The Merry Fiddlers — Restaurant in Epping Forest

To be honest I would have given this place 1 star if the food wasn't ok. The women at the bar were really rather rude, we first arrived and I noticed one table had been put together and they moved the umbrellas here, there and everywhere, they created a large table for the mothers to sit and natter while their unruly children were left to creat havoc in the kids playground, breaking sticks, throwing sticks etc. Regardless, it was a nice day, we sat outside. Inside was like dog city... dog owners with no sense to think that others might not like dogs and are allowed to roam around. One quite large boxer dog also. I ordered the first round of drinks, was inexpensive, the barmaid, forgot a drink I ordered, no big deal, apologised to another customer she began serving before finishing with us, as I asked her about the drink she missed. Nobody takes your order when you sit outside (I'm not even sure they could be bothered to do it if you sat inside either to be honest)... a general vicky pollard "can't be bothered" attitude I experienced. We took the drinks outside, I went back in to order the food. I asked for the full monty burger, with sweet potato fries, I noticed the barmaid added a side portion of sweet potato fries, I specified that in place of the normal chips can we have sweet potato fries, not an extra side portion, she adjusted the price, then I asked for a Southern fried chicken burger, which I assumed came with with fries also, again I asked to change to sweet potato fries... she said "well I could have just left the sweet potato fries on there then!" I said "oh, does that burger not come with fries then?" She said "no", I said "oh, sorry, I wouldn't know that as I don't work here!" Usually, it would be explained politely, but they were actually rude! I ordered the rest of the food, couple more drinks... was asked what the table number is, I told them, I think it's 106, the one closest to the park, the girl serving me asked the the tall blonde lady if 106 is near the park, the lady pushed 112, the table furthest away from the park... all the time they are giving me funny looks like I am a problem for being there... turns out my table number WAS 106, but they thought I didn't have a clue what I was talking about, clearly. The tall blonde lady came out a little while later, explained that the girl who took my order was new and that we wasn't allowed to have a tab outside, we were asked to pay for the meal before recieving it, fine, but I asked to take the service charge off because they were so incredibly rude, I wanted to tip at the end, what I felt they deserved. (I don't agree with service charges unless the service is good). She said she has to go back in, came back out, we paid, she then explained to us that the knives and forks and sauces etc are over there, as she pointed near the building... help yourself sort of thing. The food was ok, the chicken burger was a bit rubbish, definitely should come with chips! It was just some frozen chicken thing that was deep fried. The pies looked pretty good, and the portions were quite big... But honestly, I can't believe that this place is rated so highly... and the ratings I saw are what encouraged me to give it a try... we definitely won't return, and I won't recommend, purely because of the terrible service. The tall lady tried to make it up when she brought the food out, but by then, the damage...

A Truly Unforgettable Experience at The Merry Fiddlers! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟If you're considering booking at The Merry Fiddlers, don’t hesitate—just go for it! We recently hosted a deeply meaningful event there for Mum’s Life Celebration, and the experience was nothing short of extraordinary.Ellie and her sister were absolutely incredible.

From the moment we arrived, their attention to detail and warm, welcoming nature made all the difference. The rooms were beautifully set up, and the decorations were simply stunning—every corner radiated care and thoughtfulness.

Ellie went above and beyond, not only managing all the administrative tasks flawlessly but also taking care of little things, like keeping the ice in Mums token White WIne glass topped up with ice to returning our vases to the florist. It’s these personal touches that elevated the day to perfection.

Our family and friends couldn’t stop raving about the amazing food, the wonderful team, and the incredible atmosphere. Ellie even stepped in to help Pablo and our mariachi band, ensuring everything ran seamlessly.

The level of dedication and care they showed us was truly outstanding—it felt like they were part of the family.The day was everything we hoped for and more, making Mum proud in every way. I can't thank the team enough for creating such a memorable experience.

I’ll be recommending The Merry Fiddlers to everyone I know (including my celeb pals!) because they truly deserve all the praise.

If you’re looking for a five-star service in a charming, welcoming venue, this is the place. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🥰

With...

We were standing at the bar for what felt about 4 minutes before anyone came out and realised we were there. The paint job within the building is quiet poor. Not sure if they’ve tried to go for the rustic look but it comes across messy. The tables were not very spaced out but luckily we were the only people sitting inside.

In order to park there for your meal, you need to enter your number plate on to the ipad next to the bar for a day permit. I feel the instructions need to be clearer in the parking lot. This is the only restaurant that have automatic hand sanitizer rather than the bottles which is a real plus. Waitresses were very attentive and friendly and the classical music throughout the evening was really enjoyable. While we were waiting for our food, a small dog walked in without a lead and walked to the direction of what I believed to be the toilets and kitchen. I don’t mind dogs but not sure how I would feel if he/she was walking around where my food was being prepared.

We waited quiet a long time for our starters to arrive and again waiting a good while before our dinner came. The menu was quiet limited but we were really happy with the dishes we ordered. The food was presented really beautiful – probably the best presentation we’ve seen in similar restaurants and apart from a small bit of salt being needed, it tasted delicious too. No dog hair thank goodness! It was quiet expensive but overall a nice experience and we would consider...