The Mercury Restaurant on 16th

[ricko]

I couldn’t find a separate thread on this so I thought I’d post one. Went here twice on a recent trip. The menu was much larger than I thought it would be, and everything we had was stellar. Cool atmosphere, too. They had an interesting list of craft cocktails, but I stuck to the wines-the house cabernet was great. We went mainly because they were open late (until Midnight).

[almighty_tuna]

Mercury is fantastic and has been since day one. They're responsible for my favorite cocktail to this day, Breakfast of Champions, though I don't know if it's still on the menu anymore. The staff is wonderful.

[nebport5]

Prior discussion is in the Limelight thread. Perhaps those posts could be integrated here. To be fair though, Mercury is a cocktail bar first more than a restaurant. Good to hear the food offerings are on par.

[Coyote]

Now Serving Omaha:
Mercury



Looking for a new cocktail bar with late-night food that sometimes plays yacht rock? Mercury, located near 16th and Harney streets, has an extensive cocktail menu, including holiday-themed drinks, plus long beer and wine lists. The menu features a wide variety of options, including fondue, sandwiches, mac n cheese, bourbon meatballs and more.

[nebport5]

Will close in January.

Mercury in retrograde: Bar owner who fought for businesses hurt by streetcar work to close up shop

This one is a tough loss.

[skip]

crazy read - made me lose a little respect for city and the firms the city is hiring

[Jins123]

This sucks! Such a great and creative place! Wonderful staff, too! Will truly miss it

[Brad]

This sucks! Such a great and creative place! Wonderful staff, too! Will truly miss it

I agree. While I didn't make it there too often, I always enjoyed it when I did.

[nebport5]

Those quotes from the city staff member are highly disappointing. I do hope that Ross can figure out a way to continue in some fashion at another location. I don't doubt the impact of the construction upon Mercury, but throw on top of that the 16th St sinkhole mess.

Unfortunately, I do also think there are additional issues that are unrelated to any construction. This is a high end bar that in these current economic times are for many people another luxury cut out. You can go across the street and get many of the same kind of beverages for considerable less with bigger pours. Also the bar seating at Mercury is a bit small and the vibe while very cool may feel esoteric to outsiders. I'm sure Orpheum shows are great for filling the place with groups but on an average weekday evening I haven't gotten the impression that neighborhood folks or those effected less by construction(like hotel people) have been patronizing Mercury with the same regularity. Many people don't want to walk into a bar that looks empty with staff members who clearly look bored.

[ThreeGGG]

Bored?

[nebport5]

Bored?

No, stiff as a board. J/k

Actually, auto correct got the better of my migraine strained eyes. Thanks!

[omaha79]

Sad. I enjoyed Mercury.

[swgiust]

The city mismanaged the street car from the beginning. Nobody will argue that. The sad thing is they still are. I live downtown. I see traffic patterns. Simple things can be done. A left turn light on 10th and douglas. One turning car backs up 10th. So getting from 2 of the biggest downtown destinations, CHI and Old Market is brutal at best. Those in power need to simply drive around downtown. Nothing is changing.

[nebport5]

Will close in January.

Mercury in retrograde: Bar owner who fought for businesses hurt by streetcar work to close up shop

This one is a tough loss.

P.S. I hate the title of this article. There's no need to get cute under the circumstances.

[schumatt]

The city mismanaged the street car from the beginning. Nobody will argue that. The sad thing is they still are. I live downtown. I see traffic patterns. Simple things can be done. A left turn light on 10th and douglas. One turning car backs up 10th. So getting from 2 of the biggest downtown destinations, CHI and Old Market is brutal at best. Those in power need to simply drive around downtown. Nothing is changing.

This is exactly the problem. There are small tweaks that help alleviate the impacts of the construction, but the city refuses to make them. They have created downright dangerous situations for drivers and pedestrians in some cases. We give feedback and, if we actually get a response, it's only to tell us why it's not their responsibility or that they won't do what we're asking.

As a fellow downtown resident, it's frustrating trying to safely navigate all the construction. It's even more frustrating to see great places like Mercury finally having to close up shop as a result of it all.