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Bullshead Restaurant - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants American (Traditional) Burgers, American (Traditional) [Edit]
4230 18th St(between Collingwood St & Diamond St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
(415) 431-4201
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
28 reviews for Bullshead Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Did you know that Buffalo is nature's most perfect food."
(in 20 reviews)
"Buffalo is the only red meat that is non-allergenic (so my..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Try the organic beef."
(in 4 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Katie C.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2007
I'm saddened to see this restaurant go. =( (SEE! That's my sad face to indicate my sadness.)
Bullshead is freakin' amazing. Walking by, you wouldn't really notice the place, as it's got this whole subtle "I used to be an amazing flat in a previous life" kind of a look to it. Tucked away in the Castro, this is a great find to dabble with some delicious buffalo meat.
The menu boasts that buffalo meat has fewer calories and less cholesterol than chicken, fish, or ostrich, has 40% more protein than beef and contains much less fat. Additionally, buffalo is the only red meat that is non-allergenic and is the only mammal not to contract cancer. Shoooooot, I'm convinced. I mean, why the heck would you NOT give the bison a try? I like to get the 1/3lb buffalo burger with pepperjack cheese. It's pure scrumptiousity and oh so juicy!
Again, I'm the saddest of sad that this restaurant is no longer. HOWEVER, I'm uber-pumped to learn of another location tucked away in West Portal. I'm making it a priority to get there soon. -
Review from Priscilla L.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2007
This Bullshead Restaurant has much better decor than the one at West Portal-- so bright and airy! It has the same menu, but I felt more relaxed eating here. I didn't feel like I was in a dark cave.
I ordered the 1/2 pound beef Bleu Cheese & Mozzarella Cheeseburger (with fries!!!!!) and my husband ordered the 1/3 pound beef Bacon & Cheeseburger (with potato salad) and a chocolate shake.
The burgers kicked big butt. We finished everything. The waitperson was outstanding. We had the same big aura make-you-feel-at-home waitperson we had when we last went to the Bullshead at West Portal (except he now has longer hair and new earrings). He said he's working here now instead of at both places.
It was a great "date" meal. My husband and I sat by the windows and watched a well-behaved Boxer being petted by the people passing by. We were still in a good mood after paying the bill that we also petted the Boxer when we came out of the restaurant.
I'm telling all my friends to go eat here.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from lauren j.
7/18/2007
This is by far my favorite burger joint! A bacon cheeseburger, french fries, and a coke is my all time favorite meal. I could eat this everyday if I could...I would probably die of clogged arteries, but I would still die happy. This place is family owned, and right in my neighborhood.
I love that they offer other burger alternatives (chicken, turkey, mushroom)...but for a big surprise, try the Buffalo meat- I cant tell the difference from a beef burger, but it's supposed to be much healthier than beef.
I would give the place 5 stars, but the decor is kinda blah. -
Review from William M.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2007
The new "Meat" place in the Castro, in a space that has housed so many varied efforts, and now #2 in a group.
Into a doorway and there are 2 doors, which one do I choose? Why can't some tenant fix this?
Once in the first (duh) door and into truly ugly space now, with no fabric to soften the sharp and ugly angles as before (Talulla), with bright glarish colors (red + yellow).
Eventually nice service, but we got the feeling that this was one's first job waiting tables, just by the jerkiness of bringing stuff and taking stuff, not always correctly.
The draw here is buffalo, minced or in slab.
Very tasty either way, especially the Western Burger, very yummy. The meat is beef like but chewier.
Nice wine list, OK prices, no bargains.
Take a seat away from the tables unless you want every passerby to eye you without end, and some of the hoi polloi ain't very polloi, if you get my drift. The aesthetics leave far too much to be desired. I'll eat here when I don't care what's around me and can't get someplace better, like Eureka. -
Review from d m.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2006
Okay, I was so looking forward to this place. Being a recent home purchaser, we don't splurge on expensive food very often. But this place popped up in the neighborhood, and we thought we'd give it a shot. Over the past month we've looked in the window, read the menu, and generally scoped out the joint. After a few cocktails one day last week we decided to take the plunge. I was craving filet mignon.
