Willard's BBQ — Restaurant in Virginia

This is my first time here and I have only tried this place because a friend of mine recommended it. I was in a hurry when I was nearby enough to try it. I was in and out very quickly with a pulled pork sandwich with sides consist of coleslaw and dirty rice, and a small fountain drink. Before I left I took my sandwich over to the fixings bar to see what kinds of sauce I could find for the pulled pork. There was a huge selection in 1/5 of a gallon type containers all in buckets of ice. As I was time limited and it was their cooking and their base product that I was really interested in experiencing I did not take my time and make a selection from the sauces but proceeded to grab some napkins and exit. I cannot say enough great things about this experience It was very quick and friendly and I could not believe my surprise and how incredibly flavor filled this pulled pork is. No sauce Just plain and I think I would have a difficult time in the future convincing myself to put sauce on this product. It was absolutely heavenly. I have been experiencing pulled pork because I love it for well over 50 years but I have to say this is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. In addition to that I always avoid buying coleslaw, from restaurants or supermarket sources mostly because in all my years I have only found one that was really worthwhile. Until now that is. It was absolutely delicious and had plenty of dressing so it was in no way dry. It was so enjoyable by itself than I did not want to combine it with any other flavor such as the sandwich. I most certainly did not want to combine these two exquisite flavors and miss out on their delicious individuality just to be traditional by putting them together. I also had dirty rice as a side dish. You get two side dishes with the purchase of the sandwich. The dirty rice was just as exquisite an experience as the pulled pork and the coleslaw was. This was every bit a great dining experience as any fine restaurant that I've ever sat down in. I must say the only negative thing I I can say about this experience would have to be that I actually got full and couldn't hold more of this incredible food. This is a must try for everyone. If it turns out not to be your finest experience with good food that's fast in substitute for fast food at a price of only $10 (or at any price it would have been worth it). I'm very much look forward to trying there burnt ends ribs and just about everything that they have on their menu look for more review from me later on this subject. I live 90 minutes away from the nearest Willard's but it is more than worth the drive. Also their menu is very extensive I expect to have a fantastic experience trying everything one at a time. You can bet that I will be indulging in this pulled pork and sharing the experience with friends and family. This place is a must try, so please do. I don't see how you could possibly be disappointed.

Update: after having returned to this location on many occasions and again today I can tell you that it doesn't matter what you order from their menu everything here is superb. However there is one exception. After I ordered enough food for four people I ate one meal for my lunch took more than enough for three more meals home which I didn't get to for 2 hours of driving. It was close to 3 hours after that when I remove the food from the refrigerator and it was prepared for 3 for dinner I discovered that it had lost some of its exquisite flavor and had gotten very dried out. So I would recommend that you buy in bulk so it will be sealed in airtight containers instead of sectional serving boxes because on the shield it will dry out and become a completely different product than what these people deserve to be known for because they've earned it. I work very near this place 3 days a week I tried to stop in here as frequently as possible and I have never been disappointed. I cannot see how you could possibly be...

I recently dined at Willard BBQ and had a somewhat mixed experience. While some aspects of the meal were enjoyable, there were a few drawbacks that prevented me from giving it a higher rating.

Let's start with the positives. The sausage at Willard BBQ was definitely a standout. It had a delicious blend of flavors and was cooked to perfection. Each bite was juicy and packed with smoky goodness. The pulled pork was also quite tasty, with a nice balance of flavors and a tender texture. It was clear that a lot of care had been put into preparing these dishes.

However, I must admit that I was a bit disappointed with the brisket. It had a considerable amount of fat, which detracted from the overall experience. While I understand that some marbling is expected, the fat content in this particular cut was excessive. It made the meat difficult to chew and took away from the enjoyment of the flavors. I believe that a leaner cut would greatly improve the brisket offering at Willard BBQ.

Moving on to the sides, they were decent but didn't leave a lasting impression. The coleslaw had a pleasant crunch and a tangy dressing, but it lacked that extra something to make it truly outstanding. These sides were satisfactory, but I believe there is room for improvement to make them more memorable.

In terms of service, the staff at Willard BBQ were friendly and attentive throughout my visit. The atmosphere of the restaurant was inviting, with a rustic charm that added to the overall experience. The pricing was reasonable for the portion sizes, considering the quality of the ingredients.

In summary, my visit to Willard BBQ had its ups and downs. The sausage and pulled pork were delightful, showcasing the skill of the chefs. However, the excessively fatty brisket and somewhat forgettable sides were areas for improvement. With some adjustments, particularly with regards to the brisket and sides, Willard BBQ has the potential to become an outstanding barbecue...

We are wholly impressed with this restaurant and their food!

We wanted some late-night bbq and had heard great things about Willard’s. At 7:58 last night, I called them asking if they’ll take our order, and they let us in just in time for closing at 8. We ordered the bbq meal for four, and even though they didn’t have ribs prepared (part of the meal), the head chef came over, said he would make it fresh for us, and also thanked US for waiting. As someone who’s worked in the food industry before, I was shocked that they would go out of their way to cook us food when they were officially closed!

They also offered us extra corn bread and Mac and cheese as extra because it was the end of the day. Win!

There were 4 people on staff, one helping us at the till and two others helping the chef out in the kitchen/with clean-up. All were very friendly; again, I know we were holding them up from closing the store for the day, so was expecting them to be hurrying us out the door.

When we got home, we were stoked at the selection before us. The dinner for four fed five people and we have ample leftovers. Literally everything was good: we received the jerk chicken, bbq ribs and brisket. The green beans were nice and tart to cut through the heavier flavors, and the meal came with pickles and three types of sauces.

Willard’s - with this wonderful first impression, you’ve ensured that we will come back in the years to come! Thank you for...