Amazing food! I'm a salad lover and completely fell in love with their chicken salad with bbq sauce as dressing. Meanwhile, my boyfriend grubbed on the Plow boy and was in completely meat comma after! I would definitely make this a must go to place next time we are in the area. And the bbq is a great purchase well worth the 5 bucks! read more

Willow Ranch - Plow boy with fries. Excellence - Barbeque Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Stopped in because we were starving and we were not disappointed. A hearty country breakfast at a good price. The bacon was perfect. I have to admit, it was like stepping back a few years, a bit of a truck stop feel. Great service. Need to try the barbeque next time. read more

We were near by and stopped at WIllow Ranch .. it was super good food .. we had ribs .. there out of this world yummy .. we visited the restaurant on 10/10/21 the staff was very friendly and did a great job on serving .. very nice and no attidude .. Large portions too . I will for sure go back .. the only 1 negative thing and not there fault was there were flys everywhere .. inside and out .. uncontrollable flys .. must be the area ! even in the car . SO many flys ? thanks for a great lunch / dinner . read more

This is the spot I picked for a FB marketplace transaction. It's 120 miles away from home but I said if my buyer from NorCal doesn't show I can always have a great meal here. Great assortment of American food. Burgers, steaks, ribs ooh lala. I got my full rack of ribs which I love. Their sauce and chili are just awesome. I will be eating here each time I to order from NorCal. You'll be just as pleased I am sure read more

Skip Harris and head for Willow. Amazing sandwiches, friendly staff, counter for a quick bite, reasonable prices. Now my go to on the I5 crawl. read more

After exiting the 5 with the hopes of trying an Indian restaurant that had advertised itself for the past 100 miles, we were disappointed to discover that they are closed on Tuesdays. Lame. So, so lame. Luckily, the Willow Ranch came to our rescue. It's clean, the service is friendly, and the food is fine. The best part was the tense conversation we observed between two employees on the back patio; one of whom was wielding a fly swatter and the other had Kate Gosselin hair. Drama! read more

it was either denny's, a pupuseria, or this bbq spot, and since we have many of the first two in our area but not so much of bbq, this was the pick of the day. the restaurant was predominantly white, obviously, and it was a strange feeling and somewhat uncomfortable, but things were totally fine! the sandwiches we ordered were the sliced tri-tip beef sandwich, and the the shredded deep-pit beef sandwich. they both came with fries and a side of bbq sauce. the sauce was really too sweet for me, but the meat was soft, and the deep-pit was juicy, and a tad greasy. they weren't overly meaty. and the prices were $8.99 each. i would probably do take-out next time if i had the choice and eat in the car if there will be a next time. read more

Willow Ranch - tri-tip sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Absolutely delicious! While not my favorite BBQ ever, it definitely makes the top ten, and for sure the best food I've ever had within an hour's drive of Bakersfield. The BBQ sauce is unique and awesome. The service was great. If you're in Buttonwillow or passing through it, stop here for a good meal. If you're in Bakersfield, it's worth the short drive. I think you'll be happy you tried it. read more

On the way down to LA for our yearly March trip, we stopped in Buttonwillow to get gas at the TA. Since we had made the stop, we decided to get some grub since it was near the lunch hour. We saw that nobody was in the Mexican joint, which to us is a bad sign. However, next door, the BBQ joint was poppin' with an almost full parking lost. So we decided to try it out. I had the combo platter with a half rack of baby back pork ribs and tri-tip while my wife had a helping of the bbq beef ribs. Our portions were generous as we ended up taking the rest of our food to go. The bbq with it's sauce was decent. The waitress and people in the place were friendly. If I have another craving for bbq while heading down to SoCal or Vegas, I'll stop by! read more

Stopped here on a long drive. Arrived during breakfast hours. Service was a little slow (though everyone was friendly). Gigantic portion sizes that definitely have fair prices. I got an omelet stuffed with pulled pork, since this is a BBQ restaurant after all, and I was not disappointed. My boyfriend got the chicken fried steak, and it came on its own plate separately from the sides because it was just that big. read more

Not a bad stop off of route 5! I liked the tri tip salad also those crispy sweet potato fries are so good.