I should have turned around as soon as we entered. Call me crazy, but I expect a few little extras from a place that's going to serve me a $25 entree. The fact I had to wear my jacket because of the wind blowing through the door just put me in a bad mood to start with. Little did they know what sitting us next to the menu on the front window would do.
We went ahead and ordered a bottle of wine. We wanted something decent, and went with one of the more expensive bottles on their menu. It showed up at the table pre-opened with the cork put back in it. We knew it wasn't going to be great, but what's up with showing up at the table with a pre-opened $50 bottle of wine?
At this point, when people looked at the menu posted in the window from outside, we shook our head "No" at them.
For the next 45 minutes we endured the worst dining experience we've had in San Francisco (for the price). I ordered filet mignon. I asked our server very specifically-- "Will they cook it well done?". In my experience, many places won't. Which is fine, I just want to know so I can know not to order it. She smiled and said they would. The bf ordered some fancy buffalo meat plate.
The salads showed up. They were fine. Nothing special. But we had to ask for bread that everyone else had at their table. Our bread was removed when the entre showed up.
Then the meal showed up. I cut my filet in half, and the blood poured out. Not only was it not well done, it was cooked medium rare. I had to send it back to be cooked. The apology was trite at best. When it did show up, I couldn't finish it. The texture was almost fatty. It didn't taste like the filet mignons I'm used to eating. The bf's buffalo was fine, but bland (as buffalo tends to be). The side vegetables were okay.
At the end of the meal our server asked how we enjoyed everything. We went through point by point of the problems we had, and she once again apologized and said she was new.
Overall, a lousy environment for good dinners, poor food, and below par service. -
Review from Daniel C.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2006
Ptooey... I kept rejecting pieces of food and spitting them out of my trap, probably because the broiled steak was too tough. The vegeterian at the table laughed at me, since he claimed that his dish was at least edible. Well hell, my vegetables were edible too. So was the salad, which tased like food service from Cala Foods across the street. The steep prices are almost insulting for industrial grub like this.
Some of the other dishes begged me not to leave, so I will return once more to christen the buffalo burgers. Oh, you had better drive me wild the second time around, or you'll lose me forever.
This did not replace the Red Grill. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. -
Review from Aaron L.
San Francisco, CA
7/24/2006
Decent replacement for the now-defunct Red Grill. Burgers (especially of the buffalo variety) seem to be the specialty of the house, so I tried one. Actually... pretty good! Order more rare than you're used to as they seem to cook on the well done side.
The place was pretty empty when we went there for Sunday dinner, so not sure how much word of mouth the place has already. Still a decent sit-down alternative when you've got a hankering for a hunka meat. -
Review from Scott A.
New York, NY
7/30/2006
Everything about my experience here was average. I had a BBQ chicken sandwich which was average (a little dry - thank god for the BBQ sauce). The onion rings were good if not a little greasy. Maybe should have tried the buffalo burger. It's a stand-by kind of place for basic food in the Castro.
Our server was working her butt off though. She was holding down the whole place and it was full at one point. She had someone running food for her but that was it. She, personally, gets on the stars above. -
Review from Eugene P.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2006
This burger joint occupies the space formerly held by the sorely missed French-Indian restaurant Tallula, and the quirky three-level layout and wood-paneled interior that contributed to the former lessee's refined charm is now leveraged by its successor to justify the cost of better-than-average yet overpriced burgers.
Initially uninterested in trying the buffalo burgers, my friend -- let's call him "Chris Crane" -- and I decided to split a beef (100% organic) burger and buffalo burger based on the rave reviews of the latter he had read online.The buffalo burger makes for a satisfying healthful substitute for the beef one -- as the menu proudly purports, buffalo meat is much lower in fat and cholesterol than beef and may even help reduce LDL cholesterol -- but the patty had a noticeably mushy consistency as well as a mild but unmistakable gaminess. The organic beef burger came out well ahead in our taste test, and with both burgers priced identically above $11, the better bet is to stick with the less exotic meat option.
