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!

Store is clean and busy .Good selection of many veggies.They have great hot food.Service is…read morefriendly and quick. OK downside is a older lady will follow you at times making it uncomfortable to shop

Pomegranates are back again! First of the season. Persimmons too - the crunchy kind. I've also seen…read morebags of cooked corn on the cob. Looks interesting- may try next time! They are always bringing in new & interesting items. I saw jackfruit ice cream.

So we came to Merced downtown today…read more Ended up getting a recommendation to go to Lovers Deli. This place has music playing and is small but cute. Very busy which means it is good. Hubby had a slice of cheese pizza and a Cheech and Chong sandwich. I got a turkey cheddar. It was great. We will be back.

Cute place retro theme, with vhs tapes on thr wall and all. It is a little loud considering how…read moresmall the dining room is. Staff is very polite and knock out orders at a pretty good clip. Ordered a couple of sandwiches and a slice of their 2 dollar cheese pizza. Pizza was much better than I had expected for a 2 dollar slice. My sandwhich was the cheech and Chong. Only thing that I think may have made it better is if they had jalapeño or maybe some pepperchini peppers on it. Wife had a turkey sandwich and we left with half of it. She said she wanted to share with the kids at home. If in the area will definitely come back. Its a nice little shop with a good vibe.

You can't customize your sandwitches....what a waste of money and time…read more Will not recommend it at all. The person there was also not friendly at the time I was there.

Over-priced sandwiches. Mostly bread, little meat. No option to customize. There was fresh pasta…read moremade but no sign to say it existed nor pricing. I asked what the portions and prices were and he seemed surprised I asked. I get what they're trying to do, to offer legit Italian meat, pasta, sweets etc. However Merced lacks the clientele to support this niche business. I appreciate the legit mortadella and prosciutto, it's been a year since we were in Italy. They need to make heftier sandwiches loaded with actual substance if they're gonna charge that much. Include a drink too. Lastly, I had no idea this place existed. My brother mentioned it to me and we checked it out. Need more advertising and food selection to match pricing.

06/13/2026 I ordered an enchilada combo. Soggy and salty is…read morenot my cup of tea. Not dining at Rancho San Miguel anymore. Better Mexican food at new supermarket at mall.

The item that brings me to this store is the Chicken Salad. When it's done right, it's the BEST!…read moreProblem is, it's hit and miss. Warning, odds are it's more likely a miss, but when it hits. ....oooo wee, it's the Best! I've been getting the chicken salad here since the place opened. The store is completely on the opposite side of town but I make the trek over, gambling on the best chicken salad, not great chicken salad or even not in stock chicken salad. Thats my wild life, I revel in it. I also like the produce section here, it's almost half the price of Raleys. The service is not the best. It's difficult to find help on the floor. On the positive side, it appears they have posted someone full time at the salsa / salad bar, that's great. In the past you would have to get someone from the hot food side to go over to the salsa bar. The ambiance is fine. It's a Hispanic grocery store. I'm leaving 4 stars in hopes my review increases my chances at the BEST Chicken Salad. Come on, let's stick to that one recipe that's the Best, no fiddling around with the consistency! You Chicken Salad tease.

Love the clean big store.Helpful staff.Many different choices of vegetables and meat.Prices are…read moregood .Some things are a bit pricey but ok

Love this chain, been going to one in SJ and Modesto for years and years. Came in here today to…read moregrab a torani syrup, they had a good variety, but not as many options as the other locations. There's a ton of parking and it was very quick getting in and out.

This place hit the spot for Taco Tuesday! A coworker of mine here in Merced recommended I head over…read moreto Cardenas for the $1 Taco Tuesday special. If you buy 4 tacos you get the 5th free when you add a coke to the order and you're out the door $7+ tax. I'm always looking for budget friendly places and this was just what I needed to end the trip. I only tried the asada, but I love me a good street taco. The line was a bit longer like a lot of locals know this is a good spot on Tuesday's.

This place has the worst customer service anywhere. I stand waiting for help for a good five…read moreminutes and no one even acknowledges me. Now, if I was more Mexican or Hispanic and spoke the language better then perhaps I would get the attention other people get. Very biased here. Take care of customers because customers pay the bills.

My small children and parents and I really enjoyed the Merced Fruit Barn for the cute farm in the…read moreback. They have a pair of peacocks, goats, ducks, a cow, a llama, and chickens. They also have many exotic birds in the front of the store. It was relaxing to go and have an ice cream or coffee, which they sell, and take some time with nature. The Santa Fe train also passes right across the street so you can hear and see it. Amazing! Definitely recommend it for families with kids or if you want to stop for some nature.

This is a series of indoor and outdoor rooms that have fruit and nuts for sale. Prices are…read morereasonable. Cute ambiance. Service was prompt. Pick up a cold drink too.

Why they don't have the shopping cart for handicap. I try to do shopping and they don't have one…read morewhy????

Rude staff who don't know how to refund when customer…read morerejects a package found torn or open. They act like they are doing customer a huge favor.

A nice store with lots of hidden bargins.You have to choose wisely and pick up.merchindise.Some…read moreproducts are very expensive. So take your time looking for the deals.

This is the only grocery store I frequent unless there is an emergency and I need something a half…read morea mile away. It does take ten minutes to reach Grocery Outlet, however I find most of what I would buy at another store, the staff are helpful, and the prices are incredible in comparison. I always save at least half of what I would spend elsewhere.