Noah T.

Located inside the M resort is this fabulous little gem. Let's start off with the candied pork ribs. They were fabulous. They did have a hint of mole sauce, which made them amazing. The pineapple upside down cornbread was ridiculous. You have to get it if you get nothing else just order this. It will make your whole experience. We also ordered the golf yellowfin tuna, bundles, solid. They were good we went for lunch so we split the double cheeseburger beautifully charbroiled to perfection and the french fries were lovely as well. Would definitely come back. Our server Jake did a great job, offering a suggestions and being attentive to our needs.

Dean A.

One of my dining rules is to not try a restaurant until it's been open for at least 90 days as it usually takes that long to get their grounding and work out all the kinks. Having said that we decided to try this place even though they'd only been in business for a couple of weeks because our kids were in town and we were looking for a different place to take them. Overall it was a mixed bag (mostly good) but I'm grading on a curve due to the recent opening. Saturday night, reservations for four at 7pm. The dining room was packed and boisterous but not too loud. We were originally promptly seated at a booth near the window overlooking the pool area however the sun was setting in that direction and right in our faces so we asked for a different table and the hostess was happy to accommodate. Our server Christian was very friendly and welcoming (although it took him several minutes to get to our table - again new restaurant) and we decided to order multiple items to share so we could sample a lot on the menu. That ended up being a good idea because this place is kind of like a tapas restaurant in that the dishes are rather small and tend towards snack and appetizer sized portions. We ordered the Pocket Bread, cornbread, deviled eggs, boudin balls, meatballs, fried chicken, crab linguine, gumbo and fried chicken salad. The bread is very creative - it's like a large crispy pita and was quite fresh. We found the cornbread to be well made but way too sweet for our tastes - it's more like a dessert. The eggs were good, nothing terribly special. We really enjoyed the boudin balls (kind of like an arancini with sausage inside) and the meatballs were well made and tasty. I liked the crab linguine but this is more of a crab-flavored pasta dish as opposed to a crab dish so be forwarned. The last "small plate" item was the gumbo which was my personal favorite of the meal - not surprising based on Emeril's background. It has a nice depth of flavor with large chunks of delicious andouille and tender shrimp. The two fried chicken dishes were listed as entrees but again were rather small portions for that designation. They both used the same basic cut which is a part breast and part thigh pounded thin and then breaded. Again be forewarned that it's not all white meat. I prefer dark meat chicken so I enjoyed it but everyone else at my table not so much. I thought it had good flavor although both dishes were delivered somewhat lukewarm. My wife loves Emeril's banana cream pie and orders it at every one of his restaurants so of course we tried the version here. It was pretty basic - good flavor but the crust was a little hard and difficult to cut. We also tried the beignets which were not good. They're just not prepared properly so instead of being the heavenly pillows of goodness like in New Orleans they were dense and way too chewy. I definitely would avoid them. Dinner for four came to $206 before tax and tip which wasn't bad considering that included a large glass of Pinot Grigio and two soft drinks. We did have some leftovers to bring home. Service was good all things considered and the staff appears to really be trying. I would give them a couple more months to get it together and then give it another shot.

Shelley V.

We dined at Meril for dinner on a Thursday night. We were seated right away after checking in for our reservation. It's extremely bright inside the dining room as it overlooks the pool. The noise level is a bit loud. Juanicieto was our server for the evening. He provided great hospitality and was attentive. We ordered a few items to try. They were out of the lychee cocktail I wanted so I went with the Congo Square Punch. It was sweet and refreshing. We ordered the crispy shrimp tacos, meatballs, and bbq shrimp for appetizers. The shrimp tacos were our favorite appetizer. The bbq shrimp still have the heads attached so be warned if that's not your thing. The meatballs were good but were spicy. For entrees, we selected the ribeye which was decent and the crab linguine which was pretty tasty. The Brussels sprouts were really good and memorable. For dessert, we went with the banana cream pie. This was a stand out dish and a must order. Our only gripe was the food temperature. Every dish came out lukewarm and definitely could have been served warmer. We will return to try more items. Maybe they need more time to work out the kinks before we return.

Felicity C.

A bit late for the review as we were here on 7/17 Friday lunch, their second day of opening. Very spacious and contemporary interior design, especially the seatings by the window overlooking M resort pool, which brings relaxation and vacation vibes. The staff were nice but not familiar with their menu or serving time. And the second we got seated (no wait as we made the reservation), we heard the next table guests complaining to the staff as they waited one hour, not sure for food or the check. We also witnessed the server brought the food back in the kitchen after looking at it, not sure what happened. We waited roughly 20 minutes for our server to come by, Another 20 minutes to order. After we ordered, the first thing brought to the table was the cocktail. Then another really long wait for our food to come, but we were not able to eat as there was NO utensil provided. Of course another while of wait just to get the utensils. We literally ate for 10 minutes and waited for more than one hour. The food was mediocre unfortunately. Nothing like what those influencers bragged about on social media. The only food item we liked is the street corn. And their lychee rose cocktail (substitute vodka to Rum) is really good, exotic and refreshing with great and rich flavor of lychee with charming floral notes. We got what the server highly recommended, crabs linguine and ribs plus other items. The crab linguine is a total disappointment. Really small portion like 3 bites at $28, can't see any crabs and the only thing we can taste is tomato sauce. The ribs were ok and covered in sweet sauce. We also ordered burgers and pastry basket. Burger patty was not bad, but we ordered well done, and it came out pink meat. The pastry basket never came. At this point, we just wanted to leave. I would come back after 6 months to try their breakfast and hopefully everything goes on track. But my other friends were totally done with it after this experience.

