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Mert's Heart & Soul
Categories: Restaurants Southern Restaurants Soul Food Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Southern, Soul Food, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
214 N College StCharlotte, NC 28202
Neighbourhood: First Ward
(704) 342-4222
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri 11 am - 11:30 pm
Sat 9 am - 11:30 pm
Sun 9 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Brigs offers a huge variety of Breakfast items, hot sandwich platters, and really cool salads. In addition to the $5.99 Weekday Breakfast Specials… read more »
168 reviews for Mert's Heart & Soul
Review Highlights
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"Get the mac and cheese; it's delicious." In 41 reviews -
"The sides were all good, especially the collard greens." In 25 reviews -
"The fried chicken is crispy and juicy." In 40 reviews
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168 reviews in English
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Review from j t.
San Antonio, TX
So very busy at 8pm on Sunday. Came to Charlotte while on vacation and it was on my route. Parked at the Hearst Media Towers and just went walking. I saw Mert's and looked up on Yelp and the reviews got me in. Now, let's be clear on this. This location is in a nice building, next to a nice Holiday Inn; so don't expect fancy NOTHING.
The inside looks very well broken in but yet clean and eclectic. Iron metal art sculptures with wood adorn the inside, the kitchen area is open and you can see everything. There was only two guys back there and may GOD bless them both, they were rockin out some GREAT FLAVOR.
I was promptly seated then greeted by my server whom said she would be right back to take my order. As I said this place was busy so I figured I would be waiting on my food. NOT THE CASE. As with most places I visit first I say to the servers "Please bring me food. Your choice, Your call. Don't tell me." Then I list what I don't eat. I also asked for sweet tea.
Understanding that this is soul food, real soul food. So I was excited. The tea came, glass was clean. The tea. Well, the first glass went down fast and was refilled quickly by my server with a smile.
Within a few minutes my food was delivered by another server. Fried Chicken, green beans, and mac & cheese, with cornbread. I'm happy.
The green beans had great flavor, very nicely cooked. The mac & cheese is incredible, was tempted to order a side bowl of this but, hey, already ate like 4 times prior. I picked the chicken up, white meat; and tried to bite into it. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
I warn you, wait for 20 to 30 minutes till you can get into this. HOW THE HECK IS IT SO HOT FOR SO LONG? Darn.. I had to cut into it with a knife to let the heat out. Once it was safe to eat it, I was first taken to the memory of my mothers and grandma's chicken that was made at home. Perfectly seasoned, not greasy, but just pure flavor and moist. I finished off several more glasses of that great sweet tea and cleaned my plate.
Total bill was about $11, I forgot to keep the receipt, but was well worth it and the server was taken very good care of.
She offered cake for desert but it was HUGE, no way I could have eaten that and still be functional to see the town that night.
Only downside to this place is that it is right off the street, so you get noise from the traffic and flies find their way in. No biggie, they did not eat much.
So if you live within a couple of hours, this place rocks. Service is great.
Happy Eating... -
Review from Shoni F.
Raleigh, NC
Updated - 5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
My first review was 5 stars, but upon our second visit seven months later, I'm taking away two stars for one main reason -- gnats, or perhaps they are fruit flies. Seeing them reminded me they were a bit of an issue during our first visit as well. As soon as our food came out, they started floating around our plates. We put our bones on a plate on the table next to us in an effort to divert them.
The food is still really good, and we appreciate the friendly service but it is a bit slow. As others have mentioned, the macaroni and cheese is quite yummy. I had blackened pork chops this time and they were well-seasoned but a tad bit dry. I'd still go back to Mert's, but if the gnats remain an issue on our next visit to Charlotte, that will probably be our last try.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2011
I'm going to *try* to keep this brief. First of all, I'm kind of surprised the reviews are just… Read more »
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Review from Korma C.
