AJ’s Ranch Road Grill

It was difficult, but I finally ordered something besides chicken nachos. Four mini tacos are only $ 5.99 and that *includes* a side and tea! Think it cost me fifty cents to upgrade to a can of soda so this meal cost me $ 7.02 before tip.
There were two meat options and I chose pork rather than beef. Pork’s the driest meat and some of this was pretty dry, but mitigated by the beans I selected as a side and the generous cup of sauce, not a deal breaker. Certainly not at this price.
Double corn tortillas. Nice chunks of raw onion also came in a cup and when I was asked if I’d like jalapeños, she disappeared into the kitchen and had the chef slice up two.
Meal was not spectacular but definitely A-​OK for the price. Friendly service. Good place for late night snacks.

I have never written a review before, ever. I have eaten here before and it was ok BBQ, especially if you have a craving late at night, but today it was different. I wanted a quick meal and it was late so we got food from here. It was the absolute worst BBQ I have ever had. The ribs and brisket were obviously reheated, probably by microwave, and were inedible. My daughter kept saying there were bones, but it was just dried out meat that she (along with everyone else in the house) couldn’t chew. We basically spent 50 $ for a dinner of pickles and onions. I would have taken it back, but we have to go to bed because of work. Our dogs will get an awesome dinner I guess. NEVER AGAIN will we go here, no matter how convenient the hours.

Unfortunately, it tasted like their food was microwaved. It wasn’t very flavorful at all. On the bright side, it’s pretty inexpensive!

First time here and will be the last. Service was great, food didn’t take long, but the philly sandwich had dry and tasteless brisket and the fries, though seasoned, didn’t taste like it, they weren’t greasy and had good texture though. I got the chicken/​sausage with green beans and mac-​n-​cheese. The chicken was dry and had no flavor and the sausage was the same. BBQ sauce helped with eating both. Mac wasn’t bad, but the green beans just tasted different. Tea was good, but I found it odd that the ice is in an ice chest behind the counter, not sure if that’s up to code.

Me and my bf always end up here when we’re hungry.!We both have our favorite meals. I advise call early so when you get their you dont have to wait. It does take a hot minute for the food but they’re making it made to order so i don’t mind waiting 15 minutes. And every time never disappoints. Also open til 3am, cannot beat this. Best BBQ in SM.

Great quality food for a great price. All of their sandwiches are delicious but my favorite is the brisket. My only complaint is that they’re closed on Mondays (I write this on a Monday while craving a brisket sandwich).

I agree exactly with Jimmy H’s review from 6 months ago. If you can’t have a smoker on site why bother. Yes the only super late night place to get BBQ (open to 3am) but you better be drunk and hungry. Try Hays County BBQ for the best in the area.

Great BBQ and perfect for after a night on The Square! Try the Stoner Mac and pulled pork sliders

Absolutely amazing food and a great staff. We took a 45 minute drive to try it and it was a hit. Gabe (staff) was friendly and insightful with the menu. The brisket Philly and nachos are a must.

Their Mac and cheese and sweet tea is the bomb! I’ve gotten the chopped sausage sandwich and pulled port sandwich before. I’m not a big BBQ fan but if I’m ever craving it AJ’s is my go to!
And turn up ‘cuz they’re open till 3 am

We took our feast to go. Since it was our first time, we got a pound of ribs, brisket, and sausage. The coleslaw is different, and I like it. I won’t spoil the surprise for you, but it’s not your everyday run of the mill sweet coleslaw.
I love that this place is open super late, I haven’t taken advantage of that yet, but I know I will eventually.

BBQ sauce is just amazing. Their Spanish rice taste great. Was a bit hot inside, but other than that super content.

Food was great! Good portions at decent pricings. Service was awesome! Overall great experience and will definitely be dining there again.

Best thing ever at 2 in the morning. Easy going place with good ribs and great sweet tea

We’ve read about this little place and finally had time to stop in. I had the pulled pork sandwich with bacon and coleslaw. Really yummy. And it was on a grilled sweet bun. My husband had the Philly steak sandwich. He said it was as good as everything he’s read about it. Both meals came with fries and a drink, so it was a great deal. The service was fast and friendly. I didn’t give 5 stars because I had to settle for sweet tea instead of unsweetened and the television was so loud it made my ears hurt.

I know my wife Amber gets tired of us eating so much barbecue. I try my best to accommodate her when I can. Happy wife, happy life, right? AJ’s Ranch Road Grill is a restaurant located in San Marcos that serves mostly BBQ items but also has a few other non-​BBQ items. When we pulled up to the joint on a Sunday, I could not detect a whiff of smoke. I know we were in trouble.
Amber ordered the burger, and I got the Hungry Man’s Combo. It came with ¼ lb. brisket, ¼ lb. sausage, and ¼ lb. pork ribs. The plate came with two sides so I chose fries and macaroni and cheese. While we were waiting for our food, I had a bad feeling. When I got my plate, my fears were confirmed. The smoked meats were reheated. AJ’s must smoke their meats some other day. The marbled brisket was dry and chewy. It was like eating a flavorless well-​done steak. The pork rib was okay. The meat required some effort to come off the bone. It was smoky, but other than that it was boring. The sausage was decent. It tasted fine but was super greasy. The highlight of the meal was the sides. That is not positive sign if you are a BBQ restaurant. Amber was also not a fan of her burger.
AJ’s Ranch Road Grill is open till 3 AM in the morning. If you are drunk and hungry, bad food can still taste fine. That is coming from my experiences. Outside, the sign said that they had Tex-​Mex as well. The Tex-​Mex items were BBQ tacos and quesadillas. I am no expert, but I am pretty sure that is not Tex-​Mex. Hays County BBQ is still the place to go to in San Marcos.
Edit: So instead of addressing the issues for future customers, the owner questions my integrity publicly. Well there you go.

Best thing in town open til 3 a.m.
We love their mac and cheese, spanish rice, brisket, bbq chicken, sauce, sweet tea, and friendly service. The tater salad rocks too. Chow down here.

Loved this locally owned place, opened till 3am, and the pork sliders were pretty damn good!

Cheap and good… Maybe not the fastest but you can’t have all three. I love the brisket. I found myself ordering a ton of food just for myself so that I will have leftovers. It’s that good. Plus you can come here and get real, Texas BBQ, in the middle of the night. Genius. Your options are really limited in SM after midnight. You have dirty dogs, IHOP, gumby’s, or taco c. Aj’s every time for me! So good. It’s not franklins but it’s good.

Looking to my left, I see awards for 1^st Place at a Cook-​off. But in front of me I have four fajitas that are tough as leather. Inedible. Flavor’s not bad — now if only I had cleavers for teeth.
Service is friendly and fast. Place is tiny, funky (in a dive sort– of– way), cute and immaculate.
Sorry, but I came here to eat and I’m leaving hungry.