Highest-rated restaurants in Merced by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Merced, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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1 / 30

#30. Joe On the Go Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2806 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Jantz Cafe & Bakery

- Rating: 4.2/5 (510 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3361 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Coconut Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3368 North State Hwy 59 Ste North Merced, California
- Categories: Laotian, Thai, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. 88 Bao Bao

- Rating: 4.2/5 (75 reviews)
- Address: 3564 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Dim Sum, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Table 59

- Rating: 4.2/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3360 North State Hwy 59 Ste H Merced, California
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 30

#25. Gateway Pizza N Subs

- Rating: 4.2/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1220 V St. Merced, California
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. El Palmar Taqueria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1127 Martin Luther King Jr Way Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Lupian's Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3355 G St. Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. H & W Drive In

- Rating: 4.3/5 (520 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 121 West 16th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Rainbird

- Rating: 4.3/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 609 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 30

#20. Pretty Good Burger

- Rating: 4.3/5 (140 reviews)
- Address: 439 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Kabab City

- Rating: 4.3/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 East Yosemite Ave. Space D Merced, California
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Toni's Courtyard Café

- Rating: 4.3/5 (731 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 West 18th St. Merced, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Tacos Al Mando

- Rating: 4.4/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 900 Martin Luther King Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. Thai Star

- Rating: 4.4/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 57 West Alexander Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 30

#15. Yummy Thai

- Rating: 4.4/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 2961 Beachwood Drive Merced, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Marco's Tacos

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 99 East Donna Drive Merced, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Richwood Meat

- Rating: 4.4/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2751 North Santa Fe Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Meat Shops, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Donut King's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 260 West Main St. Ste A Merced, California
- Categories: Donuts, Sandwiches, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. El Sabor De Oaxaca

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 900 Loughborough Drive Ste East Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 30

#10. Vinhos

- Rating: 4.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 427 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Lover's Deli

- Rating: 4.6/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 426 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Pizza, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Carniceria Y Taqueria Superior

- Rating: 4.6/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1725 West Hwy 140 Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Royal India Indian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 3040 Park Ave. Ste E2 Merced, California
- Categories: Halal, Indian, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. Scotts Diner

- Rating: 4.6/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2015 East Childs Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Diners, American
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 30

#5. Mariscos El Nacho

- Rating: 4.6/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 1560 Yosemite Pkwy Merced, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Little Oven Pizza

- Rating: 4.6/5 (506 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 433 West Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Masala Express

- Rating: 4.7/5 (157 reviews)
- Address: 560 West Olive Ave. Merced, California
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Jenny Nicole's Old School House Bakery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2649 Canal St. Merced, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Asian Style Kitchen

- Rating: 4.8/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 East Main St. Merced, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

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