Los Angeles, CA
5/9/2012
I admit I'm a California boy whose closest experience with soul food was watching that scene with Aretha Franklin in The Blues Brothers 30 years ago. So probably not qualified to make a definitive review for all y'all. :)
I wanted to keep it as authentic as possible, and ordered the shrimp on grits with sweet potato cake for dessert. It was pretty good. The service certainly was slow, but I just chalked it up to the whole "slow and easy" Southern experience. In fact, my waitresses reassurance to me as she left the check was: "Don't worry about it; just take your time...." -
Review from Merritt T.
Charlotte, NC
5/21/2012
The food was alright and I thought that the portions were a good size. But i think that the service was absolutely terrible. My friend and I walked in and two women at the counter ignored us for a couple minutes, said they would be with us in a second, continued to ignore us until we finally asked if we could just seat ourselves and they just said yes. We then sat ourselves - and waited for about 15 minutes before someone came up and asked if we were going to be eating there. From then on out - the service still was not very good and everything took a long time. The waitress wouldn't even look at us when we were ordering - as if she just did not care. The food definitely does not make up for the terrible service. I will not eat there again.
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Review from Brandon W.
Charlotte, NC
4/17/2012
As much of a fan as I am of "soul food," I just can't seem to find the right thing at Mert's. I have tried this restaurant twice and I have been underwhelmed both times. The prices seem to be a bit high given the quality and portions of the food. This most recent visit was my return visit to use my unused Groupon of which I had purchased two a year ago. I went with the lamb at the suggestion of the server and the parts of it that were not burnt to a crisp were truly delicious. The potato salad was really good, as was the mac and cheese. The yams weren't even close to those that my Mom makes, but hey..maybe I'm biased. Part of the downfall of Mert's for me is due to the fact that I have had Lawan's and they are on a completely different level. Mert's seems almost a bit commercial to me and it seems that maybe the food isn't prepared fresh (although I did have to wait a long time).
I'm willing to give them another try, but I don't really want to pay for it so it's likely not going to happen. I love soul food and the people there were super friendly so I wish them continued success, however I'll be heading to Lawan's for my soul food fixes for now. -
Review from Ali H.
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
After taking the Charlotte Symphony audition and being heartlessly cast out in the first round, a friend and I set up camp at Mert's for some good ole fashioned commiserating. It's ideally located right across the street from the theater, so as waves of depressed looking cellists streamed out once per hour, we were able to bring in some more friends to eat and drink our sorrows away. We sat out on the patio as it was a lovely spring day, and stuffed ourselves with the great food here. I had the fried tilapia (special of the day) with greens and yams. It was great, flavorful and well proportioned. My friend had the fried chicken with mac and cheese and he was raving about it too. To polish off the meal we split some sort of caramely cake that was heavenly. They have a bunch of great looking cakes on the counter inside, and I only hope to come back to Charlotte soon to try another!
Service was very friendly. Great experience overall. -
Review from Elizabeth N.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2012
You get a lot of food - for a very good price. Meal starts of with giant steaming mini cornbreads. Order an entree and get choice of two sides (mac and cheese, potatoes, fries etc).
Fried chicken was great. Sides were somewhat disappointing. Cornbread was amazing! -
Review from Leo O.
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Brief summary of our experience. Service sucked ass big time!! If it was purely based on service alone, it would have gotten a 1 star or 0 stars!!! If review was based on food alone, it would have gotten 4 stars. I decided to compromise and give them 3 stars.
Our sour dining experience starts and ends with Sharon, our waitress. Bottom line, she was very rude and she needs to be FIRED!!!
