Have Mercy! All the Restaurant Openings You Need to Know About This Week

Mike Rakun’s new restaurant at the base of Le Meridien Chambers in downtown Minneapolis opened over the weekend. The restaurant was recently Marin, but a quick facelift by restaurant design gurus, Shea have warmed up the room and given it a vibe more in line with the restaurant’s chill downstairs library/bar. The restaurant takes its name, Mercy from Rakun’s great aunt, who is a real character who loves a cocktail and a little conversation.

The menu boasts plenty of small plates including a crab empanada we can’t wait to try, a serious pastrami sandwich and more than a few entrees, like a beer can chicken. The vibe is fun, boisterous and just might be the right fit for this location that’s seen a few restaurants cycle through.

Right now that incredible patio is also getting a little refresh and they are finally doing away with the walls that made it impossible to see inside or out. Summer people watching is coming soon to Hennepin Avenue!

As it gets rolling the restaurant is also running a promotion, if you take a picture of its new billboard on Washington Avenue and bring it in, you’ll get a free drink.

—Ramen fans rejoice. Rah’mn is open right now at 300 Snelling Avenue S. in St. Paul. Apparently over the weekend, the neighborhood overwhelmed them with love and drank up all the broth. That’s what happens with a good ramen shop: the key is to get there early. The restaurant is a fast-casual, build-your-own-bowl sort of deal. They also offer vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant is open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday and Monday (assuming they aren’t cleaned out before then.)

—SotaRol has unleashed their sushi burrito mashups on Uptown. The burgeoning chain is on Girard just between Lake Street and Lagoon serving up poke bowls, sotaritos, sushi, bowls and a whole slew of fresh, fast, fun fare. They’re now open at 50th and France, Stadium Village and are on the way to Eagan and Apple Valley next.