Good Food — Quick Service

3311 N. Valley Pike (Rt. 11 North), Harrisonburg VA 22802

We are located 1/4 mile south of Exit 251 off 81 and
5 miles north of downtown.

Bar-B-Q Ranch Restaurant is famous for pork barbecue sandwiches and known locally as a good place to eat.

Open Daily — 11 AM to 9 PM

Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Day

Save time!

Call ahead for take-out and bulk items

Call ahead

The 2024 Cruise-in dates are Friday, June 14 and Friday, August 23 from 5-8pm. See you there!

Directions


Click map for larger view

Google Maps

ABC and free WIFI

In addition to pork barbecue, we offer a full menu.

We offer free WIFI to our customers, and we have an ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) license (beer only).

Now enjoy at home!

Faye's famous Bar-B-Q sauce. Great for gifts.

Also Bar-B-Q Ranch t-shirts and gift certificates.

We offer

Friendly service
A cozy dining room
Outdoor dining
Curbside service
Take-out and bulk take-out
Catering services

All dinners and sandwiches can be prepared for take-out.

Catering

Small or large, fancy or casual, the Bar-B-Q Ranch can handle your catering needs. We have catered formal and informal weddings, parties, and sports events. We offer our normal menu favorites as well as special items if given enough notice. Call (540) 434-3296 for more information and a quote. Ask for Faye.

About Bar-B-Q Ranch

Bar-B-Q Ranch is a family-owned restaurant specializing in pork barbeque, cole slaw and lots of other menu favorites. Started in 1947, the restaurant is in its original location, one-half mile south of Exit 251 off I-81. Owned by Faye Bland since 1984, the restaurant hosts events, parties, and weddings. Catering services available.


Faye Bland and part of her Bar-B-Q Ranch team,
Bobbie, Tena, Brook, and Emilio, 2024

Faye Bland and part of her Bar-B-Q Ranch team,
Glenda, Tina, and Pam, 2024

History of Bar-B-Q Ranch

In 1947 Eugene Taylor and Jean Heatwole Taylor opened Bar-B-Q Ranch on the busy Valley Turnpike (Route 11). Interstate 81 wouldn't be built until about 15 years later!


Early 1950's take-out restaurant

Originally take-out only, the center portion of the building, now the kitchen, was all that was built. Eugene and Jean lived in a small house just north of their restaurant. During the first years, everyone ate outside. The drive-in restaurant was added soon after when the Taylors added wooden wings to the buildings to allow cars to pull up for curb service.


Jean & Eugene Taylor

Unfortunately, Eugene had a massive heart attack and died five years after opening his restaurant. Mrs. Taylor continued to operate the business for nearly 14 years during which time her three children, Penny, Ronnie, and Terry all worked at the restaurant. Also during this time, Jean contracted a Texas company to add the metal carports you see today. While the dining room was added in the 60s, most people still ate curbside for years.

In 1966, Jean leased the restaurant to Richard Harpine. who had great plans and added the booths in the dining area. Because Harpine was busy running three other area businesses during the same time, he only ran Bar-B-Q Ranch for 17 months.

In 1968, Mrs. Taylor sold the business to Dennis Bowman. Mr. Bowman also had a massive heart attack, and the business was sold to Leon Armentrout. Mr. Armentrout owned and ran the business for several years before selling it to Noland and James McHone in 1984.


Faye Bland, owner of Bar-B-Q Ranch for over 40 years!

The McHones renovated the restaurant, and Faye Bland reopened on October 1, 1984. She has owned Bar-B-Q Ranch for 40 years! The longest single owner, she comes in to her restaurant every day despite being well into her 90s.

While continuing to sell the now-famous Bar-B-Q Ranch barbecue and coleslaw, Faye has greatly expanded the menu. She has also hosted over 50 Cruise-Ins for many local car clubs, motorcycle clubs, and charities, operated concessions at the local go-kart track and local car shows, served James Madison University's Dukes Club, and catered many wedding parties, and other events.


Margie Minnick Heatwole "Til"

Though there were changes in ownership and employees throughout the years, one constant remained at Bar-B-Q Ranch for many of those years. Margie Minnick Heatwole, Jean Taylor's sister-in-law, worked as a waitress since the restaurant opened. More affectionately known as "Til," Margie waited on many, many customers in her 68 years, some of them third and fourth-generation customers, until July of 2015. Sadly, Margie passed away in 2016.

For many years, Faye Obenschain, Faye Bland’s daughter, has worked at the restaurant waiting tables and doing the bookkeeping. Upon her retirement from Harrisonburg City Schools in 2022, Faye has taken a larger responsibility in managing the Bar-B-Q Ranch. Her husband and daughters can also be found lending a helping hand in the family business.

Bar-B-Q Ranch was started by a family, and over 75 years later, it is still run by a family!

Most of the above history was told by Margie Heatwole, and recorded as she best remembered it.