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.

My sister ordered the Greg Brady and I had the Dr. Gonzo -- both burgers were delicious! The…read moreburgers are made with Wagyu beef, and while you can get a "regular" burger here, the specialty burgers are creative, varied, and definitely worth exploring. The crinkle-cut fries were good too, but one of the stars of the show was their house sauce -- a mayo-based sauce with herbs and spices that was so tasty we had to get some to go. Service was prompt and friendly, and for those so inclined, there's also a great selection of specialty beers. The atmosphere is fun and memorable -- the rock 'n' roll was loud enough to add energy but not so loud that we couldn't have a conversation. The decor is quirky and kitschy (think a skeleton on a bicycle and a chandelier made entirely of bras). The couple behind us also enjoyed their selections, with "The Elvis" being a standout. Even though it came highly recommended, I just can't bring myself to put peanut butter on my hamburger. That said, next time I'm in Roanoke, Jack Brown's will definitely be on my list for a return visit!

I've been here many times but it's been over 5 years since I did a review. Still great service and…read moregood fresh ingredients. The place is nice inside too. The only thing I don't like about their breakfast is there is no platter that includes gravy you have to pay $3 more for it. The gravy is great and the bacon is cooked perfectly

It's always a pleasure to go to this down home country restaurant!!! The service is timely…read moreThe atmosphere is wonderful and the cooking is great!!!

Tucked away inside the historic city market building the Laughing Bull has a variety of menu…read moreoptions and the staff was friendly and the food came out hot and quick. There are tables inside a spacious hall decorated with greenery and interesting architecture. I'm not sure I ordered the best thing on the menu, the Teriyaki chicken panini was lightly sauced teriyaki chicken and Swiss cheese on thick Texas toast type bread. It could have been better honestly, it had a weak flavor and was pretty messy and hard to eat. The French fries were good, maybe a little overly salted but good. I would give it another try.

In a word, OK. In the Market Building food court in downtown Roanoke, Va. comfortable common-area…read moreseating, staff brought the food to us after ordering at the window. Very nice staff, answered our questions, and were quite friendly. Ordered two gourmet burgers and a 'cheese steak' panini. All three came with fries and were visually appealing. The burgers were stacked, had nice veggies but the meat was rather tasteless, a real disappointment. The panini was inedible. The "steak" was strips of very tough and chewy meat that pulled right out of the bread, and the peppers overrode all other tastes. A real disappointment. The staff came and checked on us twice, very attentive. I would try it again, just to try another of their very creative dishes, but I am not running back. Good for a stop if you are downtown.

After a little over a year of opening its doors in Vinton, Virginia, across the street from the…read moreVinton Library, this hole in the wall, family-owned American restaurant with the name of Absolutely Delicious Bar & Grill, has absolutely delivered some of the best smash burgers, hot dogs, and other delicious freshly made American comfort food in this neighborhood and beyond. 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 businesses, 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 Absolutely Delicious Bar & Grill, in Vinton, Virginia, is a perfect example. Today I decided to give them a visit for a follow-up review of the first one I wrote when they first opened. The first thing I was happy to see were picnic tables with colorful patio umbrellas placed in the open space yard on the left of the restaurant. It seems like they are gearing up for expansion and many new things to come for the Spring of 2026, after a very successful 2025, for its high-quality food at reasonable prices, in a welcoming and friendly environment, with excellent service. As usual, as soon as I walked in the place, I was received with a heartfelt, open-arm, very warm welcome, and was given the good news that starting on March 16th their hours will be expanded to 10:30AM - 10:00PM Mondays through Thursdays and 10:30AM - 1:00AM Fridays and Saturdays. They told me about all their plans for the Spring of the new year, including the further expansion of their outdoor patio dining area. My server Justin, the son of this family-owned business, took my order and had me seat down at the counter of my choice. I ordered a Coke to drink, forgetting that they also had Cherry Coke, my favorite. To eat I ordered a Jesse Jones Beef All Beef Hotdog with mustard, ketchup, and relish; as well as a Smokehouse Burger, which had a double smash burgers, BBQ sauce, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Pickles and two cheeses of my choice. I picked American and Swiss cheese as my choice and they customized it to include lettuce, tomatoes, and ketchup. Then I made it a combo with Waffle Fries and a medium Coke. I enjoyed watching the cook make my food in their open kitchen. Wearing special black disposable nitrile gloves, he grabbed a ball of fresh, high-quality ground meat and put it on the grill; then he used a burger smasher to flatten the ball-sized beef patties onto the hot surface of the grill for maximum searing. During the process, he changed his disposal gloves several times to ensure food safety. He also used a basting brush to butter the burger buns before he heated them on the grill. This not only gave the burger a good taste but made it look delicious. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. When I took a bite of my smash burger, it tasted absolutely mouthwatering, or as the restaurant is called "Absolutely Delicious." The same with the hot dog. Best hot dog around! And the waffle fries were amazing. They were well seasoned and shaken after they came out of the frier; soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. The best waffle fries I've ever had. Even better than the ones from Chick-fil-A! They also had me taste their newly introduced Tater Tots; which are a graded potato formed into small cylinders and deep-fried. Their taste and texture were out-of-this-world! Very soft in the inside and just the right amount of crunchinnes on the outside. For dessert I had a couple of Strawberry Cheesecake Rolls. It reminded me of the fried cheesecake commonly served in Mexican restaurants but these also had strawberry filling. I was so pleased with their food and service that I gave them a good tip and paid at the counter with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard. I highly recommend this little restaurant and urge you to give them your total support. What you'll get back will be an "absolutely amazing" dining experience like never before.

