A fun, ultra casual place to enjoy well prepared pub food. Honestly, The Local, George and the Dragon and The Anchor all serve better Fish & Chips. However, Merlins rendition is not at all bad. For hearty comfort food the The Bangers & Mash and the Proper Steak and Mushroom Pie are solid choices. If you're so inclined, they offer a very large selection of Single Malt Scotch and Irish Whiskeys. It can get very loud and crowded. But hey, it's a pub not a library. read more

I will have to try the actual pub fare to give this another go around. I loved the ambiance with the decoration from the British Isles, but I must say that the service could have been better. I ordered something very un-British, which could have been my first mistake. I ordered the Spicy Griller. Dont' get me wrong, I've had plenty of locally grown food from restaurants, but the veggies had a distinctive taste as if they've just been plucked from the earth from which they came. Waiting for the food to come and the waitress not being very friendly makes me think if I do go back, to order from the bar. And to order regular grease-injected pub fare. read more

Friendly waitstaff. Takes the time to explain everything. Very informative about all the menus options. Definitely a must for anyone to check out once. read more

Merlins Rest Pub - Fish & Chips British Style - Burgers Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We were fans of Merlins Rest in the old, normal days, and they're killing it in these new ridiculous Covid days as well. Easy ordering and pickup, quick turnaround times. I had no idea Fish and Chips would travel well and hold up for a 15 minute car ride back home, but they sure do. Can't wait until I can sit in the restaurant and have a beer, but in the meantime, this will definitely do! read more

I like Merlins because it has an authentic feel of the Isles, isn't a mini chain like the Cara pubs, and they have a lot of fun events throughout the week like singalongs, scotch tastings, etc. We went on St Patrick's Day, got a table, enjoyed a fantastic reuben, great selection of beer, and friendly service. We really felt like they tried to accomodate us with seating even though they were busy. The only downside is that the bathroom is teeny and full of awkward moments. But we will be back. If you friend them on facebook, be prepared to have your timeline overwhelmed with their postings. read more

This is a really cool place for many reasons. First they have a great whiskey selection. Next they have really good food. I've tried the fish and chip, a plethora of pies, pasty's, and whatever I can fit into my Irish pie whole! Lastly, they have extremely knowledgeable staff, who also take pride in what they do at Merlyn's. We go here for happy hour, and I also made it there on Christmas this last year. Fun and cute, with a lot of character read more

They've remodeled! The food is even better than before and there is more space for customers and it seems cleaner and more spic and span than ever. read more

Went here a few years back while on vacation If I lived closer I'd be going back often We all had a really great time Fun trivia, good food, excellent crowd/staff and a nice selection of ciders. read more

This place has changed a lot in recent years (and for the better). I remember when they first opened - I felt like the food portions were too small and the prices were too high (and everything was just kind of okay). Maybe they have acculturated to my American desires, but now the portions are generous and the prices are better and they are BUSY. The Macalester Pipe Band also plays here semi-regularly - as a Mac grad this is pretty fun. They have "Irish eggs" (basically Scotch eggs with corned beef) that are awesome. A good whiskey selection too which my mister appreciates. read more

Merlins Rest Pub - Macalester Pipe Band! - Burgers Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is a great spot for me and my friends to meet up! Love the trivia night, as well as the food (tator tots, chips) and StrongBow cider. Great neighborhood place with friendly wait and bar staff. Look forward to dropping by again soon! read more

Amazing food and great whiskey selection. They have live music many nights that is good and not too loud. Great place to grab causal drinks with friends. This fish and chips are amazing! A wonderful neighborhood pub. read more

Merlins Rest Pub - Great beer and a great atmosphere - Burgers Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We have been going to Merlin's for over 10 years and figured we would spread the word. It is very homey pub with great atmosphere. The leather booths are great to sit in. Sometimes they are full and the tables are nice too. They have music quite often. We have heard a bagpipe player and folk groups playing new and traditional songs. We have always had friendly and prompt service. They have a British menu and American food with a English flavor. I love the meat pies, cottage pie, Irish stew and the fish and chips. The roasted brussel sprouts are so good. I don't drink Scotch but they have a huge list. I usually go for a black velvet. Guinness and Strongbow cider. We have always been able to find close parking. Check them out. read more

