I've been here 3-4 times because sometimes I just really want bbq but ultimately this is not good bbq I tried too many times and it's just not good so I will say if you want to have real good bbq you will need to drive a good 30 mins out of Reston to get it I would even say skip the mookies bbq because it's a step better but still if you want good bbq this place is not worth it and not good. read more

So I'll start by saying that maybe I just went on a bad day because i have a local friends that vouched three times over for this place. We ordered the beef brisket sandwich with beans, coleslaw, and cornbread. The brisket and jerk chicken combo platter. And the ribs, sausage, and brisket platter. Brisket and ribs had a super delicious smoke flavor but the meat wasn't tender. Jerk chicken was especially dry. Overall very lackluster bbq experience but prices were amazing for the amount of food. I'd be willing try this place again because I see the vision of what it could be!! But first impression left something to be desired read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Sandwich and sides (beans and coleslaw) - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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We stopped for the burnt ends, and they sure were good. The food is delicious and the portions are exceedingly generous. We had lots of food left over to bring home. The restaurant is small, but there are small tables where you can eat. It's clean, and the staff is very nice. All in all, a good experience. read more

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I came on a Monday afternoon and I ordered the duo platter with two sides ($17) and choose brisket, sausage , collard greens , and chili mac. The brisket was on the thinly sliced side but was quite moist and seasoned well. Some of the slices I got were straight fat however. How there was still a surprisingly good portion of decent brisket for what you paid for. The sausage was good and about average for a bbq spot. Collard green and chili mac were fairly decent. The corn bread was a very big portion but very dry and hard. Staff were very kind and efficient in making our plates. Overall a fairly priced BBQ spot with a slightly above average portion to cost ratio. Food(50%): 6.6 Staff/service(25%): 7.0 Value(25%): 7.5 Overall: 6.9/10 read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

The sandwich combo at Willard's is one of the best bbq sandwich deals around. I think it's even better than any sandwich combo around. I stopped by the Reston location and had Smokey Joe's Chopped Beef Endz Sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy, and beans and rice as sides. I also ordered a piece of cornbread. The chopped brisket came in a generous portion. And since I was dining in, they served it and the sides on a disposable plate, along with a small container of gravy. Doused in their sweet bbq sauce, the caramelized smokiness of the meat really shined. Whenever I have a sandwich here, the filling always spills out onto the wrapper and, doused with more sauce, makes a good finale to the meal. The mashed potatoes were thick and well blended. Bits of potato skin were mixed throughout. The gravy was wonderful -- rich and slightly spicy. The beans and rice were good, but you should reserve a little gravy for this, too. The cornbread cube was perfect. Slightly sweet, slightly squishy, and slightly crumbly. The Reston location has limited seating and a weekday lunch crowd could easily overwhelm it. The Chantilly/Dulles Expo Center location is huge (years ago, the adjacent business space closed and they took the wall down between the two). The sauce selection is good -- I usually go with the regular sweet bbq sauce and sometimes add the hot bbq sauce to add some zing. Occasionally, I'll go for the gold sauce as well. If you like vinegar, they have a North Carolina version for you. What I still can't get over is the great price of the sandwich combo. It includes two sides and ranges from $9.79-13.99, depending on the meat. That beats out a lot of combo meals at places like Wendy's and Arby's ("we got the meats" my ass). Sure, you don't get a drink included with that at Willard's, but just bring your own water. Soda's bad for you, anyway. Arby's has its place (Beef 'n' Cheddar, limited time crispy fish sandwich), but, especially if you're at the Expo Center, if there's ever a choice between the two, it should be Willard's. read more

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Willards has always been a reliable BBQ spot. We have tried many others, and some may be better. However, Willard's always provides a solid BBQ meal at a fair price. My wife prefers the pulled pork and I love the brisket, but we both agree that the sides always shine. The collards, beans and potato salad are always spot on. While they might not be the top dog, Willard's is always there for a quick BBQ fix. read more

From Maryland and come to here for lunch whenever I'm in the area. Great food. Great portions. All the meats are good. Sides are great. read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Burnt Ends - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

After breaking my hip, we have been home bound but wanted BBQ. We ordered from Willard's and it was a great meal. We had not been here since they opened a few years ago. The brisket was good and the portions were large. We two meals out of one meal. Good to know that Reston does have BBQ! We plan on returning. read more

We ordered a couple different items off the menu and couldn't be more pleased with them. We got the Pork Belly Burnt Endz and the Texas Sliced Brisket with loads of sides. We ordered inside the restaurant to go and the order came up super quick but not "too" quick as if it had already been pre-made sitting under a heat lamp. The amount of sauce selection at the door on your way out was great too. We took multiple sample jars home and had a great time with all of them tasting everything. The staff was super fun and lovely to order with. Thank you for a pleasant and delicious experience! We will be back! read more

