Harris Ranch Express BBQ

excellent barbecue brisket, full flavor, plastic fork tender, solid bark, great pink smoke line; hearty portions, well marbled cut! 🔥 sauces were delicious! original with a hint of smoke, sweet with extra molasses, and spicy with a nice kick at the end. i tried all three, paired great with the meat classic sides available but i chose the seasonal sweet potato l, tasty and filling 🍠

I stopped here for the first time ever last week on my way to Sacramento, as it was the half-way point and had a gas station and the food looked good. I spent the rest of the week talking to people I was meeting with in Sacramento who flew there about what they missed by not driving and how incredible the food was. I was blown away. Easily one of the best tri-tip sandwiches I've ever had and who'd have guessed it would be at a gas station? They have a grill and a smoker in the front of the area, which really makes stopping for fuel that much more fun and enjoyable. I paid about $15 for a good sized sandwich and the lady who made it gave me a good recommendation for the sauce. I went with the sweet BBQ sauce, it was very good. For those driving EVs, this is a great place to eat and kill time while you're waiting for your car to charge back up. There is even a hydrogen fuel station here as well. I knocked atmosphere down to four stars, only because it is a gas station and the only seating is outside which is nice, but you have to contend with a lot of flies that are only in that part of the area.

Harris Ranch Express BBQ serves as a convenient and satisfying pit stop for those on the road, offering a comforting menu that hits the spot for BBQ lovers. On my visit, the Pulled Pork Sandwich and Chicken Sandwich were both flavorful and fulfilling, packed with tender, well-seasoned meat. The Burnt Ends with Mashed Potatoes were a particular highlight, offering a delightful combination of smoky, succulent meat and creamy potatoes. The Hot Diggity Dog lived up to its name, providing a tasty, classic American BBQ experience. The pricing is on par with what you'd expect from most BBQ joints, offering good value considering the quality and portion sizes of the meals. While the service was just okay, not particularly standing out, it didn't detract from the overall positive dining experience. One noteworthy tip for future visitors is to opt for seating by the back door; it offers a strategic spot to enjoy your meal with minimized olfactory interference from the nearby cattle, a common characteristic of the Harris Ranch area. Overall, Harris Ranch Express BBQ is a solid choice for travelers looking for a hearty, satisfying meal to break up their journey.

I had an amazing early. Dinner is classic and warm. The waiter and waitress were just perfect. Had a problem with my shrimp dish. They apologized then it was immediately replaced. If u have gluten allergy and on a road trip this is definitely one of the best choices.

Hidden gem. All the great BBQ items, cut fresh off the grill. Good prices and excellent taste. Don’t bother with Harris ranch, this little spot at the shell station is the real gold. Huge Tesla charging station next door as well. Skip Kettleman City and go here instead, you won’t be disappointed!

Line at 9:00am waiting to open. Had the brisket and cheddar sandwich with spicy sauce. Excellent first off of the brisket my favorite.

BBQ is not bad but would probably not get it again. Ordered the Tritip and 3 sides, Mash potatoes, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw. with the spicy BBQ Sauce. The meat was barely warm, the slices were all different thickness, some were cut down the middle halfway down. The meat was a bit dry and not as tender and expected. May be I just got a bad batch. The sides were also ok. The coleslaw was fresh, the macaroni and cheese was not over cooked and the mash potatoes had a good flavor not sure if its made with fresh potatoes though or just potato flakes. For me the Spicy BBQ Sauce was great. That I would of bought a bottle of. It was rush hour and may be I just got not the best meat. The lines are long during peak hours 45Mins plus wait time to order. Tip order ahead online and pick up at exterior window. I ordered ahead but still waited a few mins for my order but better then ordering there. They've opened a Bakersfield location so may be thats not a crowded and better quality.

OK. So, I'm a truck driver. It's been a minute since I stopped here. They used to have truck parking. No longer. They have installed a huge Tesla charging station, and closed off a large area for truck parking. And the sign saying no truck parking is not visible at night until you are already committed to turning in. Fortunately there is a turn around at the end of the street... We were able to park on the shoulder across the hwy and walk in. Ok. I did enjoy my brisket and cheddar on brioche bun. Very tasty. Great with the original BBQ sauce.

