The shakes were amazing and definitely worth the price. The option of indoor and outdoor seating was nice too. They were really quick with orders and very friendly as well. I loved the decor in the restaurant and the hometown feel. Also one of the only places that has a bathroom. I will say the only thing I would change is having bigger burger patties! read more

Amazing food . The Mushroom burger is the best I have ever had. Shakes over the top and they are cheaper than anyone else..

Best Raspberry Oreo shake. More raspberry than most places give you (not vanilla w some raspberry) Also yummy tater tots Quick as can be with a steady flow of people and great workers Looks like a family run place and I'm a fan of that read more

Oh my! FOOD WAS SO GOOD!! A bit on the higher end of price but given it's a tourist area not awful! We ended up getting the double burger, Double bacon jalapeño, chicken strip basket, tater tots, and cake batter shakes! Double hamburger was good and simple can't go wrong! Double bacon jalapeño was a sweet yet spicy my fav! Chicken strips were perfect ranch was good too! Tater tots and fries perfectly done with perfect flavor or spices! Place was definitely crowded yet fast service! I will definitely come back! There is also a park right next to it for the kids! read more

Such amazing service! We always come here. Todays visit was the best yet. The lady went the extra mile! We had raspberry shakes, burgers & the chicken wrap and it was all great! 5 read more

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Service was quick, fries are perfect, banana shake delicious and bacon cheese burger devine

The raspberry shakes are FIRE. Better than Labeaus- there I said it. The line was long, but the staff was still super friendly when they were likely exhausted. I'll be back when the lines are shorter. read more

I have eaten at various garden city drive-ins hundreds of times. I don't see any reason to give this place less than 5 stars. It's the typical small town drive-In end accomplishes what it's designed to do, get you food, and get you on to your next adventure. There is plenty of seating including outdoor seating. My wife and I enjoy any raspberry shake and she wants to let the world know what it's like, inside and out. Their fries have a nice little flavoring on them, but aren't anything spectacular, since it's high volume drive-in food. read more

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AVOID MERLINS AT ALL COSTS. If I could give a 0 star I would. First off it's very pricey. And the food was absolutely garbage. The staff is horribly rude as well. Before I even discovered the food was made wrong and not at all worth $70 i asked which of the meals was which and some girl in a yellow shirt ripped my head off saying " we did our best if it's wrong it's your problem" Really? Then of course we get to the table that was not cleaned or sanitized by them I had to do It and of course the food was wrong. I went up to the window to simply ask for an extra plate for my son and the same girl rolled her eyes at me and said WHAT NOW!!! Again if you value your hard earned money and want a good meal with even half way decent service AVOID MERLINS! read more

Merlins Drive Inn - This is $10 worth of Chicken??? - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

Super thick milk shakes! Ok so I saw people getting fries and stuff. But this place is known for its milk shakes. The raspberry milk shakes to be exact! So this review only has to do with milk shakes. The line out the door says it all! I'm not kidding the line went out the door and around the building. Every single person had a milk shake. So Bear Lake is known for its raspberries. So while you are visiting on your vacation or just for the weekend you need to come here for a raspberry shake. Its made with fresh raspberries! Now if you don't like raspberries they have 20 other flavors including rocky road. The shakes are so thick that its basically an ice cream. They serve it with a spoon not a straw. And it is about 2 inches higher than the rim of the cup. So huge serving for one price. It hits the spot between playing on the lake and camping. But I highly suggest the raspberry shake and a glass of water. Stay hydrated and get back out on that lake! read more

Merlins Drive Inn - Long lines - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

Decent food. Good sized shakes. Only shake shack open on Sunday which makes it the best.

The food was very good. The service was quick. The atmosphere was fun with dollar bills covering the ceiling, license plates from all over, etc. Parking was easy. read more

They've updated the interior and it nice. Lots of seating as well as outdoor seating and a little playground. SHAKES: this is what Bear lake is all about and I felt they really failed which is why the 2 stars. They use soft serve vanilla for all their shakes and just pump in flavoring. So when I ordered a mint chocolate chip expecting it to be green and have bits of chocolate I was surprised to get a sandy beige shake in return. I could hardly taste any mint at all. I have had shakes from almost everywhere else in the area and this is probably my least favorite. Go to La Beaus if you can. If it's a Sunday go to the Chevron gas station or Hometown Drive In Next door. I also had the tots with cheese and honestly probably would have enjoyed them more without cheese. It wasn't what I was expecting again. It was shredded cheese on top that I think they microwaved? And maybe some prefer that. In this case I was just hoping for some classic nacho cheese with them. read more

