Best burger in the city. The fries are also amazing. If you like actual smash burgers (not…read moresomething called a Smash Burger that is still an inch thick), this is the place. Seek them out. You will not be disappointed. Bonus points: they're also super nice people who seem to genuinely enjoy what they do.

I attended the friends and family soft opening tonight and what a beautiful evening for this food…read moretrucks debut. There were many in attendance and with my family present, it was great to have such a smorgasbord to taste! For starters, all the ingredients are fresh - except the fries - and you can really taste the freshness. Smash burgers were on point and many options left you wanting to try each one. I think we had at least three different ones - including the classic smash, the Kenny smash and the plain smash. All served on amazing soft Martins potato buns. We also had a couple hot dogs - the manhattan and the Star City. Loved the Dr Pepper chili sauce and the NYC onion sauce was a mix of mustard, ketchup in onions and spices and blended nicely with the sauerkraut and spicy mustard. French fries are crispy and battered and cooked perfect. My brother in law ordered the Gahbage plate - a favorite from Rochester, NY and it is not for the lite eater! It is a packed meal of hamburger, hot dog, on top of the fries and topped with chili meat sauce, mustard and a side of macaroni pasta salad on top. Wow. A lot of food!! My sister had the chopped cheese and it was fabulous. We also purchase a couple of cookies that were being offered from a local bakery and they were gobbled up as well. Prices are amazing and felt we could have easily paid more for each item! This was the inaugural kickoff of the food truck and I easily see this as being a favorite in the area. Service was awesome - friendly staff wanting to make you full and hope you return. And yes - we will be following this truck and yes. we will return. Great job!

I ordered from them online and showed up and it didn't even exist. I called the phone number listed…read morefor their business and it was a wrong number. $20 wasted. It sounded great, but they need to not accept orders if they don't even exist anymore.

Been spoiled by the jerk chicken, don't know which meat to try next, sausage, steak or chicken…read morefilet. Incredible!

We drifted off the beaten path to check out this place out traveling between Atlanta and Lexington,…read moreVA. It's a fair bit away from the Interstate, but I can tell you that it's worth the trek. When we got here for lunch, there was a line out the door and the smokers out back hard at work told us this was the place to be. We got served pretty quickly and found a table. The place is neat and clean with a decent amount of seating both inside and out. The missus had a brisket sandwich and I got the pulled pork with slaw, pinto beans and mac&cheese for the sides. The servings are HUGE and that smoke ring isn't just for looks. The meat was done perfectly with the smoky flavor and not dried out. I also tried one of their homemade sausages. Absolutely fantastic! Snappy casing with a filling that included creamy cheese hunks and a level of spicy that was just right. We pride ourselves in having high standards when it comes to BBQ, and this joint didn't disappoint! We've been to numerous BBQ joints including the famous award-winning Big Bob Gibsons in Northern Alabama and this place comes in well over that. We visited with the owner (Kelly) and had a great experience. The staff we interfaced with were both friendly and engaging. I would give this place 6 stars if I could. Highly recommended!

Yes--the main upgrade is adding the restaurant's no-frills character from your photo, sharpening…read morethe texture description, and giving the collards a more memorable moment. Here's the elite version: One look at Mama Jean's handwritten chalkboard menu told me this was a place that lets the food do the talking--and the fried ribs backed it up. The fried-rib special was the undeniable star. Topped with Buffalo sauce, hot honey, Gorgonzola cream sauce, Gorgonzola crumbles and green onion, these ribs were an absolute revelation. They were fried hard--the right way--giving the outside a satisfying bite while the meat remained tender inside. Sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy and savory, it was a bold combination that somehow worked beautifully from every angle. The pulled-pork sandwich refused to be overshadowed. The pork was moist, tender, well-seasoned and piled ridiculously high on a soft bun. This was a serious portion of properly cooked pork--not a sandwich relying on sauce to carry it. Then came the collard greens, which unexpectedly became the star of the sides. I expected them to play backup, but they had enough presence to stand beside the barbecue. The mac and cheese was good, but those collards were the side I kept returning to. Mama Jean's is not a barbecue spot you want to miss if you're anywhere near Roanoke. The setting is casual, the portions are generous and the flavors are unapologetically big. If the fried ribs are written on that chalkboard, don't overthink it--order them before they're gone. Top-notch barbecue

I stopped here for lunch! Amazing food! I ordered the agua fresca melón, which was very hydrating…read moreand refreshing. Alongside the chips and guacamole! Peaking to the appetite! Yum! For my main course, I ordered the street tacos. One carne asada, pollo, barbacoa, tripa frito. All delicious and flavorful! The salsas also hit the spot. The reason for 3 stars instead of 5, is the fact that service was mediocre. After my food was dropped off, my waitress Joselyn did not check in once. When she dropped off the check, she never picked it up. I had to walk to the front to pay for my meal. Great place, but customer service can be improved. I did share my concerns with management. Ambiance is nice and upbeat!