I had been on the road with my friends for the whole day and this BBQ place hit the spot for dinner . I was so excited and happy that didn't close until 9:00 PM! The staff is attentive and have the system of making food organized like a well-oiled machine. I tried the Santa Maria tri tip sandwich ; the meat and BBQ sauce were beyond delicious . I had the coleslaw on the side which hit the spot because that night it was about 90 degrees. They have ample outdoor seating with constant fans and misty water keeping you cool Overall great place to stop for weary travelers.

Traveling to Morro Bay for an overnight stay, I was feeling a bit hungry and sleepy, so I decided to stop for an energy drink and a snack. I ordered the cheddar and brisket wrap with spicy barbecue sauce and a bit of coleslaw on top. Since I was driving, a wrap was much easier to handle than a full-on barbecue sandwich. This was my first time at Harris Ranch, which is kind of in the middle of nowhere, so I expected the prices to be a bit higher--and they were. The brisket was decent. I can't say it was great, but it definitely wasn't bad. The servers were very friendly, fast, and efficient. The place was clean, including the restrooms. I had high expectations for Harris Ranch, and maybe I set the bar too high. Overall, it was decent--not great, but definitely not bad. They had a nice outdoor barbecue pit away from the building, so you didn't get smoked out inside. The meat seemed fresh, which is a plus. I've been to other places where the meat seemed refrigerated and reheated, but that wasn't the case here. In summary, Harris Ranch provided a good experience. It met my needs for a quick stop during my travels, with friendly service and clean facilities.

The service is excellent very friendly The gas station/marketplace/barbecue is very clean They have picnic tables outside under a covered patio with misters to be cool And of course, the barbecue is amazing. You cannot go wrong with anything that you pick. The chicken is spicy so be warned

Tri tip!! Get the tri tip sandwich or get the tri tip plate. The bbq smelled so good so I had to try it. Line was long. I ended up ordering the brisket plate and add a side of tri tip. The brisket was too bland! No flavors, no salt. Good thing they give you salt and bbq sauce. The tri tip is the way to go. It had a good bark with seasoning on it. It wasn't too salty or too bland either. I can see how it'll be good on a sandwich. Everyone else was getting the sandwich!

Stop here for Shell gas and restroom break . Lines were so long to place an order at the BBQ express line . I opted for the grab and go salads in the refrigerator . Also stock up on some refreshments and snacks for the road .

Better than your average pit stop fast food on your road trip. Located inside the Shell Gas Station. Harris Ranch are known for their cuts of meat. Even inside the gas station they have a small section. That you can purchased raw cuts of beef. I arrived at around 10 am on a Sunday and there were a few people in line. I liked the brisket over the ribs. Brisket was a little fatty but awesome smoke/flavor. A lot of bbq places, the brisket tastes like beef jerky but not here. The ribs are tiny and good smoke ring on them. They would be perfect with some bbq sauce. The sides were great, creamy Mac and cheese and thick mashed potatoes. Decent prices. $37.xx for ribs and brisket that come with 1 side Plenty of of parking and outdoor seating

Not bad for a spot along the highway catered to road trip folks. The meat was good but the other ingredients not as much. THE WAIT A long line, about halfway through the store, at 11:50am on a Saturday in November. It took maybe 15-20 minutes, not too bad. There is a pick-up window for online/phone windows, so I wish I'd thought to do that while we were on the way. THE COST $51.06 total (including tax/tip) for 2 entrees, 2 kid's meals, and 1 dessert. THE SERVICE Fast, but not great. I got the Tri-Tip Taco Salad and noticed no corn tortilla strips, so I went back to let them know they forgot to add it. Well, it turns out they just didn't have any at all at the moment. That really would've been nice to know when ordering; I actually would not have ordered this at all. We actually had to go back again because my salad didn't have dressing either. THE FOOD * Kid's Hot Dog ($6.95) Fine for what it is. They add the toppings you want for you behind the counter (you don't get ketchup packets, etc). Nice to get a juice and a (pretty tasty, soft) cookie with each order. * Harris Ranch Beef Brisket ($16.95) - 4 stars Tasty, soft, charred meat. * Tri-Tip Taco Salad ($13.95) - 2 stars Meat was fine, but the lack of communication about the lack of corn tortilla strips was really not acceptable. Avocado was soft & ripe. Other salad ingredients meh. Dressing, once I went and asked for it, was watery ok, but to their credit seemed house made.