Good place to stop for breakfast. Good size portions. Staff was very friendly and attentive. I had the vegetarian omelette, very nice flavors and veggies were fresh; cooked just right. I chose the side of fruit (instead of the potatoes) they were fresh and sweet. Go ahead give'm a try! read more

Willow Ranch - I love Tabasco and ketchup on my breakfast. - Barbeque Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

We ate here for the second time today. Both times were awesome! They say it is a barbeque place, but we had breakfast, and it looks and feels like a diner. I had the chicken fried steak and eggs. It is homemade and very good. One of the best I've eaten. My son had the ham and cheese omelet, and I tried the ham, and it was amazing, and I am not a huge fan of ham. It is different than most breakfast hams. I assume it is what they serve in their ham dishes for lunch and dinner. My daughter had pancakes and they were very good and different too. This place puts their own spin on everything! My husband has had the tri-tip and soup and loved them both. The best part is we came with 11 people at 10:00 am on Sunday and we were seated right away! It was $40 for all four of us. read more

Four stars for brisket, service. Two stars for ambience- old, dark booths. Salad was lettuce and dressing. One star for boxes scalloped potatoes-yuk! Clean (bathrooms,too). One tv with football on and radio with Christmas music competing. Not a fan...but after the grapevine we needed a pit stop and food. read more

What a great stop. I had the deep pit sandwhich. Juicy with lots of flavor. BBQ sauce is homemade. Just right. Restaurant and bathrooms very CB lean. Great waitstaff. Good place to stop off on I-5. read more

Great service, wish I got more than 2 slices of brisket in brisket dinner. It was amazingly good. There beans were a highlight. The sauce is original a little sweet but very good. Their spicy has a little kick great flavor and stays in your mouth. Great flavor. If your a driver and stop at TA Truck Stop walk across the street. You will be happy you did. read more

Today while traveling we came across this little bbq joint. It was so yummy, good!! I think our waitress was preoccupied or something very short with us and kinda rude. The bbq sauce, which is made there is dynamite!! So good they sell it there, oh yeah, I bought that shit!! The prices aren't bad either. The sizes were good too. read more

Delicious! Tons of food for the price. Got the large beef rib platter and the full rack of baby back ribs with my family. The beef ribs don't have the melt meat, but are a nice dish to try since most places don't have beef ribs. The baby back ribs are full of meat, and nice and tender. The BBQ sauce is also A+, tangy and sweet and just a little spicy. All of their BBQ plates come with 2 sides, beans and a roll, which makes the deal here even better. Great place to stop by while driving down to LA on I-5! read more

On the way up to Berkeley, stopped at this roadside diner. It was great! Friendly service, outdoor dining and really good food at a great value! Fresh and delicious! Nice change of pace from the usual fast food junk and happy to support on of the local restaurants in the area! Great job guys! read more

I came to this store while driving up north and wanting to have lunch. The interior was that of a traditional American diner with some BBQ-like decoration. Most customers were Caucasians. I ordered BBQ brisket sandwich hoping for juicy, tasty with every bit of where I could eat. After about 10 minutes of pretty good service, what I got was soft but not necessarily tasty. I mean, there was no sauce poured onto the meat. So while the meat itself was very good, there was no extra kick that made me love that dish. So that is why I decided to rate this place as it is. On an unrelated note, for some reason, near the end of my meal, the guy sitting not far away from me started talking about how he hated Chinese people. Me being half Chinese, I was mildly annoyed, but just decided to think that this is, after all, the conservative area of California. read more

We were just driving through the area looking for a good place to eat. Willow Ranch had the highest reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. The food was great, staff was friendly and the prices were right. Fried pickles were a tasty appetizer. Patty melt and onion rings are a must try! Glad we stopped in. read more

Willow Ranch - Barbeque Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Everything on the menu was delicious!!! We were driving back from Monterey and needed a family dinner spot. Steven and Regan were fantastic servers and were very helpful with all of our family questions... (party of 15) Family friendly and fried pickles, sandwiches, bbq plate sauces and pies were delicious!!!!! I highly recommend the pistachio cream pie!!! We will definitely be back!!! Thanks Willow ranch!!!! read more

Stopped here on a whim while gassing up along the I-5, and certainly did not regret it! The sign advertised BBQ, but what drew my curiosity was seeing all the cars in their lot. Just on the other side of the street were a half-dozen fast food joints, but everyone was at this little BBQ restaurant. Clearly, this was where locals dined. The second positive flag: traveling bikers were parked here (not Hells Angels type, mind you, just guys on motorcycles). If bikers ate at a place, it must be good. The inside decor is homey, almost divey. Nothing at all rough-n-tumble. I was there at night, so I didn't spot any smokers but one must have been back there because the aromas were clearly present. The waitresses were very nice and helpful, all smiles They brought large soft drinks, so large as to not need refills, though they were offered. The menu was large, clearly oriented towards BBQ. I went with a signature sandwich, the "Plow Boy". Chopped brisket, pastrami, bacon, grilled onions, jalapeños, and spicy aoli on a French roll....how does one argue with any of that? The brisket was magnificently tender and rubbed with a spiceful blend. I opted for their potato salad. Now I consider a place's potato salad to be a mark of their quality, and Willow Ranch's did not disappoint. Finely minced fresh potato, with PLENTY of spices. A bland, boring potato salad this was not!! Definitely one of the top potato salads I've had just in seasoning alone. My tablemates got the brisket dinner with mashes potatoes. More tender brisket with real mashed potatoes. The other tried their sirloin steak with grilled mushrooms; they did not skimp on the toppings and gave her a large steak to boot. The only notes I'll leave were that I was told their side of BBQ beans were not great, and their side salad is a small little thing. While their menu offers entree salads that sounded awfully tempting, their side salads are basic...then again, one does not go to a BBQ joint for salad. In all, definitely worth coming back too, and definitely a faster, cheaper alternative to fine meat and BBQ to Harris Ranch (which is my other favorite stop along the I-5)...but without sacrificing any of the quality! Willow Ranch definitely puts an otherwise little freeway-stop of a town on the map, at least in my opinion. read more

