I stopped in with my family for dinner on our way to a national park, and I am so happy we did! As…read morea recent transport from Miami, the food was fresh and authentic. As soon as we walked in, the owner José greeted us and invited us to sit where we'd like. The service was timely and polite, and the restaurant is adorned with a massive, REAL philodendron! I can't wait to come back on another trip with more family members!

My 20-year old son (who attends Virginia Tech) and I were pleasantly surprised to find authentic…read moreCuban cuisine near the Roanoke airport. We found this place through Yelp for an early Saturday dinner. The restaurant was full of customers at 5:30pm - so we ordered takeout to bring back to our hotel. The service is warm with a family-friendly vibe. I would strongly recommend the vaca frita - which was outstanding and ideal for carryout. The red beans and rice were also delicious. I tried the ropa vieja (which is a bit more messy for takeout - but a great option if you're dining in). We also enjoyed the vanilla flan dessert which was very sweet (ideal with coffee). Overall, this was a great surprise in Roanoke - we hope to return to Cuban Island Restaurant on our next trip to Blacksburg, VA.

Arroz con gandules and pernil! You have to try this dish if you go. Typical Puerto Rican dish…read more Family run. Small peaceful place to enjoy a lunch, dinner.

Nice vibe for an intimate date or someplace that isn't loud, amazing food with such a variety of…read moretastes.

Gloria's was a highlight of my long weekend in Staunton. I ordered pupusas and yuca con chicharrón…read morefor pickup. The wait was longer than expected, and the service was below average, largely because the restaurant appeared busy and understaffed. There were other frustrated patrons having a similar negative experience waiting around as well. That said, the food was so delicious that I was able to overlook the frustrating pickup experience and still give Gloria's top marks. I honestly can't recall having better pupusas anywhere. The ingredients were fresh, the flavors were full, and each dish felt homemade. I'm still thinking about it days later. A genuine word of warning: if Gloria's is your first stop in Staunton, you may not feel much motivation to try anywhere else for the rest of your trip. It sets the bar that high

I love Salvadoran food, and I was visiting my mother in Staunton, so I knew we'd have to check it…read moreout! Since the weather was nice, we ate in the outdoor section. Didn't get an opportunity to see the indoor section of the restaurant. The server was very friendly, but they were very busy and it did affect speed of service. In terms of beverages, I ordered horchata because I always order horchata. I have yet to meet a horchata I didn't like, and this was no exception. Sweet and delicious. I ordered birria tacos and a loroco pupusa. The birria was tasty and savory, as to be expected. Like most people, I dip my tacos in the broth because it's delicious. The loroco pupusa was really cheesy, which is a plus for me. All in all, this was a great place and I look forward to going back to try other items on their menu.

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!

Not sure about the food. I know Mama Jean's is considered one of the best, but I was left with a…read morefull but unsatisfied feeling. Let's break it down. The daily special was a beef brisket cheesesteak. The sandwich was large, the meat copious, and the cheese was well integrated. I think there was mayo on it, because the sandwich was soggy and runny. I ate one half as a sandwich, one half with a fork. No banana peppers to add to the sandwich. The bread was slightly hard, contained the filling, but not the juices and cheese run-off. Very messy. Coleslaw was just a pile of sliced cabbage. Not much taste. Very disappointed for all the hype. Other than salt, there did not appear to be any seasonings. The meat was definitely brisket, but lost its identity in the cheese and bread. Staff was very nice and helpful when ordering, wait was not long even though there was a huge wave right behind us. Drinks are cans/bottles and you pay per. Would I go back? Not sure, I really didn't get a bbq experience from a bbq joint. I think I will try another joint or two before I go back.

I had hoped for better food from this food truck. My spring rolls were dripping with oil and had…read morevery little filling. Our shrimp tacos had 3 tiny bay shrimp the size of a quarter, and no shredded cabbage or any other standard taco filings. The panini looked like they were from a kids menu. They charge a lot for very little food of substandard quality. I would not recommend this food to anyone. Plus, there was no bacon on the menu.

From the owner: Scratch made and locally sourced sandwiches, fusion tacos, soups and salads.read more

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!

To be clear, this is a food truck, and I am rating it as such. It is set up in a gas station…read moreparking lot. They did put out a single table for me to eat there, but it has nothing to offer in the way of ambience. Weather may also be a factor, and when I arrived at the post opening time they were still setting up. The reason I have a high opinion of the place is not any of those things, but that it offers the distinctive home-cooked taste of a cuisine that is not otherwise available in the region to my knowledge. It is vegetarian South Indian and most of the options revolve around lentils and spices. I sampled a preparation I hadn't had before of ildi, a steamed rice and lentil cake, with some mouthwatering spicy powder. My spicy dosa, which I made it clear I wanted really spicy, was indeed fiery, but also possessed the delightful crispness and mix of sour and savory flavors distinctive to this cuisine. I also note that sometimes the salt in sambar overwhelms me but I didn't have a particularly tough time here; the flavors of the spices were enough without the ridiculous oversalting that some restaurants do. It is a taste that I would be happy to come back for in the near term and I would try virtually everything they offer.

I could eat here every day! Another perfect meal! Everything I have ordered has been delicious.read more

The Lazy Bulldog Bistro is what I'd like to refer to as (what Bob Ross would say) a "happy…read moreaccident." I was traveling with a friend up to Blacksburg so we could watch our alma mater, Virginia Tech, play North Carolina in a big early college football matchup. While driving up from Hampton Roads, we kind of settled on grabbing lunch at Sticks & Spoons Ramen Bar in Roanoke before checking into our hotel and then finally heading out for the game. We made good time and, wouldn't you know it, Sticks & Spoons was closed for renovations. S&S was located at small strip mall - so after seeing they were closed, we noticed Lazy Bulldog across the way. We figured, "Why not?" and headed over. Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by Lazy Bulldog's co-owners, Brandon & Erika. They were quick to answer any questions about their menu, and Erika was kind enough to provide their establishment's history. The menu looked incredible as LB offered all kinds of burgers and sandwiches. We ordered the What the Ale Shrooms for an appetizer, which were fried button mushrooms in beer batter. It came with a homemade lemon aioli - both the shrooms & the aioli were delicious. I had the Surf 'N Turf Burger (1/3 lb beef patty, Old Bay fried shrimp, thick cut hickory bacon, lettuce, tomato, Sriracha aioli), while Neal ordered the Garlic Bomb (1/3 lb beef patty, cheddar, lettuce, sauteed garlic, red onion, homemade garlic aioli). Both of us enjoyed our choices and appreciated the excellent service from Erika and Brandon. Our entire experience was fantastic, which came with extra effort when Erika gave us free water while we chatted outside with one of Neal's former professors. LB closes for a couple of hours between lunch & dinner service, so Erika, as she was closing up and leaving, gladly provided the water and some extra produce she had grown herself. Thank you, Lazy Bulldog, for everything! I cannot wait to visit again when I return to Blacksburg! JV

Food truck had a limited menu. Selected the steak sandwich…read more Ready in about 7 minutes; came with Ruffled potato chips. Sandwich was delicious. Will absolutely eat here again. Initially I thought it was a little pricy, but it was loaded with meat, and very tender.