Better than average road trip fare. Stopped by on a Sunday around 1, easily 20 people online so would recommend ordering online instead. Brisket was pretty fatty and moist, but was pretty bland without any bbq sauce. Black bean chili was more just hot black beans (though tasty), mac and cheese pretty rich, the rice pilaf was average. Overall would say a B to B+ since bbq takeout is difficult to find no nowadays. It's in the shell gas station. Restroom is outside and generally clean.

Harris Ranch Express BBQ serves as a convenient and satisfying pit stop for those on the road, offering a comforting menu that hits the spot for BBQ lovers. On my visit, the Pulled Pork Sandwich and Chicken Sandwich were both flavorful and fulfilling, packed with tender, well-seasoned meat. The Burnt Ends with Mashed Potatoes were a particular highlight, offering a delightful combination of smoky, succulent meat and creamy potatoes. The Hot Diggity Dog lived up to its name, providing a tasty, classic American BBQ experience. The pricing is on par with what you'd expect from most BBQ joints, offering good value considering the quality and portion sizes of the meals. While the service was just okay, not particularly standing out, it didn't detract from the overall positive dining experience. One noteworthy tip for future visitors is to opt for seating by the back door; it offers a strategic spot to enjoy your meal with minimized olfactory interference from the nearby cattle, a common characteristic of the Harris Ranch area. Overall, Harris Ranch Express BBQ is a solid choice for travelers looking for a hearty, satisfying meal to break up their journey.

I was driving along the five and noticed this place and figured what did I have to lose. Parked and went in and they had a big ole slab of fresh cooked tri-tip. I ordered the tri tip sandwich with cheddar cheese. The guy working behind the counter recommended doing have spicy half sweet bbq sauce and it was delicious. The potato salad had a nice deli mustard seed taste but could totally skip next time. Jalapeño cornbread was DELICIOUS! Happy to have found this place on my long trip home!

Stopped by Harris Ranch Express BBQ on the way back to SF after a road trip to LA. Growing up in the Bay Area, I had a lot of friends and family members rave about stopping by the restaurant at Harris Ranch. Unfortunately, the restaurant at the hotel was closed during lunch, so we opted for this establishment. Line was long, but moved fairly quickly. I ordered the Tri-Tip Sandwich. The meat was pretty good. It was fairly easy to chew through, but the overall sandwich just reminded me of a sandwich that you got with your high school lunch. The bread felt mediocre, and the staff put a ton of sauce which covered any taste of the meat. My partner got the Burnt End Salad, and experienced something similar with her brisket. It was covered with sauce which didn't let you truly taste the meat. Overall, not bad; but probably not worth going out of the way to visit.

Last time, I tried the steakhouse and loved it, and since I'm a huge fan of bbq, I had to try this spot as well. I highly suggest ordering ahead of time through their website so that you can quickly pick up at the window. We made a stop at about 2pm and the line was fairly long, ~15 people. When you turn into Harris Ranch, it's located in the Shell on the right. It's very casual with many picnics tables outside for you to enjoy your meal. My partner and I ordered the burnt ends with mashed potatoes and the tri-tip with baked beans. The burnt ends will come drenched in sauce and the tri-tip will not. The meats and sides were okay given it's a stop in the middle of your drive on the 5 freeway, but I would rather dine in at the steakhouse if I had the time.

