I went to SLO to visit my friends, they told me about Bull's Tavern, they said it was a "must go".
I'm not really into bars, but what the heck.
This place was extremely crowded!!! Lots of skimpy looking girls, of course. Drinks were... crap.
Jason H mentioned in his review "...the people who gave 1, 2, or 3 stars probably complained about the smell, the bathrooms and the atmosphere. What did you expect? It's a dive bar!" Let me tell you, sir. There is a difference between it being a dive bar and it being completely unhygienic and disgusting. It's obvious no one cleans this place.
After waiting 10 minutes in this empty bar, I received probably the worst bartending experience in my life. The backwards hat-wearing a-hole all but threw my tab at me, without even looking at my face. I don't know what crawled yo his butt and died, but that's no way to treat a human being, no matter how awesome you think you or your terrible bar is.
Review Source:Are you serious? Every since they succumbed to the need to "spruce up" the place, it's just shiny with the same dirt bag atmosphere. I remember this being a dirty cowboy bar, to get your drinks at the very end of the night. Now it turned all, well, ugh. Don't get me wrong, I still go there from time to time, but it's not the same. They did this SLO rite of passage wrong. The bartenders are great, but the crowd sucks. I guess I'll just have to remember it off my photos and memories.
Review Source:Let me guess, the people who gave 1, 2, or 3 stars probably complained about the smell, the bathrooms and the atmosphere. What did you expect? It's a dive bar! When it was in its old location, it was even worse, and I loved it! It's like complaining you got wet when you jumped in the pool.
I've been a regular at bulls for 7-8 years now. People who know me, know Weds nights, I'm at bulls. If its my birthday, I'm at bulls. If I'm celebrating, I'm at bulls. If it's a weekend, I'm no where near bulls! The place is out of control on weekends!
On an off night, when there's only a handful of people in there, it's everything I want. The jukebox has thousands of songs, the bartenders are nice (shout out to Vanessa who's been my bartender for 5+ years), the drinks are well priced and most importantly, the drinks are strong!
What other bar can you go to where they'll let girls get up on the bar, let you play flip cup on a table or even let you puke and rally?!
The only downside is that it does get packed, but I avoid those nights at all costs.
Bulls, it's my own version of Cheers.
I'd tell you more reasons about why it's so awesome, but I want people to stay away. :)
This place is a complete joke. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Our bartender was a complete asshole and harrassed our whole group. We weren't a bunch of young partying kids going out being loud, we are adults, PAYING customers going out for a friends birthday trying to have a good time in between our busy hectic schedules and this lousy bartender ended up calling everyone in our group names, even using the term slut several times.
I was, and am still, completely and absolutely astonished that this happened. Completely uncalled for.
This establishment needs to train their employees how to conduct themselves in the service industry or else learn to terminate weak links in the system, such as this poor bartender with a poor attitude.
I am in absolute disbelief still and cannot believe this even happened. I am also extremely disappointed that we tipped that lousy bartender.
Pro: Strong drinks.
Con: Angry drunks, low floor space, jersey shore wannabes.
This a rite of passage bar for SLO. This is the bar for college kids to be a dbag or whore for the nite. The staff are pretty chill, the service is pretty good, but seriously, what is with the pyschos that fights ALL THE TIME outside of Bull's??
Went here because it was labeled as a dive bar by many yelp reviewers. Â I like dive bars and am used to dives in the LA/LB area. Â If you're a dive bar fan this is not the place for you. Â If you like poorly decorated (bland, no thought put into it) and poorly lit (too much light!) bars with immature younger crowds (I have no problem with younger crowds, most bars I hang out with are frequented by college kids, it's the attitude that bugs me, the people here acted like frat kids - not my scene, hell, there was almost a fight while we were there), weak drinks served in the wrong glasses and poor service, then by all means come on down. Â Otherwise, avoid at all costs.
Review Source:Bulls gets only 3 stars because I don't like that they tried to clean the place up! Â For those that left crappy reviews, it's because they didn't attend Cal Poly or they didn't enjoy the downtown nightlife. Â Bull's WAS the place to go...and we even got to have a tile on the ceiling...which made it even cooler. Â Yes, it was gross. Â Yes, it was crowded. Â Yes, you never peed there for safety reasons. Â But...it was part of the college experience. Â Down to the Bull Sweat on your 21st.
