I can see why the good reviews. We stopped here prior checking into the hotel and we wanted some…read moreramen on a rainy day. We ordered gyoza and tonkutso ramen with pork . Both were delicious, piping hot and my Thai tea was also good not overly sweet. I was glad she was able to adjust sweetness level. Service was friendly and even provided some recs and dining area is clean.

Located in the Cave Spring Corners Shopping Mall, a modern Strip mall in Cave Spring, Virginia,…read morethis Asian family-owned restaurant business is a Japanese quick-service eatery serving teppanyaki, Ramen, and dunburi in a casual setting. It has plenty of parking in the Mall's parking lot. Inside it has an Anime-Themed mural with contemporary furniture and extremely comfortable chairs and tables in which to eat at. They offer friendly and fast service in a cozy and charming environment. The owner is Chinese but cooks amazing Japanese cuisine and has a great personality. He often brings the food to your table and makes it a point to personally greet and welcome you and get feedback about the food as well as answer questions about any item on the menu. While I was there he even served himself a Ramen and joined his customers eating during a slow period that was unusual. Usually the place was full with at least a couple of parties at the tables and Take Out orders customers coming to pick up their phone orders. I was welcomed and greeted at the ordering counter by a friendly young lady who quickly took my order. I ordered Fried Spring Rolls as appetizer, a Beef and Shrimp Hibachi with a fountain drink as my main meal, and a Mango Mochi Ice Cream, which was unbelievably delicious. Next time I'm definitely trying out their Ramen Soup that looked amazing as all the members of the large party next to me were having. Besides the fact that the food was served in generous portions at reasonable prices, I kind of appreciated the interaction that the Asian Owner / Chef had with me and the other customers. It made for an amazing dining experience like no other before. And so not only do I highly recommend this Asian family-owned restaurant but am already looking forward to coming back.

Located in the Southwest Plaza Shopping Center, in Roanoke, Virginia, this Japanese Steakhouse is…read morevery well known for its Hibachi Grill and Sushi. Last time I reviewed it I dined with a friend at one of their Hibachi tables with chef performances. I invite you to read that review and view my photographs accompanying it. It was an amazing dining experience. This time I dined at their traditional dining room next to their Sushi Bar. As soon as I arrived the friendly lady host welcomed me and after asking where I preferred to dine, took me to one of their tables there. Shortly afterwards, my friendly server arrived and took my drink order of a Coke. Then after I had reviewed their menu, I made the following order to my server: I ordered the Gyoza for appetizer and for my main entrée I ordered the Lobster, Filet Mignon (cooked medium-rare), and Scallop Hibachi Dinner which was served with a chicken broth and green salad with the house ginger dressing. The timing of the bringing out the items of my order was perfect. My server did an excellent job serving me the items of my order and making sure I didn't need anything else. This dining area had a more relaxed environment and the food was the same high-quality food. The filet was very tender and juicy. The scallops also tasted very good as well as the lobster meat that was served in a small bowl. The fried rice however tasted somewhat strange. Like if they hadn't rinsed the container where it was cooked well and it had a soapy flavor. It also lacked the flavor of Japanese butter, that it usually has when I had it served from the hot table performance. For dessert I ordered a slice of their Japanese Layered Crepe Cake. I remembered how delicious it tasted last time. This time it also tasted awesome yet not as fresh as last time. In conclusion I still highly recommend this restaurant, preferably eating at the interactive dining experience with a chef cooking at your table, unless your ordering Sushi. Then the traditional dining room with Sushi Bar would be a better option.

We had a large group for a birthday dinner. Service was good. Food was ok. They give you more rice…read morethan you can eat. I would rather have more vegetables. And forget the soup. Salad is mainly iceberg and a gingery dressing. Price was average for what you get. It's kind of dingy looking inside Needs a make over.