Without a doubt this place hosts the largest Whisky selection in the Midwest! I am a fan of whisky and seeing how huge the selection is here, I am gonna have to stop by more often to sample some whisky. Entering into the Pub I definitely felt like I was transported to a different land. The interior is exactly like the pubs I've seen from shows and movies. I got a warm feeling being here and sitting at the bar. Sitting myself at the bar I could see the huge whisky selection that this place lays claim to. The bartender handed me over a huge book listing their huge selection of choices! I actually had a very specific whisky in mind and to my glee they had it in stock. I only got a "dram" of my selected whisky due to it's high cost. Even the bartender was shocked not only by the price but wasn't aware that this particular whisky was in stock. For the food I ordered one of their specials of the week, Lamb Samosa Pie! The pie came with greens with is nothing to note on but the Pie was good! The outer crust was very flakey and the inside was soft and crumbly. The vegetables with Indian spices was delicious however the lamb was lacking in it's presence in terms of flavor. I just couldn't taste the lamb which is a shame since I love lamb. But besides that the pie was excellent, next time I'll just try one of their many other pies. To end my meal I ordered a Black and Tan to drink. The bartender did an excellent job at executing the pour and layering the Guinness on top of the Lager. Overall I had a good time. I wasn't too wowed by the food but was blown away by the whisky selection they have available. Service was good and helpful. I would love to return for some more whisky to try and give the pie another try. read more

Sláinte to Merlin's, one of the "pub-iest" pubs in all the Twin Cities, and a great neighborhood joint in Longfellow. You'll be treated well, and I highly recommend sharing a booth with strangers if seating is tight. This is that kind of little community. Though more British pub than Irish, but still plenty of both, you'll find a wide variety of brews and ciders from the Isles, as well as about any type of whiskey and scotch you could ever need (they do tastings regularly). Though I've generally come just for pints of Guinness, the food is decent pub fare. They do a "pie of the month" that's usually quite good, and the pies in general are what I'd consider "standard" (tasty, simple, hearty). Prices are fair. Sometimes you'll hear some random bagpipes or trad music. And be on the look out for Father Joe, a local priest from St. Albert who will talk your ear off if given the chance! read more

Can't recommend highly enough. Every meal I've had came out quickly, piping hot, and delicious. Incredible selection of whiskeys and beers. Staff have always been friendly and attentive. Just know that it gets quite busy and loud on the weekends! read more

Delicious! We had Fish and chips, Scotch eggs and a Pastie. Homemade goodness for sure! Thanks local delicious restaurant. So glad to support! read more

Merlin's Rest did not disappoint, largest selection of Scotch whisky in the state, awesome Euro taps, and dis MF'r. @merlinsrest read more

Merlins Rest Pub - Merlin's Rest did not disappoint, largest selection of Scotch whisky in the state, awesome Euro taps, and dis MF'r. @merlinsrest - Burgers Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

merlins rest is extremely legit. amazing selection of whisk(e)y and all other sorts of booze. Solid offering of every conceptual type of black and tan you could want. Great service, tasty food. Prices are fair. Fantastic pub atmosphere, especially if there are musicians playing in the larger room. My friends and I sat for a couple hours having cocktails and playing cards. Great spot. read more

Whiskey Bible, need to say more??? Great pub food, British Beers, and Whiskey!!! The dessert selection is great but I almost always end you with the Sticky Toffee Pudding, streamed cake with custard sauce and caramel!!! Gets busy at night so you may have to wait for seating but worth it! read more

This pub trivia is NO JOKE. But seriously, it's a traditional pub in every sense of the word. Definite sense of the neighborhood and plenty of variety in seating. Not to mention the same thing every other review mentions: the whisky and hard liquor selection is phenomenal. read more

