The Merrie Lion in Stratford-on-Avon

We had a fantastic stay here. The food, both dinner & breakfast were gorgeous. Well cooked & succulent, with all our allergies taken into account. This is elsewhere, usually a problem. A lovely warm venue. Our room was spacious & clean, with a fenced patio area for the dogs to use, or to sit out in the sun. All topped off by friendly, polite staff. We're looking for reasons to visit the area again, just to stay here. We've been back. We found a reason to visit. The same outstanding, excellent, service, with gorgeous food. Thank you to all.

Traditional pub, delicious and generous dishes

Really good Sunday lunch. Staff were really friendly and helpful. We'll be back.

Out of town but a lovely place. Very welcoming and excellent selections for drinks and food

We stayed here on the night before a family wedding. We were so impressed with the overnight accommodation, lovely clean rooms in a separate block from the pub, lovely big twin room, a settee and angled tv so comfortable to chill out, rather than having to watch from lying on a bed, toiletries supplied, lovely fluffy towels. The food - wow so good, freshly cooked and gluten free options they were able to provide on a lot of what they offer, on the night - no having to request 24 hours in advance. There wasn't anything not to like - fabulous place and one I would highly recommend. I'd go a far as to say I haven't been impressed with somewhere like the Merry Lion for a very long time and I've stayed in a lot. The owner cares - that speaks volumes.

Really can't fault the food. Excellent range of dishes and all four meals were first class. Drinks are very reasonably priced and again, a wide choice. Excluding gratuity the bill for four main course meals, four pints, a bottle of wine and one coffee was £23 per person.

Excellent location with walks nearby. Good food n the pub and breakfast was very tasty. Dog friendly room was very dog friendly with a secure garden / gravel area accessed from the room. Clean bathroom with lovely hot shower. Really attentive staff who wanted to make sure your meal and stay were a good one.

What a lovely pub in Fenny Compton. We were travelling from the North to Bournemouth and this village made famous by the Post Office scandal, was just under half way. (Though the ITV series was filmed at Pratts Bottom instead of the actual village, which is a shame) It’s a really interesting and old fashioned pub with lots of character. The service was very friendly and the beer and food were very good. We were so impressed we called in on the return journey. Great pub, worth a visit.

Went for an evening meal while staying in the lovely village. Really friendly staff snd wow the food was amazing. So much so we plan on going again tonight. The homemade burger was probably the best I have ever had and my husband had the haddock, chips and peas and said he would recommend. If in the area, give it a try. You won't be disappointed

Sunday roast . Amazing food. I had some dietary requirements and they were so accommodating. Staff were very helpful. This is our 2nd visit and we will be back. Highly recommend

A cold wet evening, could have had the fire going for a bit of cosiness. Steak was overcooked and just about warm. Also quite tough and chewy but we were hungry! No table check part way through the meal and when told that the meal was "okay" waitress didn't explore this. Also took a long time for food to come out, and when we asked for the bill it didn't come. Has vegan option on the menu but no vegan dessert. I cook dairy free at home, its not hard to make things dairy free or with alternative products. Don't know if I'd come back here again!

Walked into this pub by accident. Almost all places were reserved, but we were lucky and found a place to drink delicious coffee and taste desserts. It was unexpected for me to find such delicious desserts. We've ordered raspberry crem brulee & chocolate mousse. The staff was very friendly and quick service, which made us very happy because we were in a hurry for another trip. I'm pleased to come back again.

A wonderful pub in a lovely village … we stayed 3 nights & had a fabulous time … the food was superb & great breakfasts cooked by Daphne who made us so welcome … we will most definitely return 🌟

Great place to eat and to stay. Excellent service and price.

Stayed for 2 nights, room was excellent and a very comfortable bed. Food in restaurant was good quality and value.The staff were very friendly and helpful

Pleasant and quiet little village pub

I stayed here with a friend for one night whilst visiting for a wedding nearby. They were flexible with check in times, the bedroom was spacious and bed really comfy and the breakfast was delicious.

Tuesday lunch visit walking the 1 mile from the canal was worth it. Food and beers were both excellent and the pub is well presented. Menu had traditional and slightly different options that our party of three had multiple choices. Proprietors were friendly and welcoming.

We only had drinks, was a lovely pub all friendly and had a good atmosphere, service was great too

Excellent, friendly and welcoming village pub. Definitely recommend calling in whether local or just passing through Fenny Compton. Recently refreshed the beer garden which is looking great with plenty of space and tables

Sunday lunch for 14 family members. We had many varied dishes from the menu, including Sunday roast, Salmon, Pork chop and schnitzel. We all agreed that the food was excellent, tasty, hot and great value for money. Would definitely recommend.

