I moved to Merced about 3 months ago. Since then I've made it a habit to hit the Partisan whenever possible. My friends heavily recommended the partisan as a chill place to hang out and I gotta agree. The beer selections not bad and the service is great. I also like how they make sure to keep something happening everyday, especially with the live bands.
Review Source:The Partisan is way laid back. The crowd varies, get in where ya fit in ya digg.. It gets packed but with the bar in the back it's all good..music is diverse. Bar service is cool not slow at all. One night I waited hella long over at Baloney's to order a few drinks for me and my party, walked to Partisan ordered got the drinks went back to Baloney's tried to order again wated hella long, still didn't order, got my party and walked over to Partisan where it took less time to get my drinks and had a way better time. Get ya drink on at THE PARTISAN YA DIGG....
Review Source:This place is definitely a dive but it gets the job done. There aren't too many places to hang out at in Merced, so this place gets a gold star in my book.
The music kinda sucks but they are making the effort to provide a wide range of music..they have live DJs on the weekends that mostly play house music and some top 40 stuff. They also host the occasional rock band. The bands kinda suck and it doesn't help that the sound is way too high for a place the size of The Partisan. There's usually a $5 cover charge when bands play, but it's totally cool in my book cause they give you a drink ticket in return. Drinks are wayyyy cheap here which is a total plus in my broke-college-girl book.
I have yet to come to one of their happy hour events during the week, but I do plan on attending some time soon. They have karaoke nights and trivia nights that are accompanied by awesome drink specials like $1 PBRs and $5 pitchers... now you can't get wasted for any cheaper!!! They often have drink specials on the weekends, too.
The crowd here varies. Sometimes it's happening and sometimes this place is just superrrrr dead. I'm not sure why that is. Great thing about the Partisan is that it's located in Downtown Merced so it's close to other bars and restaurants. I recommend heading to J&Rs for some Mexican food and O'reighly's Tavern for some ass-shaking music.....just don't look at anyone funny while you're there cause there's a high possibility of you getting shanked haha.
So, overall, I recommend hitting up the Partisan for a chill, fun night of cheap drinks and booty bouncing. Oh, and this place is super casual so don't worry if you don't have anything fancy to wear. Flip flops and cutoffs seem to be the norm here, although a few girls do it up big and wear their f*** me heels. Whatever you feel most comfortable in will do the job, just remember that it gets super hot in here during the summer...the place runs on fans, not so much the A/C.
You gotta give the Partisan credit for trying. Its hard to have anything halfway decent and entertaining in this town, and the Partisan does a pretty good job of satisfying everyone's needs to an extent.
I like the "entertainment" aspect of The Partisan. Watching people sing really obnoxiously to karaoke while drunk and having bad cover bands play dated material is always worth the easy laugh.
Drinks are cheap, don't try to order anything too complex. I generally stay with like rum and cokes, or vodka tonics. Usually their beer specials only involve "party beer" like Coors, and Bud Light.
It has been fun the couple of times I've went, with friends and the GF, good atmosphere, good drinks, got to do a little buzzed dancing, and watched the GF and her BFF sing drunk on karaoke night...LOL good laughs. Prices are standard for bars. They got a small dance area and pool table area, small but all in all a fun place to drink and hang out in the town of Merced.
Review Source:Best place in Merced to get a drink and not feel awkward with people grinding on you. If you need a place to chill, this is the place. Saturdays are the best with local live music; find out about new music! Drinks are priced right. They have daily specials and happy hours. Recently, they have pint night; try a new beer and get a free glass!
Review Source:I came here with a few friends back in the day (est 2009)
From my experience, it was fun and lots of drinks to go around
Lots of college students and there's always 'entertainment' somehow in that bar.
We got good service from the bartender and had our drinks in ordered time
Card accepted
Very very loud bar and super rowdy on weekends
The Hit spot for college students...probably one of the only things we can do in merced on a friday night.