I don't think I'll go into the "new" Bulls but I AM glad I was able to get my tile back! Â It's now hanging in my garage, and I can think of my time spend at Bull's fondly.
This is/was a dive bar that serves cheap drinks and is heavy on history. Â The drinks are always strong and if you are cool to the staff they will be cool to you. Â Bull's has always attracted the professional drinkers in town. Â For many years Bulls has sold more rumple mintz than any other bar on the West Coast. Â This is because this is what the Pros drink. Â This is a place for people who want a solid drink at a moderate price. Â I still miss the old bulls. Â This place used to be 5 stars because you could have a great time on 10 bucks. Â Those days are long gone and have turned into ASH now...
Review Source:I used to stay away from Bull's like it was no ones business. Used to straight up walk on the other side of the street to avoid the Eau De Vomit that wafts from the front door, even if my feet hurt.
Thanks to the remodel it is cleaner and that Eau De Vomit is a little bit less smelly. Yes you can still smell it. Stop complaining and hold your breath.
Old bulls was nast. Straight up nast. There is a reason bar's keep there lights low, so a patron doesn't have to see the other scary people in there and see how nasty the bar is.
New bulls: pretty. Girls still get up and dance on the bar. They still play hokey music and you can still see your friends, but it has definitely gone up in cleanliness. I did use the bathroom, I don't really remember it, but I don't remember being totally grossed out by it- that is a good sign.
They have pretty cheap drinks. But stay away from the bull sweat. Horror stories man. Horror stories.
Stood in line for 5-7 minutes to get into a stampede of SLO guys and dolls. I quickly made my way to the front and was warmly greeted by some old surf bums/bartenders who served us immediately. Don't bother talking here...you can't hear anything. Max time needed to be spent here: 1 drink and 1 shot or 28 minutes...whatever comes first.
Review Source:Thank you Bulls for being a steamy hot mess. Â Nothing is left to the imagination here: hot, sweaty, stinky, and straight up filthy--all great aspects for the perfect dive!
With all the kitschy-ness of SLO, it's great to take a deep breath and smell the fresh urine seeping from the restrooms. Â Forget the ambiance and the class because there is not enough bling in the world to spark a shine in this coal mine--this gem of dive bars. Â
$2 PBR and a showcase of freaks, creeps, and pervs--I am definitely coming back.
DISCLAIMER: I have not been to the new Bull's.
But you can bet your arse I've spent many a nights in the old one. Filthy. Smelly. Dark. Graffiti on the wall. And I wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, I actually cut my arm walking out of the bathroom on something poking out of a wall one time and had to contemplate getting a tetanus shot.
Yes, Bull's is THAT bar. My out of town friends don't get it, but that's ok. I agree with the poster who said you almost have to be a Poly student/alum or one of the creepy old dudes to really appreciate the beauty that is Bull's.
Traditional, not Trendy. And Fabulous.
This is the WORSE bar in downtown San Luis Obispo, and as of this post the WORSE bar I've been to.
As you walk into this place the first thing you'll usually notice is the overwhelming stench of urine due to a plumbing problem. I'm not kidding either - look at the other reviews. You don't get use to that stench and it does not put you in the mood to enjoy the night. Most of the people I know refuse to go here because of it. If somehow you get over the stench, the crowd is generally no better. Immature drunks roam the inside looking as if they are about to puke on you.
The only reason I'll go back is to show people how bad this place is. The reviews on this place are higher then they should be.
This place isn't a bar that you really want to pick as your hang out spot (unless you just know the crowd there or something) but it has it's own unique twist with the cowboy theme. Â Don't worry, you actually won't find many cowboys in there on a busy night or that much memorabilia.
I used to come here with my Bull's mug on Wednesdays (their pint night) after hitting up wing night at Downtown Brew with my friends. Â We'd get cheap beers and play flip cup the rest of the evening away. Â It used to be really smelly and sticky, but they've done some renovations in the past year so it's nicer now and I have to get used to the new doorway on a different side of the room. Â I assume that they still let you play flip cup on their tables.
I've never had a bullsweat, but we take all our 21st birthday kids out here and are nice enough to bring them to Bull's last when they can't taste as much anymore. Â We've had a few people throw up in the trash cans right after their bullsweat though and nobody I know has ever actually 'enjoyed' taking it. Â It's one of those drinks you do under peer pressure (and free-ness) and all your friends get a kick out of it.
