Awesome!! The food and the experience were well worth the trip. We were here to celebrate our anniversary. Our waiter's service and attention to detail were like none I've ever encountered. He noticed the sun glaring off of a car outside and had it moved. He came by our table when my husband was at the restroom and folded his napkin without a word. His wine and food recommendations were spot on. Will definitely be back. read more

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Great food, atmosphere and personable staff. Menu changes daily. If in town, a must visit!

The River and Rail was fantastic! They over and above met my expectations. The pickled vegetables and cornbread were the perfect appetizer. The roasted vegetables plate entree was delicious. I do wish the portion was a bit larger and maybe had some beans for protein. But, thank you so very much for offering a delicious whole food plant based option! read more

Stopped here while en route to Chattanooga, TN from Washington, DC. This place was absolutely fantastic. Girlfriend had the chicken, which at many places is boring and dry, but here it was perfect. I had the hangar steak and it was 100%. On the night we were there, they had peel and eat shrimp as a special appetizer, the best I've ever had. They gave us a sample of their deviled eggs, which were excellent. Great service and friendly staff. Chefs really seemed to care about the food. Wish it was closer to home. read more

River and Rail is fine restaurant located in South Roanoke. They serve quality food and the decor is subtle and comfortable. It looks like a well run establishment. I have been here on numerous occasions with family and friends. The food is delicious. Funny thing is, the best item on the menu is the burger. It is SPECTACULAR! I believe they prepare the meat in house (a mixture of beef and pork) and the result is out of this world. Best burger in Roanoke (sorry Burger in the Square). They also have a brunch menu on Sunday's that is belly-pleasing. I can't give River and Rail 5 stars because there can be a long wait for your food. I mean, don't even expect getting out of this place under 90 minutes. Even at lunch. Even if the place is half-full. But like Miracle Max says, "Rush a miracle man, you get lousy miracles." And the food there is truly that. read more

This place is really cool. Local cool, which is the best kind. I just got turned on to this place, and will be returning often! Make a reservation just to be on the safe side. Depends on the night and the crowd, of course, but there are worse things than waiting at the bar for the duration of a local craft beer or two. Get whatever the Server suggests - you know they know what's good. There are some signature items that are "don't miss" - but depending on your mood and what you're craving, River and Rail has a number of dishes that hit the spot. read more

I am a sucker for Southern food, so I brought my team here for a work dinner while in Roanoke for some meetings. The restaurant is really nicely decorated and the food was great! We tried the following: --Heritage Pork- Tenderloin & Crispy Rib, Baked Red Field Peas, Collard Greens --Wild Striped Bass- Blackening Spice, Sweet Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Citrus Butter --Dark Chocolate Cremeux- Burnt Caramel Ice Cream, Hazelnuts, Cocoa Krispie --Fuji Apple Cake- Apple Jam, Candied Pecans, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream The pork was really delightful- I especially liked that it was prepared two ways, and the field peas were very tasty. The Cremeux was creamy and decadent, whereas the fuji apple cake was light and sweet by contrast. Our only complaint was that we really wanted to try the banana pudding, which is served with a coconut jalapeno sorbet, but my colleague does not like coconut so requested a substitution of vanilla ice cream- and they refused to make the substitution. They claimed that then they wouldn't have enough vanilla for the desserts that included vanilla. This seemed pretty ridiculous, as the restaurant was not very full that night and... it's vanilla ice cream.... read more

So I travel a lot i.e. Every week by nature of my job. I therefore make it a point as a foodie to always hit up any 4 star or higher rated restaurant location recommended by Yelp in any city I visit. I had the deviled eggs which were great. Then a downer the chopped green salad with fennel and mustard dressing; took 2 bites and had to stop eating it. I complained about this but I was still charged :-( The The monkfish, clams were good but I waited almost 30 minutes for it even though I was 1 of 3 people in the restaurant. Needless to say the restaurant was not busy. The banana pudding was the highlight of my entire experience this was pretty darn awesome. read more

WOW! This is a prime example of why GREAT restaurants don't need to carry useless mediocre items. They have a simple; yet perfect menu, and all dishes are done to perfection. Even the simplest items like ketchup are made from scratch, which makes this my new favorite place, and definitely worth a two hour drive. Also, first establishment ever to bring wrong side item and correct it before I even had a chance to ask. Speaks highly of management, staff and of course cook.... Thank you Yelpers for leading me to this place! read more

