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Rainbird

4.3 (206 reviews)
Open 6:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Updated 1 month ago

Rainbird Photos

RAINBIRD ATMOSPHERE

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Recommended Reviews - Rainbird

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Reviews With Photos

This omelet and potatoes were so delish and Crispy
Mena S.

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

Grapefruit Sour
Jennifer D.

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

Laura B.

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!

Goat cheese ravioli-10/10
Preet P.

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.

Espresso martini
Roshni G.

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

Veggie Scramble
Joi L.

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.

El captain breakfast, French toast, breakfast sandwich, coffee
Delilah J.

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.

Goat Cheese Ravioli
Annie S.

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.

Arthur D.

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.

Butternut squash bisque
Bryan F.

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!

Bloody Mary

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!

Ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote and pistachio topping
Kristina M.

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.

French toast

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

Caramelized Custard French Toast

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2 months ago

Everything was so good staff was very attentive it was worth the money I spent and I would definitely go back again

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Page 1 of 6

Ask the Community - Rainbird

What time does brunch end?

They close at 2 but I'd recommend getting there an hour-hour and a half before then .

Do you pick an item from each course to taste? There are many things on the menu & I don't think you get all the proteins or sides with it!

Yes! If you're with another person you each get to pick one meal off of each course. If you want sides those are an extra cost. Hope this helps :)

What is the price?

Menu is priced at $85 for the Five Course Tasting Menu.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Rainbird - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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