Harris Ranch Express BBQ
24553 W Dorris Ave (Interstate 5, exit 334)
Coalinga, CA 93210
Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant is a popular stopping off point along Interstate 5 during long road trips between Northern and Southern California. There's a long history of the Harris family and this land going back over 100 years, and they are well known for Harris Ranch beef that is popular in the Western United States (although that part of their business was sold in 2018). The inn and restaurant opened in 1977, and sometime around 2018 they opened a fast casual dining option called Harris Ranch Express BBQ.
They cook on a 25-foot long pit in the parking lot and sell inside at a food counter in the corner of the gas station convenience store. They smoke tri-tip, brisket, pork butt, chicken, pork ribs, beef ribs, and hot dogs. They sell full meals with sides and sandwiches, plus salads and chili.
Mrs. TVWB got the Brisket & Cheddar sandwich on a brioche bun--she absolutely loved everything about this sandwich, piled high with moist, tender brisket. It had a big section of fat in it which she really liked...I would have eaten around it. I got the tri-tip sandwich on French roll--it contained a generous portion of meat that tasted good, but sliced too thick for my liking which made it hard to eat (see last photo below). There was a choice of mild or spicy sauce. I had mild on my sammie, but I tried some spicy on the side and it didn't seem very spicy. I also didn't get much smoke flavor on the meat...if it was there, it was very subtle. Perhaps the sauce covered it up.
T'was not cheap. Brisket & Cheddar was $14.45, tri-tip was $13.45. By the time we added a bag of Fritos, a cookie, two soft drinks, tax and tip, our total was just shy of $39.
We don't often stop at Harris Ranch, on long drives our rest stops tend to fall before or after their location. But if given the chance, I think we'd go back again. I know Mrs. TVWB would; I would either switch to the brisket sammie or ask for thinly sliced tri-tip.
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24553 W Dorris Ave (Interstate 5, exit 334)
Coalinga, CA 93210
Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant is a popular stopping off point along Interstate 5 during long road trips between Northern and Southern California. There's a long history of the Harris family and this land going back over 100 years, and they are well known for Harris Ranch beef that is popular in the Western United States (although that part of their business was sold in 2018). The inn and restaurant opened in 1977, and sometime around 2018 they opened a fast casual dining option called Harris Ranch Express BBQ.
They cook on a 25-foot long pit in the parking lot and sell inside at a food counter in the corner of the gas station convenience store. They smoke tri-tip, brisket, pork butt, chicken, pork ribs, beef ribs, and hot dogs. They sell full meals with sides and sandwiches, plus salads and chili.
Mrs. TVWB got the Brisket & Cheddar sandwich on a brioche bun--she absolutely loved everything about this sandwich, piled high with moist, tender brisket. It had a big section of fat in it which she really liked...I would have eaten around it. I got the tri-tip sandwich on French roll--it contained a generous portion of meat that tasted good, but sliced too thick for my liking which made it hard to eat (see last photo below). There was a choice of mild or spicy sauce. I had mild on my sammie, but I tried some spicy on the side and it didn't seem very spicy. I also didn't get much smoke flavor on the meat...if it was there, it was very subtle. Perhaps the sauce covered it up.
T'was not cheap. Brisket & Cheddar was $14.45, tri-tip was $13.45. By the time we added a bag of Fritos, a cookie, two soft drinks, tax and tip, our total was just shy of $39.
We don't often stop at Harris Ranch, on long drives our rest stops tend to fall before or after their location. But if given the chance, I think we'd go back again. I know Mrs. TVWB would; I would either switch to the brisket sammie or ask for thinly sliced tri-tip.
