Nice little place with very limited hours and cash/checks only. If you want to splurge and get a ton of meat, arrive early and bring a cooler. It gets busy sometimes. They fresh, ground, and frozen meats. Service isn't the fastest, but friendly. Meat is served up by UCD animal science students. read more

See all

Came here and got the bacon, it's very tasty and thick cut and not a bad price at all. The guy working the counter was great too, the interior is clean and organized well. read more

UC Davis Meat Lab - bacon - Meat Shops Near Me - Davis, California

See all

High quality meat - wish I took the course during my time at UCD. Great group of people and also enjoy the meat. read more

Here I am updating my review! I made meatloaf with the hamburger that I purchased and it turned out great! Also, purchased ground pork and made mapo tofu! read more

We were looking for an outing and we found this. They are strict on their hours, so we spent time outside visiting the Budweiser Clydesdales. It really made our day. Back to the meat lab. As soon as the clock struck two, the students swarmed the lab. The meat is that good. We had the chuck roast for dinner. It was very tasty. We still need to eat our ground beef. We'd go again in a heart beat. My husband thought with the name meat lab, they were growing meat. read more

See all

They had ribs, sausage, quail eggs all at a reasonable price. Pork is awesome! Sausages are available too

Great product. Very nice workers! A great opportunity for local residents to shop. Parking in back is great.

Wow! Very impressed with the Filet Mignon Sous Vide at 130, seared one minute each side, delicious and tender. Nice friendly service read more

I grew up in Davis, went away to college and never returned, but I did move back to the Bay Area two decades ago, and my mom is still a local. I never cared about the source of my food until I had kids later in life. Once I switched to organic for my precious little punkins, my mom mentioned the meat lab after she saw an article in the local newspaper. I eventually got around to trying it out, and holy crap, there is a tasteable difference in non-factory farmed meat! Yes, you can find cheaper meat shopping the sales at Safeway or whatever your local grocery is. Yes, their hours are very limited. And for me, yes, getting there is an over 100 mile round trip drive and a total pain in the ass. I try to schedule my visits to my mother on Thursdays and Fridays, and I am that annoying customer who hoards 3-4 months worth of meat when I go. My precious little punkins are now in college (couldn't get into UCD, lol) but are way smarter than either one of their parents. While I'd like to attribute that to superior parenting (especially on their maternal side), I'm willing to give the superior meats they were fed during their formative years a smidge of credit. Try it - you and your family may get smarter as a result. read more

A neighbor mentioned that she sometimes goes to the meat lab and offered to take me on her next visit. I'm glad she took me because I would not have found it on my own. There was a signboard on La Rue Road announcing the meat lab was open. They are currently open only on Thursdays and Fridays from 2-4 p.m. Since most of the students are gone for the summer we were able to park right in front. The entrance is around the side of the building, through a heavy metal door. Inside were a couple of refrigerated cases and a freezer case. There were a couple other customers there at the same time so one has to wait to look in the cases and open the doors to remove the items. The items are sealed in plastic of various weights. In the refrigerated section there were plain and marinated tri-tip roasts, filet mignon steaks, thin flat iron steaks (two small pieces per package), chicken thighs in assorted marinades and quail eggs. I think there were also ribs of some sort. In the freezer was ground lamb and pork in packages of various weights, all less than a pound. Payment is by cash or check only. When I went to pay, one of the staff there noticed that my frozen ground lamb had signs of freezer burn so he got rid of it and brought me a fresher package. Prices when we came on July 21, 2023, seemed to be on the high side ($11.85 per pound for the frozen ground lamb and $13.50 per pound for the fresh flat iron, however I just check Safeway online and their flat iron is $14.99 per pound but their fresh ground lamb is $10.99 per pound) I don't eat much meat so probably won't be coming back unless there is a special occasion. read more

Whenever I'm up at Davis, I always try to stop by here and get meat. It is affordable and fresh! It's also very convenient if you are trying to buy portions for 1-2 people. I like how they have classes here about animals and how the animals don't go to waste. It is a meat lab so it involves the word butchering. My bf actually took a class here and apparently learned about all different cuts of meat and how to prepare it! This also supports the campus in a way so, I'm happy to come here! Definitely should check it out if you want to eat some delicious and reasonably priced meat! read more

Animals are humanely raised and slaughtered. Most important reason to support this store.

