Mercato Kitchen & Cocktails — Restaurant in Town of Oyster Bay

I recently attended an event at Mercato's, which included a three-course dinner priced at $75 per person, a fee I was initially happy to pay. Additional beverages were extra, but that was understandable. While the atmosphere was pleasant, the food didn't quite meet our expectations. The eggplant Parmesan was mediocre, and the Caesar salad left much to be desired.

After the meal, the bill came to $175 for two people. I was surprised to see that a 20% tip was automatically added, bringing the total to $202 an additional $31 tip. When I asked the waitress to split the charge between two cards, she informed me that the tip had to be included in the split. I found this practice concerning and felt that the forced tip was excessive for a party of two. I expressed that I would not pay such a high tip under these circumstances, especially when the service, while good, did not warrant a mandatory 20%.

The waitress explained that the tip was for her, and while I appreciated her service, I still disagreed with the restaurant's policy. I believe that no customer should be compelled to pay an automatic gratuity, particularly in a private event setting. As someone who works hard for my money, I find such practices not only unreasonable but also unacceptable.

Based on this experience, I will not be attending any future events at Mercato's. While the event was enjoyable overall, the forced gratuity left more then a negative...

Mercato's is my favorite restaurant to dine at when I'm visiting my parents in Seaford!!!

Everything is perfect, from the service, to the ambience, to the delicious and creative food options on the menu! Also, great specials depending on what night of the week it is :)

I came here yesterday for a bridal shower and the staff at Mercato helped to make the day seamless and perfect for the bride to be! They were kind enough to close down the main dining area for our party, and the service was fantastic. There was never an empty drink or an unsatisfied guest. The menu was the perfect mix of breakfast and lunch options, and everyone was blown away. The French toast was amazing, the chicken dish was delicious, and the waitress even accommodated my pickiness as I just started a diet :) everyone loved the peach and red sangria, and the cake that came with the bridal shower package was delicious and beautiful. I've been to several bridal showers at restaurants this year, and Mercato by far hosted the best shower. Everything about it felt personal and intimate and the price point was very reasonable.

I also couldn't help but notice the romantic music playing in the background. Just another nice touch by the staff at Mercato. Ask for Keleigh when you call, as she will certainly help you take care of every last detail to make your event perfect!

I...

Had a great time. Great decor, hostess opens door for customers (simple, but adds to the initial impressions). Clean, bright and artistic surroundings.

Server was very attentive and very friendly. Checked kitchen about gluten-free (wife has celiac spru) issues with dishes.

Specials were interesting. Had the special salad (artichokes, prosciutto, egg, mozz, roasted tomato ranch) and it was unique and very tasty.

The real surprise was the Buffalo chicken egg rolls. Highly recommended. Moist inside, crunchy outside. Dipping sauce was a modified (well) blue cheese dressing.

They made a GF pasta dish that was amazing. Gorgonzola and Sausage with sauteed kale and roated tomato in a cream sauce. I would get it next time myself. I had a terrific grilled chicken breast stuffed with spinach and prosciutto and covered in portobellos. Madeira wine sauce was good but could use a little bit of work. Sauteed spinach w/ garlic was great, too.

Had a cannoli which was home made and it was really good. Mascarpone filling was done right.

Great prices, everything seemed fresh (that's their claim) and it tasted it, too. Service was terrific and the Manager Leo was very helpful and friendly.

Cozy, delicious, very good prices (for portions size and ingredients). We...