Unfortunately we just had a bad experience all around. I met my family here for drinks and a couple apps. Apparently when my family walked in (before me) the bartender was rude to them mentioning that they should've made a reservation. Sounds like a strange welcome to me...anyways we all order drinks and I get a mocktail because I'm pregnant. The server told me they could make an N/A version of a cocktail they had on the menu. I said at least twice that I needed it to be non-alcoholic. First sip of my drink and all I taste is cinnamon whiskey...I get mistakes happen so I told our server I believed there was alcohol in it and to double check with the bartender. I got no apology that there was alcohol in it. As he was bringing back the drink and explaining to her, the bartender did not look happy. I was told she would remake the drink so I said ok no rush! The rest of our party showed up and ordered their drinks, all which seemed to take a very long time to make! We didn't complain to the server, as we figured they may be more busy than usual. Our appetizer Reuben tots arrive and the first tot we eat is cold...pretty disappointing as they were $16. The flavor was fine, but just expected them to be at least semi-hot. Our server was busy it seemed, as he didn't come to ask how they tasted. More rounds of drinks took a very long time (ex: my husband ordered a beer when he was current glass was halfway, his next beer didn't arrive until he had an empty glass sitting for at least 5 min). My husbands next beer was not what he ordered either. He ordered a cream ale and got a cider beer. The response he goy from the server was "nobody at this table had cider beer"....yes we understand but could you make sure this is the cream ale we ordered? Again, we understand staff was maybe busier than they were used to, but it still seemed like a long wait and zero apologies for the mistakes. Mind you, this entire time I'm still waiting on my N/A drink to be made and it's been approx a half hour since I was told the bartender was working on it. No water or other beverage was offered to me while I waited and ate our tots. Finally we say something again about my drink a few min later and the server goes "oh let me check on that"....finally I see the bartender start making it. I'm served my drink when everyone else is finally finishing up so I basically had to chug it before we left. It was also a $7 soda which seemed pricey to me. Basically a bottled soda in a glass with ice and topped with whipped cream. None of our party left very happy with the experience. I assure you we will not be back and I wont recommend this place to anyone I know. We were very patient with waits and mistakes, but honestly a little apology goes a long way. Staff just didn't seem to give a crap about us. I'm not a person who typically writes negative reviews but wow... read more

How have I never been here before? Great food fun atmosphere live music on weekends. Funny Irish and Scotsmen dressed up in their garb

My friends & I came here last night for the first time - half of us are from out of town, so we went based on recommendations from the local friend who lives here. The waitress was immediately sour with us as we had placed a reservation for last night online. Apparently they don't update it throughout the day because they're "busy working." Apart from the rude start, the alcohol selection was great, but everything else was subpar. The best food we had was the tater tots & everything else just wasn't very good. One of our orders was put in wrong & we understand that mistakes happen so that didn't bother us. Until he started puking about 1.5 hours later. He stayed up all night with food poisoning. Come today, about 1:30, another person starts puking. So far, only 2 people have gotten food poisoning, but we'll see how it develops for the rest of us. Truthfully, do not recommend eating a single thing that comes out of the kitchen. If you go here, stick to the alcohol. read more

I love this place. Reuben is wonderous, burger was huge. Vinegary greens on the side always hit the spot. Plus... whiskey. So. Much. Whiskey. I thought I knew a bit about scotch but this place reminds me I only know a drop in the bucket - great selection! read more

Merlins is low key the best restaurant in Minneapolis. Their food is so underrated which is part of why I love this place so much. You never have to wait for a table and they have one of the best burgers I've ever eaten. If you like Scotch and/or Whiskey this place is a must visit. They have rare and hard to find varieties available in a full pour or a dram and the bartenders know their stuff. read more

I love Merlin's Rest. The pub atmosphere is so cozy and welcoming right when you enter. From the first time I went, I felt like it was my regular spot. I was so impressed with their drink menu, lots of beers on tap, and of course there's Guinness! I finally found a place where I can order a Snakebite, which makes me incredibly happy! Went on a quiet night but our server was very attentive and had 10/10 bantering skills. Okay the food... also delicious. I had the Shepard's Pie, which is served in a lil cauldron. I don't even know what else to say about this meal because you just need to go try it yourself! Go. Right now. What are you waiting for? read more

The owner was drunk and being a total twat. He was yelling at staff and customers. It killed my vibe big time. Not surprised the bartender walked out. I will not be coming in if owner is at the bar. This place is very cool otherwise. Get it together drunky. Sorry for the 1 star but it had to be said. read more

Extremely rude service from hostess working on 3/9. Several open tables and gave a unwelcoming feeling asked if I'd sit elbow to elbow next to several individuals when I asked to be seated at an open table near the back. I have social anxiety so I prefer to sit with more space when dining in, not sure why she proceeded to suggest I sit in crowded area when there were plenty of open tables. read more

