The Smiling Bison

We enjoyed the bison burger a lot. The drinks were also well-​made, and the service was excellent. It is slightly on the pricey side, but for local and a lot of organic ingredients, I think it is worth the trip.

Smiling Bison has a lot of delicious food and drinks packed into a cozy building. The restaurant is off the beaten path, but it has a lot to offer. Artisanally crafted cocktails are worth the wait and the food is foodie heaven. After living in San Francisco for 7 years, I became a total and complete foodie. I think this is the case if one lives in San Francisco for even a year.
The atmosphere is odd at times: when there was live music there was a different music playing in the back area out of speakers. The restaurant isn’t that big so it was jostling to say the least. Other than that I enjoy the laid-​back vibe Smiling Bison is throwing down.
My first experience was amazing. It was a Tuesday. My husband stumbled across it so we went to check it out. We ate our hearts out. I had a drink there that was to die for (I don’t think they have it on the menu any more) called Japanese Aviation. The place was perfect for having quiet conversations over dinner. To us it was strange that there were barely any customers that day. It was like finding a diamond in the rough.
Our second experience however was an entirely different story. I’ve had only one bad visit out of five so far, but it was really poor. It was a Friday night. To be frank, I expect that a restaurant is on point on weekends. I took my mom here which made the experience worse, as she was visiting from the West Coast and I like to impress my family with great food. We had some kind of beef that looked like it came from a cat food can, and I had a drink that tasted like bile which I sent back. We sat next to the stage and the music was far too loud to have a conversation. Needless to say it was a very poor experience and I almost didn’t come back. Almost.
It took me a while to want to go again, but I did. I went back for once for brunch, which is wonderful, and two other times for dinner. Once was with my husbands parents who were visiting from the Midwest and they raved about it afterwards.
Smiling Bison has the potential to be a great restaurant in many ways, but there is a serious need for consistency. If the weekday food is better than the packed weekends, that’s a poor business model. I am one of those people that will give benefit of the doubt, but there are many who have the one bad experience and never come back. Hopefully it was only the one time.

Enjoyed a few bites with my friend. Steak frites with chimichurri and the boy had a kielbasa. It was a good meal, And the portions are fair. I was a little bummed that the poutine had screaming hot gravy and ice cold curds. I had been before and it was all warm and comforting. Salt and pepper on the table would have been convenient.
The food is delicious but will not become a go to for us for two reasons. It’s a bit over priced. If you’re going to charge $ 15 for a homemade kielbasa on toast, you should throw in something besides French fries to make it special. I understand that they make their foods from scratch and prep is expensive. But still.
Though the ginger gimlet was refreshing as a cordial, the real deal would have packed a much nicer punch. They have a beer and wine license but no liquor. The red wine list is lacking. An array of $ 8 – 12 wines that can be purchased at ABC for the price of a glass, I was tempted to choose any of them. So I suggest ordering beer, it won’t break the bank and you know what you’re getting.
It sounds like I didn’t like it, not true, my steak was savory and tender and the kielbasa disappeared in minutes. It’s a funky, fun addition to the neighborhood and the service is great. Pretty sure they have live music at certain times during the week, that might be fun to catch.

Absolutely amazing! The atmosphere is perfect, the music is great, the service is fantastic, and the food is unique and delicious! The drink menu is fun! Weekly deals and live music some nights too! The prices are worth the flavor and experience! Give this place a try for sure! Exclamation points!!!

Their poutine is more like a loose interpretation of the actual dish. The cheese curds were just broken cheese clumps and the gravy looked like it belonged on a biscuit at breakfast. We won’t be returning.

This is the classic surprise! Not sure what you’re going to find inside, the staff is wonderful, beer selection excellent, and the food was the reason I Unilocal Gastropub.
A hidden treasure!

