While staying in the area, we were happy to find that this little bar & grill was not only super close to our Airbnb, but also the best in the area. We ate here twice during our stay and were happy with everything we got - the All American burger, lamb gyro, white wine & garlic butter clams and carrot cake. Despite being just about the only non-locals in the place, the bartenders and chef were super friendly and helpful. Our only regret was that they were closed Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday! read more

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Best restaurant in the area we drive 30 minutes to get there food is always great and consistent burger was cooked perfect. Service is always top notch, inside is country like but has a waiting area with board games. It's a little dark inside but it's a great place. read more

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Our visit tonight was great! Definitely arrive early on a Friday as they fill up quickly, we had a near 45 minute wait for a party of two. The place was popping, and it was a little loud as the dining area itself is not very large at all. The Appalachian egg rolls were the perfect appetizer! I got the shiitake truffle burger and I cannot recommend it enough- delicious grilled mushrooms paired with a truffle/black garlic mayo. Definitely my recommendation if you dine here. The Barn Burger was good as well but it definitely had akick to it! Red Dog is one of our faves, we love this place! read more

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The food was amazing, I had the Mediterranean style fillet salad. It was very good, seasoned to perfection. I would definitely eat it again. My cocktail was very good. The wings and Asian cabbage were quite tasty as well. Of course the chocolate cake for dessert was very good. The service was very good, Hannah was a joy to be around. The chef was very good and checked on and spoke to everyone. We will definitely go back. A solid 4.5 out of 5. read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Chocolate cake - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

The bartender/waiter was the nicest most helpful waiter I've had to date. He offered a lot of good suggestions for food and hit the nail on the head with the fried chicken sandwich recc. The fries were perfectly crispy and the chicken was grilled nicely and still moist! He also tried to get me to try one of their delicious sounding desserts but I was way too stuffed read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Outside of the restaurant - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

Staff & service were great. Food is awesome - burgers are juicy & flavorful, salads are fresh and delicious. Strawberry shortcake was fabulous. Wish we lived in NC, we'd come here again in a heartbeat. read more

When I pay $40 for a steak, I expect it to be cooked properly and not taste like shoe leather. Crab cakes were 2/$45 and extremely disappointing (I guess they've never heard of Old Bay at the very least). The only reason I'm giving two stars is that our server was such a sweetheart. Definitely will not be back! ​​ read more

This place is a hidden gem in a remote area. The food options in independence Virginia tend to be fairly limited. However, we were directed to the Red Dog by one of the vendors at the farmers market. Red Dog has a small and cozy dining area. When we arrived, we were one of two tables that they had. By the time we left, the place was packed. A large group of bikers seemed to be regulars and stopped here on their trip. Definitely a good sign that this place was chosen as their destination for lunch! I ordered the miso salmon with pea purée. My meal was so delicious. They nailed the cook on my salmon. It was definitely plated thoughtfully and so much nicer than I was anticipating for a casual lunch. Though the price of the salmon was more expensive than I anticipated for prices in the area, it was worth it. My only suggestion would be to add a starch to the plate. This will definitely be my go to place when in independence, Virginia. I'm so glad the local community has a place that is versatile enough to fuel a gang of bikers with fried green tomatoes BLTs, while keeping my picky self happy with such a lovely fine dining plate. read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Orange miso salmon - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

Update: since our last visit they have indeed added some new items to the menu. It was delicious and our group of 6 was welcomed and seated. Our waiter was Nick. He did a great job and has a lovely sense of humor. read more

First time - random drive by - the service excellent and very friendly. The food was also very good, good size burger juicy and cooked as I liked it. The wings were also great - grilled and buffalo style. If you are in the area, check it out, definitely worth it... read more

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Great food, nice ambience, excellent service. Nick our server was great, he recommended a craft cocktail that was delish. His had a wonderful personality, smart & funny. Knowledgeable on all the menu items. We started with pretzels and beer cheese, then the ribeye steak (Pittsburgh style) also chicken parm. Everything cooked to perfection by the chef, Sondra who came out and chatted with us, she too was funny & kind, someone you'd like to hang out with. Altogether a wonderful experience. You must go here!! Also beautiful location! read more

Have been to this wonderful restaurant for many years and service and food are consistently great.

