Is Merced really getting a new Japanese noodle spot? It was just a hoax
Merced residents, especially students, might have been excited that a new Japanese noodle spot was going to open at Yosemite Avenue and G Street.
An announcement on Instagram said the restaurant would serve classic Japanese noodle dishes, be open until 2 a.m. and feature quiet spaces for students.
It turns out it was too good to be true. It was just a hoax.
Despite an Instagram page that featured an announcement of its planned opening, a menu with prices, and photos of dishes, the Dusk to Don noodle shop was never real.
According to a post on Instagram, the “restaurant” was just part of a “small business project.”
The fake restaurant was publicized in several media outlets, including the Sun-Star back in March.
The post announcing that the restaurant wasn’t real did not reveal who was behind the hoax.
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 8:31 AM with the headline "Is Merced really getting a new Japanese noodle spot? It was just a hoax."
