The Bull's Head Restaurant in Binghamton, New York: A Review

The Bull's Head in Binghamton, NY had been open for a couple of decades before the original owner passed away and the restaurant was closed for a good year until it was bought by the current owner, who claims to have been "doing this for 20 years". Rumor has it he also owns a local bar Casey's. One would think then that the quality of the meat cuts would be excellent and thoughtful from such an experienced restaurateur.

The original Bull's Head had a small menu, focusing instead on quality and not quantity. While choices were limiting for those who prefer chicken or seafood over steak, the dishes were well prepared. The new Bull's Head menu however is quite extensive, which at first I was excited about as it broadened my previous two chicken choices. This revised menu now boasts a number of chicken dishes including cajun chicken, chicken marquese (stuffed with sweet peppers, spinach, prosciutto and fontina cheese), chicken piccata, chicken gorgonzola, plain chicken cutlet, and chicken with spinach (chicken breast on top of spinach and topped with a white wine lemon sauce).

There is also quite a variety of seafood and pasta dishes on the new menu. Pasta dishes include a prime rib and pasta dish for those who want both their pasta and steak, ravioli, manicotti, eggplant parmigiano, fettucine alfredo and a seafood platter with linguine. For those who enjoy seafood, there are numerous options including stuffed baby lobster tails, Maryland crab cakes, tilapia, stuffed flounder, swordfish, ahi tuna, grilled salmon, Alaskan king crab legs and a seafood platter including scallops, stuffed shrimp, stuffed baby lobster tail and flounder, served with cocktail sauce and drawn butter. There are also a few veal dishes including veal oscar (a veal cutlet with Alaskan king crab meat and asparagus spears topped with hollandaise sauce), parmigiano and piccata, some sandwich choices such as a steak burger and grilled chicken served with chips and a pickle (for $1.99 more, you can add steak fries), pork dishes such as osso bucco and pork filet and salads such as Caesar salad, a black and blue salad (with steak and blue cheese on top of a bed of greens) and a salmon spinach salad.

Now, for the most important part and that which has given the Bull's Head its good reputation for so many years...the beef. Choices range from the 10 oz. sirloin, filet mignon, chopped steak, shrimp and lobster tornedos (twin medallions of beef tenderloin and fresh lobster and shrimp), prime rib in a few different sizes, Delmonico steaks, NY strips, tenderloin tips served over rice or fettucine in a mushroom demiglace sauce, and beef bbq ribs.

Entrees come with a choice of soup or salad and a side dish (mashed, fried, rice). The old menu had twice baked potatoes, which second to the meat was one of the reasons we loved to go. In addition, bread and butter is provided. When we visited the Bull's Head a couple months after its new opening, we were sad to learn the twice baked potatoes are no more. The décor is relatively unchanged, with the exception of some new lighting in the form of lanterns which were a thoughtful touch from the new owners and adds to the ambience of this rustic steak house. The old antique decorations have also been taken down, another improvement adding a bit of a classy feel to the place. Gone too are the cocktail waitresses, which although not necessary, had been a nice touch.

We were very excited to finally return to the Bull's Head and were pleased at the additions to the menu, which for someone like myself who often orders an alternative to beef, was a pleasant surprise. The next surprise which was not as pleasant was our waiter. We have previously had the misfortune to be under his service at another nearby restaurant and had never been happy with his lack of attention, cocky attitude and lack of grace in taking orders (e.g. he refuses to take orders from the women at the table prior to the men's so that he could instead take orders in clockwise fashion, which irritated my husband who refuses to place his order until each woman at the table has had the opportunity to order). The smirk on the waiter's face told us that he recalled previously serving us. However, as this was a new place, we tried not to let this affect our current experience.

We confidently placed our orders-a Delmonico for my husband and prime rib (something a little different) for myself. This was after all a steak restaurant. We both selected the salads rather than soup. The salad was pretty good as was the dressing. The bread served however was not quite as good and tasted as if it had been in the microwave, which did not hide the fact that it was stale. When the entrees came, my prime rib looked appetizing-cooked the way I ordered it with au jus on top, a side of some vegetables and a baked potato.

My husband's steak however did not look appealing in any way-the grizzle throughout the meat was clearly evident and in fact, it looked more like a piece of chuck and not a Delmonico. He decided however to give it a try nonetheless. A cut in the steak quickly revealed that there was an incredible amount of connective tissue throughout the Delmonico, which ordinarily is quite a tender cut of beef. The sight was truly nauseating-the connective tissue lent a look of foam to it due to the overwhelmingly silver tissue. When the waiter came over to inquire how the meat was done, my husband showed him the connective tissue throughout the meat and inquired as to whether he was given a piece of chuck and not a Delmonico. The waiter left to find out and quickly returned with the owner, which surprised us as my husband only requested another steak and had not asked to speak with a manager or owner.

The Bull's Head owner's response was off-putting and not gracious as has been our experience elsewhere when the food is not as ordered. "Is there a problem here?" were the first words out of his mouth. My husband tried to quietly explain that there was not a problem but that the Delmonico he had ordered had a lot of connective tissue in it and was inedible. The owner defensively stated that he hand cuts all the meat himself and only serves the best meat. My husband showed him the silver tissue throughout the meat and when the owner said nothing, my husband wondered if he was given a piece of chuck since chuck tends to have gristle and tissue. This seemed to fall on deaf ears and the owner became more defensive and explained to us that he has been in this business for 20 years. He then went on to state again that he cuts the meat himself and perhaps my husband was given the end piece which tends to be very fatty and not as nice as the middle sections. (One wonders why if the end piece is not good it would be served). Frustrated, my husband finally asked him, "Would you eat this". From his face, it was obvious he would not but instead he countered, "That's not the point" in a tone of voice that was not apologetic or conciliatory. All the while I had not been able to eat my now cold and very salty prime rib and this remark sealed the deal on the fact that I would not be back to this restaurant again.

My husband's steak was finally replaced and in its place he was given a Delmonico that was grey and almost as unappetizing as the first had been. When cut, the inside revealed that it was nearly raw. We looked at each other in amazement. You would have thought they would have at least tried on the second round to get it right and please the customer especially since the Bull's Head is newly re-opened!

When the waiter asked how the meat was, my husband let him know in his quiet way that it was almost raw (he orders it rare) and asked how they cooked their steak. The waiter let us know that they cook it on a griddle and then just place it on a grill for color. Clearly they missed the grill part for this steak. This is NOT how a steak should be cooked and a steak house who boasts great steak should know this. Disgusted, he tried to eat his now cold potato and vegetables (which they did not replace with hot ones) and we asked for the check shortly afterwards. We were not given a drink or other item as a token of apology and even though my husband would never have requested it, the owner did not offer to take off the steak from the bill which indicated to us that this business is not here to please its customers.

While I have not been back to the Bull's Head, I have heard from others who have visited that their experience was no better than ours with the service and food both terrible. One person I know had to wait 45 minutes to get a drink (in the bar no less) and another hour to get an appetizer.

The Bull's Head gives average sized portions, and is on the expensive side. You will easily drop $50 for two people without drinks. Sodas are served in tall but small glasses and if you like to drink while you eat, you can easily go through 2 or 3 refills (each at full cost, no refill discounts). Service is on the slow side and pretentious for the sub par quality food offered. The atmosphere is quite lovely and the dining room is completed in wood giving it a rustic feel, which is exactly what a good steak house should be. Rustic serving rustic, good, honest beef. Unfortunately the new owner does not deliver the way the previous one did and it is sad to see one of Binghamton's better restaurants go downhill.