Very friendly staff, absolutely amazing food. Portion size, presentation, flavour, all spot on. The lunch time menu would rival any restaurants evening menu.

Had a Monday lunch here and it was a perfect place to eat and drink. The staff were friendly, welcoming and helpful. They sold a good selection of drinks and a wide ranging menu The food was exceptional. I had a pork chop special served with black pudding, a tasty creamy sauce with peas and lardons and mash. Everything was cooked to perfection. The combination of flavours and textures was excellent and all served piping hot at a very reasonable price. Definitely going back. Such a great place

Wonderful village pub which offers excellent food and beautiful rooms

Superb Sunday Lunch and enjoyed the f1 with you and a beer 🍺

Lovely little village pub and B&B, booked up for a local wedding and lovely service throughout, staff always helpful, rooms lovely & clean and great breakfast each morning, extended our stay as so many attractions nearby to visit, we'll be visiting again and thank you for a lovely stay.

I wanted to book a pub with rooms for an overnight stay when visiting the British Motor Museum and was so pleased I chose The Merrie Lion. Big, clean room with really good bathroom, at a very reasonable price. A proper village pub , serving well-kept beer and great food. The landlady and staff were very welcoming and helpful. I would have no hesitation to stay and eat there should I be in the area again.

Great food and a couple of nice local beers.

The Merry Lion is a fantastic little country pub, professionally run by Daphne and her team open every day. I have been a frequent visitor for many years and I have alway had a lovely pint of ale and usually followed up with a fantastic meal all served with care and a big smile. Keep up the good work 😊. Ali

Had a lovely meal service excellent and the fish and chips were the best ever! Lots of crispy batter and crispy soft inside chips.

What an amazing place to stay.. The accommodation was perfect with a pet friendly room and there own private garden. The food was amazing. Daphne was such a warm and welcoming host 🙂 her team went above and beyond. The Merrie Lion is a wonderful place to stay. Highly recommended.

Exceptional food. Sunny west facing garden with covered veranda for our variable weather. Good real ale selection. Friendly service. I wish it was my local.

Had a lovely Sunday roast with our family, 10 of us ate roasts and they were delicious and well priced. The Team serving us were friendly and helpful, overall a lovely Sunday afternoon.

We only stopped for a drink but everyone was very friendly. Would go back.

Just had the most amazing Sunday Roast ever , been to alot of pubs but this is by far the best

We stayed for one night and wished we were here a little longer. We were staying in a wonderfully spacious, modern and comfortable room with a great shower and a private yard. We ate home cooked dinner and breakfast in the pub and both were delicious. The staff are so friendly and the atmosphere in the pub is great. A lovely place to stop.

My sister and I stayed here last night and we were both really impressed with the standard of both the rooms and the food. Lovely meal last night and breakfast this morning after a good night's sleep in the very comfy beds. We will stay here again when visiting our other sister in. neighbouring village.

Good beer and food. Friendly staff.

I’d been here before with a couple of work mates and was that impressed I wanted my wife to see what l was raving about, so we visited on a Thursday lunchtime. However, she is a veggie. Not the precious type, more pescatarian and dairy tolerant and for her, choice was somewhat limited. This limited veggie choice is true for most pubs - veggies generally have limited choices when dining out. Not good, but thats the way it is 😢 She opted for the pumpkin ravioli and l had the special, braised steak with horseradish mash. OMG! My wife said, although she’s no Grace Dent, that the ravioli was a hearty 8.5/10 and my braised steak was to be honest, to die for. For pud, we shared a homemade tiramisu. Very romantic!🤭 If you are in the area ever, give it a go, l would be surprised if you leave disappointed. One suggestion though, book your table first.

A friend and I had lunch here last week. The menu was wide, the staff were pleasant and efficient and the food was delicious. We will eat here again.

Highly recommend this place for a great meal and excellent service in a quaint village pub. Food was brilliant. Thank you.

Fantastic Place Great People, Lovely Pub Large clean and tidy rooms Would definitely recommend...!

Outstanding , comfortable , cosy bars and accommodation in peaceful village .There are none of the usual minor irritations : decent sized bath towels , warm clean and comfortable bedroom in a separate , quiet building on car park. Delicious breakfast prepared by Daphne . We shall return ! Highly recommended .

