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Reviews & Tips

  • 0

    Months later, still two stars. Every time I think of going back I remember the waitresses who act as though waiting tables is something they do only in their spare time and which they don't really have time for, and I also remember the raucous, ear-splitting local yuppies. Just won't risk another really unpleasant experience. Even if someone else were paying I'd try to suggest someplace else. Sorry Branding Iron, you have literally driven me away and you've done so so well that my sentiment apparently isn't going to change.

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  • 0

    This place was decent.  The food was OK.  Nothing to write home about.  Lawry's still has the best prime rib so far.  Great for the Merced area.

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  • 0

    Food took awhile to get to the table but it was well worth the wait. Started up with some fabulous BBQ skewers that just played with your taste buds. Ordered an amazing prime rib and half rack of ribs for my daughter. Baked potato with all the fixins was delicious.
    I would only recommend faster refills or bigger glasses for people who only want water. I will definitely go again.

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  • 0

    Don't miss the home made gazpacho!
    We've been here many times, and went back again last week.  The rib eye steak was the best ever!  Is it really possible for steak to melt in your mouth?  This time the service wasn't up to par.  The wait for beverage refills, baked potato fixings  etc., but our waiter and busboy were pleasant.  As usual, the owner was there, which is one reason I think this restaurant maintains its high quality

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  • 0

    My husband grew up loving this place. I've given it many chances (6 or 7), but I always leave disappointed. Every steak and slice of prime rib has been tasteless and under seasoned.

    I know the locals love the Branding Iron, but it just can't win me over. When I want a good steak, I cook it myself (for half the price!)

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  • 0

    Just to say this, customers would rather have the excess fat removed from NY steaks. Makes it more attractive and enjoyable. But other than that, Great atmosphere and service.

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  • 0

    BI dropped a couple of places.  Last couple of times I went the steak was poor quality and tough as leather.

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  • 0

    Great steak.  We came with a rather large group close to closing time and the staff was just wonderful and even brought out cake for one of our members celebrating her birthday.  Served a very interesting sorbet as a palate cleanser.  Great experience.

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  • 0

    A local charm and a local hangout for regular folks and the town's bigwigs. The Gazpacho soup (a tomato-based, vegetable soup traditionally served cold) was quite delightful; it was like spring heaven-ness bursting in my mouth. It is served with crispy tortilla chips. A must get. The Hamburger was equally delicious; you can tell the quality of the meat is superior. Come during happy hour because they provide complementary cheese upon entrance and had vegetable plates and meatballs for guests to enjoy.

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  • 0

    So, I have now eaten here twice in 4 months.  We love good steak and worship great prime rib. Sadly, this restaurant seems like it would have both but doesn't.  Both times I had the prime rib and both times it was favorless and horrible texture (kind of mealy).  My husband had the tri-tip sandwich and thought it was just ok.  For the price, I was expecting much better.

    Won't be back.

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  • 0

    We stopped here on our way through town thinking it would have good food, wrong. The server was very nice and helpful, it really isn't her fault that the food taste and quality were so poor. We ordered the tri-tip sandwich which was very overly cooked, the meat was like rubber and we had 2 at the table so it was just 1 mess up. The bacon cheese burger was plain, no flavor, the best part was the crunch the bread had. Steak was cooked poorly and had NO flavor, A-1 was our best friend, even for my 3 year old. Definitely not worth the money.

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  • 0

    This is a great restaurant, as someone who has worked in food service/hospitality and knows the ins and outs of the industry, I've never been disappointed.  I eat here almost weekly.

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  • 0

    Excellent service, food wasn't impressive--chewy, not cooked well...didn't enjoy or finish our meals. Bummer! Price was good but not for what we ordered. Steak was decent.

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  • 0

    Ended up here only because A Taste of Indian was closed on Easter Sunday. The place is stuck in the 1960's and the food seemed to be so also. My wife had the Prime Rib which was extremley fat with huge chunks of it on display - it made me think about the kitchen staff and why someone plating who serve up something so horrible - she ended leaving 80% of it - and then no question from the wait staff when then remove a almost complete plate from your table. I had the Rib Eye - it was very bland
    They forgot about the bread.
    Went to De Angelos the following night for a very different experience - if you want steak in Merced you would be better going there.

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  • 0

    Idk why people review negatively on this place. I went and it was delicious. Best food. And it has a little chocolate mint that they give you in the end. I would reccomend the Coffee Rub Steak. That was pretty good w/ the dip. I liked it. Expensive though. Theres a bar area that you can eat and watch tv and the bathrooms are nice. The Sign is a little old because not all the lights light up. I Reccomend this place.

