Merriman's – Waimea – Big IslandExcellent and Creative Gourmet DiniMerriman's is back to the high standards, creative dishes, and fresh local quality when Peter did the cooking many years ago. My wife and I enjoyed one of the best meals out we have had in a while and the best meal we have had at Merriman's in over 10 years. The new general manager is is chef, and it is clear that he puts a lot of time and energy into the menu and service, getting the freshest local food, and caring about every little detail. Top Notch.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMglad we made the drive!My husband and I heard from a friend that this was a must to visit while on our honeymoon. Upon entering, the place looked like your average dining place. However the food there was phenomenal! We had soup and fresh bread which was my favorite, even though I was never a huge soup fan but I couldn't get enough of it. Food was great too I had ordered a fish sandwich and my husband, the fish tacos and it was beyond our expectations. Sad we didn't have time to make the drive again buy totally worth going to.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic!We heard of Merriman's from a local business owner when looking for a nice restaurant on our last night on the island. The service was superb, and the food simply delicious. Everything is local, so it's fresh. Everything from the bread to fish to steak to dessert exceeded our expectations. We plan to return on our next trip!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMvery pleasant dining experiencefood was excellent, service was prompt and friendly, atmosphere was delightful6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMMerriman's= Merry Men/Merry Women!Merriman's was a highlight of our trip to the Big Island. We were fortunate to eat at many of the Island's finest restaurants; Brown's, Roy's, ULU and others and Merriman's stood out. Our server Jim was very attentive but not intrusive as we celebrated both an anniversary and a birthday. We asked to hold off ordering food until we completed gifting etc. and Jim was very flexible with our request. Every appetizer and entree was fabulous and the special wine selections were great too!
All in all, a fabulous evening and we will back next time we visit the Big Island6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredibleWe were looking for something local for dinner and found this restaurant. The quality of food was excellent as well as the service. Loved the fact that the food was made from local ingredients and we could feel the freshness of the food. Best dining experience on the big island!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat!Fresh, local food that's sure to please. Great service!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Generous portions.Great food. Generous portions. Great service and accomodations.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic1Although pricey, Merrimans' always serves delicious and fresh food. Wwe try to come on every Hawaii trip and are never disssaponthed,5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMA Must Visit on the Big IslandA great find on the Big Island. The food was spectacular and the service was excellent. The restaurant is located at the base of the rolling hills in the cattle country of Waimea. It was such a nice change from the toursty feel of Kailua-Kona. The entrees were great. The lamb was really good as was the surf and turf my wife had. The chocolate purse was also a treat. I really enjoyd the wine flight as well.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely Amazing!Fantastic food and service! I think this was the best place in Big Island! Must go place!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMA favorite restaurant - anywhereA regular dining destination when we are on the Big Island. The best!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent!A great place for a special dinner with locally grown food.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulousWe went to Merriman's to celebrate my husband's birthday, it was AMAZING! Our waitress was attentive, informative and accommodating and the bus girl (wish I got her name) was STELLAR. They make their dinner rolls in house and I'm warning you now -- enjoy, but save room for your meal! I'm a vegetarian, so they made me a special plate with a tofu "steak" seared to perfection with corn, asparagus, and those tasty Hawaiian tomatoes (Wow, so flavorful and delicious). My husband had a beautiful steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus and sauteed mushrooms - we both cleaned our plate and our only regret was that we discovered Merriman's our last night on the Island. You'll enjoy the relaxed fine dining atmosphere; enjoy the cool art!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat!We were really bowled over by this restaurant. I had seen some highlights about it on tv and a few people at the beach also mentioned it. Everything was outstanding, especially the food and service. Our server Emiko was very knowledgeable and friendly. In fact, she spoke with us for several minutes concluding the meal and gave us some recommendations for travel in the area. It's NO contest when comparing Merriman's to the hotel restaurants down on the water. People just don't want to make the drive up to Waimea so the hotel spots can charge premium prices for mediocre food. We dined at Canoe House, Manta, Monstera, Brown's Beach House, etc. and this was far and away our favorite meal of the week.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Resturant on The Island!I never miss a chance to dine at Merriman's. The food is inventive, delicious and never disappoints.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMRelaxing atmosphereRelaxing atmosphere as restaurant is small and quaint in this quiet upcountry town. Food is served in a timely manner. Assorted poke (fish) appetizer was great. Lobster bisque was ok. The local steak was great but portion was a bit small for my man. Combination of ono (fish) and local steak was very good and paired well. Portion size is more than enough for a woman. No dessert ordered but when making reservations on Open Table I indicated that it was a birthday dinner so they brought a nice plate with Happy Birthday written in chocolate dust and a Lilikoi pudding with yummy cookies and sent us home with a small container of take out container of cookies. What a wonderful treat! Wait staff was wonderful too. Worth the price we paid!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat as always.Perfect lamb and pork dishes. You know it will always be local meat and fish. Perfectly cooked. And great deserts.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMoverall6