Best meat around! The meat has so much flavor, it's very tender. I don't eat a lot of meat but , when we cook meat I drive to UC DAVIS. YOU'VE GOT TO TRY IT. read more

After finishing my four-year degree at UC Davis, I finally found this unknown place that no one has heard about! Yes! I finally found where I can find some cheap, fresh, and delicious meat! Here are some QUICK BITS: (1) Cash and check only. (2) Come early - they run out of items very fast. (3) Know what you want before coming here because it's kind of hectic with lots of customers cramped in a small room. (4) Opens on Thursdays and Fridays only. (5) Check out the menu: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/MeatLab/Meat_Lab_Pamphlet.pdf (6) Place is hard to find, the website and a map if you scroll down: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/meat.htm (7) Meat are fresh and some are frozen. (8) Location: Meat Laboratory Cole Facility Building "C" Here's what I had so far: (1) Filet Mignon, $13.50 per lbs: I thought it was a-okay when I cooked it. Soft, yet a little rough to eat. I pan-friend it to give it a brown-ish grilled look, then stuck it in the oven for awhile, and took it out to leave it to stand for awhile with foil wrapped. 3.5 stars. Here's what I did: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5TC9z1FXVk5jsD9r2ukYGQ?select=yrnf73Cmfl2qx1zsTVH3QA (2) Top Sirloin Steak, $6.35 per lbs: from my experience this runs out a lot faster. Better than the filet mignon. Marinated with some red wine, pepper, salt, etc.. and grilled it. Very simple. 4 stars. (3) Bone-in Ribeye, $9.00 per lbs: I set this cut in the BBQ and marinated with some cracked pepper and sea salt. 5 stars. Delicious! (4) Pepper Jack Cheese: Cheap! It lasted me for a whole month, although it was moldy after awhile. (5) Eggs: cheap organic eggs! **OVERALL: Stay at home and cook! It's cheaper and better quality if you want to get meat. 5 stars! read more

UC Davis Meat Lab - Here's what I did with the Filet Mignon! - Meat Shops Near Me - Davis, California

Cheapest place to get high quality meat in Davis. Why is it cheap? It's because students cut the meat and run the meat shop. Why is it quality? Have you seen the cows and pigs at Davis?!?! You can be sure that they're well fed and taken care of. Famous for: cheapest place to get high quality meat in Davis read more

Prices are almost double per lb what you'd pay even at a higher-end supermarket butcher (bel air etc). That said, service is excellent and quality is very high. read more

Visited the Meat Lab yesterday. Apparently Thursday would have provided a better selection. Bought some frozen Cube Steak at a decent price, but other prices seemed a bit high to us. $15/pound for Ribeye? Local stores have it in their ads this week for $5.99 to $7.99 In spite of other reviews here, they do have both fresh and frozen meat packages. We'll go back on some Thursday at 1:00 to see what the selection is then. There IS parking in the lot back by the horse corrals behind the store. Just wander around and there are a few signs. gary read more

I love this place. Before I started looking up things on Yelp, I was using Davis wiki! This is a small hidden gem that many people do not know about. It's only open on Thursdays and Fridays, for a couple hours but during these hours the starving student can really buy a lot! Last time I was there I got two pounds of fresh made sausage links for 5 bucks, and 30 eggs for $2.50. I've purchased lamb, pork and beef here before and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than Safeway and much better quality. You can even buy meat in bulk, which is perfect for those summer bbqs. It's hard to find but directions are located on the site daviswiki.org. Their menu changes throughout the year. Bring cash or checkbooks! read more

I just had one of their rib-eye steaks. Holy cow! Seriously, that cow must have been holy to taste that good. I can't remember when I had steak that delicious: moist, tender, with plenty of beefy flavor. This isn't cheap stuff, however. Expect to pay more per pound than Costco for the same cuts of USDA choice beef. An interesting quality is that each steak comes individually vacuum sealed--sous vide anyone? The eggs are great too, although a little small. $4 for 30 makes them a good deal. Next time I'll bring my own empty cartons because theirs is so flimsy I feel like I'm going to have a messy accident with each step. read more

This is literally a needle in a haystack. This is the best place to get organic beef. Students taking butchery class cut the meat and run the meat shop. The meat you get from the meat lab is better than and grocery store and that includes meat from the Nugget Market. They have countless different cuts of meat. (Filet mignon, rib eye, top sirloin, chuck roast, N.Y. Strip and etc.) The filet mignon and the rib eye usually run out quick. The quality of the meat can be seen in the great marbling. The lab is open Thursdays and Fridays. The only problem is, it is a hard place to find. What I recommend: MEAT Eggs (also the cheapest place to get organic eggs) read more

