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Categories: Grocery, Meat Shops [Edit]
Neighborhood: Laurel HeightsMon-Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Bryan's is excellent. I appreciate their great service and high quality products. They have special ordered items for me from their baked goods, meat and produce departments. They are the only place in the Bay Area that caries "Just Persimmons" (dried persimmons, no additives). I appreciate their customer service and patience when I drill them on ingredients at the deli counter. (I have diet restrictions.) Try their beet salad
Sometimes the prices are steep for my budget but...
I started buying meat and fish here after I watched "Food, Inc." and it scared the shit out of me. The meat sold at Bryan's is naturally raised and the fish looks and tastes very fresh. They sell rabbit here, which is hard to find. I guess not many people like cooking and eating Thumper, but I found Thumper to be quite delicious. Even the chicken tastes really good, though. Great selection in the meat and fish departments, and friendly service.
I can't really speak for anything besides the meat since I haven't bought produce here, or baked goods, or prepared foods, or any of the other offerings. It's not a big market so I'm likely to go to a farmer's market for the produce and elsewhere for pantry items. I will say it's a very clean and nice looking store, though, and everything looks appealing and not frightening.
After I'm done shopping for enough meat for two people for three meals, I've usually dropped about $40 here.
The Bryan's Quality Meats down the street has closed and moved into the front section of the main grocery store. Glad it didn't go away. Excellent house sausage selection, and for less than $3 walked out with their chicken and tomato basil variety. Food came with some cooking tips - this healthy yelper doesn't tackle fresh meat often.
After cooking it went from oven to bread to mouth to stomach in about 5min. Delicious.
Ready made turkey sandwiches without mayonnaise that are less than $6???
Awesome.
I usually shop at Costco and Lucky's but when I am feeling fancy, I go here. It is a tiny bit expensive, which is why it isn't my normal grocery store. I really don't know why people so obsessed with Trader Joe's--the line that goes out of the parking lot, down Masonic and is a million miles long, the long lines inside--just go to Bryan's, folks! It is SUCH a pleasant shopping experience there.
Everything is of the highest quality, the staff is knowledgeable and very pleasant and it isn't jam packed and crazy like a lot of other nearby stores. They have great a great selection of high end items there, and a nice green grocer section, a great deli counter, and a nice cheese selection.
If you are bored with the cult following of Trader Joe's, and want a stress free shopping experience, try this place. Again, it isn't exactly cheap but sometimes it is worth paying a little more to save some piece of mind. At least in my opinion!
Expensive bit worth it. The food is beAutiful
I recently stopped in for the first time to get a couple of things from the deli counter and was greeted with smiles despite a somewhat long line of customers waiting to be served. Not sure it that was an anomaly, if not, I might suggest numbers. Anyhow, I called today with a question about food preparation. I can't imagine another grocery store where you are connected immediately, then promptly transfered to your desired deptartment, to have your inquiry answered by a courteous employee (who could have thought my question was quite stupid: how do you prepare the flank steak).
Nice little boutique grocery store with delicous deli items. The grocery selection can be hit or miss..but definitely minus one star for being closed on Sundays.
I really like the stores layout and decor and the service is excellent. However, I find the quality of their produce to be some what lacking. For produce, at a better price, I recommend Cal-Mart, just down the street.
Bryan's Grocery just remodeled! There are two grocery outlets on the long California block running from Laurel to Spruce St.
Bryan's is a great place to go shopping, and its not as crowded as Cal-mart. Its a boutique-level grocery store and I highly recommend to everyone who lives in the area.
This is my neighborhood supermarket so I guess I'm a bit protective of it. I shudder at the thought of going to Cal-Mart again.
Here's some background on Bryan's which will give you a little insight to the place:
Originally there were two markets at Laurel Plaza; Laurel Super (where Bryan's grocery is now) and Cal-Mart. The patriarch of the family who owns Bryan's owned (along with his brother) the butcher shop that was in Cal-Mart. Two of the old man's sons (Peter and Bryan) became butchers and worked in the store along with a cousin who was on the grocery side. Eventually the old guys retired and the "boys" took over. Their first big move was to move into the space where the Bryan's butcher shop is now. This had been a number of things over the years including the first location of Performance Audio. Another butcher went into Cal-Mart but business boomed for Bryan's meats and they did very well. Eventually Laurel Super became worn and tired and went out of business. And that's when the boys went in, cleaned it out and made it the Bryan's supermarket it is today.
