Along with the nearby Shamrock, which also opened in 1935, Merle's is reputedly the oldest continuously operated bar in Wichita. Its staying power is in no small part due to its laid back ambience, downtown-adjacent location, and most of all, truly tasty bar food. There's no fryer here, no burgers, just really fresh, delicious sandwiches, enchiladas, soups and salads. Great meeting place for lunch or a relaxing evening meal, or just to shoot a little pool and have a beer. read more

Very clean old school tavern, service was excellent and the restaurant was very clean. Sold out of pasta salad at 11:45am,Rueben was soggy and nothing special, my friend had the club. He was not impressed. Salad's were small and very plain. The beer was ice cold! Won't be back.... read more

First time eating here today and will definitely be back! I just got a to-go order but the atmosphere was great, service was very nice and the food was amazing! (And to add... you can't beat the prices!!) read more

Merle's has fabulous food and the best guacamole that there is. My husband is sick so we had to get our food to go. I made sure to get an order of the guacamole because that is my very favorite thing that they have. I don't live anywhere near them and like I said, my husband has dementia and he's sick and so he had to sit in the car, I got my food to go, and I didn't realize they didn't give me that. That was the main thing I was looking forward to. Very disappointed. read more

It's an old school bar that serves some appetizers, sandwiches, soup and salads, enchiladas, and of course alcohol. Merle's has been around forever! The Rueben is very good. Their prices are very reasonable. It's worth at least one visit. read more

Merle's had good food, my only complaint was the service was a little slow and it was very warm inside.

Stopped in for lunch. Hadn't been in for several years. Reuben was good, would have been better if was at least warm. No refill on water, maybe because I didn't buy a drink, I got punished?! Will probably be couple more years before we go back. C'mon Merle's, you used to be great! read more

I came to try the Reuben sandwich which I've heard is good, and my son ordered the club. We both ordered chicken noodle soup as the side. Chicken noodle soup was decent. My son was happy enough with the club sandwich, it had enough meat and was grilled on a panini press. My Rueben though, was awful. Couldn't determine whether the bread was rye or wheat, but it was not grilled or toasted at all. The "corned beef" was more like deli lunch meat and was not warm, and the cheese was not melted. I was so disappointed! read more

The service was beyond amazing. You will feel welcomed here. If you haven't tried this place you need to. It's not flashy or fancy, but the food is fresh, delicious and prepared with care. read more

This bar used to be fun and lively business to go eat and have drinks. It has gone down alot lately. Doesnt seem like owner or employees like working at there job. Everyone looks overwelmed. read more

The food at Merle's is better than it needs to be, but in all likelihood you're not coming here solely for the food. This is a straight-up neighborhood place that you visit because you've been going here for as long as you can remember. The menu here is largely cold cut concoctions, and I was quite surprised to open the faux newspaper that serves as the menu and found that the first sandwich listed contained an avocado spread and bean sprouts. The Streamliner, is what it was called. Or maybe it was Steamliner. Whatever. Either way, the sandwich - turkey, along with the aforementioned ingredients - was tasty, though more of a lunch fare. That avocado spread, especially, was more grocery store hydrogenated oil than anything else, but still, overall fairly nice. It came with some Italian pasta salad which was jazzed up with some corn, Spanish olives, and a layer of creamy buttermilk ranch. Merle's isn't the type of place to bother with silly things like taps, so it's cool to see a board advertising the soup du jour, and while I could clearly sense attempts to take the food to the next level, it's still not something that's worth the trip if you live outside of Delano read more

Merle's Place - a car parked in front of a building - American Near Me - Wichita, Kansas

Service was ok, ambiance was nothing special. Sadly, my lunch was a disappointment. Part of the problem was the menu was very unorganized and not easy to follow. I ordered #5 ham and cheese sandwich with chips. It said pickle spear on request, but they didn't have any or any pickles for that matter. The sandwich came on marbled rye and I don't eat any rye. (The menu was like a newspaper and some of the information was on the opposite side of the page not particularly lined up with the left side. I did not see the bread that it came on.) There was hardly any ham, some shredded lettuce and cheese that was not the kind I asked for. There was a dab of mustard and no onions or tomato on it that I asked for. It did have plenty of olives on it. Which I also didn't see because of how the menu was organized. Anyway, it was disappointing and I won't be back. BTW- I spent less on a large supreme pizza from Papa Murphy's that I picked up for my family, than I did on my lunch. read more