This bar is a nightmare. It's trying to pose as a place for young hipsters. Uhh, not so much in Merced, posers. The bar itself is filthy. The crowd is full of idiot posers or low class thugs. They have reportedly had several incidents of people either being beaten by groups of thugs, knifed or shot just outside of or after leaving this bar and going into the parking lot according to the Merced Sun Star. Â Just google the police blotter crime reports with their name on the Merced Sun Star and see for yourself, don't rely on this review. Their bartenders are also inattentive and creepy. As soon as they burn through whatever operating loan they probably got to start this bar I predict they will fold up in about another year. Good riddance, the downtown is a filthy, dangerous mess these days thanks to crappy bars like this which fits right in with all the addicts, mental defectives and bums wandering around Main Street in Merced.
Review Source:This place fails to pass muster. The varnish on the bar is nearly worn off, revealing a crusted and sticky petrified surface that is unsuitable for serving drinks on. The bar is too low. Forcing patrons to sit on chairs that are crotch eye level. Women never come to this bar, so expect an onslaught of sausage. The drinks are overpriced, exactly multiplied by two, whatever the going rate is they double it. A good example is the PBR, which is $2. They mark it up twice, what others are charging for it, the traditional dollar, so that they can offer it for a dollar during happy hour. Oh, thanks for being nice and offering us an on-sale drink, oh wait a minute they are a dollar everywhere in the U.S.? At any time? Yes!!! Avoid this bar. The music is horrible too. It's just a launchpad for the owner who claims to be a musician.
Review Source:It's great that there's somewhere in Merced to see live music. I like the decor, and they have some good beer on tap. They have surprised me several times with excellent folk and indie acts from out of town.
However, the sound guy sucks. Had to say it. He might be good at doing sound for louder, angrier bands, but I don't want my ears bleeding at a folk show. It's just not fun to be there when your beer glass keeps threatening to vibrate its way off the table from the amount of bass coming out of the speakers.
If they hired a different sound guy for their folk shows, I would be their best customer. As it is, I might try out trivia night, but probably won't come back for music. It's a bummer it has to be this way.
Live bands you've never heard of, playing so loudly that bartender can't even hear your drink order. Not that they'd know how to make it if they could hear you.
Drink specials are usually cheap and fairly reliable. Chances are there'll be a decent crowd of people. This is the place to be on holidays.
Avoid the bathrooms unless you bring your own soap and toilet paper and a friend to hold the stall door for you.
I stopped by this place to see what all the rave was about.....only to remember that I was in Merced. Â This place is too loud for the small area you are cramped in to and shows the reason why people are always standing outside the entrance. Â The selection of alcohol is good along with the bartenders but aside from that this is a below average place.
Review Source:This is a pretty cool local bar and I'm adding a star because they only had two martini glasses in the whole place. Â They had to rinse out my date and my glass when we wanted a second round. Â Hilarious! Â
There was a loud band with a female lead that seemed pretty good, but they were literally so loud I couldn't hear them, if that makes any sense. There were some guys that seemed to be staring at me/us from the corner, but I guess every good and interesting bar has at least one of those. Â Main Street itself was totally dead, but I can't say too much. Â This is Merced! Â I went on a weeknight and heard that other nights may be more happening. Â I'll have to come back and see for myself. Â :)
The partisan gets 5 stars simply for the fact out of all the bars in merced its the only one where you can constantly find something going on any night of the week.. the atmosphere is lovely and live music & bands and the drink specials.. its good place to hit and have a few drinks and conversate with friends.. I know coming from san francisco its hard to find places that fit my expectations but the partisan does exceed them in many ways.. walk in sit down have a drink and enjoy your self you won't regret it.
Review Source:For someone that has been here a lot it's hard to leave nostalgia of disapointing and great moments past at the door. Places change just like people so I'll give you my opinion of The Partisan as it is today. Friday & Sat. is "a-ight" with dancing in the front and a little less noise in the back. Crowd shows up after 11 and it gets all club-like. Okay if that's what you are looking for (and most are on weekend, i guess), but I think it's a much nicer bar during the week. Tuesday night is trivia night and this is usually the only time I make it to The Partisan. Fun peeps & nice decor, but the contemplative critical un-cool scene has dwindled and given rise to the ghetto cowboys countin' they money...
Review Source:Located in  downtown Merced, The Partisan offers a place  to mingle and sip cocktails. This rundown place is like the hot spot for the locals and UC Merced  student to go since there is nothing "FUN" to do in Merced. I've been here a few times with my friends and getting the attention of the bartender takes forever.  The place is really small and there is barely any room for dancing!