I grew up minutes from the Red Dog Bar/bistro, I even remember when it was nothing more than a double wide trailer with a bar inside from almost 40 yrs ago. I know this building used to have another restaurant and then it stayed vacant for yrs. I was surprised to find it had reopened and was now the Red Dog Bar/Bistro. Growing up in the area there's pretty much just burgers and fries, greasy spoon type establishments, as far as food goes. We stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and there were a few customers inside. After browsing the menu I decided on the bison sliders with fries. The sliders were delicious! Shortly after placing our order, there were about 20 bikers who stopped in for lunch. The place was soon packed. That however didn't affect the speed that we received our food. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. It's so nice to have another option when visiting my family back home. read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Bison sliders - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

Stopped by with friends for the first time. All I can say is, Amazing!! Small unassuming bistro in a beautiful pristine location. Quality of food was exceptional and many very creative dishes. Service was spot on and all staff very friendly and welcoming. We can't wait to go again! read more

We went to Red Dog the first night for dinner, because it was close to our airbnb. We went the following night, because it was so good the first night! We had a burger, chicken sandwich, barbecue sandwich, and fish sandwich. Everything was delicious. Service was as good as the food! read more

Just had another great dining experience at The Dawg! I don't believe I've ever been to a more inviting dining establishment. Tonight, warmly greeted by Bethany and quickly seated. Meghan immediately had a menu for me and chatted a bit. Not surprising, Kelly shortly had a delicious beverage for me. This place is different! It's like CHEERS, where everyone knows your name! And it's the staff that makes it so welcoming. Thank you guys for doing what you do!! Can't be faked. Can't be duplicated.... read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

Just went to this place and thought I'd give my two cents. Had the Barn Burner Burger,call the fire department. There might be a fire in the hole later. Boy, is this burger aptly named! The service, and the food was top notch. The wife had a brisket sandwich which was great as were both our fries. Worth a stop. Next table had the stuffed Avacodo which they claim is awesome. read more

Impeccable restaurant and food was perfectly cooked! Great ambiance and great selection for all tastes! They also have cocktails, spirits and wines! Meaghan was our server and was absolutely super pleasant, courteous and professional! Definitely a great place to enjoy great food if you are visiting nearby! Don't' mind the logo read more

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my daughter and son in law treated me this past weekend to a birthday brunch at the red dog, piney creek. the atmosphere was clean/delightful, folks at the bar friendly. i introduced myself to kelly, our server/mixologist whom was affable gregarious friendly, captivated our enjoyment for the entire stay.. food excellent, service excellent and atmosphere with kelly was extraordinary. i recommend this establishment to all reading this column.. :) read more

Chose this place for brunch based purely on reviews, so I was "sort of" prepared to drive up to what looks like a hole in the wall bar, close to nothing else! But upon goin inside, I was nicely surprised that all the great reviews were right, and this place is a gem! The food is outstanding- I got the breakfast burrito and cheddar and chive tots, and my husband got the banana and pecan French toast. Amazing! It's a joy to taste food made by someone who understands flavor! The service was also wonderful. We were pleased from start to finish. Don't be scared away by the location and exterior!! read more

A quaint bar with a small dining room that serves hand crafted drinks featuring a seasonal rotating menu. Fantastic food & service.

Great local place. Got the Carolina burger and it was great the burger had a great flavor. Was also pleasantly surprised to see an option for local beer with the laconia ale red dog. Would definitely recommend if you want a great burger and a cold beer. read more

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Great first time experience. I will be back. Nice clientele of an eclectic mix of folks.

The breakfast menu items are very limited. The usual suspects breakfast was good and the service was great. What they called cracklings were your standard pork rinds, but were good read more

Great food, good staff. The brunch and drinks menu was quite diverse. A nice find in the mountains of North Carolina.

