Today I happened to have taken the road less traveled and it led me to a whole new world in dining experiences. One which I can only describe with one word: Extraordinary! After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I was also awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And 1772 Rooftop on Main, a very unique restaurant and bar, located in the historic town of Fincastle, Virginia is a perfect example. From the moment I heard about this place I couldn't help stop thinking about going there one day and having a memorable dining experience. One like none other ever before. The owners of this restaurant had that rare creative imagination of coming up with the concept of a restaurant and bar located in a historic building with lots of character and charm. Starting from its quaint handcrafted bar and dining room located next to its semi-open kitchen on the first floor, to the rooftop open dining patio with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the historic Fincastle Courthouse, originally designed by Thomas Jefferson. This together with the uniqueness of the rooftop patio having a bar made out of an old Beechcraft V Tail Bonanza plane that was purchased from Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke, Virginia. Once a fully functional aircraft is now the center of attention of the 1772 rooftop dining patio. After making a six o'clock reservation for a Friday evening to this family-owned restaurant and bar, I checked on my cellphone and driving on the alternative route of 220 it would only take me 31 minutes to get there from Roanoke, Virginia. I enjoyed the ride in my pearl white Lexus Luxury Edition listening to music on its powerful radio. When I arrived it didn't take long for me to find a huge parking lot conveniently located about a block away from the restaurant. Once inside, a friendly young lady greeted me at the Host's station and confirmed my reservation. I asked to be seated at the indoor dining room where I could see their kitchen and observe their operation, and then I would visit the rooftop on my way out. She leadi me pass an area of beautiful wooden shelves with item for sale, and through a hallway into the indoor dining room and bar, where she handed me the menu. It didn't take long for my server, another young lady, to welcome me, answer some questions about the menu, and take my order. The menu was not large but full of very desirable items that would want to make me return to try them all. I ordered a Pepsi to drink. A House Salad to start off with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. And an 8oz tender top cut Sirloin, their Baseball Sirloin as my main entrée. It was served with whipped potatoes and sautéed zucchini & squash. The salad was simply amazing. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. The main entrée was also exquisite. They had a wonderful team of chefs who knew how to bring out the best in every dish they prepared. For dessert I had a slice of their Peanut Butter pie. It was delicious but brought frozen and thus hard to eat. I would suggest they do something to thaw the pie a little like they do in other restaurants for the customers to better enjoy the dessert dining experience. When finished eating, I paid with my credit card and went upstairs to the rooftop. It was wonderful. A full-house of customers enjoying a good time together, with good food and good drinks. All the servers were very friendly and welcoming, creating the ideal ambiance for an extraordinary dining experience and night out. read more

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Always a great time here! Great food and great atmosphere for all! Tim my parents and a friend here to grab some amazing food!!! Love the bourbon selection too read more

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Great setting, good food, awful service and management. Waited 30mins for a drink and to place our order. Held hostage 2+ hours for a small dinner. The kitchen seemed on top of it, but when food was brought out, it would sit for 10mins. Customers eventually started serving themselves. Figure it out or close the doors! read more

Excellent service! Good food. Neat setting. The bartender took special care of us.

Lovely New Year's Eve experience. $30 per person for an appetizer & a cocktail. We chose the spinach artichoke dip - very good. Pork belly appetizer smelled delicious! Rooftop bartenders were very nice & attentive. Get there early to sit near heater ;) Perfect view for the midnight bells. read more

Great food. Reasonable prices. Nice atmosphere. Good service. I'm not sure why it's never busy because I love it. The burgers, tacos, sides, brunch items are delicious! Their sausage gravy is amazing! I highly recommend this place. Sitting on the rooftop is lovely. read more

Our party, 2 couples, arrived for a rooftop reservation at 7:30 on a Friday evening. It's quite a few steps up, outside, so let that be your guide for Al fresco dining. There are tables inside on the ground floor as well, so if it's too hot, too cold or raining, or, just don't do steps, you have options. We ordered Strawberry Daq's and Pina Colada's, both superb. My friends ordered for entrees two different meat pie slices, with two sides. I ordered the cranberry chicken salad, while hubs ordered a burger. None of us were ravenous, so we ate lighter than usual. Fresh veggie salads, grilled zucchini and yellow squash, Mac and cheese and Brussels sprouts were the sides. All great. The Cranberry Chicken salad was just outstanding, on baby lettuce greens, and I can't wait to eat it again. Hubs brought half the burger home for lunch the next day...remember we all weren't starving.... We saw numerous entree dishes passing by us for other tables and those looked great. The meat pie slices? Seriously, I'd skip them. Both my companions said they were very very dry, And they looked it, when everyone inspected them at the table. Live and learn. We were going to order pie slices for desert, but when we asked some questions, turns out, although homemade, they are frozen individually and warmed up. So, I dunno, we passed. We did buy huge cookies in the bar, though, and they were great. HUGE kudos to the waitstaff who carry all the dishes up all the steps to the roof, by hand. No dumbwaiters here. Waitstaff definitely need some training. Things like straws, sweeteners, salt and pepper, that you take for granted, we had to ask several times. Food service was very slow, so that means the kitchen was hopping, but it was beautiful evening, we had nowhere else to go last night..., so we cut them some slack. Bartender was overwhelmed, but again, the drinks once they arrived could not have been better. Will we come again? Yes! read more

