I honestly have no idea how this place has such great reviews, it's mind blowing. our waitress was amazing until she went home and a waiter took over, or so I think? He was never around. my wife sat with an empty cup for every bit of 30 mins, and we ended up just sharing what was left of mine. She order a New York strip which she thought was pretty good. I ordered a slab of ribs which were terrible. You had to fight to tear them apart and I could barely get any meat off of them because the meat was so tough. Left a half slab on the plate and said we didn't need a box. We even tried using a knife on the half slab to take the meat home and it was too difficult to even bother with. Our waiter didn't care and didn't offer a discount on the ribs or another plate of food. over a $80 bill and left hungry. certainly won't be back and definitely will not recommend this place to any of my friends driving through. read more

Love this place great BBQ!! I love the tri tip and pulled pork. The y have a wide selection to choose from and the bbq sauce is fabulous. The peach cobbler is my favorite. read more

outstanding food is great and service is good as well, a far cry from harvest steak house wish willow ranch had reopened the harvest instead of the current leases read more

Everything is very good. I live 3 miles away and I eat here often. I usually get the deep pit sandwhich that comes on a very tasting soft bread along with their special secreat recepite BBQ sause. With a side of potatoe salad!! Amazing. Stop by people it's a five star. So worth the stop on a long boring ride out here. By the way travelers their is a nice little town 3 miles west of this. :) read more

This place is great. You may think its just stone road side greasy spoon. You could not be more wrong. From the time we walked in the door the friendly hostess seated us then waitress was getting is drinks. Came back with our drinks fallowed with a fresh salad and home made blue cheese dressing. We order the baby back ribs that were simply delicious.... Overall just a great place to stop and have a meal. this will be a must stop to eat every time we come by read more

Food was very good. Our server didn't know what kind of fish they served on the catch of the day. She was a little rude because maybe she seen that we are a young couple with kids and maybe Thought we didn't tip good. Food came out to 84 bucks for 3 kid meals and 3 big meals...I still tipped her 20 bucks...all in all it was a very good meal. Would go again but not to served by her read more

Due to working in the area, I have been eating here almost everyday for lunch. With your choice of fast food or a sit down lunch with service, this place isn't bad at all. I've tried a lot of different things and they are all pretty good. Not gourmet, but way above anything else in the area. Staff is friendly but can be a little slow. If you're not in a rush this is not a bad way to go. read more

Horrible service ..they take forever ..1 hour to cook a burger..everyone was waiting for their food.

This place is an amazing place to dine. I highly recommend it to anyone who travels through here. Great service and excellent food puts this place high on my list. read more

Food here is great and is one of the places to get real good food in Buttonwillow, CA. Place is located near Travel Center and may be easy to miss . I ordered Fiesta Burger which was good . Burger was thick and juicy and very flavorful. Service is also very fast. My order was complete in 10 minutes for pickup . I will be trying other menu items here . read more

A great diner. I eat here almost every week. The food is good and the service even better.

Great service! My husband and son ordered burgers, my daughter ordered a blt, and my other daughter and I had a veggie sandwich and veggie burger--all very good. The fries were amazing. They also offer bbq if that's your thing. read more

Recently I ordered 10lbs each of the deep pit chicken and beef. When I picked the food up I realized that I ordered way too much food! I now have deep pit meat in my freezer for months to come! It was so delicious. I picked it up at noon and served it at about 6 in the evening. The gentleman that took it out to my car for me instructed that I keep it in the oven on low and it would be fine. It was more than fine. It was juicy and so, so flavorful! The bonus was the delicious salsa that came with it. I will definitely order again for family gatherings. Thank you Willow Ranch! read more

We stopped in at Willow Ranch last night to grab a quick meal and then get back on the road, however it turned out to be a great experience. The food was GREAT, the atmosphere was GREAT, and the service was PHENOMENAL! We had a waitress named Janet, she was pleasant, QUICK and attended to our every need (and there were 5 of us). Being a family who frequents restaurants, this is an experience we will remember. Thanks Willow Ranch for great food and Thanks Janet for the awesome service and experience! read more

Great place to stop when traveling on the 5 freeway. Friendly service, large portions of good BBQ and they have fresh salads.

Just had great BBQ at this diner. Nothing fancy...tired decor. But who cares when you are eating some of the best BBQ ever. I had TriTip, hubby had a Tri Tip with grilled Ortega chili's and Pepperjack cheese. We will most certainly stop here again on our trips on "the 5". Service was warm, friendly. Bought 2 bottles of their excellent BBQ sauce too! read more

Excellent stop for lunch on I5! We'll make it a regular when traveling to So Cal. Tri-tip salad was delicious and very generous with the meat. Others really enjoyed French Dips and many "ooos and awws" about the homemade potato salad. YUMMMM! Very friendly service too. read more

AMAZING FOOD! I meet my husband there for lunch every once in a while. Go home with a full belly! So good!!! Have only been on the week days. Brisket and tri tip are a must! read more