They eventually opened a branch in Corte Madera Town Center (Marin County) which is run by Bryan. Pete is the brother who oversees the operations in Laurel Village along with their cousin.
As for their prices; I don't think they're out of line at all. I frequently find the same stuff at Trader Joe's, Safeway and Lucky (ex-Albertsons) for more. Considering the neighborhood and the location, they could consistently price their merchandise much higher. But I know the boys and that isn't their modus operandi. They believe in giving people what they want at the best price. I often make special requests and they will do their best to help out if they can. You can't get that from Safeway. Or from Cal-Mart either, for that matter.
Snooty snooty snoot snoot...and I love it! I am a sucker for upscale grocery stores. Mostly because they often carry a great cheese selection.
And Bryan's was no exception. They had Langres, they had Cabrales, they had La Tur, Purple Haze, Lingot, and so many others. I decided to behave myself and just get two cheeses for dinner. I settled on a goat cheese from France and their Mozzarella Buffala, which I couldn't pass up once I realized they had heirloom tomatoes in stock. I was a little disapponted there was no Burrata, but maybe next time.
I'll stop by and pick up some cheeses here when my energy for going to Cheese Plus or my go-to places in the East Bay just seem to far away.
Clean good selection, smaller version of Whole Foods. Mos def for those with anti corporation agenda. They can enjoy all the fine foods, some of them corporate made though, somewhat guilt free.
They have so many fruits samples and today they had so many different kinds of peaches and they were all delicious. I bought a few.
Yup if I don't want to go through the gigantic store of Whole Foods I will come here for quick shopping.
Stuff like meat is great here. You can find Kobe Beef (well of course American grown) as well. But I was not impressed with things like alfredo sauce (I never buy this sort of stuff usually since I can cook this easily, but for some reason I wanted to give a try at the sauce from here.) and it was... Quite bad, I must say.
It gets quite pricey too, but for some stuff it is one of the best in the city.
Higher end grocery store, comparable to Drager's and Andronico's.
Decently priced produce from a non-chain store. Staff, at least when I have been there, is nowhere to be found except those at the check stands.
Very clean store, and everything is easy to find.
Their bakery is overpriced and very average. What they call Boston Cream Pie is actually a 4-layer truffle cake; way too sweet and dense. The almond cream cake was actually good, but at $5 a piece... not worth it. Sweet Things is right down the street inside Cal-Mart; if you're going to spend an arm and a leg on sweets, it's best to do it there.
I have become somewhat of a deli snob. It is so bad that I refuse to even go to Cal-art's deli anymore as it offers nothing for me....This is one of the few delis that I will eat food from. The selection is always full of mouth watering treats and I don't mind paying more for quality food. Although I dont shop in the actual market that often, I will visit their deli a few times a week for my favorites. Try the shrimp salad, it's savory as is the pork, snow peas in sesame oil with sesame seeds, and my absolute fav on cold nights...their potato leek soup (which tastes like potato leek soup is suposed to taste)
How is it that you make Whole Foods more reasonably priced?
50 cents more a gallon for organic milk.
3 dollars more for the same mushrooms.
The staff is incredibly nice though. It's good in a pinch.
2 stars for the prices, 5 stars for the service. I'll give you 3 to even it out.
I really like this place - their fresh pastas are great, as is their produce and cheese selection. It just seems like it's never open! Closed on Sundays, closed by 7pm during the week.
I refuse to work my schedule around a grocery store's.
These Laurel Heights places are all connected. Originally Bryan's was the meat counter at Cal-Mart, then they expanded to their own shop, then they spun-off a Grocery store off of that, while Antonelli's is the new Cal-Mart meat counter.
