Mermaid Inn

Ein typisches «Family Inn». Essen bis 21:00 Uhr. Getränke werden an der Theke bestellt, bezahlt und gleich mitgenommen an den Tisch. Speisen ebenfalls an der Theke zu bestellen und zu bezahlen, werden dann an den Tisch gebracht.
Es ist teilweise beängstigend aber azch interessant mit anzusehen wie fette Kinder mit Ihren Eltern nich fetteres Essen nach 18:00 Uhr in sich hineinschieben.
Preise für deutsche Verhältnisse ganz schön teuer, aber das ist überall in der Region so.
Ambiente typisch englisch und damit voll ok.
Kein Feinschmeckerlokal, sondern für die Landesverhältnisse günstige Futterstelle für Touri-​Familien. E
inen Stern gibts auch noch für die abendliche Unterhaltung. An dem Abend als ich da war, gabs eine Liveband die alte Disko-​Hits vom feinsten spielten. Top.

Hmm… I stopped at the Mermaid Inn after eight hours of driving to Newquay. Let’s just say I was famished to say the least and looking for some fresh seafood. I am new to the area and the specials are written on the far left of the bar and not in ordering line of sight for the customer.
There was a long line. I waited.
I was not greeted by Miss Personality who took my order but obviously she rather not be at her place of work at the time conveyed that in her demeanor. I had questions about the menu and she grudgingly answered them. I told her I was in search of fresh seafood or fresh fish and I couldn’t find any options on the menu and she neglected to tell me about the specials on the board that I could not see. Way to go customer service!
I asked if the salmon is fresh and she said, «we don’t really fish for salmon». I explained I was wanting something fresh in the seafood department and she told me to go for something like the Mackerel. She made it sound as if I would have to travel to another establishment so I said no thanks, I will stick with my order of the frozen salmon shipped in from who knows where. My husband ordered the cheese and bacon burger with a specialty blue cheese side. When our food arrived they failed to put the bacon on the burger, the cheese was thin and badly melted on the patty as if it was way over cooked, the specialty blue cheese side was also missing and so were the onion rings. My husband was not happy. He had me return his meal for him to get the correct fixings we paid for. I asked to speak to the manager and Miss Personality directed me to her supervisor. I explained I was not happy with the service I received when I asked about fresh seafood options she neglected to tell me about the specials. The supervisor looked at her in surprise and said, «You didn’t tell her about the specials?» She lied and said she did, and I reminded her that all she told me about was some sort of mackerel, she became very argumentative and her supervisor had to tell her to be quiet.
The supervisor wanted to comp my meal but I said, it was OK just give me two pints instead, so he did. He also wanted to give us a free desert. I refused it. I particularly don’t like the customer service I received from Miss Personality.
If you do go to the Mermaid Inn do look for the specials on the left of the bar, and you might be able to get fresh fish and fresh seafood options, don’t be limited like I was and order a frozen shipped in salmon filet.
The beer is extremely expensive too. £3.90 for a pint of San Miguel, I am sorry but San Miguel is not that good and no other pubs are charging that high for a pint.
Nice beach view if you are sitting outside and from some parts of the pub if you are sitting inside. Tables were not clean regularly. We had to bus our own table, which was kind of disgusting. I even asked Miss Personality to please have someone clean a table for us and of course she failed at that too.
They ask customers to wear a shirt or top if you will and not to come in without one, they don’t pay any attention to the rules many men and boys had their tops off. They ask you to not come in with wet clothes or bathing suit or wetsuits and customers don’t pay any attention and come in wearing wet stuff also.
I am giving this place a 3 because my salmon wasn’t bad. My beer wasn’t flat but the customer service and the way I was treated was horrendous!

A rare find these days and a far cry from the mass produced ‘theme pubs’. This quintessential British pub is located on Porth beach overlooking a photogenic Newquay paradise. In the summer, the beach is littered with families building sandcastles and surfers alike.
Perhaps not so pleasant to look at from the outside, with an unappealing stone frontage and a no nonsense, no frills, non exotic approach inside. The Mermaid is split into a bar facing the busy road and a larger lounge area backing onto the sandy beach, together with an outside seating area for when the sun decides to shine through. The bar has all the charms of a true ‘locals’ pub, with a convivial atmosphere, an open wood fire for those cold winter nights and customers enjoying a game of darts or pool. All in all this place has a relaxed, welcoming vibe with charming staff and canine friends enjoying crunchy treats, mainly of the Walkers crisp variety.
The selection of lagers and beers are pretty standard fare. For those partial to a ‘tap’ San Miguel or two, this Spanish delight is a rather sturdy, robust pint, guaranteed to make you rather tipsy after a tipple or two! It is quite a potent, pokey little number, so take care.
In terms of food, there is rather a large foldable menu of traditional dishes with additional, slightly more adventurous, specialities on the black board. Keen as I was to try all of the old favorites from years gone by, the extensive menu made it quite difficult to make a choice. A whole array of childhood tastes including chilli con carne or curry half and half (a real ‘South Waleon’ concept), scampi or fish and chips, ham, egg and chips, gammon with egg and/​or pineapple, an assortment of burger choices, steak and ale pie and much more.
After much reminiscing and ruminating, my Grandpa decided on the crispy cod and chips, whilst the remainder of us settled on the steak and ale pie. The plate arrived with a large bowl containing succulent chunks of beef steak, laced in a lucious Doom beer gravy, topped with a puff pastry crust. The chips, clearly freshly cooked, rather than the flimsy finely cut frozen variety, lined the plate, acting as a perfect platform to soak up the juices.
Memories fully accommodated, bellies full, all plates cleared and hardly a trace of the contents left behind, we were all satisfied with our choices.
I’m afraid Newquay is rather lacking on the culinary front, but this place is definitely worth a visit if you are in the vicinity and fancy a trip down memory lane.
We may live without friends; we may live without books
But civilized men cannot live without cooks.
— — Owen Meredith
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Fantastic pub, on the outskirts of town. Divided into sections, and very kid friendly, they have an olde worlde type section, with roaring fires and extremely low ceilings; a swankier dining area — the roasts are FAB! — and a larger party style room at the back. A favourite amongst the locals, this is what an ale on the Cornish coast is all about.

Top food! Very nice location and superb steaks! well recommended