I've driven by Harris Ranch dozens of times going to/from Northern/Southern California. This time my wife suggested we stop at the Express BBQ as we were in a hurry and didn't want to go in the main restaurant. The Express BBW is inside the Shell Gas Station's Convenience Store. The line can get pretty long, but moves decently fast. You can also go online and order ahead for pickup. There are no inside seating, but they do have an outdoor seating section with outdoor heaters, but is still a little chilly on a winter evening. The convenience store is a decent size, so you can pick up other items to eat/drink in addition to the Express BBQ. Bathrooms are clean. There is a large bank of Tesla Chargers, so you will see a lot of people here eating while charging their Teslas. As for the food, I feel it is mediocre BBQ. I have had better BBQ and my wife said that I make better BBQ on my Traeger. Overall, not a bad place to stop and grab some fast BBQ. Price is a slightly high for what you get, but it is right off I-5 in the middle of nowhere, so it convenient for a gas/charging, food and pee break.

The brisket sandwich was very good. Flavorful and tender brisket on a brioche bun, simple but delicious. The potato salad was good. Jalapeño cornbread was ok, nothing memorable. "Burnt ends" on the other hand, were a total letdown. I wouldn't consider this to be barbecue burnt ends at all, it looks like chopped up bits of steak. The meat chunks were baked in barbecue sauce but no where near fatty enough and quite dry. Their house barbecue sauce is quite good. A bit of tanginess and smoke, a touch of sweetness but not too sweet. I would place their "spicy" version BBQ sauce somewhere between "mild" and "medium spicy." It's got a bite but most folks should be able to handle it. As a side note, they measure out the meat on a scale to ensure consistent portion sizes when you order. If you're roadtripping, it's worth a stop. The food is ok, just know that ordering burnt ends will get you cut up steak chunks. Harris Ranch Express BBQ may not sate the cravings of a barbecue aficionado but it should be a more than satisfactory meal for a hungry traveler.

We have been coming to Harris Ranch for over twenty years but on our last few stops here the service has been seriously lacking. The food quality is as good as ever, but when you're in the road, lunch needs to be ordered and served ASAP. There seems to be a lot of side chatter between employees, at least more so than in the past. Don't get me wrong, we still love it here, but the service needs to improve. Harris Ranch should NOT have 3.5 stars on YELP. Service is a fixable issue. I should know, I owned a restaurant and turned it around in 5 months after buying it. Good training goes a long way...

While waiting for the car to charge we decided to have a bite to eat at the only restaurant around. Nothing beats a bbq restaurant inside a gas station. We got a meal for two for under $25. Not bad for some decent bbq. 4/5 Pulled pork sandwich - very good! 4/5 Hot dog - served with onions and pickles and I was surprised how much I liked this. The hotdogs were a little on the small side and was given an extra hotdog. :) 2/5 Mashed potatoes - I didn't like this version 4/5 Potato salad - very good! It's definitely great value for money and very quick in and out. There's plenty of seating outside with heat lamps for the cold months!

Stopped here two times this past week. Ordered the tri tip sandwich both times. Be sure to ask for extra bbq sauce. Sandwich is delicious! First time we stopped at 3 in the afternoon. Two people in line. Second stop was at 1:00 pm and there were 18 people in line. Line moves pretty fast. Second trip we also ordered baby back ribs. The first two I ate were totally dry and must have been sitting in the heat lamp all day. All the rest of the ribs were moist and delicious. The person in front of me ordered a salad with burnt ends on top and it looked amazing!! I would definitely try that. There are many outside tables and more shady tables near the rest rooms plus a couple more across the street by the airport. The shady tables were great since we were traveling with our dog. Big Tesla charging station here and it was full of cars. Everyone eating BBQ while waiting for their car to charge. This is a fun spot to stop on the long drive up I-5.

This place is great when I'm charging at the Tesla area I just call in my order and pick up on my way out. Food is great for my road trips.

Harris Ranch Express is location in the Shell station and serves up sandwiches and ribs with the Tri-Tip sandwich being the star. Harris Ranch being famous for its meats steer clear of the salads. If your stopping for a pit stop it's best to go during non peak meal hours the line snakes around the Shell convenience store. They have lots of tables outside of the store. You can call in your order ahead of time. With the new EV charging station on the north side of the Shell Harris Ranch express BBQ will only get more popular.

