Great local spot in downtown Merced. Place is super clean and the employees are really friendly…read more Coffee was very good. I went with a classic hazelnut latte with almond milks Will be visiting again

Coffee Bandits is such a quirky little spot in Merced! I ordered a decaf mocha latte and it was…read morepretty solid. They have plenty of drink options to choose from, and the staff were super friendly and welcoming. I also really liked the unique, laid-back atmosphere. Definitely a fun local coffee shop to check out if you're in the area!

A friend heard about the live jazz sessions they hold here so we drove up from Fresno to check it…read moreout this past Saturday. The area & shop were very low key. There was a spacious parking lot next door as well as street parking. We loved the ambiance inside the shop & the strawberry matcha we both ordered was delicious! The staff were very friendly & the jazz session was a great time. People of all ages were present & either vibing to the music, working on their laptops, or chit chatting. 10/10 experience all around, we will definitely be coming back!

Stopped by here on our way to the Bay Area. This is the cutest shop for times you may want to study…read moreor work on some things, the other side of the shop has beautiful art pieces. We got the Golden Money and Honey Lavender Latte, both were really good and the service was great. It's a little bit on a pricey side but was a great treat.

Updated review: recently tried their seasonal drinks: and 5 stars to Cranberry Matcha and Salted…read moreHoney Rosemary latte. Cranberry Matcha is such an interesting and unique flavor. There's good balance of matcha and cranberry taste. Tried it iced, tasted perfect. Salted Honey Rosemary Latte: very interesting and delicious. Came back for seconds on both drinks. Also love their cafe, it's nice and spacious. Great service. Definitely give it a shot.

Plenty of parking available. Interior design and ambiance are nice and clean. It's quiet on weekday…read moreafternoon, perfect place to relax, study, or hang out. They offer seasonal and special drinks on the menu, many great options to choose from. Barista is friendly. Tried Raw coconut latte - only available in cold, it was delicious. Personally I think $7 and up for a coffee is a bit overpriced in Merced. Plus, they charge an additional $1.10 for substituting oat/soy/almond/coconut milk. If I'm in the area again, I would return and try other drinks.

I'm back! I've been back several times I just don't post a review every time every drink I have is…read morethe best each food item I have...I love. This evening I came to force myself to finish some work on the computer that I do not feel like doing. I have one hour and they close in one hour. So I ordered the...Blueberry Lavender Lemonade with Guava and it is soooo good! Perfect Drink for a hot summer night and August is here, so i'm talking about perfect drink for tonight! I am limiting my caffeine, and I'm realizing I don't need it like I thought "I needed it" and I'm so grateful for their menu options that have no caffeine or less caffeine and this drink is amazing, and it's pretty and it's purple too!! I also wanted a snack before I have dinner. I got this protein snack box from their grab area by their register. It has toasted crackers, salami, cheese, and artichoked dip. It's the perfect portion for an appetizer before dinner later, and the artichoke dip tastes like it was made from scratch! Yummy! Okay, I need to get my work done. Definitely, a must have drink and a great yummy snack. They have the best customer service anywhere. I've come here early in the morning when they're super busy. I've come in the afternoon and now i'm here at night. No matter what time of day you come always greeted with the warm smile. They even remember me by name... And I don't live in this town. I love it here. I love supporting family owned businesses in local communities and this is why!

Ordered their chai!…read more Chai with oat milk. Chai with vanilla and regular milk. Both were great choices! Also ordered their breakfast bagel sandwich. It was one of my favorite bagel sandwich I've tried. Not usually a fan of them but this one changed me!

The curly hair male employee that handed me my drink was giving weird energy. Refused to throw my…read moreold Dutch bros cup away when the day before the kind girly broista had no problem throwing my old Dutch cup away. My drink was a 5/5 until he spoke to me funny and now it tastes funny too. Do better!

Broista had an attitude and we had to wait 15 mins for one drink "I used to work at Dutch and this…read moreservice is way below standard"

Obsessed!! they have the best coffee in Merced with so many fun options. Kinsey is the best and is…read moreso nice. On weekends sometimes the cart is outside of the cycle studio and is totally worth a try!

When my sister went to school in Merced, we always made sure to stop by Papaya Lady whenever we're…read morein town. Since she has graduated, I won't be in town anytime soon, but I highly recommend them for some good Thai and Laotian bites if you're ever in Merced! They have a selection of delicious dishes and I have loved everything that I've tried. My go-to orders are the Papaya Salad and Khao Poon. The papaya salad is a must and the spice level was the perfect amount. The Khao Poon is a coconut curry based noodle soup that is so flavorful. I've also come to really enjoy the Nam Khao (Laotian crispy rice salad), each bite is crunchy and absolutely delish. Your Asian comfort food cravings will definitely be satisfied here. Wishing The Papaya Lady continued success!