Scotch drinkers, rejoice! When Merlin's Rest says they have the most comprehensive list of Irish and Scotch Whisky in all of Minnesota, well, they really mean it! And be it a tasting of said whiskys at their first Thursday of the month tastings, or a private tasting for two, they'll make sure you have a grand old time. And on a record-breakingly warm January evening, they did just that for my SO and me. Picture the scene: husband's birthday coming up, Kali has just moved to Minnesota, and has no clue what to do with the man! All she knows is that he likes Scotch, and the list better be longer than your average Macallan, Glenmorangie and Talisker. Cut to Kali typing frantically on Yelp.com. "Yelpers," she typed furiously. "I need your help! Husband needs dranky dranxxxx, give me whiskies! Give me MOAR whiskies! NOWWWW!!" Cut to many helpful suggestions and three anxious phonecalls to various owners of fine drinking establishments later, Kali calls Merlin's Rest: "I hear you guys have an incredible selection of whiskys! Can you do a private tasting?". And from that moment on, proprietor Lee Tomlin rose to the occasion magnificently. Not only did Kali feel like she was in safe, knowledgeable whiskey-knowing waters, but in between nuggets of wisdom "if you're in a relationship with a Scotch drinker, you know that there are limitations to their tolerance of smokey and peaty", a tasting of six fine single-malts, where Lee would guide us through the swirls of golden and amber armed with his tasting notes from previous tastings, and the pub's famed Whisky Bible, was organized, and the SO and Kali were all set and ready to go. Cut to Kali and the SO arriving at Merlin's Rest an hour after they said they would. Lee, greets them warmly, and presents, as a little surprise for the surprise tasting, a gentleman named Dennis. Dennis? "Dennis is one of the guys who leads our tastings every month, he just happened to be available, so I called him in to guide your tasting." Cut to Kali's jaw dropping open. A pub-owner going above and beyond? It cannot be! But Dennis it was, and a knowledgeable, entertaining, thirst-quenching evening was had by all as the SO and Dennis worked their decided way through measures of Arran Sassicaia, Scapa 16, Glenfarclas 105, Mortlach 15, Royal Lochnagar and Old Puteney 21. Arran was decided as the star of the evening with the Glenfarclas 105 and Old Puteney 21 vying for second place. Interspersed throughout this montage of swirly swirls and appreciative grunts: Lee and server James checking up on the drinkers, warmly and regularly. Climax: Kali sweating bullets as thoughts of $$$ play on her mind, until she gets the check and is very pleasantly surprised. Hearts and heads singing, Kali and SO step out into the warm January night, thoroughly impressed with Merlin's Rest. read more

ALERT! ALERT! I'm newly obsessed with Merlins. I ate there twice last week and ate my fair share of 3 different meals. 1. STEAK AND STILTON. I had no idea what stilton even was, thus I was particularly tickled to find that it was a blue cheese. This pie has the perfect crust, the perfect steak, and perfect cheese. It is a luxury pie. I have not stopped thinking about it since I ate it. I shared it last time, but I will certainly have my own next time. 2. Lamb sliders. These. are. so. good. The patties themselves are great and they are perfectly dressed with a balsamic glaze and some magic yogurt sauce. The salad that comes with it is also simple and delightful. 3. Cheese vegetable soup. If this is the soup of the day, you have stumbled into a lucky situation. Unless you don't like mushrooms, because they are one of the main vegetables. But really, I was sad to see the bottom of the bowl, this soup was incredible. extra. I've never had the fish and chips so I can't fairly rank them, but my dad gets them every time we go here and they are his favorite fish and chips in town. He's a picky traditionalist so I think that's saying something. read more

Merlin's is one of my favorite places for a low-key night out or a greasy hangover breakfast. Their traditional Irish/Scottish/British breakfast and a Bloody Merlin will put you right back on your feet. BONUS: During the summer you can snag an outdoor table and watch the world go by on Lake st. As for nightlife...I was here again last Friday and the place was pretty packed with people from all walks of life. A lovely Irish band sat in the corner providing some great atmosphere. Merlin's is a great place to catch up on some convo, meet new friends, or just admire the music and people watch. read more

Great beer selection we sat at the bar so the food service was outstanding. Good pub food, thanks.