This review is for the *grocery*, not the butcher. Overall, it seems more high-end than Cal-Mart; I liked the frozen stock & soup selection, and the cornucopia of prepared deli foods. I bought the expensivo Rustichella pasta and cooked it with Bryan's own brand of Artichoke-Parmesan pasta sauce and some Lamb Sausage from Bryan's the butcher--mmmm. But, if I had to pick a winner for Laurel Heights groceries, I'd go with Cal-Mart, mostly just because Bryan's feels a little too much like the preferred shopping center of the Pac Heights crowd, and, you know, they make me feel poor.
Bryan's butcher shop next door to the grocery store is like what I imagine my great grandfather's place my dad talks about must have been like. The men bustling around behind the counter in white smocks are the most knowledgeable about their selection of any butchers at fine grocers I've patronized anywhere. Whether they are pointing you toward the best catch of the day, giving suggestions on how to thaw that 5 lb of bay shrimp, scaling a giant fish, or selecting the finest cuts of meat, I have yet to be disappointed. I'm also a fan of their prepared foods, especially the tubs of frozen clam chowder, frozen stock, sauces, and dressings.
The grocery store itself sells a decent selection of prepared foods (hit and miss), including a larger selection of the soups, stock, sauces, and dressings mentioned above. Really, the frozen soups are truly incredible. The produce is also excellent - makes up for lack of selection with quality. The selection of packaged goods isn't the best (a problem I find common and fairly universal in this city), but what selection there is is always of the highest quality. They do have an unusually varied selection of dry pastas, though, which is fun. I like to buy the annellini and toss it with homemade vodka sauce and meatballs - Presto! Homemade SpaghettiOs! Finally, I have to mention that the level of service is as top notch in the grocery store as it is at the butcher.
Great butcher shop from REAL BUTCHERS!!!!!
Not faux white aproned guys that like using a knife and seeing blood.
Just ask the guys what's good today and they generally will steer you right.
Since Bryan's didn't originally start out with seafood, prefer other sources for that.
I don't have many opportunities to shop here lately, but I try to find excuses to stop in when I can. Everyone is always very helpful here and the selection is great. I can quickly find gourmet goodies to share with colleagues whenever we have meetings in the area. Great market!
A mid-sized, privately owned market that specializes in upscale merchandise, with prices to match. There should be an ATM in the prepared foods section, considering what they charge. Produce is always top quality, but I'll buy it only on sale, because cherries at $5.99 a pound will never find their way home with me. Of course, compared to the meat prices, that's a bargain. A nice selection of fresh cut flowers. On a par with Andronico's and Whole Foods price-wise, with a lot less stock.
my favorite market where I shop almost daily. Great edited selection of items from cheeses, to coffee, to produce. I mean they had miner's lettuce once - the only market I saw that sells it. The same employees have been working there for the more than ten years I have been shopping there. They are so sweet and friendly.
As for prices compared to Whole Foods - there is a very good reason for this. Let's say you are a buyer for Bryans and order some organic milk. They probably buy a few cases at a time due to limited storage and a small store. The price for that is more than if Whole Foods orders maybe several hundred cases for all the SF stores. This is the way it works. High volume is low pricing. So for a small market for Bryan's to remain in business and pay the rent and employees etc. they need to charge more because they pay more.
And considering what a great place this is, I never worry about spending more - Bryan's is worth it. It is a million times better than Whole Foods.
I can't fight my coleslaw addiction. Must have it EVERYDAY!! I don't know what they put in the stuff but I find myself at the Bryan's deli counter everyday. The ladies at the counter start packing my container when they see me. BACK OFF and get your own cuz I don't share.
Best butcher and fishmonger in the city! Peter Flannery is preserving a tradition that has been lost on the Safeways and Whole Foods of this country. The guys are all pros and Albert appears in a lot of local TV shows. Their veal selection is excellent, and they can special order pretty much anything.
I'm reviewing the standalone butcher store, not the full grocery a few doors down here in Laurel Heights. They get 4 stars for being the rare standalone meat store in the Bay Area, with high quality meats and the ability to special order or get items specially cut. They don't go to 5 stars because they are unnecessarily snotty. I'll take a supposedly haughty French butcher any day.
