What a fun dinner spot! Wife and i stopped here for a bite and drinks and were very surprised by the awesome service and amazing food. Had "tapas" and wine. The dates were molton magic! And i could have bathed in the coconut and jalapeno muscles. Wine flowed. Food was delocious. And the atmosphere was reminescent of my years in the east village of nyc. We would go out of our way to hit up lynchburg just to visit this little dining haven again!
Review Source:Cool little bar off a side street, kind of tucked away. Â Their beer selection is ok, but they always have two local/regional beers and PBR on draught. Â The local/regional beers are decent though. Â The bartender remembered me from the first night, and had my drink ready as I was walking through the door. Â To me, that's the epitome of great customer service, so she was generously tipped. Â Glad I found this little bastion of relaxed vibes and good beer, in a rather boring city.
Review Source:I really liked the layout of this place. I only stopped in here because it was the only place I could find on my visit to Lynchburg that was open past midnight in the downtown area that I was staying. I think they had only about 3 beers on tap on of which was Pabst. I only had a few drinks here and didn't try the food but I'll definitely come back i the future.
Review Source:Last Friday, Nicole and I made our way over to Lynchburg to have a date night dinner at Bull Branch. Nicole ordered a Groupon for Bull Branch a few weeks back and we needed to get over there before it expired. After clearing the schedule and getting the reservation, last Friday night was our chance.
Prior to Nicole getting the Groupon, I'd never heard of Bull Branch and couldn't find much information about it online, since they don't have a website. The extent of my eating in Lynchburg has been in the strip around Liberty University (Moe's, Five Guys, Cracker Barrel, etc.) and I'd never really spent any time downtown. The restaurant was located downtown and it's one of the only things the center of Lynchburg had to offer. There wasn't much happening or many people out, which is unfortunate for a downtown, especially on a Friday night. Though I don't mind having an easy time finding a parking spot.
When we arrived at the restaurant, it was full of people. However, that is relative. This place is a tiny dining room with around 10-15 tables tightly positioned in different spots across the room. Not much space at all. There is also a small bar as you enter the door. If I could use one word to describe the atmosphere/layout/ambiance of Bull Branch it would be...weird. The layout is weird. The lighting and art is weird. The concept is weird. Even the front door is weird. It feels like they are trying to create an urban, modern, artsy, hip atmosphere, but most of it came across as forced and tacky to me. And since I'm quickly becoming an 80 year old grouch, I didn't like that it was too dark to read the menu and too loud to be able to have a conversation with Nicole. I'm awaiting my AARP card.
The service was also a bit weird. Although we had reservations for 8:00 and arrived on time, we were told our table would not be ready for another 15-20 minutes and that we should just wait at the bar. No offers for drinks or appetizers and no real interest from the bartender. I was confused as to why we made a reservation? After we were seated, our waiter did a relatively good job. Aside from the awkward greeting of, "Do you guys want some booze?" He was friendly, knowledgeable and provided good service.
The food is what won me over to Bull Branch. We weren't too interested in any of the entree selections, so we decided to share a variety of appetizers. We ordered the wagyu kobe beef burger with fries, seared sea scallops, goat cheese & tomato salad, and the baked goat cheese with tomatoes (we went a little overboard with the goat cheese & tomatoes). 3 of the 4 appetizers were delicious. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium well and was juicy and flavorful. The melted cheddar on top of the burger was excellent as well. The scallops (although small) had a nice, peppery crust and were very tender. And the baked goat cheese with tomatoes spread wonderfully on the small crostinis, similar to a bruschetta. I wasn't a huge fan of the goat cheese and tomato salad because I thought the cheese was overpowering and really took over the pallet.
In terms of value, I have mixed thoughts. For us, the value ended up being good because we were able to use a Groupon. We paid $20 for a $40 coupon, and then paid for tax and tip. Without the coupon, I don't know if I would return. The food was good, but I don't know if it would justify paying $12 for appetizers or $12 for a burger. Again, it feels like Bull Branch is trying to be a hip restaurant in a big city and price themselves accordingly, which just doesn't seem to fit in this region. Overall - not great, but not bad. And definitely weird.
Delicious! We love this place! The atmosphere is great and the food is amazing. The servers are fun and very informative with great recommendations. The menu changes, so if it is available, try the pecan crusted fish. It is exquisite! The Brazilian feijoada was absolutely fantastic. We will be back many times over! Everything was perfect from the time we walked in to when we left. I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants a special evening out.
Review Source:I kept hearing about this place, but just made it last week. Â I've learned not to expect much from Lynchburg dining experience because, with only a few exceptions (and there are a few), they're really unremarkable. This, I am happy to say, was one of the exceptions.