We stayed for one night while travelling south for Christmas. The room was clean, comfortable with everything you expect. Lovely enclosed area for the dog and sitting in the sun. The food was delicious, breakfast cooked to order 😋. Daphanie and staff very welcoming and helpful. Lovely village, looking forward to a return visit to explore the area.

What a lovely pub! Food was superb and the staff were so friendly!

Visited for Sunday lunch on son's 30th birthday. Warm welcome, great service and a memorable meal. We will be back!

We had a fantastic stay here. The food, both dinner & breakfast were gorgeous. Well cooked & succulent, with all our allergies taken into account. This is elsewhere, usually a problem. A lovely warm venue. Our room was spacious & clean, with a fenced patio area for the dogs to use, or to sit out in the sun. All topped off by friendly, polite staff. We're looking for reasons to visit the area again, just to stay here. Thank you to all the staff for making our stay enjoyable.

Stayed for one night, room was clean and had everything you need. Good tea tray. Evening meal was very nice, steak cooked to perfection. Good choice for breakfast, my scrambled eggs very tasty. Would stay again and certainly eat in the pub.

My daughter and I were looking for somewhere for lunch and called into The Merrie Lion on the off chance they were doing food. The staff were expecting a large party but fitted us in. The staff were welcoming and friendly, the atmosphere was good - peaceful and comfortable, and the service was good - prompt and attentive. The food was delicious. I had the beef ragu which was to die for! The meat was really tender and very, very tasty. My daughter had the battered haddock and chips, which again was very tasty. The only criticism was that the peas on her plate were a little too salty for her. My vegetables were fine. Needless to say The Merrie Lion is now on our list of pubs to visit again. If you like traditional country pubs serving very good food at a reasonable price, this one will not disappoint. I cannot comment on the beer as I was driving, but I noticed some real ale beers on the handpumps. Would definitely recommend.

Stayed for the night with our dog and the room was perfect with a little private patio area. The food was absolutely delicious, one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Daphne was a fantastic host and the atmosphere in the pub was great. Would definitely stay here again!

One of the very best Sunday Lunches we've ever had....full stop. 11/10.

Really nice village pub. Good atmosphere and most importantly delicious food, great burger and mixed grill. The waiter was polite, help and attentive too. Will definitely return! Thank you.

I arrived late at night looking for a room having broken down on the M40. I’d been standing in the dark and getting cold by a busy motorway for a couple of hours before I found The Merrie Lion, and what a treat it was. The hospitality I received was incredible. The bar was lively, very friendly, beer well kept and my room was in an adjacent building, purpose built, and spotlessly clean with nice modern decor and a superbly comfortable bed. Thank you Merrie Lion.

We recently stayed here for two nights. The food was excellent (both evening meals and breakfast . Staff were friendly. The room was spacious, clean and well laid out.

The staff are very welcoming and friendly, the rooms are clean, spacious and quiet. The breakfast was lovely too. I would definitely recommend.

It is a great hotel with everything you need. The café is very cozy and really a village café. The restaurant is fantastic!! I have rarely had such a tasty steak and the breakfast was fantastic, highly recommended!!!! We booked 5 rooms for 10 people and everyone was enthusiastic.

It's a lovely little country pub. Staff are friendly and welcoming. Sunday lunch was superb. Highly recommend.

A good menu with wide choices. Very friendly staff, efficient and discrete. Food arrived ahead of promise and excellent quality.

Lovely place with lovely people. The staff are very good and go above and beyond. Food is incredible. 10/10

Absolutely delicious Sunday roast. Between us we had roast beef and roast pork- the beef was cooked to perfection , tender and offered rare, medium or well done. The loin of pork came with delicious crackling. A great selection of fresh vegetables. Service was very friendly and attentive. Highly recommended.

Great pub with a good selection of food. Also suitable for vegetarians. Very well cooked food, nice service. Various beers to choose from. The various whiskies are also exciting. Parking in front of the house. Would love to come back another time.

Absolutely fantastic food!!!!! Best burger I've ever had and great draught ale. This place is a hidden gem!

I've just had a lovely lunch here. Very good menu. All the staff were pleasant and helpful. A good place to come to.

Another lovely family meal at the Merrie Lion. We come here several times a year to meet up with family or friends with my disabled son, and the staff couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. They always arrange a quiet table and make sure my son has a steak put aside for him. The chef is brilliant and caters for dietary needs and swaps really well. This time we brought a puppy, and she received some treats too! The other people who had the fish and chips said they were excellent. I had the pie, and the pastry was just as I like it. The steak was tender and delicious; the chips and fries are crunchy, the best anywhere. Everyone enjoyed their lovely desserts, especially the chocolate panacotta and the sticky toffee pudding. I can't recommend the Merrie Lion highly enough, I wish we lived nearer!