Food Took To Long To Come Out Food Over Cooked And I Couldn't Hear Our Own Conversation ..5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGood RestaurantGood food, good service, good atmosphere, a bit noisy, a bit pricey.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this placeI come to Merriman's every time I'm on the Big Island. It's just the best!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMATCHLESS!A PERSONABLE FRONT DOOR HOST. A SKILLED AND PASSIONATE WAITER. MENU CHOICES WITHOUT EQUAL. UNIQUE COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS IN ENTREES. A RELAXED SETTING WITH NO PRETENSE OR ATTITUDE. A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE THAT ALWAYS PULLS US BACK AS SOON AS WE RETURN TO THE ISLAND. RATES FAR MORE THAN A MERE 5 STARS!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently excellent foodOur favorite restaurant on the big island. Entrees are perfectly prepared and very flavorful. Even the side dishes are spectacular.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMalways a winnerwe have been dining at Merrimans since it opened nearly 25 years ago and have had great service and outstanding meals esch snd every time we go. We dined there on 5-3-13, 5-10-13 and 5-17-13 . On each occasion I had the Chef"s special. One specisl was a fish dish that was full of exoctic flavors. The other two specials were brined pork tenderloin dishes that were so tender and juicy they melted in my mouth! My husband and I feel like "family" when we dine at Merrimans.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Restaurant on The Big IslandMerriman's continues to be a destination point every time I visit The Big Island. The food is sublime and like nothing else on The Big Island. I just wish he would open a restaurant in Oahu.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMBest meal on the big islandA friend recommended this place and we loved it!!! The best part is you can pick any two entrees on the menu and have smaller portions of both for your entree. Between the two of us we sampled four different entrees and they were all outstanding. So far, our best meal yet. Ulu grill is a close second.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFine Dining in a small town vibeI researched fine dining options on the Big Island and this was one of the two I chose. Although the outside is non-descript (I come from a big city), the inside was nicely decorated and the service was very polished. We had our minds set on a red meat dinner, thinking that we were in cattle country. We explained that we don't like the meat pink but don't want it charred. The waitress went to the chef and asked if we wanted it butterflied. It was much too well done to the point of charred. Everything else was delicious. I especially liked the sauteed corn. So if you like your steak medium or as the restaurant routinely prepares it, by all means, this would be a great fine dining experience in the north mountain area of Waimea.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMBest restaurant in WaimeaI love this restaurant. The food is excellent. The waiters are young, energetic, extremely professional. The menu changes enough so as a "local" there is something new to try. Always an enjoyable experience!!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe liked Merriman's so muchWe liked Merriman's so much that we went there 3 times during our 5 day trip to Hawaii. Everything is fresh. Best restaurant we've ever been to. Look forward to coming back!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI had the "fish of the day"I had the "fish of the day" (Ono) and unfortunately, it wasn't up to the high standard of Merriman's tasty entrees. But, I like that they included a salad with the dish and the beer of the day was excellent(light wheat ale). My wife's grilled chicken sandwich was excellent with lots of chicken in-between the bread slices and very tasty to boot.
We'll give this place another try.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA Gem in WaimeaAfter reading the reviews from other Open Table members, we were eager to try Merriman's in Waimea, and they sure did not disappoint! The service, the food, the ambiance was perfect. We both had a pork loin special and it was wonderful- so flavorful and moist! I'm sure that you couldn't go wrong with ordering any item on the menu. It was hard to decide upon one, as they all sounded so delicious. Make sure you book a reservation in advance- they fill up quickly after opening and quite a few folks were waiting in the lobby area waiting for a table when we left. So glad we discovered this gem of a restaurant in Waimea!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThis may be the best restaurantThis may be the best restaurant on the Big Island. Is a welcome diversion from the many resort restaurants that are convenient to eat at. However, you need a car (or ride)to get to Waimea. Although, once you eat here you will find a way to dine here on every visit and sometimes more than once.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat meal! Reasonable wineGreat meal! Reasonable wine list, nice selections. No bar seating. Great service! Reccomended a great place for the best poke in Kona. Like most restaurants in Hawaii, closes early, at 10.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and service. MusicGreat food and service. Music too loud, difficult to hear someone at the table because of it and that detracted from the otherwise great experience.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was amazing, we lovedFood was amazing, we loved everything we tried especially the mac nut encrusted ono, and coconut creme brulee.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe first ate at Merrimans'We first ate at Merrimans' in 1990. The food was outstanding then and now 23 years later the food is still outstanding. We eat at Merrimans whenever we come to the Big Island which is about 8 times over the years.