Wow. We just got back from R&R thinking we were just stopping in for drinks and maybe a couple of appetizers, but we found our new favorite restaurant in Roanoke!! Everything we had was extraordinary! We got to watch the cute bartender make all kinds of beautiful drinks & I'm assuming they were as delicious as the 2 different ones I tried! We got an oyster wrap dish-out of this world, a devine cheese tray with creative dips and some superb shrimp toast! It was all incredible. My drinks were something like "Sex in the Garden" & "Green something" - they were awesome. So much detail is given to the mixed drinks & the taste reflects this. Can't wait to go back! read more

I did not leave angry this time. I came back here at the urging of one of my friends. Anson doesn't announce when he's showing up mainly because Anson doesn't figure out what he's going to eat until 10-15 minutes before he does. I went with the crispy brussel sprouts that came with bacon and a creamy garlic sauce with an egg on top. The brussel sprouts were pretty good...however, I found the bacon a little weird tasting. My friend who ordered the same dish didn't notice the bacon on his dish. I went with the hangar steak and it was well cooked, prepared medium rare like I requested. My friend really enjoyed his lamb short ribs. My dining experience was much better this time around. I like the ideas behind some of the dishes. Service was excellent. However, bottom line is that I haven't had a cocktail here that I liked. Entrees are all almost 30 bucks which prevents me from eating here regularly. Just a note, appetizers are almost all 10 dollars. I'd recommend saving this place for special occasions. read more

Went here for a special dinner while in out of town going to a wedding. We wanted to eat at a really fine restaurant, & The River & Rail ended up fitting the bill & more. lots of great beers on tap & in a can ... did not try any of the cocktails. a few others in my party did & liked them very much. appetizers: would very much recommend the deviled eggs. this is coming from someone who generally avoids them. the trout rillette was great as well. we also had a special - a pimento cheese spread - that folks were throwing elbows to get to. managed to try both the hanger steak & sheepshead filet (that is a fish!) among the main courses. they were both great but the hanger steak was so superb it's really what i recommend. ordered it rare & that's how it arrived - very tender, great cut of meat. desserted on a strawberry hand pie. i did not know what a hand pie is, but it was basically a sugary, flaky, strawberry empanada. i've never had anything like it, & it was great. if i'm back in roanoke & looking for a fine place to dine, i'll definitely make a beeline for the river & rail. read more

I really enjoyed my dinner at River and Rail. First if all the atmosphere is amazing. I live how you can see chef cooking while you sit at your table. I had deviled eggs and they were delicious. The bread came in a cute little fabric sack. For dinner I had the duck with dumplings and veggies. The duck was perfectly cooked with a nice crispy skin and the dumplings were out of this world. The portion size was just perfect as I don't like being stuffed to the point of feeling sick. I had room for dessert. And let me just say, thus was the BEST part of the meal! I had little pecan pocket pies with chocolate sauce. I wish they would package up a thousand of these so I can take them home and bake them in my oven. This was truly awesome. read more

The River and Rail - My four favorite things - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

I had brunch today at the R&R with my lovely neighbor today. The restaurant is beautiful inside and out. The design is "handsome" (as Joann put it), clean, warm, elegant but not ostentatious or overdone. It feels welcoming. We shared a French Press pot of coffee which was very good. I had a grass feed beef burger that was delicious and cooked perfectly. The home fries were very unique and delicious. Joann had an omelet that, when it was brought to our table, we both commented on how pretty it looked. Joann said it was delicious. We got there just as they started serving so there weren't that many folks yet. By the time we left, the restaurant was over half full. Tess our server was polite and attentive. We expect that the River and Rail will become a popular destination for Roanoke residents and visitors. read more

We had a family dinner at the River & Rail a few weeks ago and I was compelled to write a review. The R&R sets a high standard for quality and service. Our party of five was seated at a large table next to the kitchen area. It was a great vantage point to see how the employees performed and the various dishes that were served. We loved the jars of pickles and pork rinds we ordered as our starter. I had the slow cooked her egg as a first which was delicious. The richness of the egg, crunchy texture of the crispy rice and the fresh herbs was great. The entrée was of equal caliber. I had the Berkshire Pork Loin. Rest of my family enjoyed theirs as well. I cannot recommend this place enough!! Need to go back for the deviled eggs :) The servers were fast and friendly - - great job to you all. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Roanoke, hands down. The food is incredible and the chef's manage to put a delicious twist on southern classics, such as deviled eggs, pork rinds, etc. Personal favorites are the liver mousse with pickled onions, deviled eggs, and the oyster wraps. Atmosphere is very warm and inviting, and I love the music playlist they selected. Cocktail list is extensive and they can pretty much make anything you ask for. Have nothing but positive things to say about this restaurant. Every time I go, it exceeds my expectations. read more