MInoI’mWe have been here on a few occasions and keep coming back the quality of the food is superior we love the Bison burgers their menu is ever-​changing to meet what is fresh. Perfect portions great food easy atmosphere

My friends and I had brunch this past Sunday here and were completely blown away by the food. My friends ordered the burgers, which was served on garlic bread. Brilliant! They were juicy and cooked perfectly.
I had the shrimp and grits. They were off the hook! I’m from Louisiana and I felt like I was home.
Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

This place is worth the hype.
The service was excellent, the place has this authentic relaxed feel to it and the food was amazing. The prices were decent ($ 11 – 30) for the quality of the organic tasty food. Everything is made in house, even the ketchup. This is the best meal I have had in a long time.
This place, for being as awesome as it is, is in a random location. It’s off busy E Colonial right by Taco Bell and some random homes; it shares a parking lot with a dry cleaner. From the outside, it seems like a nondescript mom and pop joint that will be boring but yeah, its so not.
I went on a Wednesday at 7 and there was no wait. Actually, it was sparse but after 30 minutes, it filled up pretty good.
The place itself wasnt large; 50 people could fit inside and 20 outside. They have an indoor space, which is the bulk of the restaurant, with all dark wooden walls and this «I-​live-​in-​the-​woods» feeling. They have a bar area for those who want to drink so people could meet here for drinks as much as they could for food; they have a large selection of beers, organic, rotating and eclectic. There is jazz art on the walls and they play jazz on a small stage admist the tables on Monday nights; music the other nights is sporadic and posted on Facebook. The outdoor space is a long bar row against the traffic coming off of E Colonial which is probably pretty dead later at night. Then they have probably five tables with lights strewn above both. The weather was really nice tonight and people had started to sit outside.
Our waitress checked on us, was knowledgable and social; great service. As we left, everyone who walked by us said goodbye. So, great service.
We got the bison burger and the duck pizza. The bison burger was my favorite thing on Earth and I am picky. It was perfectly cooked and, I’ve never had a bison burger before, just tasted like a really great burger. They served it on perfectly crisp Texas Toast with some type of sauce that was unique. Whatever spice was on it I enjoyed. So, that was a home run. The fries were thin and I wasnt super impressed with them and the mushroom ketchup sauce was good as well. The duck pizza was pretty good, as well as the watermelon salad which had a little kick to it. To me the star was the bison burger.

We came here on Sunday for brunch, they had great live music on the inside and the menu changes weekly so ingredients are always fresh and seasonal. We decided on the brunch dog and poutine to share. Both were delicious and perfect portion sizes.
The brunch dog on French toast bun was a good sweet and salty combination. Sausage was very flavorful and well made. My only complaint was that I wish there was more of the sour cherries and onions on top! The poutine was also awesome. Gravy had great flavor depth, potato skins were crispy and cheese curds were creamy offering up a perfect flavor combination.
The servers and hostess were all very friendly and I would definitely recommend coming when they have the live band playing!

After hearing great things, finally finally came here for dinner. Started with a Cherry Bitter Fizz, which was yummy. Our waitress informed us that they don’t have a liquor license, so their cocktails are made more with liquers. Then, we had the Smiling Bison burger and the Seminole Pride Short Rib. Both were very good. I like that they have plenty of outside seating. But, parking is limited.

I came here last week with my boyfriend and we absolutely loved it! We had the Charred Brocollini Salad to start, which was served warm with pear, pomegranate, parmesan, and a caramelized honey vinaigrette. It was a perfect starter to share before our Smiling Bison Burgers!
I’m not a big burger or red meat person, but man was this burger something. We each opted to add a fried lake meadow farm egg on top of the 6 oz. natural bison, garlic aioli, mozzarella, mushroom ketchup, house bacon, and texas toast. The mushroom ketchup was so unexpectedly amazing– I wish I could buy a bottle of it to take home! All in all a great experience. Will be back for $ 10 Bison Burger Wednesday’s!

The food is great! I had the bison burger which was the best burger I had in Orlando. Go on a Tuesday night for the live jazz. Staff is friendly and josh the owner is awesome. Cool artwork and one of a kind atmosphere. This has became one of my go to spots. If you like craft beers this is the place for you. They also offer many different drink options.

Ribeye good and so was the cookies and custard. We had poutine but it was more okay not great. Fries were awesome. Brussels were fantastic could have done without grapefruit. No liquor here so if you are a wino, you’ll do just fine. Quail was a delightful treat. Had to have a french press coffee to wake me up after all that food.