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  • 0

    I've only been here once but it was good. A delicious steak house with delicious steak house prices.

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  • 0

    I don't understand the bad reviews for this restaurant.  I've been eating here for years, since I was a kid, and it's consistently good.  

    We ate there tonight.  Didn't get the great service we usually get as it was very busy and we got a new server, I think, but he did okay.  We just had to ask for refills and more bread (which he forgot to bring until we reminded him) but not that big a deal really.  We're just used to the more experienced servers who always give us great service there is all.

    The food was awesome, as always; that's why we keep going back.  I agree with some other Yelpers that it's too bad we now have to pay for salad or gazpacho but I do understand private businesses have to make cuts to stay open in these hard economic times.

    Besides great prime rib and steaks (try the coffee rub), I highly recommend the coconut prawns!

    Just one request:  A couple people in our party are disappointed that the Midnight Madness cake has been discontinued.  We hope they will consider bringing it back; it was fab!

    FYI:  They now have a toybox in the lobby for the kids to choose a toy; nice touch!  Never noticed it before.

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  • 0

    My dinner this year was new York strip. Perfectly cooked the way I asked.  I absolutely love the gazpacho. But I was disappointed in the new dessert "menu". And even more disappointed to find out that the soup and salad are no longer included as part of the meal.
    Food was great. Our server is a pro! All the wait staff is friendly and familiar.
    But dinner is getting expensive.  How could I have dinner with no salad or gazpacho?

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  • 0

    Ate here for lunch today after our first choice was closed. Should have just went to In and Out instead. We had 3 burgers and a French Dip. The starter soups were good, but the burgers were overcooked, one was even charred. Fries were cold and mushy. Picked it based on Yelp ratings, can not imagine how it has received 4 stars. We could have got a fresher, tastier burger at In n Out and spent half as much money. Can't recommend. Sorry, save your money, eat somewhere else.

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  • 0

    The food is ok, but just about any steak chain is better...

    The real problem with this place is the owner and hostess.  A hostess should make you feel welcome.  Instead, they give you attitude if you don't have a reservation even though the place is half empty at lunch time.

    If they keep up their snooty attitude, they'll soon be completely empty.  I will only go here from now on if a friend insists.

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  • 0

    This place just didn't do it for me and both times I have been here I have had the unfortunate pleasure of having to visit the bathroom immediately after eating.  There must be something in the food that doesn't agree with me, but I do find that hard to believe because the steaks I have had were very under seasoned.  The service is good, but not great and considering I was part of the only table there the service could have been better, but it was good enough to the point that I am not going to nitpick.  The food is bland and underwhelming.  I usually finish my meals because I don't believe in to-go boxes, but both times here I had to take to-go boxes so I could get a second opinion on the food which was agreed upon, no seasoning.  I'll probably never visit again, but I do hope they consider giving their steaks a little more life.

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  • 0

    Although I wrote I would order the Coffee-rubbed ribeye if I ever came back, I was stuck in Merced and sat at the bar for a drink.......and a hamburger.  The burger was thick, juicy, and delicious.  For $10, it is probably the best burger I have ever had.  Good wine that gets filled to the top.  The ambiance is the only drawback.  It's a local kind-of-place where everyone knows everyone and friendly requires repeat business.

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  • 0

    I was in Merced for business today so decided to go the The Branding Iron since I heard so many good things about it and the prime rib.

    I had no other choice but to order the prime rib since I heard so many good things about it on Yelp. Well, I was kinda disappointed and still think Cattleman's has the best in Cali. I knew I was in for a treat when the waitress brought the plate with a big helping of creamy horseradish even though I did not request it. To me, this is a big sign that someone is trying to hide something by covering it up with the strong horseradish taste. My suspicions where soon confirmed when I tried a piece of meat and found that it had no flavor. I found myself glad that the horseradish was there and looking for more au jus. Also this cut of prime rib was a little chewy in one end. I actually couldn't chew it and had to hide it on the side of my plate.

    The steak was served with a baked potato. The potato wasn't burnt or dry, but was kinda on the small side. Before that, there was bread, salad, and soup. I had the Caesar salad and it was pretty good. My only complaint was too much dressing. For the soup I could chose either Gazpacho or Clam Chowder. Seeing that I never had Gazpacho before, I decided to try that. It was actually pretty good. I might not order it again but am glad I tried it.

