Merchants 1688

Exceptional interior. Food is excellent and the value is amazing. We spent 90 pounds including tip and had duck and halibut mains plus starters. Southern England that is 120 pound night easily. Service was excellent and the waitress was very much in sync with their drink selection. Recommend highly especially after our experience in this area where there is an obsession with chippys and low end burgers.

I visited the famous Merchants on route back to Lancaster train station. The pub is steeped in history and this is obvious from the moment you enter the building. I didn't order food as I was simply wanting a quick drink before catching the train, but the food looked amazing. The staff were very friendly and welcoming and the Guinness was perfect 👍

Only my second ever visit. Casta spotted it in his 2023 CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Lovely vaulted cellar bar ( easy access, pub built at street level into Castle Hill.) Three separate rooms opposite the bar. Large beer patio to the front. Toilets upstairs. The bar has a choice of up to eight real ales, seven of which were available on our visit. ( From six breweries.) Decided on a plum and brandy Porter from Pennine. Smooth and very flavousome. Not a session beer.

Came for Father’s Day our first time visiting and we loved it. The atmosphere was so lovely, peaceful and cosy. We came on a Sunday so had the Sunday menu and opted for the lamb hotpot and the Sunday roasts and was one of the best roast dinners we have had, the lamb hotpot was also amazing! Great value for money 2 courses for £22, we loved it and definitely somewhere we would come back if visiting Lancaster.

The staff & atmosphere are top notch! The cellar is a very cool place to dine. The food was underperforming in my opinion. I would not recommend the hollandaise & crab risotto, it was very soupy and lacked flavor besides a fishiness. The scallops were good, but so small. The Seabass I had as the special was pretty good and my husband enjoyed the pork belly. The crisp on the pork belly was amazing. And the sticky toffee pudding was very good.

Friendly, professional and helpful staff, with an excellent food selection and top quality food. Mostly wheelchair friendly, however toilets are on the the second floor so will be a problem for anyone who needs easy/regular access to a toilet. The restaurant is rather unique in comparison to others, as it is built into the hill and the dining area is underground, Despite this you can still get phone and data service. They have a beer garden out front, which can be busy at peak times and sunny days. Overall, it's definitely one of the restraunts I would recommend, especially if you're visiting Lancaster castle or just enjoy top quality food

Wonderful. Last ate here about ten years ago, this was a totally different experience. Food was incredibly good, with a very interesting menu. We had the cheese souffle, followed by salted beetroot as a veggie option and wild boar (with garlic sausage), with a side of nadju macaroni cheese. Superb, beautifully cooked, beautifully presented. Nice wine list, excellent serving staff. We ate absolutely everything.