Review Source:I love the partisan.
well on weekdays that is.
the nights they have a dj there is a different crowd. the girls in skimpy cloths that get drunk and dance all night. and the guys there hitting on them. no thanks.
weekends are the only time they charge to get in. I do agree they charge too much sometimes. I will not pay to get into a bar in Merced. The only exception would be a saturday night at partisan when there are bands playing. sometimes its a little pricey, but the bands are touring they need to make money to continue. $15 is tooooo much tho for a band i've never heard of. i believe in supporting local bands, those nights should be $5 tops. touring bands $10, cause its never anyone big.
there is always an interesting mix of people no matter what day you go. my boyfriend and i like to go out and have a couple drinks, just relax and talk. so we stick to monday tuesday or wednesday. When theres isn't  alot of people, and sometimes when there is, we always make new friends. I wouldn't consider us regulars but we come pretty often. The bartenders have always been great to us. My boyfriend likes to ask a million questions about different beers... and they have a very good selection of unique brews. They don't seem annoyed with him yet! haha game night seems awesome! we havn't played but it looks fun. mondays are open mic night and sometimes its good, sometimes its a bunch of wannabe rappers. $1 pabst during happy hour and all day monday. how can you pass that up? some of the mixed drinks are a little pricey but no worse than any other bar. in regards to someones review stating real women don't drink beer... your wrong. REAL WOMEN DO DRINK BEER ALL NIGHT! =]
Kareoke night is also enjoyable. you wont catch me singing but its fun to watch friends. there are some pretty talented singers sometimes.
anyway i'm rambling.... just go and see for yourself =]
The Partisan suffers from the delusion that they are Not just an average bar in a small town. This is evidenced by their cover charges and ridiculous drink prices. Their attempts to ensure live music every weekend has them recruiting at high school talent shows and through Dina Lohans Talent agency - The bands SUX and you leave feeling like, "I can't believe I paid for that shit" . Also that one $ above is a total lie, their mixed drinks are not cheap. No real woman is going to drink beer all night.
Partisan - In real cities a door cover + a paid bar ($$) gets you a live dj (irregardless of the music they play) OR a live band that has produced at least one song I would have heard on the radio. You can be a little bar, in a little city, that promotes little bands but then you can't charge fees on par with bars in LA and SF. But I gave you only 2 stars because your trying to have it both ways.
Also, some of the other reviewers have commented on its old-school charm - that wood paneling and dark lights. They do that because its DIRTY. If you go there and you want to check if what I claim is true, peak your head in the restroom, but NO touchy!, especially the ladies. Nasty, nasty.
I give at least 2 stars because I haven't been there for every event they claim to offer, thus I can't just assume they sux as bad as the ones I've experienced. Also because they managed to keep their doors open downtown for this long and that's saying something all by itself.
Best Bar Evar? Â No.
Best Bar in Merced? Â Probably.
I think the 2 things that really make this place are the music selection and the people who go here. Â
The Partisan's regular music is really varied and pretty good. Â It's one of the few bars left that don't play newer, more trendy crappo music all night long except for on 1-2 nights a week when it turns into every other ghetto club (but business is business). Â They've got a good mix of classics that everyone will recognize, and songs that everyone SHOULD recognize or will go download. Â And there is a little, underused dance floor if such a song activates your groove gene.
The regulars are just cool people. Â It's not really a place for hipsters that just hit legal age and need to get 21 years of suppression off their chest. Â Or gangster wannabes that feel the need to hit on anything that moves (or doesn't). Â Most of the people who go here (except for those who come on aforementioned nights when the mood flips 180 degrees) are just here to have a good time drinking and chatting with friends.
Truth be told, I'm not really a drinker, but I've had some good times with my posse here.
Update:
The other day, my sister, my bf and I were downtown eating, when we decided to stop by the Partisan for a drink or two. This was on a Tuesday night. Because we rarely go out for drinks on week night, we had not realized that the GAME NIGHT rocks! You form groups (2 or more people) and play trivia games. We seriously got there at 7:30pm and left at 11pm because we were having so much fun (even though we lost to the group of 8 that was playing).