Oh man, I'm so happy we got to dine here and on Cinco de Mayo - fun! The food was delicious,…read moreeveryone was so friendly - I even recognize people from TikTok (super cool) - it was a vibe. We got there fairly early - the parking lot was BUSY but we got seated right away, and had the sweetest young gal as our waitress (she had mentioned she only had been there 3 months) - very polite and explained things well. You must get the fresh guacamole and chips - SO FRESH - you can taste it! Everything we had was so fresh, flavorful, hot and delicious! If you're in the area or visiting - must try!

Came to Parkway Brewery to get a beer and eat and this food truck was there. I ordered the mac and…read morecheese bites and pulled pork sandwich. Food was okay! Not the best sandwich I had but it filled me up. Had to wait about 10 minutes for the food to come out but the person I ordered from was friendly. It was hard to find a table near the food truck. The mac and cheese bites were pretty good. I was very hungry so this tasted good.

This is a hidden gem that exceeded our expectations during our recent breakfast visit. The daily…read morespecials caught our attention our attention, and we were delighted with the variety and the quality of the food of the food. The food was excellent and the service was top notch! With indoor seating of a train car. They have excellent daily specials! The great music playing was enjoyable for all ages. I would definitely recommend it and we will be returning for more!

Have tried this food truck twice recently. Food is tasty. Both times, service was kind of rude and…read moreran out of food very early in the evening (6:15 PM on a Friday at a brewery is a bit early to be crossing out menu items). The second time, my order was misplaced or forgotten...waited 30 mins before I realized that people who ordered after me were receiving their orders before me. Even so, service was VERY slow. A little expensive but not outrageous. All in all--I'd seek out a different option if available.

This is the best food from home my Caribbean native husband has found in the US! We absolutely love…read moreCountryman Jamaican Grill--when we know he's at our local brewery, we make sure we go. The oxtail is out of this world, the jerk chicken is excellent, and I love the curry. The rice and peas and the fried plantain taste just like home. We absolutely love this guy and he always has great vibes.

This family-owned Mexican Restaurant is like no other that I've have ever seen before. The family…read moreis from Jalisco, Mexico, and after some time of sharing their native cuisine through their food truck, around March of this year, they opened this brick and mortar restaurant in the Southwest neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. I literally found out about this place today, and immediately made plans to go visit for dinner. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants 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 Birrieria La Vaca in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. Jalisco is a state in western Mexico. Known for its capital city, Guadalajara (the second-largest city in Mexico), and its cultural contributions, including mariachi music, charades (Mexican rodeos), the Mexican Hat dance, the wide-brimmed sombrero, tequila, and birria, a traditional meat stew. Its culinary scene is diverse, with dishes like birria (a savory meat stew) and tortas ahogadas (a pork-filled sandwich soaked in sauce) being local favorites. Sweet treats like jericalla is a popular dessert, similar to a flan or custard, with a slightly caramelized or burnt top. Tequila, made from the juice of the blue agave cactus, is Jalisco's best known product. The restaurant Birrieria La Vaca is located on 5th Street, Southwest Roanoke, in a renovated old building. Its front of the building is painted with a unique, dark, bright, red color, so you won't miss it when driving by. As you enter the first thing that catches you attention is their beautiful renovated original hardwood floors and a section of original tiles in great condition. Most of the walls are painted dark, bright red, with one dark red, and one white. The place is very clean with some booths and some tables and chairs, and even a counter area for ones dining pleasure. It has been modernized with two large screen TVs behind the counter. One is continously showing color images of the food from the menu, and the other shows a video with scenes of Guadalajara, Mexico. Then on the two side walls are two gigantic size screen TVs which at the time were showing a soccer game. It also had a modern TouchTunes Jukebox on one of the walls, with a touchscreen so you can select and purchase songs that will be played in the restaurant. When I arrived a friendly young lady with a big smile greeted and welcomed me to the restaurant. She took me to one of the booths and handed me a copy of the menu. Later I found out that she was not only my server but also the daughter of the owner. We talked a little about Jalisco, Mexico, the place where her family is from, and then after she brought me an Horchata that I had ordered to drink along with a glass of water, I ordered the Queso Fundido Con Chorizo appetizer to enjoy with my chips. And for my main course I ordered a California Burrito al Pastor (with marinated pork). The food was all amazingly delicious and different from other Mexican restaurants; they had that homemade flavor to it. Their chips were fresh and reasantly fried. Thin and tasty. Their salsa was a bit too watery rather than thick like in other Mexican restaurants. You could tell that the tortilla used to make the burrito was made in-house because of its flavor and texture. And the pork was seasoned to perfection. For dessert I had their traditional Jericallas. It was served in the aluminum container where it was made. Nothing fancy, but tasty and sweet. Before I left I got to meet the other daughter who also was working as a server, as well as a cousin of theirs who was visiting, and their father. I had a great time and an extraordinary dining experience. Definitely I would recommend this restaurant and I expect to return soon to try out more of the items from their menu.