A friend from Fincastle took me for dinner at this restaurant last week and we both loved it. It's located, as you might imagine, on the rooftop of The Pie Shop in downtown Fincastle. (Beware, you must be able to climb stairs to get up there-no elevator. There is downstairs seating as well for a "no steps" experience.) The food and cocktails were wonderful, the lovely seating (large and small tables, bar seating, and there's also a conversation pit sofa) was comfortable with shade available, and the place they kept the liquor for the bar was VERY cool (see photos). The menu included a wide variety of items from salads to sandwiches to fish to beef. We both had varieties of chicken salad - hers was warm and served in a bread bowl while mine was cold and served on lettuce. Both included thinly sliced apple (although the menu said grapes-but the apple was very tasty). They had a nice wine and bar selection. For dessert, there were six kinds of pie from The Pie Shop down below the rooftop! We both agreed we would love to return. If you're unfamiliar with Fincastle, it's a very old town founded around 1772 (thus the name of the restaurant). The courthouse (which is about to be rebuilt) which you can see from the rooftop was designed by Thomas Jefferson. The nearby jail and several other brick buildings are very old. If you drive around town, you'll see a Methodist Church built in the 1770s as well. Fincastle was the original seat of Boutetourt County, which stretched from Virginia through Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana in its initial form. The town hasn't figured out quite how to market itself even after all these years, but it's quite charming and worth driving around. read more

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If I could give 0 out of 5 stars I would . I am a foodie and I eat at a lot of places . please do not waste your hard earned money at this place just to get sick . I'd have been better off going to McDonald's and I haven't ate at one of them in 2 years . The manager, Ian I believe, was as rude as could be . Cocky and arrogant . I'll never waste my money here again . read more

We always have a good time here. Bartenders make good drinks and the food is always good. Recommend the candied bacon salad, well actually anything we have ordered has been excellent. Used the pie shop for daughters wedding as groom hates cake but loves pie. They did a great selection and everyone raves about it. Recommend if in fincastle Make a reservation or sit at bar. Bartenders friendly and nice. read more

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Triple crown: food, staff is amazing, and ambience is perfect. I've had both lunch and dinner here and really liked both experiences. Here's my tip: don't sleep on the pies! read more

I went to dinner with a few friends to the Rooftop. The food and drinks were really good. We had great service and the view is beautiful. I would definitely recommend visiting this restaurant. read more

1772 Rooftop on Main - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Fincastle, Virginia

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Delicious, great view, it's so fun to sit on the roof. Staff are wonderful and the pie is amazing. Love that I can take one to go for home. read more

1772 Rooftop on Main - Pie, mashed potatoes, and Brussels sprouts - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Fincastle, Virginia

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The prices on the food is really expensive. I got the cheeseburger and burger had no taste and had a sauce that was really gross and they had jalapeño peppers in it that was very spicy. we also got the Spinach artichoke dip and it was very good. my boyfriend got the shrimp and grits and it wasn't that good and very runny. we had to wait for an hour for our food. The service was super! waitress Lilly was very kind and did a great job. The Host was very kind as well. The food is not worth the price or wait. We won't go back! read more

OUTSTANDING Restaurant, Food & Service! I drove in from Va Beach to celebrate Father's Day with my Dad who lives in Roanoke . A friend recommended this restaurant & I was so impressed. The entree's were excellent & cocktails perfect (pictures attached). The cherry on the top was the entire staff was amazing . We were greeted by a young lady that had a beautiful personality (didn't get her name but she had pink hair) , our server was Jessie. She was very attentive & patient with my dad who walks with a cane. The bartender was Ehro (not sure of the spelling) . Not only were the drinks excellent but very pretty. So good , we ordered another round. If I could give more than 5 stars I would . I highly recommend this restaurant & worth every penny. read more

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AMAZING! AMAZING! AMAZING! Cannot say enough positive comments about our experience here. We sat at the bar on the rooftop. Ihor and Kyle are extraordinary! They kept us entertained and were engaged with us the entire evening. I HIGHLY recommend the duck! We had an amazing experience. Fantastic atmosphere, delicious food, and the best service! read more

1772 Rooftop on Main - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Fincastle, Virginia

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The food is excellent! Service is great. The atmosphere is very welcoming and an amazing dining experience. This is a restaurant I would highly recommend. read more

We checked out this venue after visiting the Sidecar in Roanoke, bar manager Shelley recommended if we wanted thoughtful cocktails. Rooftop bartenders Abraham and Kyle were attentive, gave great recommendations and made our hot afternoon visit worth the drive! Sous chef Bryce (sp?) provided appreciated discussions of the farm to table menu and food choices. The signature cocktails were well balanced and savory, even in the late afternoon heat- sampled the Roosters Lunch, Crew Juice and Arbory. Please check out the downstairs restaurant or unique aviation themed rooftop bar for a great experience. read more