The Brussels Sprouts were the best I’ve ever had. Nicely fried and topped with fresh parmesan, I. House cured bacon and grapefruit (sounds weird but trust me, it works).
I had the bison burger for dinner and it did not disappoint. Topped the meal off with cookies and milk for dessert. All were delicious.

You know a lot of places get a lot of hype, seem very new and shiny on the outside, and then offer a huge serving of disappointment on the inside? Not this place!
It begins as a verrrrry unassuming building. Think, cozy dive bar in Montana. (I have never been to Montana but this is what I picture!) You would never expect the kind of sophisticated, delicious, and consistent food that you will find inside (and, to me, this makes it all the more amazing!)
Tonight I made my second visit and went with the burger– outstanding. perhaps my favorite burger in Orlando (there! I said it!). I finished with the cookies and milk.
They are casual, delicious, well-​priced, friendly, and, for those interested, the kind of place you can bring your kids, get your drink on, and all without catching a side eye. :-D

I’m so happy I found this place! Wonderful food, great drinks, cozy/​homey atmosphere, friendly waiters and even the live music was good (usually I’m not a fan). We got poutine (a must!) which comes on thick fries and gravy (I’m drooling thinking about it 3 days later), the shrimp roll (like a lobster roll but with shrimp), and the bison burger. I loved the bison burger (with an egg on top of course) and my boyfriend loved the shrimp roll — we both loved the poutine. I could go on forever but let me just say that I will be back very soon.
And don’t let the rave reviews fool you into thinking that this is a hoity-​toity jam-​packed restaurant. We went Thursday night and it was pretty quiet with a nice down-​to-​earth feel. Like it was just us and the regulars. 5 stars all around!

What an amazing first stop for dinner in Sanford after a week in Fort Lauderdale.
My dinner guests recommended the handmade margarita with essence of jalapeño and am I glad I did. It is the best one I’ve had all year.
For our appetizer, I had their version of Canada’s national dish, pontine. While not the best I’ve had as I’m partial to Wisconsin Cheese Curbs, the savory and rich mushroom gravy had us all remarking we’d lick the bowl if it was socially acceptable.
My main dish was something truly remarkable and an entrée I whole heartedly recommend: the bison short rib — a formed meat dish served on a bed of mashed potatoes with root veggies like baby radishes and carrots.
I left the restaurant not full to the point of being miserable but very happy because the food is right-​sized in portions.
I’ll be back to Sanford and this place will definitely be at the top of my list of places to return.

Smiling Bison is my go-​to spot. They have a wonderful list of rotating beers, something new on the menu every week, live music on the weekends, one of the best freakin’ burgers in Orlando, and an amazing brunch. I’m actually surprised I have no written a review for this place since I’m always there. I’ll split this up to make it easier to skim:
Service: Amazing! They’re all super nice, they know the menu and will tell you what they think of each item on the menu. They’re very timely and I’ve never had to wait for them to drop by for a refill, even when sitting outside.
Food: It probably doesn’t need to be said anymore. The Bison Burger! Get it medium-​rare. If you get fries, ask for their ketchups (I love the mushroom ketchup!) or opt for the watermelon salad for a fine mix of salt & sweet between the burger. It’s perfectly sized and if you can pair it with the right beer (light/​crisp, imo), will make for a perfect dinner. The duck pizza was more than enough for me. I recommend it as an additional entrée to share with your party. The poutine here is good, but I’m honestly not a fan of the gravy they use. I can go on here, but the truth is I have never been unhappy with the difference dishes I’ve had here.
Location: They’re located just outside of Baldwin Park, which makes it a good stop for dinner on the way home or downtown. If you arrive a little later at night you might have issues with parking but I’ve never had to wait to park. You can also park on the streets but be cautious about the tight spaces just so nobody will run into your car.
Price: Although some of the offerings are about $ 10, expect to spend $ 20 – 25. You really can’t NOT try some of their other dishes. Also I’m not sure what days their specials run but on Wednesday and Fridays after 10PM (!) you can get $ 10 bison burgers and 50c wings. So if you’ve been meaning to try them, it’s a good time to do so.
In short, I love this place!

