After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing…read moremy consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, 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 go back and write follow-up reviews on those restaurants that impressed me the most during 2025, and The River and Rail Restaurant located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example of one of them. Going back to this restaurant after the great honor that I had received from Yelp, made me recall the first time that I dined here. I invite you that after reading this review, you go back and read that one, and view my photographs accompanying it, because it's one of which I am most proud of, and an experience that I will never forget and forever cherish. I arrived at the restaurant on time at five o'clock sharp and as I waited for them to open I had an opportunity to meet and chat with a couple who had been loyal customers of this restaurant for years since it first opened. They, as well as I, were aware of the beautiful location of the restaurant on one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of Roanoke. As soon as the doors opened, I allowed them to enter first and then when the host came back she gave me a warm and friendly greeting, welcoming me back, and took me to an ideal table, where I had a perfect view of the entire restaurant, from their open kitchen, to their bar, to the entire dining room and entrance, allowing me to capture in photographs the real feel of the ambiance of this cozy, yet elegant, upscale Southern, New-American restaurant known for its scratch-made dishes using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients, including house-cured meats and pickled vegetables, as well as very creative cocktails. Shortly after I was seated, my delightful server Caroline arrived, and after a warm greeting took my order. To drink I order their Strawberry Fields Forever Mocktail. As appetizer I ordered a half dozen Oysters together with their famous Oyster Wraps. And as my main entrée, the Painted Hills Filet, cooked medium-rare. All the staff seemed so happy to see me and the manager came by to say hello and congratulate me for my outstanding Yelp accomplishment of 2025. My excellent server made sure that my order was well-paced, came by at the appropriate times to fill my glass with water and see if all was to my liking. Everything tasted amazingly delicious. Starting from the unique taste of my creative mocktail, to my flavorful appetizer, to my exquisite Filet main entrée that was so tender and cooked just right. The chefs in this fine dining restaurant are amazing and the quality of their meats is top notch. For dessert I had one of my favorite desserts, since I first had it there, their Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta. This dessert is absolutely mouthwatering. What an extraordinary dining experience I once again had there. Fine dining at its best. For those very special occasions, I highly recommend this restaurant. Or you can always make any day special, by dining there.

The River and Rail is a small establishment so I'd recommend making a reservation no matter the…read moresize of the party or the day. The food comes out fairly quick, the menu is concentrated while still offering a large variety of options. The cocktails are good, though neither of us ordered from the cocktail menu, they have a full bar so you can order whatever you please. Service could be a little more vocal/communicative but it seems staff is perhaps limited? It was good but there's room for moderate improvement for sure. The Chicken Liver Mousse was absolutely amazing and I'd return again and again specifically for this dish (go ahead and order extra bread to come with it)!!

Food was good. Server was very good and polite, helpful. Nice place for family and friends. Will be…read moreback when in the area again.

Visiting Salem, told by the hotel to give Angelles a try. Was feeling like pasta so I ordered the…read morechicken Parmesan, came with a side salad. Salad had very fresh vegetables. The chicken parm came out fast and hot. I would guess there was nothing homemade about the dish and the spaghetti sauce was a little in the watery side, the bread with the dinner helped clean up the sauce. The server was very pleasant and attentive, she was kind enough to invite me back for brunch while I was in town for the weekend. The venue itself was quiet with a subtle sound of country music as background noise. I felt things were clean but I did not stray far from my booth. I think the salad and courteous server would bring me back for another try.

I placed an online order for an event of 20 people. To order online was effortless. Arrived on the…read moreday of pickup, everything was ready, packaged accordingly, the server that assisted me double checked the bags, explained what was in each bag. He confirmed that we had enough plasticware, sauces, seasonings and helped me carry my order to my car. My food was prepared correctly, presentation was great (considering it was a carry out order), and precise. Flavor of the food was perfect. It was hot, tender and a wonderful smoked flavor. Sauces were extremely savory. I would most definitely recommend Due South BBQ for your next event.

Picture a no-nonsense Southern BBQ joint--the kind where you smell the smoke before you even open…read morethe door. Inside, it's all worn wood tables, checkered paper, and the low hum of conversation over country music. The walls might have a few local photos or license plates, but nothing fancy--this place lets the food do the talking. The pulled pork sandwich is the star. It comes piled high, the meat slow-smoked for hours until it practically falls apart. Each bite hits with that perfect balance--smoky, tender, just a little crispy on the edges. Then there's the sauce situation. You've got options lined up on the table--sweet and sticky and tangy vinegar-based. Half the fun is mixing and matching until you land on your perfect combo. On the side, golden hush puppies arrive hot and crisp--crunchy on the outside, soft and slightly sweet inside. The fries are perfectly salted, and just begging to be dipped in leftover sauce. And dessert? Banana pudding, served cold in a simple cup with layers of creamy vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and soft vanilla wafers that have soaked just enough to melt into everything. It's rich without being heavy--the kind of dessert that feels like it came straight from someone's grandmother's kitchen. It's not fancy, it's not trendy--but it's exactly what you want when you're craving real, honest BBQ.

