Major credit cards and local checks are accepted. Time was when it was the site of Simon Malone's, one of the first and most bustling oases in the annals of Tallahassee ferndom. Well, the old stand has been through a lot since then. Known principally for its well worn, sometimes rowdy sports-bar atmosphere, its rotisserie chicken and an encyclopedic inventory of imported, domestic and microbrew beers, Merrell's has won and kept a steady patronage of eastside lunchers, diners, and folks who groove on gnawing wings and exploring the world of suds at daily 2 till 7 p.m. happy hour.
Loyal regulars tolerate a lot, and sometimes gradual slippage goes unnoticed.
But the view from here is that certain areas have skidded noticeably since our last review, four years ago. Service, always just a sliver more soignee than that at Bullwinkle's, leads the downslide. On two of three dinner visits, albeit at busy times, we experienced interminable waits for and between courses. Once, in fact, an entire salad course never was forthcoming. This isn't altogether a server problem.