After we were seated, took about 5 minutes before she approached our table. She then gave us 2 straws and did not even bother to greet us or introduce herself to us. Then she turned her back to us before we could say anything and continued to flirt with the 2 guys in the table to the right of us. We didn't even get a chance to ask for water. About another 5 minutes goes by and finally we can order. She takes our orders but throughout the entire time, we did not have her full attention, her mind was at that table! After our orders were placed, we got our cornbread BUT she did not give us ANY utensils to eat it with. I asked another waitress for utensils and she said she would get it for us, but she never did. Basically, we weren't her table so she didn't want to help Sharon out. I guess no camaraderie at this workplace. In the meantime while we were waiting for our utensils, a party of 2 sat to the table to the left of us and they encountered the same issues with her. They too were served their salad and cornbread without utensils. We all had to wait at least 5 minutes if not more. The only good thing about waiting was the table with the 2 guys to the right of us paid and left. Now I thought she could focus more on us. I was wrong!!
She brings us our main dishes, fried chicken quarter and fried catfish with our sides being, mac & cheese, yams, okra with tomatoes, and collard greens. We also ordered an appetizer and I couldn't believe our main dishes came BEFORE the appetizer. In the end, we just took the appetizer off the bill because we finished out main courses and the appetizer never came in the interim. Anyways, we STILL did not have our utensils. I was pissed!! We waited anywhere between 5-10 minutes before our utensils finally arrived. By that time, out food was somewhat cold. We ate our food ASAP and got the hell out of there!! If you ever come here, don't get waited by her. Another thing that irked me, a part of 3 ladies sat in the table to the right of us and she was definitely more friendly to them. I won't speculate about anything but bottom line, she is a terrible waitress (definitely the bottom tier).
As for the food. LOVED the fried chicken. Batter wasn't thick at all. Light and crispy and chicken was moist and tender. The fried catfish was good as well. Lightly battered and fried. As for the sides, I personally do not like tomatoes and onions with my collard greens. I prefer the smoke flavored ham collard greens. If you like the sour/tart collar greens, then this is a place where you can get them. The candid yams were good, but definitely not the best. I couldn't put my taste buds on it, but the sugar they use is a little different and it doesn't seem that they used a lot of butter. The mac & cheese was just okay, I prefer more than once type of cheese in my mac & cheese =P (i'm just spoiled) As for the food, I would recommend this place and I would come here again.
When we paid for our bill at the cashier's desk, that lady even knew that we received sub-par service. She made some jokes to make us feel better about our dining experience. I applaud her effort but what she needs to do is get rid of that waitress. -
Review from Kisha M.
3/19/2012
This is the only restaurant I had the chance to visit when I was in Charlotte last weekend and I was not disappointed. I was warned that it is a hole in the wall, but it's not. Just a casual restaurant.
We arrived around 2pm on a Saturday and were quickly seated. After ordering, our food arrived about 10 minutes later. I had the fried chicken with mac n cheese and greens. And because I'm greedy and have no shame I also got a side of mashed taters (just so I could try them).
I really enjoyed my food. It was hot and delicious. The mac n cheese was very cheesy and satisfying. The mashed taters were lumpy like I like it. And the cornbread was good too. A nice little loaf with some creamy, sweet butter.
I think my meal was about 10 bucks with a drink. My only complaint is that the portions were kinda small. Maybe I'm just used to bigger portions in Atlanta, but I could have enjoyed 1/4 more food.
The service was fast and friendly. -
Review from Jon C.
Denver, NC
5/21/2012
One of my favorite spots. Love the BBQ and the Mac and Cheese. Hit this place up if you are in the Queen City
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Review from Rocky L.
Baltimore, MD
5/9/2012
I love chicken and don't love ribs but I can say they have the best chicken and there ribs made me love ribs and the best thing were there collard greens they had a explosion of flavor I from Maryland and if i come back to Charlotte I'll eat here everyday.
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Review from Mary R.
Fort Mill, SC
4/13/2012
Excellent fried chicken, mac and cheese, collards, green beans, yams, and sweet potato cake and it's priced right too!
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Review from Shauna H.
2/6/2012
I didn't grow up eating southern cooking but I love fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and banana pudding just as well. So needless to say I had high hopes for Mert's.