I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world, but in none have I had such a wonderful…read moredining experience like I always do at Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery. 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 bring them to the attention of the public, but also to return to those special ones, that have made a difference in my life and highlight them, for the benefit of the public, so they too can have an opportunity to appreciate the qualities of a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience. And Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Bernard's was born out of the love of two culinary aficionados turned professionals that in someway have managed to create a restaurant with an environment that transmits this intimate love to the hearts of their customers through the attention to detail in its extraordinary customer service and amazing culinary masterpieces. Today, I felt like dining at this restaurant, which I admire for its consistency in always far exceeding my high expectations of what a fine-dining restaurant should be all about. Not knowing if they would have a table for me at this late time on a Saturday early evening, I drove in my pearl white Lexus to the nearest private parking lot and gave them a call to inquire as if they could give me a reservation for the next ten minutes. A gentleman, who later I found out was named Matthew, and would be my server, answered the phone with a very polite and welcoming voice; answering my question of what was the special dish of the day and to come on down, that my reservation was assured. As soon as I arrived to the small, very elegant foyer in front of the Host's station, he came out to greet me and instantly recognized who I was. My only request was that he give me a low table because at my age seating at a high table was a bit uncomfortable. He went back to see what he could find and ended setting me up with what I consider one of the best tables of the house, and I was so appreciative of his last minute accommodation. The menu was already setup on my table. He poured water from a special bottle into my water glass and asked if I wanted something else to drink. I asked for a Mocktail and since he also was a bartender, he prepared me one of the best mocktails I've ever had. To dine, I started out with their Mussels Carbonara appetizer, which came in a bacon parmesan cream sauce that was simply amazing, and served with toast points. As my main entrée I had the Dinner Special of the Night, the Seafood Trio. It had a delicious, giant size crab cake in the middle, scallops, and shrimps, with parmesan risotto sautéed heirloom tomato, spinach, and nice size asparagus, with a burre blanc sauce. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the high-quality of their food and magnificent ambiance of the place. Everything was so delicious that only one word could ever describe them: priceless! For dessert I had their very famous Butterscotch Banana Pudding, which the chef makes at the moment ordered. It looked spectacular and tasted amazingly delicious: a culinary work of art. What a great way for the Gran Finale of an extraordinary dining experience!

Salty Salty They have potential to be good…read more But they use the same seasoning on fries - and French Onion Soup. Sub par food expensive. Not worth it.

I have been to this place a wide variety of times, and every single time they have impressed me…read more It's beautiful inside, the staff are wonderful and accommodating. For the food, everything I've had has been a 10/10. My go to is a half order of the biscuits and gravy! It is always so flavorful, the biscuits are giant and fluffy. The gravy is seasoned perfectly. My second go to, as well as my girlfriend's is the hot honey fried chicken biscuit. Portion wise that thing is hugeee, most of the items are so they are absolutely worth what you pay! The chicken is so tender and crispy, breading is amazingly seasoned as well. This paired with the jezebel sauce is heaven on earth. I cannot express how much I love this place, their food is wonderful, their biscuits are massive, and their service is great. Only issue I've ever had was my delivery order never showing up (not their fault but the delivery drivers) and they immediately comped and replaced my meal. 100% recommend.

Never again. Was excited to try this place as this is my 1st time visiting…read more Pros - ABSOLUTELY NONE Cons Coffee is absolutely disgusting Freezing cold insids inside Food wasn't hot Unseasoned eggs Overseasoned fried green tomatoes Undercooked French toast Severely undercooked bacon that they refuse to cook well done and gave a lame excuse as to why they couldn't. Bacon was all fat. Save your money and go somewhere else!

I'm a huge Mission BBQ fan. They ate one of the most consistent restraunt chains out there…read more This was my first trip, but will not be my last. Super and friendly service at the counter to kick off my visit. The dining room was spic and span. My order was a two meat platter of, pulled pork and lean brisket w/ side of green beans. It comes with cornbread. My son moist brisket, pulled pork w/ side of macaroni and cheese. Also cornbread. The manager expedited the food and was awesome! Then he came out to bring slices of smoked sausage samples. After learning we had a new customer/ to the store the desert flowed out by the manager. A cherry cheesecake. Our meals were amazing, especially our fave the pulled pork. Upon departing staff came by to take our trays. Otherwise it's self bussing. No reason to not elevate to full 5 stars.

The staff is always friendly and accommodating here. I'm a single mom and have young children and a…read moremanager once went out of his way to help me get a high chair and wrangle my kids to a table, even bringing refills once for them. The food is pricey but to be expected for BBQ I always get the brisket and add on a third side and it's about $30 a pop. This time it was late about closing and the brisket was very dry. I would go earlier in the day to avoid getting the dry leftovers. The sauces are okay, the Mac and cheese is very good. Overall a great place to dine.

Excellent Espresso Martini's! 3 beans with great foam. Love there Blacken Chicken on a salad…read more.. Very fresh Salads. Highly recommend.