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Yikes! Good food, but not-so-great employees!! We went here for Labor Day weekend and it was crazy busy, so I understand there may have been frustration and frazzled nerves involved. However, I was not impressed with the way the employee handled this situation... we were part of a very large order. At least a dozen meals, plus shakes. Easily over $130 worth of food. Everything came out in good time, but one person was missing the shake he ordered. He went to ask the employee at the window about it and got extreme attitude--and a flippant "Well you can talk to the manager then!!" We witnessed her throwing a hissy fit in the kitchen over it. Eventually the manager made it right but this employee really caused an unnecessary scene over a $3 shake in such a massive order of food. Speaking of the food--it was very enjoyable! The chicken tenders were very good, the tater tots were DELICIOUS, the shakes were great, and I liked the burger. This was a beautiful burger, mouth-watering to look at. I wish it had tasted as good as it looked, though. Unfortunately the bacon didn't have much flavor. However, on the whole, I still enjoyed it. Just a bummer that an employee decided to be so rude to a paying customer. read more

Merlins Drive Inn - Bacon Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

This is our go-to stop every time we go to Bear Lake. It's just a hole in the wall burger joint, but the shakes are awesome and the fries are so good! They put a special seasoning on them and they are to die for. The burgers are great too, they taste like good homecooked burgers that your grandpa would cook on his backyard bbq when you were a kid. And the coolest part of all is the DOLLARS! The ceiling and walls are lined with dollar bills. You can write your name on them and have them tagged in their restaurant for all to see. I can't remember what they do with them, or if they stay there forever ( I doubt it, it's not big enough and they've been there for years) but it's something the kids really enjoy. Is it the best burger I've ever had? No, I will honestly say it's not. But it's decent, and the fries are great. And their shakes are even better. But the Dollar "wallpaper" is the coolest thing ever. read more

Jalapeño bacon burger is delicious! Also, the best raspberry shakes in bear lake- they use real raspberries not syrup! Really busy on Sunday's since it's one of the only places opened. While waiting in line on Sunday Mr. Merlin himself came and chatted with everyone standing in line. Definitely our favorite spot in bear lake! read more

Okay, I know that this place isn't the most recommended place in bear Lake, but I loved it! My family and I spent a week in Garden City and tried every shake place we could. Ultimately we were split on the favorite by my husband and I love the shakes at Merlin's the most. First they were the only place that actually gave us good "over the top" shakes. He got a raspberry shake and I got a Reese's and Cake Batter shake. It was so good! Every shake I had after that one was a disappointment in comparison. I'm sure it may depend a little on who is working, and we didn't try the food, but we had a great experience. read more

Delicious food and relatively fast service even over the busy 4th of July weekend. Shakes are large, fries are crisp and seasoned well, burgers are flavorful with a fresh brioche bun. The mushroom burger was smothered in flavorful mushrooms. read more

Merlins drive in has a very homy feel. Whats not homy is the fact that all the workers didn't have a mask on. The girl with the space buns, you're amazing. Very good shakes read more

Merlins Drive Inn - my MASK. - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

First time in from a recommendation and wasn't disappointed. We 4 different burgers and all were delicious, plus onion rings and tots and everything came out fresh and cooked perfectly. Plus the bonus that the prices blows La Beau's away (and you don't have the long lines, long wait, overpriced average food that people can't seem to get enough of at that place down the street.) read more

Merlin's is the kind of place that benefits from location. There aren't a ton of options around, you're usually really hungry / tired / dirty when you eat here, and there is a killer view of Utah's finest lake in the foreground. It's like a hotdog at the ballpark. It just works better there. That being said, the food is marginal compared to most "in town." During the busy season (May - August) you get pre-formed burgers akin to what you buy in the frozen food section of the grocery store. Toppings are sparse and you find yourself waiting a long time for the food. Out of season (September - April) you get better service, higher quality food, and a better experience. Regardless of season, the hand-spun shakes rule everything. read more

