Omg, what an amazing and super unique dining experience! If you haven't been to Port Costa in the East Bay and are game for a little off the traditional radar adventure, Bull Valley Roadhouse is such a fun alternative to anything but the ordinary. We chose to sit outdoors because the weather was so beautiful, highly recommend! There's a beautiful cocktail/mocktail/beer/wine menu, and they also do special Sunday drinks & brunch from 11a-3p. As for the dinner menu, our party chose to really go all out in honor of a few celebrations we had! We started with the deviled eggs, beef croquettes, fresh bread and honey butter, the Gentleman's relish toast, mac & cheese, and for the grand finale...we chose the largest beef shank I've ever seen served with broccolini and risotto. Everything was shared, and the shank was a $160 plate but split between our whole group, it was not only of epic proportions and extremely photo worthy, but was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and fun. Finishing with a chocolate caramel cookie, scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream, and topped with chocolate whipped cream (so yum!), I literally was in pure culinary heaven. From the XO chili sauce on the deviled eggs (I asked for an extra side of this sauce to use for the rest of the meal), the crispiness of the croquettes and tenderness of the meat inside, the perfect runny egg atop the Gentlemen's toast, the most deliciously sweet honey butter, to the fall off the bone shank, perfectly salted risotto, broccolini crunch, and of course the creamy Mac n cheese (let it sit for a few minutes to harden)...honestly everything was so divine! From the attentive & friendly service to historical funky ambiance, this is just a spot you have to experience for yourself..can't wait to come back to try brunch on a beautiful day! Def worth the extra splurge for a bit of the weekend spontaneous urge..
Delbert Locke
Great off the beaten path place for dinner.Parking: It's a dirt lot near the water.
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sanga
Gandalf W.
Quaint, charming, historic and lovely restaurant. It felt like a step back in time -very enjoyable. My daughters and I had girls stay out and had brunch and it was delicious . The fried chicken was gluten-free, very fresh and yummy as was the other dishes. Quality food that is flavorful and delicious as a treat . Give them a try . Bon appétit
Jarred G.
I can check this one off my list and will be back. Bull Valley was great. We experienced excellent service, delicious food including cherry chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream that was fantastic! The area is cool and worth the drive.
Jazzi E.
I have been here a few times and I am always blown away with their menu options and variety they offer. The menu has been different every time because they use seasonal/fresh ingredients to make very unique plates and drinks. This most recent visit there were 8 of us going for brunch on a Sunday. We ended up calling for a reservation the night before and got lucky with a table. Restaurant: the decor is very unique and vintage. There are old pictures on the walls and everything is Victorian era. It's a smaller restaurant so I recommend reservations, especially on the weekend. Food: where to start? We ordered so much and were happy with every item we got! We started with a special hamachi fish collar, pig ears, deviled eggs, and beef heart. My favorites were the pig ears and fish collar. I had never had pig ears before and they were fried to perfection with a great sauce. I'm not usually a fan of deviled eggs, but these were creamy with a bacon jam! For my entree I ordered the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were tender and the grits with the sauce had great flavor. I've honestly never been disappointed from the food here and wish I could try everything on the menu!! Drinks: I got a "Spanish g&t" which was specifically recommended by the server. BEST gin and tonic I have had in a very long time! It was a perfect balance of botanicals and sweetness. 10/10 will always recommend going here. The town of port costa is very quaint and there are some local shops to check out right next to the restaurant! Plenty of parking in a lot right next door.
Allie L.
This place is a hidden gem! Port Costa is such a lovely little place that holds fondness in my heart and to have such an amazing restaurant there... it's everything :) if you have a chance you shouldn't definitely make the trek! You won't regret it!
Charlie N.
I dined at this restaurant recently for the first time and it was not at all what I expected. The evening started with a cocktail from their menu, a Martini with orange bitters. It was awful! I could not taste anything but the orange bitters, period. I should have sent it back. For dinner I selected the seared Ahi Tuna. It was lightly browned on the outside, raw inside and barely warm. Again I should have sent it back. I have had much better seared Ahi Tuna at Lazy Dog. I could see the attraction to this restaurant, but unfortunately they completely missed the boat in preparing my drink and dinner. My friend also found it curious that the drinks the bartender was making were not made with the same ingredients as stated on the drink menu. He watched closely, as we were seated right in front of the bartender, and asked several times after the drink was made, which one it was on the menu. The signature alcohols listed were not what was used. I don't think anyone accept a trained professional would be able to tell. However the prices they are charging is ridiculous and disappointing. I hope management reads this review and makes corrections accordingly.
