We were just passing through Merced and wanted to try this historical venue. The interior is fun and charming. Mt husband had the Spicy Fried Chicken sandwich and it was delicious! Not too hot. Just right. I had the Cobb salad with chicken. It was more like a spicy Greek Salad and it was wonderful! The beer taps were great....easy to sample all the beers. read more

When I'm staying at El Capitan Hotel. I usually order here. This is my second time ordering the Asian salad with carrot mochi balls. I like the unique texture of the mochi carrot. The greens soften a little when the miso dressing soaks up. One of my healthy meal favorite. read more

The Mainzer - Asian salad with carrot mochi balls - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

I visited two days in a row due to being so impressed. The ambiance, free games, customer service, and food is high quality. The artwork and music set a romantic modern mood. I highly recommend the mainzookie for dessert. It made my day. The free games are also amazing. read more

What a pleasure to eat here! Looking at updated historic building (great artwork, fun games, and refined lighting and floors) was only amplified by the twist on classic foods. Make sure you walk around. I need to catch a movie here! #spicemeister approved! read more

The Mainzer - Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts and Sashimi Nachos. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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Very nice service, classy place, yummy and great happy hour deal: half off all school 4 pm to 6 pm!

Wow I'm surprised this place wasn't packed! Ambiance- The decor and ambiance was unique- felt old school but modern. The tables were cool since they were decorated w/ board games and a checker board. They have self-served beer on tap by the wall. Lots of choices and you get to try different ones. There's a theater and arcade next door so there's lots to do! Felt really spacious and the distance from the tables were spread out. Food- I ordered the scrambled. The eggs were soft and cooked perfectly. The bacon was crunchy and so flavorful (maybe a little more salty than I would prefer). Wow the toast was made with brioche bread. It had a crunch but was also soft with a strong buttery flavor. Not pictured, but we also ordered the chicken and waffles. Def generous with the butter, which was flavored with rosemary and was easy to spread. The chicken was tender and crunchy. Just wish the portions were larger, but def worth the price. Service- staff were friendly, attentive and checked in after our food arrived. Didn't check in too often (which I like), but were quick when we asked for water or anything else. Solid brunch spot, would def recommend if you're in the area! read more

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Dang, what a let down After my first visit here about a year ago was great- thought the brunch food was good, the beer selection and machine was innovative and efficient, and the vibes were as good as you can get in Merced but last visit seemed a shell of that experience. Came during a Friday night during decent hours and besides a small group there was no one around and the service still took a long time to eventually bring out the wrong order. The wait staff was friendly as usual but for some reason I'm not sure what to expect whenever my next pass through Merced will be. Food 2.5/ 5: Flatbread pizza 2/5: Biggest disappointment- lacked any real flavor or crispy flatbread texture usually desired. Should've read reviews on this earlier. Fried chicken 2.5/ 5: Got one bucket with the medium level dry rub on the side. Chicken was standard but not overly juicy/ crispy that you'd expect. Left a little to be desired but not bad- willing to give another try Ambiance 3/5: Cool space and set up but as I mentioned it was pretty dead inside when I went. The wait staff was friendly so that's the driving factor of why I would give this place another try TLDR: place has got potential, they just need to bring back the good vibes and food that seemed to be a hit before read more

