Rarely have I walked into a restaurant and felt so good about it, as I did when I discovered this…read morecasual American restaurant known for its hearty meals, friendly atmosphere, and affordability. After being awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants, businesses, and entertainment venues, 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 Don Ho's Restaurant & Lounge in Hollins, Virginia, is a perfect example. Located off Lee Highway, in Hollins, Virginia, a road less traveled by me, until I decided to take it in search of this gem of a restaurant, which until then I had no idea it existed, even though it has been opened for 25 years. On its parking lot sign it clearly states "Serving The Area Since 2000." From the simple architectural design design of its building and humble entrance, you would never imagine what the inside would hold for you. As I opened the door and walked in, the first thing I saw was a little Christmas tree that you could tell was decorated with lots of love. The reasantly renovated dining room was clean and cozy with a combination of booths, tables and chairs, and some small high round tables with high chairs. In the center of the restaurant was a square counter with the cashier station, the Pepsi products machine, some desserts and Christmas decorations. As I was looking around a friendly and very hospitable waitress welcomed me and said I could have a seat anywhere I liked, handed me a copy of the menu, and took my drink order. I ordered a Pepsi to drink. After returning with my drink, she took my food order. I ordered a cup of their Chili Beans to start off with, and as my main entrée the Half Pound Black Angus Cheese Burger with their special fries. First of all the Chili Beans were amazing. One of the best that I have ever had, and one of my favorite foods. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food. Then came the burger. It was delicious with fresh soft burger buns and all the toppings a good burger should have. And their unique fries were one-of-a-kind. The waitress came by to check on me at the appropriate times and to provide drink refills. For dessert I had a slice of one of the best Key Lime Pies that I had ever had. The merengue on it tasted like the home-made one my mother used to make when I was growing up. When I was finished, my waitress encouraged me to go take a look at the Lounge in the back room. It was nice, with two pool tables, a colorful lit bar, tables and chairs, booths, large screen tv, and even a small stage.There, besides drinking and eating, you can shoot pool or sing karaoke. Smoking is allowed in the lounge, which has a special ventilation system. However, the restaurant side of the establishment is completely non-smoking. Before leaving I got to meet the owner himself and felt the great attachment he has for his restaurant of many years, for his staff that has been with him for years, for his loyal customers, and for his son and general manager Jo Jo, who is learning all he can from his dad and hopes one day to take over the restaurant and continue the family tradition. As I was leaving, after a very satisfying dining experience, I noticed some Award plaques on the wall. This year 2025, Don Ho's had cleaned up in the Roanoke Times readers awards for best bar, waitstaff, restaurant, burger and best customer service at a restaurant. I highly recommend this one-of-a-kind restaurant & lounge, and who knows, maybe when you go and visit, you'll run into me there, because I definitely am planning to return real soon.

Well my 1st time at Don Ho. It was a small patronage and 75% seniors. I'm a senior. So not really a…read morething for me. The menu was average and prices average. Service good. The decor modest and really not very welcoming. A little too modest. Not sure what this restaurant is trying to be. Name and decor not really similar and we were there in the last week. Food was good so that would be a reason to perhaps return and try again.

Went here for dinner with my friends. The food is definitely more pricy and is in the resort. We…read moreordered a cake for special birthday occasion and it took several calls to sort it out. Our server was good and accommodating with the dinner celebration. Food was ok, we had steak, oysters, Brussel sprouts, green pepper, and seafood pasta. Overall pretty ok to try out once.

We were really looking forward to dinner at Jefferson's, but unfortunately our experience was very…read moredisappointing. The biggest issue was that the restaurant's air conditioning was not working, and no one told us before we were seated. We had made reservations knowing there was a cancellation policy with fees for late cancellations, so once we were seated and had placed our order, we didn't feel comfortable leaving. It wasn't until after our order was taken that our server mentioned the AC was out, although by then it was obvious from how hot and uncomfortable the dining room had become. I want to be clear that this is not a reflection of our server or the staff. They were kind, professional, and I honestly don't know how they were able to work in those conditions. We appreciated the complimentary watermelon and feta salad, but it didn't make up for the overall experience. The meal lasted nearly two hours, with long waits before our order was taken and again before our food arrived. My husband became so overheated that he felt sick and had to leave the table before finishing his dinner, leaving my daughter and me to finish what was supposed to be a family meal alone. When my shrimp and grits finally arrived, they were only lukewarm. My disappointment is really with management. Guests should have been informed about the lack of air conditioning before being seated and offered the choice to dine elsewhere if another venue was available. I was also surprised that no manager came through the dining room to apologize, explain the situation, or thank guests for their patience. Unexpected maintenance issues happen, but clear communication and proactive guest service make all the difference. Unfortunately, that was missing during our visit.

A few coworkers and I decided to try this place after work. It's a fairly new place. When we…read morewalked in it had the feel of an old time diner, nothing elaborate or fancy. Just tables and a few pool tables. Every single staff member we came in contact with was friendly and amazing! All of us ordered the same meal. Fish and shrimp. Listen, I was worried about eating seafood in a new city and at a new place, it was BEYOND DELICIOUS! The portion sizes were ridiculous! We all had leftovers to box up. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender and delicious on inside. The shrimp.. worthy of seconds! Service was spot on. After talking with the server for a bit, next time we are diving in to the "taste of the islands." I portion of all meats cooked for the day! Can't Wait!! Go here! Eat here!

