Excellent lunch! Healthy options, nice menu, full bar, modern relaxing vibe, great service. In a cool and hip hotel. Valet parking.

We chose Rainbird for our Galentine's celebration on Sunday, 2-15-26. We had reservations at 12:30 pm. We were met by the greeter who proceeded to tell us to wait to be seated. The restaurant was not very busy and it took almost 20 mins just to be seated at our table. We then took our place at the table and we waited another 10-15 mins for someone to wait on us. We kindly flagged the young male server there and asked him if he could get our server to assist us. The young female server finally came out to assist us - she was not very welcoming but proceeded to take our drink order. It took almost 15 minutes to get our mimosas and water. She did not greet us, inquiry if it was our first time there or gave us suggestions on the menu. She then proceeded to take our order which took a while to get our food. The plus - everyone enjoyed our meals from the way they were prepared to the ingredients. No one ever came to our table and gave us any water nor did they ask for a refill on our drinks. During this time I peeked around the corner and saw staff just sitting in the back talking to one another. I tried to keep the experience positive for my group of friends but they were also growing concerned about the lack of hospitality. The lunch schedule was only until 2 pm but because of Rainbird's delay in seating us, taking our drink orders as well as the slight delay we felt we were now being rushed to finish our lunch, I also wanted to celebrate our friend's birthday and I brought a cake - the server proceeded to tell me it would be a $5 charge per person if I cut the cake there. She did offer to bring a complimentary dessert for our guest of honor. In my opinion, due to the service we were not receiving the cake fee should have been at least discounted or offset due to the lackluster enthusiasm and service. As we were trying to finish our lunch and take pictures at this beautiful establishment we could see the "side eyes" of staff rushing to get us out the door. I am a firm believer of supporting small businesses in Merced since I was born and raised there and let's face it - Merced has very limited fine dining and we wanted to do something nice for us. In order for small businesses to thrive in this town they need our consumerism to stay in business. As I read from all the exemplary reviews on this platform we unfortunately had a very bad experience with this lovely establishment. A group of us came from Madera so that we could meet our gals from Merced as a middle location. Needless to say we were very disappointed with the service as well as the treatment we received from Rainbird. Next year we will choose another location for our next gathering. Please do better Rainbird. read more

Rainbird - New American Near Me - Merced, California

We went to Rainbird to celebrate a special occasion new job! The food was amazing. I had the salmon dish. He had the bra short ribs. Service was outstanding. The room was quiet enough that we could carry on a conversation, but as the room filled, the conversation was lively. Highly recommend for birthdays or special occasions. read more

Very Cute & Quaint Location! Food price points for a lunch venue are pretty good! Oysters & Caesar Salad were very tasty and balanced with spicy remoulade for the oysters! I used it as a light accent with the Caesar MMMMMMM! Fast Service Olivia! We will be back! read more

Rainbird - Trendy Digs! - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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This place is a find in DT Merced! Who would have thought! The vibe is so modern and cute and the food was delish. My 79 year old mama loved her pancakes!!! The service was fast, kind and perfect It's a must try read more

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Went for a dinner date in Merced. Lovely server and quick service. Bruschetta 10/10 - fresh and crisp sourdough Bones less Ribeye - asked for a medium cook, executed perfectly. Was able to ask for their blue cheese cream on the side and paired well with the steak. The sides of asparagus and fingerling potatoes were well seasoned. Chicken - Juicy and cooked well - cream under the chicken highlighted the flavors well read more

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Great food but pricey! Menu needs to be updated and changed seasonally. I've been a guest at the adjoining hotel for over 3 1/2 months on an assignment and have tried almost everything on their menu. read more