I would definitely give this place five stars if the service were more consistent... My family and I stop here every time we pass through. Sure beats fast food... read more

Disappointing... I saw good reviews on yelp and really had higher expectations for this place. All the food was, at best, "meh" I ordered the beef ribs and the plate looked good but when I bit into the food all I tasted was disappointment :( The ribs were tough and tasted like old cow. The mashed potatoes were just plain instant mashed potatoes with mediocre gravy on top. The beans were blah, didn't try the bread but it looked store-bought. The salad was dry (old) and the dressing was not tasty either... The only good thing here was the BBQ sauce was delicious and the service was friendly. Overall, very blah... I would skip it and find somewhere else to eat. read more

Roccio, sweet and efficient waitress, welcomed us and our dogs on their outdoor patio. This is a no-frills place but it has good food and clean bathrooms. Shredded chicken sandwich was excellent. read more

This place is a great place to stop. The food here is homestyle quality with a great price. We are originally from LA and weren't expecting much bur the quality of our brisket and steak was top notch. And the service was on point. I would definitely come again read more

First of all, Buttonwillow is a strange area. For being a place in the middle of nowhere, it was pretty great. A bunch of motels are lined down the street, a couple fast food joints, but then there's a Starbucks, an Indian restaurant, Mexican, Salvadorian...pretty awesome! I should have tried something BBQ'd since this is a bbq place but I had the Deli Turkey sandwich which was fresh, light, and delish. The fries were yummy. Boyfriend had a tri-tip salad which was generous with the sliced meat. Apple cobbler for dessert was large and filling. Dinner for 2 was about $25! Not bad! I read another review where a customer overheard an old man yelling "I HATE CHINESE PEOPLE!" and I was kinda nervous about having to deal with racist folks. But no, nobody gave us the stinkeye and the waiters were so, so sweet and kind. And now that makes me racist for assuming the area would be racist to me. I apologize! :) read more

Location/Accessibility: Off the 5FWY at the Buttonwillow/McKitrick exit Ambiance: quiet and empty Dress Code: casual Menu options: BBQ style Had: - french onion soup (tasted like salty water) - Tri tip dinner w baked potato and beans (was ok, tri tip was good, baked potato was under cooked, beans i didnt touch) Service: The waitress was very friendly, could have been more attentive. Price: On avg for dinner $15/pp Overall experience: would prob not return and would stick to Starbucks or McDonalds. read more

Stopped in on our way from Sacramento, to Riverside. My first visit, I hope wont be my last. I had the Beef ribs, and was thrilled with them. I highly recommend stopping in, if your in the area, the rest of the menu looked great too. Also the service was A+ read more

Heavy traffic meant we were still en route at dinner time, and I just did not want to face fast food. My expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm judging this as a sit down restaurant in a small town right off the major I-5 travel corridor. Tri Tip Salad - I've had better, but not along this stretch of road. Decent size and quality for the price. Tasted good. Beef Ribs - Actually surprisingly meaty and good. We ordered dry, with sauce on the side, and the seasoning was tasty. Sauce was fine, but too sweet for my taste - most BBQ sauce is, which is why I order on the side. Really appreciated that you could get steamed vegetables instead of the potato options. I get really tired of BBQ places that only have potatoes or coleslaw. The chili beans were also tasty and it was nice to have that instead of the typical over-sweet baked beans side. Service was friendly. Will I stop here every time? No. I don't normally have the time and patience for a sit down meal while on the road. However, when I do, I will keep this place in mind. The truth is, if it was local, I'd stop by on occasion, so that definitely makes it a solid road trip find. read more

