Skeets used to have two restaurants in Abilene, but both of them have closed. Now we drive about 10 miles to Merkel because we enjoy the food so much. We usually start with fried mushrooms and ranch, because they are so good! They have several different hamburgers That are really good if that's what you're in the mood for. I have two favorites. First is the seafood platter. Two different kinds of battered fish and shrimp, always freshly fried and delicious. My second favorite is the vegetable chicken, which is a chicken breast covered in queso and then covered in sautéed vegetables. This dish is absolutely delicious! I normally get it every other time! Of course, the chicken fried steak is always good, be sure not to pass it up! Skeet's is certainly not a fancy place, but the food is sure worth it! Meet you there! read more

See all

This has become a staple for lunch since we have been here a week. Great people and plenty of seating. The Lemon breast chicken is my all time favorite. Only wish is for lemonade but that's not a choice. Fairly priced and good portion sizes. read more

See all

Wow what a bowl of chips and salsa, very large. I also got a grilled chicken salad with raspberry vinaigrette. The vinaigrette was thick and had a good flavor. The chicken on the salad was very good and not dry. The only weird thing was the dill pickles on the side, does not really go with a salad. The service was phenomenal with our waitress coming by every few minutes checking on us and refilling our drinks. This is a small quaint little restaurant of the highway. The parking lot is large but the dining was a bit small, that added to its charm. A big dining room would take away from the charm of the old building. read more

My food was amazing I loved the interior of this place but what really ruined the mood for me was the woman that was my waiter was extremely rude to me not to mention I smelt weed on her she has like split hair colors I would love to give this place 5 stars but this gets 3 stars only because of the service read more

We went on a Friday evening at 7, and were a party of 4 adults and 1 infant (high chair). The whole reason we decided on this restaurant was because the special was "half priced appetizers". We ordered the chips & queso, and 2 orders of the fried mushrooms. The queso was not good. It got hard almost immediately (velveeta maybe???). Fried mushrooms were delicious. I got the chicken fried steak, loaded baked potato & green beans 10/10! My mom got the kid's chicken tender with mashed potatoes, my husband got the grilled fish with veggies and fries (never got the fries) and my dad got the fajita steak salad, all 10/10. No photos of the meal because of the following: The main issue here and reason for the score was the HEAT! For context, it's August 1st in West Texas. The temperature outside was upwards of 100 degrees today. At Skeet's today, the AC was broken and instead of closing for the evening, the show went on. The dining area was scorching. It wasn't until we asked if it was always this hot did our very pregnant waitress inform us that the AC was broken. It ruined the entire experience. My baby's cheek's were so red and we were all sweating. Had we not driven from Abjlene to Merkel, & ordered before were informed of the AC troubles, we would've left. read more

It's Ok. Food is nothing special even the chicken fried steak. Not the same old chain food just keep your expectations down. Friendly folks. read more

Our group went in on Friday (they serve ribeye steaks on Friday and Saturday). For Apps we tried the queso (it was simple but flavorful) and the fried pickles (super crispy and delicious homemade pickles). We ordered three steaks and one burger. All were delicious. The steaks were flavorful covered in a delicious marinade, though they had other options if you didn't want the marinade. It's a country restaurant so you're not going for the decor or vibe, but if you want good food at very fair price and friendly service I can't recommend it enough! read more

Stopped here for a late lunch. Food and service were great. The onion rings were handmade, hot and crispy. Recommend the Santa Fe Burger. It was delicious. read more

I food here is great! Highly recommend stopping by and trying something. I had the Beef fajitas with a tea and I had no complaints what so ever. Friendly staff and the food didn't take forever to come out! read more

I have personally never had a bad meal at Skeets. The building could use some up dating.

I have driven past this restaurant for years and never thought much of it. However, last week I stopped in with a coworker because he had heard how good it was. Well, his tip was correct. This little gem tucked away beside the interstate in sleepy Merkel, TX is an absolute STAR! We got the fajitas and they were excellent. The fried mushrooms were some of the best I have had. We saw a couple of Chicken Fried Steak dinners and they looked awesome as well. We will definitely be back. They can get busy at lunch but don't let that deter you. And if you're in Abilene, drive on out west and try out Skeet's....you'll be glad you did! read more

The food was delicious!!! Peppered ribeye and fried fish and chicken tenders were so good. If I ever come back through I will stop here again! read more

Normally, I would give them higher ratings. They have redone their menu. The choices are fair and prices are very reasonable. However, I got a chicken fried steak today and it is the worst one I've ever had. Gristle is in every bit. Tastes great if you only want to chew the meat a while and then spit it out. The baked potato seemed old and not fully cooked. The salad and onion rings were good and that is all. So very disappointed and never going back. No more coconut pie. read more

Best chicken fried stake in Texas. I don't know what this location does, but their food is just better. Been eating here for years and it is always a great. The food is great and the prices are too. read more

See all

Feels like home meals!! We love coming here when the day was too long to cook. Grilled fish is my favorite!!