David Cardinal
Love this place!! Food was ecliptic and fantastic!! Definitely will be back. Try the pig ears!! Great service!! Loved the cheese steak, fried chicken and burgers!! Will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David C.
Absolutely great!! Loved the atmosphere! Old timey but comfy. Service was awsome from. The waiters, cocktail severest to water and bus services. The food was eclectic but awsome!! My beef tongue cheese steak was fantastic! The fried chicken totally solid. My daughter said it was her new favorite burger. Try the pig ears!! Loved it and will be back!
Amy Van Der Meulen
I wouldn't make the trip. The d Bull Valley was an amazing experience almost like The House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. A step in classic beauty. This macaroni and cheese is an insult toMy gas tank.
Excellent restaurant with a truly remarkable atmosphere and top-notch food. The drinks and the salad were truly outstanding, whereas the burgers and fish were very good but not superlative. Next time we visit, probably will stick to the small plates, which may be the best dishes at an already excellent restaurant. Great for dates and fancy nights out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joey N.
Another hidden gem for you in Port Costa! It transports you back in time with a small town vibe and great ambiance. We started with some cocktails and salad to save the appetite for the main course. We ordered the whole braised beef shank, for which they said serve 2-3 but I think the dish can easily serve 4-5 people. It was so tender and just fell off the bone, served with mushrooms risotto and broccoli. Service was top notch will all amazing staffs and their humor. Will definitely come back for other menu items since they have their menu changed seasonally.
Lauren Schenck
Bull Valley has a unique seasonal menu that offers game and fish. The cocktails are well made,
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sarah W.
My boyfriend and I have been wanting to come here for months, and we finally got to try it last night. I loved the vibe and ambiance. The food wasn't perfect, but we both really liked the burger, the little gem salad, and it was fun to try the pig ears! We both thought the service was excellent. They were very accommodating to us. Looking forward to coming back in warmer weather to try sitting outside.
ncc1515
Well off the beaten path but still close to home for us. Food, service and ambience were excellent but our bottle of Cabernet was REALLY cold. Maybe keep some warm decanters ready? I can't warm up anything with my hands because I have Reynaud's syndrome. Parking area potholes were DEEP and our car bottomed out twice while leaving. Somebody should truck in some gravel, or something, or make sure you go in an SUV or something else with plenty of ground clearance, if street parking is all taken.
Omg, what an amazing and super unique dining experience! If you haven't been to Port Costa in the East Bay and are game for a little off the traditional radar adventure, Bull Valley Roadhouse is such a fun alternative to anything but the ordinary. We chose to sit outdoors because the weather was so beautiful, highly recommend! There's a beautiful cocktail/mocktail/beer/wine menu, and they also do special Sunday drinks & brunch from 11a-3p. As for the dinner menu, our party chose to really go all out in honor of a few celebrations we had! We started with the deviled eggs, beef croquettes, fresh bread and honey butter, the Gentleman's relish toast, mac & cheese, and for the grand finale...we chose the largest beef shank I've ever seen served with broccolini and risotto. Everything was shared, and the shank was a $160 plate but split between our whole group, it was not only of epic proportions and extremely photo worthy, but was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and fun. Finishing with a chocolate caramel cookie, scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream, and topped with chocolate whipped cream (so yum!), I literally was in pure culinary heaven. From the XO chili sauce on the deviled eggs (I asked for an extra side of this sauce to use for the rest of the meal), the crispiness of the croquettes and tenderness of the meat inside, the perfect runny egg atop the Gentlemen's toast, the most deliciously sweet honey butter, to the fall off the bone shank, perfectly salted risotto, broccolini crunch, and of course the creamy Mac n cheese (let it sit for a few minutes to harden)...honestly everything was so divine! From the attentive & friendly service to historical funky ambiance, this is just a spot you have to experience for yourself..can't wait to come back to try brunch on a beautiful day! Def worth the extra splurge for a bit of the weekend spontaneous urge..
Great off the beaten path place for dinner.Parking: It's a dirt lot near the water.
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sanga
Quaint, charming, historic and lovely restaurant. It felt like a step back in time -very enjoyable. My daughters and I had girls stay out and had brunch and it was delicious . The fried chicken was gluten-free, very fresh and yummy as was the other dishes. Quality food that is flavorful and delicious as a treat . Give them a try . Bon appétit
I can check this one off my list and will be back. Bull Valley was great. We experienced excellent service, delicious food including cherry chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream that was fantastic! The area is cool and worth the drive.
