Merl's Diner

I ordered the catfish fillet plate, fries and mac and cheese. The fish was the only thing decent although I didn’t try the coleslaw (I don’t eat it). I ordered online and it was ready in 10 minutes although I asked for the fish to be fried hard. Online I couldn’t tell that the meal came with fries so I ordered an additional order. The fries were very hard and dry, the hush puppies were old and hard, and mac and cheese wasn’t good. The fish was the only thing I ate. I received a notification of an up charge later because I wanted my fish fried hard. People rave about this place so I decided to try it. I was disappointed. They put the condiments and silverware all in the plate smh

Not my first catfish. I got the whole fried catfish with onion rings and mac and cheese. At other places the sides are ok representations of what they're supposed to be, but that's not the case at Merl's. The mac and cheese and onion rings were great! The hush puppies were fantastic! But the star was the catfish. It was out of this world. You'll be hard pressed to find better.

We used to order from Merl's regularly when we lived in West Point. Great salads, great wings and juicy burgers. They have the best wings in the valley area.

The catfish dinners we ordered for dine in were cooked and tasted great including the slaw, fries and hushpuppies, and competitively priced! Our 1st time dining here, and I am really sad to say we probably will not return. There is a true saying, that if the front of the restaurant is filthy and unsanitary, then the kitchen that you can't see is probably worse. The place is run down with lots of areas that probably have not been cleaned in years, like the AC vents and peeling paint in many places, and a coke box that is inundated with mold and the glass on it had thousands of finger prints. Front door as well. You have a great customer base, that deserves better, as all it takes is some attention to detail, that apparently only customers can see.

Okay y'all... I've been here so many times. Every time I go, I get the same thing. I tell myself, 'self, try something new next time', but I always get the catfish meal. And if I never try another thing (which I actually have once) then believe me when I tell you, it's the finest whole catfish meal you can get. The fries are crinkle cut and piping hot. The hush puppies are fluffy and crispy, and the slaw is creamy delicious. You cannot beat the price either. As of August 2024, the one piece whole catfish meal is $11. You should see the buffet! I'll be back very soon. I travel to the area just to go to Merl's. Y'all get down here!