Skeets has been around for a long time. The food is simple but amazing. If you like consistency then you have come to the right place. Every time you order something it comes out just like you ordered it. The fried mushrooms are my favorite! The only thing that I think could be better was that it were in Abilene. I miss being able to go there more often. read more

Awesome food!! Delicious seasoned chicken quesadilla served with very nice guacamole- not creamy gunk. Tea was brewed perfectly! Wait staff wonderful and attentive. Perfect timing. Tables were quickly cleaned and floor swept. Jackson was a great waiter. Enjoyed our meal for first time in ages!! read more

Merkel Texas is our favorite get away place, and Skeet's is by far our favorite restaurant! The food and service is always spot on! The bathrooms seem to always be broken... but that's no problem with the food being absolutely amazing!! The fajitas were fantastic and came with chips and hot sauce. The chicken fried chicken, french fries, and coleslaw are a classic and always spot on! I definitely recommend this place to anyone passing through this beautiful small town! read more

Skeet's Texas Grill - New American Near Me - Merkel, Texas

See all

Service extremely friendly. We stopped by on a road trip pulling our 40ft toy hauler. Which can be a pain to find parking or decent meals when you're tired of truck stop fast food and snacks. My husband got the BBQ chicken plate with sides and he really enjoyed it. I got the trio of fajitas and it was beyond amazing. The best fajitas I've ever had. The flavor and char from the skillet. Definitely recommend if driving through Texas. read more

Had the chicken fajitas and man that seasoning was good on there. Friend had a cheeseburger he liked it. Old man across the way ate a plate of fried fish and he seemed to be tickled pink about it. Is there anything this place doesn't have? The answer is no. And most of it is good from what i gather, service was good everyone real nice. read more

Swept past Abilene from Dallas too fast to find a spot to eat. Spied this place off of the interstate and it was surrounded by cars and trucks. First impression was it was small ....like a diner. The bathrooms were.....not very nice. The toilets looked like they hadn't been cleaned in awhile. The floors were sticky.... But.... The food was delicious! My husband devoured the chicken fried steak and I loved the steak burger! read more

There is something to be said for a restaurant's bathroom. I was horrified when I walked into the women's restroom. Partially flooded, 1 non-working toilet that is filled to the brim with brown water. The other stall is also partially flooded. As a nurse, I'm also thinking to myself, how is anyone washing their hands in here and coming out clean? I had my boyfriend guard the men's restroom just so I could go. Men's restroom was only margianlly cleaner. Mind you, this is BEFORE we ate. Big mistake! I couldnt even eat after that. The thought of anyone using that bathroom was appauling. never coming back! read more

Burgers and onion rings are really good, but don't expect friendly service if you arrive after 8:30 pm. Suppose to close at 9 pm, but will shut off the open sign early to deter patrons from coming in and will refuse to serve you if you arrive ten minutes before closing. Two gentlemen called to check closing prior to arriving and were turned away! Some staff actually is friendly and pleasant, but my wait person (SR) was very rude and spiteful. Restaurant could use some spring cleaning, especially the windows, but all in all, not a bad place to eat! read more

If you can ignore the swarm of flies in the front window, your bound to enjoy the food. Good sandwich, and I never had an onion ring until I stepped in here. The were incredible! read more

I can't believe people actually eat here. It's disgustingly filthy and the food was like eating cardboard. I would rather eat from my dogs bowls outside. Greasy windows, dead flies in window sill. read more

Nice little place with Texan comfort food. The fried pickles are fantastic! Atmosphere is country typical. Service was great. My coffee cup never ran empty. I had the southern fried fish which wasn't bad. Generous portions. read more

The food and service was great. It wasn't overpriced and we didn't have to wait a long time for our food. The bathrooms were clean. The ladies who worked there were polite and easy to talk to and everything was amazing. I hope that you will be able to visit someday. read more

Stopped here for lunch on day 2 of a cross country drive from Southern California to Baltimore. My buddy and I were craving some good ole hearty steaks and Skeets was what we decided would fit the bill. We both ordered the ribeye (mine medium rare, his medium). It was an extremely tender piece of meat, but the tenderizing seemed to be more via the tenderizer that pokes 42 billion holes in the steak because it had a weird texture. Either way, it was tasty... just a little weird. The sides were just ehh, but the extra star is for the flavors on the steak. read more