I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world, but in none have I had such a wonderful…read moredining experience like I always do at Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was 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 bring them to the attention of the public, but also to return to those special ones, that have made a difference in my life and highlight them, for the benefit of the public, so they too can have an opportunity to appreciate the qualities of a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience. And Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Bernard's was born out of the love of two culinary aficionados turned professionals that in someway have managed to create a restaurant with an environment that transmits this intimate love to the hearts of their customers through the attention to detail in its extraordinary customer service and amazing culinary masterpieces. Today, I felt like dining at this restaurant, which I admire for its consistency in always far exceeding my high expectations of what a fine-dining restaurant should be all about. Not knowing if they would have a table for me at this late time on a Saturday early evening, I drove in my pearl white Lexus to the nearest private parking lot and gave them a call to inquire as if they could give me a reservation for the next ten minutes. A gentleman, who later I found out was named Matthew, and would be my server, answered the phone with a very polite and welcoming voice; answering my question of what was the special dish of the day and to come on down, that my reservation was assured. As soon as I arrived to the small, very elegant foyer in front of the Host's station, he came out to greet me and instantly recognized who I was. My only request was that he give me a low table because at my age seating at a high table was a bit uncomfortable. He went back to see what he could find and ended setting me up with what I consider one of the best tables of the house, and I was so appreciative of his last minute accommodation. The menu was already setup on my table. He poured water from a special bottle into my water glass and asked if I wanted something else to drink. I asked for a Mocktail and since he also was a bartender, he prepared me one of the best mocktails I've ever had. To dine, I started out with their Mussels Carbonara appetizer, which came in a bacon parmesan cream sauce that was simply amazing, and served with toast points. As my main entrée I had the Dinner Special of the Night, the Seafood Trio. It had a delicious, giant size crab cake in the middle, scallops, and shrimps, with parmesan risotto sautéed heirloom tomato, spinach, and nice size asparagus, with a burre blanc sauce. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the high-quality of their food and magnificent ambiance of the place. Everything was so delicious that only one word could ever describe them: priceless! For dessert I had their very famous Butterscotch Banana Pudding, which the chef makes at the moment ordered. It looked spectacular and tasted amazingly delicious: a culinary work of art. What a great way for the Gran Finale of an extraordinary dining experience!

Salty Salty They have potential to be good…read more But they use the same seasoning on fries - and French Onion Soup. Sub par food expensive. Not worth it.

Amazing burgers and get the loaded fries. The fried Oreos are also a super nice treat.read more

My sister and I stopped at Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint in Roanoke after two ladies at the L&L…read moreshop downtown recommended it, and it turned out to be an amazing experience. The place is small but quaint, with dim lighting, a full bar, and a fun mix of music genres that keeps the vibe relaxed but lively. I ordered the Gregg Brady, and my sister had the Doctor Gozo, both made with 100% Wagyu beef. You can taste the quality immediately. I added mushrooms and grilled onions for a small extra fee, and had my BBQ chips that come on it, on the side. We shared the crinkle‑cut fries, which came with their incredible house sauce. The sauce was so good I asked if they sold it, they do not, but the waitress sent me home with some samples for free. Service was fast and friendly. The waitresses were dressed in black tank tops, black shorts, and black shoes, and every one of them worked with a smile, like they were glad you came. The restaurant entrance itself is handicap accessible, but the bathrooms are not, they're very clean but also very small and too tight for a wheelchair to fit inside. One of the coolest things about Jack Brown's is their Beer Club. If you drink 100 different beers, you become a "Notcher." If you drink 1,000, different beers you become a "Saint." On Saint's Day, Saints get all food and drinks free, unlimited, with no tab. It's a huge part of their culture and adds to the fun, and a loyal community. Overall, the food was phenomenal, the staff went above and beyond, and the atmosphere made the whole visit top notch. I will definitely be coming back the next time I roll through this part of town. How to Become a Notcher (repeat for the Saints) To achieve Notcher status, individuals must follow these steps: 1. Visit a Jack Brown's location: Start by walking into any Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint. 2. Request a Notcher list: Ask for the Notcher list to begin your journey. 3. Try 100 different beers: Sample 100 different beers to reach Notcher status. 4. Join the community: Once you hit 100, you become part of the Notch Club, which includes various events and celebrations. This program encourages beer lovers to explore different flavors and styles while fostering a sense of community.

