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Frankie Rowland's - Salem

4.2 (44 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

Frankie Rowland's - Salem Photos

Business Info

FRANKIE ROWLAND'S - SALEM ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Classy
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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oysters
Meya B.

Honestly the oysters were amazing but that's all that saves this place. Our waitress was very nice the issue was the food. The steak was okay in the center but extremely charred on the outside it made it super dry and just tasted like grill. Also whatever cheese they use on the baked potato doesn't melt well so it became a large block. Nice place inside lovely bar.

Ribeye cut in half medium rare
Leif B.

Kind hostess Fresh and lively ambience Sat in the comfy bar area (little noisy needs some noise abatement materials) Amazing service! Attentive prompt polite kind sincere and happy My wife and I split the large fillet and it was incredible! Tasty crust perfect center! Great flavor, beefy and low fat. Ribeye was great too! The potatoes au gratin were smack yo mama good! Flavorful cheese little crust on top and pop!!! I'd pass on black pepper risotto while cooked perfect there are better options. Ceasar wirh anchovies was great! Let's talk dessert... damn fine crime brûlée!!! Silky creamy classy flavor well brûléed with a scrumptious sugar! Chocolate cake was good not great except for the first Molten bight which was great! Oh yeah the house old fashioned is money! I'd go again and again!

My wife's filet.
David C.

After a multi-hour flight delay at BOS followed by traffic delays after landing at RIC, my wife and I had to get our first real meal of the day around 8PM. Found FR's on Yelp and immediately drove over. Easy on-street parking nearby. "Classic" dark paneling decor with a mix of thickly padded booths and standard tables. Excellent team service. Specials and menu were clearly explained by one of the wait staff. After a longish wait, our entrees arrived and were ... delicious. Nicely seasoned and perfectly medium-rare. Side of asparagus was fine too. This is fine high-end choice in Salem, VA. Highly recommended.

Lamb chops.
Treva C.

Frankie Rowland's - Salem never disappoints. Everything from our beefsteak tomato with mozzarella to the chocolate lava cake was delicious. Alan's petit filet was as perfectly cooked as my lamb chops were.The service was excellent and the ambiance is conducive to quiet conversation. Lovely start to birthday week!

Frankie Rowland's Steakhouse Interior

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1 month ago

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1 year ago

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4 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Will be back, great service, atmosphere, staff, and cool patrons. A needed break after a long week.

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1 year ago

Don't take my reservation if it's going to take 20 minutes for a drink and over an hour for food.

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

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1 year ago

Great food excellent service and fantastic drinks classic steakhouse vibe always a go to when I'm visiting!

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1 year ago

Everything is always so good. My favorite place in Salem :) The food is so great! I would go there over and over again!!

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Good, drinks, service, and respectful ness is beyond this word . The steak with how it is cooked is brilliant!

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

shout out to Nick for getting us some great desserts. he never disappoints. all Creme Brûlée should be judged against theirs.

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Good food but overpriced. One almost feels guilty spending that much money! Don't see how Salem can support

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4 years ago

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Brood Restaurant and Bar - As one enters the restaurant, an elegant round table, with a business card display holder.

Brood Restaurant and Bar

4.3(41 reviews)
0.0 mi

Love their food first off. The staff there can guide you if you don't know what to order off that…read moredelicious menu they have to offer. It is beautiful in there and presentation is presenting. Service is better than the A-1 sauce in my fridge & so is their sauces Their food is better than a lot of other restaurants in the area as well. Remember this is locally owned so that says a lot. You'd be a little bit silly if you choose another restaurant ... can't lie lol especially if you're a food explorer! Their delicious desserts BTW goodness I ate like three different plates

