Stopped in after a hike and lunch up the street. Had heard about this place and decided to check it out! Shannon the bartender was super friendly and we chatted about places we've lived in California various things. It's a good sized "dive bar" but has pool table, stage and a huge outdoor patio out back. I like the beer choices and we chilled for about an hour. Would like to come back on a night with music and a larger crowd. Will be back with friends! read more

The Merrimaker - Hanging out! - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

I had to stop by while visiting for a quick getaway. My favorite bar tender ( Shannon) was working and as usual so entertaining! At first the bar was quiet but then more locals came. I love the vibe here. read more

The Merrimaker - Beautiful wood bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

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My favorite place on the central coast! Great blues music first and third Wednesdays!

Love the music . Takes me back to my rockin roll days of the 60s and 70s. The people are friendly. The drinks are tasty and the bartenders friendly. read more

This business just had it's grand opening 3 weeks ago. Has been around for many years, but has a new owner. What a beautiful venue. Music out in their redone garden area, which is really big and very COVID safe. Perfect afternoon. No food except for snacks. We had bags of popcorn with wine and beer. We will definitely be going back. All drinks were very reasonably priced and service was the best, even as busy as they were. I'm feeling a lot of success for this re-opened business. read more

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Came here at opening time and no one here. Called and no one answered. Guess won't be coming here again

This would be a great place if your objective is to test your temper by having a drunken babbling fool named Tom continually babble things loudly that are insulting sit next to you. To top it off, the staff will continue to shove tequila shots into Tom while ignoring your desire for a simple beer. If that is a great time and great service then yippee for the merrimaker. If not, choose another place. read more

Great Job Remodeling and Vibes! Beautiful people Fabulous staff and New owner Thank You for this landmark improvement

Not even one star. Walked in. Hardly anyone there (maybe 12 people). Sat at the (almost empty) bar. Two young women behind the bar chatting with each other, only paying attention to the guys sitting close to them. Paid absolutely no attention to anyone else. We thought one was finally walking towards us but no. She stopped to take a bite of food off a customer's fork sitting 3 seats down from us. She completely ignored us. 100% unprofessional a-holes. read more

It's open!!! Hopefully regularly...dog friendly with awesome servers and great drinks...been a mess since COVID, but it's back ! read more

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Seems like a great neighborhood bar. Bartenders were friendly. Did not have Crown Royal, which is my go to drink. Will visit there again.

Love this place. The cleaned up Merrimaker is even better. I'm so glad they did minimum to update this classic bar. The bathrooms are by far the biggest improvement. Same layout, same basic look and feel, but better. It made me feel like I was up in the mountains while grabbing a pint and hanging out with friends. Classic dive bar with warm welcoming people next to the beach, what more could you want? read more

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Loved the whole vibe it looks so nice since it's been remodeled. The bartenders are always so nice and all the Kool people hang out there. I always have a good time there great music too read more

Had a great day in Baywood. The locals at this place were a lot of fun. Strong, cheap drinks are served by a well seasoned staff. Come as you are and leave a little merrier. read more

The Merrimaker - Dive Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

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A great little dive bar that's not really that little. Owner is super nice! Live music on Mondays. Karaoke on Thur. Cheap and good drinks. Just can't say enough about this lovely bar. read more

People around here like to say that the Merrimaker is the best dive bar in the area, but the new owners have put a lot of work and TLC into the old girl, and now I think I just have to say that it's a fantastic neighborhood bar with friendly bartenders who know how to pour a good drink. And with a stage on one end, a fireplace on the other, and a large heated, terraced patio The Merrimaker is a wonderful venue for parties - on my recommendation, my company had our holiday party there and we all had a blast! read more

The new look is awesome! The music made me want to dance. Great drinks and service. We'll be back!

I really like the ambiance of Merrimaker, both bartenders and the crowd. Everyone is super friendly. A great place to play pool and listen to live music. read more

I've never been here. But in 2005, I decided to upload a photo of this place to the Wikipedia page for "Dive Bar." 13 years later, it's still there. I look forward to my free beer. read more

The meaning of life can be found in becoming the truest, fullest, most authentic and generous person that you can be. This bar has managed to cultivate a genuinely nurturing environment in which all different kinds of people can come together, and -- in our own unique ways -- achieve just that: growing as a person. Also, you can wear whatever you want and really grow as a dancer. Cheers. read more

This bar has made renovations but the staff seems to be more concerned about there own pocket then the owners. We will not be visiting again. Wish when change comes, it comes on all levels particularly in the the bar tenders evident interest in questioning customers on how they choose to give out their money. Tips are not mandatory by law, so suggesting for more when money was already given. Unprofessional. read more

This used to be my bar, I'm a local and was a regular. The new management didn't keep the bartenders, and gave some lame excuse as to why. Those people where my friends, and unless they're there, I will not be back. read more