The Mainzer - Fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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I have always wanted this place to succeed, but I feel like they can never get it quite right. I came on a date with my honey on a Saturday night and practically no one was there. They had changed the menu pretty drastically (removing my favorite items--the masa blue corn fried pickles w/ aioli and the Asian chicken salad). The new menu was less interesting, and less healthy. We ordered cocktails and water, but had to wait a long time for both (couldn't we get our water while the drinks were being made?). We opted to try the new panko fried pickle appetizer, and I ordered the spicy fried chicken sandwich with a side salad (an up charge instead of fries), while my wife had the fried oysters and chips. I was bummed that the new entree salad options looked so boring, as I would have preferred a healthier option. Our entrees arrived before our appetizer (I had to remind the server about the appetizer). My chicken sandwich was the best thing I had, though it was quite spicy and the lettuce tasted like plastic. The side salad was ok, though the dressing was definitely not homemade and will probably make me sick from the preservatives. My wife's oysters were over cooked and over-breaded. Her coleslaw was totally bland (pro tip--coleslaw needs more than just mayo! I suggest adding celery seed, apple cider vinegar, and a small amount of sweetener). Our pickle spears finally arrived and were also quite disappointing. The ratio of coating to pickle was all wrong (the reason the masa pickle chips worked was in part because there wasn't too much pickle relative to masa). The sauce was also a store-bought ranch (more gut-killing preservatives that will make me sick!), instead of the tasty homemade aioli that the other pickles came with. The old pickles were the main reason to come here! And, apparently our server left because after our food arrived no one asked if we wanted more drinks and we had to flag someone down to bring us more water. In spite of the fact that there were more staff than guests in the establishment! Finally, I have to comment on the ambiance. The curved bench seats with round tables make absolutely no sense and are actually painful to sit at in groups greater than two. I gave two stars because my chicken was cooked very nicely and the bun was also tasty. I would love to see more healthy (and gluten free) options on the menu! And the service should not be so slow when you are so empty. I can't say I am planning to come back soon. But next time I do I hope the guests outnumber the staff. The food is too expensive to rely on pre-made ingredients filled with crap, so I would appreciate homemade sauces and dressings. read more

Came on a Sunday for breakfast. Boyfriend got the breakfast sandwich and I got the chicken n' waffle. Both were really good and I would definitely recommend. We also had the mainzookie for dessert. It was really really sweet but not too bad. Only giving 4/5 stars because waitress forgot we ordered the mainzookie and was ready to give us our check. I've been here for lunch and dinner before. Love the place and atmosphere. Definitely a nice place for a date because there's entertainment, food, and a bar. read more

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Greeting is good. Fun self serve beer. We are staying at the El Capitan. Wanted food and a nice wine. Rain bird was closed Native son didn't have any food choices for GF people to speak of so tried Mainzer. The bartender at native son said the wine menu would the same. But they only had one red,as a house Merlot. So water for ne My partner did try a beef. So far. Waiting 20 minute s for tacos. Geez. Hope they are worth it. We ll see. NOPE. Tacos were cold tasteless Sorry won't be back. The did take it off our bill. I was so Hungary. Ambiance is cool. I'm sure they can do better. read more

Thank you always for great service and awesome food! We sat behind a disgruntled group who were complainers and don't understand the logistics of food service. Sometimes things happen in the kitchen and they tried to make it right but some people just aren't satisfied with anything. Anyway we love it here and it's a great place! Happy Easter!!! read more

The Mainzer - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

Food was absolutely delicious. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with a fresh fruit boyfriend ordered chicken, and waffles both delicious read more

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Food was ok. Cool beer tap concept, you can drink as much and choose your beer. Buuuut very disappointing when you get charge for air and bubbles the first oz. read more

The Mainzer - Cool concept - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

Service from Olivia always best. Family and I love it here. Will be returning. Food is 3.5/5

Great ambiance, music, service & food. I actually felt like i was out of Merced for a minute. We were just there for a quick lunch but next time I'll be asking if there's chess pieces to use on the tables. Food: - Cobb salad- it's delicious, I've ordered it twice and has delicious huge chunks of bacon. I swap the dressing for the vegan chipotle ranch, very tasty. - fried chicken sandwich- hubby liked it but it was wayyy to messy. Next time he'll order with sauce on the side so it doesn't get soggy. The salad that came with it was ok. - side of fries - delicious, getting it everytime. - brussel sprouts- good and big enough to share Suggestion: - i wish there were a few more app options. read more