Reminiscent of In-N-Out's, the fries Crane ordered came thin and oily, and my onion rings, battered and not breaded, were spot on. Service was minimal and entirely adequate.
While Bullshead offers a solid beef burger and sides, ultimately it is a burger stand putting on airs of a sophisticated sit-down restaurant. It may qualify as a place to try but probably not one to frequent. -
Review from Cynthia S.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2007
This ain't no MooDonalds because you'll find some hearty and healthy (relatively speaking) buffalo burgers here. Love the accompanying steak fries! I find this to be a nice local joint for your beef burger alternativeI I usually get my burgers to go either topped with sauted mushrooms with grilled onions or with heart stopping Avocado/Bacon/ Cheese. You can get the 1/3 or 1/4 pounder cooked anyway you want. By the way, read Dr. M's review on the reasons why you should eat buffalo meat.
By the way, if you live in the hood, make sure to look for the occasional Bullshead coupon in the Noe Valley Voice or your local Value Coupon pack. Although you'll have to eat there, it's buy one entree get another one free deal. Now that's worth at least one visit right? -
Review from Andrew A.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2007
We went here expecting a decent dinner.
Instead, I ended up, for the first time in my life, sending the food back. My medium rare ribeye steak, one of the easiest cuts to prepare -- and they are a "steakhouse" -- was fucking GREY throughout when served. It also tasted of something fried, which was odd, almost as if the kitchen was cooking everything on the same skillet/grill/whatever, as apparently there is no difference between poultry, fish, and beef.
From other reviews, it seems as if this place is hit or miss. I'd rather not spend my money (entrees are $20-$30) here, and spend it where the kitchen does not produce such erratic results. -
Review from Eric B.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2007
Wow. People have had bad experiences at Bullshead Restaurant on 18th? No way. I won't believe it. Ok, I do. Yeah the service is mercurial at times but I do think they have the best burgers in the Castro (sorry Burgermeister) which is why I've eaten at the restaurant at least fifteen times since it opened.
Granted the entrance is weird and there is no clear indication of what you should do when you first step in the place. Do you stay on the landing, or go up or down? Perhaps you should just do what I do--and go where the heck you want. Otherwise a server will pop out of somewhere and ask where you want to sit.
If you sit at the lower level by the windows it's your duty to treat the people on the street to a show. That area is a stage. Press your face against the window to get the dog riled up of the guy who's cruising you. Or make eye contact with a passerby while pulling out a bottle from your jacket that has the word POISON written across it. Make your dining partner look away while you melodramatically add the liquid to his or her drink as if you're a villain in a silent film. Break loose with the maniacal, yet silent, laughing and see if the person on the street does anything to "save" your friend's life. (There's a lot of heartless S.O.B's in this town). But whatever you do- refrain from complaining about those seats.
My favorite place to sit is on the third floor. I think it's because I love that really narrow stairwell one must traverse in order to sit up there or to get to the bathroom. I especially love when a Eureka Valley mom allows her toddler to walk down those stairs because he wants to do it by himself and thus causes a traffic jam for five minutes. I wish my mom let me do whatever I wanted; I probably wouldn't put on shows on the lower level if she had.
Best thing, besides their tasty burgers, is I've been seated by all types of people. This is really an establishment that caters to all kinds. Tables of omnisexual flirtatious swingers, drunk drag queens and kings, a five year old girl who kept telling her parents how much she love them while the parents ignored her as she played Russian roulette with a loaded water pistol, and of course ninjas (ok, ninja motorcycle riders).