Good English food in a very casual neighborhood pub setting.. Lots of beer choices. I return here fairly often for their sausage rolls. Usually I really enjoy their dishes although on my last visit I had their bangers and mash. Not impressed. The mashed potatoes were runny (potato buds?) and could not hold up to the thin gravy. The bangers (sausage links) were fine but from my English background I'd say the both the potatoes and the gravy need to be thicker and more substantive. Still, that might be my taste. Most food here is excellent. Trivia fun and some nights and a bagpiper occasionally. Check their website. Off street parking only. read more

A giant selection of whiskey (mostly Scotch but a good size Irish collection as well) isn't the only reason to come to Merlin's Rest. The food and service and atmosphere were all awesome as well. I got The Duke, a stacked sandwich with thick-cut ham and turkey with bacon, sprouts, Swiss and a tangy mustard-mayonnaise mix (also comes with tomatoes but I took mine without). Paired with a cider and it was a perfect, filling meal that I still think about. I hope to come back soon for some live music, trivia, or one of the Scotch tasting events. Update: The Duke is no longer on the menu and my waitress had never heard of it so that's disappointing. Go for the Earl of Sandwich instead, with a side of tots. read more

Scotch for dayssss. Anything you can think of. Their Smokey Martini is my favorite drink, and the food is perfect if you're looking for a bit of British cuisine. We come here often and will continue to return. read more

I ended up here randomly after searching "fish and chips" in Yelp. I've driven by the place many times but never thought of going in, but I'm really glad I did. When we first walked in early on a Saturday night the place was silent, but packed. I looked in and saw that an entire side of the place was full of people watching Dr. Who, not a single person was talking. For the uninitiated, Dr. Who is a British sci-fi series with a cult following. This was a good sign as it showed me this wasn't your typical bar. We sat down at the really cool booths and checked out the British knick knacks on the walls - much of it is really interesting. The place is dark and very relaxed and seems to have a lot of regulars. They've got lots of good beers and booze. I ordered a Bells IPA to go with my fish and chips. The fish and chips were really good. Normally I douse mine with extra vinegar, these didn't need anything added to them. They were served with a nice tartar sauce which tasted like it had wasabi in it. I'll definitely be back. I'd recommend this place to nerds, Anglophiles, alcoholics and lovers of British comfort food. read more

The fact that I have never been here is just wrong. I want to correct that. I was here for their first ever readings of Noir at the Bar. It was very successful. It was also funny that another event of female Morris dancers was going on outside simultaneously. I had an absolutely delicious cottage pie. I sampled the highland steak pie. It's soaked in some kind of very strong booze. The service was great. The bathroom is funny in an almost tag team type way. I love the menu and even want to try the vegetarian items too. They even have the loud broad at the bar, that reminded me a little of the Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact. Definitely a local pub vibe. Will definitely make up for lost time. read more

Whiskey Heaven. Tasty food incredible selection of whiskey, friendly neighborhood pub.

Dismal and abysmal. I've never had to use both of those words in the same sentence before but I guess there's a first time for everything. Perhaps one needs to be drunk in order to appreciate this place. Based upon the amount of + reviews, perhaps most have never ordered their food? Been there a couple times. Today I ordered their Reuben with 'seasoned' fries. Who doesn't love a good reuben or patty melt, right? Especially from a pub! In their defense, the corned beef and the bread was absolutely delicious. But the rest of the sandwich wasn't much fun to eat. (esp the weird dressing). And their idea of seasoned fries are the typical crappy, plain, square-cut, no skin, naked-type but I guess the garnish of 15 flecks of chopped green parsley constitutes a seasoning (but not even any salt). I asked the server about it and all he offered was a question asking if I wanted to order something else. Damn. Also, the warmer weather today made the various off-colored odors from the bar even more prominent, which didn't necessarily lend themselves to improve the experience. I was in a good mood when I arrived for lunch but felt a little dirty and definitely underwhelmed when I left after spending $19 for lunch including tip and a soda which never got refilled. read more

I've only been here once, but I'm already a superfan. First, absolutely love the decor! The wood counter and booths, the detailing...everything. It doesn't have any sort of cheesy pub feel, nor does it feel super yeah-college douchebag-ish. It feels authentic, warm, and welcoming. The scotch menu is HUGE and very impressive. I've heard the meat pies and fish & chips are delicious. I could EASILY see myself hanging out there again in the future. I also want to add that I think Merlin's prices are COMPLETELY fair, especially for non-rail liquor beverages. To anyone who pays less than $5 for a non-rail drink during non-happy hour times at a non-dive bar in Minneapolis, please give me the name of those bars...I've been kinda broke lately and could definitely use the discount. And calling the area "sketchy"?? It's Longfellow/Cooper! If you want to call old hippies working on their gardens "sketchy", be my guest. Unless you're referring to the neighborhood's ethnic diversity...then that's your problem. read more