Panda..panda...panda. I was delighted to hear about a new restaurant popping up, and I went with my wife (her is name Charlene) and my several kids (can't keep count, something around 7. Their names are Bartie, Myrtle, Penelopé, and the others.) I ordered the eggs Benedict, which I assumed was a personal, special homage towards me. It wasn't. Starting off my anniversary dinner with that, wasn't pleasant. But when I received the eggs Benedict itself, my night only got worse. Salt. Salt. Salt!! STAY AWAY!! $674 for the entire bill and I bet you atleast $174 was the salt. The Mariposa Ranch Ribeye was too waxy!! Felt like I was eating a damn bath and body works!! Five stars though. Would go back again. -Benedict read more

We had lunch and our choices were excellent. The menu offered a good variety of options for anyone's taste. We had a wonderful experience thanks to the top notch service and the overall ambience of the restaurant. read more

Leticia saved our evening. We had just had a bad experience at Bella Luna in Merced. We came to the El Capitan Courtyard and she made our night. She was everything that the staff at Bella Luna wasn't. Kind, friendly, helpful and courteous. Our meal was fantastic. She restored our faith in good service. Definitely will always come back and look for her again. read more

the staff were diverse and friendly. the coffee was slow coming and the refills were the same. order french toast - it arrived cold - was disappointed . read more

Got to say that this place is a hidden gem. The flavor of every single plate is incredible. To be honest I will be coming to place more often if I were closer to it. The flexibility of just coming downstairs from your hotel room and find such an extraordinary place to enjoy amazing food is just amazing. Dylan our server was amazing and everyone at the restaurant as well. read more

Rainbird - Side of fresh fruit. - New American Near Me - Merced, California

My girlfriend and I decided to visit Yosemite National park this weekend and was looking for somewhere to eat some good food. At a glance from their yelp page everything looks solid. However, I am from LA we dine in set course meals very often . Restaurants such as providence, bazzar. Etc Let me get to the point. All your seafood had a fishy smell. Half your dishes I can make myself at home . So my personal opinion . 1. Check the quality of your produce before serving cause my pallet was covered by the fishy taste of the oyster throughout the whole dinner. Was using your house old fashioned to wash it down after every bite . It was that bad .. 2. The tuna was just outright disgusting . It was a huge chunk of fish slapped inside a orange . Which you could've just made a carpaccio dish or something ..... 3. All The other dishes are so so ..... the spinach on the lamb dish looks like you boiled it and use your hand to smush it together .... So overall experience I spent $400 and I'm sorry I don't think I will come back here. Wish you guys best of luck . read more

Yesterday, was my first visit and I'll definitely be back! My friends and I stopped in for lunch and I'm so glad we did! The millionaire BLTA made me feel like a millionaire after. Everything was delicious! We were a party of 5 and everyone was satisfied with their food. We were all surprised with how quick and attentive the service was considering the restaurant was so busy! The drinks were so good as well! Best spot in Merced, hands down! It's such a beautiful place with the cutest decor + the perfect lighting for pictures! read more

Excellent! The garlic prawns and flan were to die for! Will definitely go again if I am in the area!

Went for a birthday. Great experience and delicious food. Servers were a little sloppy but very nice.

RAINBIRD Restaurant, El Capitan Hotel, Merced, exceeded expectations. The farm-to-table dinners twelve of us enjoyed, were absolutely delicious. The salad I chose, Roasted Beet & Chevre, is amongst the best I've ever enjoyed. Very unique. My pork chop entree, a special that night, was cooked to perfect. I don't like to add, but should...service was just okay. A little off-flow and non-attentive. Also glad I looked closely at my receipt was tip was automatically added. Again, the food is so good and not insanely pricey--I would eat there again should I be in Merced area. read more

The restaurant is beautiful. The flavors are good. Service is great. But, the portion sizes are minuscule. If I'm sitting for a multi-course meal at this price, I expect to be full when I leave. read more

Awesome! Had the tasting added wine pairing! Well worth the price. Sidenote, go to the bar next-door and get an old-fashioned they're really good. read more