What an amazing dinner. My Fiancé and I enjoyed one night at El Capitan hotel and wanted to get dinner at Rainbird which is located right inside. The restaurant itself is not very big but it's really cute inside. We made reservations and were seated right away when we arrived. Our service the entire night was great and attentive. I was noticing our waitress with other tables and thought she did a great job with everyone. Now the best part - my food. In addition to the photos here, we also ordered a bread appetizer which was so delicious. I ordered the Salmon and ate every single bite. Nothing was left behind! I'm not sure what made this dish so delicious but the sauce mixed with the sweetness of the tomatoes was so good. My fiance loved his meal as well and even said it was one of the best meals he has had. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience and loved our meals. I am excited to visit the restaurant again when we are in town! read more

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A sophisticated and elegant restaurant which is located inside El Capitan hotel in Merced. It is ideal for date night dinners, or celebratory occasions. They are open daily from 6:30a - 2p and 5p - 9p. Reservations are highly recommended, as it is difficult to get a table specially during dinner time. There was already a huge line and our reservation was at 5 PM. The food was excellent, and every dish, including the appetizers, was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Service was great, enhancing the overall experience. We chose this spot for a Mother's Day dinner, and it turned out to be a perfect choice. read more

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I'm going to start off by saying that if I were writing this review solely on food it would be 4 stars. I live in Las Vegas and come to Merced to visit my family. Was nice to see a restaurant that reminds me of the quality I get in Vegas. However, the first time I dined here the waitress had zero personality and was totally awkward. Down side was the table was dirty and all the chair coverings were stained and dirty, kinda gross. My filet mignon and asparagus were delicious so I decided the next time I come to town we will try breakfast and hope for better service and a cleaner environment. Fast forward a few months later to this weekend. I came back to town and tried their breakfast. Upon walking to my table I noticed the bench was completely filthy. My 5 year old say ew it's all dirty mommy. I told the host seating us and he said "Oh no I'm sorry about that" I said it's ok can you please clean it we will go use the restroom and return. I came back and it was wiped off. Only to find out that my husband cleaned it because the host did absolutely nothing but say oh no sorry and walk away and never cleaned a thing or get someone to do it. The salt and pepper shakers are white. However they are so dirty and covered in food. The chair coverings still stained. And bench with crumbs and hair( gross). Our waitress was a different girl this time and she literally was stoned faced and the death stare of Wednesday Adam's. This is not what a restaurant or hospitality should be. Staff should be friendly, smiling and attentive and CLEANING especially when specifically asked to do so. So sad to see good food with such potential be tarnished by a lack of management on your front of house staff. read more

I can't rave enough about this restaurant, dinner and brunch we're both fantastic. My fav was the Risotto and the salad! read more

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We've been wanting to try this place for some time but just haven't had a chance to come. The service was great we loved our waitress she was very attentive. The restaurant had an overall calm vibe, with the neutral pallet & low lighting. The only issue was the bar on one side was a little loud (the shaker sound) so we asked to move to the other side which worked out much better. The food was delicious my husband ordered the ribeye steak with fingerling potatoes & carrots, the steak was perfect, he shared most of his steak with me it was a nice piece. I ordered the chicken breast, it was moist on the inside while having a crispy outside, rice & carrots. The only issue with mine was the chicken tasted like fish, I'm not sure if they had just fried fish in the same pan or what but it had a fishy taste. I was fine with it since I like fish, but if my husband had ordered it we would have sent it back (he hates seafood). For dessert we ordered the peanut butter chocolate mouse cake which was perfection. We will be back for sure. read more

Rainbird - Peanut butter chocolate mouse cake - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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I loved this restaurant! Being from the city and missing my Bay Area eateries, Rainbird makes me feel like I've gone back home. The scramble was delicious. I went on a weekday so there weren't many people inside which was awesome for me! I enjoyed sitting and taking my time. The restaurant was very welcoming. read more