Try the buffalo. Try the turkey. Try the organic beef. Heck, try the regular beef. Now I've never had anything there that wasn't between two buns ,ahem, so I don't know about the entrees. Proceed at your own risk there. -
Review from Jeffrey F.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2007
Probably one of the best burgers I have had in a long long long time the Buffalo burgers at Bullshead are absolutely delicious. The best benefit of their buffalo burgers is that you do not have the guilt associated with eating a regular hamburger. The buffalo meet is a third the calories and fat and taste better than a regular burger. True it is not 100 percent healthy but in moderation they are great. The burgers come in two sizes 1/3 pound and 1/2 pound. I have yet to see anyone order the 1/2 pound because the 1/3 pound is big especially when accompanied by a side. In addition to size you can choose if you a regular burger or buffalo burger, I recommend they latter.
The price of the burgers is very reasonable however be forewarned that the buffalo burgers a slightly more expensive than the regular burger.
I give Bullshead 5 out of 5 stars for the great food, prices, and cute boys who work there after all its the Castro. Why not have some eye candy with your meal.
*** I HAVE SAD NEWS TO REPORTS AFTER ATTEMPTING TO GO TO BULLSHEAD THIS PAST WEEKEND I LEARNED THAT THEY HAD CLOSED THEIR CASTRO LOCATION. sadly THERE WAS NOT MENTION OF IT CLOSING I GUESS MY SEARCH FOR A GOOD BURGER WILL HAVE TO BEGIN *** -
Review from H W.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2007
Really Big Disappointment.
The menu exploits, hypes and promises fresh food... but you DON'T get it. It doesn't seem like the cook or wait staff can figure it out either.
After a few visits, their service remains lack and horrible. Naturally any skilled wait staff knows they'd go broke working for a kitchen greenhorn serving food in the manner they do, uncooked health hazards.
You get "past its sell-by date" desserts that are hard and stale because the eatery doesn't get enough business and refuses to replace an old cake with a fresh one.
What's weird is their desperate attempts to make the restaurant look busy by hampering you into cramped window seats while the rest of the dining areas are EMPTY. This is excluding Fridays when the Happy Hour drunks manage to stagger over half a block while their time and taste acuities lay them defenseless, LOL!
Oh, and please! This is the furthest thing from a steak house, it's more of an overestimated burger joint, that's all folks!
Somebody bring back Luisa's! -
Review from Victoria K.
Oceanside, CA
10/5/2006
Before I went vegetarian, my boyfriend and I checked this place out. I'm not sure what is with everyone else - I thought it rocked! We both got buffalo burgers, which didn't last long on the plate. The fries were uber-tasty and our server was just chatty enough to enjoy. Personally, considering the good experience I had, I recommend that everyone go and try this place for yourself.
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Review from Poochie M.
San Francisco, CA
12/14/2006
Did you know that Buffalo is nature's most perfect food? Well I don't know if that's true, but it's definitely healthier for you than beef. We went to Bullshead cuz I had a coupon (I am the coupon shopper), either buy one get one free burger, or 1/2 off an entree with the purchase of an entree of equal or greater value. I was eyeing the baby back ribs, but they were about $20 for a half slab, which I thought was a little pricey, albeit not as pricey as Houston's ribs. Actually, everything on the menu was a little pricey, but not insanely expensive. All of the burgers are available in beef, turkey, 100% organic beef, or buffalo, in 1/3 lb or 1/2 lb sizes, served with fries, cole slaw, or salad. I got the buffalo burger with mushrooms and onions. Not too bad, there was a huge mound of mushrooms on it. The fries were decent but needed salt. Our waitor (Christopher) was cute and scruffy but I don't think he was gay. After he brought us our lunch, he came back and asked how everything was and refilled our water without being asked (that's how I knew he wasn't gay). This restaurant is strange in that it has three floors (no elevator) and the restrooms are on the top floor. I bet the waitors get some good exercise walking up and down those stairs all day long.
Some interesting facts about Buffalo:
Buffalo has fewer calories and less cholesterol than chicken, fish, bacon or ostrich.
Buffalo has 40% more protein than beef and contains much less fat.
Buffalo is the only red meat that is non-allergenic (so my vegetarian friend Penny can eat it too).
Buffalo is the only mammal that doesn't get cancer.
Buffalo was the main diet of the Plains Indians who never had cancer or heart disease and if they had dental care (and we didn't kill them all first), would have lived to be 125 years old.