I went with the buttermilk and herb chicken fingers which sounded incredible. They were about $11 and came with two sides. Overall they felt flat and had an overwhelming garlic taste that became too much after one or two (and I love garlic -fyi) I don't think I could eat them again. The Mac n Cheese as my side was a saving grace. Wow-awesome! Cheesy-stringy deliciousness and I ate it right up. My other side was the mashed potatoes which tasted great at first bite but again became overwhelming fast. Perhaps if I went with a veggie side I would have felt better but the food was so rich I felt queasy by the end. My boyfriend ate my cornbread as I don't care for that myself, and he liked it quite a bit.
I had a bite of my boyfriends steak and eggs which were way overcooked and the steak was literally coated with grease - definitely not my type of thing. He said it was pretty average if a bit overcooked for him as well.
I thought for the food quality it was a bit overpriced (but pretty standard for the area) and overall I just felt like everything was too salty, greasy, and rich for my own taste buds. Now I know you're probably saying well look what you ordered and perhaps that is true, but I have had fried chicken and mashed potatoes that felt decadent yet somehow less like my mouth was taking a grease bath. If I went again I would order something MUCH lighter...lesson learned.
On a positive note the service was fast and friendly and the restaurant itself has a lot of memorabilia that makes for interesting conversation pieces. So for me Mert's is just ok. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Charlotte, NC
2/22/2012
I give Mert's a high three stars for my first visit. It definitely delivered on my craving for a buttery, salty hot meal. Oh, and some cheese.
The hubs and I rolled up on a Saturday around 2:30 p.m., fearing that no Uptown kitchen is open at such an in-between hour. Au contraire. Mert's was packed. Inside this low-ceilinged nook with couple dozen tables, colorful accents and storied photographs lining the walls, we found couples, families and friends of all ages going to town on some comfort food.
I had the Carolina chopped BBQ, swimming in a sweet, "secret" sauce. Served in a side-dish bowl, the Q portion left plenty of room for gooey mac and cheese and a substantial serving of collard greens with the right amount of tang. The hubs had the lowcountry omelette, which was OK for him; he said he'd go for something more fried and/or savory next time (atta boy).
We shared an appetizer of fried green tomatoes--tasty though a tad too bready and lukewarm upon arrival. The app came out after our entrees, but honestly when you've come to indulge in this kind of hearty goodness, does it matter?
And then there was the cornbread. There was a wait for it. Our server was repeatedly apologetic. But oh, was it worth it.
Our server was so very friendly and kept us happy with regular check-ins and refills on sweet tea. My only random nit was the vinyl table covering. I trust it's clean, but there's something kinda sticky about those things still. Otherwise, Mert's is a good-for-all destination for a casual feast of stick-to-your-ribs Southern cookin'. -
Review from asjer g.
Charlotte, NC
4/11/2012
In my opinion EPIC FAIL ...... I'm from Charlotte and my first time going there was last week and boy was i not impressed. I guess when soul food come to my mind i think of greatness because I'm from the south, it could be a lot better.
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Review from Ari B.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
What's better than spending a night in downtown Charlotte? Waking up the next day and finding a GREAT place to eat right under your feet. Located at the base of the Holiday Inn City Center this little "Mom and Pop" Soul Food restaurant has got to be one of the best meals, and service, I have had in a long time!
It feels like you were welcomed into the home of the chef's house when you are greeted and seated. The staff is incredibly fast, attentive and cheeky! One of the waitresses made sure I ate my skin off my fried chicken, and boy was she right!
The food was INCREDIBLE. Who would have thought of putting pulled pork in an omelet?! GENIUS! The taste was incredible...the Cornbread was warm, moist and full of taste! The biscuit was fluffy, warm and delicious. Those were just the side pieces - the main squeeze for this meal?? THE FRIED CHICKEN. A huge white meat piece of hot fried chicken. It was juicy, cooked to perfection and plentiful! WOW! Skin (thanks to the waitress demanding I try a piece) was incredible. Everything we ate, or drank was just PERFECT.
