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Published on January 16, 2025
Bar Mercer Brings Vintage Vibe and Culinary Novelty to SoHo's Dining SceneSource: Google Street View

The flavors of mini pigs in a blanket and what's touted as 'hangover pasta' are now on offer at SoHo's newly minted dining spot, Bar Mercer, situated at 25 West Houston Street near Mercer Street. The establishment, which took over the location of former Mexican spot Bar Tulix, has undergone a revamp under the direction of John McDonald of Mercer Street Hospitality, as reported by Eater New York. The menu, curated by Chef Preston Clark, promises a lineup including a saucy hamachi crudo with Thai chiles and cracklin', chilled oysters, and a standout grilled pork chop bathed in a mushroom and cipollini white wine sauce.

Yet, Bar Mercer is not just about the food. McDonald has designed the space intent on it appearing as though it's been a fixture for decades – "I want it to feel like it has been there for 20 years," he told Eater New York. With black-and-red checkered floors, moody lighting, wood accents, and retro schoolhouse-style chairs, McDonald seems to be reaching back in time to when his earlier venture, MercBar, celebrated its heyday. This form of nostalgia is further embraced with vintage photographs and lamps creating an ambiance reminiscent of bygone eras.

Bar Mercer's location in SoHo aligns with the neighborhood's shift towards a more fashion-forward and arguably commercialized identity. The SoHo district, once home to the earlier incarnation of MercBar which shuttered doors in 2016 to make way for a Tory Burch store as highlighted by Women's Wear Daily, has continually evolved and McDonald's new venue marks his ongoing engagement with the area's dining scene.

Admiring the historical ties, McDonald tells of the area, "It was an amazing time. We had zero sign, nothing marking us, and we had to have a doorman seven nights a week to control the flow for the first several years," as he reminisced about MercBar's opening night to Women's Wear Daily. Bar Mercer is stepping into an arena where casual dining spots pepper the streets, but fewer sit-down restaurants exist, a fact underscored by Brandon Zwagerman of the SoHo Broadway Initiative in the WWD interview. With Lure and Balthazar among the few other sit-down options in SoHo, Bar Mercer aims to enrich the neighborhood's dining variety.

As a seasoned restaurateur with ties to the fashion industry, McDonald fully understands his clientele and the SoHo vibe. His sister's work with Ford modeling agency, and a remembered advice from Eileen Ford – "'Get up, John. You're strong enough to stand on your own two feet," he told WWD – indicates a long-standing connection with the world of style. This appears to inform his approach to both dining and decor at Bar Mercer. Despite rumors of Prada considering the space currently occupied by Lure Fishbar, another of McDonald's ventures, he insists that Bar Mercer is not a backup plan, stating, "Not at all." He remains focused on providing a distinctive dining experience, regardless of the luxury retail giants potentially at play.