Eating 5 oz of buffalo 3-4 times a week can reduce your LDL cholesterol 40-45% over a 6 month period.
Buffalo tastes great!
P.S. I made buffalo meat balls and they rocked! Buffalo chili is next!!! -
Review from a p.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2007
I broke out of the box today and tried my very first buffalo burger! (Well half of one anyway because these things are BIG!) And guess what? It was delish. Apparently they are way healthier than other burger options, even turkey! The fries weren't bad, but could've been seasoned a bit better. For a mostly burger joint, I'd give it four stars for lunch. Great low key alternative music too and fab service. I'd definitely stop in for lunch if in the area and in the mood for a burger. p.s. Everything's 30% off between 11:30-4 between Monday-Friday. Makes you question the place at first, but don't let that deter you.
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Review from Teddy d.
San Francisco, CA
9/8/2006
Not much to be said. The burger was ok but the fries sucked. It is as if they used the grease from the burger to fry the potatoes. Service was okay. The space is clean as expected since it opened recently. Really not much to be said here
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Review from .q q.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2007
Note: I'm a vegetarian.
I actually liked this place and was pretty much satisfied the 5 or 6 times I've been here. Portions are good and they actually try to make the vegetarian meal feel like a meal, not a substitution. I've come here with some picky meat eaters and they even couldn't bitch that much about how the meat was prepared. It won't knock your socks off, but the atmosphere is nice, staff is slow though nice, and its a decent lunch/early dinner place. I've never left here feeling like I got screwed, which is a pretty big compliment from me. -
Review from Bathrooms Only ..
San Francisco, CA
7/30/2006
The food was delicious but the service was a bit lackluster. I had my first proper buffalo burger which was excellent. However, I think that is the only draw for me. I would just go over to Barney's in Noe Valley if I wanted a crazy burger. My friend said his steak was good so I will probably go back in the future to try a steak. It is the only option for steaks in the neighborhood now that Red Grill is gone. [tears] Bullshead is good for a meal but nothing I would go out of my way to try. Nothing too exciting or new about the menu aside from the option of organic beef or buffalo, which was a nice touch.
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Review from Jeff P.
Oakland, CA
1/19/2007
Moooooooooooooooooo. Slooooooooooooooooooow service. Moooooooooooooooooo. Goooooood burgers.
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Review from Jason M.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2007
When I was a kid growing up in the midwest, my mom was one of those women that often complained about her food to get out of paying for it. If the cheesy breadsticks came WITH the Pizza Hut pizza instead of BEFORE the Pizza Hut pizza then you would naturally expect her to utter that phrase "These are on the appetizer menu, not with the pizza. I don't want them, or I'm certainly not paying for them. I asked for them BEFORE the pizza."
So being subjected to this sort of mortifying game growing up (we didn't eat out much) I have become the type of person that does not complain about the food that I am served. Something has to be REALLY wrong for me to send a plate back. This place had that something. The service was excellent, the calamari wasn't awful. We should have stopped there. My "filet mignon" was truly one of the worst things I have ever tasted. I LOVE beef. This tasted as though it were deep fried with the calamari, salmon, fries and probably an old sneaker. I choked down three bites. My fellow victim ordered the ribeye medium rare. It showed up gray of color and god knows what in the flavor department. I was too scared to attempt it. It was he who called over the (really great) waitress. We voiced our concerns and she promptly removed the offenders with apologies and a removal from our check. I think the one star is for her. I obviously won't be going back. EVER! -
Review from Dario B.
9/21/2006
Steaks, period. Not even fancy presented or imaginatively cooked. But, of course, you go there to eat meat, no? The place is actually a Texan BBQ with the mask of a minimal restaurant. How can you destroy Kobe beef and do a burger with it ? That poor cow was massaged everyday to be ground? I'll have a Buffalo burger. Pretty good but in an average.
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Review from Ess H.