My sister introduced me to the restaurant and the food is SUPERB!! They have the best barbeque ribs this side of the Sierra's and their swordfish is to die for!! I couldn't get enough of the food (and wanted to try something different on their menu) so took my niece and her family out to eat as well. The prices are really reasonable! I have recommended the restaurant to all my friends who might be traveling along I-5 on their way North or South. I will definitely be eating there again! Thank you so much for a wonderful dining experience both times I've come. Can't wait to come back again. :) read more

I hope they don't change a thing here from the early 1970s Brady Bunch decor to the friendly accommodating staff and of course the great diner food(I had the French dip) this is my new go to rest stop from the bay area to Southern California. read more

An unexpected surprise with great sandwiches. Fiesta sandwich with Angus beef, Anaheim pepper and jack cheese was amply sized, very tasty and just the right spiciness. Fries had a crispy outer layer and creamy center. Combo 'Plowboy' is super, too. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. The location is right off I5. We will stop here again next time through the area. read more

We stop in Buttonwillow a couple of times a year and this was our first time to stop in at Willow Ranch. I was glad I yelped it because it was well worth it. We had the tri tip and egg breakfast and everything was delicious. It is the best place for food in this small town on the way to Southern Cali. Service was good and the place was clean. I like this place and we will make it our "go to place" on our future trips. Stopped there 10/8/17. read more

The food and our waitress Alissa was great. If your in town it's a must. I also checked out the other food being taken to other tables and they all looked great. read more

My best friends mom used to work here and tbh the service is pretty good. The waiters and super friendly and kind. I've never had a problem here. I really like the food here, and the coffee is amazing read more

got destiny tonight service was geat and food good like usual awesome place will keep returning !

Came for dinner last night and everything was perfect. Steve (Brody) was our server and he did an excellent job. awesome service with a smile is exactly what you want when eating out and he did not disappoint. We will definitely keep coming back. read more

On our trip to Buttonwillow recently for a track day, we made a stop for dinner at Willow Ranch. We were starving and tired and needed something quick to eat. We decided on Willow Ranch based on there menu which had a good amount of things to choose from. We hadn't eaten all day so we wanted something hearty. I went with a baked potato, bowl of chili and a side of veggies, quick,easy and definitely hit the spot. My BF has the fiesta burger with fries, the avocado was amazing and the burger satisfied his aching belly. The service was very attentive, we were seated promptly and always made sure we had what we needed. After we finished we left, tired and ready for bed. Unfortunately, in my post food coma I had left my wallet at the table. I had no idea until we arrived back at our hotel and I received a message from Destiny who was not our waitress but she was working that night and she informed me they had my wallet and they would keep it safe until I could pick it up or they even offered to mail it to me if I was not able to return. I went back and got my wallet and was so thankful for how kind and considerate they were for finding it for me. With that said I just want to say how much I appreciate the staff at Willow Ranch and that they extended their kindness to a weary traveler in need. read more

Steven is a great server. Food is not bad either, beer is always cold, and the pulled pork hits the spot

First time at this restaurant. What a pleasant surprise to find the best food and service along interstate 5. My wife have a tri tip salad and I had a pastrami sandwich. Both were excellent, but to make it even better was the wonderful and friendly service we received from Alissa, our waitress. We received 5 star service from her even when we arrived near closing time. Congratulations Willow Ranch Restaurant, you have achieved what most restaurants of this class has failed to achieve. Thank you again Alissa for the OUTSTANDINGLY service. read more

Excellent place to eat in Buttonwillow. Great barbeque and good choices in salads, etc. Friendly staff.

This food is incredible, all the more so when considering its middle-of-nowhere location. Half-order of back backs and half of beef ribs left me sooooo stuffed! Ended up doggy-bagging two ribs for the desk clerk at the Motel 6 North. The cole slaw is really the best I've eaten: juicy, slightly sweet and vinegary. Even the cob of corn was fresh and juicy. But it is the BBQ sauce that is like none other. Any where mid-state on the I-5, you gotta make this a must-stop. read more

Terrible service. Rude wait staff. Hot. Muggy. Food got 3 stars for the ribs, French dip a 2, pulled pork a 3-4. My rubbery veggies were disgusting. Fries were greasy and overcooked. Inedible. It'd be a solid 3 stars if we hadn't had to wait an hour to get our food even though the people who came in after us finished eating and left before we even saw any food. The bathroom was clean but all surfaces were sticky. Bonus, there was no toilet paper. read more

Best Food on this side of Bakersfield, we love it! Steaks, BBQ, home cooking, kids menu, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Willow Ranch has something for everyone! Our waiter Steve was amazing! Took the order of our table of 5 without writing a single thing down. The order was perfect and our drinks never hit bottom. Great experience, this is definitely a must stop if you're traveling I-5 or Hwy 58. 5 stars. read more