    Overall the food deserves 2.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp's rating system -- meh, I've experience better. Try Cattleman's off of Hazel in Folsom.

    The service gets 2.5 stars too. At times, it was definitely A-OK, but other times was just bad. Like when I first got there, I ended up having to wait at the hostess station for a few minutes before anyone acknowledged me or tried to seat me. When I finally got seated, the hostess tried to put me near the back at a cramped table by the exit door. There was a guy behind me with a baby. I might have been able to squeeze in if I weren't so damn fat. I asked if she could seat me at one of the other empty tables and she acted all pissed off. Maybe there was a restaurant rule that says parties of 1 need to sit in the back. Strike 1.

    When the waitress came, she took my drink order right away and I told her I was also ready to order. I ordered the 16oz prime rib cut, medium rare, and a baked potato. She came back a few minutes later with my beer and to tell me that the kitchen was all out of the 16oz cuts and would have to give me a 12oz instead. So I decided to order the soup and salad add-on. She brought me both of those, separately which is a good thing. Then she brought the meet and said that they did give me a 16oz cut instead. What?

    For one, with the beer, the bill was $37 including tip. Pretty expensive for mediocre food and service.

    Usually I'd give the place another shot before I review them, but since I'm in town only for a few days, I wanted to share my review right away.

    I just didn't think that this was a good value for the price that they charge.

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  • 0

    I go to the Branding Iron at least once a month if not more.  Make sure to sign up for their Royalty Rewards Program.  10% off first time and then you earn a g/c for every $200 you spend.  They also will send you coupons for free appetizers, cocktails and upgrades.  In today's economy it's nice that this resturant is helping us save a bit of money.  Also checked in on Yelp last night during dinner and my soda was free.  

    I've never had anything at the Branding Iron that wasn't previously mooing.  So I can't give you a review on chicken or seafood.  But their steaks are delicious.  My boyfriend doesn't even look at a menu any more.  He is getting the coffee rubbed ribeye everytime.  Last night I tried the baseball cut top sirloin.  Asked for medium rare and got very rare.  They took it back immediately and cooked it for me.  My boyfriend shared with me his sauce that comes with the coffee rubbed rib eye and I'll definitly be ordering my own next time.  The baked potato as the side is also the only side we've evered tried.  They bring out sour cream, chives, bacon and cheese to top your baked potato.  The raspberry sherbert is to die for.  

    The reason they loose a star is it usually takes the wait staff a while to return with the toppings for the potato.  One time we almost ate half our steak before returning with the toppings.  Though to be fair our waitress last night was on the ball.  I also don't like the fact that the meal doesn't come with a salad.  The bus boy does a good job of coming by and refilling your drink.  The hostess isn't very friendly.  When you walk in she just looks at you.  No hello, how many in your party, nothing.

    It's definitly the best place I've tried in Merced yet!!!

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  • 0

    Alright.  Coffee Rubbed Ribeye and Gazpacho.  

    That's all i've ever ordered, and that's all you ever need to order.
    Branding Iron is one of the best restaurants in Merced.  Service was great, food is amazing...I also recommend either getting a baked potato or sweet potato fries for your side.  One of my favorite thing about B.I. is that they provide a raspberry sherbet along with your steak to cleanse your palette.  So every bite of the piece of steak is refreshing!  Great idea.  The only weird thing about B.I. is that my friends and I always tend to smell body odor inside the restaurant, ha ha.  But otherwise, everything else is great!  I also love the little chocolate boots they give you at the end of the meal, cute little details.  The price is actually pretty good considering how great the cut of the meat is.  

    P.S. You've got to try the Coffee Rubbed Ribeye!!

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  • 0

    I just had dinner here tonight. It was awesome! It's cheaper than the House of Prime rib, for sure! Apparently, they have all-you-can-eat Prime Rib night on Mondays for $16 per person. Too bad I didn't get to try that; however, I still got to pig out! When we came in, it was like an ordinary steakhouse with wood surrounding the restaurant as the decor and whatnot. We sat down and the waiter came and got us water. He also gave us a basket of garlic bread? Maybe it was cheese bread? I dunno, but it was pretty tasty! My boyfriend and I tried the Prime Rib Quesadilla, which was like 7 bucks or so? That was pretty good, too. It came with salsa for you to dip. The portion was huge, though! (not that I'm complaining...) I ordered the Tri-Tip French Dip Sandwich (for 9 bucks) and that came with a side of steak fries, a baked potato, or rice pilaf. I got the baked potato and loaded it up with butter, sour cream, bacon bits, and a little bit of parmesan cheese. That was soooooooo filling! My boyfriend ordered the Prime Rib and it was a huge slice! It was so soft. He also got the baked potato as his side. For dessert, we had the raspberry sorbet that you're supposed to eat before your meal to cleanse your palette. Whatever! We saved it for dessert and that was really tasty! They even gave us lil chocolate boots when the bill came.  

