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Merriman’s used to be my husband and I’s go-to spot. We had a magical experience during our first time there while celebrating my husband’s birthday, so we started going there around twice a week for about six months straight. We even took family from out of town there once and had a great time as a party of six plus two babies. However, our affinity for Merriman’s quickly faded after one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve had on O’ahu.
I made a reservation for my husband, parents, baby nephew, and me for outdoor seating at dinner. I made the reservation for four and added in the comments that we would be four adults and one baby, and required a high chair. When I checked in, I informed the hostess (the short girl with long/thin eyebrows) as a reminder that we needed a high chair, and she confirmed. We waited about 15 minutes past our reservation time to be seated, and when we were, we were given a very small round table with no high chair. So while my mom held my nephew, I went back inside and asked the same hostess for a high chair, again, and mentioned that I requested it on OpenTable. Rather than just saying okay, she takes the time to open my reservation on her computer, and says that I never requested it on OpenTable while rolling her eyes. I’m thinking, even if that was the case, 1) you saw we had a baby with us when we checked in and 2) I’ve asked for it in person already. In the time she took to open the reservation details on her computer and contradict me, she could have just gotten us the chair.
Adding salt to the wound, I guess I was stood there for .02 seconds too long because as soon as she walked away, the other host (the skinny guy with an aloha shirt and a long/straight hair/middle part combo that was reminiscent of Sokka cosplay) goes, “uhhh, can I help you?” in the most insufferable voice possible. Mind you, in the time after we checked in that we waited to be seated, I watched this guy belittle an older woman for at least five minutes by insisting that she didn’t have a reservation. Staring straight at his computer and not bothering to look her in the eye, he spoke to her like filth as he insisted that she did not have a reservation with them. She goes, “Are you sure? My name is ____” and he finally relents and tells her he thought her name was something else, and that he sees her reservation now. No apology at all, although he was incredibly rude and the poor woman was clearly in distress.
Anyway, once I got back to my seat, the waiter walked by looking curious because we had no high chair and were still having to hold the baby. A few more minutes went by until someone brought it eventually, and it wasn’t the hostess.
Just wanted to say that the wait staff is generally great (shoutout Ben and Francis, who redeem Merriman’s), although inconsistent. We had one time where our entrees came less than five minutes after our appetizer, to which our waiter gave us a “whoops sorry” and carried on. That same night, I had put in our OpenTable note that we were celebrating something special, but no one was aware (of course I could have told our him, but it was for my husband, and he insisted I didn’t). The food is also generally great but inconsistent.
For a place where you can drop $200 on a dinner for two, you shouldn’t have to endure the antics of washed-up high school bullies recreating their glory days before even being seated (we spent $362.99 on the day that happened btw). Especially on O’ahu, where good food is everywhere and many people work hard for their money and to treat themselves, customers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I want to love Merriman’s, but I’ve only been there once or twice in the past year because of the disrespect and its inconsistency. For other restaurants fit for a special occasion with great food and customer service, I recommend Fête, located downtown, or Pig and the Lady in Kaimuki!
