Marin Sun Farms Butcher Shop - Oakland, California

Jeremy F.

I'm not sure why the reviews are so bad. We got a 1/4 cow, and it was AMAZING. I'm waiting now for some pork that they are cutting for me. Great customer service. Highly recommend.

Diane B.

Camille did a splendid job obtaining and preparing the porchetta, which is the centerpiece of our annual holiday party. Many thanks!

Cece K.

I’ve picked up meat here a few times when it was a convenient stop. There are options you can’t find at, say, Whole Foods, but the retail experience is disappointing. Think of the prices as Prada, but the shopping experience is Walmart or worse. Twice I got the wrong cut of meat (one beef, one pork); I overheard the butchers to the side making racist jokes on one occasion; I’ve witnessed the man behind the counter who was referred to as the manager by one of the other staff being creepy and swarmy with customers. It was all uncomfortable to overhear. I will not be going back.

Marcel K.

The rabbit/duck sausage I had tonight was about as salty as seawater. Do they taste what they sell? The prices signal "very upscale", I wish the merchandise would catch up with it. Fifth Quarter in Montclair is in the same price bracket but noticeably higher quality, esp. the beef.

Their beef stock was also the worst I ever tasted. Very thin and no meat flavor at all, and that for $12 for less than a quart. I ended up tossing it out instead of adulterating the dish.

Francis S.

Dishonest business and bad service. We bought bone-in steak supposed to be $21.99/lbs but were instead charged $25.99/lbs boneless price. We didn't want to go back to get payment corrected because the staff was giving weird look and vibe and we didn't want to interact with him anymore.

Ezequiel C.

I tried the lamb and beef from this butcher shop and you can actually tell the quality of this meat is well beyond what you can find in other places. More than that, the service was amazing. I went there to buy a whole bone-in lamb leg, plus about 20lbs worth of short-ribs. The service was amazing, they cut the ribs for me in the moment, and clean the leg too. Going there was an hour drive from home, but they'll have me visiting there again.

P. I.

Great selection of stellar meats, and I found Zachary, the person running the store this afternoon, knowledgeable and helpful in my selections. For people used to mass-manufactured beef, the flavors of grass fed regional beef may come as a surprise. (Completely different animal, no pun intended) For me it was a delicious one. The ribeyes are to die for, and the one time I caught a tough steak, (happens to anyone who eats a lot of meat or has a large family that does, like I do) they immediately replaced the steak without question, and were super friendly about it.
Cook's tip: Get the short rib patty or the bacon-short rib patty when available. They make a mouth-watering burger.
I highly recommend this place.
Also to the people critical of them here, give them a chance to make it right! They will. And, they own the LAST USDA inspected slaughterhouse in the San Francisco Bay Area. Between having my beef frozen or shipped out from 1000 miles away or more, I prefer to get mine regionally with a family owned farm, even if it does cost a little more sometimes.
It's worth it.
Pictured: Recently Purchased and Gorgeous ribeye from Marin Sun Farms
P.I.

Max Y.

The best butcher shop I've ever been to. Grass-fed/pasture-raised everything (beef, pork, lamb, chicken, eggs, organs, tallow, lard, etc) at the best prices you’ll find anywhere. Perfect for a health-focused person like me. I’ve never shopping anywhere else for meat as long as I’m living here.