We went specifically to try the Reuben. If you've never been, the outside looks a little sketch but I was surprised walking in. I'd describe it as a pub. The server seemed very rushed and when we asked what the soup of the day she said "it's on the board when you come in...". I couldn't tell if she was being short with us or informing us. She just seemed really bothered that we asked. We ordered chips and queso. Nothing to write home about but not terrible. The tortilla chips were bottom of the bag. Broken small pieces of chip. I literally put the chip pieces on my plate and spooned the dip over them and ate them with a fork. Now the Reuben...the whole reason we went! The Reuben was on Rye bread and not marbled rye. This was a better choice of bread in my opinion. The bread seemed toasted rather than grilled...and that didn't bother me either. The corned beef is sliced like deli meat. Sauerkraut, Russian dressing and cheese were fine, just a little too heavy on the sauerkraut making the bread a bit soggy. The pasta salad surprised me. When it came out it was pasta which dressing poured over it rather than pre-mixed. I thought that was odd but actually was very good. Bloody Mary's were not the greatest. We only drank half of them. My favorite part of the meal was the pasta salad. The Reuben was Meh. Not the best I've ever had but not terrible. Time to pay, server was very very nice, though it seemed perfectly timed to try to salvage a nice tip. To be fair about the service, I think she was truly overwhelmed. I think it was just her running the tables and the bar at lunch. Would I go back? If someone asked me, I'd give it another try. read more

Easily one of the best, if not the best Reuben I've had in Wichita. They don't overdo one single ingredient and it's so balanced. You HAVE to do yourself a favor and visit this very underrated establishment. read more

Nice place with some very (unintentionally) throwback decor. The bartender (Christine I think?) was a card. I had a great time chatting with her and while it wasn't the best Reuben I've ever had, it was the best $7 Reuben I ever had and it was packed full of meat. It was worth the walk from the Broadview where we were staying. read more

One of my wife and I's favorite neighborhood bars. The wait staff are always friendly and on the spot to make sure your food was good and your drinks are cold. Food is primarily sandwiches and soups, lunch fare, but everything is always fresh. The create-your-own sandwich option is one of the best deals on the menu, with the only limit being just what they have available. Not a lot of beers on tap, but always have specials, so you should be able to find something you'll like. read more

I cannot believe no ones has written a review on this place yet! I used to be a regular at Merle's over 20 years ago. Left to to make my mark in The "Big D", now I find myself back in The ICT. I starting going back to Merle's and the place has not changed that much. The beers are cold and the sandwiches are great! You get your money's worth. the patio outback is a nice added feature for smokers, almost makes you want to hang out there more than inside. They have poker every Monday and Saturday night. That makes it fun! I do wish they would get bands in there. I think they would be packing the house! I am impressed with the mixture of mature and younger people in there. Like a big family! All in all, I do like Merle's it is timeless and always a treat to be there. Btw: One secret I think people don't know is, they make a great Martini! Enjoy!!! read more

What a legit bar. I can't believe I've never made it here in all of my trips to Wichita, but I am glad that I finally did. It's exactly what you would want from a dive-ish bar - friendly people, comfortable surroundings, and cheap drinks. The place is clean, and it's easy in/easy out with plenty of parking on the side. They have a kitchen, and the gentleman I was with had eaten there and said the food was good, but I didn't have any experience with the food myself. I'll be back here in a heartbeat next time I am in Wichita. read more

Old school bar, high back booths, great sandwiches, and Killians on tap. What's not to like! Their Rueben's are really good!

