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Rainbird, Merced, CA

Rainbird

4.8
4.8
295 Reviews
$31 to $50
Californian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 8 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Healthy
Located in the heart of one of the most productive agricultural regions globally, chefs at El Capitan prepare artisanal fare and spirits that pay homage to the ranchers, farmers, cheesemakers, bakers, brewers, and winemakers that have re-fashioned Merced into one of California’s best kept epicurean secrets.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian
  • Hours of Operation
    Breakfast Daily 6:30 am–11:30 am Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (209) 446-4026
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Evan Morrison

Experiences

  • Four-course Wine Dinner

    US$125.00 per person

    13 Jan 2025 only
    Four-course chef-inspired wine dinner with wine pairings featuring Cru Winery

What 295 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Best Overall

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Best Service

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Best Ambience

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Best Value

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Great for brunch

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Innovative

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Healthy

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Fresno / San Joaquin Valley

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Rainbird offers a serene dining experience with exquisite and delicious food. Known as "best dining in Merced," it features creative, fresh dishes and attentive service. Perfect for romantic evenings or special events, Rainbird's welcoming ambiance and "amazing food" make it a top choice for locals and visitors alike.

295 Reviews
  1. Meg

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Overall fine experience with lovely folks hosting and waiting tables who gave us plenty of room for conversation without anyone too close. Cal's service was spot on despite the fact that he was quite busy, and we loved having attention from Rita, the host. Please let Rainbird know about their great staff. The food was exactly what we wanted and was prepared with obvious care.

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  2. Margaret

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The place is nice, easy to get to with valet parking immediately available. Staff is friendly and professional and we enjoyed their service - very pleasant. Unfortunately the most memorable thing about the lunch menu food is that it was not memorable. All was “fine”, certainly edible and in good quantity. But there was nothing distinctive about any of the flavors between a shared appetizer and three very different entrees. For the price I was expecting to at least be a little wowed. I can say the bread was good and the fries very good - they carried the meal.

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  3. Shannon

    VIP

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very much appreciated the restaurant being open on Christmas Eve. Also was happy they had a special menu in addition to the regular menu.

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  4. Liz

    Tahoe

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The menu over describes the food in a way that makes it sound better than it actually is: French fries over-salted, bread over-toasted, mayo spread not "aoli," more "living lettuce" (whatever that is) than bacon. My guest's meal was also not great. First time and last time to Rainbird. I was expecting greatness. Our server, Rodney, was the best part of the experience.

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  5. Amanda

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food. Get the sourdough toast! Great service.

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  6. Lee

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 18 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is the fifth time that I’ve eaten at the Rainbird in probably the last six months. It is no accident. This is a very fine restaurant in all aspects.
    RainbirdResponded 5 days ago
    Lee, thank you for your loyalty we appreciate your business. We are so happy to hear we are your go to sport. Thank you again. Have a wonderful day!

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  7. Michael

    San Joaquin

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 18 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice experience, Savanah was attentive and helpful in negotiating the venues. Food was top tier. We will go again.
    RainbirdResponded 5 days ago
    Michael, Thank you for your five-star review. Savannah is great thank you for leaving us feedback. We appreciate your business and hope to see you again soon. Have a wonderful day!

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  8. Clive

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A fantastic restaurant, great service from Faith, good value too. The best meal we’ve had during our two week tour of California 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
    RainbirdResponded 5 days ago
    Clive thank you for your review and letting us know how we are doing. We are glad to hear Faith gave you great service. She is one of our best servers. We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you again soon. Have a wonderful day!

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  9. Lee

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 9 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is the fourth time that I have dined here. Ordered something different every time. Excellent in all aspects. Pleasant and quiet atmosphere. Very competent, down-to-earth service. Tremendous food! Reasonably priced.
    RainbirdResponded 5 days ago
    Lee thank you so much for your support and taking the time letting us know how we are doing. We are thrilled to hear Gino and Faith gave great service. Thank you again for your support. We look forward to seeing you again. Have a wonderful day!

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  10. Gilbert

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 6 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is wonderful that Merced has a restaurant of this quality, service, ambience, quality of ingredients, presentation and taste. Truly exceptional ribeye and salmon entrees

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FAQs

Rainbird is rated 4.8 stars by 295 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 8 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Rainbird

609 W Main St, Merced, CA 95340

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Main and M
  • Area
    Merced
  • Hours of Operation
    Breakfast Daily 6:30 am–11:30 am Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Evan Morrison
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Vegan
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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