We had a truly exceptional meal at the Red Dog! I was cold and got the featured Artichoke and Chicken Soup (so tasty!) and the Seafood Max & Cheese which was spectacular! My husband ordered the Black & Blue Cheeseburger and swears it is the best burger he's ever eaten. Our server was awesome and friendly. We LOVED this place and can't wait to come back on our next visit to the N.C. mountains. Thanks Red Dog for a warm and welcoming dining experience! read more

Red Dog Bar / Bistro - Chicken & Artichoke Soup...go ahead and get the big bowl. It's that good! - Bars Near Me - Piney Creek, North Carolina

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Absolutely the best small bistro around! We enjoy the incredible dishes every time we stay at our cabin! Hannah, Kelly, and the phenomenal kitchen staff always provide a great time and delicious food! Looking forward to seeing you all very soon! read more

If I could give zero stars I would! Two words I would use to describe the place are overpriced and unprofessional. I ordered a burger medium well. ( Which ever up being $18) When the bartender brought it out it was still mostly pink in the middle. I asked her if she could send it back and have it cooked longer. Simple request.. or so I thought. She argued with me and told me I "must not know what medium well is." It's not pink. I know that. I just wanted it cooked a little longer. Her name was Abby I believe. She was very rude. Not to mention that she was on her phone and hitting her vape behind the bar in front of customers. She definitely needs more training on customer service. I will not be going back! read more

Poor menu. Mainly meat dishes. Very spicy and salty. No specials and same menu for months. Ordered a burger medium well and the bread was cold and the meat overcooked. read more

West Jefferson location gives old location a bad name. We are locals and will be sure to let friends and family know. For $25 we got fried catfish that was drowned in grease and an extremely dry $16 burger. Bartenders can't answer simple questions about the drink menu. Same unmotivated bartenders The Tavern had and I am not sure why they kept them but let good staff go. WE WILL NOT GO BACK to this location!! read more

NO. Reservations. And you may have to wait. Just RELAX and enjoy the really good bar and friendly people. Food is excellent. Vegans can choose from salads and veggie sides. Carnivores will enjoy steak, fish, burgers. read more

Outstanding! I've heard great things and finally visited for my first time yesterday. The food AND the service were incomparable! I will definitely be going back soon and regularly. read more

This is the bomb restaurant the chef is amazing. The staff are super friendly and so efficient. We come from Chesapeake, VA to our cabin here in Piney Creek every other weekend. I always make Red Dog my first night dinner stop. Love the brunch on Sunday. This weekend I had the Pork Steak and Asparagus was cooked to perfection. If you do nothing else while in Piney Creek make sure you visit Red Dog Bar and Bistro. It will rock your taste buds to the moon and back. The beers and ciders are great. All the food is amazing. Hannah and Kelly make the restaurant run like a clock along with all the staff the best. A 5 star restaurant and Chef. Excellent read more

If I could give more stars I would. My husband and I have a date night every month. This is our place!! Hands down amazing yes the food is fantastic, but above all, it is the staff! We love the staff, especially the amazing, wonderful, and above all the best bartender around. read more

Small place but the food and service always great! Friendly, welcoming atmosphere and a great bartender!

The food there is great. We were looking for something off the beaten path to eat. We were surprised by what was on the menu and how good the food was. We will be beatin' a path back! read more

The food was amazing! The menu was full of delicious choices. The staff was very nice and delivered great service. The full was well stocked and full of superb signature drink, wine and beer choices. The pecan crusted trout and green bean special was excellent. The fried green tomatoes and crawfish hushpuppies small plates were awesome!! read more

Good menu choices and great service! Cozy and clean; friendly atmosphere. Everything I have chosen to eat has been delicious!

I've lived in Charlotte, Nashville, and Atlanta and never had such amazing food... a diamond in the middle of the country!!!

Great restaurant in a sweet location. The food was excellent. I had the All American burger, which was cooked perfectly on a toasted butter bun. My husband had the Cajun chicken sandwich, which he said was excellent . The servers were efficient, attentive, and very likable. read more