It's a small, intimate space where it feels like everyone knows you. The decor is eclectic, fun, and casual-but-elegant in an off-beat way. Our waiter was attentive, but no so attentive we had to shoo him off (I hate it when someone is bugging me with every other mouthful of food). The owner was working, and she was chatty, smiling, charismatic, and clearly really interested in making her customers happy.
The wine prices are, frankly, surprising. At first glance, they appear a bit pricey for a glass, though I enjoy good wine and am willing to pay for it; but, the pour size pretty instantly makes you realize why the prices are set where they are. Completely worth $9/glass for the Pinot Noir and $7 for the Malbec.
The food was fabulous. I'm a chef, I am hard on food, and I hate paying most of the places around here for mediocrity (so we rarely go out to eat). So, when I say fabulous, I mean it. The coconut-jalepeno muscles were just amazing, the hummus and pita were perfect, and the dessert (just go and order "the dessert," I'm not going to ruin the surprise) was so good it verged on obscene. We were just out for drinks and appetizers this time around, but next week we're definitely doing dinner. We'll be going often!
I also liked that this was a very adult-oriented establishment. It doesn't strike me as a great place to take kids, so it's really nice if you want to go out for a child-free night on the town. I've nothing against places that are child-friendly, but for some things it's just nice to know you can have a quiet experience with adults (anniversary, girl's wine night, romantic dinner, etc.).
I love this place! Â Went here for a first date-we were looking for something different and we found it! Â The service here is great, the guy working the bar was so wonderful. Â Great lighting too, pretty dark, but lots of candles. Â I thought it was pretty cool to watch the bartender try to read something with his lighter. Â :) Â I will definitely go back and surely recommend this place!
Review Source:Atmosphere:
In a normal city: Quirky, Odd, Mostly Good
In Lynchburg: Very Quirky, Very Odd, Mostly Good
In a place like Lynchburg, it is nice to feel like you can get off the beaten path. Â When you've got about 20 (literally) bar and grill franchises (multiple, in some cases) like Applebee's, TGI Fridays, Logan's Roadhouse, Texas Roadhouse, etc. lining the streets, finding places to eat that don't greet you with phrases like "Hospitaliano" can be difficult.
Bull Branch definitely takes the cake there. Â As many other reviewers have mentioned, "quirky" is a good word to define the staff and environment. Â The tattoos and piercings and so forth, and the clunky curtains and deliberately aged decorations having that earthy chic feel. Â Think neo-yuppie/hippie. Â As in, "I wear $300 boots but I only eat non-processed, sprouted wheat flour," or, "I philosophically oppose Corporate America but I smoke a pack of Parliament Lights a day and get all of my clothes at Banana Republic." Â That sort of thing. Â It's annoying if you think too hard about it, but it's fairly easy not to think too hard about it because the waitstaff is friendly for the most part. Â At times they are a bit too casual with you and you kind of just want them to shut up so you can talk to the person you came to dinner with. Â Occasionally you may actually find the opposite (i.e., they are uninterested in talking or paying much attention to you at all). Â But for the most part the service is average to above average.
When I say that they are "mostly" chic (i.e., not always) and odd at times, I mean for example, that the place is dirty. Â Not like "gross" dirty or cock-roaches and so forth. Â Nothing that makes you wonder whether it is such a good idea to consume their food. Â More like the last time I was there I sat near the window and there were big fat dust-bunnies staring at me from the sill and various and sundry faux antiques. These weren't the kind of dust bunnies that got there overnight either. Â The heavy silk curtains looked like they hadn't been to the cleaners in about, well, ever. Â Lynchburg has this weird tendency to think "dirty" = "cool", both in terms of its hipsters themselves and the places they spend time. Â I do not share their viewpoint.
On top of that, the place is dungeon like. Â Though you enter at street level, the only eating area (i.e, that real-estate which is not the bar) is sub-street level, and feels like a basement. Â The lighting isn't dim, it's dark. Â And if you had a few too many there then surrounded yourself by the typical bar clientele, you'd definitely feel like you were in the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video by Nirvana.
So, it is odd, and I think, in a way off-putting. Â But not at all unlike what you would experience in a much larger city. Â I have been in places like this in St. Louis and New York and DC, and found it equally off-putting, but much less remarkable because there are 5 places like it on that block. Â Here it really stands out.
Food:
In a normal city: Good
In Lynchburg: Very good!
The last time I was there I had the Lamb Kabobs with Mint Jelly and a side dish that was appropriate (it has been a number of months now and it escapes me what it was - I wouldn't take that to be an indication of whether it was memorable - I left very satisfied). Â For the most part my lamb had the right combination of seared and soft, though I Â hit a chewy point or two if memory serves. Â
Because it has been so long (3-4 months) I don't want to provide more detail for now so that I can be fair. Â I'll update next time I'm there.
