The Grandin Village community is a very active and involved one as evidenced by the number of events they organize and attend yearly. For this reason it is very appropriate that the name of this restaurant is what it is. Located in a key location next to the Grandin Theatre in the Grandin Village, it is centrally situated for people to visit right before or after they go watch a movie or attend any other activity in the neighborhood, or even a place to meet with family or friends for some good times, drinking, eating, talking, or even to enjoy playing some pool. One day I decided to stop by to grab a bite on my way to an activity and see how it was like. I entered and waited to be greeted and seated but no one around greeted me. I thought to myself, "Maybe here they expect you to find an empty table and sit down." So I went and did just this on one of the booths. While I waited I looked around and noticed a variety of different age people. Some were drinking and watching a football gave on one of the large screen TVs above the bar counter on the left side of the restaurant. Others were seated at the bar, drinking and talking with someone they hadn't seen in a long time. Two who seemed like best of friends were seated at one of the booths on the right of the restaurant and talking, drinking, and eating. While others were at the back of the restaurant enjoying a game of pool. The server finally showed up and pointed up to what I thought was a decoration, telling me that was a menu. After asking what I wanted to drink I ordered a sweet tea. The menu had a brief but very nice variety of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When the server came back I ordered a Black Dog (Half Pound Burger w/ Swiss). And asked him to add cheese, bacon, and mushrooms. With a side of Brew City Fries. You can tell I was hungry. When my food arrived the burger bun was fresh and soft with a very large meat patty that was well cooked but soft, nice amount of the extras, and some amazing fries. This is the perfect place to come alone or with family or friends to spend some good time, eating, drinking, watching a game on TV, talking , socializing, or enjoying an innocent game of pool in a relaxed and friendly environment. read more

See all

Best little bar in Roanoke. Food is cheap and delicious. These places don't exist anymore. I hope it never goes anywhere.

Fun place for lunch with plenty of options for burgers, bbq sandwiches, and $6 specials. But this ain't health food for the vegan crowd lol. I had the spicy pimento cheese sandwich with fries which was great. $15+tip for lunch for two with drinks is a deal. read more

Excellent burgers and fries also cold draft beer. Stopped in after watching movie at the Grandin Theater. Their staff are friendly and service is great. read more

We tried this place out for lunch today. It is more of a bar than a restaurant, but the food was actually pretty good and very reasonably priced. There is no easy parking in this little eclectic area, but we found a spot on the side street. We got here about 1 pm and had no problem being seated. There are about 6 beers on draft and many beer options in the cooler. We tried the Lionshead Pilsner and were pleasantly surprised... so we split a total of 3. My wife had a bacon melt and I had a philly steak wrap. This is typical bar food but it was pretty good. You can tell that this bar has a local following of clientele based on my observations during lunch. Pretty cool place! There are lots of TVs and two pool tables. I bet this would be a fun place to watch a game with friends. read more

See all

Decent prices for food and drinks. Bartender is a smidge inattentive after your 1st drink order. Just visiting so I guess if we are regulars, we'd have a different opinion but for this weekend, that is all I have. read more

Good food at fair prices. Friendly staff. It's a great neighborhood place. Try the wings, they're very good! read more

This is usually a fun place to end a night out but the last time I went with a friend we were treated very rudely by our waitress. We waited nearly a half hour for someone to come over and serve us. She didn't welcome us as patrons or ask if we'd like to order. No, she asked if we were "ok" in a tone implying we shouldn't be in there. We each ordered just one drink with the intention of leaving quickly after that uncomfortable interaction and had to wait nearly another half hour to receive our one drink each. Overall, you get what you pay for here (which can be great) but the service is VERY hit or miss. read more

No frills, no fuss, no drama. Want comfort with comfort food? This just might be the place for it: ++ Take a seat as you walk in. You don't necessarily need to wait to be seated. There are several menu books in the pockets on the wall, and feel free to ask for the day's specials. Love the $5 lunch specials (until 2pm), and food comes out quickly. Hotdog x2 with fries: 'rustic' comes to mind. My hotdog with everything wasn't exactly loaded, but it did have a bit of everything from slaw and chili to chopped onions and pickles. If you're concerned about fats and calories, this may not be the best choice of meal (or even a venue) for you, but boy did I this extra kick that day! Sausage tasted like it was panfried, not boiled or grilled. We're determined to go back for their subs. To be continued! read more

See all

I would leave a review but we never got a chance. Was seated for 20mins with no response from any staff.

