Armadillo Willy's BBQ

The food experience here is super mid. The brisket and Texas BBQ ribs are drying than my kid's chicken tenders. It was edible with their BBQ sauce but it was a struggle. The ribs do come off the bone pretty easily and the fatter pieces were quite tender for the brisket but again, super dry. Mac and cheese was good. Fries were okay but nothing really stands out.

If you're looking for a Texas style BBQ, this is the place to go. I recently read that all the locations closed except for this one. It's not a sports bar, only two flat screens above the main dining area. It's not a place for a date, unless you and your guest are BBQ lovers. The food is great as it has been since 1983. I ordered a full rack of baby back ribs, l have to say that they gave me 30% more ribs (18 bones) than any other place I've been to. The amount of fat on the ribs were perfect, that it was juicy, yet it doesn't make you lose your appetite. The sauce was the best and well balanced. Everyone's taste buds are different, this is my favorite. I recommend that you try this place before it closes. I live in the East Bay area, I'll be crossing the bridge just to eat here. It's deliciously worth the trip.

It's been a while since I have Southern food. Not usually a "go to" place for me, but am down to try food like this. This restaurant happens to be inspired by other southern foods from Texas. Looks like that they decided to bring the food here to Bay Area with its several locations. I have to say. The place is very nice and reminds me the times that I go to Fuddruckers, which is closed at Union City. It replicates the theme of southern places in the US and the business has been running for over 40 years. Good thing that it survived the pandemic. They seem to even play southern music too. The food here is really good. I decided to additionally try the Texas toast. Really tastes different than normal ones. The chicken thighs are good with appropriate seasonings especially the fries. Also like how the fountain machines are set up especially when they have like special flavors you can add onto your drinks like Vanilla and Cherry. This restaurant gives you an opportunity to try foods that are mostly inspired by Texan food. Gives you a taste of how the food tastes like from the south.

Great place for quality BBQ flavor. Beef Brisket sliced or chopped, Pork ribs, Smoked Turkey breast & sausages too. Famous spicy coleslaw with peanuts. Everything is good and carefully prepared. Try it, you will like it.

I'm sad they've closed all their locations except this one. Back in the day, they were phenomenal . Times have changed, but the Sunnyvale location was my go-to whenever I was craving quick and easy BBQ on my lunch break at work. The Texas Toast and Mac N Cheese were to die for. They weren't the most authentic Southern BBQ, but I will miss it. I have eaten at this particular location and it was just fine, not near me but hopefully it survives.

I go up to the San Mateo/Redwood City area once a month and I like to try different places and types of food. I was a bit hesitant to eat at Armadillo Willy's for fear it was just another BBQ joint. The food was excellent! I had the brisket sandwich and Cajun fries. The brisket was insanely tender and it was flavorful too. I will be back next month, try something different.... I am looking forward to it!

The sausage sandwich was all right, but I’ve had better. It seemed only a little better than what I could put together from pre-cooked ingredients at the grocery store. Also, at this price point I expect toasted buns on the sandwich. The fries were pretty good, fresh, and crispy though.

Great BBQ joint. The brisket was perfect and they asked what I wanted and made sure it was right. The Cajun tots! Aside from being a touch dry they were some of the best tots I have had. How do top great food? Better service? From the first interaction to the last Imanol was simply the best host. I'll definitely be back.

Ordered takeout and food was ready on time. Texas BBQ Ribs. Overall, solid flavors and would order again. Cornbread muffin: Comes with cinnamon-honey butter. Nice flavors, but wish it was a bit more moist. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how content I was. Don't expect to be blown away, but it's a solid spot when you are craving bbq.

Armadillo Willy's -- where do I even start? The service was great, thanks to a very polite hostess who took my order with a smile. I ordered the pricey brisket and a buttered toast, expecting a generous portion. What I got instead were two tiny, dry brisket slices and a toast that was so buttered it felt like a butter flood. The brisket was so dry it practically sucked the moisture right out of my mouth. I rushed to the BBQ sauce table for rescue... only to find it sticky and messy, like someone forgot cleaning day. Not appetizing. After finishing the toast, I got a headache -- probably from all that butter. No wonder the ambiance felt kind of sad and tired. Austin Yee

One of the best places to get BBQ! We were introduced here by a good friend and this will be our go to spot! We all got the build your own which is $34. You can choose 3 meats and 2 sides. I got the Andouille sausage, baby back ribs and the brisket. The sausages was good but probably won't get it again, didn't think it was anything special. The ribs though, that was amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of the brisket, thought it was a little to dry buttt it did taste really good with their bbq sauce. For the sides I got their pinto beans and Cesar salad. The beans was soo tasty and flavorful, loved eating a bite of the ribs and then a spoonful of beans! Cesar salad helped cleanse my palate. I had leftovers for the next day and it tasted just as great.

