I can't think of a better location for Henrietta's Cafe than Melrose Plaza in Roanoke, Virginia…read more When I first heard about this Cafe, I immediately wanted to go try it out, and today I had an opportunity to do so. Just as Melrose Plaza itself, Henrietta's Cafe far exceeded my highest of expectations. After many times of driving by Melrose Plaza, today I made a U turn in my Lexus and ended up in their ample parking lot. As I walked over to the Plaza, I was first very impressed by its beautiful contemporary architectural design. Inside, I was greeted by a friendly young lady in the Plaza's Information Center, and she pointed out where the café in the Market on Melrose was situated. It was located right next to the Market entrance. I was impressed by its clean and colorful look with beautiful ceiling lighting treatment. The ambiance of the place was so cool and relaxing, that I immediately felt right at home, looking forward to having some home cooking. At the beginning of the line, there was a Grab & Go section with large display refrigerators containing prepared food and drinks so you can take with you on your way to work or you can also eat these items in their dining area if you're not looking for hot food. On the way to the ordering counter you can find tall square baskets with some snack items many of which were on sale. The menu was on the wall posted on those boards that you set up letter by letter. And then came the glass display cases. First the refrigerated one with deli meats and cold items such as their famous potato salad. Then the hot one with their Fried Chicken, Fried Fish, Hot Dogs, and hot sides. A very friendly and hospitable young gentleman greeted you and explained the different combinations you could order. All at very reasonable prices. He then served them for you in a sturdy black clamshell container. I ordered two Fried Chicken Breasts with two sides, potato salad and sweet potatoes. And a Dr Pepper from the softdrink machine. Then paid at the counter with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard. It was all so simple and convenient. Since I was dining in, they put my order on a tray, and gave me some quality plastic utensils. 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. For dessert I picked up a Coconut Cream Pie that came in a box and were available next to the register. The food was simply exquisite. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. The potato salad was very flavorful. And the sweet potato was amazing. They were smashed and cooked with a sweet sauce that contained some type of nuts. I sat down at one of the dining table to enjoy my dinner while observing all the other customers ordering to-go and some to eat-in. Later on when I visited the Market, there was a beautiful quote on the wall about the importance of food and how "food not only reaffirms our Humanity but the Joy of Being Alive." I highly recommend this cozy Café with wonderful food and very friendly and hospitable servers. And am myself looking forward to returning for breakfast one of these mornings.

Chicken wings are outrageously delicious! Service with a smile! Restaurant was clean and…read morecomfortable. An all around good experience.

Delicious, authentic Mexican food at Cilantro last night. We're from Northern Virginia where there…read moreare tons of great restaurants, but limited options for Mexican food and really wish they had a location near us. I had the Birria tacos which can be hit or miss at restaurants, but these were so flavorful. My kids had carne asada tacos and taquitos - the carne asada tacos were tender and Smokey and delicious. The taquitos were pretty good, but nothing out of the ordinary. The service was fast and friendly and the prices were super reasonable. The decor was a little tired and there were several fruit flies buzzing around our table, but neither were enough to distract us from the food. Highly recommend this place!

This restaurant is located in a tiny strip mall that is very close to the Moneta library…read more The restaurant/bar is cute. The meals are reasonably priced (you can "build" your own meal starting at $10.99 for two items). My plate was barely warm but the manager reheated it. Temperature really improves flavor. The read sauce was delicious. I wouldn't order a quesadilla again but I will try other items on another visited. The burrito was yummy. One of my guests had the chicken fajita. There was only one tiny piece of broccoli in her veggies. She only orders this item and it was the first time it was just passable and not extraordinary. (Her four time winning streak ended) The place is comfy. If you get chilly, pick a table not directly beside the doors. The staff is nice. Even in chilly weather, the place was filling up during "rush hour." I can only imagine how crowded this place gets in the summer. I rate this place a B. There is something for everyone. You can order decent Mexican food that isn't as great as Cancun Restaurant. (But we don't have to travel as far)

Chicago Dogs keep me coming back Friendly service…read more Relaxed Atmosphere to chill with a friend over a drink.

