really solid bar food!…read more I love the vibe here and the atmosphere makes you want to stay awhile. Definitely a great local spot if you're looking for good bar food and a fun, relaxed place to grab a drink.

We visited the Yard Bird Tavern in downtown Roanoke. Finding a spot can be a bit of a gamble;…read moreunless you're lucky enough to snag a space at the curb, you should expect to pay for parking. ​Atmosphere & Menu ​Upon entering, we found the restaurant pleasantly sophisticated, though it was nearly at capacity. While we opted not to explore the drink menu, we were eager to see what the kitchen had to offer. The menu itself is concise, focusing primarily on wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, supplemented by a few small appetizers. ​The culinary style is quite eclectic. They feature several unconventional toppings and flavor combinations that might seem a bit eccentric at first glance. ​The Culinary Experience ​I decided on a flatbread-style pizza topped with: ​Smoked chicken ​Pickles ​Peppadew-style peppers (which resembled small cherry tomatoes) ​A tangy, zesty sauce reminiscent of an enchilada base with an extra "zing." ​My wife opted for a "build-your-own" pizza featuring red onions, pepperoni, and bell peppers. Although she realized too late that she had forgotten to request light sauce, she noticed the oversight immediately upon the dish's arrival. ​Service Observations ​The service was a bit of a mixed bag. Our waitress was professional but remarkably brisk. She lacked the usual pleasantries or "small talk" one might expect, focusing instead on efficiency. While her haste felt a bit impersonal, I couldn't complain about her attentiveness--she was incredibly prompt at refilling my iced tea the moment my glass was empty. Make sure you bring your pocketbook this pizza brings a sting at the register.

Omelette was over cooked, with large sun-dried tomatoes inside. The coffee was cold and in short…read moresupply. Will not go back and would not recommend.

This is a local chain; if there's one thing Roanoke has a lot of it's bakeries (and if there's two…read moreit's bakeries and cafes). The selection here was a little more robust that the other location of this chain I visited. It's a lot of indulgences, but if you're going to eat sweets, do it right, has always been my credo. The chocolate mousse cake I ordered delivered a mix of tastes and textures that was worth the price and the time. I wish their food menu had a little bit more in the veggie department, but as a pastry shop, they have some good options.

I found this eatery to be quite a pleasing surprise during my stay here in Vinton, VA. I will…read moredivide my review into multiple parts for ease of perusal. Food: I ordered the steak nachos and I was given so much I could barely finish them! The steak was well-cooked as requested and the flatbread was decent. On my second visit, I ordered a philly burger, a small basket of fries and a mix of orange juice and lemonade. The philly burger I ordered was large and very filling, even to a man like me who is constantly on the move. The hamburger was nice and hot, the vegetables retained their texture and the cheese was definitely noticeable. I felt like the hamburger was balanced in its flavourings and was an enjoyable experience. The fries I ordered were thick, but not overly so. They were hot, crisp and tempted me to order a large basket of them due to how enjoyable they were. I would recommend them absolutely to interested parties. Overall, I feel the price for the amount/size and quality of the nachos and philly burger was worth it and would recommend these items to a hungry traveler or local citizen looking for a filling meal. While I have not indulged in the wine offerings as of yet, they offer a good selection of beverages as well as a Autumn-themed drink menu. Ambiance, et. al: In regards to the restaurant itself, the lighting, seat spacing, and friendly and attentive staff give the restaurant a relaxed and welcoming ambience. Having eaten here twice, I would recommend dropping by if you're ever in the area and partaking of the offerings given by this establishment.

Too crowded.MUST walk far to get there.IF DRINKING your priority its your place to be.I haven't had…read morefood to complicated to order due to so much partying.Has pool tables.Firepits nice but buddy system regulars snatched them up.BUT IT attracts more younger and locals and Im sure travelers.

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!!!