There are times that the simple things in life bring the most pleasure. For instance, I enjoy…read morediscovering out of the way breakfast restaurants and then on my days off, getting up early in the morning and going to these small but cozy, one of a kind places and enjoying a nice hometown breakfast in a relaxed environment and meeting new and interesting people; the owners, cooks, and servers of these small businesses who provide a product and service that bring joy to the members of our community and to those who are visiting it. After spending some time searching for one of these places, I found one called Jerry's Family Restaurant. I was attracted by the name of the restaurant, but also by the red building in the shape of a country barn, where it was the restaurant was housed. As I arrived at the place following my GPS, the red barn shaped building got closer and closer, and I could read Jerry's Family Restaurant, "Home Style Eats." Breakfast and Lunch Daily. Precisely what I was looking for. As I entered the place, I was impressed by how even though the building was old, it was very clean and painted and decorated in simple but very good taste. Chad, who was doubling up as my host/server, greeted me warmly, took me to my booth, and handed me a copy of the menu. Before even reading the menu, I looked around and admired the very well maintained Walnut hardwood floors contrasting with the light beige and white painted walls and ceilings. I ordered coffee to drink with cream and sugar, and Chad, my server, didn't take long to have the hot and freshly brewed coffee on my table, together with a glass of cold ice water. For breakfast, I ordered Three Eggs over easy with Bacon, Fried Yukon potatoes, w/onions, and white toast. And with French Toast as a little something extra. As I was waiting for my food, many other customers came in and were seated, and a lady came in with a "to go" order as well. Whom I guess was the owner/cook, a very nice lady, came out from the kitchen area and up to me and said hello, making me feel at home, as I waited for the home cooked food. Then Chad brought me the food and filled my coffee cup with some more freshly brewed and hot coffee. Everything tasted delicious. Take a look at my photographs, and you will be able to appreciate it better. After all, they say that "A picture is worth a thousand words." Then read the menu that I also photographed to be able to read the nice variety of both breakfast and lunch items available. And somehow eating my food in this cozy, warm, and friendly environment made it taste even better. I highly recommend this place to everyone reading my review and can assure you that you'll have a unique dining experience like no other.

Food is mediocre and the prices are astronomical considering how basic the dishes are. Also an…read moreoverwhelming cleaning solution smell.

This looks were deceiving this would be the place! I pulled up to this restaurant, thinking this…read morewas just some kind of dive bar, and the food/service was not gonna be anything special. However, the moment that I stopped, and I was greeted like a regular, kristi I believe her name was Went above and beyond! Then, when it came to the food, oh my goodness for a little while I had to pay, it was some of the best food I've had in this area ! The cheese sticks were everything you would want in the cheese stick! The sandwich was beyond tasty! I will definitely be back many times

From the owner: Home cooked meals made every day, great night life and the cheapest coldest beer in townread more

Food was amazing authentic Jamaican cuisine. Service was excellent. Nice ambiance for a small…read morelocally owned restaurant. I would recommend the curry chicken, oxtails and the curry goat

The first time I visited this new hometown restaurant, I found it closed with a sign on the door…read morethat they were at their Church's Summer Camp and would be closed during this time. Today, after making sure it was opened, I decided to go visit and have lunch there. When I arrived and entered through their door, I found a clean yet simple decorated restaurant with my favorite Bible quote hanging from one of the walls. There were a couple of customers waiting to be seated, and one was waiting for a to go order. Then Andrea, the owner's wife, came out of the kitchen and told us to sit wherever we liked and gave us copies of the menu. It was all so informal and without protocol, yet after later meeting the owner, David Gusler and his wife Andrea, in more depth, I was impressed with their beautiful hearts and Christian behavior. They made us feel at home in this restaurant. Greeting us and talking to us about the items on the menu. More customers were coming in, and some of them were steady customers, while others like me were just trying out the place for the first time. I enjoyed the relaxed homey atmosphere and the wonderful personalities of the owner and the flavor of good homemade food.