My wife has been there 3 times in recent history and has gotten the steamed mussels with coconut milk infused with cliantro and jalapenos. Â She LOVES it. Â LOVES it. Â So much so that it is literally what keeps pulling her back there and suggesting to girlfriends that it should be the destination for the evening when they go out. Â And again, it would be difficult to overstate how unique meals like this are in Lynchburg. Â Just an hour away in Charlottesvile (UVA) you could get these dishes at 5 or 6 spots on the downtown mall, near the corner, or out toward Barracks Road. Â But in Lynchburg, this is a real treat.
I don't want them to change their atmosphere overall, but I wouldn't be offended if they invested in a vacuum. Â We'll keep going faithfully even if they don't. Â :)
Favorite food in Lynchburg. Get the Shrimp Tacos.
Also, the wait staff (specifically Leah and Seth) give the place a unique personality you won't find anywhere else. The only bar in Lynchburg that reminds me of some of my favorite New York City dives. Expert bar-tenders as well. Love this place.
This place used to be my number one spot when I was going to school in Lynchburg and living down town. If you can get a table it's the best place to sit with friends, strike up conversations with strangers, and drink! Definitely one of Lynchburg's hidden gems. Hopefully it keeps it's exclusivity and doesn't turn into a hot spot for obnoxious students.
Review Source:OK beer and wine list, limited menu, and .......ummm......"interesting" atmosphere and wait staff.
Food was pretty good, but the menu is short with more appetizers than entrees. Â The waitstaff were tattooed and pierced cartoon characters contrasted by pictures of classic country artists on the walls. Â Our waiter was attentive, and nice most of the time. Â He said a few things trying to be intentionally inflammatory, but I think it is part of his personality and not really directed at me or my dining partners.
This is not the place for a first date or a business dinner, but if you've been everywhere in Lynchburg and are looking for something different I think you will like eating here.
Pretty disappointing - although it was fairly busy for a Thursday night. Â Chicken Satay was forgetful, and probably a poor choice in hindsight. Â Went with the Cuban Sandwich based on another review, and instantly regretted it. Â The fries were undercooked, but had some potential. Â Definitely does not merit the current rating based on my experience.
Review Source:Ever eager for a new place to check out in the Hill City, my boyfriend and I arrived at Bull Branch on a Thursday evening.
Immediately, we were rather overwhelmed by the incredible amount of Halloween decorations. Everything from spiderwebs and other decorations on the walls down to the candle holders on the table was all Halloween. But, that aside, the atmosphere the place was pretty good. The whole restaurant is rather small and dimly lit, which I liked. It created intimacy. Obviously, this was a weeknight, so it may be different on the weekends.
Our waiter was really friendly and, for the most part, attentive. I'm sure it wasn't his fault, but there were only 2 other groups there (one with 3 people and the other with 2) and it took us over 30 minutes to get our food. I'd hate to see how long it takes when they are busy.
The place has a decent selection of beer and wine. Unfortunately, many of their wine options are restricted to bottles rather than glasses, but I must say, if you like a sweet white wine, their Riesling is amazing.
We ordered the goat cheese panini with fries as an appetizer. It was delicious. I am really picky about fries and theirs were some of the best I've had. Then for our entree, we shared chicken, gouda mashed potatoes and asparagus. The second two items were delicious. The chicken was too dry. Overall, the quality of the food was very good, minus the chicken.
I definitely recommend checking out Bull Branch. It was a good experience. I just wouldn't include it as one of my favorites in Lynchburg.
Fantastic. In town for the first time visiting family and the wife and I were looking for a place to have a nice dinner in town. Solely based on the reviews here we decided to check this place out.
From the starters to the entree and finally, the dessert, every bit was simply fantastic. Not sure why it's marked as $$$ as it was pretty affordable (entree's under $20). The atmosphere is also great as well.
So yea, in case it still isnt obvious at this point, highly recommended.
Someone mentioned "quirky" as a description, I prefer "funky"... in a good way.
The staff is amazing, the food has never disappointed, easily my favorite establishment in all of Lynchburg. That being said I never go when I am on a budget, although with their updated menu it is do-able. Their fish tacos were great. The whole Mexican section of their menu is delightful, delectable, and very affordable. I could go in there with 20 bucks and come out with a slight buzz and a full belly, although you can easily spend much more.
Cool little place, located just off of Main Street downtown. The location is part of the charm, I think, as you'll miss it if you're not paying attention, and it feels kind of exclusive.
We met a group there for drinks and had a great time. A couple of locals were there, and they were welcoming and fun. Great little spot if you're in downtown Lynchburg, and one of the few places we found that was open after 10pm.