Thank goodness Rainbird has changed their menu and is no longer prix fixe! Their new breakfast/lunch/dinner menus (served daily!) offer a variety of choices, including more options for vegetarians (add falafel to any salad!), pescatarians, and others with food sensitivities (more gluten free and dairy free options--yay!!). We went with another couple and shared the fried oysters, beet salad, and tuna crudo to start. All were very yummy--especially the oysters. For entrees, two of us got the mushroom risotto (very tasty), and the other two had the sea bass and salmon which were great as well. The service was ok (we waited a while for a host to seat us, we had to ask twice for 2 more wine glasses so 4 of us could drink the bottle of wine we ordered, and our water wasn't filled again after we paid out check and were sitting chatting... even though there was no one waiting for our table). But, frankly, I prefer those service hiccups to the overbearing and hovering service that characterized the former prix fixe version of the restaurant (it felt stuffy and uncomfortable to me). There are multiple items on the new menu that I am excited to go back and try... compared to the previous menu that had limited options and only changed 4x/year (and was so expensive). This is the kind of restaurant Merced has needed for a long time--good, creative, fresh food and a nice ambiance. I will definitely be back and encourage those who tried the original version to go back and try the new menus! read more

A gem of a place in this small town! Attentive service and several vegetarian offerings made this visit great. Wild mushroom risotto was outstanding! read more

First thing everyone was so polite, the door was opened for us and the servers were very kind. Enzo explained all the meals in detail and made good conversation. The decor inside was beautiful, very modern rustic with live plants and fresh eucalyptus. They also switch out your utensils with every meal which i liked. Now the food, the latte was nicely brewed and was brought out with cream and sugar cubes. The grits were delicious and the texture was perfect, they had a nice spice to it as well. The Pancake was soft yet a little crisp around the edges and the maple was perfectly sweet. The steak was rare and soft, a little more flavor would be nice but it was good. My favorite was the eggs benedict, the hollandaise sauce was amazing and the smoked salmon melted in my mouth, the egg was perfectly poached and the bread still was crisp. The beignet was like a warm soft donut with a fermented honey sauce. Finally the stroopwafel, it was glazed with the same maple from the pancake and had two sauces. The first sauce was a caramel sauce then a german chocolate sauce with crushed pistachios. The chocolate sauce wasn't too sweet but still had a nice flavor profile to it, and the caramel sauce was sweet and rich but yet not over powering. Overall I would definitely come again! Beautiful date, anniversary, or special occasion spot. It is on the pricey side but you're paying for good service, atmosphere and food! read more

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The food is mediocre for the price that they charge. Management does not know what they are doing. Current Chief cuts corners and is poor quality. I miss The Hyatt management, they knew what they were doing. Spread the word people. read more

Food was amazing!!! Really delicious gourmet food, finally a fine restaurant in Merced. Service was excellent!!

We had an enjoyable experience dining at the Rainbird last night. The dining room is relaxing with a casual elegance. The service was very attentive and accommodating. The food was creative, presented beautifully and delicious. We had the five course tasting menu with wine pairings. The pea tart & potato amuse bouche had a great blending of flavors. I had the salmon starter that paired beautifully with the Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc. The bread course was beyond wonderful! It is quite a large piece of bread and we ate every bite! It was filling which turned okay because the lamb entree, while delicious, is quite small (about the amount of lamb from one small chop). The strawberry desert was creamy and a scrumptious finish to a wonderful meal. The only component missing for me was a wine pairing with the bread course. I drank all of my Sauvignon Blanc with my starter course and was left with only water. Even if I would have saved some of the wine, it would not have paired well with the bread. I would have liked something to sip on during that course, maybe like a nice Merlot. All in all, we are very grateful to have this wonderful restaurant option in Merced & look forward to returning soon! read more

this your best place for good food, especially breakfast. service is always great. our server , Kao, is super pleasant.

