This place is amazing! From the atmosphere to the flavor profiles, everything was absolutely perfect. The food was beautiful and and delicious. Definitely keep in mind, this restaurant is about the dining experience: It’s about the flavor profiles and the presentation. I saw a negative review about their portion sizes, which is the whole point of a 5-course meal! If you’re looking for a full slab of steak, go to a steak house - that’s not what Rainbird is about. It’s about 5 separate courses, each several bites of pure bliss. That said, it was more than enough food as I was actually uncomfortably full by the end and my partner (a full grown man) was also full to satisfaction. So don’t let the portion size fool you. 5 courses any larger would be an insane amount of food. Also, again it’s FIVE courses. Of course it’s going to take a little time. Again, it’s not a slab of meat, greens, and potato on a plate and then you’re done… it’s an experience. You’ll be there for an hour or two, but it’s well worth it (and this isn’t due to slow service by any means. I feel we had just enough time to cleanse our palate before the next course. I thought it was timed perfectly. Any faster would’ve had plates piling up and food getting cold on your table). Lastly, I saw someone complain about the bread being served before the main meal and I just had to say that that person is crazy!! Lol. That bread was soooo good, we wanted to take a loaf home. Overall, staff was amazing - atmosphere was amazing - food was seriously top notch. I highly recommend this place.
My partner and I had an amazing time dining at Rainbird. First and foremost, the food is absolutely incredible. This was our second time dining here and everything we have eaten on the menu has been perfectly balanced and delicious. No matter what you get on their menu, you will be blown away. The chef took a moment to speak with us after our meal and he is clearly very passionate about the food he is making, and it's clear that he attempts to innovate and bring new and exciting flavors to the restaurant on a regular basis. We will certainly be returning as he updates his menu with new items.The service was also top notch. Our server Rachel was prompt and professional. All the hosts throughout the restaurant were knowledgeable and dedicated to providing top notch service. The team at Rainbird are proud of what they are doing and it shows. On top of all that, it feels like the price is completely reasonable for the meal you are being provided.Thank you all for the experience!
The food is like nothing I have ever had in my life, however, I'm just a peasant. The service was amazing and so professional; the servers were on their game. I had the same feeling of opening a gift as a child on Christmas morning every time a course was gently placed in front of me. The experience made me feel like I wasn't in Merced anymore. The seasonal cuisine feels so fresh and tickles the palate in the softest way.FYI:Just know, everything placed on that table will be added to your bill. You are paying for the food with a set price, but water, and extra "as much as you want" bread is being added to your bill. Sparkling water cost more than the cocktails.The bathrooms needed a little love; the trash was overflowing and one the door locks was broken.Overall, I would definitely come back for the next season. No sparkling water for me and I'll take the extra bread order home to share the deliciousness with my kids.
Excellent gastronomic experience, wine pairing and service. It’s wonderful to have this type of quality restaurant in Merced.
I wish I could give this restaurant a 10 out of 5 star rating. The tasting course was to die for and completely unexpected in terms of fantastic (and knowledgeable) service, top-quality food and drinks, and overall relaxed vibes. I will ABSOLUTELY go back! HIGHLY recommend.Update: Went back for their brunch, and it did not disappoint! The food was absolutely delicious and the presentation made it feel like a luxurious experience.
Rated it 5/5 but really more of a 9/10 mostly everything was exceptional I tried everything that night the amuse buche was excellent as were the starters the real stand out there being the smoked cauliflower custard a well thought out dish silky smooth and rich and filled with deep flavor the bread course too was exceptional such a beautifully buttered hand crafted bread nothing like that elsewhere in the valley the meal unfortunately reached the main course which though well seasoned was poorly executed the lamb underdone and tough because of it the cod was the better of the 3 main courses the dessert was a return to the exceptional quality previous exemplified by the previous dishes the walnut cake was well thought out and extraordinary the service was top notch the servers were well informed on the dishes they served regardless of the main course truly a wonderful experience
Great dining experience, very unique and nothing like this in Merced. Diverse menu options all very tasty and one of a kind flavor. Would definitely come again!!
Excellent experience, delicious food and attentive staff. Definitely recommend Rainbird.
The restaurant was absolutely beautifully styled. Our server Montana was delightful. She did a perfect job at explaining every portion of the meal that we had. Her recommendations were impeccable. Food is my love language and I can honestly say I fell in love Tonight. Each course was made with Passion and love and you can tell. The presentation was beautiful and the flavors were indescribable. I enjoyed every single bite. These flavors really moved me and I got teary eyed. I inserted the photo so you guys can see ?. I'm looking forward to going again. Compliments to the chef.
Went to dinner on 3-19-22 Honest Review Will Be Coming Back1: starter :was fermented potato mousse with fish roe was very bad fishy salty super pungent2: First :Abalone with mushroom/ sauce olive oil was delicious except Abalone was over cooked under beaten for a mollusk an so rubbery was uneatable .3: Bread: was house made Delicious, very buttery toasty with a dash of sea salt we had two orders4: Entree: Ribeye and sauce was fabulous very small 2-3 ounce carrot sides were good but under cooked crispy not able to cut with forkEntree: duck : Sides were delicious cabbage and potatoes were seasoned well preparedDuck breast was very thick and pink no crispy skin , not tender , no juices or sauce somewhat dry. Needed to be sliced perpendicular in 1/8 -1/4” slices to veins , with some type of moisture weather sauce or natural juices something more.5: The desserts : the walnut chocolate mousse cake was delicious not to sweet moist, great with the cappuccino smooth great coffee, the sweet potato with berry sauce was very earthy not sweet was enjoyed . The almond custard with biscotti and almond ice cream was smooth creamy not to sweet and delicious.Waitress: Ms Montana was fantastic, experienced very well versed , pleasant an had excellent serviceAtmosphere: very classy , elegant with pleasant surroundings, servers were well dressed clean cut looked very professional.OVERALL: Our opinion is chef needs to check flavor & quality of dishes before served . Didn’t mind waiting 3 weeks to get in or a 90 dollar a plate FOR dinner . To many discrepancies for the cost of fine dining Hope the Chef & Managers take notice of reviews and improve the items on menu. We would like to continue dining here.E D 35 year business owner Merced Calif.