Lovely village pub, food and service were excellent. I had the roasted vegetable tart which was really delicious, as was the burger according to my partner. The lemon tart for pudding was the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. The pub is also dog friendly.

Colourful village pub serving great food with B&B

Great find after a long walk. Dog friendly, vegan options, home made food, efficient staff.

Large selection of ales and lager, menu and kitchen are slightly superior to other pubs.

This is a cosy pub with a pleasant atmosphere.

Ordered a medium rump steak and it came out rare. Raised this with the waiter, who told us that the kitchen was closed and the Chef had gone home. Another member of staff offered to put it under the light? And said it would take 10 minutes. We explained this would mean, we would not be eating at the same time. The meal was left uneaten and a cost of a pint was taken off the meal - the owner suggested the steak was not cooked as requested due to it being thick? Surely the chef should have realised this? An inadequate explanation on top of a very disappointing experience.

What can I say the place is out this world and we got told from The couple from dassett view cottage to try this place. The food is so delicious and would recommend people to co e and try the food. The atmosphere in the pub was great and love every minute there. Lastly must say the staff in the pub was brilliant and so friendly my heart goes out to them thank you all so much for making our time in the pub so fun thank you

Fantastic spot, amazing staff, food exceptional, rooms brilliant .... all at a very reasonable price.

Good reasonably priced food. Looked after us well. Thank you

Had a lovely.one night stay on out way to Cropredy. The room was great and we loved the private patio area we could sit out in. The food was great and so was the beer. Made very welcome, will definitely stay again

This was not open but we were still made to feel welcome and use their facilities - smiling staff

Quality of food is superb, make sure you book in advance though. We visited midweek for lunch and there wasn't a spare table in the house so glad we pre booked. Would definitely recommend if you appreciate decent and well presented food. Not your standard rubbish microwave pub grub.

Stayed for three nights to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary and attend a local wedding. We ate Sunday lunch and Monday evening in the pub the food was without exception fabulous and beautifully presented. The accommodation is in a separate building and is well equipped and furnished to a high standard. Breakfast was plentiful and up to the same high standards as all other meals. Lots of choice and happy to make changes to their standard plates. Daphne and all of her staff were amazing and nothing was too much trouble. We were made to feel very welcome. If we are ever in the area we would not consider staying any where else. Thank you from all of us for making our stay so fantastic.

We chose The Merrie Lion because of it being quite close to the wedding venue Warwick House at Southam where our nephew was getting married. The distance was approximately 7 miles. Our room (No.2) was on the ground floor of the purpose built building which has 6 bedrooms. The building is a very short walk across the spacious car park from the pub. The room was very spacious with a LARGE double bed. Plenty of wardrobe and drawer space . An excellent walk in shower and tea and coffee making facilities. We ate in the pub restaurant on Monday evening (31st July),along with 12 others that would be attending the wedding, and found the food to be of very good quality and plenty on the well presented plates.I had the starter of Salmon fishcake and a main of Cajun chicken skewered kebab. Both very tasty. My wife had Pate' to start and Chefs burger with bacon and cheese. Also very tasty. All of the meals were served promptly by very friendly polite staff. Our full English LARGE breakfast the next morning ( Which is pre-bookable by guests) was equally as tasty. And very filling to set you up for the start of the day. The sausages are supplied by a local butcher and are well worth trying. Plenty of tea and coffee and toast is also available when requested. The second morning (2nd August) I had requested scrambled eggs on toast with smoked salmon,which was very filling with plenty of salmon. All in all we would not hesitate to recommend The Merrie Lion to anyone for either a stay or to eat in the pub. Daphne the landlady is probably very proud of her pub, accommodation and staff. And so she should be

Well what can I say. It was a brilliant stay from start to finish. The accommodation was just what we needed. Comfortable beds and everything in the rooms was excellent. The actual pub its self was a traditional country pub, great atmosphere, beer, and the food from breakfast and the evening meals. excellent value for money. But a special mention to all the staff from the landlady, serving staff and cleaners all could not do enough for us which made our stay even more outstanding. Thank you to you all it made our sons wedding even more special.

