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)!!

Amazing little local find while traveling through Roanoke! Good eats and cocktails ! Landed on…read morebingo night ! Welcoming staff and good fun :-)

There was very loud music playing The place was packed!!…read moreAnd cold We looked for an indoor place to sit and enjoy an Irish Coffee and a drink. We walked around to the back. We found the indoor bar it was quite full as well, found out this is were the locals hang out. Cozy and friendly The brick oven pizza looked Yumm, Had just had dinner so we didn't order anything, my friends were happy with their drinks, I was the DD so I did not drink lol I definitely recommend this place !!!

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 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.

He Said: Here's the thing, there is nothing wrong with the term "dive bar". In fact, if we see it…read morementioned in reviews, especially by someone who thinks it's a negative, we are making sure we visit. Lew's is awesome. Would some consider it a dive? Who cares, it's great! They have a nice selection of beers, though it certainly leans domestic. But with Get Bent on I'm a happy boy. Why, oh why, have we not been here before on our many trips to 5 Points? I don't have a good answer, but I can say we'll be back. Guaranteed. She Said: A locals bar with a dive-y feel is just our thing, and Lew's delivers on that. But here's the thing, the staff are fantastic and the food is quite good. I had a BLT and fries and I was content. Though if anyone is reading this from Lew's, I'll spread the Gospel of the Crinkle Cut Fries. They are the superior French fry and more restaurants should have them! Potty Points: 3/5 potty points. Clean enough and no wait. What more does a girl need?!

The best Italian sub in Roanoke Their pizzas are and award…read morewinning wings are solid and Shakedown sandwich, pastrami, Swiss, slaw, 1000 island dressing on a toasted rye bread is awesome

I cannot believe I have not written a review for this place when I go literally every week. Show…read morePony is such an amazing addition to the Roanoke area. Every Monday they have $2 oysters which always makes it worth going. The drinks here are AMAZING!!! it's so unique and so delicious! I enjoy that the food menu will have rotating items on top of permanent items. I cannot recommend the chicken tenders more. Everyone who works there is always nice and welcoming.

As soon as I found out that there was a new restaurant on the block, replacing a Grandin Village…read morefavorite, Local Roots, which operated next to the Grandin Theatre since 2010, until it suddenly closed, I phoned the number of the new restaurant to see if it was open, and when I found out it was, I immediately headed over to the restaurant to try it out. When I arrived to the place, I found out the name of the new restaurant by reading it from the window, painted in yellow paint: "SHOW PONY / COLD DRINKS HOT PLATES." Not until afterwards did I discover the meaning of this new restaurant's name. As I entered the door, I noticed that the bar had been extended along the wall with more seats, and was the center of attention of the restaurant. The booths that were once there had been replaced with bistro tables. But the focal point was definitely the bar which was completely full of customers talking, drinking, and having a good time. The clientele at the restaurant's tables was a diverse group of people of all ages, and of all economic backgrounds. The items on the drink and food menu were refined yet reasonably priced to accommodate everyone and leave out no one. The atmosphere of the restaurant was relaxed and unpretentious. It was a bar centered neighborhood joint, with refined yet accessible comfort food in a classy setting. It didn't take long for the host to warmly greet me and and offer me a seat at one of their small tables. And as soon as she left, my server arrived. She was a young lady with a welcoming attitude, a big smile, and a wonderful personality. When she asked me what I wanted to drink I asked her if they had any Mocktails in the menu. She immediately answered that she can have the bartender make me one and suggested THE BEST DAY EVER FAN CLUB. I agreed and she went over to the bar. What she brought back was amazing. It looked wonderful and tasted even better. She then took my food order after answering me some questions about the menu. I ordered the YAKAMEIN which contained Braised Beef in Broth with Noodles, Shrimp & Hard-boiled Egg, and was reasonably priced at $15. The entrée was a good size and tasted amazingly delicious. For dessert I had the HOUSE ICE CREAM which was Strawberry & Lime Ice Cream with Whipped Cream & Sponch Marshmallows. Also, very interesting and sweet. In conclusion I highly recommend this place. The owners did an excellent job in making their dream come true by with their creative imagination coming up with place everyone can enjoy to the fullest.

The food is delicious, the desserts are awesome and staff is friendly and helpful. Our favorite…read moredesserts are the lemon cake,tres leches and the Italian cream cakes.