I had the Papaya Lady bookmarked for a long time when I finally had the opportunity to try them on…read moremy way home from Merced. Located off on the corner of 16th Street and G (same plaza as Little Caesars), the Papaya Lady is actually tucked away inside a carniceria. The aisles of the market nearly block the counter to this little kitchen. It's the neon sign of "The Papaya Lady" buzzing that guides you to the back. We came in the late afternoon on a Saturday and they were already out of the fried chicken and sticky rice (next time!). We ended up ordering: Papaya Salad (extra spicy) - The little peppers in this gave the dish a nice kick. Super refreshing on a hot day. Nam Khao (crispy rice lettuce wrap with pork skin) - I highly enjoyed this one with all the crunchy textures and flavors. Will 100% get again. Khao Poon (noodle soup) - This broth had a subtle peanut flavor which was delicious. Wished it had more toppings. Nam Vanh (tapioca drink) - My drink seemed to lack the other jellies that I saw in other pictures and only had the lil tapioca balls, sweetener and coconut milk. It felt like it was missing something for sure. The owner is so nice and friendly. I don't know if it's a psychological thing, but every time he acknowledged or spoke to me, he used my name. It just felt automatically more warm and welcoming lol The price per portion is also legit. You get so much for what you pay. Our order kept me and the SO fed for almost 3 days. So nice to have some good Asian food in the Central Valley. Will definitely be back!

We've been here a few times out of convenience. But would much rather drive 10 mins further or just…read morenot get coffee at all. One day my coffee is super dark, so next time I ask for extra creamer. Now it's more milk than coffee. And the matcha is super light and chunky like they don't even bother to mix it. I would understand if it was busy or something but the Starbucks was empty

Friendly store, our mobile order was perfect and efficiently made. The bathroom was clean and the…read moreaccess code was easily given.

WHY WE WENT HERE: - post dinner boba…read more THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located in a plaza off G St and E Yosemite Ave - located in the same plaza as Raley's but closest to Papa Murphy's | Take 'N' Bake Pizza and 88 Bao Bao THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - LOVE the Herringbone flooring - white tables and chairs - Chevron Arrow Pride Flag on the wall - ordering kiosk THE MENU: - popular - event drinks - regular - seasonal drinks - slush - premium - specialty drinks - macaroons - cakes - premium (fundraiser) - cakes (fundraiser) - gift cards WHAT I ORDERED: - hojicha tea with light boba THE TASTE: - earthy - refreshing - not too sweet CUSTOMER SERVICE: - minimal since we ordered through the kiosk and retrieved our drinks from the counter when they were ready

Came here while I was grabbing lunch at a place nearby and figured it'd be nice to get some milk…read moretea as well. There is ample space inside of the facility with plenty of seating, alongside a claw machine and a shelf with board games. The menu was a little overwhelming (the default drink is that they let you pick multiple flavors and I didn't want to risk messing up my own order), so I went with one of their specialty drinks, the Caramel Camel. I set the sugar level to light, yet it reached a level of sweetness that was so intense that I had to get it redone. Even with an ever lighter level of sweetness, it still tasted excessively sweet. Overall, an interesting experience. If this is the best that Merced has to offer, I feel kind of bad for everyone in Merced for not having access to better drinks. Not sure if I'd get the chance to return as I don't normally go to Merced, but on the off-chance I end up in this area again I'd hope that maybe one of their other drinks was better.

Nice place to have breakfast or lunch serving American/mexican fares. Roomy and clean booth and…read moretables setting. Coffee and pies are extra. Super nice service staff. You can have value menu for light eaters. Plenty of parking. Nice deco. We ordered 3 shrimps tacos, avocado toast and mini breakfast burrito for a quick breakfast. Food came out rather quick. The toast is small and excellent but the tacos and burritos are just ok.

This is my friend's favorite bakery and a must-stop any time she's in Merced. I was with her and so…read moreI had the pleasure of visiting for a late lunch. I wasn't very hungry, so I opted for a bowl of soup with a side of cornbread and a slice of pie to go. The soup was hearty and plentiful. I could have gone for a cup instead, but instead took what I couldn't eat to-go and enjoyed it later. The corn bread was delicious--slightly sweet, and moist enough to not fall apart when I cut into it with my fork. I usually love butter with corn bread, which they offered me, but it didn't need it. I wasn't sure which pie to get-they have so many to pick from. Checking out the options in the bakery case didn't help because they all looked so beautiful. I ended up selecting peach, and it was amazing. The peaches were perfectly caramelized but still maintained their texture. The bake of the pie brought out their ultimate peachiness. The crust was just the right thickness. Even though it was a cold slice, the crust remained flakey. The cafe had ample seating. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. Pricing is on the high end, but I'm not sure how much that is because food is so expensive now-a-days. I was a bit surprised to see sandwich combos (with a side) all starting at around $20, and going up from there. It was after 2 in the afternoon, so the bakery had several 50% off boxes of baked goods to select. Four large cookies for I believe $12 or so (I could be wrong). There weren't too many options left in the bakery cases. I would love to see what this place offers when it first opens. Stay tuned for an update once I get that chance.