If I lived in Roanoke VA this would be my regular hangout. If you know me then you know I love dive bars and this place is tops. The service is quick, the music is controlled by the bartenders, the food is delicious comfort bar food. And the fries, OMG the fries. Yum to the ummmmmm!!!! I ordered the philly cheese steak with the battered fries and was so content I was amazed. This is all while the Amy Winehouse station was jamming in the background JAMMING!!!! The customers were all super nice- friendly- and everyone seems to be in good time mode. If you happen to be in this small part of VA, make sure to make a stop at the Community Inn !! read more

Community Inn Restaurant - Stuffing faces - Dive Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

It is divey. It is old. It is nothing spectacular. But if you want to have that Old College Bar experience then this is it. The beers are great. Drinks basic. And the food is that out of a college bar place. But I keep going back. Just your neighborhood bar. I was taken by a business associate here in town. My team at work said I would like it. I took my son and he loved it. Decent food. Good prices. DIvey and wonderful. read more

Community Inn Restaurant - Dive Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

don't expect your togo order to be right, i order a black dog burger witch was good when i got it in house but when i got it togo it was subpar, looked like it was thrown together, had a oversized tomato slice and almost no lettuce. I also ordered onion rings and got fries but my girlfriends order was fine except she had a skimped amount of tater tot's and her Shirley Temple wasn't that great either. Also, the woman that took my payment when I came to pick up was not very friendly. meal for almost 30$ was not worth it read more

I've been coming here for several years. When I come to town for family visits I'll stop in and have a drink, but since the quarantine I've stayed in the area for several months in a row. My once high rating has recently dropped. Outside of the new look my praise stops there. The food is normal bar fare and reasonably priced. The selection of beer and mixed drinks are good and again reasonably priced. The service has taken a hit read more

Best bar food in the Grandin Village without question. Double bacon cheeseburger with tots is what's up!

This is the $10 flounder dinner. The 4" square piece of fish was so over cooked it was like saw dust! All three things I ordered were terrible and looked nothing like the pictures I saw on Yelp! Will not be back!!!! read more

Community Inn Restaurant - chicken and fries in a basket - Dive Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

What can you say about a staple and fixture in the community? If you haven't been to the CI you need to, like out down your phone and immediately head over there since you don't know what you've missed out on in your life until you try any of their amazing food options. read more

Don't pass by without going in and checking it out. It may look like a dive bar but the food is delish (especially their burgers) They have a full bar and excellent service. It has been a fixture in the Grandin Village for decades. My sister and I had started being Friday night regulars there until coronavirus hit. As soon as we are free to sit down in a restaurant I am sure this is the first place we will go! read more

Tired of the downtown meat market, the crappy music and the expensive drinks? Recently voted the "Best Bar Food in Roanoke," the Community Inn lives up to it's title with cheap, good, classic food. When I say classic...I mean it. When is the last time you had school-house pizza? How about a grilled cheese? Add some tomato? Perhaps a burger with a side of tater tots? Nice. So, to have the best bar food, you must be a bar. Indeed, the Community Inn (CI) is a bar, and a wonderful one at that. The ultimate Roanoke melting pot, this is a primary hotspot for hipsters, bikers, republicans, democrats, ex-fratboys, artists, other bar owners, your local record store clerks, tatoo artists, rednecks, old-timers and dart/pool players. No one group can even come close to claiming it as solely their own, the CI is everyone's. The bartenders are top-notch and will not only look out for your drinks but you as well. The atmosphere isn't unique, some booths, a long bar and TVs scattered around the ceilings, but it does the job. While CI may not be the fanciest joint in Roanoke, it's the one place in Roanoke that anyone can feel comfortable in. read more

Nothing fancy here, but the food is good, the people are friendly and the beer is served ice cold. Pool table, smoking are, this is just a cool place. read more

Community Inn Restaurant - Dive Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

See all

In from out of town, never went here while I resided in Roanoke. Met friends for drinks/snacks here. Space-wise, it's pretty deep. Service was lacking, call me spoiled but I hate flagging people down for my drinks. The food was typical fare for dive bars. Certainly worth going here with friends to make the experience, but otherwise, it's your average bar environment. read more

I ordered a pitcher of ying ling and it came with so much head it would make a pimp jealous. After gagging down the foam, the plastic pitcher contraption came apart. It had a cheap freezer ice rod that screws into it which as a customer was really annoying to deal with. Fried pickles were decent. Sampler must have had all good items thrown in the fry basket together. Everything but the chicken was burnt. The staff remedied it with slightly less burnt food. Owners and management and other staff were drinking while working. Bathroom looked like a closet divided in two and stuffed with parts from an old Winnebago bathroom. Only plus was it was non-smoking on the restaurant side. This place is old and rundown. It is dated and does not cater to the age demographic that surrounds it. I can't imagine this place brings in much profit. The waitress was friendly and helpful but this hole in the wall needs to be put out of its misery. read more

Community Inn Restaurant - So much head on the beer! - Dive Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Great service! Burgers are meaty! Everyone was so much fun! Only issues was they are always out pepper for some reason. Hmm?? Other than that GREAT! read more

It's the best bar. If you put too high of an expectation on a bar, then I dunno what to tell ya, bud. The Community Inn is a continuous ensemble cast of characters - the unassuming, the pretentious, and even some nasty scalawags. It consistently rides the line between a fabled White Horse and an infamous Double Deuce. Speaking of consistency, let's talk about the cheeseburger. Is it mind blowing? No. Is it ALWAYS good? Yes. Is it kinda creepy when you see people there with small children past 10 pm? Absolutely. read more

