I do not enjoy giving bad reviews, but based on principle, I have to give Merkato one star.\n\nFirst, I should state that the dining experience itself was good. We enjoyed the food. Being Filipino, we grew up eating with our hands. The prices are cheap. We went with a combination sampler plate for $15, which gave us a great introduction to their cuisine. We also ordered their whole fish dish for $10. It actually came with two nice sized fish and a large plate of rice with tasty sauce.\n\nIf you want, you can stop reading here and head on over to try their food. You'll probably enjoy it.\n\nEverything was going well until it came time to settle the bill. I had a TownHog certificate for $30. I had mentioned it before we ordered, but suddenly the server said she didn't know what to do with it. She tried calling the owners but was unable to reach them after several attempts. Strangely enough, when she had me call using my phone, they picked up right away.\n\nTo cut to the chase, the owner said he would not honor the coupon. He said he had called the company back in June and told them he no longer wanted to participate. So after sitting there for a long time, we ended up paying and leaving with a very bitter taste in our mouths.\n\nI just got off the phone with TownHog. The representative said that because Merkato has already been paid, she would have to call them to confirm that they refused the coupon before I can get a refund. They've already been paid? That just makes the situation worse. It's just not right. You agreed to sell these coupons in order to get people into your restaurant. That's exactly the reason I was even there in the first place. It's essentially marketing and it worked. It got me into your shop.\n\nIt's really a shame because we did enjoy the food. But there's no way I can return based on that ordeal. Luckily, there are other Ethiopian joints around town with similarly good reviews.