I come to Bear Lake often! Thought we'd finally give Merlin's a try. Blown away at the Incredibly RUDE worker who is by her account the sister of the owner- family or not, you wouldn't be treating my clientele like that!. You often treat your customers like your employees who apparently get treated like soldiers jumping to the orders of the armchair general! Completely "Put out" that "she" got our order wrong! Seriously?! Yelling at top volume people's name to clarify an order. You'd be great in a construction site where you never need to work with the public! looks like a great place- cool memorabilia regarding fire fighters and police officers which We loved!!! Food was average at best. Service- F! Will never visit this place again! read more

I want to give 5 star review so bad, but here's why I can only give 4. I have been in a mission for a few years to find the best raspberry shake in Bear Lake. I only have a couple places left, and so far Merlin's is my most favorite. I understand you're busy, especially Sunday's, but if a customer takes the time to ask how you're doing, as an employee, do NOT snap at them. They didn't have to ask how you are. This happened to the couple in front of me and the gal snapped at them for asking. Not cool. If it's too high stressed and you can't be friendly when someone is being friendly to you, perhaps customer service, in a busy place, isn't a good fit. I was hoping it was a fluke and they were having a bad day the last time I was in last year, but alas... So, the only thing I recommend is the raspberry shake. The employees that make them rock! read more

Merlins Drive Inn - Raspberry shake with brownies! - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

I'm so sad that I didn't love this place. The bun was twice the size of the burger. The fries were just meh. There aren't a whole lot of choices here at Bear Lake so I guess if you are hungry and desperate it will do. read more

Well, Merlin's Drive In is NOT closed. We were just out and about seeing the sights and while in Garden City, UT and Bear Lake, we stopped in to Merlin's to grab lunch. We ordered burgers, fries and incredible onion rings. Yes... incredible. Light batter and lots of onion. We also got one of their "Over The Top" Raspberry Shakes... one flavor out of about 20. Made with real raspberries, not just syrup. The owners were friendly and our lunch was deliveried hot and timely. Overall... great lunch off the beaten path. read more

The raspberry shake here is the best. Hand mixed with ice cream. The tots were amazing too. So if you want the best shake and tots during Raspberry days come to Merlins. read more

Wow. I read the first two reviews on here and my experience was almost identical. Food and shakes AWESOME!! Lady that took our order was extremely rude and seemed super annoyed that we were there. Really too bad considering we are here a whole week and eat out 2-3 times a day while here and there are only like 10 restaurants to choose from in this town. They would have for sure had more business from us this week because the food is great. But I don't appreciate being treated like that. Being in the service industry I know things can get crazy, but there is never an excuse to be like that. And it sounds like this isn't a uncommon thing. Also too bad cause I normally tip very very well, but only tipped $1.... she also seemed very mad about that . read more

Honestly we chose this place because it had the least line for shakes. Of course tried the raspberry shakes and they were just fine. The tables were all trashed and nasty in this place. The girls running the counter were very quick but not friendly. I guess we know why there was no line. read more

Great burgers for an excellent price! We drove to this city on Sunday in August and everything was closed. There were only 2 restaurants open, which was insane. Anyway everyone was either in that one or the other one, which meant that you had to wait for 20 minutes. Yet the staff was very pleasant and the food was well prepared. They did an excellent job, which made the wait less annoying. Also, the burgers were excellent. read more

So, the food here is good. It's pretty typical for the Bear Lake area. I had the bacon cheeseburger and a raspberry shake. The wife & kids enjoyed their food as well. I thought the raspberry shake was good, but when I talked to locals it seems many of the famous raspberry fields have been sold and turned into homes, so I'm not sure that the raspberries came from the area. Either way it was tasty. As we were finishing up my daughter spilled her water cup. We tried to clean it with napkins, but someone from the back saw us struggling and came out to help. She took her towel and wiped up the water on the floor. Then she wiped down the chair with the same towel. Then she wiped down the TABLE WITH THE SAME TOWEL! Basic cleaning protocol is you start at the table and end up on the floor. I was quite disgusted, and it made me second guess the quality and cleanliness of the food. It tasted good and nobody ended up with food poisoning, but I don't know if we'd make a return trip. read more

The merlonator is fun. Not big enough for legit food challenge but big good burger. Shakes are just like the rest of them in bear lake Service is typical high schoolers who don't care but that's all of them. Summer teen help . read more