I can't quite claim to be a pit BBQ expert but for me, Willards always satisfies the occasional BBQ craving. I always order the brisket platter and recently tried their macaroni salad as a side - very tasty with a little heat! The cornbread is also on point every time. Staff are always friendly and welcoming. read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Texas Sliced Beef Brisket Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Just tried the quesadilla cheeseburger I wasn't sure but it came in the fried tortilla just like a quesadilla but with awesomely flavored Angus, ground beef cheese and some sauce, chopped onions, maybe cilantro in there. very good! I always wish Willard's had a burger and now that wishes come true thank you Maisel don't know if that's not how you spell your name so there you go. Great creation. also comes with two sides for about 12 bucks. Can't go wrong. read more

Stopped by and tried Willard's ribs today. Cost was decent. 35$ for a full rack two sides, 2 drinks and 2 corn breads. The ribs were about a 7/10, a little dry but flavorful. The mash potatoes and Mac and cheese were very good. The corn bread although huge pieces lacked flavor which was disappointing. The employees were very nice and helpful. The place in general can be a bit complicated to order from since there are a lot of choices. read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Ordering area - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Not good BBQ by any standard. The ribs were tough, pulled pork barely had flavor, and the brisket was overcooked and fatty- even when ordered lean. Sides and sauces also severely lack flavor. It's close to the house so I gave it two tries. Both times it was beyond poor. There are obviously other spots in NOVA that are decent but I would drive 40 minutes to BBQ places in DC or MD before ever eating here again. It's that bad. read more

I have been going to Willard's for over 20 years. I used to have to drive all the way out to the one in Chantilly until they built one in my hometown of Reston. I wrote an article about Willard's for the Fairfax County newspaper when they opened the Reston location, and I was the first customer eight years ago. When you come in and you see the $10 bill signed- that's me. Order the pulled pork sandwich with two sides of coleslaw as that's the way they serve it in North Carolina. The owner Chris was a student down there and ended up bringing that recipe to the DC area. In 20 years, I've only had great meals and have taken many people as my guest to Willards and it never disappoints. read more

I like the food and I believe the prices are reasonable. The cashier had more of an attitude than I would like. Instead of handing me the bag, kind of slammed it in front of me. I was the only one in line and it wasn't a peak out. Would have probably been a 5 for me, but it's not. read more

maybe this isn't the location you should go to if you have never had Willard's before and you hear all these great recommendations about the place. probably go to another location. although the meats were good, the sides were not. the baked beans didn't taste like anything, all i got was a burnt flavor and no spice flavors. the mac and cheese was okay, nothing to brag about nor get again. and the cornbread was good, but it's kinda hard to mess that up, ya know. and then all the sauces were all liquid-y and tasted very watered down?? the amount of meat and sides they give are definitely decent for the price, but if only the meats are good, but not the sides, then the portion to price ratio does not matter. read more

I tried to call Willards to ask a couple of simple questions about their menu, because I wanted to order from them using Door Dash. The first time they picked up the phone, the man who answered said "We don't accept orders over the phone" and hung up on me. The second time I called, I was able to quickly get out the words that I had a couple of quick questions. The same man cut me off and responded with "We're too busy to answer questions" and hung up on me a second time. Incredibly rude service. Guess I won't be ordering from them. read more

Stopped in to Willards for a quick lunch on a Friday afternoon. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience. The guys behind the counter were very nice and the food came out very quick. There's a decent amount of seating area if you want to dine-in. I got a tray with a bunch of different meats and sides. Standouts for me were the sausage and dirty rice. Brisket was good not great but the rib and pulled pork made up for it. Found this place to be very affordable as well seeing as I got a plate full of barbecue, a couple sides, and a drink for around $20. Will differently return for lunch again. read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Texas Teaser Tray - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

So happy with how many sauce options there were but my excitement kind of ends there. I will also complement their ribs because even without sauce they absolutely delicious. I just don't think any of the side dishes were very memorable but I will say everyone at my table loved the cornbread. Prices are extremely reasonable for large quantities of food. I think two other people had to really hype this restaurant up and based on what I ate this is not a memorable place for barbecue. read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - a tray of ribs and sides - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Meats here are good, but some of the sides are too salty, especially the collard greens. And I like collard greens! I just ate here after over a year's hiatus. Now I remember how that saltiness turned me off in the past. read more

After long flight ordered WillardsReal Pit BBQ via Uber Eats for taste of home The baby back ribs were dry and hard. Ordered sweet BBQ sauce but got something spicy instead. Sides were ok. BBQ chicken was mummified to the point where I had to throw it away. Sauce ordered but none provided. Napkins/utensils ordered but none given which was an issue since staying in hotel. Corn bread and collard greens were the only items that were good. Also ordered banana pudding parfait but no bananas. Overall disappointing and not recommended. read more

Food was awesome and great kids meal prices. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a quick bite.