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First visit was last Friday, my friend and I went for lunch. My friend got the chicken liver Mousse, the Olde Salt Oysters and the The R&R burger with egg. I got the R&R Burger. My friend said the Mousse was some of the best that he has had and very smooth, he said the Oysters were very well done and were great. When our burgers arrived, his had bacon instead of egg, they quickly fixed that, he ordered his medium and I ordered mine medium well, they were both a little underdone. I will know in the future to order mine well done. Even though they were a bit underdone they were very good. The pickles on the burger are the best pickles, I usually don't like Bread and butter pickles but these were very tasty. The only complaint that I have is it is slow, this is not a place to go on your lunch hour. read more

Just ate at the River & Rail tonight. Let me put it this way...I did not have a Yelp account before eating here. I do now. Pleased wouldn't do the dining experience justice. Awesome is approaching appropriate but still doesn't feel adequate. "For the Table" we had the cheese of the day, the pickle pot (compliments of the chef) and the chicken liver mousse. The cheese was stank (and I mean that in the best way!) and the fresh figs were a perfect complement! The pickle pot was perfectly piquant! The star of the show was hands down the chicken liver mousse. My God man...You don't have to like liver to like this. I imagine there is some brandy or cognac in there to sweeten it a bit, regardless it is smooth, savory and just...I can't speak. Words can't do it justice. It has to be tried. I skipped the first course, though one of my dinner mates allowed me to eat the goat cheese and country ham toast that accompanied her summer squash soup. Wow. This crunchy, crusty, salty, squash-slice topped toast was not an afterthought so I can only guess that the soup was as spectacular, if not better! I ordered the hanger steak as my second. Hanger steak sounds a little scary to the uninitiated. However, this cut is also known as the "butcher's steak". Not because it was all that was left for the butcher when he was done butchering the cow, rather because the butcher kept it for himself due to its immense flavor. I was not disappointed. Cooked medium rare it was mouth-wateringly flavorful and unthinkably tender. The creamer potatoes were awesome and the wild mushroom was wonderfully puzzling to me at first. Is this crab? No, no, it's pork...wait, you fool! It's MUSHROOM!?! Wow. Let me say, I had the most gracious dinner mates. I got to try a little bit of everyone's entree. The grouper was melt in your mouth. Buttery. Marvelous. While I didn't try the trout itself I did try the shrimp remoulade that topped it, and it was lip-numbingly fantastic. I loved my steak, but my God...the Four Corners Chicken that my girlfriend ordered was unquestionably the best chicken I have EVER eaten in my life. There was an awesomely meaty sausage that was paired with it. I kinda doubt there was anything in it but meat, herbs and spices. No crap, just fresh and clean. Wow. The zucchini purée was simply sublime. No other word for it. The chicken itself (a confit leg I believe) was the tastiest and most moist chicken that has every graced God's green earth. No lie. Try it. Tell me I'm wrong! We didn't "save room for dessert" as you will often hear your server ask as the meal comes to a close. Being far from faint of heart however we dared not pass up the opportunity to eat just a little more good food. The NC Blueberry Hand Pies were perfect. Hot, crispy and topped with a brilliant buttermilk sorbet. Wow. The banana pudding was just ridiculous. A custardy banana pudding topped with crumbles of crispy cornbread and an out of this world coconut jalapeño sorbet. It was gone in seconds. Wow. Wow. Do I keep saying things like "Wow" or "incredible"? I can't help it. Superlatives and exclamations of joy and amazement are well-deserved and I imagine often uttered throughout the sharply appointed dining room of River and Rail. Chef Deal is of course the heart and soul of this spectacular addition to the Roanoke culinary scene. However, a functioning body a heart and soul alone do not make. I cant say enough about the great front of house staff. And the hard-working guys and gals in the kitchen are just spectacular; masters in the making of the universe that is flavor. Dont go to River and Rail if dinner is a race to stuff your face and get drunk quicker than your companions. We didn't eat. We dined. Don't think about trying this restaurant. Do it. read more

I wish I would have discovered this place my first night in Roanoke two years ago, because I have been missing out! This place was so incredibly hospitable, delish, and unique. This is a quaint spot in Roanoke in the cutest little shopping/eating area. Make a reservation if you think about it; even on a Wednesday this place was packed. The food is out of this world. Melt in your mouth good. The pork rinds with pimento cheese--get them. Fish special--get it. A MUST GET--BANANA PUDDING. I ordered one for myself, my coworker tried a bite then ordered his own. Holy cannoli this place is good. I cannot wait to go back! See you soon River and Rail. read more