One of my favorites restaurants is the Japanese Hibachi Restaurant. Knowing this, a friend of mine…read moreinvited me to eat at Sakura, located in Salem, Virginia. A relatively small family-owned restaurant, established in the year 2000 and reasantly renovated. With simple yet elegant decor, it establishes a wonderful mood since the time you enter the restaurant. When you enter there is a counter where you order your food after viewing the menu high above behind the counter. A welcoming young man greeted us and took our order. My friend ordered the Steak and Chicken Hibachi and I ordered the Steak and Shrimp. We both ordered the salad side item, although I wished it would also have included their soup as well. To drink we ordered two sodas. We then went and sat at one of the booths after filling our cups with our drinks from the soda machine. Our server brought our salads. The salad was fresh and very tasted with the salad dressing. The dining room was very elegant yet with a comfortable ambiance. The main entrées arrived in a very nice presentation with the vegetables including zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and onions. The fried looked and tasted delicious as well as the shrimps. However, I was disappointed with the flavor of the pieces of steak. They tasted like if the meat was not fresh, almost spoiled. And this seemed to damage our otherwise wonderful dining experience. I urge the owner and cook of the restaurant to put more attention to the quality of the food by keeping better track of the meat and the temperature control of the freezer where it is stored. I liked this restaurant and if the meat situation is corrected I would definitely recommend it and also return without any hesitation.

great service and the food was also very good! Drive thru was pretty fast. I will definitely be…read moreback.

We've been twice and their noodle bowls are some of the best in Roanoke…read more Very clean and very tasty! Will be back soon

We were here for lunch. Friendly staff. Delicious noodle soup. Definitely worth visiting if you…read morelive nearby. Highly recommended!

I wasn't expecting much from Rainbowl, but the chef's special burrito bowl was delicious. Perfect…read morefor quick, easy, on-the-go dining. The place is clean and the owner was really friendly. Customer service from the staff behind the counter wasn't the friendliest. Still worth a stop if you want something fast and tasty.

A nice treat after working out at the gym nearby! They offer some Boba Tea options, smoothies…read moreand/or classic drink selection to choose from. They seem to have a plentiful array of options to build your custom Poke bowls and they offer Ramen as well. We did not try the ramen. I plan to go again

If you're anywhere near Cave Spring and craving sushi, Ben Gui Sushi is an absolute must…read more From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is clean, relaxed, and welcoming without trying too hard. It's the kind of place where you can actually enjoy your meal without feeling rushed or crowded. The food is where this place really stands out. Every roll we ordered came out looking incredible and tasting even better. You can tell immediately that everything is made fresh. The textures were perfect, crispy tempura paired with soft rice and high-quality fish, and the sauces were balanced instead of overpowering. The specialty rolls are clearly the highlight. The Red Dragon Roll and Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll were loaded, flavorful, and worth every dollar. The portions are generous too, you're not getting skimpy rolls here. Each plate came out beautifully presented, and the flavors hit exactly how you want sushi to hit, rich, clean, and satisfying without feeling heavy. Service was solid as well. Friendly, attentive, and efficient without hovering. Drinks stayed filled, food came out at a good pace, and everything felt smooth. For the price point, this place punches above its weight. You're getting quality sushi that rivals spots in much bigger cities, without the inflated cost or attitude. Overall, this is easily one of the best sushi spots in the Roanoke area. Whether you're going for a casual dinner or trying to impress someone, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend.

