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All 38 Merced Restaurants »

The Branding Iron Restaurant

640 W. 16th St, Merced, CA 95340
209-722-1822
Ranked #2 of 38 restaurants in Merced
4.0 of 5 stars 40 Reviews
Price range: $9 - $30
Cuisines: American, Seafood, Steakhouse
More restaurant details
Restaurant details
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Bar scene, Large groups, Doing business, Local cuisine, Special occasions, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Reservations, Dessert
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40 reviews from our community

81% Recommend
    23
    7
    3
    3
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Michelle M
Atwater, California, United States
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 13, 2012 NEW

I don't know how people can write bad reviews about this place!!!!!! I do have to say though, that Olive Garden in Modesto, Ca is my favorite place because I grew up there and loved the food when I was pregnant with my kids and after...BUT The Branding Iron is a FANTASTIC place!! I go there with my children and... More

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Buster E
Merced, California
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 22, 2012

I have been visiting the Branding Iron Restuarant for many years and have never been disappointed. The Owners and Staff are what one would expect from a fine dining experience. Greg Parley, his wife Kara and son Justin have continued an excellent tradition of one of the finest restuarants this city and county. They have received numerous accolades for their... More

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GHB2
Nipomo
Senior Contributor
31 reviews
56 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 6, 2012

Can't speak for the dinners but the lunch was very good and the service was great. More

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LaVon J
Merced, California
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews
1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 1, 2012

Our waitperson provided outstanding service by anticipating our needs while she provided service for those around us. She made us feel like family/friends while remaining professional at all times. The Branding Iron is our favorite restaurant to celebrate special events and has been for most of our lives. We were grateful that the level of service and quality of food... More

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Justin Parle, Owner at The Branding Iron Restaurant, responded to this review
January 5, 2012

LaVon J, Thank you so much for the wonderful review! Your keen observations support everything we strive to be...professional and personable with high quality food at the right price, and enough variety to satisfy all tastes and appetites. We look forward to seeing you again soon! -Justin Parle More

coop4133055
Santa Rosa, California
Reviewer
5 reviews
1 helpful vote
1 of 5 stars Reviewed December 28, 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Overcooked fish (this was the only fish that was grilled! All others were battered and deep fried) Salad dressing was poor quality, diluted blue cheese Tri tip sandwich consisted of six tough pieces of dried out meat, and this is their specialty! If this is the number two restaurant in Merced, then avoid eating out in Merced! The next night... More

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Justin Parle, Owner at The Branding Iron Restaurant, responded to this review
January 5, 2012

coop, We are very sorry you did not enjoy your experience here. I will personally address the staff regarding the proper cooking of the fish. It appears as though you were surprised by the fact that we only have one broiled fish item on the menu. Truth is we can not afford to have a large selection of broiled fish... More

Tom G
Merced, Ca
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 26, 2011

This is the very best in Merced!!! We go here at least once a month (sometimes twice) and it by far the best place in town to eat!!! Great menu......Great service.....and Great cooks!!! More

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dian32496
Hilmar, California
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 18, 2011

This is the third year my co workers have all picked the Branding Iron for our Christmas Party, we area small group about 12, the food is always good, the service friendly and helpful. More

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PeterB1260
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 6, 2011

Great food, in particular the NZ Lamb, BBQ, the chef got this absolutely correct, he or she let the cut of meat speak for itself, no fancy sauces or added spices etc, just plain tasty Lamg chops. Wonderful! More

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Justin Parle, Owner at The Branding Iron Restaurant, responded to this review
November 28, 2011

Dear PeterB1260, We are THRILLED you enjoyed your New Zealand Lamb Loin Chops! We truly appreciate you choosing The Branding Iron Restaurant and hope to see you again soon! Sincerely, Greg Parle Owner More

Nerak58
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews
3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed November 6, 2011

The homemade soup tonight was beef and vegetable and it was delicious- reminded us of home. The NZ lamb chops were superb, cooked high heat no accompaniments just let the lamb speak for itself. The chicken piccata was swimming in lemony sauce but reasonable apart from this. We both had the broccoli which was perfectly cooked firm. A pleasant surprise... More

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Tim R
Modesto, California
1 review
2 of 5 stars Reviewed October 30, 2011

Went to the Branding Iron last night (10-29-2011); food was so-so (had the fried scallops - seemed like they were out of a frozen food box; only other thing that came with it was a baked potato - $21.95!!); every little extra costs too much - coffee -$2.50 per person? glass of wine - $8.00? bottle of non-alcoholic beer -... More

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Justin Parle, Owner at The Branding Iron Restaurant, responded to this review
November 3, 2011

Dear "Tim R": Thank you for reviewing The Branding Iron Restaurant on TripAdvisor.com. We are sorry you did not have an enjoyable experience with us on the 30th of October. We truly try our best on a daily basis to ensure that your choice in dining with us is unquestionably the right choice. I am sorry that you feel our... More

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