I have been here a few times and I am always blown away with their menu options and variety they offer. The menu has been different every time because they use seasonal/fresh ingredients to make very unique plates and drinks. This most recent visit there were 8 of us going for brunch on a Sunday. We ended up calling for a reservation the night before and got lucky with a table. Restaurant: the decor is very unique and vintage. There are old pictures on the walls and everything is Victorian era. It's a smaller restaurant so I recommend reservations, especially on the weekend. Food: where to start? We ordered so much and were happy with every item we got! We started with a special hamachi fish collar, pig ears, deviled eggs, and beef heart. My favorites were the pig ears and fish collar. I had never had pig ears before and they were fried to perfection with a great sauce. I'm not usually a fan of deviled eggs, but these were creamy with a bacon jam! For my entree I ordered the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were tender and the grits with the sauce had great flavor. I've honestly never been disappointed from the food here and wish I could try everything on the menu!! Drinks: I got a "Spanish g&t" which was specifically recommended by the server. BEST gin and tonic I have had in a very long time! It was a perfect balance of botanicals and sweetness. 10/10 will always recommend going here. The town of port costa is very quaint and there are some local shops to check out right next to the restaurant! Plenty of parking in a lot right next door.
This place is a hidden gem! Port Costa is such a lovely little place that holds fondness in my heart and to have such an amazing restaurant there... it's everything :) if you have a chance you shouldn't definitely make the trek! You won't regret it!
I dined at this restaurant recently for the first time and it was not at all what I expected. The evening started with a cocktail from their menu, a Martini with orange bitters. It was awful! I could not taste anything but the orange bitters, period. I should have sent it back. For dinner I selected the seared Ahi Tuna. It was lightly browned on the outside, raw inside and barely warm. Again I should have sent it back. I have had much better seared Ahi Tuna at Lazy Dog. I could see the attraction to this restaurant, but unfortunately they completely missed the boat in preparing my drink and dinner. My friend also found it curious that the drinks the bartender was making were not made with the same ingredients as stated on the drink menu. He watched closely, as we were seated right in front of the bartender, and asked several times after the drink was made, which one it was on the menu. The signature alcohols listed were not what was used. I don't think anyone accept a trained professional would be able to tell. However the prices they are charging is ridiculous and disappointing. I hope management reads this review and makes corrections accordingly.
Love this place!! Food was ecliptic and fantastic!! Definitely will be back. Try the pig ears!! Great service!! Loved the cheese steak, fried chicken and burgers!! Will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely great!! Loved the atmosphere! Old timey but comfy. Service was awsome from. The waiters, cocktail severest to water and bus services. The food was eclectic but awsome!! My beef tongue cheese steak was fantastic! The fried chicken totally solid. My daughter said it was her new favorite burger. Try the pig ears!! Loved it and will be back!
I wouldn't make the trip. The d Bull Valley was an amazing experience almost like The House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. A step in classic beauty. This macaroni and cheese is an insult toMy gas tank.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent restaurant with a truly remarkable atmosphere and top-notch food. The drinks and the salad were truly outstanding, whereas the burgers and fish were very good but not superlative. Next time we visit, probably will stick to the small plates, which may be the best dishes at an already excellent restaurant. Great for dates and fancy nights out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Another hidden gem for you in Port Costa! It transports you back in time with a small town vibe and great ambiance. We started with some cocktails and salad to save the appetite for the main course. We ordered the whole braised beef shank, for which they said serve 2-3 but I think the dish can easily serve 4-5 people. It was so tender and just fell off the bone, served with mushrooms risotto and broccoli. Service was top notch will all amazing staffs and their humor. Will definitely come back for other menu items since they have their menu changed seasonally.
Bull Valley has a unique seasonal menu that offers game and fish. The cocktails are well made,
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
My boyfriend and I have been wanting to come here for months, and we finally got to try it last night. I loved the vibe and ambiance. The food wasn't perfect, but we both really liked the burger, the little gem salad, and it was fun to try the pig ears! We both thought the service was excellent. They were very accommodating to us. Looking forward to coming back in warmer weather to try sitting outside.
Well off the beaten path but still close to home for us. Food, service and ambience were excellent but our bottle of Cabernet was REALLY cold. Maybe keep some warm decanters ready? I can't warm up anything with my hands because I have Reynaud's syndrome. Parking area potholes were DEEP and our car bottomed out twice while leaving. Somebody should truck in some gravel, or something, or make sure you go in an SUV or something else with plenty of ground clearance, if street parking is all taken.