Address: 29 Castle Hill, Lancaster, LA1 1YN, United Kingdom
Phone: +44152466466
Rating: 4.5
based on 191 reviews.
Food Quality
Pros:
"The food was perfectly cooked and the service was lovely."
"Food was incredibly good, with a very interesting menu."
"Both dishes were excellent I loved the crispy skin with rosemary."
"The food was outstanding with the flavours and combos truly flavoursome and amazing value for money."
"The food was exceptional and generous."
"It was absolutely delicious, honestly some of the best food I have ever eaten!"
"Amazing food, best pie I've had, lovely pastry and filling."
Cons:
"The French onion soup was served with a side of budget Aldi wholemeal bread which instantly fell apart upon contact with the soup."
"The pork belly had no seasoning on and tasted like it was cooked in a microwave."
"Sadly the rest of the meal was awful the onion rings were badly overcooked so we inedible and would have cracked teeth had I tried to eat them."
"The desserts in particular to be overpriced and the chocolate mousse was disappointing."
"Pan seared scallops weren't pan seared, cold and served with burnt seaweed sat in oil."
"For £10 you get a measly portion consisting of three scallops and an awful lot of lemon gel which makes the dish taste like acid."
"Some of the worst food I've had such a shame had high hopes."
Staff and Service
Pros:
"The staff were very friendly and welcoming and the Guinness was perfect."
"The whole team were so incredible with all of the planning, they made the whole experience so much easier!"
"All the staff are very nice and friendly and there's a lovely outdoor space to sit and relax and watch the day go by, well recommend."
"The staff are always really nice, even when we didn't book for valentines day!"
"Staff always attentive and very friendly."
"The staff made us feel very welcomed."
"Great customer service, the staff were really helpful and chatty which was lovely."
Cons:
"However we where somewhat shocked when we visited this Bar as we where told after some drinks where already poured 'you will have to leave there is to many of you'."
"Popped in for a drink today on the way to the train station, the place was nice but the staff are terrible."
"When we asked for 2 more drinks we were told 'we are too busy' order on the app!"
"The attitude of the staff wasn't great, they seemed to be a fairly inexperienced bunch by how they were conducting themselves."
"Went to the Merchants tonight and was very disappointed with the service, especially how staff just ignored us."
"Sat outside for about 10 minutes waiting for a member of staff to take our orders, no staff came out."
"Visited last night & sat near to bar. The attitude of the staff wasn't great."
Ambiance and Location
Pros:
"Lovely atmosphere and surroundings in an unusual setting of a 17th century wine cellar."
"Really lovely location."
"The ambiance is nice, and as a cellar, a really good place to have conversation and food."
"Interesting ambience with tunnel location, stylish and casual atmosphere."
"Beautiful gastro-pub, with pleasant outdoor seating, very lovely interior."
"So unique and beautiful inside the building."
"Absolutely stunning find here is!! So unique and incredibly warm atmosphere."
Cons:
"On Sunday we called in to check out the menu, the floor in front of the bar was covered in dead leaves and what seemed to be general rubbish."
"The carpet's on the landing where the toilets are located were absolutely filthy and the toilets were dirty and had no paper towels to dry your hands."
"Dessert (Pineapple upside down pudding was cold) usually served warm."
"Only gripe was not enough ventilation in the 'cavern' style room while we were watching a band."
"The pork loin chop had passed it's sell by date and was clearly off."
"We booked a table and when we got there the restaurant was closed."
"We sat outside ordered drinks waited 15min were told no order had been received only to then be told it was there and it was a nightmare."
Accessibility and Facilities
Pros:
"The dining area is a little small so booking a table would be recommended."
"Mostly wheelchair friendly."
"Lovely vaulted cellar bar (easy access, pub built at street level into Castle Hill.)"
"The staff can open an upstairs door which you have to go outside and up a ramp to access."
"Great location for exploring the Castle and just down from the train station."
"The whole venue is set and feels underground, inside or is separate into 2 section which look like tunnels, with exposed brick."
"Fab pub in a wine cellar which is great for people who like quirky places."
Cons:
"However toilets are on the the second floor so will be a problem for anyone who needs easy/regular access to a toilet."
"Not one to visit if you are in a wheelchair and are unable to walk without it as there is no disabled toilet."
"Just be aware that the toilets are upstairs and as befits such an old building the staircase is quite narrow."
"Toilets are up a set of stairs, which can be awkward to manoeuvre..."
"We have two primary school age children, and were surprised to see this place does not have a kids menu."
Value for Money
Pros:
"Not the cheapest, but worth the money."
"Great value for money 2 courses for £22."
"Get here for 5pm on Monday or Tuesday and enjoy a fantastic menu for two people and a bottle of wine for £28 !!!"
"Always love my visits to Merchants when I'm in Lancaster. The food was great at reasonable price."
"Yes the price is a little higher than most places BUT the quality is worth the extra couple of quid."
"Food is excellent and the value is amazing."
"Great food, very pleasant staff and a fantastic atmosphere."
Cons:
"A bit on the pricier side but it deserves it with the unique and long history it can boast."
"Prices are a little high."
"It's a bit pricey but I think it's worth it."
"Although a bit on the expensive side at £14."
"But it's expensive for what you actually get......£26 for 3 desserts, pint of Beer and glass of wine."
"Prices are a little high for what you get but no higher than you'd expect in the city centre."
"I thought it was a bit overpriced for what it was."