Great place to eat, food was delicious and season to taste (chicken wings (fried, lemon pepper,…read morebbq) fries, (regular and sweet potato), Mac n cheese. Great service, Great cooks, pleasant personalities and good atmosphere. Visiting the area and will come back.

We were just passing through Lynchburg, and ran across this adorable little stop. It was a Sunday…read moreafternoon late and they had a live musician, playing great songs on the front patio. What a great stop. Wine, (we did a white and a reserve, all flights are $20) and charcuterie board , with the most amazing crusty bread, fresh from the oven. (We ordered double.... And had no leftovers.) The board was expertly crafted and the flavors paired well with the wines. We were so full we didn't need dinner. The outside has more tables than the small inside.... But this is a must try! Hopefully you get to hear an amazing musician with your wine.

We walked in right before they were closing and Logan was gracious to allow us to order glasses of…read morewine and sit outside with the really cool table top fire pits. It was a wonderful way to end our evening. A very cool ambiance.

Excellent brunch with Bloody Marys before the game! Great service and beautiful view, can't wait to…read morereturn!

The Ridge Room is basically the reason we choose the Hyatt Place--twice a year, on our trek between…read moreSouth Carolina and New York, we make sure to stop here on both the northbound and southbound legs. The bartenders are consistently on point, which is important when you've been traveling long enough to consider a properly made cocktail a basic human right. The farm-to-table small plates are usually terrific too. Every now and then, a dish may wander off the culinary trail, but honestly, four out of five plates are the kind that make you look at each other and say, "Why don't we live here?" And then there's the rooftop view. At first, you may have to look past the sea of retail stores and parking lots--but once your eyes reach the mountains on the horizon, the view is downright spectacular. Great drinks, very good food, and mountain scenery that manages to rise above the shopping center below: that is a rooftop restaurant worth planning a road trip around.

I heard great things about this place and was very enthusiastic to visit...however, though the food…read morewas pretty solid the service was quite lacking. I have found the front staff and the wait staff to be lacking in their consideration towards restaurant guests. It seems that they are picking and choosing whom they choose to grant a great experience to. Service: The front staff and waitress we had carried an air of attitude when dealing with me and my family. It seemed like they were not keen to accommodate a few of our basic requests which essentially boiled down to laziness. To be honest, they are very petty when it comes to getting a table on their rooftop...when my family (of 5) came in, they told us it was first come first serve and sat us inside. Another family came in with 3-4 adults and 2 kids after we were seated, to which they promptly moved them outside even though they were inside as well when a spot opened up. I'm not truly understanding the mentality of service here and frankly thought for a nice establishment there would be better decorum and attitude towards guests. Food: overall pretty good. I found the food and drink to be solid. In summary, the food is good here but doesn't surpass the service we received.

The new menu for breakfast and lunch makes the DAV lounge and kitchen a great place to meet and…read moreeat. You can get a great full breakfast there, and their platters, sandwiches, and sides are delicious. I had their french fries all by themselves yesterday just for a late afternoon treat, and they were just right. Come on by!

From the owner: The Thrift Store and Lounge sales go to helping Veteransread more

Ravens Lounge is such a vibe. I love the decor. My cousin and I went came here around 6 on…read moreThursday. Unbeknownst to us they were hosting a prince karaoke night! So we got dinner and a show! Well not actual dinner because the food menu is limited. But we did get a lovely charcuterie board! The drinks were flowing and the service was friendly. We popped over next door afterward to bennys for pizza!

Cool place to hang out…read more Nice beverage list. Small food menu. Lovely atmosphere. I hope that this becomes a local hangout in downtown Lynchburg.

A very unexpected swanky bar in Floyd,Va. It'll throw you for a loop if you're not ready when you…read morewalk in, we were. Think prohibition. The joint takes you into the prohibition era. The staff play into it very well. The bartender was super cool. The lady at the front door stayed in character (so cool). Helpful hint ... buffalo nickel. Once in, it is a super dark and cozy classy place. Great selection of wine and cocktails. Small selection of beer. Had the very tasty Chef burger. The Mango Habanero cheese curds were tasty. Checkout the upstairs... I'd revisit this place again.

A place to go back in time! They are a prohibition…read moreestablishment theme/vibe. Fun wall decoration and art. Makes you feel like you are on a different timeline. Food was great! We ordered the seared ahi tuna, filets, and ravioli. Everything was delicious and fresh. Id recommend if you are quiet hungry and want to order the ravioli to perhaps order something else to pair with it as it only comes with 4 raviolis. Let's talk drinks. They are seasonal so they had an apple smoked old fashioned which was delicious and a whole experience as they bring it in a container with the smoke in it 10/10 recommend! They have a yummy spicy orange margarita and really good non alcoholic drinks that taste like alcoholic drinks! Service was great! Our server had really good suggestions and was attentive and up front with items that where not available.

This local sports bar is an amazing place to relax and enjoy sports and drinks with great people…read more Every time I go there the staff are very friendly and the customers too. I always meet great people there and/or people I met there before. The drink selection is very wide in range, anything from beer, mix drinks and wine. The food is also good too, the appetizers are my choice, Hush puppies, cocktail shrimp are my favorite picks. My only complaint is when it gets busy you may have a little wait to order, but the staff are really trying their best. Overall, an awesome place to have a good time!

Wanted a lite bite so we decided to try a couple of appetizers. The BBQ egg-rolls were absolutely…read moredelicious! All the great things shared about their BBQ is well deserved. Unique atmosphere is southern charming..comfortable. The staff were welcoming and friendly.