Mermaid Inn, Porthback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
30 September 2014. Early evening. The barman (young male) was one ignorant toerag. Too interested in chatting up the only other customer (young woman). B*st*rd said neither "Please" nor "Thank you" to either of us.
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In all my time reviewing pubs, I don't think I have ever been more surprised. From the outside, this does not look much. From the inside, this does not look much. The scores of families, including a Jack Russell being dragged around the pub by a couple of 4 year olds does not inspire much confidence. The fact they don't allow a tab to be set up seems surprising.
But the beer is exceptional. The Betty Stogs was the best that I have had of that particular brand. And the food was exceptional. Absolutely perfect and very good portions. Getting back up the hill was a problem, and I only had three Betty Stoggs.
Best pub meal I have had for a long, long time. Beer was perfect. We will be back for the quiz :-)
10/10
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Ive been a chef in London and the south for years working in 4 & 5 star hotels. That being so , I would say that I am more than qualified to cast a critical eye over the service that the Meremaid at Porth provides. It is due to the good, HOME MADE, value for money, very filling meals, friendly and very hard working staff feeding several hundred covers per day. A task that is not easy, I know. That I would give it my full reccomendation. Their fast service and food presentation you don't see very often in this type of establishment. Ive spent loads of evenings there while on holiday and enjoyed every pint, meal and nights of entertainment. Do not listen to these pretensious real ale foodies. They should try doing fifteen hours a six days a week having to serve ignorant fools like them. Its a pub restaurant on the beach not the Dorchester Park Lane London. Move on.
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I HAVE BEEN TO THE MERMAID MANY TIMES WHISLT HOLIDAYING IN PORTH, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT. STAFF ARE ALWAYS FRIENDLY AND POLITE, IT'S RIGHT ON THE BEACH, IT SERVES GOOD WHOLESOME FOOD AT REASONABLE PRICES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMMENT ABOUT THE DECOR BEING '60'S' IN STYLE. IT HAS FISHING NETS AND MERMAIDS, SEA SHELLS ETC. BECAUSE IT'S CALLED THE MERMAID AND IS NEXT TO THE SEA. NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 6O'S ERA TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I'M GLAD THEY ALLOW DOGS. THERE ARE SO FEW PLACES THAT DO. IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE A DOG LOOKING AT THEM WHILST THEY EAT, THEN DON'T LOOK AT THE DOG. THE MERMAID IS WELCOMING TO ALL. I HAVE BEEN TO A QUIZ NIGHT, AND AN ENTERTAINMENT NIGHT, AND THOUGHT BOTH WERE GOOD, AND LET'S REMEMBER, THE ENTERTAINMENT IS FREE. IF ONE WANTS A MORE INTIMATE DINNER, AND FIRST CLASS FOOD, I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE ROCK ISLAND BISTRO, JUST OPPOSITE THE MERMAID.
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Have just got home from a long weekend at Porth Bay and we have only praise for this pub. The atmosphere was friendly, relaxed and pleasant. The food was cooked to perfection and no, it might not be healthy, but the portions were incredible. I defy anyone to order a starter and then finish the second course!
For the four nights we stayed at Porth Beach, we ate at the Mermaid every night. We hope they keep on in the same vein, good food (and lots of it), friendly staff, clean premises (and yes they do allow dogs) and decent prices, you could not ask for more.
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First impressions were mixed to be honest but that is probably because we are a slightly snobbish London family, used to trendy (and expensive) pubs in SE London. The decor is a bit dated but the views of Porth Beach are amazing. We visited the pub several times over a week long holiday and the place really grew on us.
The staff are friendly and work extremely hard, delivering gigantic plates of food at a rapid pace. We ate there twice and whilst it certainly was not too healthy it was really tasty. The extensive menu offers a large range of pub classics and plenty more besides. Intersting to note burgers and chips under lite bites.
Drinks wise not too sure about the quality but seemed fine to us. Overall a great place to take the family, with attentive staff who completely outshone staff in other much more expensive establishments in Watergate Bay, St.Ives, Padstow etc.
Stan8 - 31 Aug 2008 19:45 |
With an overall rating of 9/10, I expected that the Mermaid would be something special, but it isn�t � just the very opposite, in fact. Admittedly, it is in a prime location on the beach at Porth and the bar staff all seemed quite pleasant, but beyond that it is difficult to find anything else positive to say, not even about the beer. Doom Bar, Betty Stogs and John Smith�s Cask Bitter are available on hand pumps. I did not try the John Smith�s, but I have to say that I had very much better pints of both the other two in all the other pubs we visited whilst in Devon and Cornwall.
The interior d�cor of the pub is very tacky and seems to be stuck in a 1960�s time warp. Some sort of entertainment seems to be provided most evenings. There is a free quiz one night, but the on the evening that we called in it was provided by a very second rate singer.
The Mermaid does have a very comprehensive food menu, but the food quality is only very average at best, and like the beer, we had much, much better meals in all the other pubs we ate at.
But what has totally put me off the Mermaid is their policy of allowing dogs into the bars whilst food is being served. I do NOT mean Assistance Dogs, which I don�t have a problem with, I mean ordinary family pets. Surprisingly, (having been in touch with Restormel Council�s Food Safety Enforcement Officer about the matter), this does not actually contravene food hygiene regulations, but it is most unpleasant eating a meal with a bloody big hungry looking Alsatian watching you from only two or three feet away. The waitress stroking this and other dogs in between serving meals did not inspire any confidence in the pub�s own food hygiene standards either.
OK, I guess from the previous ratings (if they are all genuine) that the Mermaid appeals to some people. It certainly does not appeal to me and it will definitely not be on the itinerary on our next visit to the south-west.
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Weve been going to the Mermaid for years now and its still great, right near the beach for the kids, excellent food and menu to suite all, the staff are well friendly and the Entertainment great The Dexterlove Karaoke Show on Sundays is the best around the original and he started here around 18 years ago and still going strong brill night out non-stop Karaoke don`t miss Sundays
anonymous - 23 Apr 2007 22:09 |
great pub very good food
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a good holiday pub. Known as the pub on the beach I go 2 to 3 times a year to newquay and this pub is one of the reasons why. I live in Yorkshire but can be on the beach in newquay within 2 hours now you can fly from leeds to newquay amazing
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Lovely friendly pub, clean with good value food. Staff who smiled alot and a good old fashioned pub atmosphere at night
Pete Holden - 17 Sep 2005 12:41 |
This pub sells itself as 'the pub on the beach' and it virtually is. Large patio with lots of tables overlooking Porth Beach. Wide range of modestly priced food. This pub is the only one I have come across with not only a fruit machine but its own amusement arcade. Well kept beers including Doom Bar. friendly fast service and families welcome.
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Great double barred pub, although one night we were there one bar was shut for a kids party!
Really fun quiz night (maybe a bit complex, but free!)
Food is well priced, but the drinks aren't amazingly cheap, but then you have to remeber your in a small pub, on a beach, with nothing else much about!!
Famous for Sunday lunches in the winter.
Ali - 12 Oct 2004 19:27 |
Hands down, probably the best pub I've been into. Lovely setting, right on the beach in a small little Cornwall village (and they don't mind if you bring sand in!), good range of beer, smoking and non-smoking section, arcade section for the children, relatively cheap but good food and the locals and staff were very friendly despite the fact we were obviously tourists. If you're ever down that way, you could do much worse. 9/10
Steven - 10 Oct 2004 12:07 |
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