We booked a night's stay here. What a find!! The room had everything we needed. The bed was so comfortable and the shower was good. There was plenty of tea, coffee, milk and biscuits in the room. We both opted for the steak for supper. It was the best meal we have had for a long time. Jess was very friendly and served us well. Breakfast in the morning was amazing. My husband went for a full English and could not manage to eat it all. I opted for the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. It was amazing. Thank you to Daphne, Jess and the rest of the team. We will be back and highly recommend The Merrie Lion.

Lovely pub, popped in and it happened to be happy hour, bonus ! Caribbean night so had a really tasty jerk chicken , very unexpected !

Real food cooked in a real kitchen really at the pub,! Don't really need to say anymore except that the staff were excellent too. Price just over £40.00 for 2 mai courses an 2 coffees each. ,(No alcohol as were midway through a long walk).

Lovely country pub great ale, great atmosphere and great food. Well worth the easy 1/2 mile walk from our canal boat

Accomodation excellent staff very professional and the breakfast was superb

Friendly atmosphere and good service at the bar and restaurant (including breakfast). Hotel accommodation clean, modern and well appointed. Very good en-suite shower room.

Absolute lovely place to both eat and stay , staff and management are very welcoming with great food, great drinks and great accommodation lovely location thank you .

Great beer, fantastic staff, who are helpful, with lovely food on offer.

I stayed two nights at this accommodation and must say I was very very impressed with every aspect of the Merrie lion spotless good rooms good food very plesent staff great breakfast 👌 stayed 6/8 May 2023 Denis Canty

Brilliant stay at the Merrie Lion. Everyone was so welcoming and seemed to genuinely care. The pub is a lovely old building in the heart of Fenny Compton. Loads of easy parking. The accommodation was excellent and immaculately clean. The bed was so very comfortable and the room had everything we needed. The food in the pub was really good and I can recommend the vegetable tart and pizzas. Hubby had a pie, which he said was good. The breakfast was one of the best we've had anywhere. All reasonably priced. Big thank you to everyone at The Merrie Lion.

The stay was superb. It is in a very quiet location. The room was very clean and well furnished . The bed was large and very comfortable.We had an early supper and breakfast , both of which were delicious. Staff were also very cheerful and helpful Thank you

Super friendly staff, good value and BIG farmers portions. Thank you.

The wife and I went for an evening meal out at The Merrie Lion. The staff were really pleasant. Our waitress was Jess very amusing and polite. I had the sirloin (rare) unfortunately it came medium to well done, but still tasty. The chips were amazing! The wife had the slow-cooked Beef and usually has a small appetite however she demolished the plate, enjoyed every ingredient, and was upset I didn't have any chips left to sweep up her gravy. She enjoyed it that much I want to go back to try it myself. For dessert, I had the lemon torte just yum. My wife had the choc panna cotta, even with her sweet tooth she couldn't manage half. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal out from start to finish, looked after, fed and watered. Price was more than reasonable too, 65 pounds for 2 people 3 drinks, a steak and a meal from the specials. We will be coming back (tho I will stress rare for the steak if the slow-cooked beef is no longer on the specials)

Love the Merrie Lion. Serves great food at reasonable prices. Restaurant areas and drinks area. Sport on TV most nights. Daphne front of house ensures smooth running.

A very nice village pub. We had a great pie meal & good real ale

Nice pub. Friendly staff & good choice of beer

Absolutely faultless ! The disabled room is perfect (unlike most). The helpfulness of everyone there was brilliant and very caring and the dinner and breakfast delicious. We are seriously considering moving in permanently!! You can’t get better - highest recommendation.

My wife and I first visited The Merrie Lion for a lunchtime snack whilst looking for property in the area. We were immediately impressed by the quality of the food, the friendliness of the staff, and the cleanliness of the pub. We now live a 10min drive from Fenny Compton and since moving, we've visited The Merrie Lion on 3 occasions, the last being a large family gathering for Sunday lunch to celebrate my 70th birthday. Without exception, the quality of our meals has been excellent, and the service has been first class. Each has been a fantastic experience. Without doubt, The Merrie Lion has been a real 'find' for us and we have no hesitation in recommending it.

Friendly staff, lovely cosy interior with open fire and decent parking

We stayed here from Thursday to Sunday, for a family wedding in the area. The rooms were excellent. The food was good and the staff were excellent. I would recommend this pub for a stay.

+Stopped off on off chance after day in London Had a really excellent meal, home cooked and really delicious. Was quite quiet, but was lovely setting and staff were excellent. Can fully recommend