I have stopped trying charred rare ahi at other restaurants as the dish at Merrimans is so fantastic no one else's will do. The lilikoi mousse is a test of a relationship if you order one to share. Who gets the last bite?
The service is attentive and thoughtful. Without asking, our server brought us tastings of a couple of wines to make sure we would enjoy our wine,
Well worth the drive to Waimea.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and service was excellent.Food and service was excellent. Very loud, though! When in Hawaii again, we will definitely return!!!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's our favorite place toIt's our favorite place to dine in Hawaii. The food and service is always outstanding!!4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAn enduring delightPeter Merriman has expanded operations to three islands, but this Big Island venue continues to bring it with local meats and produce. Imaginative, unique flavors. The unobtrusive but personal service is worth noting ... the place runs like a swiss watch despite an onslaught of fugitives from resort row down the mountain. Just as good as it was ten years ago ... maybe better.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved our lunch at Merriman's!We loved our lunch at Merriman's! Our only regret is that it doesn't exist in our hometown. The service was great with perfect recommendations from our waitress. The food was fresh and luscious.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe anticipate all year returningWe anticipate all year returning to the Big island so we can experience the fantastic food and service at Merriman's in the spring. We've worked ourselves up to 3 dinners in a week's stay, as nothing else compares to the fresh ingredients, properly prepared and combined not in a trendy combination, but to enhance the natural fresh flavors of the fish, meat and other ingredients. And of course, there is no dessert on earth better than the chocolate purse!Our favorite restaurant not just in Hawaii, but anywhere on the planet.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe love Merriman's! EveryWe love Merriman's! Every time we visit the Big Island we have never been disappointed with the outstanding food & customer service. The exquisite flavors are complemented by the fact that all the food is locally sourced! How can you go wrong with Lamb Meatloaf, Hawaiian Hog, fresh Ahi & Mahi, and don't forget the deserts. The chocolate purse is a small package made especially for chocoholics! Delish!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMnot to be missed!Dinner at Merrimans is a MUST if you are on the Big Island. The food was outstanding and the service just perfect. Next time we will eat there upon arrival and before we leave. It is that good! Make reservations. Worth the drive for sure.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is amazing, serviceThe food is amazing, service very attentive, and the music (Dylan, CCR, Fleetwood Mac) a perfect backdrop. We especially enjoyed the roasted beets and the chocolate purse, but everything was excellent. We will definitely come here whenever we are on the island.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFour of us had dinner oneFour of us had dinner one evening. We ordered three beverages, four salads, and main courses. No desserts, coffee or after dinner drinks. The bill came to over $250.00 While the food was good and the service very good, the food portions were small by any measure but especially given the prices. Overall, we were not pleased with the level of value here. Better head to this restaurant ONLY for special occasions unless you have bookoo bucks.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Best of the Big IslandMerriman's is, hands-down, the best restaurant on the Big Island and one of the best restaurants I've ever been to in my life. My wife and I each had an appetizer, soup and salad, entree, and dessert and there wasn't a single weak spot in the entire meal. The service was excellent as well. While the decor was not particularly noteworthy (it wasn't bad, just not as memorable as the food), I can't recommend Merriman's highly enough!!3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMNice, relaxed Hawaiian diningNice, relaxed Hawaiian dining experience. Good local produce and beef.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMI just love Merriman's. menuI just love Merriman's. menu always diverse and interesting. Food delicious, and good sized portions. Expensive but worth it.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMBest food we have ever had!Best food we have ever had! Great choice for our last night in Hawaii!3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic food and service.Fantastic food and service. A bit pricy but worth the drive. It is a rare occasion when a dish's description by the server undersells it but such was the case here.3/19/2013 12:00:00 AM