I'm not going to lie, Lynchburg doesn't have much to offer but it sure is trying. However, this place definitely sticks out from the norm and is a great spot for good food and drinks. It's been a while since my last visit but the place is good for a romantic date night or just a culinary escape from the massive amount of chain restaurants in the L-burg. If you want something out of the central-va norm, check out Bull Branch.
Review Source:Bull Branch is a gem in the heart of Downtown Lynchburg ! I have been a number of times with my husband for romantic dinners. The ambience in the restaurant after dark adds to the mood. Candles are lit everywhere and the menu is printed on onion skin paper so you have to hold it up to the candle to see it. Kinda cool! As for the food, it's great. Everything is made fresh and displayed on the plate well. I haven't had anything I didn't like there. I highly recommend Bull Branch!
Review Source:When I want to take out of towners to someplace where the atmosphere is a little avante garde, with excellent food and a welcoming smile, I take them to The Bull Branch. Scott, the owner can almost always be seen chatting it up with the patrons or her endeared staff. It is small and dark but a place where artists, writers, poets or just plain folk can sit side by side. Don't be surprised to see people get up and dance if the music strikes them - and by the way, no one bats an eye. The music is pretty darned good in this place. Visiting Lynchburg, give it a try and be prepared there just might be a guy in drag checking your ID. The BB is one of my favorite nightspots in town.
Review Source:Ok, first off, <a href="http://Yelp.com">http://Yelp.com</a>, you've got to correct the address. Â It's 11th St. Â Not 11st St!
I live in LA, so my review might be a bit harsh since we have soooo many cute bars. Â I met an old high school friend for drinks and she suggested the place. Â It's not well marked on the side of an old bank building, but once you find it and get inside, it's totally cute. Â Not good for handicapped people and somewhat smokey, but for us fully able bodied folks, it has a neat layout. Â Good for people watching. Â Lots of tea light candles and mood lighting. Â Somewhat cheap chairs, but after a drink or two, you forget that your butt hurts. Â The review by Mike was on the mark about the service. Â They're friendly and nice, but they don't come around often. Â Most of the time you have to leave your table and go up to the bar. Â My wine was $8 a glass. Â Not a bad price for LA, but I thought it was a touch high for Lynchburg. Â I realize it's probably to keep the rift raft out, but if you're going to charge that kind of money, then can we please have some decent bathroom doors installed? Â One stall in the ladies room had a door that didn't quite meet up with the door jam so it was REALLY hard to shut and have privacy. Â The other stall had a short curtain. Â I mean really folks. Â A 48" Â CURTAIN?! Â Come on. Â You can do better than that with these prices. Â Goodness knows you're not spending the money on waitstaff.
The food can be very good but the BB shines as a top notch place to have a drink and enjoy good music and a diverse hip crowd. Â The owner welcomes regulars with a hearty hug and enthusiasm as if you were coming to a party at her place--which you basically are after 9pm. Â Sometimes people even dance between the tables. Â Hippest spot in the Burg.
Review Source:With one of the more interesting dining spaces and kitchens in Lynchburg, "quirky" is a good word to describe this restaurant. Â A pierced, tattooed and t-shirt clad waitstaff greets diners with "How's it going?" while the menu boasts creative $25-plus entrees. Â At times the music volume impedes the ability to hear ones dining companions. Â And it's so dimly lit that one risks setting the vellum menus on fire against the votive candles in order to read them. Â Speaking of the menus, based upon the stains and curled edges found during a recent visit, it's time to print up a new batch...
And don't even think about coming in for a quick meal - even with the tapas, the tiny kitchen and wait staff move slooooow.
When the restaurant is "on", the quirkiness of Bull Branch morphs into charming. Â Should Seth be waiting tables, you'll be tempted to ask him not only to order for you but to join your table as a dining companion. Â Mussels, steamed in a broth of Thai curry, coconut milk and jalapenos, is to die for - be sure to order more bread to sop up every drop! Â Hummus is creamy and tart. Â Fish entrees have been sublime. Â And the adept bar, a beer list that includes even PBR, and wine selection (although Bull Branch, like so many restaurants, lacks proper storage to serve wine at optimal drinking temperatures) nicely compliments the menu. Â
Other times, however, the quirkiness becomes disappointment, and one wonders why Bull Branch fails to match the promise of its menu and prices. Â On a recent visit, the kitchen was out of those heavenly mussels. Â Soft shell crabs did not taste fresh. Â My dining companion was served five minutes after my food arrived. Â Bread had to be requested. Â
Despite its quirkiness and occasional misses, those shining moments give good reason to come back - with fingers crossed...
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