What attracted me to this restaurant in the first place was that it had, together with its name on…read morethe restaurant's front sign outside, the names of the major items in the menu. So one Friday evening that I happened to be in the neighborhood, I decided to go try it out. Located in the heart of the the Town of Vinton, Virginia, it has two large windows up front with a glass door in the middle. And above the glass door the colors of the Italian flag. As night was approaching the light coming out from the windows seemed to naturally attract one to the inside of the restaurant. Inside, on the right was a counter to order takeout orders and a cashier station. And next to this, a refrigerated disdisplay case with the desserts available. It was a clean, open space restaurant with tables and chairs in the middle and near a side wall and also some booths next to the other two walls. A host/server greeted me at the entrance with a welcoming smile and took me to one of the booths near the back wall, handed me a copy of the menu, and asked me what I wanted to drink. I asked a for an Iced sweet tea. The menu was black with white type and colorful food designsItIt hahad a nice variety of food items that I would happily come back again to order. Since this was primarily a Pizza restaurant, I ordered a Supreme individual pizza. While waiting I could sense this was a local style neighborhood restaurant. Many takeout orders were placed. Two families were eating at different tables. And before I left a group of older adults gathered together to drink, eat, and share a good time together with good conversation. My server provided excellent customer service. He brought me my pizza in a reasoble time, and came to check on me to see if I needed anything at the appropriate times. For dessert I ordered a Tiramisu. It came in a plastic case from the dessert display refrigerator up front. All thinhs considered: the relaxing ambiance, variety of items in the menu, the quality of the food, and the excellent customer service, I highly recommend this restaurant as a place to enjoy relaxing dining experience, while socializing with family and friends.

We decided to try out Big Belly's on a Saturday afternoon while our riding our motorcycle. The…read morerestaurant is across from the Vinton Post Office, it's a great location for Vintonittes! The interior is clean and has a combo of chairs and booths. They had italian music playing. The server was polite and attentive, even with a slight language barrier. We ordered and enjoyed fresh mozzarella sticks. We also ordered a Meat Lovers small pizza, 8slices, and a Garden Flatbread. Everything was really tasty. I agree with other reviewers that the mushrooms should be fresh, not canned. But that's a small thing compared to the food itself!

My family and I stopped in for a late breakfast today, and Paul's did NOT disappoint. The pancakes…read morewere fluffy and buttery, eggs cooked perfectly and the bacon and sausage were delicious. The staff was very friendly and even gave my two kids brownies, on the house! We will definitely be back our next time through town :)

Tucked away on a side street not far from the Roanoke Public Library, in Downtown Roanoke, this…read morelong-standing, family-owned dinner is known for its Greek and American comfort food, and praised for its friendly, family-style service, reasonable prices, and "hidden gem" atmosphere, operating on a cash-only basis, with the convenience of an ATM machine inside. It has been in existence since 1948, owned and operated by a lovely Greek immigrant couple, who from the moment you walk in, make you feel at home. Open daily from Monday through Friday, it is one of the few restaurants around that opens the earliest for breakfast, at 6AM, and closes at 1:30PM. Today, I decided to re-visit the place for an early breakfast, since it has plenty of free offstreet parking up to 8AM. I arrived at around 6:45AM and parked next to the sidewalk in front of the restaurant on a street parking spot. There were already some steady customers dining inside. As soon as I arrived the wife and co-owner gave me a warm welcome and I reciprocated by wishing her a Good Morning in Greek. Somehow, I find that making an effort to speak to others in their native language, establishes an immediate, friendly connection with them. I sat at one of their booths, and she asked me if I wanted coffee to start off with. I answered in the affirmative and then gave her my order. I ordered Paul's Breakfast Special. 2 eggs, with choice of bacon, ham or sausage, home fries and toast. All this, including the drink of your choice, for $8.00. I ordered my eggs over easy, bacon for the meat, and white toast. If you look at my photographs accompanying this review you will notice the quality of each of the items in my breakfast and how they were cooked to perfection, just as I requested. The bacon strips were thick and meaty, and cooked to order. The eggs were perfectly over easy. And the home fries were slices of potatoes fried just right. After delivering my breakfast to my table, she came by to refill my coffee. While I was enjoying my breakfast, other groups of customers came in and also received a friendly, warm welcome. A father and daughter came in, and soon after, the lady co-owner brought a slice of freshly baked cake with a lit candle on top and sang to the girl the Happy Birthday song. Relaxed ambiance, quality food, and excellent service, make for an extraordinary dining experience. Sometimes one finds the most amazing restaurants, tucked away on a side street.

Great food and beer! Stopped in for a flight and a snack, and was pleasantly surprised at the…read moreamount of options with both food and drink. We ordered some truffle fries and the jalapeño popper burger, and both were delicious. The beers were all fantastic, but J particularly enjoyed the pecan amber ale. Our food and drinks came out quickly and we were very well taken care of. We had a nice seat outdoors on the patio area and people watched. We will definitely be back when the tap list rotates!

It's pretty clear that this place has no idea how to make pretzel bites. You should advertise them…read moreas salad croutons. Didn't taste anything like pretzel at all. Also the buffalo chicken macaroni is one of the worst I've ever tried. I'm glad this place isn't in my hometown. They would have closed by now.