I was excited because of all the great reviews and was pretty disappointed. We got there around 4,so they were empty for the most part. The front greeter was really up beat and friendly, kind of went down hill from there. I've come to realize on yelp, there are a lot of people that are really happy with mediocre or generic or bland food. Not this girl, sorry. If you have no problem with hamburger helper you'll be satisfied here. I will say, their bbq sauce was pretty tasty. Otherwise, it was all bland and eh. Nothing to write home about. I wish I had taken a photo of the brisket fat! I had more than 1/2 a plate full of liquidy fat, yuck. I don't mind a little, I get that brisket is fatty and expected as much. It was just such a waste, the waitress even offered us a box; I guess she couldn't tell it was ALL fat. The sausage was underwhelming, and generic. Not possible it was made in house, tasted like costco. The mashed potatoes tasted like the boxed flakes. We won't be coming back, I'm really saddened because I like supporting local joints, places that are family owned, etc. Better luck next time read more

Driving back home we we're tired of fast food. We decided to give this place a try. Wasn't disappointed at all. Service takes awhile, but that is because the food is served fresh and hot! Highly recommend the Plow Bow, it's delicious! You get a little bit of everything. Their BBQ is amazing! Sweet, tangy and great! Can't wait to come back to this place! read more

I stopped in today. The staff was attentive and friendly. Portions are generous and the food was great. Prices were average. I will go back if in the area again. read more

Best food you can possibly get in the area, but more than that, it's good food that I would get even if it was located in an area surrounded by a bunch of different restaurants. Their steaks are so dang good, I get it every time I go to Buttonwillow for a track day, or even any time I am traveling between Northern and Southern California and just happen to be passing through. Love it. read more

Very good service, nice customers and nice workers. They were quick to put our order in and the food was great, we got two of the combo plates and everything was cooked and well. Overall I recommend coming here while on the road.Chicken Strips, Beef Brisket, and a the Baby Back Ribs were all swell. read more

The restaurant was questionable upon arrival which motivated me to ask the waitress if they actually smoke the meat. She replied they do and that the meat it was real good. I ordered the BBQ combo with the brisket and baby back ribs, mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Seeing that you can't mess up coleslaw, that was actually the best item of the meal. The mashed potatoes taste like they were a week old from a box. I ordered the ribs and the brisket with the sauce on the side, so I can actually check the quality of their dry rub and or marinade and smoke. Which revealed that more than likely their meat is made in the oven with no source of smoke flavoring at all and no marinade or dry rub. Very very disappointing. The service was awesome but the food was garbage. Save your money eat at the subway across the street. I spent over $30 on one meal that I wouldn't feed to my dog. ( trying to avoid getting bit and I'm having to put down my dog ). My dog doesn't have a sense of humor. read more

Why is the drive to LA from SJ so long? My friends and I randomly stopped by Buttonwillow for some food on the way back to San Jose. We decided to go eat at this restaurant because of the the big BBQ sign. I was a little skeptical about eating here at first. Good thing we stopped by. I ordered an 8 oz steak for about 13 bucks, it came with a salad, baked potato, corn and a roll. The steak was any other average steak. The reason I gave this place a 4 star because of their customer service. We stopped in a 9:30pm. This places closes at 10pm but they were still happy to serve us. We were there till 11pm and our waitress was still in a happy mood. This is not typical of most restaurants. Overall, I would probably stop by again the next time I pass through town. read more

I love BBQ, and after a planned hike on Caliente Mountain, we came here before I drive back home. The food is good, and they give you plenty of it. The corn could have been fresher, but the Chili Beans are darn good. The Pork Ribs could have been cooked a tad longer so the meat could falloff the bone. The sauce though is just a tad too sweet. I like mine with a bit more of a bite (vinegar and spice). After a 17.49 mile hike this place rocked, as I was hungry! Would I come back? Yes. Is it the best I've had? No. Still though, it is pretty good BBQ. read more

Willow Ranch - Tri-Tip Sandwich, Tri-Tip and Pork Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Buttonwillow exists solely to provide services for travelers up and down I-5. The dining choices in town are few. Fine cuisine is not to be found. Although we stop at Buttonwillow from time to time, this is the first time we tried Willow Ranch. Wife had "chicken burger," which was a somewhat dried out piece of chicken breast served on a very large bun. French fries accompanying it were soggy and tasted of old fat. I had tri-tip dinner. Several slices of beef with the signature bbq sauce - it is mildly spicy and somewhat sweet. Came with baked potato, spicy beans, corn-on-the-cob and roll. Too much for this old guy to finish. Lemon meringue pie for dessert finished it off. Waitress provided good service, was friendly and capable. Service was quick. My wife felt her dinner was 2-star. Considering the alternatives in Buttonwillow, I rate it 4-star. read more