A few of my friends wanted to try this place for a while now and today we got together to grab dinner and came here. We got the Belly Buster because we wanted to try pretty much everything they had to offer and for $100 you can easily feed 5 people with potential leftovers. Everything we had was pretty good, although the ribs could've been a bit more tender but the flavor was on point. The staff are very friendly, they offered suggestions of the most popular items were, and clarified any questions we had about the menu. Each table and booth is setup like a picnic table making it a comfortable, casual spot.

Food felt cold upon receiving, but the baby back ribs fell off the bone good wasn't dry but it wasn't juicy. Adding the sauce helped a lot. Mac and cheese without bacon was pretty good. The tri tip steak was bomb!!! Went on a Monday around 3:15pm and it was buy one plate get half off. We ordered on the smaller plate option. Baby back ribs was a good portion for "smaller plate" however tri tip steak, only 4 pieces was given. We weren't too happy about that, but the tri tip was so good. We both finished our food, and went back to order more for Togo!

It's ok. The prices are very high for cafeteria style seating and tables. Food is good but portions a very minimal.

I have eaten burgers all over the country and this by far was my favorite. Armadillo Willy, located at Bridgepoint Pkwy in San Mateo CA. I ordered a double burger with cheddar cheese and everything on it. This place makes a burger 2nd to none and was worth the $ 21 dollars and some change. Armadillo Willy's is known, for its Texas style bbq. But they really should advertise there burger as the best in Northern California. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I have only 3. OMG ! All fresh ingredients including hand made patties with the finest beef and condiments. The manager is a guy name Jose, who has a staff with excellent customer service along with being clean. I measure my criteria in food on 6 things. Freshness ingredients, presentation, atmosphere, cost, taste and service. This place met all 6 criteria with flying colors. This a hidden gem for burgers.

Thursday deal: "Bring a Friend" Deal. Buy a plate, sandwich or salad and get the second one half off. We both ordered brisket, "juicy" style. It was very tender and flavorful. Cajun fries were a little bit too salty but not too bad. Brisket is always a good choice and can never go wrong. Fast service and friendly staff.

Place wasn't busy when I went and you order at the counter then have a seat. I got the small plate with fries and pulled pork while my friend got the create your own with sausage, ribs, and brisket. Everything was okay, it lacked a little flavor and some of the meats were dry. I drenched most of it in bbq sauce which helped a little. The cashier was really friendly in answering our questions and giving us recommendations on what to order. There are plenty of tables for you to sit at and the overall store was pretty clean. I definitely want to come back and try other items on the menu and hoping for a different outcome.

Armadillo Willy's has locations across the Bay Area. They're mainly on the peninsula and South Bay but have a location in Dublin. I wasn't really impressed with the Que here. The top of the ribs were so dry, had to pick it off. But the meat at least wasn't dry. The brisket was a little too fatty. The sides were ok, pretty standard sides. The take out order took about 30 minutes. A long time considering it's not like they're preparing everything fresh. The prices are high, about $30ish per meat combo. Plenty of seating in the dining room.

It's been a while since I was able to visit this place. This place is pretty decent. If you need a quick fix for bbq, it always hits. I came here with my SIL because she wanted to walk around. We ended up ordering the texas sausage platter with salad and beans. Then 2 kids menus, mac and cheese and kids bbq chicken. The food was good, not too salty and the sauces were hella good. Wish they had more selection, but the bbq and jalapeno one was good. The cashier during the time was hella patient and pretty cool. Plenty of seating and hella drink options.

I am not from Nor Cal, and I have never heard of this BBQ place before. The name sounded interesting to me, so I gave it a try. The smell of bbq at the door brought me in. I have to say, the guy at the register wasn't friendly at all. I was almost scared to ask him for a recommendation. Anyway, got my food to go and it was honestly delicious. The brisket was so tender & well seasoned. The Cole slaw was very different. I don't even know what was in it, but it was great. Surprisingly crunchy. I think it had corn & peanuts in it. I would definitely return & hope for a different cashier.

