Back Forty Texas BBQ Roadhouse & Saloon — Restaurant in Pleasant Hill

Back Forty Texas BBQ Roadhouse & Saloon – Classic Texas-Style BBQ in Pleasant Hill

Back Forty Texas BBQ is a well-known family restaurant in Pleasant Hill, celebrated for its hearty Texas-style barbecue. I visited on a Saturday at noon, and while it wasn’t too busy, I noticed they also have private rooms perfect for large family gatherings or birthday celebrations—a warm touch that makes the place feel welcoming.

The restaurant has an old-school Texas charm, with rustic wood tables, a round bar setup, and plenty of Texas-inspired decorations like stickers and vintage-style details. The garden with flowers and greenery outside adds to the atmosphere, evoking the look and feel of a classic Texas roadhouse.

For appetizers, we ordered the Texas Wings, and the staff kindly let us have sauces on the side. We sampled the original mild BBQ, kickin’ honey garlic, and buffalo sauces, all of which paired well with the wings. The wings themselves were crispy outside and tender inside, with carrots and celery served alongside.

For the main course, we went with The Grand Pit combo, which includes three smoked meats and two signature sides.

The pulled pork was flavorful, especially the fully pulled portions, though the cubed pieces were a bit tougher.

The beef brisket can be ordered lean or juicy; we tried the lean, which had less fat but also less moisture—I’d recommend going for the juicy cut for more tenderness.

The pork ribs were generous in size but slightly hard to pull off the bone, so perhaps a little more cooking time would make them perfect.

As for sides, the seasonal veggies were a light mix of broccoli, cucumber, and zucchini, though the portion was small. The chef’s special tortilla soup was excellent, with tortillas, chicken, onion, and corn coming together in a flavorful broth—one of the highlights of the meal.

The portions were large enough that two meat lovers couldn’t quite finish everything, so we happily took some to-go. Given the combo deals, the pricing felt reasonable. There’s also plenty of parking available and the restaurant is ADA-accessible, making it convenient for all visitors.

Overall, Back Forty Texas BBQ delivers well-prepared meats, warm Texas décor, and a family-friendly atmosphere. It’s a great spot for BBQ fans, whether you’re stopping in for wings and a drink at the bar or enjoying a full meal with family and friends.

✨ Highlights:

🍗 Crispy, tender wings with multiple sauce options

🥩 Hearty BBQ meats—pulled pork, brisket, ribs

🍲 Delicious tortilla soup

🎉 Private rooms for family gatherings

🚗 Easy parking and...

Back Forty Texas BBQ I am all about the whole experience when going to a restaurant. I ordered To-Go. When I went to pick up the order, I was welcomed and greeted with a smile. In both instances, the host checked my order, read it back to me, handed me the bag, and followed with a farewell. To write this seems absurd, but customer service is not always commonplace these days. The food was good as well! This is what I ordered the first and second time I visited:

2 Meat Combo Lunch Plate: ☆The meat could use a bit more smoke flavor, but overall good.

Sliced beef: The meat was tender. Could have used more seasoning or maybe seasoned overnight before smoking.

Ribs: The meat was tender and flavorful. For those who like to eat the meat off the bone, it allowed for that without a lot of pulling. BBQ sauce was added as a nice compliment.

Macaroni n cheese: Creamy cheese and pasta cooked to the perfect consistency.

Potato salad: Mustard based with a nice blend of peppers, relish, and potato.

Ranch roll (similar to yeast roll): Fresh with a soft texture.

3 Meat Combo Dinner Plate: ☆The meat could use a bit more smoke flavor, but overall good.

Chicken: The meat was well-seasoned and did NOT require BBQ sauce.

Double Ribs: The meat was tender and flavorful. For those who like to eat the meat off the bone, it allowed for that without a lot of pulling. BBQ sauce was added as a nice compliment.

House salad: The salad was fresh; exactly what you would expect.

Potato salad: Mustard based with a nice blend of peppers, relish, and potato.

Cornbread: Perfectly cooked. I was hoping it would have been a little sweeter, but most people are looking for cornbread, not cake.

Banana pudding (half-pint): Great flavor. Contained small bits of banana. If you are someone who enjoys layers of cookies, you might want to get a box on the way home. There was only one cookie placed on top as garnish. I am a banana pudding snob, and this one was actually decent!

I...

God bless you Back 40.

My wife and I have two kids under 4 years of age and going out to eat is always a challenge. We’re always on the lookout for places we can enjoy where our kids can blend in and not ruin other people’s dinners. My threshold for a good night out is very low… somehow after debating for an hour where we could go that was also a little nicer for us we ended up at the Back 40.

From the moment we walked in the service was out of this world. I don’t know why the host, the owner, and the wait staff were so attentive. It was honestly jarring when coming from places in Oakland.

The host seating us made sure to have coloring pages and crayons on the table before we sat down. A small gesture that went a long way in my book.

Our waiter made sure to have kid sized cups with tight lids immediately. Which helped us be better guests because our kids weren’t freaking out. Once again a small thing that most places don’t think about. They also had a section of booths with several other kids so we weren’t ruining anyone else’s night who didn’t want to be around rug rats. Love it. They also had a great kids menu. Love it. One of our kids had allergies and this place was great to give recommendations and know what was safe. Love it.

Besides the kids they were very attentive with our needs and almost spooky fast with everything we requested.

The food as always was so good. I got the Texan Trinity which was way too much food but I loved every bit of it and had plenty to bring home. Also the price was super reasonable for everything we got.

Tonight could have been tough but instead it was a joy. For that I’m super grateful for the Back...