Get that brisket. If you're in a place where cows live, the beef must be amazing, right? This eatery demonstrates it. Since they have Teslas chargers at this location, my car advised me to stop here. I thought I'd grab something delicious to eat since my car needed about 30 minutes to fill its battery. Little did I I'd discover Harris Ranch Express BBQ. The tri-tip sandwich is also a force to be reckoned with, so try both. Stopping here is worth the nose-full of the Coalinga manure odor!

BBQ was great, sadly they ran out of burnt ends. Service was fast and efficient, even with a 10 deep line. It's part of Shell so there really isn't an ambiance but the drink prices and selection were incredible as a result of being in Shell. Would definitely stop here again on SoCal road trips! Having the Tesla chargers in walking distance is also super nice!

4.2 stars! Harris Ranch Express is a great spot to stop on during your roadtrips. Really good pit stop to get gas, snacks, and BBQ! The bbq itself is good, hot, juicy, and has legit smoke rings. But tbh, the hospitality and service is not there. The hosts were rude and didn't greet us. I asked a the lady at the bbq joint for bbq sauce and she responded "well you didn't ask me for any!" Uhmm... it's a bbq joint, you should OFFER your bbq sauce. That said, the food was good and rest rooms were clean.

The best food inside of Shell gestation! I don't even hardly eat pulled.por or read meat. But there pull worked sandwiches are bomb

Great quick stop...as long as the line is short. Luckily for us we made it just in time. 5 minutes later there were over 20 people in line LOL. The chicken sandwich comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo. The chicken was tender and was grilled with lots of delicious flavor. The chipotle mayo wasn't really spicy, but complimented the sandwich nicely. Hubby said the pulled pork was really good and not fatty. So glad we stopped here. There is "counter" top seating and also tables and chairs right outside the door. It is located just inside of a convenience store, which is handy. We heard there is also a picnic area where you can bring your dogs behind the store and across the parking lot.

Express doesn't necessarily mean express, but Harris Ranch definitely means Harris Ranch. Nestled in a gas station, the meats are smoked right outside as well as sourced. Brisket Cheddar sandwich will melt in your mouth. If you're a tri tip connoisseur it is not quite up to some of the central coast classics. Staff is prompt but expect a wait. They need to build more of these for sure!

Brisket Sandwich Brisket Sandwich Brisket Sandwich That's all I'm going to say... Food: 4.8 mics Service: 4 mics Ambiance: 3.5 mics Food: Plates, sandwiches and salads. I had the brisket sandwich that melted in my mouth. The brisket was flavorful and tender. I have dined at the restaurant at Harris Ranch but the Express experience was so much better. Service: The people behind the counter were nice and friendly. They were quick to get get my sandwich started and completed quickly. We got there early so there was no line, but the line can get pretty busy pretty quick. Even if there was line, don't miss out on the Brisket. Ambiance: Well is a counter in a gas station convenience store. Nothing fancy. Nothing to rave about. I WILL be stopping here, from here on out EVERY TIME I'm in the area. Come thru and don't sleep on the brisket!!!

It was just ok. My husband was real excited to eat here but it was just mediocre. I just ended up eating the Mac n cheese but they were mushy and I just took some bites and tossed it. I was hoping it was going to be a great pit stop on our vacation but it was a disappointment.

Coming back from Vegas driving I-5. Decided I was going to stop at Harris Ranch. Decided on the bbq. Got 1/2 tri-tip sandwich, ranch beans and a glass of wine. Great smoke flavor. Nicely cooked and cut the right way. Beans are delicious. Topped of with a glass of Cab. Well worth the stop. I think I'm going to take home some baseball steaks also!!