We came here for the first time. I liked the ambiance. Since it was our first time to this place, wish the lady who took our order could've served with a smile. That would make a big difference. We had BBQ ribs, tri tip steak, and a sandwich which I forgot the name of. The ribs were good but not great. My husband said it was a bit hard. I like the tri tip and the sandwich though.

As some people have already mentioned, it's hard to find good Texan-style barbecue in California. That said. Armadillo Willy's has been satisfying my family's cravings for this specific cuisine for years now. After ordering at the counter, grab a table and wait for them to call your name at the kitchen, where you pick up your food in trays. Our most recent visit may have been our best yet. Texas Barbecue Rib Family Pack (3 sides: Cornbread, Texas Toast, Tater Tots) Double rack of Texas-style beef ribs with an ample supply of barbecue sauce. Just moist enough with a great bite, but the leftovers we had they didn't reheat very well. Baby Back Rib Plate: (2 sides: Texas Toast, Corn Salsa) Tender, juicy, and perfectly sweet. Might get a double rack of these next time instead of the beef ribs. 18 Hour Texas Brisket (2 sides: Sweet Potato Fries, Cajun Fries) Cashier gave us the option of choosing lean, juicy, or a mix of both. We opted for the mix but I recommend selecting the juicy. Solid brisket. See you next time!

We've been coming to Armadillo Willy's for years, mostly when the kids were younger--before Yelp was even around! Last night, my son was craving BBQ, so we decided to stop by. Initially, we planned on ordering three separate entrées: a full slab of baby back ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. However, the staff member who took our order suggested we go with the family meal and add a side of pulled pork instead. I'm so glad we took his advice because the amount of food we ended up with was incredible! The brisket was hands down our favorite--absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, the baby back ribs were a bit of a letdown, as they weren't as moist as we had hoped. I wouldn't recommend the pulled pork either. Since we opted for the family meal, we ended up with a lot of Texas Toast and four corn muffins, which was more than enough food for all of us. In fact, we had so many leftovers that my son has lunch and dinner covered for the next day!

The briskets over baked potato reminded me of Texas... and scrumptious. The difference - the serving of the added stuff (condiments) not overwhelming as what you get in Texas. As Texas is well known - everything comes bigger! Ambience - absolutely similar experience to Texas! Overall highly recommended to experience a bit of famous Texas Barbecues.

It's been a while since I have Southern food. Not usually a "go to" place for me, but am down to try food like this. This restaurant happens to be inspired by other southern foods from Texas. Looks like that they decided to bring the food here to Bay Area with its several locations. I have to say. The place is very nice and reminds me the times that I go to Fuddruckers, which is closed at Union City. It replicates the theme of southern places in the US and the business has been running for over 40 years. Good thing that it survived the pandemic. They seem to even play southern music too. The food here is really good. I decided to additionally try the Texas toast. Really tastes different than normal ones. The chicken thighs are good with appropriate seasonings especially the fries. Also like how the fountain machines are set up especially when they have like special flavors you can add onto your drinks like Vanilla and Cherry. This restaurant gives you an opportunity to try foods that are mostly inspired by Texan food. Gives you a taste of how the food tastes like from the south.

Ribs were hard like they've been sitting there a while. Same for the brisket. The only good things were the corn salad and jalapeño sausage. This is one of those of spots where I've tried and have no desire to return.

My son loves bbq ribs, so I decided to make this trip as a treat. As soon as we opened the front door, we were enveloped, almost assaulted by the hickory smoke aroma. We ordered a full rack of baby back ribs and a couple other items to go. The cashier offered to put in our to go order later so that when we finished, our order would be ready and still warm. Infuriatingly, our dine in order was delayed until the to go order was ready. We we watched everyone after us get their food. Finally after 30 minutes of waiting, we finally got our dine in order. They were apologetic and gave us a couple chocolate chip cookies as an apology. Anyway, the ribs were delicious. My son and the rest of my family loved them. It was an almost a 4 star meal. I rounded down for the wait. But I'll be back and am ready to re-rate them higher if all goes smoothly.