A close friend of mine recommended this family-owned Japanese cuisine and Sushi restaurant, located…read morein the Old Country Plaza, to the left of Tanglewood Mall, in the Cave Spring / Roanoke area. It is known for its fresh ingredients, wide variety of sushi rolls, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Before driving to the restaurant for dinner, I viewed there very impressive and informative website, with Japanese music in the background, and found out that Ben Gui Chen, the Restaurant owner and Executive Sushi Chef has been making sushi in the Roanoke Valley since the year 2000, and then in 2006 opened this restaurant with his wife and a couple of staff. It has been voted "Best Sushi" in the Roanoke area for multiple years, and that the "Red Dragon," one of its signature rolls, was voted one of the "50 Favorite Foods" by the readers of the Roanoke Times. Its menu includes classic rolls, sashimi, specialty rolls, tempura, teriyaki, bento boxes, and unique creations. Currently, this family-owned and operated business is run by Ben Gui, his wife and two children. Based on the data I found their "Trust Me" Roll is the most popular dish. And other top rolls include the Spicy Tuna Roll, the California Roll, the Red Dragon Rool, and the Shrimp Tempura Roll. They offer one of the best selections of sake in the area, and also offer a 5-course sushi and sake tasting menu. It is also one of the few places in the area to have white tuna. I arrived at the restaurant on a Thursday early evening, just as they opened at 5:00PM. The restaurant's front was not too impressive, especially after viewing their very impressive website. Old Country Plaza is a small shopping center on Starkey Road spearheaded by Food Lion, with a Buffalo Wild Wings, and other small businesses. Their restaurant's sign was high above, tiny, and unassuming.The Ben Gui lit up in red as the nightfall was arriving but the Sushi stayed unlit for whatever reason, I don't know. But from my experience with a Japanese college student, they are very humble and expected to do their best as their duty and not for a reward. My student had gotten the best grade on the final exam and yet when I congratulated her in front of the class she lowered her head. So this small sign is unassuming, just as my student had been, but the food inside was probably excellent, as my student had been. Because traditional Japanese cuisine, washoku, emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients, artistic presentation, and balance. Inside, the restaurant was decorated in a minimalist style but with accents that made it elegant without being too assuming, with a welcoming, comfortable, relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. A lady, whom I assumed was the owner's wife, greeted me and gave me a warm welcome, and after asking me my seating preference, took me to the table I suggested. She then took my drink order while giving me time to review the menu. I ordered some Sweet Tea, and she came back with a bottle. That was one of the things that I felt was out of place in a restaurant of distinction. I feel drinks should be served in a glass, and in my case a glass with ice. Afterwards she did the same serving beers to other customers. After she came back with my drink, she took my order. I ordered the House Soup to start off with and Gyoza (Fried Japanese Pork Dumplings), as appetizer. For my main meal I ordered the Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll and a Scallop Roll. And afterwards for dessert I ordered the Tempura Ice Cream. The House Soup was expensive, but had some Pork Dumplings inside, among other vegetables, and was one of the best soups I've ever had. The only thing I didn't like was the large Japanese soup spoon that it was provided with. It was much too large to eat the soup with and it spilled all over my shirt because of this. A normal size Japanese soup spoon would have been better. But I cleaned my shirt with my napkin and kept on eating it because it was amazingly delicious. The Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll was also delicious. It had something crunchy inside that gave it the perfect touch. And the Scallop Roll was real good but a bit small. Most of the guests there you could tell they were repeat customers and were wealthy, because both a family at the bar and one at a table, kept ordering sushi after sushi, and more sushi. My order came up to $59.60 without the 20% tip that I left my server, but I feel the food, service, and dining experience was well worth it. I was also very appreciative for having met the owner and Executive Sushi Chef, Ben Gui Chen. From the very beginning he was very welcoming, friendly, and hospitable, and was kind enough to allow me to capture in photographs the essence of his restaurant and Sushi making. For this I will be forever grateful.

After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing…read moremy consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, 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 go back and write follow-up reviews on those restaurants that impressed me the most during 2025, and Cafe Asia 2, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example of one of them. This Asian fusion restaurant in the Cave Spring area of Roanoke, is definitely one of my favorite restaurants of all times. And my first visit and review is something that I will always hold very dear. When you finish reading this review I invite you to go back and read that review and view my photographs accompanying that review, for it was a very unique dining experience that I will never forget. From the time you arrive at this restaurant the contemporary building design seems to beckon you to approach and enter. I love their unique logo design made up of letters and a number of a particular font that communicates a certain air of distinction. Once inside, you're like in another world altogether. If the outside of the building was impressive, the interior immediately captures your attention and mesmerizes you with it's beauty. When I arrived today, a very lovely and distinguished lady, dressed very elegantly, welcomed me and led me to the table of my choice. Later did I find out that she was the owner of the restaurant, and I had an opportunity of talking with her about the restaurant, its Sushi Bar, and Sushi chefs. Soon after, my friendly server, who was from Indonesia, came to introduce himself and take my order. To drink I had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It was served in a tall glass and tasted marvelous. As appetizer, I had the Dim Sum Platter. It contained 3 shrimp dŕhumai, 3 pork dumplings, 3 pork wasabi shumai, and 2 roasted pork buns. One of those items was extremely spicy, I had to drink water to cool down. The others tasted reasonably good. As my main entrée I had the Lobster Tail Tempura Maki. It was very colorful and tasted, and completely filled me up. My original server did an excellent job serving me the food and coming by to check on me. But then he disappeared and another server, also Indonesian came to bring me my main entrée. I think it might have been a shift change, but feel the first server should have let me know about this fact. But if the first server wad excellent, the second was amazing. He answered all the questions I had about items on the menu, and while delivering special dishes to other customers, he allowed me to photograph this food for the benefit of the readers of this review. Then, at the end, he helped me choose the dessert to have for the Grand Finale of my meal: the Banana Basket. It was amazingly delicious and had slices of bananas, kiwi, mangos, whipped cream, and strawberries. And topped with caramel and chocolate sauces. Considering its friendly and relaxing ambiance, its extensive menu with a wide range of Asian dishes, from traditional Chinese entries to a full sushi bar with raw and cooked options, and its amazing customer service, I definitely highly recommend this restaurant from my own experience. Every time I've dined there I've had an exceptional fine dining experience, and as I'm leaving I'm already looking forward to returning.