First time here on a Saturday night with a group, Our bartender Nicole was soooooo nice! Such a warm welcome along with the customers, everyone waved at us when we walked in and wished a Merry Christmas. Such warm vibes! This place is was so clean + smelled amazing. 10/10 experience! read more

Nicole gave us such a warm welcome along with the other customers in the bar. Really meant a lot to us and we appreciated it! Never have I felt this warm of welcome in a bar along with the cozy-homey vibes. Definitely recommend to check it out and play some pool! read more

This bar has gone through a lot. This is a neighborhood bar on 2nd street in Los osos. The owner had passed away and the bar closed for a good period of time. They opened back up and it is just astonishing. The place is clean, service is fantastic, and the drinks are unbeatable. I'm very happy I stumbled on this place. It has pool tables, tv's and the kindest bartenders around. If you're in Los osos, come here. They'll take care of you. It's a great small business that really cares about their patrons read more

THE Merrimaker had some great music, but when I went to get a beer the three barkeeps were talking amongst themselves and had thier backs to the customers I tried to flag a barkeep it was not even crouded finally when I got the bartenders attention he said we don't do it that way here and accused me of pounding the bar I said forget it and the two women bartenders ganged up on me and said you get out of here. definately these barkeeps think they can just kick you out for trying to get a drink.Not going there evefr again. Sadly my friend was in the band I just wanted a drink and listen to the band. The Bartenders SUCK! read more

I love to check out dive bars when I'm out of town. So I decided to go have a beer and see what was happening... one word "Karaoke"!!!! And I am a fan!!!! I sang a few songs, had a few drinks, and really enjoyed myself. I spoke with a few locals who were super friendly and great conversation. I am looking forward to visiting again when I come back to town. read more

I've been a frequent visitor of the Merrimaker for many years. They have revamped it recently and it has definitely lost its dive bar vibe and I don't really know if that's what they were going for since this is what it's known for. Like google dive bar off and that's what it's known as so keep it and bank on it! I visited it tonight after much hesitation and the general consensus is we want our private woman bathroom back because the men pissed all over the bathroom and that's gross! Make the men have their own restroom again. One more "critique" is that we want to be able to play pool during karaoke because it gives us something else to do. We loved the new bartenders. We loved the seating options throughout! read more

If you're looking for the dive bar experience look no further! The Merrimaker is The Dive Bar! They have a full bar and several beers on tap. Do you like to play pool, karaoke, and jukeboxes this is the place to hang out. read more

Surly, downtrodden locals, crummy fixtures, wildly uneven drinks, an ATM next to the bar, insistently bright lighting.....surely, one cannot reasonably ask more from their local dive bar. Its quintessence is celebrated even on the internet- wikipedia's Dive Bar page flies the iconic Merrimaker sign. One of the finest of its kind, a kind which is becoming increasingly hard to find in the modern world of ever escalating rents & national chain conformity. I salute you with five bright stars, Merrimaker. May your karaoke night bray out across the estuary for generations to come. read more

Before reading any further, check out Wikipedia's definition of "Dive Bar" and see what comes up. The Merrimaker Tavern is this "millions-of-a-kin"d located in just about every mid level sized town but in this case it should be on a picture postcard 'ah-hem' corner of sleepy, often foggy banks of Baywood, California. Going inside you greeted with a few rough looking bikers, plus a few of those chain smokers that haven't a clue how far it is allowed smoke 20 feet from a door entrance. On the clearest of days, inside the bar, a gloom of dark lacquer woods and the petrie dished bar tables with sticky floors hints brawls, flung panties, gambling debts and numerous Ménage à trois patrons who will contribute to the mystique, most seasoned of liver destroyers, marriage challenged and tight jeaned buxom Californian bar babes and bums that you would find anywhere. There was one thing clear about the place, is that it has one rule, and if you want to be accepted, don't follow it. In my book, I just had the best smiles, and not for one second was I bored. Instead, I was guzzling down the most delicious of beers, while enjoying the scenery. So how does this Dive bar to outdoes all other of million of bars? Ill provide a checklist of the top eight!!! 1.... well.. go in and order three drinks on your first round, and notice that nobody flinches an eye when they find out that are all for you. 2. Play a pinball game, tilt, shout, curse, bang, slam and even one flip salute your lost ball all you want and again - nobody seems to flinch. 3. While at the bar, play Five Finger Fillet and maybe get someone to notice you. 4. Go up to total stranger and say - what is a nice [fill in blank] like you doing in ranchy place like this - and they won't see that as a corny line. 5. Order milk and then notice that you'll end up with a brand new drain hole (someone might knife) 6. Bottles of fine Cognac and Brandy have never been opened, probably since the first day of business. 7. They've decided why bother clean, alcohol kills germs anyways. 8. The coat check is the floor. read more