Armadillo Willy's used to be our go to treat. The family went for lunch every other weekend while shopping at Bridgepointe. Then we went every month, then every other month. After each lunch in 2024, , I said that I would not go back because the quality goes down each time I visit. I realize that many restaurants are struggling with their supply chain and raising prices. But look at the photo of the brisket that I got for lunch as around 2:30. In the past, I used to get actual slices of beef. This time, I got a pile of some burnt beyond recognition meat-like objects, which were hard as a rock. And the ribs? Again, look at the photo. These look nothing like the baby backs I've eaten there for years. Did I try to exchange them? I probably should have spoken up, but I've been watching them trend downward and it just wasn't worth my time. Don't take my review as gospel. Read the other reviews and make your own decision. It could be that I'm just unlucky in what I am served and your mileage may vary.

I could never get enough of their mouth watering brisket sandwich. I ordered the Cajun fries this time around and they did not disappoint. Food always comes out quick as well.

We were here for a quick lunch on a Friday. Disappointed there were no lunch specials on Fridays. The service was very fast! Our first time visiting and weren't sure what to order so my husband and I shared some ribs and two sides. The ribs were so good!!! The sauce was tasty as well! The pinto beans were , eh. Baked beans would have been better and I LOVE a good coleslaw but it wasn't an option on the menu. We got Mac n cheese. It was good. The corn muffin was very over priced, over $4. so we didn't buy one but a nice worker in the kitchen gave us one to try. I will absolutely be back for some ribs when I'm in the mood. Very tender and falling off the bone.

It had been some time since we last visited Armadillo Willy's and decided to give it a try on a Saturday Night. We ordered two plates and sides that consisted of: Brisket Pork Ribs Corn bread Texas toast Beans Fries Mac and cheese with bacon The staff is friendly and helpful. There is plenty of seating both inside and outside. Our food came out promptly and it was hot. The meats were tender and came with a few sauces to pair. The texas toast is not what it used to be, was a little disappointed with the size and how soggy it was. Beans, Fries, and Mac and Cheese were good, no complaints. Overall our meal was good but it was not what it used to be compared to a few years back. Nonetheless, if you have a bbq craving, this place is good if you are in the area.

We came at 7 pm on a friday night. it's at a huge shopping plaza so tons of parking spots. Inside the tables were maybe 1/3 full, so not too busy. They have two TVs that were playing sports games and a ton of booth seating. Portions felt a bit light for the ammount we paid, but i guess that's pretty standard for most BBQ places. Sides: Tots: 4/5 they were fine, nice and crispy but needed some salt or seasoning since they were pretty bland Onion rings: 3.5/5 fried nice and golden, but again, needed some seasoning Potato salad: 1/5 pretty bad, had this weird sour flavor. we stopped after one bite Meats: Brisket: 2.5/5 they were moist but definitely needed more seasoning or smokiness. you dont get much of the smoke flavor that you expect, and the overall meat is kind of bland. it's partially saved with the BBQ sauce they provide. the meat itself is also super fatty, to the point where it's hard to eat more than a few bites. Ribs: 3/5 ribs were ok but the outside was a bit dry and rubbery while the inside was too fatty again. it did rip off the bone quite easily, which was nice. sausage: 3/5 sausage was pretty good. i would've rated it higher but when we got it, it was already a bit cold for some reason. Overall, food was pretty mid. Everything felt like it needed more seasoning, or maybe it was expected that we drown everything in BBQ sauce.

Some of the best bbq in san mateo. It's a little hidden spot in the fashio island mall. The bbq ribs are usually pretty good. The brisket is nice and smoky. But the best in the cheese jalapeño sausage. I wish I could buy that just to make it home. The barbecue sauces are really good same with the bacon mac & cheese. The service here is usually pretty good and there's plenty of seating inside.

Love all their food. Not a fan of chain stores but Armadillo Willy's does not disappoint. In the past they offered special's on certain days.

First time at Armadillo Willys! It was a fast and easy experience. Food was amazing and fresh.

Terrible! Expensive, ribs were dry and tough, not enough sauce, only 1 side ... over $50.00 for 2 small orders. Did not include any drinks. We basically paid $5.00 per rib! Outrageous!

While I do like the food Armadillo Willy's has changed a lot. The prices are a lot higher and the food used to be better. They also changed the drink machine and took out the stubborn soda which I used to really like. My daughter really likes the Mac n cheese. I like the brisket and the ribs though sometimes the brisket can be dry. I used to get the tri tip but it comes out dry and not flavorful now so I don't get it anymore. For anyone who wants to try Willy's I reccomend getting the brisket or the ribs.

The service and food is always amazing here! Guys are really friendly. Baby back ribs are a lot meatier than other places. We always get an extra side of tri tip, but all the meats are great. You can't go wrong with 1/2&1/2 brisket here!