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

After several visits to this Macado's I decided to finally write a review about this extravagant…read morerestaurant. According to their website, "Macado's started in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, in 1978 and became popular for its eclectic decor and moderately priced food, especially with the college crowd." The chain emphasizes: "a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere for a diverse clientele, including families."  Today, as I was seated in the booth the Host had brought me to and observing the Macado's logo on the paper napkin laying on my table, I thought to myself: What is the meaning of the "Just to be there" located under the restaurant's name in its logo? And I thought to myself that It's possible "Just to be there" might be a phrase associated with the feeling of camaraderie or the comfortable atmosphere that Macado's aims to provide, and thus a popular spot for people of all ages and social classes to get together, eat, socialize, and be merry. I remember the very first time I ate here. It was for a lunch invitation from a good friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while. The first impression I got of the place was amazing. I loved the building where the restaurant was housed and all the interesting decorations. It was almost completely full from the lunch crowd, yet this provided a warm and cozy feeling knowing that so many people had taken the time to come eat here even though they knew it would be crowded. I was fascinated by the large and extensive menu, and after carefully reviewing it, ordered the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Burger. It came with half a pound of meat, a soft fresh bun, and a whole bunch of krinkle fries. It was so big and delicious I can't forget how full I was when I finished eating it. Just eating there for the first time and I couldn't wait to return. I had set such high expectations of the place that many of the other times I visited the place I was disappointed. It could have been by the lack of training of the servers on the Knowledge of and explaining menu items, or by the timing on how to serve them. Or it could be by a mistake from the cook in cooking or preparing an item. Like today, I ordered Bang Bang Shrimp as an appetizer and the shrimp arrived overcooked almost to the point of burnt with the Assian Crisp Noodles a bit stale. So much so that I had to ask to see the manager to formally complain. The manager was a friendly young lady who listened to me and admitted the shrimp could have been fried before they had just changed the oil. And she came up with possible solutions to the question: "What can I do to make it right?" Of which I choose for her to not charge me for the burnt shrimp and the bad dining experience they had caused me. I went on and ate the Lone Ranger sandwich with Onion Rings that were cooked right, and because of the manager's handling of the situation in such an effective way, I am sure to return, because there is something about Macado's that makes you want to "Just to be there."

Avoid at all costs! Not the place we thought it was! They don't value the customer experience or…read moretheir employees. No more money from our regular, daily customers!

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.

Absolutely amazing food and welcoming atmosphere!!! Would recommend to anyone for a delicious…read moremeal!! Great service and prices!! 10/10

Go check them out! Great food and wonderfully pleasant hosts for lunch. Beef shawarma is on point…read more It's definitely their game!

I heard of a new Mediterranean Barbeque (halal) restaurant that reasantly opened a couple of months…read moreago in a small strip mall located in East Vinton, Virginia. And as soon as I found out, I headed that way to go and try it and see what it was all about. 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 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 525 Shawarma Virtical BBQ in Vinton, Virginia, is the perfect example. This family-owned restaurant is owned and operated by husband Omar and his wife Norra who are Russian immigrants. When I arrived the wife had gone out to do some errands, so I only had an opportunity to meet the husband Omar. He had a black beard and a big smile. One of the friendliest persons that I have ever met. He warmly welcomed me to his restaurant which though small, was very clean, bright, and organized with comfortable furniture and contemporary decor, and with a very unique white neon light ceiling lamp. At the time there was a couple with a third person having an early dinner. They were seated up front close to the large windows of the restaurant, and for some reason they looked to me as repeat customers. I went to the ordering counter and looked at the menu to see what to order. It was a simple menu with only three choices for the main meal, to have in either sandwich or platter, and a couple of sides. But from my experience of new family-owned restaurants, they open them this way and then, little by little expand their menu and drink choices. That was the case of an Argentinian family-owned restaurant I discovered that opened not so long ago in downtown Roanoke with one type of steak in many styles and empanadas. And now a days has a variety of steaks and other items on the menu and are waiting for their liquor license to open the bar area as well. I ended up ordering a Beef Shawarma Platter with a side of Hummus. Even though the rice and salad was included with the platter, the side of Hummus was charged separate. The salad had a selection of very fresh ingredients and was wonderfully prepared, and came with a small bowl of salad dressing on the side. It tasted wonderful. I think the owner was able to see how much I enjoyed it that he offered me a second complimentary one, which I graciously accepted. The Hummus which was made in-house was one of the best that I have ever had, if not the best. The Platter came with the beef and rice and a pita bread on top. The beef was well seasoned and cut in very small pieces.The rice was the Jasmin rice style with a tint of yellow from the seasoning. The portions were very generous. The pita bread was fresh and warm and I enjoyed eating the Hummus with it. For dessert I had pieces of their Baklava which were also made in-house. They were like none that I had ever had before. So fresh and with what only I can describe as a gourmet characteristic. What an amazing dining experience I had in this place that probably not too many people are aware of. The owner provided exceptional customer service that complimented his exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. I highly recommend this restaurant and encourage everyone reading my review to go try it out and give them your support. For places like these are like gems that enhance the quality of life of all those who live here and those who visit. Vinton is a better place because of small businesses like this one.