Kari U.

I'm a fan of Emeril's restaurants so I was excited to see him opening one at the M. We went on a Friday night, maybe a week or so after they opened. It was busy but we had a reservation and were seated quickly. Main takeaways - service was good (slightly slow but understandable for a new restaurant on a busy night) - food was okay (some items were great, others were meh) - pricing is on the higher side value and quality wise. We ordered the: - pineapple upside down cornbread (great mix of sweet and savory, small portion) - house boudin balls (also good, best way to describe it is a mix between a pork meatball and an arancini) - blue crab linguine (light sauce which I liked, not very spicy even with Calabrian chili, could've used more crab but a good portion of pasta) - ribeye (the cut/quality was mediocre especially for the $56 price tag, small portion 8-10 oz, 1/2 inch thick, disappointing) I don't mind paying for quality but you can get a much better steak for a few dollars more at Anthony's. The ambiance was casual. If you're seated near the windows, it gets very warm, especially when it's over 100 degrees outside. Overall, I would give them another try as some of the menu items were good. But they need to strike a better balance between quality and pricing.

Lee S.

Today marked the long awaited and highly anticipated grand opening of celebrity Chef and TV personality, Emeril Lagasse's new restaurant at the M-Resort, Meril's. The simple but mighty menu offers guests appetizers, small plate dishes, flat breads, soups and salads, along with a host of other items such as; fettuccine, hamburgers, fried chicken, mussels and a seafood boil. I started with the deviled eggs then transitioned to the barbecue shrimp, cod sliders, brussels sprouts, vegetable flat bread, mussels and the pineapple upside down cornbread. All of the food was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. My favorite of the dishes was the barbecue shrimp and the brussels sprouts. The shrimp were lathered in a brown deliciousness sauce, which only enhanced the dish's overall flavor. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with color coordinated table, chairs and wall decor. The large windows allow guests to enjoy the outside views overlooking the pool, surrounding area and the strip. The actual dining area is a nice size and designed to allow large parties ample space to dine. There is also outdoor seating available. Overall, my experience today was good. However, as with any new establishment there are still things to work out and adjustments to be made. So, being too critical at this point would be unfair. My hope is the standards being established with respect to food quality and customer service will continue. But only time will tell.

Em M.

I think the negative reviews stem from the first few weeks this place was open. Probably still finding its sea legs. Our experience was excellent. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, blue crab linguine, paccheri, and the banana cream pie. All were delicious. Service was also on point - never an empty glass and food came out promptly. Portions seemed smallish at first, but after finishing our meal we were satiated and not uncomfortably full, so tbh the servings are just right especially if you get an app and dessert. We'd definitely eat here again, and I hope more people take the negative reviews with a grain of salt and give it a shot too.

Kanz T.

Very good! The dishes were very good. The atmosphere was very good. The service was very good. The price was very reasonable. We will come back again!

P N.

Oh man. Why the heck are they bringing "Strip prices" and "Strip sizes" to a local joint? M, let's get this menu redone. We had high hopes for this place, but the portions for the price were disappointing. We started with the so-called "candied" spare ribs. Absolutely not! My Diet Coke was sweeter than this falsely advertised small plate. Then we got the deviled eggs--oh Lawd--I couldn't believe my eyes. They gave us what seemed to be three quail-egg-sized halves. Why three? These are two eggs and what did they do with the other half of the second egg? Just give it to us - especially for what you're charging. Then for our entrees, I got their "popular" crispy buttermilk fried chicken--#NOPE. #Flavorless. #WheresTheRest. #NotCrispy. I was so dissatisfied, especially for the price. It's a small chicken thigh cut in half. I was flabbergasted. I had my friends try it, and they said to send it back. I sent it back and got the truffle butter fettuccine. Let's be honest, for the price, we could've just gone to Olive Garden and gotten breadsticks and soup with it. The double cheeseburger was another entree, and it was like two silver-dollar-sized patties. I could've gone to the Jack in the Box next to this place at the gas station and gotten a better burger. And the fries were an extra charge? Our server said everything is à la carte. The service was great, and the restaurant is beautiful. Please fix it. I don't think I'll be back until they fix the portions, menu, and prices. Needless to say, we left still hungry. Although we took pictures of the small plates, we were so underwhelmed and dissatisfied that taking photos of our "small plates" (masked as entrees) wasn't worth taking up memory space on my phone. PLEASE FIX IT. We definitely needed this for our side of town, but y'all just opened and y'all have such low ratings already?!?! Fix it, please. MEHHH-ril...