I had their St. Louis ribs and tri tip here before and it was always good but this time, I ordered half chicken dark meat for a pick up. It came with 2 choices of sides as well. I chose corn bread and mac n cheese (extra cost). The chicken skin was flavorful and crispy and the meat was juicy and tender. Which cheddar Mac n Cheese with bacon was so creamy and good. Corn bread was also crispy on the outside and moist inside. It goes well with the cinnamon butter. Always enjoy eating here when I'm in the area.

Went with my brother and sister, we all got the same thing( el jefe) and subbed the side for garlic fries( additional cost), for sauces they offer BBQ, jalapeño BBQ and ketchup. Orders were ready and it was good, the mixture of meats made it tasty, and the fries were good. The cornbread was good but the cinnamon butter made it feel really sweet which was really tasty. Overall would go again and recommend to try it out. Ordering was with cashier and they give you a buzzer to pick up your food. The establishment was big, a lot of space but wasn't even quarter full but it may be because it was around 2 in the afternoon.

The food is delicious the brisket was falling apart, had some nice bark on it. The ribs were nice n tender. The family meal gives good portion sized sides. Recommend the Mac n cheese and Cole slaw is a nice refresher for the palet. Also ordered the garlic fries, they you a nice size container of BBQ sauce. I would go there again and definitely recommend it's worth the money.

The bbq chicken, ribs, here are the best to my opinion. We use to go here when we lived in SSF . now I lived in Vallejo I drive we drove for 1 hour to eat here . Friendly staff. Very clean place good for family gatherings for small occasions plenty of parking .

There are not a lot of options in the Bay Area for BBQ. This one is good, but not great. It is a little pricey, but if you're looking for your BBQ fix then this place I would consider. I will definitely come back but not all the time.

My sad order of Brisket Al la carte. Do better armadillo Willy's . Very disappointed.

overall 2/5 possibly the most mid kind of bbq you can get 18 hour texas brisket ($28.99): 2/5, meat was dry and stringy where it wasn't fatty, it was pretty bland as well ribs + one ($27.99): 1/5, we got ribs + andouille sausage as our add on. ribs was not that flavorful and the sausage wasn't even warm when it arrived. truly disappointed about how they couldn't even keep sausage warm when serving. sides we got: tator tots (3/5) was dry and felt like it has been sitting out, potato salad (2/5) was sour/vinegary (?), though some people like it that was wasn't my cup of tea, beer batter onion rings (3/5) okay but not well seasoned + bland i would absolutely skip this place if you're actually craving bbq as it barely what counts, there are plenty more around the bay if that's what you are looking for especially for $72 for 2 people.

Been coming here for years, it all started out great and never disappointed. Today I can't say it remains the same. Sadly quality has down graded& it would seem I am not the only one to think so as it's no longer as busy as it used to be. This place used to have a line just to order, now you can walk right up to the register no wait. If your looking for good bbq yes go here, but avoid the salmon sandwich. The salmon sandwich used to be one of my favorite things on the menu aside from the bbq. It used to be a nice fresh piece of salmon, now it's a frozen patty that I forced myself to eat at least 1/2. If I'm paying $16+ a sandwich I expect freshness. For something also advertised to be cajun, this also misses that ingredient.

We came in 30 minutes before closing time. God dam, I spend $80+ for these 2 plates and 1 beer. I do not remember spending so much $$$, with no food left over for take home. Must be inflation, but this is insane pricing. Sadly the best portion is only the ribs, and corn muffin. The brisket & pork is bland with no seasoning. The Cajun fries was over season. The jalapeño and cheese sausage was ok. I was really hoping to like the bacon Mac & cheese, but that was also a fail. The cashier was nice, but I will not be returning for the insane price to only like a quarter of my food. Once you walked in, then you order and pay at the cashier. After that it's self serve everything, so for that price I paid, I would expect to get full service. It felt like my money just flew out the window here.

Ordered a tri tip sandwich to go and it came out extremely fast. The side of fries was hot and tasty, though my ketchup packets were all sticky, which was unpleasant. Tri tip was the most dry I've had. It doesn't help that the sandwich had no accoutrements-- just bread and dry meat. I needed to douse it in sauce. I would rate this slightly below stadium tri tip, maybe on par with conventional center cafeteria tri tip. Extra star for convenience, easy parking, ample seating, and a quick easy spot if you have a desperate need for BBQ

This is one of the place I look forward for ribs. I love how tender the ribs are dipped with bbq sauce. It's just casual dining with family after a long day. Service was okay.

