Tender Mercy — Restaurant in Dayton

Not at all worth the hype. I say this as someone who tried quite a few speakeasies worldwide. First you go down poorly lit subway-like steps. Then you have to wait to stand by the wall in everyone’s way or sit by the bar. The concept of sitting at the bar yourself or standing is absent here. If you stand by the wall you’ll get pushed and shoved by the seated customers. Drinks are very subpar and take an eternity to make. They do not taste like top shelf liquor or reflect the ingredients. If you don’t like your drink, best of luck to you, they don’t care. If you like your drink, also best of luck because they have the least attentive service where you have to wait an eternity to get served. The manager does his job in a very strange manner whereas you state you had a bad experience, he says “oh sorry about that” and that’s that. It misaligns with a pretense vibe of this poorly lit place. My overall review is this place is disorganized, serves only ok drinks, is not customer-focused, smells like an ashtray and smoke, and is not worth a visit. The place is pretentious for no reason, there’s absolutely nothing special about it. I was happy to leave and patronage a better establishment in Dayton. Do better if you want to attract a crowd. This experience...

What an amazing place! The Tender Mercy name is on a banner on the building but there's no sign at the entrance to the bar. If you're standing in front of Sueno's, there are metal stairs in the sidewalk going down - down there is where you'll find Tender Mercy.

Atmosphere is top-notch, moody and trendy and darkly romantic. It's very cosy with some fun nooks and corners, but for the most part, it's seating along the long bar, and some lovely wraparound bench seating, low tables, and a few footstools to sit on. There's a whole back room with more seating, but I didn't poke around much back there.

The drinks are fantastic and inventive, and if anything on the menu doesn't look good to you, they can make the normal stuff too. The staff are welcoming, creative, and helpful. We tried both food items - one is an "adult lunchable" which is basically charcuterie in a bento box, and another cereal-based snack mix that was very good, except I don't like wasabi peas.

If you have a date you want to impress, or have an extra-special night out, or just want to make a Tuesday special, then this is the place to go. Parking is on the street, or there is valet Thurs-Sun (i think - no valet on...

I cannot even begin to say enough positive things about Tender Mercy and their incredible staff. I rented the space out as a treat for my brother and his wife to celebrate with friends and family after their wedding reception. Julia and Tyler from the TM staff were so considerate about customizations for his and hers drinks, opening the space up for just our party, and being so kind to our guests. Working with them was seamless, and you can tell that they are just all wonderful people. They are experts and complete professionals at what they do. They understood that it was an Indian wedding and crafted drinks and bottle cocktails that used ingredients that catered towards the culture. They go above and beyond from the start when you begin planning an event with them. Myself, my family and friends are grateful for our experience with them. It's a memory we will never forget. Thank you so much to all at Tender Mercy. I recommend them to absolutely everyone and hope nothing but the best for the growth of their business! They...