I love Merle's Place. It has a very laid back atmosphere and the wait staff are very helpful. They have great specials that rotate daily. The chicken tacos are BOMB!!!! Also the sandwiches on the daily menu are fantastic, my personal favorite is the Reuben. read more

This place has had a makeover not long ago and the food is great!! It was a very nice surprise!!

Merle's is a locals favorite and the place to go grab a sandwich and a drink at lunch for many of Wichita's downtown business people. VERY SMOKEY - so stay away if you are a non-smoker. Your clothing will reak and you'll have a raw throat if you aren't prepared to be surrounded by chain smokers. ***UPDATE*** They have a new NON-smoking section! Cheap sandwiches and bar food. Chips, cheese dip, salads, and whatnot. STRONG DRINKS - yes - REALLY STRONG - so you get a lot for your dollar. Best drinks by far are their Whiskey Sours, Rum and Cokes, and Screwdrivers. Nothing fancy, but good with the old fashioned cocktails. Boisterous crowd, can get packed. read more

What most dive bars aspire to. Food good, much better than you would expect. Staff awesome However do not make the rookie mistake of flagging down a bartender and pulling a dough dick move of asking about microbrews or specials. Be Warned Hipsters have been clubbed, cooked, and offered to the local homeless population Lords Diner style.....I think they had a band once in the eighties....they still play at Spirits in Valley Center ( yes he still wears the leather pants )...They have a Shuffleboard table and Darts in a hidden room, as well as pool tables, Great Jukebox that is NOT Internet connected and contains NO Maroon 5 or Nickleback. awesome crowd watching and can easily fill a Mullet Bingo card or film an episode of When Sportfucking your cousin goes bad .... which is really why you go to places like this...you can wear a sequined Sombrero and some body will think it is cool GARANTEED. .... read more

See all

Let me start by saying I really do enjoy Merles and have been going here for years. The atmosphere is great. Is it the food mind blowing? No, but it's very good and considerably better than most sandwich places in Wichita. read more

Went for lunch several times and love the laid back, friendly service. Frito Chili is wonderful! Fantastic lunch stop! Dinner was different. Went there ONCE at 6:30 PM to get the Frito Chili Special. Filled with cigarette smoke/smell. Not very impressive when restaurants are SUPPOSED to be smoke free and one of my family members has asthma. Frito chili was still good but the sitting in a Smokey bar was not impressive to the people I brought with me. Go for lunch or eat in a Smokey bar at night. read more

Really fun dive bar to grab drinks. I can't speak for the food but anything you order from the bar will be cheap and strong. Very interesting people watching. This is a fun place if you have a group because you can fit 8-10 people around their tall pub tables. Lots of tvs so you can catch sports. However, even with the non-smoking area, this is by far the smokiest bar I've even been to. Be warned! read more

Great food. Best Reuben I've had in a while. Service was pleasant. Lots of good menu items. Decor is somewhat dated, but that's part of the experience. read more

Alright neighborhood bar. The sandwiches are okay. It's not my favorite bar in town, but that's just a matter of personal preference.

This place is terrible. For months and months they had advertising stating they were open on Sundays and they weren't. Last year they finally took the ads down. I've been in there numerous times and never have once received even barely decent service. One time about ten of us walked in sat down took our coats off had made direct eye contact with the bartender who claims to be a manager too (very surprising) and we couldn't get any service so two of us walked up to the bar and she said "oh, we are closed" yet all the lights were on, two customers sitting at the bar, open signs still on and cash register running. It was about 11:45pm on a saturday evening. I believe she could've allowed us to have at least one drink, could've made the bar easily an $100 at the end of her shift. I haven't been in there since and will never return. read more

Surprisingly Good Food at a bar. Had the Reuben sandwich with ham & potato soup, both good. Good service also & reasonably priced.

I was a regular, but after the service I got today, never again! Chris and his boys were trying to have a meeting. Yeah right. they drank more shots than they waited on people. I will never return. You used to have the best chicken salad I have ever tasted, but now it is dry! Think again my friends! But I won't be back! I watched Chris do at least 6 or 7 shots. Sabrina, you lost all of your best employees! read more