I wouldn't have gone into this grocery if it wasn't close to my work. Make sure you have plenty in your accounts before you go because it isn't cheap. The prepared salads to the left when you walk in are all delicious. I have tried them all. I have a special place in my heart for the Chicken Cesar. It isn't a place to do all of your regular shopping but if you pop in for a few items you won't get dinged too bad. There is parking in the back and it is always neat and so organized it scares me a little. If you are looking for the meats and fish monger it is not connected to the main store. Oh yes, it is excellent meat.
Although Bryan's is a very nice high end grocery store with plenty of good private label soups, stocks, pasta's and meats, there is a downside. I'm speaking from a vendor perspective and they are, quite bluntly, egotistical pricks. They go out of their way to be assholes to vendors. I work with a lot of gritty people who are rough around the edges in the food business, but these guys take the cake. So we don't sell to them even though it's the perfect neighborhood store to sell in. We sell our product in Cal-Mart and it's flying off the shelves.
This store must emit a frequency that only gay men can hear.
Okay so they are overpriced, the freshness is not always the best, and the wait for the deli is horrendous. But, if I was single I would definitely hang out there. It is quite a singles scene, and since this neighborhood is all about babies and dogs, I'm sure they have made a special trip just to cruise the perspective gourmets. I can't even get a sandwich at the deli without a dozen hoties shamelessly flirting over the cold drink case. Score for the eye candy!
I have an inexplicable fondness for this grocery store. OK, it's mostly explicable, I guess. It's on the expensive side, but it's convenient for me, they are very friendly to me (at least in the grocery part), they carry mostly everything I need, and they have some odd stuff I haven't found anywhere else (Chinotto!) which makes shopping more fun. The meat and fish are really really good, but I've had less-than-warm service there.
Avoid the regular grocery store, but the butcher down the block is amazing. They have amazing selections of meat and seafood, and even some prepared meals. The pricepoint is high, but it would cost more to dine out at a place that used these high quality ingredients.
"Bryan's fishmonger is quite possibly the best in the city. Every well cut filet gleams freshly and the selection of crustaceans and bi-valves is pretty good too . All that quality however, comes at a price. Mind you, if you can afford to live in Laurel Village, you probably don't care."
Bryan's has the best meat and fish in the city... no contest. It may be on the pricey side, but it is so fresh and worth it. Your friends will think you are the world's best cook, but really its just because the meat you bought was such high quality!
I can't say enough about this place (I'm reviewing the grocery store, not the meat market). The staff could not be nicer, more friendly or more professional. The space is clean and the selection is just right. The produce is out of this world and the prices (produce) are cheaper than Cal-mart, although I have heard plently of people dispute this. In response to the post about how they treat their vendors - I'm sorry to hear that they are unfriendly and difficult to work with. Ideally they would be wonderful to both parties but as a customer I far prefer Bryan's to Cal-mart, where I find the staff to be average, if not below average.
Bryan's Grocery is an old fashioned neighborhood market that has become a destination spot with friendly staff that remember your name. They have a great deli section that offers a wide array of prepared foods for those who are short on time. Their produce section is fresh and surprisingly wide considering Bryan's is no mega mart. They have a great selection of cheeses and mushrooms (go figure!).
Small town feel - you do get to know all the clerks, similar selection to most markets, good in-house food offering - from California St. entrance directly to your left, soups and pasta sauces taste fresh (esp. boulognese, chicken noodle), but I am surprised, considering the neighborhood, that they don't have any organic produce - perhaps I'm not looking hard enough. Where are they? Anyway, the next door butcher shop is exceptional, both in quality and service.
I like anything that's local, and long time family owned, and Bryan's faded sign says to me that's it's been around for a few decades, at least. How often they are closed has taken a little getting used to. When I forget their hours, I end up going to Cal-Mart, which I like less.
Yes, it's expensive and can verge on precious. But they treat their customers well, and they seem to treat their staff well, too. I love it that they open a new line if there're two people waiting, but that no one gets fidgety when an older lady immediately defeats the purpose by taking forever to count out exact change. As Laurel Village gets swallowed by chains (I'm still in mourning for Lo Cubano), Bryan's reminds us that we don't live in the city b/c the markets are cheap.
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Neighborhood: Laurel Heights
Category: Grocery
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