UCD student here. Been shopping at the Meat Lab for a few years now and have taken the 49G class and interned. It's awesome knowing exactly where your meat comes from and learning the entire process of pastures to dinner table. I would highly recommend not only shopping here, but also, asking Caleb for a tour of the plant or taking the ANS 49G class if you're a student! Quality varies. Nothing is graded (it doesn't make sense for such a small plant), but it's probably select/choice range. Rib/short loins are dry-aged at the plant, a really nice and unique added bonus. The ribeyes here are a personal favorite of mine. They also have really awesome products they make themselves: award winning sausages, delicious jerky, and bacon. I've seen people go bat shit crazy for the bacon (so much there's a hard limit per customer now). Unfortunately, the prices for most things aren't that cheap. You're going to see around a 10-20% increase compared to your local grocery store or Costco. This is ameliorated a bit by the fact that you aren't forced to buy wholesale and that tax is already included (or maybe there's no tax?). I justify the cost with knowing exactly where my meat comes from and the satisfaction that any profits go right back to the school and the meat lab. If you're looking for something specific, definitely call ahead to see if they can make it for you by sales on Thursday. For the past two years, I've gotten rib roasts for Thanksgiving (we're an anti-turkey family :P) and they've turned out great. They also do smoked turkeys then too. read more

Top of the line meat! You get what you pay for, my favorites are the Habanero Jack Cheese & the Memphis Style Chicken, YUM! read more

See all

A little bit cheaper than market pricing, but very fresh quality. Frozen ground beef and fresh never frozen assorted cuts including my favorite Rib-eyes and Tri-tip. Open on Thursdays & Friday's ONLY! CASH ONLY!!! read more

I was attending my daughter's parent/student orientation at UC Davis a few weeks ago. During a break, I noticed a sign pointing toward the Meat Science Laboratory that said "Meat Sales Today". It seems they have just reopened after being closed for renovation. You can buy all sorts of meats, evidently the result of students' homework, as well as fresh organic eggs. Meats are available both fresh and frozen, vacuum-packed in plastic. I bought a beautifully marbled ribeye steak, bone in, for about $20. Since it was about 100 degrees in the shade, I stopped at Safeway and picked up a sack of ice for the drive back to the Bay Area. The steak was one of the tastiest and most tender I've ever eaten. I'm looking forward to more trips to Davis, both to visit my daughter and to stock up on tasty meats and eggs. I'll be taking along my empty cooler filled with ice. read more

Angels with wings made out of meat stand guard and sing hallelujah as you enter this palace of fine meatery. The organic eggs are the best as well as the pre-marinated chicken, but the quality of the steak you buy here is waaaaaay better than any grocery store or Costco. I have never had a bad cut. I pan fried a Porterhouse in an Iron skillet over an open fire and it was like Unicorns barfing rainbows into my mouth! read more

At this place, i learned about the slaughter of livestock and the equipment involved in doing just that. I also was able to see the various steps it would take to make the beef sticks i ended up buying at the end of the tour. The process was disturbing, and educational, and i don't regret learning about it. and BTW the food items they sell (pork, beef, etc) are fantastic! and priced very competitively. I recommend coming in on their open days and buying anything you can, you probably wont regret it. Oh, and learn a little something while you're there. read more

Moved away from Davis, and seriously regret not having something like this. Aside from the better quality, it's nice to know where your food comes from. read more

It always amazes me that this place isn't more popular; how many chances do you get to actually meet your meat? While I've heard it dismissed offhand as 'Very conventional agriculture' (I suppose that shows the type of people I hang around), I honestly think it's a great, and quite possibly unique opportunity. You are in a position to see the animals being raised, being fed, lounging about. and (if you want) slaughtered. You can judge for yourself if you approve of the process and want to take part. Even the nicest and most 'Alternative' of farms rarely give you that option as a real possibility. read more

As a meat-lover and a student, this place is my sanctuary! I can afford fresh, delicious, and high-quality meats every week and it's exciting to do so along other students and professors among locals. It's really worth a trip here every so often to reward your taste buds. read more

Great place of course I was an intern for a quarter really great sausage when they have time to make it during the week. Super competitive for when the bacon comes out, to the point where they limit how much you can buy! But some people are confused it is not organic meat... this is not an organic shop look at our UC Davis facilities that's where the supply comes from. It is all corn feed beef mmmmmhmmm super yummy and fresh which I think makes all the difference read more

The only reason I don't give this 5 stars is because of the limited hours. This is certainly one of Davis's hidden gems. The shop is hard to find for people unfamiliar with the UC Davis campus (like me!) but is totally worth it in the end. The meat is very reasonably priced and offers a nice selection of delicious meats and cuts. I love that there are smaller cuts of meat that make adding red meat to a low food budget possible. Another added bonus is that the meat is vacuum sealed, so fridge storage is very easy. Make sure to give this place a look! You'll be glad you did! read more