    Service was good! The waitress checked on us a few times and didn't make us wait long for our drink refills and bread refills... that's always a plus for me, esp when I'm starving! This place is a pretty nice place for a date or for a fine dining experience, but you can always come casual. There was no wait time for us to get a table, but then again, it is a Tuesday night. The people were nice, the food was great, the pricing was pretty reasonable.

    If you're a local, be sure to sign up for the rewards program. You get 10% off your first time and then you get a point for every dollar. After 200 points, you get $10 off. Good incentive to come back!

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  • 0

    I hate to do this, but the service in the bar area has been really bad lately. Every time we go there, we order beers and burgers, but it always takes ages for the bartender to come take our order, and sometimes they don't even bother seeing if we need our drinks refilled.

    We come here at least 1 or 2 times a month, yet the staff and owner never really acknowledge us. I'm pretty much done coming here unless a group wants to go, but I won't eat in the lounge anymore because the service is so bad. I'll just have a burger and garlic fries at Bubba's instead.

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  • 0

    Probably one of the fancier restaurants I've been to in Merced.  For dinner I ordered the three round steaks with bacon.  The meal came with a salad, soup, and potato.  It was a lot of food so the expensive price was justifiable.  The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is because they weren't able to cook my steak correctly.  I asked for medium and only two of the three steaks were medium.  The last one appeared to be medium rare.

    Long story short, I would probably return to this restaurant again.

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  • 0

    To high of a price for most meals. The atmosphere is of  darkness, up scale, "do you have a dinner time scheduled?". If not for the prices, the staff and the food turn it to a 5.

    Never had a bad meal here. Just a broken wallet. Will save up for our anniversary though and head over for a meal.

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  • 0

    Granted, I haven't been in Merced/Atwater very long, but my tastebuds have been to many a restaurant thanks to Yelp, and they're telling me that the Branding Iron is so good, it could probably stand its own against major urban foodie steakhouses.

    My friends (including Yelper/Merced resident Kat E. and my fellow Yelp Elite Ashley O.) came here and enjoyed a delicious meal with very attentive service. Ashley and I were able to share a coffee-rubbed ribeye steak, and it was almost more than enough for the two of us with the sides of bread, amazing gazpacho and chips (with extra tortilla chips if you just ask nicely), salad, and fries. The sides are pretty customizable. Definitely a deal. Our servers were very attentive and friendly, and they even offered to split our check for us, we didn't even have to ask!

    I loved the little mint chocolate boots at the end, creative! Goes along with the ambiance of the place, which I really enjoyed.

    Kat tells me that the Branding Iron is THE meeting spot for high school reunions, dance pictures, etc. A place with history!

    Definitely recommended, great place to have a family/friends get-together.

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  • 0

    Good Food
    Good Service
    Good Time

    The best steak place in Merced.  The quality of the steak melts in your mouth every time you take a bite.  There portion of food are so big that I get full just eating the  bread and salad. I also liked how they give free scoop of ice cream!

    I would definitely come back here again!

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  • 0

    How did DH and I find ourselves in Merced, celebrating 25years together at ........... the Branding Iron?  eh, don't ask.

    Anyway, this Merced steakhouse is located in the heart of cattle country, and their beef  shows that:  Awesome quality, perfectly cooked, and high grade.  (Five stars for the meat quality and preparation.)

    They are fond of salt - a little too much for my tastes, but in no way did it detract from the quality of the meat.

    Their waitstaff - from the busboys to the waiters - were probably the best waitstaff I have ever had the pleasure of coming across.  The service alone would make me a semi-regular if I lived in the area.  (Five stars to the service.)

    I had a small cut prime rib and DH had their special coffee rubbed ribeye.  Both were excellent and the coffee rub outstanding (albeit a tad salty).

    So why only three stars?  Man, I wish I could give more, but their side dishes did not live up in comparison to their beef.