The kicker was at the end of our hangover meal - we both asked for our coffee to go after having two cups at the table. The waitress got us both fresh, hot cups of coffee in a to-go cup and sent us on our way.
I cannot say enough good things about this soul food place - please check it out when you are in Charlotte! Five stars all the way! -
Review from Karen M.
Charlotte, NC
4/12/2012
People keep suggesting macs speed shop and finally someone said try merts. Our sever Nia was a doll. Very helpful w menu choices. Their cornbread is to DIE for. As are there ribs. My pork chop was a little dry but still quite tasty! Love you NIA!!!
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Review from Patrick A.
Culver City, CA
12/8/2011
Visiting Charlotte and asked for recommendations for Soul food and we were sent to Mert's. And Mert's did not disappoint.
The service was amazing friendly and warm like I was coming to their house. We came at 9pm on a Thursday, it closes at 930pm. But the waiter made sure we knew we didn't have to rush because there was over an hour of cleaning etc to do
Now let's talk about the food. About the amazingness of it.
My girlfriend and I got two different things and shared. I'll list in order our favorites.
1. Collard Greens- they were the best I've ever had. They were just done perfect.
2. Fried Catfish- it was cooked and breaded perfectly.
3. Fried chicken- followed closely by the fried chicken, breaded light but perfectly.
Those 3 were my favorite after that the others were good but not as mind blowing.
Solid mac n cheese, yams, okra and cornbread with whipped butter...mmmm..
My girlfriend got the salmon cakes they were the only thing that was a disappointment. Not bad but they were whatever, we killed everything on the plates except the salmon cakes.
They had a microbrew Carolina Blonde that was a solid beer.
Overall from the service to the food it was a great experience. I'd recommend it for sure. -
Review from Keith S.
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stepped out of the International Trade Center and BAM!! there it was. Soul food ?? I had to try it. It did not disappoint. They had a meat loaf special so I went for the meat loaf and a small salad. It was very good, of course with lots of gravy. I saved the last two bites to try with some ketchup; still very good.
Portions not giant sized but I got a full meal and wasn't sick afterwards. Reasonably priced - looks like I will be BACK !! -
Review from Cheyenne B.
Charlotte, NC
12/12/2011
My boyfriend and I were Uptown and chose Mert's based on the Yelp reviews and the Soul Rolls. They both exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, while the food tasted fresh. Next time I am uptown, I will stop in just for the Soul Rolls.
Highly Recommended. -
Review from Matt S.
Charlotte, NC
1/9/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Real stuff, all good, all tasty. Helpful, attentive staff. Sixties and seventies Motown music.
Food: Good, authentic, clean, tasty.
Decor: Cool Southern folk art and celebrity photos
Service: Fun, informative, and friendly. -
Review from Byron W.
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loved the ambience and the staff. The food was alright. I grew up on southern cooking so I'm tough to please. The one thing I will tell you is that their braised cabbage is THE BEST I've ever had. Get three orders of it and make it your meal.
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Review from Duke C.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome fried chicken.
I really wanted to go to Price's but since the conference I was attending ended pretty late, I had to get my chicken fix somewhere else and ended up at Mert's.
I got there around 8 and found the restaurant to be somewhat empty. Rather than eating there, I decided I would have a better time eating back at my hotel since there wasn't much going on at the restaurant. It wasn't until on the walk back I realized that the steam from the hot foods probably softened up the fried chicken! I was prepared to be disappointed...
BUT the amazing thing was that the chicken leg quarter that I ordered was not only juicy, but the skin had somehow retain much of it's crispiness. As I start to gnaw into the fried chicken, with each bite I was amazed at how flavorful it is. Didn't need any sauce or anything, it was tasty as is. Like I mentioned, the chicken is juicy. Dark meat is always the way to go for me for fried chicken!