Everything we had from here was flavorful, hot & delicious! The restaurant inside is beautifully…read moredecorated, it wasn't crowded when we arrived at 5:40pm on a Monday evening. They were doing a heck of a carry out business, and know I know why. My husband had the wonton soup - he must of enjoyed them because I didn't get to try them, however that broth - oh my delicious- I finished that - easily. I had an order of the crab wontons - mostly cream cheese tasting - wish there was a bit more crab/shrimp, overall tasty. We shared our first hot pot - ribeye, carrots, peppers, stewed tomatoes served with your choice of rice - we chose the fried. Our shrimp tempura roll was yummy! Oh and we also each had a strawberry sangria although they do have other cocktails - I totally missed out on a screwdriver but the sangria was good too. Service was excellent- very nice people. Look forward to returning in the future!

This Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet is located in a relatively spacious building structure with…read morean extensive all-you-can-eat food items, including all types of chicken, beef, pork, fish, and seafood selections. Besides this, it has a small salad bar area, Hibachi area, Sushi area, and a very small dessert area with a selection of ice creams as well. The decor of the place is nothing fancy nor modernized and many of the furniture are a bit run down. The "make believe" what looks like a fountain, without water, in the entrance is nothing to brag about and the artwork on the wall look kind of cheap. As one enters the restaurant there is an order and pay counter where a person who seems like the manager gives you a warm greeting with a smile and efficiently takes your order, charges you and has one of the hosts take you to your booth. The price for the buffet is not too expensive and considering the large selection of food items available, this may be what continues to attract many people to eat at this place. We decided to eat here today because other buffets and opened restaurants around had a wait of more than an hour. Once you're seated at your booth, a server is assigned to bring you your drink and refills, and to remove your empty dishes once you finish eating what's on them. We had a very friendly and efficient young man who was always coming around to check on us with a smile and providing exceptional customer service. Now, if we talk about the food, which is the main reason one goes to a restaurant in the first place, leaves much to be desired. The quality of many of the items available is very poor and/or not cooked well. The turkey slices served were dry and not to fresh as well as many of the seafood items were lukewarm and not freshly served. The fried shrimps were crunchy and warm, however they were flat and not plumpy. The Sesame Chicken seemed to have more batter than meat. Even the squid looked and tasted cheap and was not warm. The Sushi Bar had a few variety of Suchi but they lacked craftsmanship. So much so that I didn't even dare to try one, and the employees working that station didn't encourage me either when they saw me there. In the Hibachi area, I noticed that the grill was not too cleanand the cook manding this area did not accommodate me when I asked if I could add two eggs to my items before he served them. If management addresses some of the above issues I mentioned, I think this Buffet restaurant will have a better chance to successfully grow its clientele and not lose many. I invite all of you reading my review to go experience for yourself if they have followed my recommendations, and this can only be done by trying you out.

I had lunch there today. As I paid for my lunch, the guy at the register kept going on about…read morepolitics. And he definitely did not have anything positive to say. He was pretty foul mouthed about it. Now he's entitled to his opinion one way or the other, but I'm there to have lunch and forget about that mess for an hour. Then I figure if he's allowed to run his mouth, so am I. So about the third time he starts on the same tirade, I tell him he ought to keep his opinions to himself. He says, "You got a problem? Sorry I mean enjoy your lunch." And he keeps smiling and yelling that to me repeatedly as the server escorts me to my table, until I'm out of sight. After I finish eating, as I'm leaving, he yells to me "Have a nice day." I don't even look at him. I have my sunglasses on. As I'm walking out the door, he adds, "Or don't." I'm outside halfway down the parking lot to my car, and he literally sticks his head out the door. He left his position behind the counter and walked all the way outside to yell at me more. He says, "Take a picture. It'll last longer." I run back inside and he starts yelling at me again. "Oh what? You want to fight me now", he says. I go right past him to one of the other employees and ask for a manager. He screams, "I am the manager." I say, "Okay, let me speak to the owner." He says, "The owner never comes here." Meanwhile, the other employees are asking me what's wrong and asking me how they can help. He says, "Don't bother with them. None of them speak English." They are, at that moment, speaking to me in English. I walk back over to him and ask his name. He says Johnathan. He asks my name, I say Joseph. I ask his last name and he says Jonathan Joseph. There's a lot of customers waiting in line to pay by now. And he looks at me and says, "Why you giving me that look? A look like that, you either want to fight me or have sex with me." I ask him why he'd say that in front of all these customers (mostly Hispanic and Asian descent), and he says, "None of them speak English anyway." I look at the customers and say, "So none of you speak English? Is that true? He just said that about you." A younger fellow next me exhales, rolls his eyes, and says to me, "Don't worry about it." So I turn to leave, and he says, "I hope your day gets better." I reply, "I hope your life gets better." And all of this happened in front of dozens of customers during the lunch rush. I can tell you one place where I'll never eat again in my life. And good riddance. Oh, and "Have a nice day!"