This place was nothing short of hilariously awesome. We walk in and the first thing that catches my eye is that there's a couple of dogs chilling in the bar. One of them warms up to my wife and she's not a dog person but she's nice about it. And so the guy buys us a drink. As we settle in to order our drinks, sure enough right behind the bar is a sign that said no dogs allowed. Clearly the sign is for show or a suggestion not to bring your ugly girlfriend around. Great drinks and affordable prices. I think three to four different people bought us drinks that night because the place was so damned friendly. The live music was solid pumpin' out the classics you love to hear at your favorite dive. Meanwhile they have a couple of pool tables that are lined with sharks who are playin' just to have a good time. I probably had 2 too many drinks and stumbled back to our B&B wishing that there was a place that was serving food this late in the evening. I had a blast and wished my local dive bar had these kind of people here. Meanwhile the next day I ran into a few of the friends that I had made and they were extremely nice as they had been the night before. This is definitely small town paradise. read more

We came here pre covid19 pandemic and our experience there was not good. Customers are great. That night we were ordering lemon drops with no problems while the lady bartender was making all the drinks. We pay and tip as we order. "Fantastic" The forth drink in the male bartender makes our drinks, I think he is the bar manager. He over charged us for the drinks so I don't tip. I walk back to our group and we immediately notice he forgot to add simple syrup which is no problem he can just add it and we are fine but NO, he said his drink is perfect and he never forgets While mentioning we are cheap and don't tip. I didn't tip because he charged us double the price from the lady bartender. It turned into a huge problem and spills the drink on my fiancé and kicks us all out. Not sure if he is the owner, manager, are whatever but he has a huge egotistical issue and could've just easily corrected the drink issue without hassle. I would not recommend this place. read more

A picture of this bar may literally be on the Wikipedia page for dive bar, but this ain't no dive. Sure the bartenders don't give a crap about you, sure this is where the real alcoholics drink, sure this place has loud-mouthed drunks yelling stupid shit in an attempt to get attention, but this place still ain't no dive. read more

I went to karaoke night for a friend's birthday, and I was very disappointed. While this place gets credit for offering karaoke on the weekend, it definitely wasn't worth the half-hour drive it took for me to get there. The place is very trashy dive bar with run down, and some patrons were so trashed I was embarrassed for them. The crowd was very mixed, with an overall small-town hick vibe for the most part. Drinks were strong and inexpensive, which was nice. As for the karaoke, the song selection was decent, but the long waits between songs made the whole thing not worth it. read more

This review is entitled the making of a legend. Let me start by saying i would have given the Merrimaker 5 stars but for the fact it was the site of one of my greatest mistakes, nay failings, nay embarrassments for which i blame Sandra and her boyfriend Mark with his stupid face, stupid Sandra, you know what you did. Anyways, thats a story for another time. When people think of the Merrimaker, they talk about a seedy dive bar. Not me. I think about the joy and vivality that emanate. The friends and lives that intertwine daily to escape the incessant demands of adulting. What is life but the pursuit of happiness? What is happiness but the moments that make us merry? Then i challenge you to consider the Merrimaker is life! It's my life, it's your life, it's the life of the community. From the moment you step in to second you get kicked out because of stupid Sandra, you feel the lifeforce this place exudes. When I see posts that refer to the Merrimaker as the "Marriage Breaker" my panties get in bunch and i feel like i just got a verbal Melvin. I respond to these people, "how could it be the marriage breaker, when i met 3 out of my last 4 wives there?! More like marriage maker am i right!" I'll leave you with the wise words of crusty( short for crustacean)John, " 'member boy, two birds in the hand are worth one in the bush, and two in the bush is the makings of a good time." At, the Merrimaker there's always two birds in the bush. read more

This bar is no longer a dive bar. It is also no longer a local bar. This used to be the place most locals congregated, no more. Prices are up, staff and customers are uppity. They now want it to be a lounge rather than a bar. So Long Merrimaker, a local read more

I was pleasantly surprised that there were some good looking girls there when I went, but I felt like I was going to be blindsided with pool stick swung by a husky bearded guy if I tried to talk to them. A fan, none the less. read more

LOVE this place. Yes, the karaoke is the best-worst ever. On off-karaoke night the place is very chill, spacious and comfy. It's more of a lounge-y place than a straight-up bar. I just wish they had darts :( read more

It is what it is, the epitome of a dive bar. There's not another quite like the Merrimaker. Poorly mixed drinks, glasses you don't quite trust, and customers that look like they might have started a fight 30 years ago but are just too worn out to try it now. It's always fun. PS. Karaoke night is a must. Your ears will bleed, but in a good way. read more