Julia Q.

I had been wanting to try this place since the day that they opened but hesitated due to all of the negative reviews being posted. After dining there I really don't understand where all of the hate comes from. 3 of us dined on an early Wednesday night. Had reservations for 5:30 but it wasn't busy and walk ups were seated fairly quickly. The place is modern and clean, with no hint of anything that really gives it personality decor wise. We ordered a good array of dishes (see unaltered pics), flat bread, corn bread, cod sliders, chicken parm salad, short ribs, gumbo, brussel sprouts, and beignets. I was expecting to not like any of it from the reviews but I was actually surprised on how tasty everything actually was. The short ribs and meatballs were tasty, maybe a tad saltier than my liking, but not overtly salty. The cod sliders were really good too, with a crunchy crust and flaky cod center. The chicken salad was very flavorful and the portion of the chicken was pretty sizable. The gumbo was nice, flavorful but did not quite blow me away. Everything was good, not great. And from the reviews others have posted I wonder if the taste of the food was not the issue. Portions are smaller than what comparable places serve, and one dish was noticeably small for the price. The cornbread is not really shareable, as the portion size was like a small cupcake. Service was very good, and people seemed to be enjoying their meals. When we were there most of the diners seemed over 50 and we did see a couple get up and leave without eating. It seems like they thought the wait for the server to come over was too long. Overall, all 3 of us thought the food was much better than we expected based on all of the negative reviews I suggest you try this place for yourselves and not give too much weight to the bad reviews. The food options are slim as it is at the M, and Merils gives a good option to the diner that wants a little more variety than just mediocre Italian food, overpriced steaks at a steakhouse, or sports bar items. We tried it, enjoyed our meal, and will be back to try some of the other options next time.

Sarah A.

Not impressed at all. I think Emeril would not be happy either. The pineapple upsidedown cornbread was ok. The bacon pieces on top would have been better if they were thin and crispy instead of thick, hard and chewy. The pasta was swimming in oil. The french fries tasted of heavy oil. The burger I enjoyed and was actually the only thing that was pretty good. I was told they don't cook the burgers to requested temps. Service was super slow and a few of the servers were rude. Our primary server was nice but she was slow too. Atmosphere wise I felt like I was eating in my college dining hall...too open and definitly not a romantic date night place so if you're looking for a place to take your significant other, move on. Overall I was very disappointed.

Vernon H.

EXTREMELY Disappointing Experience; Service and Food Issues. (tldr: We won't be back and would, sadly, not recommend.) We went for lunch today to celebrate a family member's birthday and were PROFOUNDLY disappointed by the back-of-house experience at MERIL. Our party of three was seated quickly and cordially greeted. Orders were placed and then the experience went downhill from there. About 15 minutes later, HALF of one person's order arrived (Gumbo). We waited and about 15 minutes later the other half of their order (Vegetable Flat Bread) arrived. It was pretty burnt. After waiting a while, we told him to start before his food got too cold. We called the server over to ask about the remaining two meals and he went to check. After a while he returned to tell us that he had checked with the kitchen about the status of the remaining meals. By this time, the first diner had completed his meal and parties seated after us were eating their meals. Server returned again to let us know that he had checked on the rest of our meals and was "kicked out of the kitchen" for asking again. We asked for the manager. In the meantime (over an hour after ordering) the Double Cheeseburger, Cod Sliders and two orders of fries arrived. When the manager came by, he apologized for the delay, acknowledged the burnt flat bread and, in his observation, there were other parts of the just-delivered-meals that he "wasn't happy with". He said that the gumbo and flat bread would be removed from our ticket. The taste of the food was just OK, but the cheeseburger had an oddly over-salted spot and the tartar sauce was also over salted. The fries and cod, on the other hand, could have been better seasoned. The aioli and the tartar sauces had sat under a heater for too long-- evidenced by the oxidation of the top surfaces on both. We originally had planned on having Banana Cream Pie for dessert, but decided to pass, not wanting to be disappointed further. We have dined at the original Emeril's in New Orleans and the experience at Meril is nowhere near in quality and taste. Clearly, there are issues in the back-of-house. We won't be back and would, sadly, not recommend.

Jeff C.

Greet first impression of this new local Henderson gem. Saw some of our favorite staff at the bar of this new venue that is still in start up mode. Drinks were very tasty and the menu was very distinct from that of Jayde which we love too. There was a mix of familiar favs with Emeril's obvious touches of the South. We hade the salmon tacos which were beautifully presented, healthy and pretty good but missing a bit of spice for me. The short ribs were very tasty and our appetizer of mussels paired very well with the super airy flatbread that the bartender suggested! Top tip right there!!! As with any dish like this you must have something to "sop up the juices"! All in all this pre Stone Temple Pilots concert dinner was a hit! BTW, dining there would have given the diners prime concert view over the pool ! Next time!