Mermaids Island Grill — Restaurant in Holden Beach

Dear Restaurant Manager/Owner,

I hope this review finds you well. I recently dined at your establishment and wanted to share my experience with you in the hope that it will help improve the quality of service you provide.

On 7/6/23 I visited your restaurant with high hopes of enjoying a delicious meal and a pleasant dining experience. However, I must say that my expectations were not met. I wanted to bring to your attention the disappointments I encountered during my visit.

Firstly, when my meal was brought out, I was disheartened to find that the food was served cold. As someone who appreciates a well-cooked and well-presented meal, this was certainly disappointing. I believe that customers should be able to enjoy their food at an appropriate temperature, which only enhances the overall dining experience.

Furthermore, the quality of the food itself did not meet my expectations for the price I paid. I understand that dining out can have its expenses, but when paying $65 for a meal, one would expect a certain level of quality and quantity. Unfortunately, I found both aspects lacking during my visit. The portion sizes were inadequate, and the flavor and overall taste of the dishes did not justify the price.

I want to emphasize that I understand the challenges faced by restaurants, particularly during these uncertain times. However, as a customer who works diligently to earn my money, I believe it is crucial to provide constructive feedback when my expectations are not met. By addressing these concerns, I hope that your restaurant can improve and provide a more enjoyable experience for future customers.

I kindly request that you take my feedback seriously and consider evaluating the areas where improvements can be made. It is my belief that every customer should feel satisfied and valued when visiting your establishment. This can only be accomplished by addressing the issues at hand and making necessary changes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this review . I appreciate your attention to my concerns and hope that you will use this feedback to enhance the dining experience at your restaurant. I would like to believe that my next visit will be a more...

At $90+ for two people, we expected a little more in terms of quality and service. This is our first visit to Holden Beach and Mermaid’s is the first dinner of our trip - it’s not off to a great start.

First, when our order arrived at our table, it was only half of our order. Also, no napkins, no meal-accompanying condiments like cocktail and tartar sauce, and no utensils for the crab legs. We had to go request the remainder of our order along with napkins, condiments, etc three times before we finally received our complete meal.

Second, the server (short with long pigtails) was not pleasant at all, did not smile, barely spoke, and seemed annoyed that people showed up to eat. When I went back to the counter to get the rest of our meal, she scowled when she walked past me. Why??

Third, the trash cans on the decks were attracting a lot of flies, so we had to shoo flies away throughout the meal.

Fourth, my dining partner’s crab legs meal was not very good. The crab legs were poor quality with very little meat, and some of the meat was tough. The options were to order three crab leg clusters with no sides, or two clusters with two sides. We ordered the two clusters option with sides. The portion sizes of my partner’s sides were quite small compared to mine, which was odd considering the price difference in our meals.

Finally, my Calabash shrimp was decent. The rice pilaf and coleslaw sides weren’t great, but the shrimp was perfectly cooked and tasty.

I don’t know if they’re having an “off” night or what, but, at this price point, the quality of food and service was just not there. Honestly, we would’ve had a better meal at...

This is a hard review to write. Unapologetically, Mermaid’s is what it is. Unfortunately, it is an incredibly lackluster establishment, but truly has potential to be wonderful. The ordering process upon arrival can only be described as confusing. It also feels like a different process every time you go in depending on who is working. Some employees are top notch and you can tell they try to make the process easier. Unfortunately, the majority act as if taking your order is a waste of their time. There is no doubt that they have a great distaste for the summer tourists and lump the entire summer crowd as a necessary evil to keep the lights on. The food can be great, but it is hit or miss. Quite frankly, the only reason we have made it a point to visit Mermaid’s multiple times each season for so many years was the live music on the upper deck. We understand the cost of having live music, but it made the confusing nature of ordering and the lackluster service worth the trip. On Friday night, my group of 5 ladies were treated poorly by the bartender (who only warmed up after a substantial cash tip) and watched multiple large (10+ people) walkout after not understanding the ordering system. At 7:00pm, every other restaurant easily had a 45 minute wait and Mermaid’s was comparatively a ghost town. This place has been an HB staple for years and has so much potential. Simple adjustments and better attitudes would make a world...