Merlin, The Reviews

I've been there on numerous occasions because it's got a great lively atmosphere and the food is good quality for the price. The bar area is great too for before or after your meal.

I went to The Merlin on Thursday with my family and we were seated very quickly. The menu had excellent choices and our starters arrived swiftly. They gave us a few minutes breathing time before serving our mains. We didn’t have desserts but thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly. I’d recommend this restaurant and will definitely go there again.

What a lovely Sunday afternoon! I went there for meal with the family and the food was excellent. The staff were lovely, smiling and helpful. The ambience was just right and we will definitely visit this place again.

We went there when we were visiting our daughter, who is studying at Manchester, for her 21st birthday. Though we arrived after 9 pm, we managed to get a table for six. The starters and main meal were good, although the burger was a little dry. The desserts were thoroughly enjoyed by all and the service was excellent. We would go back, when next in the area.

I have just got home from Sunday lunch at the Merlin, it was the worst Sunday lunch I have ever had. The mushroom soup was beautiful, spoilt by no bread served with it.The main meal came with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. The meal was nearly cold and the Yorkshire pudding just broke into small dry crumbs when I cut it. I had great difficulty cutting roast potatoes, as they were hard. They looked as if they had been reheated from the day before and were extremely dry on the inside. We complained and the waiter bought us another meal, the Yorkshire pudding was slightly better, but the roast potatoes still rock hard, and the meal cold. I also asked for a jug of iced water, which came in a bottle and the water was warm. We go out for lunch every Sunday and went to the Merlin after it was recommended to us, but we will not be back again.

Well, I disagree with those other reviews as I have been several times to the Merlin and had consistently good food, excellent service and friendly staff. The menu is great value for money. The management even let me take in my small dog on Christmas Day for a drink. I will continue to be a regular, and my friends and eight to twenty year olds agree with me too.

I have to say I disagree with the previous review. Before the refurbishment, all you had was poorly kept beer, sticky carpets and very average food. The menu is now varied , well presented and served by an enthusiastic team. To top it all the beer is fantastic, although I am biased by the fact that they have one of my favourites.I would recommend The Merlin anytime.

Used to come here a lot between 1990 and 2006, and the place was packed. Roaring fires, great atmosphere, fantastic food and the best bread and butter pudding in the world - official! They then shut it down for what seemed an eternity for a refurb.

We've visited the place twice since it was re-opened; the place has lost all its charm. The fires have gone. The traditional menus have gone. The place seemed deserted on both occasions. Really is a shame, if it isn't broken, let's fix it till it breaks?

We now go just up the road to the De Trafford, the food is good but nowhere in the class of the Merlin pre-2006.

Friendly atmosphere with excellent food and service.

Visited for my birthday and enjoyed an excellent meal and bar service at a very reasonable price, highly recommended.