When I want to treat myself, this is where I go. Their brunch is amazing, the best in the valley imo, and their dinner service is nothing short of amazing. I wish I could make their pimento cheese at home. I'd eat it every day. I've tried all different types of entrees and appetizers here and I haven't had one yet that wasn't delicious. read more

Had the Cuban sandwich for lunch and it was one of the best Cubans I've had (and I'm from Florida). Try the 3-ice cream sampler for dessert. My favorite was the coconut-jalapeño. Strange combination but very addictive! Will definitely go back for dinner the next time I'm in town. read more

The River and Rail - Aaron Deal hard at work. - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

SO good. A great atmosphere, particularly compared to other places I have dined in Roanoke. I can't even remember our entrees (which I can assure you were amazing) in comparison to what we had for dessert: banana pudding, covered in crispy bits of cornbread, served with jalapeno coconut sorbet. Heart, be still. It is also worth noting that on Wednesdays, all wines are $5 a glass. read more

This place is seriously good. The staff is excellent and the food is even better. The deviled eggs are so good as are the terrine and the pimento cheese. The brunch selection is always good. The eggs Benedict dish is literally the best meal I've ever had. Eat here. read more

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We swung by for lunch on a road trip on the strength of the reviews and boy were we glad we did. We had a new puppy and the waitress immediately brought water for us and the puppy...nice touch in service. Waitress and hostess were friendly, polite and helpful. We started with a summer squash soup that had layers and layers of wonderful flavor. Ordered pimento cheese next. Lots of hipster places now serve this delight that I grew up eating but at River and Rail it was simply wonderful... Texture,flavor, portion size. We split the hot fried chicken sandwich and all we can say is YUM! The roll, the spice, the cook on the chicken...even the chow chow just great stuff. The house pickle jar and house chips were top notch. The beer selection was spectacular! Many spots overwhelm you with 50 beers hoping you'll like one, here the 10-12 offered were chosen well and just showed how good things can be when a place cared about their guests in the way River and Rail does. Great lunch beginning to end! read more

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After a 12 hour drive from Boston to Roanoke, I ended up at R&R. Phenomenal way to celebrate making it one piece and had a fabulous dinner. NY Strip, collard greens, and pan fried corn bread. A nice glass of red wine and finished with - yes, the had it - a small glass of Buffalo Trace. read more

This place is merely weeks old so I this needs to be considered since there are many details to work out when a restaurant first opens. It took forever to get a drink and then it was not very nice. I think the bartender did not know how to make what we ordered. I then got a bourbon sour and it was much better. The share for the table was a jar of pickles. Whilst a nice idea the variety of pickled vegetables were more akin to kimchee and not like pickling that I had been used to. This is minor as it is a subjective issue that deals with taste. I asked for my salad to not have cornbread with it and they could not follow that simple direction. Again, not a big deal, but it was a simple request. My wife tried the cornbread and it was rather greasy. My main was the pork belly and I was hoping for something epic. Instead it was over salty did not live up o the true potential that it could have had. All in all, this place has potential. I look forward to coming back and trying it again when they get a bit of practice under their feet. read more

The food was really good..service was good and the atmosphere was nice. Had the pimento cheese plate and deviled eggs to start. Then I had the burger which was great and my lady had the ribeye which was great also. Now, the banana pudding for dessert was amazing! I see why it was voted best dessert in Virginia! read more

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River and Rail is an enjoyable dinner experience with delicious food options. The beer connoisseur will appreciate the small (5-6 selections) but quality draft options. If going for dinner, we recommend allowing 2 hours for the full experience. When we called around 7 to inquire about a reservation for 7:30, we were told that there wouldn't be a table until 8:30, but bar seating was available. However, when we arrived at 7:30, we were seated almost immediately at a table. The staff was very friendly and helpful, almost to a fault. We ordered oysters and deviled eggs for appetizers and both were delicious. My main complaint is with the wait. It took a fairly long time for us to get our main course (45 min), however we had appetizers, a salad, and yummy bread in the mean while, so the wait didn't seem too bad. Also, the staff was rather slow with bringing our next rounds of drinks. When we did get our main course, the food was excellent! We had the White Georgia Quail and the NC black drum (shrimp and grits with fish). Delicious meal, great for a date night as it is fairly pricey ($130 w/ tip), but worth it. The room noise was pretty loud towards the end of our meal and I felt like I was yelling to be heard. We will be back, perhaps earlier in the evening to avoid the noise, or maybe we will ask to be seated outdoors. read more