The atmosphere is nice....BUT...DO NOT get any seafood hibachi....the chef put the shrimp on the…read moregrill FIRST...and let it cook for at least 30 mins...by the time he put it on my place it was a piece of burnt rubber....then they give you 4 scallops...and he cooked those for 20 mins...then proceeded to cut them into small portions...and cooked it for another 10 mins....the scallops were so tough....it made a sound when you poked it with fork...just get chicken..maybe they won't overcook that...,

My son absolutely loves this place and their sushi rolls! Always the request for birthdays.read more

Love their food first off. The staff there can guide you if you don't know what to order off that…read moredelicious menu they have to offer. It is beautiful in there and presentation is presenting. Service is better than the A-1 sauce in my fridge & so is their sauces Their food is better than a lot of other restaurants in the area as well. Remember this is locally owned so that says a lot. You'd be a little bit silly if you choose another restaurant ... can't lie lol especially if you're a food explorer! Their delicious desserts BTW goodness I ate like three different plates

It is not often that one encounters a restaurant of this caliber. But oftentimes, unexpectedly,…read moredestiny takes it course, and one ends up in front of the front door of such restaurant. This is the case with Brood Restaurant and Bar. Located in the heart of Main Street Salem, near the beautiful Roanoke College, this place is more than just a casual fine dining restaurant, it's one of the best restaurants that I have ever visited, and in this review you will find out why. After making a reservation for 5:00pm, not knowing how bad the traffic would be, I left early, only to discover that there was no traffic and ended up arriving at 4:30pm. Like in many of the best fine dining restaurants that I have eaten at, this one had a glass and wooden door with simply the restaurant's name and logo engraved on it, which included a tiny artistic rendition of a rooster as part of it. As I entered the door I was fascinated with the simple yet magnificent decor and ambiance of the place. The original restored hardwood floors and the natural brick walls gave it an air of distinction, as well as the antique furniture Host's station holding the menus and reservations computer. The furniture was elegant yet comfortable at the same time, and the lamps gave just the right light to create a cozy yet elegant and comfortable ambiance. The Host came out and graciously greeted me, and after I told her that I was half an hour early for my reservation, she invited me to have a seat at the bar until the kitchen was officially open at 5:00pm. It was the way she said this that motivate me to go discover the bar and the drinks it had to offer. Soon I was given a warm welcome by Cole, the bartender, as I sat in the middle seat of the small but cozy bar. After I asked him to recomend me a Mocktail, I had him make me a Mule Mocktail and to my surprise I can say it was the best that I have ever had. This young bartender was surprisingly at the level of the ones in restaurants such as Lucky, River and Rail, and Alexander's, just to name a few of the best around. To accompany my drink I ordered the Sea Scallops appetizer and they were so tender and fresh covered with an amazing mix that included little bits of bacon. When it was time to move to the main dining room I told the bartender that I had enjoyed the bar, and his excellent service but I wanted to finish my dining experience at the main dining room to better be able to review the restaurant. He made arrangements for the move and to my surprise and manager's wisdom, they made him my server as well. It is in little details like this one, that one uncovers the greatness of a restaurant and its extraordinary customer service. There, I ordered another of the Wonderful Mule Mocktail, and a Caesar Salad to start with, with the Steak Frites, medium rare, as my main entrée. Everything was delicious. For dessert, I ordered the Belgium Waffle Bread Pudding, at the recommendation of my server. This dessert was amazing. By the time I was finished I could notice that the restaurant was filling up with repeat customers, and by my experience today I could see why. Needless to say, I highly recommend this restaurant to all those reading my review and viewing all my photographs taken to compliment this review with some visual flavor, for it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case not a single word can do justice to this extraordinary dining experience.