    The cream of mushroom soup was muddy and curdled (it had broken).  (Minus 1/2 star)

    My salad consisted primarily of cores and ribs rather than tender leafy lettuce.  Although they heavily promote their use of blue cheese, we both found it lacking in the blue cheese dressing.  I would have preferred stronger blue cheese and tender leafs over cores and ribs.  My salad was whisked away - virtually untouched.  (Minus 1/2 star)

    The rice seemed like the standard commercial 'converted' style that comes ready to cook from food service distributors.  Our waiter disagreed and claimed it was scratch made.......hmmmm.  At the very least, it might be 'scratch' made, but perhaps they do use converted rice (as many restaurants do), because it cooks quickly, holds for long periods of time, and is generally reliable - just tastes like cardboard like most converted rice does.  (Minus 1/2 star)

    My baked potato had a distinct brown ring,  an orange color, and was tough and dry - suggesting it had sat in the baker too long (we dined about 8pm).  Their adulterated sour cream was weird and chemical tasting to me, suggesting perhaps not 100% real (especially since it sits out on the tables as part of the condiments - something I hope no restaurant sanctions doing with real sour cream). Potato went uneaten. (Minus 1/2 star)

    Their 'famous' bread turned about to be the bun of their signature burger - and they only give one per couple - very stingy.  It was unassuming.   I am a bread eater (often preferring it to meat), so for me, a trip to a steakhouse is just as much about unlimited good bread as it is the meat.  But, I digress, just one bun per couple - so, I got top and DH got bottom.  

    Branding Iron does two things exceptionally well:  Beef and service.   Based on those two items alone, I would return and would recommend the Branding Iron - just don't get your hopes up on the sides living up to the meat and the service.

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  • 0

    Best steakhouse in merced...

    I'm new to merced, so finding food places is a new priority for me and my fiancé.

    We've been to the branding iron now 2 times in the last month. This steakhouse is quickly becoming our favorite restraunt.

    The price on the food is a little expensive, but if you are looking for quality, you will find it here...

    We ordered the coffee rubbed steak and the prime rib the first night.

    The second night we ordered the pre rib and the porterhouse.

    The coffee rub is our favorite so try it if you can.

    The steaks were cooked to perfection with the exception of the porterhouse on the second night.  We wanted medium rare and the porterhouse came out well done on half of the steak. So we mentioned it in passing to our waitress Sheril and she instantly took $20 off our bill and asked if we wanted a new steak. Talk about excellence in service!

    The waiting staff was very attentive to our table.  They really understand good guest service practices.

    The atmosphere is casual with a lot of different and interesting brands on the wall from the local cow farms.  You instantly feel that this place is classic and known to the locals.

    The place was not empty, but it wasn't overly crowded either.

    The lighting was set nice and low.

    The tables were very clean.

    The restrooms were tidy and stocked.

    The noise level was very quiet.

    If you sign up for their member program, you get an additional 10% off your bill.

    Overall, this is the best steakhouse in merced. 5 stars, well done!

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  • 0

    I rare-ly eat red meat, but when I'm in Merced (sigh), I desperately crave "The Steak" without fail.

    "The Steak," as my mother and I now call it, is actually called the Blue Moo. It's covered in melty blue cheese and then (this is the important part, pay attention...) I dip it in their teriyaki sauce. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And yes, for out-of-towners this place may be a disappointing kitschy small-town steakhouse, but for those of us who grew up in that small town, this place is la créme de la... Merced.

    Always get the gazpacho - I bet you I could drink a gallon of it.
    And make reservations on the weekends or you'll get scowled at.

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  • 0

    Think classic American western steakhouse in a small town.  Rural, inspired by the diverse population.  The formula works and they don't change it around too much.

    You're greeted by a vintage neon sign a la 1950's Las Vegas.  They recently added a nice foyer to the space.  Inside it's dark wood paneling everywhere.  It's done well and certainly doesn't feel kitschy.  Along the walls, you'll see brands stamped on the walls from local farming families.  Some of the brands have been in the family for hundreds of years.

    Attire is casual, but people tend to be a little nicer dressed, don't wander in wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

    Go for lunch and grab one of their massive cobb, chef or waldorf salads.  Your meal will be cheaper than Marie Callendar's or Applebee's!  In addition, they have the smartly designed salad plates with a rim so that things don't fall off!

    The menu is eclectic but not with an excessive spread.  Soup and salad with every dinner entree.  For years, they've been serving their salads with the dressing pre-tossed, long before chain restaurants started doing it.  The soup changes nightly with Gazpacho offered every night (or a large bowl of it makes an excellent lunch entree).  The soups are homemade daily.  Of course, clam chowder is served on Fridays, but call ahead as they alternate between New England and the illusive Manhattan.  In addition they'll bring out some parmesan garlic bread on custom sourdough rolls they have specially baked for them.  A dying tradition, before your main course, you'll receive a light refreshing sorbet course to cleanse the palate.