With the fried chicken, I also got to choose two sides, so I went for the yams and mac & cheese. Lots of spices for the yams, and I like how it still retained its chunky form. As for the mac & cheese, I only liked the part where the cheese had caramelized. Not too special to me.
It also comes with this awesome cornbread and softened sweet butter. Cornbread + butter is seriously one of the best combos. I know butter is good with a lot of things, but when you have a tasty cornbread, butter just enhances it so well!
Even with it steaming in its own heat for around 10 minutes as I walked back to the hotel, the chicken was still awesome. I can only imagine how great it would've been if I ate there! -
Review from Mei O.
12/5/2011
If only there wasn't a person growing inside me... I so wanted to eat everything on my plate, and could only cry to myself as I watched Andrew finish off the last morsels of yummy-ness.
The cornbread: Warm, fresh, delicious.
The mac'n'cheese: How it should be - gooey cheesiness with a slightly crunchy top reminding you of how lovingly prepared it is.
The chopped pork: droooooooool.
Be prepared to be squished though, it's tight spaces and big, loud crowds enjoying their meal, so if you don't like being cozy, then stay outside. -
Review from Aletheia W.
Phoenix, AZ
2/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
i was actually disappointed. my friends had raved about merts...
and i like my mom's ribs better. i had a 2 meat combo, and they were just dry. the mac and cheese was disappointing. the food was too rich (i can't believe that I would say anything like that) and greasy... the cake was WAAAAAY too sweet.... i dunno.
the service was fantastic, and the location was super convenient, especially if you are staying at the holiday inn. but overall... this isn't a place i was recommending. -
Review from Kevin W.
Mountain View, CA
10/26/2011 1 photo
I'll admit that I was a little disappointed to find that Mert's is a "semi-touristy diner" in Uptown. (The downside being that panhandlers interrupt your meal, if you eat outside.) I was expecting a down and dirty hole-in-the-wall place, but the food more than made up for the location and decor.
The cornbread was hot and delicious with sweet butter. The salmon cakes were actually all salmon - no filler fish - and seared rather than breaded and fried. The red remoulade sauce paired perfectly with the salmon cakes. The delicious mac & cheese was baked and thick rather than just spooned from a pot. The sweetness of the candied yams were just right to balance out the savory salmon and mac & cheese.
The waitress was amazingly friendly - reminded me of a happy drunk. I asked her what's good, and she went through just about everything - I could tell that she eats the food rather than reciting what customers usually get. The funniest part was her saying, "My three favorite sides are..." and then listing five and having to whittle down to three - mac & cheese, collard greens, and yams. Big tip for her!
The local beer on tap is Carolina Blond, and the local wine is Biltmore. (I thought the Merlot was just ok.) Prices are a bit higher ($10-20), as expected for Uptown, but I think the salmon cakes with choice of two sides and cornbread are the best deal at $10. -
Review from Caroline O.
New York, NY
11/17/2011
Super friendly service and very quick! Food was good (i had the southern sampler). Cornbread was A+
I just wish the ventilation was a little better inside, but if you don't mind smelling like fried food, then all around, this place is wonderful!! :-) -
Review from Mel Z.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/17/2011
I love this little place. I went in there because it was next to the hotel I was staying at. I was very pleasantly surprised by the helpful staff and delicious and affordable food. The waitress gave me great recommendations and was very friendly.
I had the salmon cake which was so moist and flavor. Their homemade sauce added even more flavor to the already flavorful salmon cake (I just couldn't get enough of it). The vinegary collard greens had diced onion/tomato sprinkled on top. The corn bread was fluffy and sweet, and on the more moist side (although I have had better - in Boston's Oyster's House to be specific). The Okra & tomatoes was good, but I guess I'm just not a fan of the flavor of Okra, so I would have to say that was my least favorate item of my meal. The entire dinner was just over 10 bucks. Now my stomach is full and happy :)! -
Review from Kristin G.