Excellent service- traveling with kids is always a challange. We had been in the car 3 hours when we stopped in here. We walked in & they got us seated promptly- menus & drinks arrived quickly...HUGE sodas!! The adults did not know what they wanted- they took the kids orders & got them cooking while the "grown ups" mulled over the menu. Extra napkins arrived without request & the adults placed their order as the kids food arrived- they are QUICK!! The kids all wanted French fries & grilled cheese- all were pleased. The adults' orders came out quickly too; 1 BBQ'd chcicken sandwich with fries- the perfect sized meal- tasty BBQ sauce & big French fries. The bread was a little lacking but I'd say a solid 4 stars for the meal. The other adults split a BBQ'd tri-tip sandwich with fries & gave it two thumbs up each. Prices were very reasonable & the food at the other tables all looked wonderful too. Thy seemed to have something for everyone. Decor- is quaint & just above divey...but clean, clean, clean The bathrooms were spotless, the service pefect & the food was darn good- extra star for feeding the kids first & knowing extra napkins are a must when traveling with kiddos. We will stop in again on our next long HWY 5 OC to SF run. Thank you Willow Ranch for knowing just what a weary traveler needs! 4 stars for food & service- + 1 star for feeding the kiddos first!!!! 5 stars read more

Finally a place to sit down and eat dinner on the 5. Great prices and great food. I had the ground Round steak with mushrooms and gravy. The salad, potatoes and Steak with gravy were great. The only bad thing was the green beans were canned. They should get rid of them and have fresh vegetables in season. The people across from us had broccoli that looked great. My husband had a burger with the potato salad and said it was very good. Our server and all the staff were very friendly. We will definitely be back. read more

When we went, the place was busy, which we took as a good sign. We were seated promptly and our orders were taken right away. It went downhill from thereon. We were not in a hurry, and with the place being busy, we expected a reasonable wait time for our food. Unfortunately for us, it wasn't until after ONE HOUR when the server finally came to let us know that our food was almost ready ...and that they no longer have the soup that one of us ordered for as their meal. The salad that came with the meals left a lot to be desired and the Pit Salad did not have any avocado and had the core of the iceberg lettuce, the rest of the food was just ok. read more

Diana at this location is a real pro! She served us fast delicious food and anticipated every need! What a great way to start the day

I ate the barbecue bacon cheeseburger here and it was great. Service was also great. Best place to eat in Buttonwillow. I'll be back.

At last! A place that actually lives up to the hype. Nobody would blame you for being skeptical about finding decent barbecue in the middle of nowhere in California's Central Valley 150 miles north of LA. Those who know me know I am not an easy to please BBQ eater and I award my Yelp stars sparingly so this place really impressed me! Located in one of those typical gas up/fast food-centric/cheap motel exit ramps off the 5 freeway this place sticks out like an oasis! The full parking lot gave me further assurance I was in for a treat. The restaurant itself is a comfortable, very casual type of place that has its regulars the wait staff recognizes as well as newcomers. Both are treated with equal friendliness. Although you can find something for everyone on their menu there is only one choice I had and that was any of the BBQ dishes. The smell alone when you walk in the place is enough to tell you that's the thing to order here. The best value and what I chose to order is one of the combo plates which you can get in 2 or 3 meats of your choice or one of the other predetermined meat combinations. It comes very generously with 2 sides of your choice along with a side of chili, your choice of soup and bread roll. In the summer of 2015 when I visited the price for a 2 meat combo was only $21.99! If you think this is expensive wait until you see how much food you get served for this price! The sides which include potato variations or rice pilaf or veggies were actually tasty unlike many BBQ places which treat these as an afterthought. The chili tasted okay, a bit too close to a doctored up version of something out of a can and the soup was also just okay, (vegetable the night I ate there) and even though it was clearly scratchmade and had a good flavor it badly needed a thickener to give its watery broth more body. You could tell at least someone in the kitchen was trying and that's to be commended! The star of the show was definitely the meat and it was worth every penny! I had the tri-tip as well as the briscuit and both were good cuts of meat that were cooked just right. The briscuit was trimmed just enough to leave enough fat on its edges to crisp up nicely and it was fall apart tender so I could eat it with just a fork. The tri tip was also well-trimmed and the portions of both were generous and hit the spot! Only one thing could make this meat better and that is incredibly well made barbecue sauce which they make on site from their own recipe and yes, you can buy it by the quart at the counter. You may even be tempted to after eating it, I wanted to drink the stuff! It a sweeter tomato based sauce that is just sweet enough and I believe made using honey rather than sugar. Its not overly sweet like most commercial bottled sauces and there is enough spiciness and flavor to complement any meat it is served with perfectly. Now that I have found this place I will look forward to stopping in whether i am heading north or south on the 5. Its worth it! For those of you tired of Anderson's Pea Soup and the overpriced Harris Ranch restaurant this place is waiting for you and you won't be sorry! read more

Quite decent. For what seems to be a random spot on the drive between nor cal and so cal, this was a pleasant surprise. We were steps from entering Denny's and then noticed this restaurant across the street. Thank goodness. We may very well stop here again during our next road trip. read more