Bullshead Restaurant

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 über-​pumped to learn of another location tucked away in West Portal. I’m making it a priority to get there soon.

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.

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 ½ pound. I have yet to see anyone order the ½ 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 ***

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!

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.

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 décor is kinda blah.

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.

This Bullshead Restaurant has much better décor 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 ½ 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.

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!

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 ¼ 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 entrée get another one free deal. Now that’s worth at least one visit right?

Wow. People have had bad experiences at Bullshead Restaurant on 18^th? 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.

Moooooooooooooooooo. Slooooooooooooooooooow service. Moooooooooooooooooo. Goooooood burgers.

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.

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.

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 über-​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.

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 entrée. 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.

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

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.

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.

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.