Oakland, CA
3/11/2007
This place is average. I had the buffalo burger, and it wasn't very memorable: not bad, not great, but probably just fine. The space is intimate, so it's a nice place to go for a third or fourth date (as if I know), or to meet up with a friend. I met up with my old buddy here and we talked and talked for hours. It's the perfect spot for that sort of thing, as you don't get too distracted by the food.
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Review from Sam K.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2006
Disgusting. We walked out mid-meal. I don't know where to start. When you enter the restaurant, there is no clear plan as to where to check in or wait for a table. We were eventually seated upstairs, sardine style. I was initially intrigued by the menu, because I'm a big meat eater (low carb for 5 years). However I noticed the prices were incredibly high for what is basically a hamburger joint.
The ice in the our iced tea melted because a hot glass was used. The first sip was actually lukewarm. Service was virtually absent. We got our salads, appetizer AND entrees delivered to our tiny table all at the same time. The salad dressing tasted like that typical bottled crap that is used at Applebees. The toppings that I requested for my hamburger steak were put on my partners steak sandwich. I took one bite of the hamburger steak and was greated with a mushy, cold, RAW center. Not rare--RAW. We immediately paid for our drinks and left. -
Review from Chris N.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2007
The buffalo burgers are so good - if I was rating those alone, this would be a five-star review. However, I had to deduct a star because I've had inattentive service 2 out of the 4 times I've gone and one time I had chocolate cake that tasted like it was a week old. Seriously though - despite these things, I love it.
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Review from Jerry A.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2006
With such a selection of steaks on the menu, I thought ordering one might be a safe choice. Well, at $25 or more for a fillet (choose your size) you're probably wiser to stick with burgers at this joint. I suppose to measure up to the stated 8 oz., they left on the gristle. I'd rather they hadn't. The baked potato wasn't quite done and had a dry skin; why not put a little oil on it before baking? The veggies were crunchy and ok, but very plain with no seasoning. All in all, a very plain plate of food. And, it's served on a metal plate -- think of chalk on a blackboard as you cut through your steak. Yikes! I should have ordered the buffalo steak just for fun, since I can grill a better beef steak at home. Our waitress was the best part about the meal, taking care of every detail. I'll probably give it another try and have a burger, or if they add some really interesting fare such as reindeer, venison or kangaroo, I'll be there with my fork and knife!
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Review from chowder k.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2006
Well, I was rather interested in this restaurant when it opened, being a ravenous meat eater. And buffalo is something I had never tried before. My roommate and I decided to check it out a week or so ago, however, it was not what I had hoped for. Looking at the menu in the window in front, we noticed quite a selection of beef and buffalo, both steaks and burgers. Our kinda place. As we entered, we are greeted by a very friendly hostess. We were allowed to choose our seat, as we were there before the evening rush. We climbed two flights of stairs to check out the upstairs, but we decided to sit in the window on the first floor. Good people watching outside. We were then approached by our waiter, who was to be the most delicious thing here. Very sexy guy. And efficient. But the food....
...I ordered the BIG buffalo burger. I was impressed with all the information on the menu as to the benefits of buffalo meat. I ordered the burger medium rare, what came was RARE. Now I could have sent it back to cook a little longer, but after tasting it is, I realized that buffalo is not for me. It may be the 'better red meat', but where is the flavor? Thank goodness for A1 sauce. My roommate ordered a Filet Mignon. Because this is a 'Meat Place', one would think that the beef would be alright. But, sadly, his 12oz. aged filet was also flavorless, and had a mysterious texture. He ordered his medium rare as well, which came RARE. The veggies for both meals that shared the steel plate with the meat were cold and not quite cooked enough, however I can report that the onion rings may be some of the best I have had in recent memory. Oh, and the blue-cheese salad dressing was real whimpy. As for the prices, I guess if the food was anywhere near what I was expecting, it would have been ok, but the meat was so not what we should have gotten at a 'Meat' place, thus I feel like were ripped off. I think the bill was over $80 with salads and drinks. So, perhaps the regular hamburgers are good. If I do go back to check out the waiter again, ;) , that is what I would be ordering. Thanks for reading and that is it.