We stayed at the El Capitan hotel in which the restaurant is located, and the hotel and restaurant seamlessly provide very high quality service. The brunch was excellent with incredibly attentive staff and all the attention to detail throughout. I look forward to coming back for the dinner service next time I'm in town. read more

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Rainbird exemplifies the type of restaurants the Central Valley deserves as it showcases the local agricultural bounty through culinary art. My partner and I indulged in the 5 course tasting and did not want it to end! The service was exceptionally beyond 5 star quality. We drove 1 hour for this experience and plan to do it again soon. read more

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One start in service. Had reservations for 8:15pm. Arrived and we were escorted to our table...it took literally 30 minutes after which I called a waitress' attention. No one offered even water until then. For a fine dining establishment I expect a lot more. Not giving up just yet but we were hungry so we walked out and went across the hall to get some food. Maybe another time rainbird, but not a good first impression. read more

Food: 4 stars Service: 2 stars Starting with the service; overall the service was slow and the wait staff were not attentive. My friend and I went for Friday night and was seated at 7pm, and the meal lasted almost 3 hours; the main course wasn't served till the 2 hour mark. A few other issues: - waited 10+ minutes before drinks were offered - had to ask for water/refill - spoon for amuse bouche were brought after the course was served - long gap between courses, long wait for table reset The food was good but not exceptional, seasonings were a bit off on some courses, and highlights were beverage, amuse bouche, bread, and fish main. - Beverage: the Acorn cocktail was nicely balanced, good level of smoke and a subtle creaminess; my friend enjoyed their sparkling and pinot noir as well - Amuse bouche: innovative and delicious: loved the macaron - Appetizer: the risotto was slightly undercooked; the abalone was overly salty and difficult to eat in the small serving bowl - Bread: nice & crispy outside and spongy & soft inside; high saltiness of bread nicely offset by sweet or creamy condiments - Main: cod was perfectly cooked, the stuffed chanterelle were exceptional; personally would prefer the pea garnish blanched to remove the raw edge. Steak were fine but could use more seasoning and better removal of fat/sinew, and the carrots were overly al dente - Dessert: pistachio gelato overpowered by other components, not adding to the dessert other than the cold temp; the chocolate cake was moist and nice cocoa bitterness, but could not overcome the sweetness from rest of dish Would I return? Maybe, in a few months with different menu and hopefully more attentive and well-timed service read more

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A lot seems like it lacks flavor and very little portions and waited over 2 hours to eat our entire meal

Let me just start by saying I don't normally eat fancy food I'm not very adventurous when it comes to different cuisines and I tend to always pick the safe option. Now that being said my experience at rainbird was incredible. Every dish that I tried was unlike anything that I had ever tasted before in my life. If you're feeling hesitant to come here because you're afraid you won't like anything stop that and just go you won't regret it. The food is incredible there's not a bad choice on the menu and go multiple times with multiple people so that you can try a little bit of everything. Also, that chef?! DELECTABLE. 10/10. read more

Exquisite dining experience! The 5 course dinner was delicious in an intimate atmosphere. The amuse bouche unique followed by your choice of first. The artisan sourdough bread was amazing! I hope they will sell it to take home. The entree choices were savory and the desserts delicious! The staff was attentive and very knowledgeable! What a wonderful addition to our new destination of downtown Merced! read more

Rainbird - Black walnut cake dessert - New American Near Me - Merced, California

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It's finally open!!! We went for Valentine's dinner last night. So excited to have a fine dining restaurant in Merced! The each of the amuse bouche were amazing and were presented so cleverly. The white shoyu braised abalone and the smoked cauliflower custard were delicious. They offered a bread course...they seriously need to sell these loaves to customers! For main, my husband had the ribeye and I have the halibut. Both these offerings were creative and yummy. For dessert I had the pistachio gelato with coffee roasted sweet potato, black apple caramel and preserved blueberries...so unique and all the flavors came through. My husband had the black walnut cake with burnt chocolate gelato, caramelized walnut mousse and toasted meringue that was luscious. Merced we need to support Rainbird. Go and enjoy and then go again and bring friends! read more

I saw multiple gnats flying around our table. I can't imagine the kitchen Definitely won't be back