Friendly staff, excellent service, and the food was fresh and very flavorful! It's part grocery…read morestore/part restaurant, but not fancy. Regardless, the food was superb! I got a gyro with fries. Highly recommend for a quick meal.

This Restaurant and Grocery carries a wonderful variety of Mediterranean items on its menu. The…read moremenu is posted on the wall.behind the counter with colorful photos of each dish. As one enters the Grocery and Restaurant it has the atmosphere of Mediterranean with a great selection of items in the Grocery as well as in their Restaurant's Menu. At their main counter I was greeted with a warm and friendly welcome and given a menu to be able to compliment the one on the wall. I ordered the Falafel as appetizer, the Beef Tikka Kabab as the main entrée, the Kunafa for dessert, and Mango Nectar to drink. The Falafel was one of the best that I've ever had. Crispy on the outside and soft and moist in the inside.The Beef Tikka Kabab was served with seasoned rice, salad, and vegetables. Overall it was good but the pieces of beef were overcooked and this made them dry and tough to eat. I feel if they would have asked how do you want your Beef cooked and have cooked it this way, the meat would have been more juicy, soft, and tender. Also, the salad was good but the vegetables were missing as advertised in the menu. I like my beef cooked medium-rare, so it is tender and juicy on the inside and colorful and tasty on the outside. The dessert was good but a bit dry and you could tell it was not freshly made and served as I am custom to eating in other fine restaurants. While at the Grocery I discovered they had a box with Dubai Chocolate (one of my favorites) and purchased one while I was paying for my meal. If the management of the restaurant takes my advice on how to cook the beef I would definitely return and recomend this place to order. Mediterranean food can be so juicy and flavorful. In

Update: went back for a second time. First time was amazing…read more 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.

It's been over a year now and I still remember that bowl of delicious fried Okra I had the first…read moretime 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.

Love this place. Passing through and hungry so we relied on our Yelp app to get us to a great place…read moreto eat. This place did not disappoint. Appetizer of freckles was delicious which is fresh, fried pickles with a delicious homemade sauce. Portions are huge. Our main course was grilled chicken house salads which included perfectly cut vegetables such as heirloom tomatoes. Delicious dressings which seemed to be housemate. Bonus-bathrooms are decorated beautifully and super clean. Highly recommend.

Stopped at this place on a road trip and it was amazing. The fried pickles were the best i've had,…read morethe shrimp and grits were the best I had, and the banana butterscotch pudding was the best banana pudding i've ever had. My boyfriend got the steak burger and said the A1 aioli was so flavorful and unique. The atmosphere is cozy and staff is very friendly. 10/10 experience.