I heard so much about this place, how great the food is and how great it is overall. I had to take one star away from them not because of the food but because our waitress dropped some plates on our table and somehow i ended up getting my shirt splashed with ketchup.
This was my first time at the Smiling Bison and I took my dad there since he was visiting. If you plan on eating at this restaurant, my advice would be to make a reservation ahead of time because it is a small establishment and it gets busy.
I was in the mood for a burger so I ordered The Smiling Bison Burger. This was my first time trying bison meat and it was very tasty. It came with a side of seasoned fries and those were also delicious. I heard they have an amazing brunch also on weekend which I am looking forward to trying one day.
The service was OK. Our waitress was attentive, took the time to explain the different food options, the wine list etc. The only thing that didn’t go so well was when she was clearing our table and she dropped some plates which sent ketchup flying on my shirt. However I will say this, she did apologize and gave us a 15% discount which she said should be enough to cover the dry cleaning. I honestly would have preferred a free meal (we were a party of 3 and our total bill was over $ 50) but I guess it’s better than nothing.
In conclusion, this is a nice restaurant, the food is good and I will go back despite my first not so impressive experience.

I’m not sure where to start.
Usually, when I see gastropub, I cringe, it’s not the food, it’s the hipster that usually infest gastropubs but, I digress.
I wasn’t sure we were in the right place until I saw a smiling bison on the side of the wall. The food was amazing right out of the gate. The Chorizo Scotch eggs are amazing. We had a hard time choosing between these and the poutine (there will be a next time and we’ll try the poutine).
I got the 10 oz Colorado Bison Ribeye, because the place is called, The Smiling Bison (you don’t go to a steakhouse and get a salad). This is the first time I had bison, and I was blown away. If not the best steak that I’ve ever had, definitely top 3. It comes with chimichurri butter on top and some steak fries.
It was a bit on the expensive side, but worth the price. I am glade this isn’t closer to UCF because, I would live here.

This place has been on my list of places to try and with magical dining month going on it was perfect timing. We chose to go on a Wednesday right after work and it was not very busy and got served pretty fast. The place has a stage and has a nice rustic feel to the place. They have an amazing long bar as part of the patio that would be great when it gets cooler out.
We did the magical dining menu for only $ 33. Going with a co-​worker of mine, we decided to choose different appetizers and desserts to share. We ordered the scotch egged which were good, but the poutine was delicious and I would definitely get that again. The the entrees I got the beef brisket ragu which was flavorful but wasn’t very warm temperature wise. My co-​worker got the duck which she enjoyed. For dessert, the banana pudding tiramisu was good and the brownie was as wel but the best part was definitely the chocolate ice cream on the brownie.
The smiling bison only does beer and wine which I wasn’t expecting.

I really wanted to REALLY like this place. I went here without reservations a few fridays ago and was turned away by a two hour wait, so with that in mind and the plethora of good reviews on Unilocal,I decided to make reservations to have dinner there tonight.
It was underwhelming… The service was seriously lacking, our waitress was nice but inattentive and they weren’t all that busy to take so long to get the stages of service in a timely fashion. The food was good, but it wasn’t anything worth raving out IMO. We started with the poutine which was fine but was honestly under salted (coming from a person who isn’t a big fan of anything salty, but french fries need a bit). I had the Duck Pizza which had good flavor but was a little burnt and just not out of this world amazing. My friend had a pulled pork sandwich which she enjoyed and my girlfriend enjoyed her pappardelle ragu but said it wasn’t what she expected. Overall, I think we were all okay with our experience but I wouldn’t rush back to this place again anytime soon. Kind of a bummer since it’s near my house and I like the eclectic, chill vibe of it.

I went to the Smiling Bison at around 9pm for a super late dinner after some bar hopping downtown.
Everything was phenomenal. First of all, the atmosphere is great. All the employees were super nice and welcoming. Great vibes!
We began with the spicy fried cheese curds and chorizo tacos for appetizer. Both of which were incredible. A pretty good amount of food for appetizer. Then we split the smiling bison burger which was actually the best burger I’ve ever had. I didn’t have to smother it in ketchup or any sauce and it was cooked perfectly.
I’m definitely going back to try the brunch!