Very good food. The atmosphere is professional and business like. Make reservations if you have more than 2 people in your party. They have items not on the menu that they do not advertise or offer. When I asked what someone else was eating all the bartender said was it's a burger and not on the menu. I had to pry the info from him and finally he said I could order if I wanted to. We'd go back but next time with less people and we'll have a different server. read more

Please m make 4.5 for this place Very good food, knowledgeable and professional wait staff. Bar was a bit slow, notice it was unmanned for a while...dinner entrees good but took longer than a average, same for dessert.Still would return for the overall quality and pleasant atmosphere.; read more

Excellent dining experience! Everyone was so hospitable and accommodating to my food allergies. The deviled eggs are out of this world. Pimento cheese a bit spicy. I ordered a beef tenderloin plain and they made potatoes to go with it special. The banana pudding was amazing and I substituted ginger ice cream with it. The ginger ice cream was THE best I've ever tasted :) Prices were not excessive, it's well worth the prices for the quality of food and high level service! read more

Hands down the best restaurant in the Roanoke area. We started off with a few cocktails that I can't remember the names of, but they were both beautiful and delicious. As far as appetizers go, I can't recommend the pork ribs enough. The charcuterie board was also phenomenal, and a generous portion for two people to share. For entrees, we enjoyed the hanger steak, which was beautifully tender, and the pork, which came with the most deliciously cooked collard greens and grits. Don't pass up the banana pudding for dessert. read more

Love this local joint in Roankoke nestled in between some local shops. The menu for food is somewhat limited but you want suffer for good choices. The cocktail offerings are impressive. The flavors of their dishes just meld together so nicely. Nothing on your plate will seem out of place. Parking can be an issue during popular times. But it just means you have to park on a side street and walk a bit. It's a small footprint kitchen so get a reservation if you can. read more

Real value in high end and original cuisine. The place filled up quickly, so reservations are wise. We ate at the bar and enjoyed an excellent presentation that was perfectly prepared and tasted well beyond the price. A gem. read more

Sat at the bar with Leslie and Tiara and they provided us with a bouquet of drinks and amazing insights of food that exceeded our expectations. Their assortment of bitters and tinctures is phenomenal. We highly recommend this restaurant. The atmosphere and service was top notch. We really enjoyed our last night in Virginia. read more

We went for brunch, found the menu to be more suited for lunch. I ordered the Cuban sandwich with a salad and my date ordered the soup of the day: she crab. The food was absolutely phenomenal, even the salad was the best salad I've ever had. The service was great, and the inside is very nice. Definitely would come back to try more. read more

Amazing dinner and atmosphere! The River and Rail never disappoints! It's within minutes of our house and we have become regulars. The menu has plenty of regular items and always a great twist. The service is exceptional! read more

We still absolutely love dining here. Starting with a cocktail I opted for the fresh cherry martini and my husband had the fresh berry mojito. I can't decide which was better (or which I'll have Tuesday when we are dining here again). At the moment they have an incredible appetizer called Pickled Shrimp. Almost a ceviche like shrimp - served in a mason jar with the tastiest seafood aioli ever (yes I admit I spread some on my bread!). Again, I went with one of the fish dishes, a creatively prepared grouper that was delicious. Luckily we somehow saved room for dessert. I have to copy the description from the website so as not to miss anything: Brown Butter Cake, Cherry Jam, Macerated Cherries, Horchata Sorbet, Crispy Rice. Some people who know me well know that I'm a HUGE Horchata fan. Never would have thought of making it into a sorbet. I do believe this was the best dessert that I've ever had. It even tops the world famous coconut cake from Peninsula Grill in Charleston, SC. A dear friend of ours is turning 60 this Tuesday and wouldn't ya know it, he picked R&R for the celebration. We're thrilled! read more

What a wonderful find. Rising Star Chef Aaron Deal arrives in Roanoke by way of Tristan, one of my other favorite restaurants. We could feel the Charleston influence in the people, music and food. Everything was wonderful, especially the cold roasted beet and buttermilk soup with goat cheese and the deviled eggs. If you haven't tried The River and Rail, you are in for a real treat. read more

The service was great , but their food is ridiculously over priced and extremely small portions and the description very misleading , I ordered soup $8 in it was literally 1/2 cup if it was placed in a measuring cup and a full chopped salad with ham, bacon and eggs which was a small skillet full of lettuce , no ham , no bacon and 1/2 in egg $12, I gave them 2 stars for the servers but I will never eat here again read more

The River and Rail - This is my $12 salon ....so sad - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia