinks as well. Highly recommended!

  • 5/5 Pascal P. 11 months ago on Google
    Wonderfully cosy, amazing original cocktails, super friendly staff. Sitting upstairs was simply super relaxing and nice. We had a great time last night. Thank you to all the team.

  • 2/5 Anton B. 2 years ago on Google
    Their recommended wine had a smack of sewage.

  • 5/5 Ruben M. 1 year ago on Google
    Atmosphere and service were impeccable. Sat upstairs on a candlelit couch with a view out onto the tranquil canals below. Menu was very thoughtfully curated and resulted in some unique and delightful drinks. Would definitely recommend to cocktail snobs like myself!

  • 5/5 Martin M. 2 years ago on Google
    A lovely and popular bar with appealing decor and very friendly and efficient service. Try to come early to get a table as it fills quickly after opening at 6pm. Have their Negroni with black tea for example: to die for! Their drinks are close to perfect. Arguably the best you will find in Venice.

  • 5/5 Joanna K. 4 years ago on Google
    Great bar. They limit amount of people in to make it a nice experience for those inside. Cocktails are crafted to personal requests.

  • 5/5 Charles S. 2 years ago on Google
    Without a doubt one of the best cocktail bars I've ever been to, let alone in Venice. I had the pleasure of trying a Manhattan here with my partner, I wish I knew how they made it taste so incredibly divine! Hats off to the bartender's who work here, superb.

  • 5/5 Charlotte W. 2 years ago on Google
    An absolute must if you are in Venice! The cocktails are next level and the overall vibe is amazing. Anna you are awesome and make the best drinks!

  • 5/5 Jemma C. 4 years ago on Google
    Wow! This bar was highlight of our trip to Venice. The most delicious cocktails that we’ll remember forever. Such a creative concept and the friendliest staff. Thank you!


Call +39 347 829 3158 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Food
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Food at bar
  • Accessibility
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Takeaway

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