We had been wanting to try this restaurant since it opened and finally decided to make the hour-long drive to Merced. I am so glad we did! The food was absolutely amazing. The visual presentation was incredible and the flavor profiles were surprising and pleasing. That may sound odd, but the food was honestly unlike anything I have ever had before and can't quite explain it. Rushes of one flavor to the next, it was just an all around amazing experience. The staff was very nice and I loved the atmosphere, decor, and even the uniforms. Every detail of this place was carefully considered and it all made for a wonderful experience. The drinks were amazing too, and they offer non-alcoholic options (like Ritual) which was so fun to be able to order while not drinking real booze. I highly recommend Rainbird! Be ready to have your tastebuds wowed. read more

Rainbird...how can I describe it but a great new spot for a night out. The staff was fantastic, great customer service and well informed about the menu. I would post photos of what I ate but everyone else has the same thing. And I would also agree the best thing there is the bread, my goodness..ITS SOAKED IN BUTTER and sooo crispy 10/10 would eat again I hope to see additional items in the future! read more

Food is good. Portion size is horrible. Staff was good. Location was ok. First course a dime sized crab Macaron and a squash potato chip. It was good. Second course spam with pea sized pieces of prawn. Couldn't taste the prawn. 3rd course was the toast. It was delicious. The 4th course was the filet. Literally 2 strips 3" long, 1/2" think. 6 bites. 5th course was a mousse dessert the size of 2 Oreo cookies. Now, course 1, 3, 4 and 5 tasted fine. I just think for $350 you should leave feeling like you had a meal. Food 4 Serving size was ridiculous for the cost. -2 Staff 5 Atmosphere 3 Location 2. 12 of a possible 20. read more

The service and atmosphere is beautiful! The staff are super kind and do everything they can to tend to your needs! I also love so much of the local Merced influence by the chefs in the menu and the art. I went with my boyfriend for brunch recently and most of the food was absolutely delicious. We had a couple little problems (probably because it was pretty busy when we went) with the cook on the food, but I didn't even need to ask for a new plate. The waiter could tell it wasn't up to their standard and replaced it with a new one within minutes. I can't wait to bring my family when they come visit! read more

Decent location . However the lack of change and creativity shows overall . Nice try to the owners but lacking in the kitchen and menu

Superb. A gem in the middle of Nowhere. Outstanding food, excellent service, and cool ambiance.

Stunning. Atmosphere, service. Food creativity. Food taste combinations. Filling Special.

I took my wife here for her birthday. The service was good, the presentation was well done, and most of the food was tasty. It got a 4* instead of a 5* for a few reasons though. First, the menu really doesnt match what you get sometimes. Like i got the salmon, and had no idea it was going to come served like a raw pokè. Or the squash was going to basically be a funion. As i said, i like to be surprised, my wife.. not so much. Second, the scallops my wife got were basically inedible. We both like a lot of salt with our food, but these took it to the next level. No real crust was on the scallops, and I thought they could have used about 5-10 more seconds on that pan. With that said, the evening was still enjoyable, and too much salt on one dish could be a one off. The wine pairing we got with our meals were excellent, with generous pours. If your looking for a nice meal served in courses, and don't mind splurging for a night I would recommend this to any local. read more

Pretty much no vegan /vegetarian options. Had to eat at the cafe next door. I was excited about the brunch until I realized there was nothing for me to eat. read more

This restaurant was amazing! The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the food was superb. It was more of an experience rather than just going to dinner. It may seem that the price is high, but considering the process takes a couple of hours and the attention given to customers, it is well worth it. The risotto and the ribeye were out of this world! Don't even get me started on the sourdough bread! read more

We wanted our anniversary to be special, so we waited to try this restaurant. It is definitely a unique dining experience. Prompt service moved our five courses along, yet it was still very relaxing. Our friendly server described each course and answered our questions. The presentation of all courses was lovely. I thought the bread and dessert really stood out. My halibut entree was perfectly cooked, but too salty. My husband's ribeye was also perfectly cooked, but his vegetables were on the raw side. We enjoyed the wines--Treana cab for him, Baileyana Chard for me, although the pours were a bit small. Overall, an interesting experience, but we felt that once was fine for us. read more

Great food but too bad the water is either tap water or only one stage filter. Otherwise it is perfect.