I had my 60th birthday dinner at Merlin. Shay was our server. We had the dumplings, lobster and dragon fire. They were delicious. My husband and son had beef curry and I had the fried rice. Food was great. Atmosphere was great. They even brought me a bundt cake and bottle of wine for my dessert. First time I was given a bottle of wine. Love this place and will be coming back. Loved our server. read more

Merlion - My birthday cake - Thai Near Me - Seabrook, Texas

Food was fair. Martinis $7 at the bar. If you sit 12 feet away at a table you pay 15. I ordered at the bar and still had to pay 15. Never again. read more

5/5 every single time. For starters, the wine list is absolutely incredible. If you need some assistance choosing something, just ask for their sommelier to help. This time around we knew we wanted to try something different. As an appetizer we got the Dragon Fire Dumplings. Don't let the name fool you. They aren't spicy but the flavors are out of this world. Very bright and vibrant, fresh herbs. You can definitely taste the lemongrass. Then, we got the raad prick chefs special. With Panko fried redfish, mussels and scallops. Omg. Get it! We finished off with the pineapple bread pudding which was made from decadent crescents. My husband and I shared everything and had plenty. Take your time here. Enjoy the wine, food, and company. If you don't have a date, treat yourself and sit at the amazing bar while you eat. read more

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Love this place , favorite of mine ! Have been going here to celebrate many occasions and it has never disappointed.

Don't waste your time! We arrived for Happy Hour at 5:03 on Friday and they had the whole bar reserved with no signage or notice. read more

We went for apps and drinks and our food was wonderful! Clay was our bartender and server who recommended a perfect mocktail for me! Great girls date. read more

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Came here for our 11 yr anniversary, first impressions were we loved the intimate feel of the place and I loved that there was a menu dedicated to martinis !!! We ordered the chefs table after a recommendation with a spice level of 4/5 : first course was a shrimp / asparagus dish - good not great , 2nd course was soup - 1 was a bisque , other was a shrimp pho type and it was amazing ! Both were good but I leaned more towards that second one . 3rd was salads : 1 was a beef green type ( did not like it bc I hate goat cheese and it was covered in it ) other was like zoodles with shrimp And it was ok . 4th isn't remembered.. but I was so full by this point . Dessert was the only thing I hated - I watched " Normal " desserts pass all night and we ended up with sticky milk pudding ? It was so gross I couldn't eat it . But admittedly rice pudding type stuff isn't my cup of tea - when our waitress asked I was honest and told her I thought it was inedible and her response was ah that's too bad lol but I guess that's the risk you take with the chefs table . Would definitely recommend this place but probably wouldn't get the chefs table again . Drinks ordered : blueberry basil martini , espresso martini , key lime martini , lemon drop . All good but blueberry was the winner . read more

Merlion - Drink menu - Thai Near Me - Seabrook, Texas

Loved this place! We had our eye out for a while and finally made it in. We made reservations in the Bar area and we loved it we sat at a low table instead of bar stools so it was very comfy. We basically went to try happy hour before committing to a dinner. We had the soft shell crab I love soft shell crab and this was delish! Mussels were very nicely done and also delish! The spring rolls were fresh and divine. This was a birthday celebration and they had rose petals set up and brought out a nice desert! The customer service was quick, witty and outstanding. The dining room is separated from the bar with a door in between, that was a cool idea. Very clean bathrooms! read more

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Omg it has been years since I have been here. But this place is still so good the menu did have the old Valentine menu in it and was not honored but the service we had from Maze was amazing!!! I so appreciated he attention to detail and how she worked with my date and his complicated order. (first date) service 10 atmosphere 8 food 9 drinks 9. I will def be back! read more

Order was wrong. I ordered no spice and they made my curry extra spicy. I even told the waitress and they did nothing about it. I had a shirt that showed a little bit of my stomach (I weigh 125 lbs) that was up to my neckline, no v cut nothing and they told me I was not allowed in ... but I could sit at bar. Will not go back. I liked the old place it used to be. I live in montrose and drove in for the good experience I remember and apparently that is long gone... oh and the lady who told me I couldn't come in with my shirt had a tight, open back exposed shirt with a bunch of tattoos. Still paid 200 and gave a decent tip because I can afford your clown show. read more

Gosh this place is terrible! We tried it once and figured it takes an hour for entrees as is it a one off. I personally didn't care for the food. It just tasted like burning spice. My grandma came from out of town and is vegan so we decided to go again. Entrees again took over an hour. The waiter even came and asked how everything was, but we hadn't even had our food served yet! This place is very disorganized and the excuse is that everything is made to order. Rice only takes 20 mins max to cook so why does it take an hour! Not only the wait was frustrating twice but the food is terrible. Take note of the 5 star reviews, those customers state they have never eaten Thai food before.. read more

