Had a very special luncheon at Merriman's Waimea. From the service to our delicious meal and the ambience of a relaxing Sunday!!

We've been here a few times, and every visit exceeds our expectations from the previous time. First off, the food is unbelievable. Every dish is spectacular and unique. For example, the Caesar salad had a fried tomato crouton that added so much flavor to an already delicious classic. Next, the customer service is phenomenal. Our server, Emiko, knew the menu so well and was able to answer every question we had. She was so kind throughout the evening, as were everyone else. Eric Dong, one of the managers present this evening, is so good at what he does. He's personable, great at pairing flavors together, and knows his stuff! Don't miss stopping by here if you're on the big island. It's a very special treat!

My partner and I visited Merriman's for our Anniversary and this was by far our favorite meal on the Big Island. From the service, to the food, Merriman's blew us out of the water. Every dish was carefully curated and all the flavors blended so well. Our server took great care of us and was very knowledgeable on the menu. Cannot recommend this restaurant enough!

Amazing food and service. Very welcoming. But call for reservation. Ppl show up right at open. The casual feel but elevated food. Best mai tais on island My personal fave is the lilikoi margarita The one place where everything is great no criticism

It's been a long time since my last visit to this Waimea institution. Luckily, it hasn't changed appreciably in that time ... That's a good thing, IMO. I ordered a bottle of 2018 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir from Los Caneros in Napa ($109). Deep ruby in color, there were hints of raspberry, tobacco and earthy tones. It was a good choice with our entrees. We shared the Spicy Kona Lobster Ravioli ($28) ... This is how lobster ravioli should taste ... a light butter sauce and toasted croutons. Yum! My friend ordered the Kahua Ranch lamb cooked two ways ($55) and I ordered the Chateaubriand ($59). We shared an order of Mushroom Pot Pie ($22). My beef came perfectly cooked and was served with mashed potatoes, haricot vert and a mushroom sauce. The lamb looked good ... I tried a piece of loin, and it was delicious. The mushroom pot pie was delicious! I was hoping it contained morels, but the button mushrooms were fine. It was the crust and the sauce that made the dish a winner. We were too full to attempt dessert, so our meal ended there. $293 + tip for a fine meal is reasonable to me. Four and a half stars ... Highly recommended!

The service was excellent with orders delivered hot and constant refills of water. The ambiance is simple and natural; this is Hawai'i after all! The Mai Tai was strong! With a distinct pineapple taste, you can't go wrong with this dish. The Purple Sweet Potato Chips were perfectly cooked with just the right amount of salt. They were an excellent appetizer with all of the sweetness of Ube intact. The Beef Tenderloin was our favorite dish of the day with a delicious herb butter, pristine meat quality with zero tendons, and fresh green beans. The Fresh Catch of the Day was well complemented with a tomato sauce that elevated the entire dish. Again, the green beans were just as good and the tomato sauce made it even better.

We returned to Merriman's in Waimea for the fifth time last night for a birthday dinner. This time, there wasn't a line at the door when we arrived, but when we left at 7:30PM, there were 5 people waiting to be seated. The wait staff seemed attentive and a little intense. They waited efficiently, but we flagged down our server a few times. They asked about food quality but didn't stay long enough for me to complete my answer. The bread was amazing, but the butter was over-salted. I had the Caesar salad, which had an overwhelming cumin taste and didn't taste like a traditional Caesar salad. We both had Duo combinations. We both had the catch of the day, which included gnocchi, a jumbo shrimp, and ono. The shrimp was great. The ono was dried out and not even hot. I also had the macadamia-encrusted Kanpachi. It was great. The accompanying spinach was extremely over-salted. My wife had the Kahua Ranch Lamb (meat balls) and liked it. I thought the meat balls were good, but not great. She had a Lilikoi Martini with basil, It was good, but it had an overwhelming basil flavor with just a touch of lilikoi. We were served a complimentary chocolate tarte, which had a great flavor served chilled, but the flavor increased as we let it warm to room temperature. We also shared a French Press decaf coffee, which was good, but lacked depth. Overall, the restaurant had good food, although the chefs were too heavy with Cumen in several of the dishes. I felt like they had production down, but service lacked a personal, caring touch.

I highly recommend Merriman's Waimea for a nice dinner. This well-regarded restaurant on the Big Island of Hawaii is known for its farm-to-table approach, using fresh, local ingredients. The ambiance is warm and inviting, making it an ideal spot for a gathering with friends. The menu features a mix of Hawaiian regional cuisine, with a strong focus on seafood and locally sourced produce. The service is consistently excellent, contributing to a memorable dining experience. I'll definitely be back to sample some of their other offerings.

We made a reservation for Saturday night and were seated immediately. Our waiter was super nice and food came out at a good pace. We ordered half the menu and everything was good. The beet salad may have been the best bite, it was absolutely delicious! My dad loved the kalua pig quesadilla. The poke plate was ok but it was cool that it came with fresh wasabi! For the entrees, the scallops were nicely cooked and my parents loved the lamb. I love that they had the duo option to pick two half-sized entrees. I got the special of the day which was a fish and shrimp and then the Hawaii Island beef. For dessert, the bread pudding was delicious and the chocolate purse was unique and rich.

I will say, I loved this spot pre Covid. There were so many farms to choose fresh produce from that their menu always had something exciting on special. A true farm to table experience! The food post Covid is still good, but the menu doesn't change as much as I like. It is hard to get in with a large party because it is one of the better quality lunch spots in Kamuela. I would visit for work and typically could sneak in without reservation but it's highly recommended so you're not waiting a while! The service is quick but the patrons typically like to relax and so the tables don't turn over as fast as you might expect. What's on the menu now that I like for an easy lunch is the eggplant sandwich. I also love their salads and crispy goat cheese! Every now and then, they have a great special for lunch and I lucked out with a prawns dish!