Okay where to start. Bathrooms were okay, It could use a little improvement . The food was okay. Service was quick. The main reason why I wouldn't give this place three stars was we were put in an awkward position. One of the employees approached us and asked for our number. We didn't come to the diner to get hit on, we only wanted a clean bathroom and good food. We felt awkward staying in the diner. So we ate quickly and left. Even after we left, the employee was still trying to get a number. We politely declined and moved on. read more

Merlins Drive Inn - Cheese burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

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Great burgers, tater tots, & shakes... The Jalapeño Bacon Burger is as good as you will find anywhere. During the summer on a weekend be prepared to wait in line...but the food is worth it. read more

This place did not disappoint! Hands down the best raspberry shake I have ever had. The serving size was perfect for two people. The burgers and fries were delicious too. The restaurant was very clean and the service was great. read more

Key word: Pricy. Average, everyday burger food for a high price. I ordered a 1/4 cheeseburger, a small tater tots, and a raspberry shake for: $11.90. The shake was good but seriously? I could see if this was gourmet level like Apollo or even Five Guys but this was maybe equal to Wendys and that's stretching it. My advice: avoid the price gouging, bring a lunch and enjoy the beautiful lake view at a picnic table. read more

I don't know why I didn't check yelp before coming here, we randomly pulled in and it was kinda dead, that should have been my first inclination. We were just hungry and wanted food so we pulled in. I got a regular cheeseburger, which was overpriced in my opinion, but about on par with everywhere else in the area. It was nothing special, at least they had real cheese. Though I questioned if it was real cheddar because it looked a bit orange. Service was ok, girl at the counter was eh. I wouldn't come back, there are much better places in the area. Check yelp. read more

One of these stars is based on the relative lack of decent food in the area. Anywhere else this would be a 2.5/3 star burger joint. Credit must be given though, one of the better options in a town of low quality eateries. The food was reasonably good for a burger shack. Pastrami burger was piled high, chicken fingers came from a clean fryer, onion rings were a frozen product-but a quality one, and the raspberry shake was well mixed and had plenty of berry mixed in. The line was crazy long. Approximately 30min to get to the register. It was raspberry fest weekend, saturday night at 6:30. Most likely the busiest night of the year. We'll avoid that time in the future, since we generally just pass through town on our way back to camp. The staff were however exceptionally friendly once we reached them to place our order. We will be back, if we find ourselves looking for this kind of fair in the future. NOTE: Don't confuse this locations quality with the Merlins at the south end of the lake. We stopped there the next evening and were very much disappointed in the entire experience. read more

Merlin burger with jalapenos and bacon tastes good if you like your burger spicy hot (which I do). I was pleasantly surprised. The other burgers in our group were simpler and apparently not as good. But they use real sliced cheese here, if only someone would teach them how to melt it properly. The fries are cheap from a bag, while some local competitors do fresh cut. Shakes here are the biggest in town and tasty pretty good, but they're ice cream heavy. You get more flavor mixed in elsewhere. They are so big, they could easily be split between 2-3 people. Service is a problem here. They're understaffed, inefficient and cook times take way too long. Atmosphere here is just tacky and ugly as hell -- dollar bills stuck up all over beige walls, polaroid photos everywhere, patches, license plates, an ugly old TV..it just looks so messy. And there is no rhyme or reason to it. But the worst part is the plastic patio chairs in the dining room. Come on. Is this really the best you can do? And the butterfly bench out front has to go. It is truly an eyesore. I had to take a star off for the decoration and seating. They need to put a little money back in this place and fix it up. read more

Merlins Drive Inn - Merlin burger 'n fries - Burgers Near Me - Garden City, Utah

Food was mediocre, I have had a much better burger, even next door at the other restaurants near by. The employees were dressed unprofessionally, and didn't have any uniforms, and instead wore grunge clothing, not really that professional for this business. The raspberry shakes weren't with fresh raspberries, even though they are in season and available in the same valley this restaurant is in. I don't think I'll eat there again. P.S., They need smaller servings of onion rings. Not everyone needs a 2lb onion ring for $4.99. I'd rather have 1/3 the portion for 1/3 the price. read more

Nothing fancy here but the raspberry shake is HUGE. $4 and you get your money's worth. Great place to stop by if you are in the area of Bear Lake. We didn't have any food so I cannot comment on that. Service is at the counter and they call your name when it is ready. read more