Normally, I love this restaurant. However, last night we went for a birthday celebration and service was very off. We ordered our drinks and after about 10 minutes two drinks were brought in. We were a party of eight. Every so many minutes two more drinks would come, and some of the drinks were the wrong drinks. We hadn't even ordered food yet, but it was very stressful. Wondering if we would even all get our drinks. Then when the food arrived, some of the items were incorrect and cold. This has never happened here before and I don't know what was going on. Our reservation was at seven and it took us until 10 pm to be finished paid and out. On top of that the 20% automatic gratuity was not deserved because of the poor service. read more

This place is hands down the best Thai place I've ever been to for a multitude of reasons! Firstly, the stars of the show are truly the appetizers. They have the best and most unique appetizers I've ever had from a Thai restaurant! So so delicious and elevated flavors for each app we got. My group got the lobster and goat cheese dumplings (amazing delicious and creamy curry sauce. Almost like a ravioli but Thai inspired.), the ahi tuna with fried rice (fresh tasting tuna with a yummy soy based sauced enhanced with their fried rice), New Zealand mussels (again, the sauce is AMAZING, creamy, rich and the butter toasted bread they have atop makes it even more decadently delicious.), and the dragon fire dumplings (very solid, flavorful, and juicy dumplings). For all of these, the sauces were so elevated and delicious. We even asked for extra butter toasted bread to soak more of it up! The first two I mentioned were off menu apps. We wanted to try ALL OF THEM. Be sure to keep your ears peeled when you're ordering for the off menu apps. The entrees were great! Nothing to complain about for the three types of curries we tried. Definitely know your spice level you want and ask the waiter how spicy are the peppers today in the curries since they vary. The red curry was my personal favorite since it was more mild in spice (Altho I love spicy) the coconut milk infused curry in the red curry was the best in my opinion. The drinks, also were awesome! After two martinis I was definitely feeling it and they have the largest assortment of martinis I've ever seen! The ambiance of the place surprised me. When you first walk in you almost feel like you're at a club/bar type of restaurant but then they take you to a different section and BAM it's an upscale dinner. Truly shocked me! Our waiter Michael B was amazing and so attentive and fun! He made the overall dining experience very pleasant. Also I would totally come here if y'all are celebrating any special events like birthdays, graduations, etc. We had much to celebrate and they give a nothing Bundt cakes bundtlet with also a bottle of champagne! How baller is that! Overall we all had an amazing experience at this place and will definitely be back. :) read more

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This is still our favorite date night spot! I always get the Pad Thai with beef or chicken and my husband always gets the Raad Prick with Red Snapper. We also always get the Satay & Crab Cream Cheese Rolls for appetizers. This time I found a new favorite drink other than my usual Mermaids Tail -- the Pop Rock & Drop it! read more

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My husband and I went to Merlion due to all the hype surrounding the establishment. We thought we would be in for a traditional Thai meal. Thai has been my favorite cuisine for over 25 yrs. You can truly experience this cuisine and it's many flavors if you find the right place. I've gone to every Thai spot surrounding the Kemah area and frequented a lot of spots in Houston. Trust and believe I know good Thai food! We were greeted and sat immediately due to our reservation made on open table. Our server Kendal greeted us, took our drink orders even giving me a sample of a wine. Once the drinks were brought out we placed our orders. She asked, "would you like for me to space out your entree from the appetizer". I was thinking who wants their apps with their entree. So I told her sure. Once we placed our order we only saw her once and that was to receive our appetizer. The time between the appetizer and the entree was 45mins. Didn't see her at all but saw the man refilling waters 3x. The table next to us had amazing service. They had 3 rounds of drinks before we got our entree. And I know "It's HRW". I understand as I've worked the food and beverage industry 20yrs, including being a GM in EADO. But timing is everything. And above all keeping the customer updated on their meal is important. We were left in limbo. At one point even tempted to pay for our apps and drinks and go. But we held out because we wanted to try the food. The food- We had the Calamari for starters. AMAZING. Great portion, great taste, great texture. Then the Thai Deviled Eggs. What TF was I thinking. Those eggs were flavorless. I wanted to add salt and pepper but there was none on the table and our server was MIA. My husband order the Beef Panang and I had the Roasted Duck Kang Kari. The taste was spot on, however the texture of both curries were too thick. Another issue we had with the curries is how overwhelming the added ingredients were. How are we to truly enjoy the protein in our meal if all the additives are overwhelming? I get the people will fuss if it's too little but my husband scooped out all his avocados because he knew he was going to have leftovers and didn't want the avocados to get bad. However by the time he finished eating the avocados, he was full and it appeared that half the dish was the avocados. He probably was able to fit in a single bite of beef. The roasted duck curry tasted amazing however the cashews was a bit much. To this day I've never had or seen curries with Avocados and cashews in them. But hey, to each their own. Now the dessert. Baby baby baby, if I tell you this was the most disappointing part of this entire visit. How do you mess up sticky rice and mango. This dessert is a staple in Thai cuisine. The mango was sweet, but the rice with what was suppose to be coconut milk was a miss. The milk was sooo watery and not sweet enough. Overall, I would give this spot an honest 6/10, my husband says 5/10 as he is saying his stomach is upset now. Glad we got to experience this but we will stick to the traditional Thai spots as this place is like a fusion of inexperienced taste buds in the cuisine and someone trying to experiment with the cuisine IN MY OPINION. Update- I just told my husband, "thanks for dinner". He laughed historically and told me to shut up. read more