Today, just only two weeks after opening, I discovered a very unique family-owned business by two…read morevery friendly and unique husband and wife partners. 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 this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new shops and restaurants 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 7 Stars Lounge in West Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. 7 Stars Lounge is a very unique business indeed. It's a combination of a Cigar Lounge, Bar, and Cafe. After retiring, Larry the co-owner with his wife Mini decided to open a business that embodied the things that they enjoy most in life. The husband enjoys smoking a good cigar, relaxing in a leather recliner, while watching a large screen TV or talking with friends. So originated the concept of a Cigar Lounge. In their business, this lounge is located in a separate adjacent room with leather recliners, side tables, large screen TVs, and two pool tables. Just outside of this room is a humidifier room where they have a great variety of quality cigars for sale. While other Cigar Lounges make you pay for a membership in order to enjoy the place. Here, as long as you purchase any item from the Cigar store, Bar, or Cafe. You have the right to enjoy the Cigar Lounge for free. The wife's, who is a Chinese native, and co-owner of the business, favorite food is the Chicago Hot Dog. So they decided that the Cafe specialty would center around the genuine Chicago-style Hot Dog, with autentic Vienna Beef Hot Dogs. This hot dog is inserted into a soft poppyseed bun and topped with mustard, Chicago-style relish, chopped onions, half-sliced tomatoes, a pickle spear, and a sport pepper, to give it that extra crunch and flavor. Besides this, they also have other Hot Dogs like the Chili Hot Dog, the Kraut Hot Dog, and the Original Hot Dog. As for me I like a good hot dog, so I welcome this new addition to the culinary lineup in the Star City. The menu also includes some Sandwiches, Breakfast Sandwiches, Bakery items, Salads, and authentic Fried Rice cooked by the wife. She is also planning on cooking freshly made donuts from scratch. The Bar they plan to have will only have beers (draft brews like Stella Artois and Heineken plus bottles and cans) and a selection of wines. The restaurant's space itself is a nice size and furnished with quality wood tables and chairs. They already plan to hold a group party their which will consume a selection of items from their menu. Today, I ordered two Chicago style Hot Dogs and a can of Dr Pepper to drink. And they tasted amazingly delicious. Specially the quality of the Vienna Beef franks, which is known for their signature snap, that you don't find in many other hot dog places. And the fresh and soft poppyseed buns that topped off the favor and texture of the dogs, not including the other wonderful ingredients. I'm not a smoker so one of my concerns going to eat there was if the smoke of the Cigar Lounge would reach the Cafe, and I can assure you it didn't. The door that devides the two is very tight. My other concern was the parking situation. But in front of the business they have several parking spaces for the exclusive use of their customers. I highly recommend this place for those who enjoy the different items I've written about in this review. The owners are so friendly and nice that we should give them our support. I'm looking forward to returning one morning to have breakfast there, and to trying out their homemade donuts and fried rice.

There is a new restaurant in the City of Roanoke. Located at the City Market Building, in downtown…read moreRoanoke, Virginia, the Hangry Bulldog specializes in Burgers, Melts, and Loaded Fries. But these are not ordinary burgers. They are savory handcrafted awesomeness of burgers, the creative design of the owner and Executive Chef Brandon, and his partner owner Jacob. Both have worked hard to bring us an amazing menu of very creative burgers to be enjoyed in a comfortable and historic environment inside the City Market Building. The success of any restaurant business is the result of the hard work and love that the owners have put into it. In this restaurant, I could tell just be seeing the very nice graphic designed menu, reading the wonderful variety of menu items, ordering one out of the many I liked, and seeing the work of art and tasting its final flavor. No words could ever do justice to the quality of the food served at this restaurant. A picture is worth a thousand words, and by looking at the pictures I took can get a better idea of what I'm talking about here. I decided to go and try this new restaurant out during the Roanoke Restaurant Week 2024 for lunch. I ordered the I'm So Bleu Burger with Fries and a bottle of water to drink. A friendly lady took down the order and had me sit down. I sat down at one of the tables located inside of the City Market building. It is a relaxed and comfortable environment where one can enjoy the dining experience. They brought my order to my table and it came in an aluminum tray. The bread was soft and fresh, as well as all of the ingredients written about on the menu were clearly there. With restaurants of this quality menu is that the City Market Building will attract people to the building and help it flourish. I totally recommend this restaurant to all those who live nearby or who are in the area visiting. I can assure you won't be disappointed and you will use eating here as an excuse to come again to Downtown Roanoke. I can say this restaurant has become one of my favorites and I look forward to returning to try a new item of the menu every time!

Mid az dog and mid az fries for $13 dollars this place mid. Looking back at the menu, better…read moreoptions likely exist, but get the bad stuff off that big menu. Or make it reasonably priced.