Taco Bell? No Carls Jr? Ehhh McDonald's? Nah. Denny's? Hmmm. Maybe.... Bbq in a Shell gas station?!? OKAY! I'm down! We've been driving for 3 hours and it was time for dinner. I'm glad we tried something out of the ordinary.... And so I thought. My man and I shared a half rack of ribs. He wondered, "Where's the sauce?" His daughter ordered pulled pork and it didn't have sauce either. We're we supposed to ask for it? We didn't check the counter, was it there? Did they sell any?!?? Without sauce it was weird, but I guess it satisfied our hungry bellies. I didn't try the pulled pork but they ate it so it was at least edible. My man said it was bland, too. We ordered a side of beans that was bland as heck. I think they called it Brown Sugar Maple Beans with Bacon. Where's the sugar??!?! No maple?!? Did they forget to add it in? The Macaroni and Cheese, according to my man, was like a day old. It didn't look appetizing to even try so I didn't have any. My daughter's Hot Diggity Dog sounds more fun than it really was. They cut half of a hot dog and put it in a bun. It wasn't that good. I thought it would help my daughter feel better since she's been feeling under the weather, but she hardly ate it. I don't blame her, it's worse than cafeteria food. The kid's meal included a chocolate chip cookie. I cut it into fourths so we could all have a piece. It was really good, too bad I'm too nice. I thought our small dessert was the best part of our meal. We enjoyed sitting outside watching birds. The little ones were so cute. The service was quick and friendly. Sometimes it's fun to try something new, but unfortunately this didn't turn out to be a good one.

Food: Pretty good but portion was a bit small. We got: - BBQ Brisket: Very delicious - tender with nice smooth fatty streaks on the slices. I would definitely get this again. - Tri-tip: Delicious as well with basically the same flavors/seasoning as the brisket, but expectedly the tri-tip was leaner. It was still very good. - Tri-tip Sandwich: Pretty good, and the tri-tip was in a good generous amount in the sandwich. The bun was standard. - Mac n Cheese: Tasty, this would be the side I'd get again. - Mashed Potato: Decent, but nothing to write home about. Ambiance: the store is pretty much a counter where you line up, order, and pick up your food. It was located within the same store as a convenience store, so when the line gets long (and you bet it does) it could get pretty messy. I loved the outdoor seating, perfect for when you travel with your dogs. Price: For everything I listed above, it was about $50, so the price was pretty standard.

BBQ was so tender and delicious. Mouthwatering every bite. It's a long line to order due the location is stop over for travelers. But it's worth the wait. We got the brisket, rack of ribs sides of Mac n cheese , mashed potatoes taco salad . You need their corn bread. Ambiance you are in middle of I 5 fwy expect agricultural land. Overall we will be back

I'm going to eat at the BBQ every time I stop here overnight now. The joint has a pre-orderable family meal of meat, sides, cornbread, and sauce for $100. It was outstanding and we had leftovers for a couple of days. We had the luxury of traveling in our RV and Harris Ranch offering free parking overnight for RVs so we ordered from the road and then picked up after fueling and parking. We proceeded to eat in our RV and then have a nice night's sleep. I will repeat this again and again on my trips up and down I-5 now.

Always a dependable place to stop for a great meal. Especially after a long trip from out of state. I had the chicken sandwich and the bun that it came with was really over the top - it had a cheesy crusty top. Rudy enjoyed the prime 14 oz ribeye- It was really good, super tender and little to no fat. Letty had the tri tip sandwich and she ate it all which means she loved it.

Let's face it driving home on the 5 from San Francisco to Los Angeles is a desert for anything good to eat unless its fast food. So we looked forward to Harris Ranch Express. We can't speak for the restaurant. but the take out is in a Shell Station. (they do have great clean restrooms though!! 5 star) The lines out of the door were promising. Went for the main and side with Brisket and the BBQ beans. I saw a show where you should ask for the fatty pieces and so I did that. Thank goodness I did. The pieces that were not fatty were dry and tasteless and tough. The BBQ beans were thick and not very tasty. We needed to use alot of the sauce to make it palatable. I might give the restaurant a shot if I have time but in the future, I would probably prefer a filet of fish at McDonald's.