We stopped by today after seeing the @hungryasian review on Facebook. Cannot believe we got all…read moreof this yummy food for less than $20 before tip. Attention to detail is definitely on the mind of the workers here. Chili had such a great fine grind, sear on burger was perfect and fries were hot and crispy. Will be back! Highly recommend!

My 1st visit to Pok-E-Joe's was this week and it will most certainly not be my last visit. We were…read morea large group so they arranged the back semi-private dining space for us, which was perfect. We started with brisket nachos, Bavarian pretzels and wings (nachos are a MUST). My main course was the smoked turkey sandwich and potato salad for my side which complemented each other well and were amazing. Everything was cooked/smoked to perfection and incredibly tasty! The brisket and turkey were my favorites. There are 4 BBQ sauces on the table so I sampled all, the Texas BBQ sauce was my personal favorite but all 4 are uniquely amazing. We ended with the deep fried Oreos (OH MY), which were incredible and I highly recommend, so save room for dessert. Next time I'll opt in for the pie! Great family restaurant and they also have live music at times. Jordan was our server and he was extremely attentive to such a large group. I'll be back, you can count on that! Thank you for the wonderful and warm hospitality!

We actually came for breakfast at another place nearby but their website was not updated to…read moreindicate closed on sundays and noticed that Poke-e-Joes had a Now Serving Breakast sign so we came here instead. We were seated immediately and it smelled amazing inside. Waitstaff were prompt with one young man in tow for training. We ordered coffees and they came out in huge mugs- steaming hot. There are a lot of options for breakfaat and many are a make your own adventure which is great actually. My husband ordered a make your own omelet with two eggs, pepperjack cheese, brisket, mushroonms and onions- and also wheat toast. I ordered one soft scrambed egg and bacon and a biscuit. I fail here now as I neglected to take pictures! Meals were delivered in due time and wow - first time in forever I actually got soft scrambled! Bacon was crisp and the biscuit was perfect - and huge! And then my husbands omelet. Wow. Huge - with brisket inside and on top! It was very big for only two eggs and half of it came with home with us! We will be back and now want to try dinner too!

Overall we had a good experience here while on an overnight trip in Roanoke. I loved the…read moreatmosphere, live music, and food. But when we first arrived there was no one at the host stand, nor a sign to seat ourselves. We lingered there a good five minutes, making eye contact with servers/staff, yet no one came to assist us. Finally my husband approached a server who was setting up tables to see if we were supposed to seat ourselves. She came over to us and seated us. Service was a bit slow so I'm wondering if they were simply short staffed that night. We also had two kids with us and had to ask for a kids menu, though we were glad that they had one. Our server was very pleasant and we enjoyed the food. My husband and a split the Southern Belle burger and a Sonoma salad with blackened chicken. The burger was SO delish and the salad was great too. We would definitely return if we find ourselves in the area again!