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Wow ... we took a chance on this place for our monthly girls night after some random recommendations ... and we are SO GLAD we did! Don't think twice about coming here ... just GO! Our waiter was EXCEPTIONAL! He talked us through the menu and gave us recommendations based off our taste. The two appetizers we got, he said they were the most popular and after eating them, we could see why ... we got the dragon fire dumpling and the por pia ... both excellent! For dinner one of us ordered the red curry dish and the other the pad Thai ... both are probably the most common Thai dishes to order, so we wanted to see what Merlion was about! Holy WOW!!! First, the slice level ... BE CAREFUL ... we both got a 2, after being talked down from a 3 ... he said their peppers right now were VERY Spicy and he was not lying! A 2 was closer to a 4 or a 5 at most places! The flavors were SO good, I can't even describe it, you will have to go for yourself! I ended up bringing home fried rice (also another recommendation) for my husband ... he loved it so much that we are going to go back for our anniversary in a few weeks! We decided this is going to be our new monthly girls night ... we are going to split a few appetizers, split an order of fried rice, get a bottle of wine and be set! I cannot wait to go back!! read more

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Top shelf Thai. Our salad was absolutely delicious and the drinks were spot on. Service was good. Vibe is cool.

Merlion is one of our favorite restaurants. The service is great and the food is always amazing. Celebrated my 50th birthday there tonight with friends. Everything was wonderful as always. And if you like your food spicy, this is top notch. Their curry is fantastic and fried rice is some of the best. Portions are large for leftovers too which is always a bonus. read more

Fresh, creative dishes and the service is always on point! Never have I had any negative experiences. Can't wait to visit again! Perfection!

This is always a great place. The food and atmosphere are amazing. Their happy hour is the bomb!

We absolutely enjoyed our visit. The ambiance is relaxed yet on the nicer side. The menu is extensive with many interesting dishes to choose from. The bar tenders are great and the selection of spirits is great. We will definitely be back. Staff was attentive and helpful with personal takes on the menu items. We will be back soon. read more

First time. Won't be back. Waiter was not knowledgeable. They could not make a side of Massuman sauce and the waiter didn't even know how to pronounce it? The dish was so spicy we couldn't eat it after he asked us how much spice we wanted and we told him very little....Waiter never commented that we didn't eat much? Didn't care. Rice was over cooked. Brooke...sometimes you don't want to deal with stupid people. I know the waiter knew we were not happy. He did not tell us the sauce could not be made. Just brought the dish out and was going to leave. I asked him for the sauce. I suspect he forgot to ask because he left the table and went to get it. He forgot to ask and never came by to let us know. I have never been to a Thai restaurant that doesn't have the sauce for any dish. It's simple he was bad. Not going to be back and your rude. Part of the meal should have been refunded as when the waiter asked how much spice and we say a 1 out of 5 and it comes to us a 5. And your rude. The customer is always right. End of discussion. read more