Wowzerz, can I just say.... The freakin line is crazy but I get it !!! There's some good bbq at the end of the road, and it's worth the wait. Bustling with enthusiasm. Realistically It probably took 30/40 min to get to the front, but it wasn't frustrating because everyone is polite and patient, people in the line are friendly and strike conversations so it's amusing. People stopped in for far and wide, and share their thoughts. The tri tip was delicious, tender and juicy, the brisket was really good but some pieces were dry. The mac & cheese and mashed potatoes are bomb. The beef ribs were a hit with a lot of people. Overall stop in at least once if your on the rout!

This place has excellent barbecue, should not be missed if stopping by for fuel or whatever. It's pretty basic counter service, outside seating along with misters in the warmer months. You'll notice fake hawk sounds coming from speakers to scare away the other birds that might try to steal your food.

Maybe my visit was a fluke, but if you have "BBQ" in your name, you should have some nice, fall of the bone tender meats that were smoked to near perfection. My experience here, as a rest stop trying the all might beef ribs, far from anything that you could reasonably consider "BBQ". Simply put, the beef ribs here wouldn't even come off the bone after trying to tear into it, grinding down to the bone with your teeth. I was extremely disappointed. I've been driving up and down I-5 for over 20 years now and I've always seen Harris Ranch, but never actually stopped by. My wife wanted to try Express BBQ. Even though it's out in the middle of almost no where, the restaurant is near like 30 Tesla Superchargers. That said, because it's out in the middle of nowhere, there just isn't much competition for this location, and so it seems like the effort was just not there. There is a big smoker outside, but no one tends to it, how much of it is for show? My wife opted to try to beef ribs, but after we tried it, I personally hated how much it lacked effort. It was peppered in too much salt and pepper to actually allow for the beef rib flavor to come through. While you do get some of the smoke flavor, it only comes through at the charred top spots and doesn't come through in the meat. The worst part of all is the fact that you have to chew and gnaw at the meat for it to even come off. It was dry, hard, and generally an unacceptable form of "BBQ". The sides were good though. That said, perhaps the other meats are good? But I'd actually rather not visit again to try and find out.

Harris Ranch Express BBQ is a convenient pitstop for a long drive, but be prepared for a bit of a wait. The line can be quite long, but once you reach the counter, you get to choose your main dish and a couple of sides. Normally, I'm a fan of their tri-tip, but on my last visit, I decided to give the brisket a try. To be honest, it was a bit disappointing - dry and lacking in flavor. However, there are some redeeming sides. The mac and cheese is consistently good, while the coleslaw is decent, nothing to write home about. Now, the jalapeño cornbread is a hit or miss - I've had it dry and flavorless on one occasion and on another, it was the best cornbread I've ever had. The potato salad falls somewhere in the middle. What makes this place a great stop on a long journey is the availability of outdoor seating and clean restrooms. So, if you're in need of refueling and a break during a road trip, it serves that purpose well.

For years, this has been my favorite stop on road trips. They always have clean restroom and the best snacks. I tried their BBQ for the first time today and the Chipotle Chicken is amazing! Would recommend as a rest stop!

I stopped by at 10am on a Thursday and the place was completely empty, parking lot included. I ordered the half pound of burnt ends and it was weighed on a kitchen scale to be exactly half a pound. This entree comes with one side so I got the potato salad. The burnt ends are heavily sauced and a mixed bag in terms of tenderness: some pieces are easy to chew through and juicy while others are unfortunately quite tough. Mashed potatoes have just the right amount of mayo and is seasoned well. For $17.76 with tax included (no opportunity to tip), it's about the price I'd expect for BBQ.

We came here twice this past week to & from our trip to SoCal to charge our car. So you have time to kill while waiting. This spot is convenient if you don't want to go into the restaurant for a sit down meal. When you pull up to it, they have huge wood burning smokers going with the meat on them, always a great sign. This time around I was a bit in disbelief when ordering my Togo stuff. I got a brisket sandwich and smoke chicken sandwich. They weigh the meat out then make it. For my brisket sandwich they put cheese on it, and basically just sloppy put the meat on the bottom bun unevenly and cheese on unevenly too, proceeded to wrap the sandwich very sloppy looking, basically zero pride in their work and could careless I'm a paying customer. They go onto the chicken sando, & it's the same thing. I get rung up and the employee walks away after asking me if I wanted my receipt which I said yes to. I was left to reach over the counter to grab it myself, ok. I love the meat here and will still give them my business because of that, but the customer service was terrible.