Found this place on Yelp and decided, while we're in Roanoke for 13 weeks, we'd try to find that one dive bar to call our home. THIS ONE WILL BE IT. Great dark ambiance, dive bar for sure. The burgers are good and the bartenders are nice and the pour is HEAVY and the liquor is inexpensive. Draft beers are only $3 during the week until 6pm. Their well Bourbon is Evan Williams 100 proof, that makes the hubs very happy. The best part is, it's only one and half miles from my home. read more

I'm so disappointed this was one of my favorite spots to eat at when living out here but the customer service I received I will take my business elsewhere. No problem w the food (amazing) but the waitress was a complete a**hole.No customer service training first we asked if she had any available seating she got nasty w us and told us to find a seat, we started to look at the menu and she rushed us to place an order, and then order two pitchers of blue moon and requested oranges she lied and told us she had no oranges. I happen to look over and see a women being served the same drink as us w oranges when requesting oranges for a second time she told me she get to us when she can and she would have to cut them up. Thank god for another waitress that step in and assisted came right from behind the counter with several but up oranges w no wait time. Honestly I felt very discriminated against her actions made it clear that we were not welcomed. If you choose to go make sure not to get the women with orange hair and freckles I promise you will regret it. read more

5/5 because this place is exactly what it claims to be. A great, well-loved dive bar. Dive bar prices, friendly drinking buddies, and casual bartenders who will chat with you as much or as little as you want. The pimento nachos were delicious (but I downgraded the spice by getting regular pimento). Favorite bar (and consequently, the only one I visited) in Roanoke. All the best to the good crew there! read more

I cannot say enough about how much I love this place. While some may misunderstand its nature or clientele, the essence of CI is that it is a family restaurant in the truest sense that does have a great late night bar crowd as well. The food often shocks people by how good and diverse it is. And it is by far the very best place in the Roanoke Valley to watch NFL or any sport really. Give this place a try, it was cool long before the neighborhood it is in became hip and trendy. And as testimony to its coolness it has changed very little. read more

This is my favorite bar in Roanoke. Great place to get a cheap drink or some good greasy food. Service is great, burgers are good. I dig the dark old school atmosphere. read more

By far, this is my favorite bar in Roanoke for several reasons. 1. Angie and Mary - hands down best bartenders in Roanoke. Words dont describe how much my husband and I love them. 2. Its a real bar. None of this meat market stuff (ahem, Corned Beef!) 3. Pool table with little douche-bag traffic 4. Its a few blocks away from my house 5. Cheap PBR 6. Great bar-food (SCHOOL HOUSE PIZZA!!) 7. The juke box has Hank III and David Allen Coe 8. Did I mention Angie & Mary? BTW,this is not a place to order froo-froo drinks. They will make them, and they will be GREAT, but this ain't Metro! read more

A great place to wind down and have a couple drinks. Staff is always pleasant and easy to talk to, and the same can often be said for the patrons. It's occasionally a little noisy but if anything that's a testament to their popularity. Very happy to have a place like this in my neighborhood. read more

This place is warm and inviting. I seriously couldn't ever ask for a better bar to be a regular. I love everyone here.

Just moved to the area and decided to check out the Community Inn or CI after all my new neighbors recommended it. Cool place, old school neighborhood bar. Love the cheeseburger and great beer prices. Staff was very friendly. My new favorite place to walk to. read more

Love this place! Great comfort food, they will make it if they can even if it is not on the menu!! Fried bologna sandwich with a fried egg and cheese on white bread!! Where else can you get this?? If you go more than once they will probably remember your name!! read more

went here before a movie at the Grandin Theater because the pretentious place up the street wouldn't serve me a $14 burger because I came in 10 minutes before the end of their Sunday Brunch...service here was prompt and friendly enough...I had to try the bottle caps (deep fried jalapeños) which warmed me up and made the icy cold PBR draft ($2) go down quickly...Cheeseburger and tater tots were very good. The place was pretty crowded with what I determined to be regulars for the sports..4 different games showing. This is my definition of a solid neighborhood diner/bar, I would not classify it as a "dive bar" at all. My new go to before or after movies now.. read more

Favorite neighborhood hangout. Great bartenders, always know someone when you walk in. Food, meh, but it's bar food. Only negative is parking, but in Grandin Village, you can basically park and walk to wherever you need to go anyway. read more

The CI is the bomb! I think the perception of this place is that it's a dirty dive bar, but honestly since the no-smoking laws went into effect in Virginia, this place is a gem. Drinks aren't watered down, and a double bacon cheeseburger with tater tots is a guilty pleasure for sure. If this is your neighborhood, feel fortunate that this is your neighborhood bar! read more

Ok the chicken breast. A processed piece of chicken. Some frozen string beans, Some coleslaw from a pre made mix. Absolutely no taste. $8 worth of junk. No I do not write reviews but this was so bad I had to. If it was half pie ok I would not of written a review. Thanks. Mike. read more

Not a bad local bar. I got my mini corn dog nugget fix and a cold beer. The cheese fries were mediocre at best. I enjoyed myself playing Jeopardy with the other bar patrons. Unless they were watching Jeopardy to be ironic, I definitely did not pick up on any hipster vibe. I would definitely come back. read more

Great place, definitely a community bar! Good staff and awesome patrons. Burgers are great, and so is the rest of the menu. Good drink prices. read more