Merlin - Stirling

Told we needed reservations, but 3/4 of tables were empty. Wait staff a bit short, like they didn't want to be there. Food was average. Avoid the cheese and biscuits course.

After being disappointed elsewhere, my party and I ended up at this restaurant around 2pm for lunch on a Sunday. Located in a quiet village, we weren't expecting much, but after entering the hotel from the car park, we were greeted at reception and invited in for lunch. It appeared to be the Merlin restaurant rather than the Ptarmigan bar. We were surprised to find the place empty, but our concerns were quickly laid to rest. The 3-course set lunch menu offered a limited but satisfying selection. The food arrived swiftly, was beautifully presented, piping hot, expertly cooked, and generous in portion size. Our starters included soup, melon, and prawns, followed by roast beef and salmon, and finished with lemon tart and cheese. The only downside was the lack of ambiance due to being the only patrons present, which prevented me from giving it a perfect score. However, I must say that the experience was excellent, definitely worth seeking out, and a great value. I'm still puzzled as to why the place was empty - it would be fully booked for weeks back in my hometown.

We ended up dining at this restaurant as a last resort since all the other pubs in Drymen were full. The receptionist seemed more focused on her phone than helping us find our way to the pub or restaurant. The pub was also crowded, so we decided to try the Merlin. They had a fixed menu offering two courses for £18. We ordered the lamb dinner and fruit crumble. The main course took 45 minutes to arrive and turned out to be a very basic lamb roast. The crumble appeared to be leftovers scraped from someone else's plate. Overall, the food was very underwhelming for the price, and I would not recommend dining here.

My wife and I called in for a Bar Meal when we were in Drymen. My fish and chips and my wife`s scampi were very good. We both had sweets which were to die for. A future visit might just be required!!

We stayed in Drymen a week and sampled most of the restaurants. The Merlin was the only one we made a point of returning to. They were two of the most delicious and best value meals I have had in a long while. The first visit we both had the four-course Taste of Scotland menu, including the best Cullen Skink I 've ever had as a starter and a haggis/neaps/tatties tower as a second starter. Then I selected what was meant to be a six-ounce Filet steak as my main, but it as at least eight if not ten ounces, prepared to perfection. Then dessert was a a generous portion of delicious cheese cake. We could not have eaten it all but for the fact it was too delicious to leave behind! The second time we had the three course menu and it did not reduce our esteem for this establishment in the least. The restaurant is a quaint old Scottish room and the service was excellent. The hotel seems to cater to the older bus tour crowd, but that should not diminish your visit in the least.