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.

My wife and I were visiting Roanoke, and we stopped at Pok-E-Joe's for supper. We were very…read moreimpressed 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!!

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 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."

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.

Ace of Spades Pizza was missing key ingredients, like the basil and hot honey, and looked like it…read morehad been sitting for a while, definitely and sadly not like any of the photos I'd seen. Was basically a very thin pepperoni and pepper pizza. I contacted Jaybird Tavern a couple times via email regarding this issue, hoping to get some resolution, but they refused to respond. Would not recommend.

Hot Chicken for the win! The best fries and fried pickles too! My favorite sauce was the scorpion…read morepepper! The wings were large crispy and juicy. Service was fast and courteous. Good spot, highly recommended.

It's inconceivable how on July 20th of this year it will have been a year since the grand opening…read moreof HCK Hot Chicken in Vinton, Virginia and I hadn't heard of it. I can say it's the best kept secret of the Town of Vinton, in Roanoke County, and it's about time that it no longer be a secret. I am determined to go try it out and spread the word. 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 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 young established ones that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And HCK Hot Chicken is the perfect example. Located off East Washington Avenue, in one of the most beautiful areas of Vinton, near William Byrd High School, this restaurant is located inside a long standing convenience store, "Vinton Tobacco & Grocery," and in the same location of a bp gas station, but don't let this fool you, it has its own entrance on the side, its own parking lot, and a drive-thru lane for ordering. Besides this, its owner has done a great renovation job, that this is one of the cleanest gas stations/convenience stores that I have ever been to, and because of this it in no way detracts from the clean, bright, and contemporary ambiance of the restaurant itself. Founded in 2020, in Woodbridge, Virginia, the first HCK (Hot Chicken Kitchen) Hot Chicken restaurant had as its Mission: "Unity through Food." Recognizing the power of food to bring people together. Their belief is that "food unites us and can lift people up." There menu features succulent Nashville-style chicken sandwiches, classic and boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken and Belgian waffles, loaded fries, loaded mac and cheese, coleslaw, fried pickles, fried donut drops, and more. The owner of the restaurant who warmly greeted me when I arrived told me that all of their dishes are gluten and allergen free. With no MSG and no peanut oil.The chicken is farm-raised, fed only vegetables and grains, with no use of growth-boosting chemicals. When one enters the restaurant, it is nicely designed (with the colors red, black, and white), and with hardwood floors, wood tone tables and chairs, a well organized ordering counter, and a well lit menu high above the counter, as well as with large pictures of menu item just below the menu sign. The very friendly and knowledgeable order taker took my order from behind the counter. I ordered a Nashville Style Chicken Sandwich Combo with the mildest sauce they had. It came with their seasoned krinkle kut fries, a side of good sauce, and a drink. Not bad for $14.49, especially after you taste the food. The chicken was the plumpiest, juiciest, and tastiest chicken that I have ever eaten in a sandwich. The fresh toasted artisan potato bun complimented its flavor. The fries were crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, seasoned to perfection. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourselves because a picture is worth a thousand words. The welcoming and hospitable owner came to see how I had liked the food and I told him how amazing everything had been and that I looked forward to returning to try other menu items such as the Fried Donut Drops. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant for a very unique and wonderful chicken dining experience. Amazing food, clean and comfortable environment, and excellent customer service.

Food was amazing! The employees were very professional…read more Very clean the bathrooms are clean as well highly recommend

After reading the news that Jersey Mike's had taken the top spot in the 2026 American Customer…read moreSatisfaction Index for quick-service restaurants, ending Chick-fil-A's 11-year reign, and that the shift reflects customer's growing focus on consistency, value, and fresh-food offering, I decided to give a visit to this Jersey Mike's for the very first time, to experience for myself what I thought of this news compared to my dining experience there. But I should have foreseen this coming because just the other day in a Chick-fil-A not far from there, I arrived 5 minutes late after they had closed the dining room to the public and began serving drive-thru only, and I told an employee who was throwing out the trash that I had traveled this far just to dine at this Chick-fil-A (and I left out that I intended to write a Yelp review as well), she told me that she could not let me in, to go through the drive-thru. Needles to say, this attitude was not a reflection of the Chick-fil-A I used to know, although this was the first time I had attempted to eat there. I arrived at this Jersey Mike's for the very first time and parked in front of its building. The restaurant was clean and well-organized. An African-American, young lady greeted me and pointed out where I should go to order my food. There, an older, serious gentleman took my order for an Original Itatian Sub, regular size, in white bread, and began making it. Then he passed it on to the lady who had originally greeted me and she asked me what I wanted on it. I was expecting a different question so I waited and then she asked me: "Would you like that Mike's Way?" And I said yes. (Employees are corporate-mandated to ask customers this). She did a great job finishing building my sub, including pickles and banana peppers which I asked her to add. All the items looked very fresh and appetizing. I made it a combo and made sure my MyMike's was inputed to get my Shore Points. When I sat down to eat I noticed everything was fresh except the bread. With all the bread available that they had I would have expected to have been given a fresh piece. Here is where I detected a lack of consistency in fresh food. Yet in other Jersey Mike's this had never happen. It's amazing how one little detail can ruin a perfect score but I'm very particular on the freshness of the bread where I eat. Also, at Jersey Mike's the management protocol emphasizes a genuine enthusiastic, and welcoming atmosphere. I detected a lack of this from the manager and some of the team members where there is room for improvement. I hope corporate reads this review and takes action to correct the details that I have mentioned; because it is the little details that make the big difference.

Small little cafe in a small little town but the service, food and food options are big. Breakfast…read moreand lunch options served all day which is perfect. Seating and decor is simple but not needed to enjoy the food.

Wow. I'm so glad I found this place while traveling. I got the Blueberry French Toast and it was…read moreamazing. The goat cheese with the blueberry compote is . I'm definitely coming back.

OK, I feel like everyone in town loves this place, including myself. They finally accept debit…read morecards, which is amazing. The amount of food you get for your dollar they are feels like we are still in the 1990s. You can totally fill up on less than 10 bucks. I love the Kosher Klub German potato salad. It's always been my toe but recently, I've tried the submarine. And my oh my it is phenomenal.

What has happened its like they have become just another food truck on willliamson rd one of the…read morebiggest is no more toast the bread and bread is old, stale and no more inside dining and if you say something just asking about how it used to be its if they are offended and get mad just not the hometown feel anymore and quality of food not same all around dissapointment.

GREAT food with a great family friendly environment. Offering oven brick style pizza, super subs as…read morewell as calzobes and strombolis. And FREE FREE FREE delivery !