After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last…read moreyear, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that it would be appropriate this year to go back to this restaurant and write a follow-up review, since my initial review was one of my reviews that contributed to me obtaining this highly esteemed Award. Consistency in the dining experience of a restaurant is something very important. It is something that the restaurant has to earn every time a customer enters through its door. As easily as a restaurant can win a customer over, it can also lose him and his loyalty to the restaurant. Sadly, this is what happened to me during this visit. I had missed having lunch, that day, so I arrived at around 4:30pm to have an early dinner. A gentleman greeted me and had me take a seat at a table of my choice. I went and sat at a booth facing the kitchen. I think it was the same place I sat the first time I ate here with a friend. The same gentleman performed as my server. He came by and asked me what I wanted to drink. I asked him if they had any Mocktails. He answered me that Mocktails are not the drinks that people usually drink there, but that he can have them make one for me at the bar. I described the one I would like to have and right after give him my food order. I ordered a Hunter's Burger, with a fried egg, smoked bacon, and American cheese, among other ingredients. And tater tots to accompany it. After putting in my food order he goes to the bar and comes back with my Mocktail, which was extremely acidic, but he had already walked away before I could tell him. So I stirred it hoping that this would fix it. But as the acidic liquid reached my throat it made me caught and gave me an unpleasant sensation. The server brings me the Hunter's Burger, my main course, with the tater tots. The tater tots are not cooked well. When I try to hook one up with my fork, it just splits in half. The Hunter's Burger bun was not big at all, and the patty was extremely small that you could hardly see it without opening the buns up, and that is what I did and discovered that the egg was not fried evenly but the yolk had been broken while being fried and was not soft. I tried to make the best of the situation and ate the burger with a fork. If all this wasn't enough, the server approached me with something in his hand that I think was my bill and asked me if I wanted something else. I told him that I wanted the Fried Oreo Cookies with the Vanilla Ice-cream. He brings me them with so little ice-cream that it had melted in the middle of the Fried Oreo Cookies. What an awful dining experience this has been compared to last time, which I still remember today. And today's experience, I just want to forget. I hope the owner of this restaurant reads this review and takes a look at my photographs that accompany it, and takes action to remedy it so that this doesn't happen again and tarnish the Image of what I once thought was a great restaurant.

I love that this place has been open 99 years and still serving up original recipes at affordable…read moreprices. Open 24/7 (except Xmas) and serves breakfast until 10:30 am. The ambiance is original diner style (10 bar seats) at a countertop with an open kitchen! Very charming little place with such a cool nostalgic vibe. The staff and is friendly and the food comes out lightening quick! Husband got the chilli (normally not into bean chili) said it was delicious. Burgers are thin but delicious and you can really taste the quality of the beef. Although boiled, the hotdog was def top 5 tasting dogs in quality to y, the flavor was very unique. $16 for 2 double burgers, chilli, hot dog and 2 drinks

Now a days it's very hard to find a restaurant that's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and…read morethat's only closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A family-owned restaurant that has been serving locals, travelers, and late-night crowds from its classic 10-stool lunch counter since 1930, and continues to be strictly cash-only. A restaurant that not only has survived, but strived for 96 years, owned by the same local family, and is currently owned by fourth-generation owner Matt Bullington. Who has said that the key to its longevity has been sticking to what has made them successful since they opened. A restaurant that has never been remodeled and whose menu has never been expanded, but that in this lies its real charm. A restaurant that despite economic hardship, tries never to raise prices and remain affordable. A restaurant that many people go to it because of their food, others because of their prices, and others like me this morning, because of the experience to sit at its counter and appreciate its character and charm while enjoying a classic breakfast of three fried eggs over easy with bacon and white toast basted with butter. That restaurant was and continues to be the iconic Texas Tavern, located in the heart of Downtown Roanoke. This morning I drove my pearl white Lexus up to it and parked in front of the sidewalk at the parallel parking with a one-hour limit. There is so much history behind this place that the excitement of the moment made the breakfast experience more momentous. Once inside, a young gentleman who has been working there for over two years now greeted me and immediately made me feel at home. He took my order and almost at the same time started making my toast and frying my eggs. In no time at all I had my order in front of me. I noticed and made him aware that one egg was missing. He made it right by frying me another egg over easy and I didn't mind because of his positive attitude and very unique personality. He also asked me how I'd like my coffee and prepared it just as requested with two creams and three sugars. Every one of the three eggs were perfectly fried over easy and I sprinkled a salt and pepper mixture over them. The bread of the toast was so fresh and tasty braised in butter. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality of their food. I'm looking forward to returning one day at lunch time to taste some of their menu items of which they are known for. Starting with their Cheesy Western, the tavern legendary trademark burger served with a fried egg, cheese, pickles, and a sweet-and-tangy homemade cabbage relish. Or maybe a bowl of their secret-recipe chili served with onions. Or their trademark hot dog served Coney Island-style with chili, relish, mustard, and unions. All comfort food that make you feel good and bring a sense of nostalgia, warmth, and satisfaction. I highly recommend this small, historic, eatery for a one-of-a-kind, memorable, dining experience. One that you'll cherish and hold dear forever.

we came here for lunch. The ambiance is cozy and upscale. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was…read moreamazing! Had sandwiches and the Frickles. Do not pass up a chance to eat here. Great place. Would eat here again when in town!

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!

The food is amazing service is always great for a small business the workers are 1st class love…read morethat place...

Great service. Good burger. Highly recommended by the locals here when I asked. Little hard to find…read morethe door lol but the bartender helped us