The food here was really good! Everything came out fresh and tasty, and the flavors were on point…read more My favorite was the Taco Birrias, definitely worth trying. The service matched the quality of the food. I'd for sure come back again.

I first reviewed Rookie's (Handcrafted Ice Cream Sandwiches) when it opened at the Patrick Henry…read moreHistoric building in Downtown Roanoke; just across the street from the Social Security building and the Roanoke Public Library - Downtown Branch. I did so after having visited it several times, having had their ice-cream and homemade cookies, and having talked to and interviewed their store employees as well as their truck driver who brings their ice-cream and cookie dough from Lynchburg, Virginia. Now that Rookie's has relocated from their Downtown Roanoke store to Cave Springs, at 3549 Electric Rd, Suite D, I have decided to visit their new location, and write an update review. I urge all the readers to this review to also go back and read my first review and accompanied photographs to learn more about the history of the company. For Rookie's is more than just an Ice Cream Parlor. It's a place where desserts and friends meet to create something memorable. Their employees are encouraged to establish conversations with their customers and answer questions about their company and their products. And their comfortable ambiance and seating area contribute to the enjoyment and extraordinary sweet dining experience while people socialize with family and friends, and share quality time with them. The new location is more family-friendly and has more parking than their previous location. The residents of Cave Springs have welcomed Rookie's with open arms and have become steady customers in a relatively short period of time. I was impressed to find out that it is located in thr same Shopping Center as Cafe Asia 2 Restaurant, one of my favorites Asian Restaurants. Rookie's continues to offer different flavors of cookies, homemade ice cream, and signature ice cream sandwiches, in a clean and simple interior design relaxing environment, and with excellent customer service from their warm, knowledgeable, and friendly staff. Today I visited the new location with a friend and both of us interacted with the servers and had ice-cream sandwiches. Mine was Mint Chocolate Chip cookies with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. The combination of the two made the perfect sweet snack or dessert. During the time we were there chatting and enjoying our ice-cream sandwich, we saw many other customers come in and do the same. It seems that Rookie's made a great strategic move for a win win situation between the company and its customers. A quote from the owner of the community I feel best describes it best: "We believe that community is built on a foundation of celebrating something good and we believe our handcrafted ice cream sandwiches. Ice cream, cookies & milk will bring you together! We're all about the memories made and the nostalgia we hope you feel whenever you tuck in to a treat with friends and family." All of Rookie's ice cream is handcrafted in Lynchburg, and they offer vegan and gluten-free options. Rookie's hopes to continue expanding to other locations, with some customers even asking for a location in North Carolina. I highly recommend this business and its products, and consider it one of the City of Roanoke's gem.

Delicious ice cream and cookies. I had a flight of 4 small scoops of ice cream and a cookie. I…read morehad Maple Pecan, blue Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie & ??? (lol I forgot the 4th one) with a snicker doodle cookie. Every one of the ice creams were so flavorful and delicious. The cookie was great! Nice and chewy. The inside is a bit dirty, the bench cushions look like it has seen some kids with ice cream drippings. It wasn't unsanitary however. Service was great. The girl behind the counter was very nice and pleasant to speak with. I highly recommend giving Rookies a try.