Mercury's Bar — Restaurant in Malindi

Mr. & Mrs. P were craving lamb chops. To know us is to know lamb and goat are at the top of our "yes please" list.

Mercury's is one of a few places in Stone Town with lamb chops on the menu so off we went.

The food: Mr. P ordered the lamb chops while I ordered the mixed grill to include lamb chops, steak, sausage, and chicken.

We ordered a medium cook and everything was well-done and tough. While over-cooked, the mixed grill was tasty as it provided a variety of textures and flavors from the different types of meat.

However, the lamb chops were not as successful. Mr. P had a plate of bones. While we understand that all lamb isn't created equal- this was just a bad cut of lamb chops. What wasn't bone was fat and overall very little meat.

I feared Mr. P would lose a tooth trying to bite into them.

Our server stated "it's lamb- it comes from the ribs...there is no meat." So you intentionally serve bones? His logic was unnecessary as we understand what lamb chops are and are supposed to look like, taste like, etc...and bone is a factor in the equation.

For this we had to give the food and service a (3).

Atmosphere- Location: The location is great, it is one of the few restaurants on the beach in Stone Town. It is next to the ports so it gets a bit crowded going to and from, but still a good spot. And if you're a Queen fan, Bohemian Rhapsody and all other Queen songs are on tap.

We've had drinks here before and might just keep this as a drinks stop.

Stay tuned-

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Overrated with Frustrating Payment Issues**

We ignored the mediocre ratings and decided to give Mercury’s Bar a chance, but unfortunately, our experience confirmed many of the complaints.

The Good: The view over the river is lovely and probably the best thing about this place. Freddy's Mercury's music in the background. And stable WiFi.

The Bad: Slow & Disorganized Service: Despite being a large group, the waiter struggled to take our order efficiently, cramming everything onto one sheet and causing unnecessary delays. Mediocre Food: The dishes we tried were overcooked and underwhelming. "Okay" food isn’t good enough when you’re paying for a dining experience. Payment Nightmare: The real frustration came when paying. Their card machine (which, as other reviews mention, frequently doesn’t work) failed for all of us. We had to scramble for cash, borrowing from each other. Suspicious Currency Exchange: Paying in USD, EUR, or Tanzanian shillings? Be warned—they use their own unfair exchange rates, costing you more. The waiter took ages to calculate, so we had to step in.

I spoke to the manager about these issues, especially the card machine problem that’s clearly a recurring issue. He nodded politely, but unless something changes, this feels like a scam to force cash payments at inflated rates.

Final Verdict: 2/5 Nice view, but poor service, average food, and shady payment practices. Until they fix these problems (especially the card machine "conveniently" failing), I’d recommend eating elsewhere. If they improve, I’ll update my review—but for now,...

Mercury's is a solid meh for me.

While the food was tasty, it was also a smaller portion than I'd expected. While that may in part be a consequence of American dining habits; nevertheless, for the amount paid, I expected to receive just a bit more of each item. The greens were more a hint than a full salad, and the seafood ragout had approximately two of each seafood type.

Of particular annoyance was the fact that the "waiter" waited over my shoulder and even instructed me on precisely how much to tip him. I'd taken my meal at the bar, meaning his only interaction with me was to deliver the plate of food. The bartender took my order, served my drink, and chatted with me a bit. It's not as though I'm unwilling to tip, it's simply that this gentleman did nearly nothing to deserve - let alone demand/instruct - a tip.

also not sure I like the fact that this restaurant so heavily traffics on Freddie Mercury's fame. Suppose I'd feel better about it if I knew that his family or estate or whatever was involved rather than simply being some enterprising businessman taking advantage of...