The new Bull's is a much prettier place than it used to be, and offers more space to hang out for more people. However, pretty is not a term that should be used to describe BUll's because its definitely a dirty ass bar, but its an awesome bar and a must if visiting San Luis Obispo. Its a great atmosphere with good prices on drinks. People come to this bar to get trashed, and they always accomplish that goal. The bartenders and bouncers are all awesome people and nice as hell. Just don't piss them.
Review Source:I hate Bull's.
This is the watering hole for the hicks in SLO. It always smells like piss, unless you get lucky and come on a night when the vomit odor overpowers that of the urine. The jukebox is just tired - unless you like only listening to def leppard and country. I would only ever tell anyone to go here to torment a friend with a bullsweat on their 21st, otherwise avoid it like the plague.
And unless they finally automated their registers and magically grew a patio within the last few months, Bull's is cash only and smoking is only allowed out front in the street.
So my friends brought me here for my first "BULLS SWEAT" shot. I did not know what I got myself into, however the shot was disgusting and my mouth was burning of Tabasco sauce.
This is fun to bring your first time friends to "pop their cherry" into Downtown SLO before hitting up the other bars unless you want to stay and enjoy the music and company of people in cowboy boots and hats (reminds me of NORCO, CA).
Another five star SLOTown place! I love this town, the standards are so low, piss and puke wafting from the seldom cleaned heads do not discourage those to waller in tackiness of this dive bar.
Drive Bar Rating ***** ***** (see SLO Drive Bar List)
Drive Bar Rating Factors: (1 * for each)
Small *, dark *, seedy characters on bar stools *, windows and floors could use a wipe *, good drinks *, smart ass folks on both sides of the bar, locals hang out *, clandestine meetings * in the far corners of the lounge or the bathrooms, extra points for smell **, tacky design and poor service *.
The only two ** rating for smell, most like urine on the CC!
Why oh why????
This place is completely disgusting, I don't think a single things aside from the glasses (I hope) has been washed since this place was built. The jukebox offers nothing special, leaving you hearing the same junk you've heard over and over, time and time again. In all, I don't think I've had a positive experience at Bulls, which allways baffles me when friends want to keep coming back.
This is NOT a dive bar. It's in the middle of downtown, it's crowded, and certainly not cheap..... which really just makes it a dirty bar.
Dive bar? check
Sticky floor? check
Cheap beer? check
Wasted Cal Poly students? check check
Great juke box? check
Nasty bathrooms replete with grafitti'd walls? check
Drunk girls dancing on the bar? check
I think you might need to be a student (or alum) to truly enjoy the beauty that is Bull's Tavern. Â If you're a die hard, ask for the Bull Sweat... *chuckle.*
Reading the negative reviews about Bull's infuriates me to the point of wanting to do the 'ol computer throw, but, I as count to ten (per my therapist's advice) the white anger begins to fade and I realize that not everyone has had the opportunity to truly embrace exactly what it is the Bull's Tavern has to offer. Bull's is a unique place that may not palatable to those who are used to the more freeze-dried, cookie-cutter bar's that are popping up on every corner like Starbuck's. Yes, it's true that Bull's may be a little rough around the edges, but that is what makes it beautiful. "Traditional Not Trendy," Bull's is one of the last few of a dying breed.
Review Source:It's a bar. Â Nothing more, nothing less, but this is why I like it. Â Simply put, the bartenders make stiff drinks and there's plenty of cheap bear. Â I graduated from Poly awhile ago, but when I'm back in town this is where I go. To add to the ambience, the bathroom is completely covered in graffiti. Â If you look hard enought, you might just find my name.
Review Source:What can I say, but... 'BULLS!!!' Â It's a SLO institution. Â Likely only the daytime and Sunday drunks or the Poly students having that last-drink-you'll-wish-you-never-had will appreciate the splendor of the Dixie cup of piss-poor beer or the sticky floor or the, well... just never go in the daylight... you'll be shocked and appalled at how comfortable you were the night before in such a rat-hole. Â But, if you fall into one of the two afore mentioned demographics or the additional Poly/Bulls Alumni category, you can't miss the tradition of... Â BULLS! Â
P.S. Â Alumni, they have a few 'premium' bottled beers for our more discerning palates.
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