Love Armadillo Willy's. Probably my favorite BBQ place. There are so many new players in the game... But I feel AW has the edge. They have been doing this for years and know best how its done. This particular location has an outdoor area that is great for the summer and spring months. These days its too cold but inside is perfect for the current weather situation. I was first introduced to Armadillo Willy's from their the Dublin location and always drop by next door for my yearly oil change on my Chevy truck. When I'm in this area and hungry there is no question as to where I go. I love a good excuse to eat here. Maybe I'm window shopping at the Hobby Lobby. They've got so much junk its unreal. Its unreal. Bob Ross toaster - who needs that? Just stuff a gift card for AW in their stocking for a gift they will be sure to love. The new players in the BBQ market - they run out of ghost kitchens and don't fully commit to BBQ. The small details are sometimes missed such as perfect side dishes or allowing the choice of 'lean' or 'regular.' Going out to eat is a great thing to do. When I go to friends or family that host its just way too stressful. I'm planning this duck duck goose dinner on Christmas eve and nobody needs all that. Let AW do the cooking.

Came in early so it wasn't as busy. The place was empty but had a nice vibe. Tables were clean and set up. The bathroom didn't smell so that's always a plus. Food was fast since we came right after opening. My sister and BIL ordered the trio with ribs, brisket and sausage with tater tots. It came with their cornbread muffin and delicious cinnamon butter. I got a side order of tri-tip with an order of Cajun fries. And my niece got the Mac n cheese kids meal. The tri-tip was good, nice and tender. The brisket was the best to me. We go here often when I go into work. So we'll definitely be back again. Decently priced for a bbq spot.

I've been to Armadillo's years ago and came back out of nostalgia. The place is still very much the same! Usually, I order the regular plates, but as this is lunch, I opted for a smaller plate just to see how much you get for food. The Brisket option is delicious, and it almost makes me wish I ordered a full plate rather than a small (you could totally keep eating this for ages if you're super hungry!). The tater tots was my side dish option because... well, it's tater tots! If you dine inside, they have the house bbq sauce, which I would recommend. And if you get a drink, they have a lot of options, and you can self-fill! I would recommend this place and come back (maybe get the regular plates next time because that Brisket is delicious)

Seems like one of the few places left still serving turkey burgers. The burgers are cooked right. The meat is juicy and all the fixings are available. But what really got me on this visit were the sweet potato fries! Maybe my memory is short, but I don't remember such delicious seasoning! Very unique and tasty. Some black pepper in there? Seasoned salt? The combo was great. I am a big fan of sweet potato fries and this place just skyrocketed its way to the top of my list!

We were at another store and got hungry. So I have been checking this place out on YELP and finally decided to eat here. As you approach, you can smell the food and it brings you into the realm of wanting barbecue. As you open the door that smell gets stronger and it does have a aroma of Texas BBQ. How do I know this? Because I was born and raised in the great state of Texas, so I know barbecue. You can check out the menu and get stuff by the plate you can get stuff for small plates, they have sandwiches, sides, kids, meals, and I'll kinds of stuff it seems like. So, as we looked at the menu, we decided to go with ribs, brisket, sausage, since those are the go to that I grade Texas BBQ on. Check-in is usually easier thing to cook so I go with the heart of stuff to make sure I'm able to taste that bark that spice, and that deliciousness of true Texas BBQ. We got a three plate meal to split between the both of us, so I got the Texas ribs, she got the brisket, and I asked them which sausage is better the jalapeño or the andouille sausage they stated that the jalapeño was better, so that's what I went with. Our order came out in a timely manner since it was not a lot of people in the restaurant they gave us mac & cheese instead of the pinto beans and potato salad that we ordered so they replaced our pinto beans with no problem whatsoever. The brisket was actually pretty good and I do recommend it. The Texas barbecue ribs were delicious as well. But that jalapeño sausage that they suggested was not good at all. Also, the mac & cheese tasted like wet mayonnaise noodles.