Was able to order a cake for my dad's birthday in advance on the website that was super quick and…read moreeasy to use. It might be my favorite cake I've ever had! The perfect density and the ganache is so rich and flavorful.

My friend and I decided to come to The Hatch restaurant on a Friday afternoon for an early dinner…read morebefore driving out to Rocky Mount. So much you could say about The Hatch and that it's popular for seafood. The menu was simple and limited. We arrived around 5:30pm on a brisk March 2026 Friday early evening. We found parking nearby and walked to the restaurant after over feeding the meter. We probably spent about an hour here before we paid for the bill and left the downtown Roanoke area. On this day, I decided to pay for myself and my friend, since he was celebrating his birthday. My friend and I spent about an hour here and it was a nice venue to have dinner with friends. My friend got the fried chicken thing with sides, whereas I got the ultimate po'boy sandwich with a side of fries. It seems like The Hatch tries to elevate Cajun / Southern food with familiar flavors and dishes in a more modern and lavish setting. For the price and perceived value I gotten from my meal, it was generally okay. I have had po'boys that was a tad cheaper but had more proteins stuffed into the sandwich. It was delicious and definitely nice to have after a day of touristing in Roanoke. The prices seem reasonable here in hindsight and the staff here was friendly and helpful. If you enjoy Soul food and Cajun cuisine with flair, consider coming to The Hatch in downtown Roanoke, if you're in the area. We happened to get here without minimal waiting for a table, which was a good thing. Definitely worth coming to check out if you're in the mood for something different than your usual burgers and fries or tacos. The overall experience here at The Hatch restaurant in downtown Roanoke, Virginia was decidedly good yet decent too. The ambiance was typical and quiet. My friend and i were sitting in the quieter side of the restaurant, which was nice and we had a nice conversation while waiting for our meals to arrive. It was comfortable and definitely air-conditioned. Not sure if they had Wi-Fi but I did not need it anyway. The restaurant itself was very decorative and clean. The meal I had was delicious and definitely. It was served with a smile from the server. I enjoyed every bit of the restaurant itself because it was a nice and quiet dinner and it was here in Roanoke. A quiet town in Virginia that is away from the hustle and bustle of Richmond and Washington DC, but has his own flare. Maybe it could've told something better than a po'boy or had other entrée at the time, but I decided to have that po'boy sandwich with weird version of French fries. It was an OK place to be although the mail was delicious regardless. I could recommend coming here, if you're really hungry, but I probably wouldn't come here again. If my future travels permit me too, though. Don't get me wrong, it is a good place, but it's not for me. Check it out, though, you may like it. The Hatch restaurant is located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. They are situated physically at 32 Market Square SE in a busy downtown section. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. As far as parking goes, my friend used a paid parking lot that was a short walk away from the restaurant. He inadvertently overpaid for the time allotted but we got the time in that we wanted. There may be other spots in the downtown area but it may not be free. Decide what's best for you and head on over to The Hatch Roanoke. If you're like me and love public transportation, you can consider the Star Line Trolley that travels from the third street bus terminal. Other than that, you'll need to travel to the third street bus terminal from your point of origin. And of course, there is always uber and lyft to get you here comfortably and conveniently, if you decide to take that route. However you get here, you can come and enjoy. The Hatch seems like they're a casual eatery in downtown Roanoke. They try to be upscale with southern creole cuisine. It is a nice place to dine, of course. Check it out for yourselves. This place might be the hidden gem that you're dying to try in the heart of Roanoke. I liked it but it could have been a bit more better. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! B

The service was good, but slow. The deviled eggs were…read moreexceptionally delicious, but expensive. I'm not complaining though. I had the seafood tower and although the portions were small it too was very tasty. The macaroni and cheese was excellent! The coleslaw was good too.

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.

Food was beautifully prepared. Service was excellent. Upscale ambiance. Had a lovely meal for our…read moreanniversary.

My family and I went to the 2026 Hotel Roanoke Mother Day Sunday brunch, party of 12 and I was…read moredisappointed in the food. The meat caving table served very small portions of lamb and prime rib that was mostly fat. not even eatable dry out and cold. at $60.00 per person there was not a lot of options on the buffet. I have been at a lot of mother day buffet in several cities, and this was overpriced with a small array of food and no imagination. The room atmosphere was very nice, but the food is the reason you come. I would not recommend this brunch you can have better food at I hop and a 1/4 the price.