    Favorite dishes to try:

    veal scallopini marsala...unlike many other times I encounter veal, their dish was light and unbreaded so that the taste of the veal could come through

    steak and enchiladas...two dinner chicken enchiladas and an 8oz top sirloin steak is a unique local pairing.

    When you're passing through, this is definitely worth the stop!

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  • 0

    it was like stepping into a david lynch movie. we waited in  the bar with a one man band. it was prom season. was I hallucinating or was it just starvation?

    ok food was served and everything was much better. lots of food. and usually LOTS means low quality food. not in this case. everything here was good. and the best part was when you were finished and thought you were done with the hallucinating you exit into the world of merced which makes you think you're still hallucinating but at least you have a full stomach!

    ps-the one man band was pretty damn entertaining. he gave it the extra 1/2 star!

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  • 0

    Based on the Yelp reviews, I went to the Branding Iron for my only meal in Merced this trip.

    Perhaps they were having a bad night.  The service was slow to get started.  The Filet Mignon I ordered was disappointingly dry - although it was cooked Medium Rare as I ordered it.  How you can dry out a Filet Mignon?  Beats me.  The salad was uninteresting - iceburg lettuce and some purple cabage.  The Beef Barley soup was uninspired and the 'Parmesan Bread' appeared to the be the toasted bottom of a hamburger bun.  

    I ate here on my expense account.  If I was spending my own money, for these prices I'd spend it elsewhere.

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  • 0

    If the 50+ years the restaurant has stood strong doesn't explain enough. Then maybe its the friendly and loyal staff.  There's nothing like a great filet mignon and Branding Iron stands above the rest.  It's very rare to find a restaurant that offers soup and salad with your dinners.  Whatever you crave the Branding Iron has it!  Steak, seafood, pasta and vegetarian platters.  They cater to all!!!!
    Not only does Branding Iron have excellent dinners, their lunches are the best.  I highly recommend trying every single item on their lunch menu.  Great place for a business lunch!

    Don't forget to try the GAZPACHO..........i crave it everytime I head home to Merced.  

    The Branding Iron is a great place for a first date or a 50th anniversary.  

    Greg and Kara have done and excellent job with remodeling.  Check out the banquet rooms....they are fabulous!!!!!

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  • 0

    I won a 5 mile Turkey Trot race and didn't use the gift certificate I won until the day before it expired. 25 dollars seemed like alot so I invited a gorgeous lady friend to share, until I found out it was a steakhouse and steak , i found, is very expensive. So naturally I was freaking out that I would have to cover the extra and would look like a total idiot and hate myself forever.
    Surprisingly, 25 covered a good sized steak-sandwich and a good sized appetizer. The steak is absolutely delicious and mouthwatering. The atmosphere is very rustic western and a bit romantic. Every table comes with a candle and flowers. The hostess was most welcoming and the service was top of the line.  Then again, everything tastes better when it's free. But, honestly the food was great.

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  • 0

    My mom is from this happy little town of Merced. We went to see it one day and stop by her old childhood home. The only problem was, we were starving and we didn't know where to eat!

    Well we went around the town and saw this rustic, yet very nice looking restaurant. It was The Branding Iron. We weren't sure what we were in for, but we didn't care we were hungry.

    What a fantastic place! They have a block of fresh cheese in the waiting area from local farms so you can pick it up with these little knives and chow while you're waiting.

    We sat down and seriuosly had one of the best meals of my life. No joke. It is a steakhouse setting. They have the best blue cheese dressing to ever be consumed by my being and this homemade gazpacho that just about killed me. It was so good. Just oozing with so much flavor.

    The steaks came and we sat there with consistent chimes of "mmmmmmmm" and "ahhhhhhhmmmmmm". After combining many of those positive sentiments in what I like to call hunger language. We  chowed down on huge baked potatoes and vegatables and this fancy cheese bread that I yet to find a match to here in SoCal.

    We left and I felt so special. I think its because I shared this delectable food experience with the people I love. But, the food was a true cherry on top of that. This place isn't one bit healthy, but its perfect enough to make you say, "ah, who gives a damn. I'm eating till my eyes fall out". Its that grand. 5 stars for the ultimate steak experience.

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