Armadillo Willy's - A Leader in Going Green Support small, local businesses! I had never seen or been to an Armadillo Willy's until I moved to San Mateo from across the Bay. From the outside, the restaurant looks like a big chain restaurant that I would normally avoid and I don't like ordering BBQ, but I really like armadillos, the animals and decided I had to come here at least once. We finally ordered take-out from Armadillo Willy's. I was surprised that the order came in a compostable plastic bag. All of the take-out containers, even the sauce container was biodegradable. The plastic utensils and the plastic lid for the container are made from plant materials and are compostable/biodegradable. I was so surprised, because honestly, I would not think of think of Texans as leading the way for saving the planet. I was surprised to find out that Armadillo currently only has 5 locations all of which are in the Bay Area - which explains the compostable everything. I thought Armadillo Willy's was something like a Texan-themed Red Robin BBQ restaurant.This is probably the best I have seen in terms of take-out materials. So 5/5 for eco-friendliness! The food reviewed one-by-one: El Jefe Story: In a previous yelp review, I had gone to Noelani and purposefully ordered a kalua pork dish - and even though I hated pork, that ended up being my favorite dish. Here at Armadillo Willy's I ordered El Jefe even though I hate pork and I really dislike BBQ because it's slathered in BBQ sauce. I opened up my sandwich, cried out loud, "El Jefe!" and smashed my face into the sandwich. It was a cacophony of flavors I don't even know what was what; so many textures with intermittent bites of spicy jalapeño. The sandwich had peanuts, slaw, sausage, brisket, and pork. Individually, all the ingredients were one-note, but combined, it came together like a mostly rehearsed orchestra. My sandwich was all over the place and the peanuts and cabbage were dropping everywhere - it was a mess. But it was fun to eat like a barbarian. I ordered Sesame Ginger and I have no idea where it was - maybe it was in the slaw? I thought the Sesame Ginger was for a side salad so maybe it was better to not have it in my sandwich, which came with a side of BBQ sauce. Maybe it was in the BBQ sauce Rating: 4/5 Garlic Parmesean Texas Tots Story: I was suspicious of the tater tots that were leaking oil. It looked like they would be soggy 10 minutes after pick-up. They were actually O.K. Not the most exquisite taters I've ever had, but the garlic is real. And a lot. I enjoyed the garlic taters from the Gold Rush BBQ restaurant in Sunnyvale a lot more and they were cheaper however. Ignoring price, these were pretty good taters. So much fresh garlic. Rating: 5/5 Brisket Sandwich Story: My husband ordered the brisket sandwich. "It was O.K. The brisket wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. It was good, but not worth the price". And there you have it folks, from the man who pays for everything. Rating: 4/5 (ignoring cost) Rating: 3/5 (considering cost) Texas Corn Story: For my husband, the seasoning was tasty; the cilantro was fresh. But the corn itself was not good. The seasoning made the corn edible. For myself, I thought this was NASTY. The corn tasted like rubber. Sure, there was seasoning, but I can do that at home. We also just had fresh corn yesterday from the grocery store that I cooked in a microwave - and I ate that like candy. Rating:3/5 (my husband) Rating: 1/5 (ME) The question now remains, would I ever return to Armadillo Willy's? Is it worth the effort to go and burn your precious pay check that you slaved over during the week? Maybe if someone, a.k.a. my dad, really wants BBQ. My husband has nostalgia tied to Armadillo Willy's so he would be willing to return yearly. I personally don't like BBQ that much - I prefer picnic BBQs in the backyard with my own prepared food - but I really appreciate the effort this small, local chain has gone to do their part in becoming eco-friendly - and I know those materials aren't cheap so it does hurt the business to be more eco-friendly. But I might return for more of the tater tots and to try out their fries. And since it's in the local shopping center, I can definitely see myself ordering a side to go while shopping and then taking a break from shopping to snack on some delicious taters. And I would definitely want to come back to try out the tortilla soup. Yes, I do declare it is worth it to return to Armadillo Willy's.

I love the meat, very soft n tender, flavorful, the fries upcharge only 1$, i thought i have to pay 5-6$ for it, come out very hot n crunchy... the foundtain drink it pour out cherry and vanilla syrup separately unlike other places, love it... definitely come back n try more...

I've had the the Small Pitt-smoked boneless chicken BBQ meal twice. The first time it was dry and tough with too much rub - so I'm glad I gave it a second chance This time I had it with a small green salad and and extra side of corn. Fortunately, the meat was tender with just the right amount of rub and was delicious overall. The salad was basic but good with its balsamic type dressing. The corn was served cold like a slaw with chopped onions and was tasty. And although I didn't get it on this visit, the regular coleslaw (w/peanuts) is excellent too.