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Had the chance to try this place out during a quick trip visiting family. Good quality food with just fine service. Food and drinks: I had the French scramble which was very tasty. The potato's were cooked to perfection and I really enjoyed the dish in a whole. I also paired my meal with a Bloody Mary and it was delicious! It wasn't spicy at all which the waitress asked how I liked it, and was flavorful. My husband had the Baked eggs dish and he really enjoyed it. He paired it with a tamarind margarita and loved it! Service: Service was ok, the waitress was nice when she came around to our table but it did take a while for the drinks and food to come out not her fault. Overall I would definitely come here again but really would like to try the lunch/dinner. read more

The Mainzer - French scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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Came here for brunch with my kids.. yummy food and friendly staff.. it was a really nice day so we ate outside, enjoyed it very much. Unfortunately the skee ball machines inside were out of service but we played connect 4 at the table and all was good! read more

The Mainzer - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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I use to love coming here to eat the Mainzer pizza for breakfast but they removed our favorite pizza we were so sad ! Was the only reason we came here also the most pizza that would sell a lot it had eggs and sausage and goat cheese and well season oh goodness know the pizza they give out for breakfast has a white sauce and does not taste as good very off taste the service is always great people are very kind and efficient and also very clean especially the bathroom for it to be a busy area . read more

Went there for Sunday brunch with all my girls. Ordered the biscuit and gravy. The biscuit was good but the chorizo gravy was so salty I couldn't eat it! read more

The Mainzer - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

We rode the Harley up to Merced to visit Mainzer, It a cool place but strange tasting food. I ordered the short rib nachos, but they were weirdly sweet and greasy. read more

Ambience is great but the food portions dont really justify the prices. Do not order the bucket fried chicken. My drumstick came out partially uncooked. read more

The Mainzer - Its their bucket fried chicken, slightly uncooked - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

New stop for is. This is place is what it looks like a old theater that was renovated with a restaurant on the side. I'll start with it was really clean and staff was super friendly. We had a choice of eating in the cafe part or the theater area where they were playing the football game. We chose the cafe area . Our waitress was Valerie she was a very friendly on helping us with what to order. We ordered the blue burger and Brussels-sprouts and the onion ring tower. For our kids we got the chicken strips and quesadilla. Everything was so delicious but what made it even better was the customer service, because of Valerie we will definitely be coming back. There's also a small play area to the left of the entrance for the kids . The kids really loved it and enjoyed themselves. read more

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Food was interesting and tasty. Service was friendly and very professional. Ambiance pleasant.

I enjoyed my breakfast very much, great service. Wonderful ambiance. Will definitely be back

I went to Mainzer for my wife's birthday and made a reservation which I realized was not needed because the place was empty.i was highly disappointed,the place was quiet and lonely.It was a sad environment and the food was ok except the fries which were terrible.This is the one and only time I will ever go there. read more

Really clean restaurant and kind staff. Nice menu and tasty choices. We really recommend the fried pickles, parmesan garlic onion rings and chocolate chip cookie ice cream dessert. Fun spot :) read more

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Came without expectations and left satisfied. We are staying at Merced for one night driving from LA to Napa. Stayed at El Capitan Hotel and walked to this place as this is the only place that is open late around here. The neighborhood is dead and sad. Many stores are closed permanently in the area. Pretty much nothing to do. They have an on tap beer wall, which we loved. You get a card from the staff with a credit card on hold. Try whatever beer you want in whatever amount after you tap the card. And can try many different beers without purchasing a whole glass. Food is better than expected. Cobb salad was the best out of everything we ordered. You can tell the Cobb salad is made with details. We also got half bucket of fried chicken, and it was juicy and tender breast, leg, and thigh. Nice place to stop by if you are in the town. Service is a little slow probably cuz we came on Sun night. read more

Overpriced breakfast. Average taste. But has good hot sauce. Good service. Good Ambiance. Peaceful and quiet. read more

The Mainzer - Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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Service was great, overall a peaceful atmosphere, food was pretty good, nachos and cod sandwhich were amazing, wasn't as much of a fan of the fried pickles and prime rib sandwhich. Overall a fun experience, would go again. read more

The Mainzer - Fried pickles, Braised Shortrib Nachos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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Love this place! Fooood is amazing !!! Super fast and clean ! Service was outstanding! Go get some !

Found Mainzer on Open Table after a long drive up from Los Angeles after work on a Friday night. My wife started with a glass of Chardonnay and I got the beer card which allows self serve at their beer wall. I zeroed in on the draft that had 8.00 % ABV. Both alcoholic beverages hit the spot after the 41/2 hour drive. I love fried chicken so we ordered the southwest salad and a half bucket fried chicken to share. The dark meat fried chicken was moist and full of flavor. The white meat breast was too bland for my liking. The salsa was large and was very good. A bit sparse on the grilled corn compared to other southwest salads. If I were to return, I would get only dark meat fried chicken. read more

The Mainzer - Half chicken bucket - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

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I found this place on yelp and thought it was really neat. We came to have lunch. I decided to have a salad and my husband had they fried chicken. The pace was unfortunately a little slow and my son was getting impatient. We went to the game area. All the games are free and it definitely kept my son busy so that was amazing. The buffalo salad was good and it was actually spicy. My husband got a bucket of chicken. The presentation is definitely a 5. This place is very different you can be at the bar just drinking, have lunch ,play games, or watch a movie. Definitely different I really enjoyed something different. read more

The Mainzer - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

It's our first time trying them and they did not disappoint. We ordered braised shortrib nachos, cobb salad, chicken and mushroom flatbread, and full bucket of fried chicken with valley spice on the side, all for sharing. We also ordered 3 beers on tap (couldn't remember their names). All were excellent, except for the valley spice being too salty. The place itself was clean and had a diner/movie theater vibe, and our server was attentive. Overall experience was great! read more

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The food seemed fresh, came fast and was delicious. My waitress was very polite and attentive. The vibe was laid back and chill, yet classy. Perfect spot for a girlie brunch or a hot date. I will definitely return. read more

Who's dumb idea was it to change the brunch menu. My wife and I never look at the menu because we always get the original french scramble and brioche french toast. The staff is great and accommodating and its not their fault the menu changed and like the vibe. After our experience with the new menu, we went to get breakfast somewhere else. I really hope who ever is responsible for the menu goes back to the original brioche french toast, french scramble and even the chicken tenders otherwise they might have just lost loyal customers. Those menu items were unique in nature and thats what made us comeback. Listen to your customers and your staff please. read more

The food is pretty good. The vibe inside is nice. The staff is really friendly and the milkshakes are awesome.

Ambience is great, service is always pleasant, and a great place to come for appetizers and drinks!! I gave it 4 out 5 stars because while the food is great I just feel like it isn't the food that brings me back. Some dishes like the tacos, onion rings, pork rind appetizer, and salads lack complexity and flavor. Very basic. We definitely keep going for the events and atmosphere. read more

Finally got to try out the Mainzer! Doesn't even feel like Merced when you're here, the reno was beautiful! Made a resy for 9:30 AM on Saturday morning, not necessary, there was plenty of seating (it definitely started to pick up around noon, brunch time!) Service was great, they let us hang out, didn't pressure us to leave at all. Food was good, very big portions! Bloody mary was very good! Those are always a hit & miss. Mainzer got it! and they have so many mimosa juice options, love that. I'm going back to try the blueberry & passion fruit. read more

The Mainzer - chicken & waffles, spicy bloody mary & special guest: iced pumpkin spice from Asip - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Merced, California

This use to be our favorite place to eat downtown. Until they changed the menu OVER AND OVER. There's hardly anything on this new menu. The options are beyond basic. You might as well go across town to Applebees or chilis at this point. Beyond disappointed with the constant menu changes. Will no longer be recommending to friends and out of towners. read more

My wife, my wife's aunt, and I went to Mainzer for an early dinner on a Saturday night. We did not have a reservation and were seated right away. There were a couple of groups or parties at some of the tables and a few other patrons. The table we were at was next to this bench seats along the wall with a couple of chairs on the opposite side. I ordered a club sandwich and my wife had a salad. The food was okay. What we enjoyed most was a large cookie with ice cream and bananas on top served hot in a small cast iron skillet. read more