We celebrated our granddaughter s 22nd birthday on Sunday. We had reservations at 6 pm. We arrived…read morewith the cake. The hostess suggested we let them refrigerate it, which was a great idea! Our meals came out exactly as ordered. The drinks flowed. (The bloody Mary is epic!!) Our server was so attentive. Going back soon for brunch.... and more bloody Mary s!

We decided to try wildwood SH one night because the sushi place across the street was closed for…read morereservations. Upon entering it was like we time warped back to 1985. The ambiance was very vintage. The patrons we all older folks and we got stared at upon walking in. The menu was fairly simple, we ended having the sampler platter. The meats were ok. Nothing to write home about and my wife found the brisket too dry for her liking. Personally I thought their house BBQ sauce was barely more than ketchup. Service wasn't bad. It seemed like a lot of people in there were regulars judging by conversations we over heard. This is why I gave a "maybe" recommendation. Seems like some people really liked it, it just wasn't for us.

A friend of mine mentioned that he had found this restaurant that served Memphis Style BBQ and…read moreinvited me to go try it out. So one day, on a Tuesday early evening, we both drove following the GPS of his cellphone to the strip mall in Roanoke, Virginia, where this restaurant is located in the Oak Grove Shopping Center since 1998. When we arrived, I was impressed with the colonial style face of the building; especially by the large molding surrounding the entrance of the building, columns, large single windows, and large red and white restaurant sign floating above the roof. As we entered, there were a couple of tables with checkered tablecloths and some Walnut furniture colonial style dining room display cases containing many pig small statues. All these contributed to a homey and relaxed atmosphere and set the mood for a very unique BBQ dining experience. On the left was the bar and dining room with tables and chairs, and on the right was the main dining room with booths. At the center entrance was the Host standing behind the host's station and behind this a window that led to the kitchen for carry-out orders. And next to this window, a gigantic traffic light. One of the hosts took us to a booth and handed us copies of the menu. It was nicely done and laminated containing a nice variety of main dishes and sides. Our friendly waitress arrived to take our order and greeted us with a warm smile, making us feel at home with a Southern Hospitality. We ordered two cups of Brunswick Stew to start with, and she also brought us a complimentary basket of Hushpuppies and butter. The stew was hot and delicious with lots of pieces of different meats. The Hushpuppies were amazingly good. For the main course we ordered from the Combo part of the Menu, "The Porker," which included all their best: Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Pulled Chicken, Ribs and Ham, as well as 4 sides. For sides, we ordered Deviled Eggs, Macaroni and Cheese, Cole Slaw, and Onion Rings. All this also came with flat bread and butter for each of us. They also brought us 3 sauces: Memphis Style BBQ Tomato, North Carolina Style Vinegar, and Honey Mustard. All the food was cooked so well that the flavor stood out and the ribs were so tender and tasty that smoothly came off the bones. But even above and beyond the food, what impressed me the most was how the servers and hosts worked together to make our dining experience just extraordinary. One of the hosts, a young gentleman, also walked around to see if we needed anything and removing the plates we were finished with to make space for more food. For dessert, they had a choice of different types of homemade cookies as well as homemade carrot cake. We ordered the carrot cake and it was also very good with a homemade quality flavor. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning real soon. Wonderful food and extraordinary service, in a relaxed environment. What else can you ask for to enjoy an amazing dining experience.

Absolutely one of the best smashed grill burgers you will ever eat. Clean, orderly traditional…read morediner with friendly waitstaff. Reminded me of the burgers at the cafe's my parents took me to in the 60's.

The Food, the service and the ambiance were excellent. Stopped there on our way to Asheville…read more Will definitely be returning!

First time trying Lucky and I'd give it a 4.5 rounded up to a 5. The menu is local farm based so it…read morechanges seasonally and is a bit limited. I was disappointed because I was hoping to try a soup or scallops I'd seen in Yelp pics but they weren't in the menu this time. Which is the roll of the dice you pay for fresh creative menus. Dining area and bar have a nice vibe with attractive art work. Dim lighting and smaller tables make it cute for a date or a solo business diner like myself. The lucky cube drink was creative and tasty. Brussel sprouts were also unique with a tahini sauce on top and perfectly crispy chickpeas. I'd seen "Smoke in Chimneys Trout" on a few menus in Roanoke this trip but never heard of that before. Looked it up and learned something new. They are trout that are local and prized for living in a lime stone aquifer rather than a river. Giving them a clean light slightly sweet taste, no essence of mud that can come with other river fish. I've never ordered trout in a restaurant, But when in Rome... Lol. The fish itself and the portion was really good. Wish I could remember my waitress' name. She was knowledgeable and just had a really warm, friendly energy.

I came in for the fried chicken because other reviews were very positive .. the coating was v…read morecrunchy , plus , however it was really burnt ! Ir was really over cooked ; plus had little flavor . Needs a little salt and pepper .... Better chicken at Popeyes or Bojangles .. Mashed potatoes were excellent . I wa not impressed with the Kale and still think there may be fatback in it ... even though the server swore there was no pork on the dish .. anyway you can try for yourself .. maybe I just came on an off night . My server was very nice ( Alyssa ) BTW.