Rainbird - Veggie Scramble - New American Near Me - Merced, California

Great Experience! Made reservations for 6pm on a Friday evening. Super easy to do through the OpenTable App. It wasn't too busy. There were a handful of people. As a Merced local, I've been wanting to try out this place. I think this is as close as you can get here for "fine dining". Ordered the cranberry margarita. It was refreshing. Got the sourdough bread basket with the whipped honey ricotta and it wasn't bad. For entrees we got the pork chop and ravioli. Both were really good. The pork chop was cooked perfectly and the gravy went well with it. As for dessert, we got the tiramisu which was more than enough for 2 people to share. Overall, great experience! Love the ambience, elevated farmhouse/homestead chic. Staff were welcoming and friendly. Food came out fairly quick. Would absolutely recommend for locals and anyone visiting Merced. read more

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I'm a repeat customer. However, the team members here help make any dinner so special. I was surprised by my squeeze for a birthday dinner. Our wonderful server, Alyssa, was amazing from start to finish. She made all the right food recommendations, particularly tied to the drinks we sought, as it was a cocktails night. Both her lychee martini & old fashioned were A+++++. So glad to see how Rainbird keeps the momentum going. read more

Rainbird - New American Near Me - Merced, California

Unexpected upscale dining experience for the area from the staff to atmosphere to cuisine. Mostly I felt the level of cuisine was worth the prices. But I would avoid both the Mediterranean salad and the corn soup, they fell short on flavor and quality. Highly recommend the crème brûlée, one of the best I've ever had!!! And the risotto! :) read more

Food, service, and ambiance are all exceptional! Their fried oysters and mushroom risotto are my favorites so far- oysters are juicy and tender, while the risotto is creamy and infused with aromatic roasted mushrooms. Servers are consistently attentive and professional. Every corner of the premise is clean and elegant! read more

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Haven't lived here in a while and wanted to come visit to check out the new places that opened downtown. The rainbird has a cute aesthetic, is very quiet which I love, good service, and good food. I really liked their coffee. Their French toast was a nice surprise, I was a little skeptical because they made it sourdough bread but it ended up being pretty good, a little too sweet for my liking but the coffee balanced it well. read more

Rainbird - El captain breakfast, French toast, breakfast sandwich, coffee - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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The ambiance is very inviting with neutral tones and lots of natural lighting. We came for breakfast with a reservation for 8, and it was fairly inexpensive in comparison to other nice breakfast places in the area. I loved that the tea was served in a mini teapot. I shared the Ricotta pancakes and Spanish omelette with my mom, both which were delicious. The hint of lemon in the pancake and cinnamon in the syrup sent it over the roof for me, and I liked the heartiness of the omelette and sweet potatoes. My mom's favorite is their sourdough toast. Service is friendly, and it was nice to walk through the hotel after to check out the holiday decor. read more

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My experience was limited, as I just got food to take back to my hotel room. The space looks beautiful, the hostess was awesome, and the food was fast & delicious! I had the salmon, which was actually pretty incredible. So a side Brussels sprout Cesar salad - and that was so so good! I love the attached hotel, I've never eaten here - but I absolutely will from now on! read more

Food presentation is remarkable and delicious! Came for my birthday with longtime friends and enjoyed the atmosphere. I do have to admit their servers are not attentive and need some additional customer service training. You can tell they mean well and are very sweet, but being in the service industry for 20+ years this experience was a little cringe and I was hoping to see the managers on the floor in the front of house for support and to observe. Waited 15 minutes to get drink orders in, and we had to continuously stop our servers and ask for everything otherwise they will not come by or even ask if you need refills on drinks/cocktails. At the end we were asked twice how the table would like their checks split, only to be told they can only split the bill in two (which is totally fine). But maybe lead with "we can only divide our checks in two, how would you like to split the bill?" Food and cocktails were great though! Cheers to the chef and bartenders! read more

Rainbird - Bloody Mary - New American Near Me - Merced, California

This place was surprisingly good given that it's part of the El Capitan hotel. The decor was clean, bright, and earthy (similar vibes as the hotel). The staff are friendly and prompt. I came here for lunch and ordered the Ancient Grain Bowl with chicken and it was probably one of the best grain bowls I've had, hands down!! Usually grain bowls tend to be dry and lacking ingredients but not this. The flavor was all there. I loved how they seasoned the grains with the pesto underneath. Everything came together so well, the sautéed mushrooms, sweet potatoes, avocado sprinkled with sesame seeds, and the snap peas added a nice crunch. The chicken was a little dry but that's expected with breast meat--still flavorful. Overall a very tasty meal and would totally come back if I'm ever in the area! read more

Convenient location if you're staying at the El Capitan Hotel. Tried the place out before leaving Merced and they had their Easter breakfast menu. You can park on the street if you're not a hotel guest. Ordered the rainbird benedict and the caramelized Custard French toast. The home fries and the local greens were good. The French toast was also good. Wish it were two pieces instead of 1 but I already had the Rainbird Benedict so I was nearly full. If I didn't order the Rainbird Benedict then I'd probably leave hungry if I just had the French toast. I was there fairly early on Sunday so there wasn't a huge wait. I lucked out and was able to sit down quickly. Service was great and the food came out quickly. Try this place out if you're in the area. read more

Rainbird - Caramelized Custard French Toast - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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I like this spot for brunch. Very good food and fast service. Espresso martinis are also great, they use an actual espresso machine. read more

Rainbird - Espresso martini - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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Wow!! What a hidden gem in the Valley! Farm to table cuisine at Rainbird is excellent. Our server was very attentive and professional. They also have a full bar making craft cocktails. We started with their famous farro sourdough bread basket with whipped sweet ricotta. Yum! We also had the grilled artichoke with green goddess aioli. It had a great smoke and flavor to the artichoke- just wished it was meatier. For entrees we enjoyed the beautiful goat cheese salad with the best crispy chickpeas. The Mediterranean platter was huge with fresh pita, hummus, salmon and other accompaniments. The Chilean sea bass was incredible over a bed of mushrooms, tomatoes, corn. The salmon was jazzed up with a great orzo and pea tendrils. The duck confit was perfect- crisp skin and tender meat served on a beet purer with a frisée salad. The peanut butter black chocolate cake was the perfect ending to a great meal! read more

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This plate was simple, clean, and nutritious. There's nothing special to it, though I do highly appreciate that everything was cooked to its perfect point. Salmon was an optional addition. I will be returning for this plate and to try others. Service was good. Ambiance allows for a good meal w a friend or even a solo casual date. read more

Rainbird - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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Being from the Central Valley and moving to the Bay Area, it is finally so refreshing to have a restaurant of a equivalent Bay Area quality in downtown Merced I appreciate the seasonal menu offerings and variety of items for all types of dietary restrictions I have enjoyed both the breakfast and lunch menus and their cocktails are top-notch (their version of margarita and espresso martini) The pancakes are almost life-changing, as is a seasonal scramble and grilled cheese with fries and place of the tomato soup, because fries are always a good idea I'm also a beet salad aficionado and it's delicious The few times I have been there, service is great but can be a little slow - but honestly, it's worth the wait. It's got a very cutesy atmosphere, like you're on someone's indoor porch somewhere. read more

French toast is just really soggy and the burger he is really greasy which is ironic considering the best thing I've had here was the pork belly very well cooked and melts yet simple thing aren't done to expectations read more

Rainbird - French toast - New American Near Me - Merced, California

Very nice looking place to start. We were seated near immediately. Thanks. The Mediterranean starter was wonderful, and fresh. I had the salmon meal. It was a bit over cooked, but flavorful with crispy top. The chicken was cooked perfect, and nicely done. The burger was over cooked, and decent, but didn't like the fries much. Overall, I would return without a doubt. read more

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It's a beautiful establishment, and it's nice to have something of this caliber available in Merced. The food is tasty, just wish for more options, flavor, or something that makes you curl your toes when you take a bite. The brunch option on a Mother's Day is a nice touch. read more

The service was great. I'd have to say the Mushroom Risotto was the star of the show. The Ribeye was cooked perfect, almost buttery. A little too quiet ambiance for my taste was the only complaint. read more

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The service was good and the staff was nice, but unfortunately I got bad food poisoning possibly from dinner last night (I didn't eat anything for lunch so I'm assuming from here unless the El Capitan gave me bad water). Kind of ruined my morning and plans for today. If not for that, I thought the meal tasted real good; I ordered the soup and the pork chop. Soup was my favorite; I would recommend it... The pork was a little pink, but I watched some food shows that said it would be ok and decided to try it. The sauce on the pork was a bit salty though. Another note is that there were some flies flying around that I noticed at the end of my meal, but I know it can be hard for a restaurant to do away with all that...but makes me wonder what the condition of the kitchen and food storage is like, especially after the food poisoning read more

Rainbird - Good soup. Did this cause my food poisoning? - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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Food and service was very good : Beet Salad, Bread Basket and Rib Eye Steak. Its a beautiful and elegant effort in the heart of Merced's Main Street. Our experience was marred a little by a loud patron:hotel guest. Kind of a Bistro ambiance. Wish there were more booths or creative table seating. read more

Rainbird keeps getting better and better. Good to see a full house last night. Keep up the good work!! read more

Rainbird - This a very, very good bruschetta. - New American Near Me - Merced, California

This restaurant is located inside the El Capital hotel. We came here for our company holiday party and the food, drinks, and service was great! The restaurant is tastefully decorated in neutral tones and comfy chairs. They have a semi private area towards the back of the restaurant that was perfect for our small group. We also had our own bar. They had a seasonal drink menu and I had the spicy pear martini which was so yummy that I ordered 4 of them.... All for myself! I had the butternut squash bisque soup as my appetizer and it was yummy. The pumpkin seeds gave the soup a nice crunch. I absolutely loved the Meyer lemon honey glazed salmon with pesto orzo.... It tasted so fresh. The burger was delicious and had a sweet aftertaste which may been from the grilled sweet onions that they topped the burger with. Dessert was a slice of chocolate peanut butter and the slice was huge but the flavor was too rich for me. Overall I loved the experience and it's definitely a place I would recommend for a nice dinner if you're in downtown Merced! read more

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My first visit and I'll definitely be back. I had the most amazing ricotta, blueberry and pistachio pancakes!!! I was not impressed with the syrup, but that's on me I was never a pancake syrup person. I like straight maple syrup. The butter was even freshly whipped and smooth. I added a side of bacon that was also flavorful and a good portion size. The service was quick and friendly. We had to eat outside which was nice, but I wish there was a little more shade. I would absolutely recommend read more

Rainbird - New American Near Me - Merced, California

I would have to say they have the best turkey club sandwich that I have ever had! I ordered to go. What a treat! read more

Rainbird - Rainbird Club - New American Near Me - Merced, California

I went last Sunday with some friends for brunch. The food is amazing! I got the Ricotta Pancakes with blueberry and pistachios. I also ordered a vanilla latte, it was just ok. Nothing unique just a vanilla latte. The service was great. He was on top of it! Not too many people at the restaurant so it did not feel crowded or rushed. Can't wait to go again. read more

Rainbird - ricotta pancakes - New American Near Me - Merced, California

This restaurant will transport you with their 'big city' vibe. Wonderful menu. My mother said their grilled cheese was the best grilled cheese she's ever had, I find it hard to get past the avocado toast, they do a great job! It's a must try! read more

The service was fantastic , I came here for some dinner with my girlfriend and I'm not from around here and we didn't think there was any " nicer " restaurants in the area and we went here and wow , everything about it was great , not to mention the waitress was fantastic . The food was great overall 10/10 experience. I'm coming to visit every single time I'm in Merced . read more