I can't believe that almost three months have passed since this gem of a restaurant opened its door…read moreon Orange Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia and I knew nothing about it. After having been selected as number 4 of the 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 uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Tacos Los Toros #3 Restaurant, in Roanoke Virginia is a perfect example. This family-owned Mexican restaurant is committed to bringing you "the best of Mexican Cuisine made with love and care." Owner Jimmy Santos started the business years ago out of a food truck with the recipes from his grandma from Guerrero, Mexico. Not long after he opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant on Hershberger Rd. And it was so successful that on October 22, 2025 he opened Tacos Los Toros #3 with Juan Albarez as its general manager. I found out about this restaurant by word of mouth from a friend who had ordered from them via DoorDash and loved the food. Today, right after a snow storm and an Extreme Cold Warning with more snow on the way, I decided to take a Lyft, because I don't Iike to drive my Lexus in the snow, and go have dinner there, never imagining that I would find authentic Mexican Cuisine like no other before. When I arrived, I was fascinated by the size and welcoming ambiance of the place. It had a large full bar in the back and dining areas divided by black walls with enlarged artworks of portraits of bulls, and enlarged color wall size photographs of Guerrero, Mexico. A friendly, young lady welcomed me and took me to one of the booths. I asked if they could make me at the bar a virgen Mango Margarita to drink. For appetizer I ordered the Queso Fundido. Grilled chorizo with melted cheese, and served with chips and salsa. I was told that the chips and salsa were made fresh daily, and they surely were. I could taste the difference. By then the manager came by to greet and welcome me to the restaurant and to confirm the drink. He talk to me about the items on the menu and as my main entrée I ordered El Paisano, a grill steak, chicken breast, and chorizo, cooked with grilled onions and chiles, and served with rice and beans, and flower tortillas. It was amazingly delicious, and one of the most genuine and best Mexican Cuisine that I've had in a long time. For dessert, I had something that I had been looking for since I moved to Roanoke and hadn't found in any of the Mexican restaurants: a genuine Mexican Fried Ice Cream. The ball of ice cream was covered with a special batter and then fried. It was delicious! I thanked the manager, who ended up being my server, for such a wonderful dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant for a genuine Mexican Cuisine fine-dining experience.

This place is a gem!! Had the #birriatacos . Absolutely delicious! Beef was so tender and…read moreflavorful. Huge portions...you definitely get your money's worth. Salsa is excellent. Tableside guacamole service. Very friendly staff. Will be returning.

I have been eating here for years and tonight will be the last. The food is still good but the…read moreservice is terrible! Two weeks ago we came and ate and never got waited on the same thing tonight you get your food. You're never ask if you want to refill a box or even if you need your check, we stood up at the front several minutes before someone finally come to ask us what we needed. We then paid the bill after letting another couple go in front of us that have received their check the waitresses sit at a back table on the computer or on their phone.. I hope the manager will see this and the service will get better. I let the woman that checked us out know of our concerns.

No trip to Smith Mountain Lake is complete without a dinner at El Toreno Mexican restaurant. SO…read moreGOOD! The food was amazing as usual! And I think I had the best margarita of my life. Thank you staff at El Toreno! See you next year.

Love this place! Situated right by the Bedford Library's garden, it is such a cute location and…read morespace. The food is delicious. I have tried quite a few of their sandwiches and was never left disappointed. The Romanian Nightmare is my personal favorite!

The establishment is very quaint, and I enjoyed the eclectic menu and variety of choices. The food…read morearrived in a reasonable amount of time, and the quality was excellent. My biggest concern was the portion size for the price. The sandwich didn't come with much of anything to make it feel like a complete meal, and unfortunately, my husband left still feeling hungry. While we really enjoyed the quality of the food, I think the experience would be much better if they offered a little more "bang for the buck."

This local family business opend around three years ago in a strip mall on East Washington Ave, in…read moreVinton, Virginia. Today I happened to be in the area with a friend and after having dinner at a Chinese restaurant we decided to go there to have ice-cream for dessert. When we arrived we noticed that the Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant shares a large parking lot with the other stores of that Mall, and it's located in the last storefront on the left of the strip mall. The sign high above of the front of the business reads: Lickidy Split - ICE CREAM & MORE. And on the windows it mentions: HOT DOGS and BBQ. So this is not only an Ice Cream Parlor alone, it is also a restaurant selling comfort food ss well. The windows and the restaurant inside were very clean and organized. It had a sign with the names of the 40 flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream available there. The dining area was filled mostly with mostly square tables with different color tablecloths that gave the place a joyful look and unique decor, even though they did not have many other decorations. Since it had a very long open space and plenty of tables and chairs; including a lined up line of extra chairs. Next to the ordering counter, it had a traditional Hershey's Ice Cream freezer full of all the current flavors they currently had. On the wall before the cashier counter it had a Bulletin Board for their customers and other local businesses to post their business cards. It also had some wooden shelves with homemade jams, candies, and earrings made by local artists to sell here. As soon as we were in front of the ordering counter a very friendly young lady came out to greet and welcome us, and to take and serve our order. We both ordered a waffle cone with a scoop of the Premium Gold Caramel Cheesecake Cookie Monster. Although the waffle cones didn't seem made fresh there, they were crunchy, and the ice cream was amazingly delicious. We enjoyed eating them in this relaxed and cook environment. We found that this is definitely the place to go for a good cold and sweet treat on a hot Summer day.

Nice little place with great selections, tried there banana split Needed help to finish lol…read moreFriendly gals , great portions , very clean. And great milk shakes and hot dogs. Take the little ones they'll love it.