Also, recently they've started this thing every other Sunday night. It's for people who a) like to chat in a bar and actually hear their friends, b) bohemians who like poetry and soul-searching, c) for alcoholics who want to support the local economy by getting drunk on a Sunday night and d) people who want to impress a date by finding a cool place to hang out on a Sunday that ISN"T a church. Check out their myspace so you go on the right Sunday, and if you're a poet or a singer/performer, they have a 5-minute open mic.
p.s. i'm a regular, but i'm not paid to say nice things.
p.p.s. when you get the munchies, go across the street and get some nachos. YUM!
The Partisan is one of a few choices to be made when deciding where to go for an evening out.
On most nights, when the bar itself is not packed beyond capacity, the service is very prompt and the atmosphere is like one of those dive bars where everyone already knows each other and its the same 5-8 people drinking together every night. Â There is seating in the front, a dance floor in the middle and another lounge type area in the back with a small coin-op pool table and beer pong tables.
On nights where it IS crowded, wait times increase dramatically. Â Having one bartender probably doesn't help. Â The place gets crowded fast, as the alleyway for walking through is flanked by the bar itself and tables, so sometimes you'll have to wait for a few minutes just to get through to the bathroom.
Pricing is what you'd expect from a bar, but as always be ready with extra cash in case that martini you ordered ends up being 12 bucks. Â The pitchers of beer, however, are where its at. Â 4 friends splitting a couple of pitchers is not going to cost you an arm or a leg here. Â Plus, they have daily drink specials (but, to be honest, I never take advantage of) that seems to be priced pretty well for the drinks they serve.
That being said, it still is one of the premier spots to be in Merced apparently. Â Many a time have I been there when a friend turns 21. Â Also, it seems like a lot of UC kids come as well, as I find it hard to go there without running into a familiar face.
All in all, this place is decent for a night out if you don't mind the "dive bar" experience.
They get 2 stars because they serve alcohol. I have been to The Partisan a few times and found a few things annoying, some of which are not a big deal, BUT.... Its hard to get a bartenders attention sometimes because they are too busy paying attention to the regulars instead of the guy ready to spend $250 at the bar.
Also, I distinctly remember cussing out the bouncer that asked me for $7 (yes SEVEN DOLLARS) to get into a BAR in MERCED on a THURSDAY. If you run an establishment that serves alcohol correctly, you should be cover-free every day. Some days there are exceptions, like Saturdays and special events (In Merced this would be the day before Thanksgiving or after the fair).
Been here quite a bit.
Just being a bar and venue joint this place is great.  After being in LA for a while, beers are much more affordable.  Last few times some of the salty snacks we asked for were a little stale.  Otherwise the pool and beer pong  tables make up for it.
When there's no live music, sometimes the DJ turns it up a little loud and it's hard to talk with friends, but i do like their live music venues when i have the chance =).
Pretty much the only bar worth going to in Merced. The owners are great, the bouncers aren't jackasses on a power trip, Kandice is the best bartender ever, and the music is always different and fun. It is such a dive, but that adds to the charm. The nights can vary, from karaoke to booty shaking to local bands.. which is all the more reason to check it out. The crowd is not your typical locals (who am i to talk, born and raised here) and it is very queer friendly. Any bar with open arms, a grey goose red bull, and some indie dance music is fantasmic. go there, or dont, i hate when its super crowded!
Review Source:This bar has four things going for it:
1) The atmosphere created by its wooden walls and low ceilings, swivel chairs at the low bar, and the tables and chairs that run the length of this long and narrow bar;
2) live music on Saturday nights;
3) cheap drinks, as keeping with central valley style; and
4) an official beer-pong table.
I really enjoyed my Saturday night experience at the Partisan. Â The bartender was friendly and made a mean white russian. Â I really can't say enough about the feel of the place, though, which originates from the decor- you're surrounded by wooden walls, ceilings, and beams, the ceilings are pretty low and the bar is level with the low-seated swivel chairs. Â Past the bathrooms is another room with a pool table, a grill, benches, tables and chairs, a small T.V., and the aforementioned beer-pong table. Â According to a sign at the front, games cost $1 each, and are of the 6-cup variety. Â
If I lived in Merced, this would be my bar of choice, even though they have one point against them because of their cider choices- Wyders? Â Ick. Â But, white russians? Â Yum.
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