Drove in from Galveston to meet my bestie for a (pre) BD celebratory dinner at 7p on a Sunday-Funday night!!! Merlion (mermaid/lion = Merlion pronounced as such) is an old home with local art work throughout ...dimly lit with white table linens. (They also have outside seating as well) We had a drink at the bar; Kelly (server 0011) was the bartender. She is sweet and talkative...but, not too talkative (know what I mean?!) great combo for that type of job. I got a lemon drop martini (which is a top fav of mine) but, this one was just too strong...no flavor other than vodka! ( I mean it had a slight lemon taste AFTER I squeezed the lemon wedge in it!!) I wouldn't get it again because i like them to taste like a sweet lemonade of sorts. We were seated in the back by the kitchen (which at times was a tad loud but, on the other hand, everyone gets along really well!!) LOL! Hey, that's a good thing in a small restaurant so I ain't mad at ya! Server was Bryan (server 0003) he was cute (teehee, I'm not dead!!!) knowledgeable and efficient throughout our 2 hour stay. We started with vino and appys. Ordered the egg rolls and the dumplings and yes, girl, yeess they were all the rave!! (Could of ate a ton more) The wine...riesling (Skyfalls-from Washington state) friend loved it. I had a red blend ...I didn't like mine...it was called, Baracchi O'Lillo from Italy) combo of merlot, syrah, cabernet and sangiovese---meh, not robust enough for my taste. Don't recommend. Note--Red-White-Rose-Sparkling wine list is extensive. Main course---Pad Bai Gapro (Thai basil wok stir fry in oyster sauce w-shrimp, scallops and crawfish--the hot level for my Cajun friend..."4"...(iron stomach) she LOCED it! I had Thai Peanut (red) Curry sauce over lamb (should of gotten shrimp) I liked it a lot don't get me wrong , I ate it all (no lie) but, I would of liked it more w/shrimp...Why? the lamb was in big chunks which made it "chewy" to eat...smaller tender pieces is my suggestion, chef! What happened next was a NICE surprise; Bryan brought me a mini chocolate "nothing bundt" cake with "happy birthday" on the plate!!! Excellent! THEN...as we were about to leave...he handed me a bottle of complimentary Wycliffe champagne!! I was highly impressed with Merlion for going the extra mile to make people smile with these lovely treats and for Bryan being thoughtful enough to have listened to know that's why we were out to dinner in the first place. Bravo Merlion, bravo. Keep up the delicious food, customer enjoyment and great friendly staff. EAT LOCAL SUPPORT LOCAL read more

Went here for the first time for my birthday. I was a little nervous because I've never had thai food but OMG! Not only was the food amazing but the entire experience. I had the Merlion peanut sauce curry, seafood combination and it was to die for. Our waiter Michael was awesome and super helpful while we took forever to order. For my birthday they had rose petals on the table, brought out a cake with a candle and gave us complementary sparkling wine. I will definitely be returning! read more

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Purchased a gift certificate for my brothers bday from Los Angeles and it was so simple. They sent him a text message and he was able to go and have a bday dinner with his wife. I have ate here once and it was phenomenal. I'll be going back at Christmas when I'm home for holidays in Texas. The Thai restaurant wars here in L.A. would have some serious competition if Merlion came to town, read more

Wait time is very long! The waitress was very rude and unapologetic for long wait time after we ordered food. We just payed for the starter and left. Do not recommend. Very poor customer service:( read more

Despite my dislike of spicy foods, I cannot help myself when it comes to Merlion's Panang (Thick creamy Thai curry w/avocado & bamboo shoots). I have tried it with lobster as well as chicken and find them both delicious. Ashamed to admit that I have to order the heat level at zero (0), because even a one (1) is a little to hot for my no-spicy palate; but, even if they wouldn't offer this, I would go back for more. This is one of my favorite dishes, and I always look forward to a return visit to Merlion. read more

Merlion (Mer like Mermaid & Lion like lion) is a hidden gem Thai restaurant in old Seabrook, TX. It is located just blocks from Galveston Bay but does not have a water view. You'll simply have to settle on a house turned into a Thai restaurant with excellent food. Reservations are recommended. Up until this point, my expertise level of Thai food is that it can be hot. Merlion is no exception. Their spice levels are based on a numbered system from 1-5, with 1 being "mild" and 5 being "I'll have flames shooting from my rectum later." Follow our waitresses advice when she said order low. They can always make it hotter but can't take the fire out once it is in. Our party of four ordered everything as a level 1 and shared all of our dishes family style. We started with a Satay chicken skewer which is served with a house peanut sauce sent my tastebuds dancing around the room. I am a huge fan of peanut sauce and this one is very good. From the wok, we had the Pad Med Mammuang with beef. It comes with a hoisen based sauce that is delicious. In addition we had Raad Prick which is a red basil curry with shrimp. I think this was my favorite dish. The Merlion Thai Peanut Sauce Curry with beef was good but personally, I think it would have been better with chicken. I will order it with chicken next time. The curry dishes can be ordered with your choice of protein including: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck, shrimp. This is not all of them but the others can be more expensive (market price) and include wild game and and Kobe beef. They also have one room of this house converted into a full bar. The wine list is pretty extensive but my knowledge of wines is limited to " I know they come in red and white." I'll let someone else delve into the wine portion of the review. Bottom line: We came to Merlion on the recommendation from a friend. It was absolutely delicious. We will be back soon. An easy five stars on this one. You should bookmark this place and plan on coming soon. I don't think you will be disappointed. Bon appétit. read more

We love their happy hour drink and menu, but the music is way way way too loud. The base gives us a headache, and it is hard to have a conversation on top of the loud music so everything in there ends up being very, very noisy.!! if they would change the type of music that might help and down a bit! we love going there for food, but it is very difficult to visit with our friends there above the loud music! read more

I have eaten here maybe 4 or 5 times and after a series of exceptional experiences I had to finally leave a review. Listen, Thai food isn't for everyone. But this food and service here is outstanding. I haven't had anything here I didn't love. The drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts are all amazing. The service is incredible. The atmosphere is unique and great. Love love love this place! read more

Super cool atmosphere, food was good, family was happy, low key fancy but whatever. Quick service

Zero regard for customer service. Very underwhelming food. Go elsewhere. Wish they cared a little more.

Wow!! Blown away!! We visited Merlion during Houston restaurant week on a Friday night. We made a reservation and were seated promptly during our reserved time. Prior to being seated, we sat at the bar for a drink and Liz took care of us. My husband had an old fashioned and I wanted something spicy so Liz recommended a jalapeño lemon drop (not on menu but divine!). We both thoroughly enjoyed Liz's hospitality! I had the dragon fire dumplings from the Houston restaurant week and it was AMAZING!! The broth it's in, omg! Fantastic. Don't think, just order it! Hubby ordered the pad Thai with sirloin and he said it's the BEST he's ever had!! I had the chicken panang curry with avocado and bamboo shoots. Omg it's so good. I'm wondering what took us so long to try this place and can't wait to return!!!! read more

Love this place! Cant say enough about the food here. Always fresh ingredients makes it even better. The fire dragon dumplings shouldn't be missed. Also, the panang is killer. I get mine with snapper or redfish whichever is offered. We've also tried chicken and shrimp. Really doesn't matter. Panang is great and whichever protein you choose will be incredibly fresh. They're also very good at setting up for special events like birthdays. Go there often. read more

I absolutely love Merlion and it's new location! We arrived early last night and got a drink at the bar. Liz, the bartender, was so friendly! I ordered a glass of Jolete Pinot Gris and my spouse ordered the blueberry basil martini. Oh gosh, I had a sip of the martini and it was absolutely to die for!! Liz highly recommended the dumplings, so we ordered those. Delicious!! Once The rest of our party arrived, we sat at our table. I got my usual Kang Ped with chicken, spice level 2 (they said the peppers were warmer), and as always, it was so good!! However, the spice wasn't nearly enough for me so I found myself putting a lot more spice on it. I finished the night with Juggernaut Cabernet Sauvignon and it was delightful! The give you a dessert and bottle of champagne on your birthday, which is a nice touch! read more

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love their happy hour. great appetizers. everything tasted super delicious. great service and nice environment. i'll be back!'

Atmosphere is great, food is better. The chef Andrew is simply fantastic and professional. If constructive criticism were asked of us, maybe the only thing would be to add additional items to the menu, literally because we go there so much so maybe it's OK to the average customer but for repeat customers may be a little bigger menu other than that this place is fantastic, clean, and well managed from the ownership all the way down. read more

Perfect date night spot, for special occasions! Delicious Bacon Cheeseburger; love how they blend the bacon into the burger! Seagull eggs are delicious too! Don't miss their chocolate shake either! read more

Amazing tasty food that is made in the traditional Thai way. Elevated dining experience with friendly staff who have great recommendations. We go a lot of take out here to get our Thai fix, but if you want a place for date night or a special occasion, this is a hidden gem. read more

Do not go during covid - staff is not enforcing masks in common areas. I came to pick up food and there were maskless people in the entry way where I HAD to go to pick up my food. I will not be returning to a business that isn't taking the health and safety of the community it serves seriously. I can't respond to comments, but I will say I did not feel safe. The individual sitting in the common area was not actively speaking to anyone. He was sitting in silence without a mask. I'm sorry you feel my review was not justified - I cannot change how it made me feel to share a small space with someone not wearing a mask and for the staff not to request that he put his mask back on while not speaking, or request to speak in an area where they would not make other guests uncomfortable. read more