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This restaurant was a perfect addition to little fincastle!!!! the menu is small but you can't go wrong ordering anything on it. the candied bacon salad and the crab cakes are my favorite! also has wonderful reasonably priced cocktails and a great rooftop atmosphere. if you're in fincastle, definitely check this place out!! read more

An absolute gem nestled in a quaint, quiet town worthy of any traveler's business. We stopped by during our journey down the Blue Ridge Parkway. As it was the only restaurant open in the town of 389, we were unsure of what to expect. Our expectations were blown away. First, the bartender Wyatt's friendliness, welcoming nature, and knowledge of the menu exemplifies what it means to work in the hospitality industry. His inviting demeanor was only surpassed by his drink-making ability. He highlighted his creativity and ingenuity by showcasing his newly minted coffee-tequila cocktail. The Mile-High cocktail was similarly delicious. Second, the burger was perfect. Paired with the daily vegetable feature (brussel sprouts, shallot, and bacon slaw), the food was delectable. Overall, if you find yourself passing through the region, give this restaurant a chance. The quality of the food and drinks are on the level of any establishment in much larger cities all while retaining their small town charm. read more

Fantastic service from all staff. I got the spin dip and we loved it! They have the option to add crab and I'll definitely do it next time!!! read more

We love 1772! The food is delicious. We like the small plate concept allowing us to share and taste different flavors. The service is very friendly and customer focused. We love the outdoor rooftop dining with a great view of the town square and mountains. read more

1772 Rooftop on Main - View from our rooftop table near sunset. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Fincastle, Virginia

Great little place. Located above the pie place in Fincastle. They have a few appetizers and 4-5 items for dinner but they are delicious. We had the warm crab dip, that has has real crab meat on the top layer. It was so good I could have eaten just that for my meal. We also had locally raised trout, scallops and salmon. All of us enjoyed our entrees. The view from the rooftop is nice. Especially during sunset. There is no indoor seating here. It is only the rooftop. So if the weather is not good, I would not recommend it. read more

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1772 is the most fantastic place I've ever been in my entire life. Food was amazing, drinks are crafted to perfection, and the service was sublime. The chefs, Will and Bryce did a immaculate job with my food. Totally recommend. read more

We went here for a friends birthday and the racism was apparent. I recommend this venue because i had at the time before and it was amazing before. But tonight they refused to our table which was the biggest table and made reservations before had ! We were a table of lifetime friends celebrating our friends birthday regardless of race or gender or color and we sat there constantly served after lite skin patrons . And i am writing this as a extremely light skinned Irish /cuban woman that was Disgusted by this behavior .at this day in life how is this acceptable? read more

I can't recommend this place highly enough. We walked through the indoor area and past several tables and then went outside to climb the stairs to the roof, as the weather was ideal that day. We could see a long distance over the town. An actual small airplane fuselage is used as a bar. Ambiance galore! The service was marvelous - the people were super friendly. And the food - I had the pork belly appetizer and I can't stop thinking about how good it was. For my main course, I ordered the warm chicken salad that is provided to the restaurant by the former owner of the late lamented White Oak Tea Tavern. It was just as good as I remembered. If you get a chance, you should try this place. read more

Great atmosphere, food, and cocktails. Wonderful views. Wish there was a bigger indoor space if weather turns.

They are high on themselves. To expensive. The whole area is high on themselves and the town needs a restaurant not a pizzeria. A restaurant with good knowledgeable skilled service. And unfortunately the sunset vistas are blocked by the buildings across the street. Hopefully it has changed recently. read more

Excellent service and food nice view from the rooftop! loved the chicken pot pie also Hamburger is excellent and the pie is crazy delicious!

Food is cheap quality. Very cheap. I still have an awful aftertaste from eating it an hour ago. Yuck

First time here and absolutely loved it. The ambiance is amazing. The upstairs bar is very cool and the service from Kyle and Ihor was outstanding. Ordered the pork belly and pickles and it was top 3 best pork belly i'be ever had. Would totally recommend to everyone. read more

Mediocre food at best. Cold vegetables. Awful shrimp & grits. Fishy, chewy mussels. Duck was great. Mediocre trout. Very cold with no heat lamps going. Obviously short staffed. Horrible experience. Strongly call this the worst meal in the area. read more

The meal was absolutely fantastic. For a starter we got the pork belly and pickle plate. it was perfectly cooked! lots of great flavour and a perfect balance of salty and sweet. For dinner my wife and I both ordered the baseball steak with mashed potatoes and mixed greens. Again, it was all full of amazing flavour! The steak was cooked exactly as ordered as well. For desert we key lime pie and peanut butter pie which was also very good. We made a reservation and there was a slight mix up and we decided to leave rather than sit at the bar, however the owner called us personally and asked us to return. This spoke volumes to us, it's so humble and when we arrived he met us at the door with a handshake and a smile. Will 100% return because of this entire experience. read more