I absolutely LOVE this place !!! I work at the hospital down the road and often get food from here....The service is good and fast I can appreciate that on a time schedule everytime my officer goes to pick up....Can't speak on the ambiance of the restaurant itself ,but I can DEFINITELY speak on the food...I like the brisket with light marbling for moist texture I don't care for the lean one it's a little dry and tough.....Sometimes it's a little too smoky for my taste but overall I like it.....I absolutely LOVE the pulled pork not dry ,very moist and the flavor is nice ......The beef ends are tough tho not a fan....Pulled chicken ok ....The bar b que chicken is hit or miss far as it being dry I often get dark meat because it's not dry it's always tender either way......Ribe can be another hit or miss don't get them to often.... I am not a fan of bland Mac n cheese,baked beans not sweet enough at least for me ,same with coleslaw , don't like the collards either....BUT I enjoy the potato salad and green beans .....Overall worth trying ! read more

Finally decided to try Willards after driving by it so many times. Pretty standard bbq joint menu. You order at the counter, and they have a smallish seating area. Staff was friendly and the food came quickly. I went for the brisket, with mashed potatoes, potato salad and corn bread. The brisket was the weakest part of the dish- it was smoked fine, but lacking in flavor. The mashed potatoes and potato salad were the highlights- both were delicious! The corn bread was bland and just not very good. Overall a decent meal, but nothing to come back for unfortunately. read more

Check your order before leaving. I was in the area and ordered a take out order of the Trio Meats platter. I was so disappointed when I got home and realized that they only gave me the brisket and ribs. They didn't include the pulled pork I ordered. I'm staying at a hotel some distance away so it wasn't a matter of just going back. Really frustrating since I went when it wasn't busy and I was the only order at the time. Again, if you're getting take out, check your order before you leave. read more

Worst BBQ I have ever had, stale buns fatty barbeque. Go to Mission BBQ and get good food. Things cost too much and to get terrible food at a high price doesn't work for me. read more

Lots of great sauce options, but disappointing brisket Got the redneck brisket bowl and the brisket was extremely lean and dry. Not getting brisket again but willing to try something from the extensive sandwich menu. read more

Food tastes horrible. People are nice. Disappointed. How do you mess up bbq? Mac n cheese? Try harder!

Don't order Uber eats from here - they don't check who takes the order from them so they let other couriers steal the food from people. This is a very bad service, they need a secured system where people who order online can secure their food orders. They need to double check and confirm the name of person who ordered the food. NOT leave the food order somewhere courier/people can just pick it up. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this place! The fatty brisket and pulled pork were moist and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes were possibly my favorite side after the cole slaw. The prices were also decent. One of the best prices I've seen for brisket which is normally pretty pricey. The only critique I have is that there could be a better selection of bbq sauces. While they have a large number of flavors, none of them really stood out as amazing. The "sweet" definitely wasn't all that sweet and many of the others tasted so similar that I barely noticed a difference. Although I wasn't impressed by the sauces, I'd definitely go back for the brisket! read more

It tasted like cafeteria food! The buns were pure slop. I had higher hopes . The potatoe salad was better than actual meal..

My friends raved about this place so I was excited to try it :) I got the Texas sampler platter which came with two ribs, pulled pork, sausage and some brisket. For sides I decided on Mac n cheese and green beans. I also got a variety of bbq sauces to go with the meat. Best items : prob the brisket and the sausage. Both were tender and pretty good. The sides were mech. The Mac n cheese was so mushy and didn't taste that great. The green beans were alright. The pull pork was a little dry and the ribs were just okay. I'm not a huge bbq fan and I'm super picky about it but this place was just alright for me. Not the worst and not the best I had. Maybe it would be different if I got other items since my friends love this place so much! read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Texas sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia

This place does not disappoint. The food is great and worth the money. I had the Texas brisket platter. Had to take it home, there was so much food. Highly recommend! read more

I ordered 1/2 BBQ chicken with sides of potato salad via Grubhub. I have had chicken from Willard's many times. However, this chicken was the worst I have ever tasted. It was so dry/stale that I had to throw it away. It was totally inedible. So disappointed! read more

Best brisket, ribs, pulled pork, corn bread in Northern Va! Have only done carryout, does not disappoint !

Ordered fatty brisket and got dry pot roast. When I've got some fat on it in the past, the meat has never been tender Don't waste your time read more

Good prices, good bbq. Not the greatest I've ever had, but consistent and great value

Been a while. Got the platter and was great. Served 3 with leftovers. Excellent, inexpensive and delicious. Highly recommend Reston and Chantilly VA locations. read more

We love Willards. This is our go to barbecue place in Northern Virginia. We order family style barbecue from here when family comes to town. They always take care of us. Their brisket is pretty solid for a northern Virginia take on it. The pulled chicken and pulled pork are delicious and moist and cooked in a savory, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Not your typical dry cornbread. The cornbread is robust and moist. As brisket goes, the brisket is soft and tender, juicy and crispy charred on the outside with a fatty crust. We loved it. read more

Decided to get the special that has two ribs, soup, and cornbread.... thrilled today it's their shrimp and corn chowder... seriously a fav of mine! Today the ribs were meaty and moist... chowder was amazing..... my tummy is happy! Ohhh their is cornbread pudding on the dessert specials... it's a great treat and super filling! Surprised they are so quiet tonight inside... read more

Willards Real Pit BBQ - Time for brisket!!!! Try it open face with gravy.... Smokey yum! - Barbeque Near Me - Reston, Virginia