On our trip down south my daughter and I popped by Harris Ranch Express BBQ in an attempt to get lunch faster than we always have at the full service restaurant. The place is kind of a cafeteria/convenience mart/gift shop/gas station all rolled into one. Well, it was a little faster. But, part of the delay we experienced was due to the cashier disappearing for over five minutes causing the line to back up and the food preparers to pause until she returned. My daughter ordered their pulled pork sandwich, I had the brisket sandwich, we both had a side of Mac 'n Cheese and a soda. The cost you ask?? $40!!! I think they charge a little too much for what you get and the ambiance of the place - picnic tables under awnings across from gas pumps. I think if I'm going to Harris Ranch in the future I'll be sticking to the dining room. The BBQ Express just doesn't do it for me...

My food which was a steak dinner was cold. Reheated and terrible. My husband had a club sandwich that was the worst. Need to train the chefs better. It's gone down hill so bad! They are not looking for return customers just freeway travelers.

Unfortunately we won't be back. We ordered 2 1/2 pork rib racks and both were small, hard and severely dry. They gave us the ends of the rib rack. My daughters both threw away most of the ribs as it was in edible and hard. It was our first time so sadly that experience left much to be desired. Shame on the employees who tried to just get rid of bad ribs and gave it to my teenage daughters. Wish I took a pic of it.

Excellent food service; especially when ordered ahead online and just arrive to pick up without the wait makes this an excellent experience for me.

Stopped in about a month ago and had just missed the place by closing time on my way out of town this weekend. I made it to Harris Ranch express barbecue. I ordered the brisket, half pound with a side order of macaroni and cheese, and a jalapeño cornbread Biden, it was a great cut of meat, but it was missing flavor. I had to ask for barbecue sauce since there was provided with the macaroni and cheese was OK and jalapeño cornbread stay away from. Will return back to try a sandwich and maybe those are better

Most delicious Burnt Ends. Great place to stop before OR after the Grapevine. Plus we charged our EV while we ate. PERFECT

Driven by this place 100's of times driving on the 5 and finally made the pit stop to try it out. Boy oh boy was I treated with some awesome bbq. I pulled up and immediately some trucker asked if I was getting lunch and told me to get the brisket. Anything with the brisket, whether it was the sandwich, salad, or by itself, it's totally worth it. He was not wrong. I decided to go that route with a side. It was muy delicioso. I pretty much devoured the whole thing. Here's the thing though, for the price you pay and the amount they give you, it was really stingy. If I wanted to, I could pretty much fit the entire amount they give you in my mouth and finish it one bite. Because it was so tender and juicy, I savored every tiny bite. I'm probably gonna come back, order more then what I originally got, complain a little about how much it is, then forget about the price because it was so good.

Was so disappointed that this wasn't better. Returning from SF back to LA this was to be a highlight of the trip back. Very long line, overworked staff who were uncaring. My sandwich was full of fatty meat and overcooked, my wife's was the pulled pork, better, but kind of dry. The counter is inside a minimart which is good until you find its a "Pepsi Only" facility and not a spot of any other brands. I guess money is more important than quality of food or experience.

How in the world is some of the best barbecue available in a small town in the middle of California? This wonderful stop treats those who choose to stop with incredible food, clean bathrooms, a grassy area for dogs, and ample parking. And this barbecue is beyond compare. Tender meat prepared on huge smokers in the parking lot (yes, you read that right!). There are three sauces to choose from, lots of sides, and different vessels of consuming that incredible bbq (sandwiches, wraps, sandwiches, and plates). We were lucky to arrive when there was not a line, which I was told could be twenty people deep. There are lots of outdoor seating options. Do yourself a huge favor and stop here - or even make a specific trip just to try this restaurant - your taste buds will thank you!