Royal Oak, MI
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mert's you certainly captured my heart, soul...no way...but heart, yes ma'am!
I ordered the Fried Chicken breast with Mac n Cheese & Collard Greens on the side. The chicken was tender and the fried chicken shell the perfect mix of crispy with the juicy chicken meat. The mac & cheese was so utterly delicious it nearly stole the show. It was so creamy. They have hot sauce on every table, a great sign that you're about to experience good soul food. Sure 'nuff, the meal did not disappoint. The cornbread was out of this world good. I was so full after all that food, dessert was out of the question but they had some really amazing looking cakes.
Next time I'm in Charlotte I will definitely be making a pit stop!Listed in: East Coast Road Trippin'!
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Review from Sarah J.
Portland, OR
This place was amazing! It looks like a little dive-bar in the heart of downtown Charlotte, but once you walk in you know you're home! Everyone was super friendly and happy to explain anything on the menu or make recommendations. I had the boneless fried chicken (how do they make plain-ol' chicken taste SO incredible?!) and couldn't decided between coleslaw, mashed potatoes with gravy, or macaroni and cheese and the waitress suggested the two starches... I was sceptical but couldn't have been happier once my meal came. Oh, and be sure to start with the warm cornbread and honey butter!
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Review from Ella B.
Los Olivos, CA
8/28/2011
We went to Mert's based on the reviews on yelp and that it was one of the fav's listed in our travel guide. And boy, I am so glad we did!
I'm not normally a fan of southern cooking, but the food is tasty but not cloyingly rich which I really appreciate.
The service is fast and friendly. We wanted to try the cobbler based on the reviews and I wanted apple or blueberry but turns out they only have peach which was fine, it's a cornbread cobbler so the taste is a little salty, but really yummy.
Great find! Thanks yelpers! -
Review from Allene T.
8/30/2011
Great place for lunch when you're craving soul food in the Queen City.
I came here with a coworker for lunch, and had the fried shrimp po boy and macaroni and cheese. Runs for about $7ish dollars. The mac and cheese was okay, nothing special, and the po boy was exactly what you would expect it to be. The cornbread is good, but for some reason I still prefer Boston Market's..... ha.
All in all it was a satisfying lunch, but nothing that I would go crazy over. -
Review from Rod O.
Charlotte, NC
6/28/2011 11 photos
Soul Food gone Gourmet!!!
Walking by Mert's on my way to the Epicenter, then on my way out of the Epicenter I decided to eat here and am very glad I did! It was a hot day and I asked for a lot of water - She brought me TWO!!! I drank almost three! They were real busy and I sat at a table with two ladies I had never met before (very cool and bold for the waitress to do instead of making me wait)! Though the place was packed the service was "Faster than a Speeding Ticket" and great! Everyone was very friendly and seemed to be happy to be there!
Here is what I had for lunch today: Corn Bread like CAKE with butter! Jerk Seasoned Chopped Pork Barbecue with their "Secret Sauce". Macaroni and Cheese (the Baked kind) and Collard Greens garnished with Onions, Tomatoes, and Bacon. All made "with Love" It was all Incredible!!!
For Dessert I had Fried Chicken!!! -
Review from Carrie D.
Belmont, NC
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Collard Greens were some of the best I've had. Fried chicken was yummy, but the quarter (breast & wing) was too big to pick up and eat with my fingers. Doing the knife & fork thing took some of the joy out of having my way with this guilty pleasure. Homey comfort food in a warm, friendly environment.
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Review from Pourina R.
Charlotte, NC
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mert's is one of those places you would see on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The decor has a quintessential southern comfort feel and will make any out of towner feel welcome.
I don't suggest eating lunch here though; if it happens, it's a wrap. You'll be knocked out like a newborn after boobie feeding. Service is good, food is decent and overall an okay spot to grab a meal. -
Review from Ben J.
