It's been over a year now and I still remember that bowl of delicious fried Okra I had the first time I ate here. It was very significant to me because as I was growing up I learned to eat Okra from my grandmother's home cooking. And I can't think of no better way to describe this place as this. 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 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. Pok-E-Joe's has become one of the most loved BBQ restaurants in Vinton, Roanoke, and nearby cities and towns. And key to its success is their quality meats and slow smoking cooking process that lasts for hours, turning their meats into award-wining Southern culinary masterpieces. Today, when I arrived a friendly young lady greeted me at the Host's station and after giving me a warm welcome, and inquiring as to where I wanted to be seated, took me to a comfortable booth next to the window. There I enjoyed looking over the menu with all the unique and delicious Southern BBQ foods such as the Pulled Pork, the USDA Prime Brisket, the Smoked Sliced Turkey, and others. Not long afterwards, my very friendly server, Jessica, came by with a big smile to greet me and take my order. I ordered an Iced Lemonade to drink. And to eat I ordered the Build Your Tray. I first asked for the Brisket Tips, which I had heard so much of, but they didn't have any today. So I picked my meats for the tray 1/4 lb of Pulled Pork and 1/4 lb of USDA Prime Brisket. For my sides I ordered Fried Okra, a Side Salad with Blue Cheese dressing, and Straight Cut Fries. The tray also included 3 Hushpuppies. I also wanted to include in this review their Pok-E-Cuban Sandwich, so I also ordered this with the idea of taking home the leftovers to eat tomorrow. My server Jessica did an excellent job taking my order, seeing that it was delivered, and checking on me at the right times. Everything was to good to the point of being exquisite. The flavor of the meats were out of this world, and they were so tender and juicy. The Salad was made with fresh ingredients and tasted refreshing with the Blue Cheese dressing. The Fried Okra and Hushpuppies were magnificent. And the Fries were the perfect cut and fried to perfection. As to the Pok-E-Cuban Sandwich, it surpassed all the others that I have had, with the slow smoked Ham and Pulled Pork, pickles, Swiss Cheese, and their house-made Spicy Mustard. All this, and at a very reasonable price. The ambiance of the restaurant was clean, warm, and relaxed. And contributed to the amazing diving experience. For dessert I had a Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowl Sundae. It was the dessert of the day and tasted amazing. Even the quality of the Vanilla Ice-cream was tops and creamy. This restaurant is very detail oriented, with fine food, cooked the right way, and provided with excellent customer service. And this makes for an extraordinary dining experience. read more

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My wife and I were visiting Roanoke, and we stopped at Pok-E-Joe's for supper. We were very impressed with the ribs, the jalapeño cheddar sausage, the smashed potato with pulled pork, and even the potato salad. Ryan was our server. He was very attentive and friendly. Keep up the great work!! read more

The food was fresh, bountiful, well presented and delicious. The servers are all professional, friendly, knowledgeable and prompt without being pushy. The flatbread was full, the crust chewy and meant for two. The wings were well cooked, hot and delicious. Get an extra side of the Hush Puppies, they re outstanding. You are looking at an "A" grade all around! read more

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Update: went back for a second time. First time was amazing. Second time was heavenly, service was top tier, food was out of this world, best Ruben I ever had in my life. The 6 shooter fries was so flavorful. 10/10 ranks in the top 3 favorite places we eat here in Roanoke. It's my goal now to try everything on the menu. read more

The best barbecue and brisket in the Roanoke area! The brisket was EXCELLENT! The banana pudding was great and was a nice portion unlike local competitors who give you a tiny container of banana pudding and charge the same. When you go, see Heather - she was a great server and took good care of us, anticipating our needs well in advance. The only complaint I would have is the lack of seating at the entrance. We had several folks come in and had to wait who needed a seat to set in due to disability and several elderly patrons as well. Otherwise it is an excellent experience and we will be back frequently. I would gladly come in and help them with any leftover brisket so nothing would go to waste... Go for the brisket - try everything else too! read more

