About

Our Team

The embodiment of California's Central Valley is captured in Merced’s newest upscale restaurant concept, Rainbird, located within the historic El Capitan Hotel opening in early Q12022 for dinner and weekend brunch. With an experimental and thought-provoking five-course tasting menu restaurant from Executive Chef Quentin Garcia, Rainbird celebrates the very best of the season, reflecting deep relationships with the community and the surrounding agricultural region. The name Rainbird--inspired by the animal known to sing before rain--represents the bird’s unique migration patterns that signal the coming of rain and a forthcoming bountiful harvest.

Delicately designed by NICOLEHOLLIS to mimic the earth’s natural elements, Rainbird’s interiors feature rich natural textures, and soft pastoral tones like pale greens, creams and light blues. Paired with artwork sourced from California’s Central Valley (such as Margaret Haden’s bespoke ceramic wall sculptures and Daniel Van Gerpen’s agronomy-inspired paintings), the space showcases countless odes to the region’s agricultural purpose.