Natick, MA
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, this was my first meal in Charlotte, and it kicked my trip off right.
First off, the cornbread may be the very best I have ever had. Perfect texture, a little salty, a little sweet, and hot. Add some sweet butter, and holy moly!
We stopped in for lunch, and the service was a little slow, but there was a huge party, so that impacted things a bit. I had the chopped pork, steamed cabbage, and mashed potatoes. The only thing that disappointed was the gravy. Everything else was so, so good.
The whole deal, including iced tea was $8.00, which is not far off what we pay for mcdonald's back home. Yum! -
Review from Michael M.
Phoenix, AZ
6/5/2011
I had the pleasure of taking a coworker to Mert's for her first time today. We had an amazing lunch! The place was packed but we didn't have to wait. The waitresses were super busy with big parties who were there for their Sunday afternoon meals but were no less charming and friendly.
I've been once before and I highly recommend the Fried Green Tomato appetizer that I had last time. The chicken is excellent as is the cornbread. I had Salmon Cakes today and they were out of this world! The mac and cheese is delicious as are the greens and green beans. I could have drank a gallon of their sweet tea but I'm glad I stuck with two. We shared a piece of German Chocolate Cake for dessert. I was good and the whipped cream on the side just melted in my mouth.
I don't know why I waited so long to make a return visit but trust me, I'm going to make it a priority to get back there soon! -
Review from Tammy F.
Dallas, TX
Updated - 2/22/2012
One whiff of the food outside and you are ready to get on the inside. Their food is off the chain! Had chicken wings and collard greens. Food for the soul.....um um good! Red velvet cake again honey? Oh well, let's head in for milk and cake. We will be back!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2011
The waitress was very nice and the food was delicious. I had the fried whiting, home fries and… Read more »
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Review from Dan M.
7/7/2011
Oh Mert's what a great place for me to checkout on my trip to Charlotte. I wanted some hardcore authentic bbq and Mert's was my destination of choice.
I ordered their legendary ribs, a side of pulled pork, collared greens and a slice of cornbread.
The ribs were great, hearty, fresh and tasty all around cooked to perfection. I was also a big fan of the collared greens, they were the best I have ever tasted.
Mert's is an awesome spot located right in downtown Charlotte. You really can't go wrong with choosing Mert's, everything on their menu was great.
Had a fun time in Charlotte and an awesome meal at Mert's! -
Review from Vonetta Y.
Washington, DC
6/1/2011
Ard took a picture of his beef ribs with his Blackberry.
Five minutes later: "It's got 25 Likes! Damn, people are hungry! The economy *is* bad!"
If a mere picture of Mert's ribs gets 25 likes, imagine how many their flavor would get.
We stopped by after the wildly entertaining nuttiness of Speed Street. After a couple of beers on a hot night, all you need is grease to soak up the booze. That said, Mert's delivered, not greasy food, but high-quality, delicious, heavy Southern food that will absorb anything left in your system, and leave some cholesterol as a gift with purchase.
I got the Soul Rolls, essentially soulified egg rolls, with black eye peas, collard greens, rice, and a wee bit of diced chicken breast (though I didn't taste much of the chicken. Could have just been my particular rolls, tho). The others got varying dishes of fried chicken and beef ribs, with sides of fries, mac & cheese, collard greens, and the works.
"You know, if I worked here, they would find me in the back with my head in a bucket of this mac & cheese," Ard said.
Yep, basically. Some of the best mac & cheese I've ever had in a restaurant.
Service is great here, too. Everyone was so patient with the troops of drunk teenagers who wandered in to use the bathroom, despite the sign on the door that read, "Bathrooms for paying customers only." Our server, Netta, made sure that I ordered first, as a fellow Netta. So nice!
I think there's enough reviews here to cover ambiance, so I won't go on about that. But Mert's is cozy and the food is delish. Go enjoy!
