The Better Butcher Shop

Review: A bearded man drove into our cul-de-sac in Contra Costa County, in a white pickup truck with a little freezer in the bed, with a story about being from the Butcher Shop and what great meat they sell, and that an order had gone awry so he had to sell off the meat in his freezer before returning to Sacramento.

He sang the praises of their grass fed/corn finished beef, showed me boxes of all sort of cuts of meat and offered to give me all he had (5 boxes each containing a different cut like T-bone, filet, NY strip) for $400. He assured me it's choice grade.

After a lot of talking about how reputable the company is (he had run out of price lists so I had no address or phone number and we were outside), how a neighbor (he mentioned by name) had bought from him, how long they've been in business, I finally agreed to give him $50 for 6 frozen, shrink-wrapped "filet mignon" steaks.

These are not only NOT "choice" grade, they're not even filet mignon of ANY grade. There's a thick rope of gristle through the one we did try, and the meat was tough and chewy like a piece of chuck or bottom round. It also left a bad aftertaste in our mouths even though we only used salt and pepper on it. It was a terrible cut of poor quality meat.

We tried to call the phone number several times but it's not a phone, it's a fax. We want our money back. We have the license plate number of the truck but the man never gave his name.Desired Settlement: We want a full refund.

If that means they'll require us to return the "steak" we'll do so gladly - if they come pick it up.