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Our first visit but definitely won't be the last. The food and service were excellent. My husband had the chopped brisket sandwich and I had the pulled chicken sandwich. Both sandwiches were so delicious. The meats were perfectly cooked and had a wonderful smoked flavor, the sandwich bun was soft but was able to hold the meat. The four different sauces were all good but I preferred the Virginia Gold (vinegar and mustard deliciousness) while my husband preferred the Texas Q (sweet and tangy.) Our server, Ashley, was excellent. She was attentive, friendly, and answered all our questions. I highly recommend the Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned holiday cocktail. I'm reserving 5 stars until our next visit as there are so many other menu items we want to try. read more

We had a great time eating here. I had a half pound of sliced Brisket and a House Salad with Chicken added. They nailed both.Great Vibe, Live Music, and awesome service from Reagan and The Two Bartenders. I'll be carrying out next time we go to the Brewery next door too! read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia

The food was wonderful and even better service thanks to Ryan our waiter! This place is an awesome restaurant to have so close to our home in Vinton! read more

Love this place. !!!! The burgers and wings are My favorite!!! The wings have a Smokey flavor and the burgers are the best in Roanoke.

So many have discovered the excellence of this place when it comes to southern-style smoked meats and Grandma's Table sides, but I'd like to praise their limited schedule breakfast. Only available for a few days a week and cutting off early in the morning, you can have two choices of biscuit gravy, most any selection of eggs and the biggest fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, pancakes for what I think is the best breakfast bargain that's not fast food. read more

wings bomb asf 10/10, food good asf, mac and cheese i was impressed, banana pudding good!!!

Amazon great food and cold beverages. Friendly staff who are very attentive. We had a group meet to watch a sporting event and they kept the drinks flowing and ensured we were having a good time. read more

Holy smokes! No idea but what a great surprise. I had the Messy Pig pork sandwich and my wife had the brisket sandwich. Gosh, what a great meal. Service was great and the place was popping, even on a Tuesday. read more

I got take out from here on my lunch break. I ordered the buffalo wings and fried chips with ranch. Both were DELICIOUS! The wings were falling off the bone, and the fried chips were amazing especially with the ranch. The girl at the counter was very nice and personable. And when you walk into the restaurant the smell of it makes you want to try everything on the menu. Definitely going back! read more

We came in for dinner on a Wednesday night about an hour before closing. They weren't overly busy but they definitely weren't empty. We were seated fairly quickly and even brought a Connect Four game to our table to entertain ourselves. The server was quick to check in and get any drinks started. We ordered the Six Shooter Fries with brisket, a pulled pork sandwich, the Texas Destroyer and the Smokehouse Burger. I only got pics of the fries and my burger because my husband and our friend dove into their foods pretty much as soon as they arrived. Our server was also very attentive and checked in on us regularly. All the food arrived fresh and hot. The six shooter fries were top notch and it was hard not to just eat all of it before our sandwiches arrived. The brisket was cooked well and had good flavor. My burger was very flavorful and the portions on everyone's meal are nice and big. I ordered sweet potato fries and collard greens as my sides. I don't think this is the fault of how they were cooked as the fries were nice and crispy and collard greens were cooked well, but I personally just wasn't a fan of how sweet either of them were. The sweet potato fries tasted like they added extra cinnamon-y seasoning to it which I just wasn't a huge fan of. My husband ordered a mac and cheese side for his sandwich and it didn't stand out to him in terms of flavor; just your basic restaurant mac and cheese. Since the portions were so big we were too full for dessert and ended up taking home a good amount of leftovers. Overall would recommend the appetizers and entrees but maybe skip the sides next time. They offer a whiskey flight but we all had to be up the next morning so next time we'd love to try it. read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - Smokehouse burger - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia

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We are visiting my husband's cousins family and wanted something quick and close for lunch when we rolled into town. This fit the bill since it was less than 5 minutes from their house. We got chicken tenders and chips and chicken tenders and fries for the girls and I. My husband and his cousin tried all the things and said they liked it. The chicken tenders were good. I didn't love the fries, they were kind of burnt. The chips were good though. Overall pretty decent and good location so we will probably come back again when we come to town. read more

Great food! Mac and cheese and brisket OMG!!!! Great Service! Brand New Location! Check it out!! read more

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Stopped by Sunday after a trip down the Parkway. Had the pulled pork sandwich and the baked beans. BOTH WERE GREAT! Plenty of sauces for whichever sauce persuasion you are. Friends had the brisket sandwich, the pulled pork plate and a smoked turkey wrap. We all enjoyed our food. It's a keeper for BBQ! read more

I usually love this place but today not so much. I had the meatloaf and I'm pretty sure it was the dregs from the pan. Bits and pieces. And my drink was the worst Old Fashioned I've ever had and they had an up charge of over $4 for it! And it took a long time to deliver anything. I'm done with it! Unfortunately I can't find a way to respond to the owners comment. The night I was there he was not working. I've met him several times when he comes to the tables to check on patrons. That night, the waitress never came back except to drop off the check so, no, I didn't complain because I was ready to leave and done with the meal. I will be happy to speak with you next time I'm in town, if you're interested. read more

Started off with the hush puppies and they were good. Had a brisket sandwich and pulled pork sandwich both with fries. Pulled pork sandwich was full of meat and good. Brisket sandwich stacked with meat and was very tender. Flavor was great. Will definitely return. read more

the food was great and the waiters were so friendly my granddaughter loved every thing about this pokey joes!

Friendly service. The owner Corey came up to all the tables to introduce himself and to check on things. Very nice set up. We decided to check out the brisket and cheese steak. He got the Texas brisket sandwich. I got the cheesesteak flatbread. He said his was OK but didn't really find anything special about the brisket. I would have to say the same about mine and that I couldn't find any cheese on it. I will say that the flatbread itself was nice as was the horseradish sauce I had on the side. I would try again and get the straight brisket. The both of us only got burnt bits and no actual chunks on our food so we can't fairly judge unless it's all that way. He said the slaw was just ok as well. Drinks come in a mason jar and they had wet wipes and toothpicks too. I didn't care for their sauces. A little too sweet for my liking. Service was a little slow. Took a while to get the food. Friendly wait staff. Ample parking and easy to find. Currently they aren't offering take out as it's still new. I give it a 3.5 with potential. Will have to report back after trying it another day. read more

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Good place, good food, good service. Waited to make this review. Third time eating here. So I've tried the Brisket, Wings and a Burger now. Happy with all 3. Very good atmosphere. Prices are on par with all the other BBQ restaurants in the Valley. Fresh cut fries are my side goto. Wide array of sauces. Staff has been fast and freindly every visit. And we love the bar area. The $2 PBRs might have a little to do with that tho. Very impressed that they've got so much dialed in and only been open a couple months. I'm sure this place will only get better with time. read more

The Hilltop Burger is a perfect combination of a 1/3 lb beef patty covered with chopped brisket. It's covered with just the right amount of BBQ sauce and cheddar. The plate pays homage to the potato with perfectly seasoned thin hand cut fries. The cole slaw won't make my granny jealous but was good enough to offset my palette when needed. I had a couple $2 PBR's instead of sampling from the full bar. My hard pleasing lady had the ribs and wing combo. I was too stuffed to try them, but thank God she enjoyed them! Tasty sauces, professional and attentive staff with reasonable prices make this a great place for dinner or meet up! read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia

Great place for some good bbq. What I think is great is how created the menu is and how it offers so many different options. Always fresh and fast service read more

I was in the area for a funeral with family members and I asked someone employed at the local funeral home for a recommendation on a good place to eat and I was told about this place. Very good and service staff were very nice and helpful. read more

This was my first visit at this restaurant. It was absolutely delicious. The food was perfect - though the fires could have been a bit crispier but thats just my personal preference. The club sandwich is offered cold or hot. I had mine cold and it would have been amazing either way. Our waitress was incredibly kind and fast despite the busy atmosphere with it being 4th of July evening. Ive heard a lot of good things about this place, and rightfully so. I'll definitely be going back! read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - Raspberry Limeade containing a Debs frozen lemonade Ice sphere. - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia

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Food was good. Service was great. But they also had a magician that came over and showed me a card trick and that was cool. 10/10 was a pretty good restaurant +magician read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - The card from the trick he showed me - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia

Had the pulled pork sliders which were good and also Cole slaw. Only problem was the fries. They were too salty and it seemed like they may have been sitting too long or cooked too hard. read more

Megan our server was great! The Hush puppies and pok-e-Cuban were delicious! Alabama white sauce for dipping just about anything!

First of all, they close at 7pm on a Sunday?? First time we visited, they were not allowing patrons to sit at the bar (with open seats) due to "a large dinner party"? we waited 30 minutes for a table. the food was good and the price was nice. The wine choices were rough. no name of the wine, just type (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc). Tonight at 6:10 PM we call to place a carry out order, "I'm sorry, we aren't accepting carry out orders." Ridiculous. If they are that short staffed, increase incentives to get people in the door to work. Man. Already done with this place read more

So so so so good! The absolute best wings I've ever had! We usually sit at the bar to avoid the wait. Also, getting the wings to go is an absolute deal. read more

Excellent waitstaff, food was awesome. We got the barvarian pretzel with cheese-loved the cheese sauce and pretzel was fresh. Burger was perfect. read more

Cory and team are wonderful! The food is delicious and the staff are warm and friendly! We went here to sample the food when deciding on a caterer for a party. We keep going back! We ordered a smoked prime rib that was delivered hot and ready to eat. It was so delicious my husband just melted. All the food was perfectly cooked. I have to make a plug for smoked chicken quarters to be added the menu. My Texas family froze it and took it back home. read more

Service was great. Food was boring. Not bad. Definitely not good. Just boring. Their barbecue sauces all taste like ketchup. The brisket and sausage was bland. Portions are tiny for the price. read more

Always amazing food and service! The wings are phenomenal and priced right! The brisket sandwich is one of the best I've tasted! The salads are huge and are definitely enough for two! They have drinks made with Deb's lemonade, local wines and local craft beers, ensuring local businesses are supported! The staff is so friendly and even the kitchen staff make you feel welcome. Love the family friendly vibe they give, as well as the bar to keep it grown too! It's become one of my favorite places for dine in or carry out! read more

Looks nice and new inside. I got a beef brisket sandwich (forget the name) and it was pretty good. The coleslaw, however, was tasted like it was just mayo mixed with cabbage, had almost no flavor. I doubt I'll go back, sorry. Maybe get a burger if I do. read more

Came on a Sunday evening. Not very busy. We were sat right away but that's where it went downhill. We had Tammy as a server and it took her at least 15 minutes to take our drink order. Then another 20 or so minutes to bring our drinks. We were very ready to order but she said her machine wasn't working and would be right back. Nope. We saw her bring drinks to other tables. We sat for at least 15-20 minutes more before being able to order food. So at this point we've been sitting here for an hour. She wasn't apologetic. Took our order like it was no big deal. We needed up being there for close to 2 hours. It was very disappointing. Food was ok. read more

Outstanding food & service! Will go back. Owner came around and wanted me to give him feedback which showed me he is interested in making it the best it can be! read more

I went today for the first time and this place is amazing. The service was great and the good was amazing.. definitely worth it! very nice atmosphere and spacious. What i love the most is the owner was there and he walked to each table two different times and asked how we like the food. That lets me know he wants to provide great customer service and takes pride in his business.. I WILL RETURN!!! read more

Pok-E-Joe's BBQ - Pulled pork - Burgers Near Me - Vinton, Virginia