It is not often that one encounters a restaurant of this caliber. But oftentimes, unexpectedly,…read moredestiny takes it course, and one ends up in front of the front door of such restaurant. This is the case with Brood Restaurant and Bar. Located in the heart of Main Street Salem, near the beautiful Roanoke College, this place is more than just a casual fine dining restaurant, it's one of the best restaurants that I have ever visited, and in this review you will find out why. After making a reservation for 5:00pm, not knowing how bad the traffic would be, I left early, only to discover that there was no traffic and ended up arriving at 4:30pm. Like in many of the best fine dining restaurants that I have eaten at, this one had a glass and wooden door with simply the restaurant's name and logo engraved on it, which included a tiny artistic rendition of a rooster as part of it. As I entered the door I was fascinated with the simple yet magnificent decor and ambiance of the place. The original restored hardwood floors and the natural brick walls gave it an air of distinction, as well as the antique furniture Host's station holding the menus and reservations computer. The furniture was elegant yet comfortable at the same time, and the lamps gave just the right light to create a cozy yet elegant and comfortable ambiance. The Host came out and graciously greeted me, and after I told her that I was half an hour early for my reservation, she invited me to have a seat at the bar until the kitchen was officially open at 5:00pm. It was the way she said this that motivate me to go discover the bar and the drinks it had to offer. Soon I was given a warm welcome by Cole, the bartender, as I sat in the middle seat of the small but cozy bar. After I asked him to recomend me a Mocktail, I had him make me a Mule Mocktail and to my surprise I can say it was the best that I have ever had. This young bartender was surprisingly at the level of the ones in restaurants such as Lucky, River and Rail, and Alexander's, just to name a few of the best around. To accompany my drink I ordered the Sea Scallops appetizer and they were so tender and fresh covered with an amazing mix that included little bits of bacon. When it was time to move to the main dining room I told the bartender that I had enjoyed the bar, and his excellent service but I wanted to finish my dining experience at the main dining room to better be able to review the restaurant. He made arrangements for the move and to my surprise and manager's wisdom, they made him my server as well. It is in little details like this one, that one uncovers the greatness of a restaurant and its extraordinary customer service. There, I ordered another of the Wonderful Mule Mocktail, and a Caesar Salad to start with, with the Steak Frites, medium rare, as my main entrée. Everything was delicious. For dessert, I ordered the Belgium Waffle Bread Pudding, at the recommendation of my server. This dessert was amazing. By the time I was finished I could notice that the restaurant was filling up with repeat customers, and by my experience today I could see why. Needless to say, I highly recommend this restaurant to all those reading my review and viewing all my photographs taken to compliment this review with some visual flavor, for it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case not a single word can do justice to this extraordinary dining experience.

Photos
Brood Restaurant and Bar - The interior of the restaurant with the restored hardwood floors and exposed brick walls.

The interior of the restaurant with the restored hardwood floors and exposed brick walls.

Brood Restaurant and Bar - A picture is worth a thousand words.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Brood Restaurant and Bar - The main dining room of the restaurant and an entrance to the bar.

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The main dining room of the restaurant and an entrance to the bar.

Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House - Grilled salmon garlic cheese mashed potatoes

Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House

4.2(11 reviews)
4.3 mi

This is a bar/restaurant in a hotel lobby. We sat at the bar and were pleasantly greeted by the one…read moreand only server. I ordered a grilled salmon dinner that included a small salad and a serving of garlic mashed potatoes. My wife ordered chicken strips and fries. The salmon was good. The salad was good. The potatoes not so good. The chicken strips were good. There are a few booths along a wall as well as the bar area to eat. Biggest gripe is the wait time on your order being cooked. It must be a one man show in the kitchen( at least the night we were there). Overall the food was ok/good. Service was friendly and fast but......there are better places around town to eat. If I could add a 2&1/2rating that's what it would be. My very good rating max is 4 stars so I couldn't put a 3 star rating here. Sorry guys. Might have been a bad night for dinner but I'm telling about my experience that night

For perspective I am Diamond level member with IHG, this means nothing other than I stay in a IHG…read moreproperty 3-4 nights a week and have ate many a dinner in their onsite restaurant. Never once have I had a single issue worthy enough to mention. Also for perspective it's 8pm, it's been a 14 hour day and I surly was in no mood to get into my car when it's less than 20 degrees outside and the wind howling, but I did. Sat at a table for over 15 minutes, bartender avoided me as she was in deep conversation with another patron I suppose. Moved to the bar. Got a TUDE from her with a "I would have came over, you didn't have to move". Then another guy just walks up, she gives him a menu and then his drink, I have neither. Finally she comes over my way, I asked if I could place a take out over. She grabs a menu, drops it in front of me and walks to the other end of the bar without asking or taking my drink order. She starts at the other end of the bar taking drink orders for all the other patrons who already have a drink in front of them. My daughter was a waitress while in college so I'm extremely empathetic toward wait staff, my lowest tip is 20%, good service 30% and excellent pays 40%. Tips are how they earn a living. Walked out.... also the menu is vastly different than what is offered on their website. Also I guess it may have been the chef- working extremely hard the entire time holding up a wall. What's sad in the end is I'll bet a 100 to 1 that not even a peep will come of this review from hotel or restaurant management.

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Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House - Caesar salad

Caesar salad

Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House - Sirloin Salad

Sirloin Salad

Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House

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River Rock Restaurant

River Rock Restaurant

4.3(17 reviews)
1.5 mi
•$

Today I took the road less traveled and ended up in a little gem of a family-owned and operated,…read moreneighborhood restaurant since 1982 by David and Penny Price. Located in Salem, Virginia, this warm and cozy restaurant with window view to the Roanoke River is known for its popular burgers, especially the "Hot Rock," and other casual American fare like sandwiches, subs, hot dogs, onion rings, and crispy fries. Small in size, yet it has received many awards throughout the years, including "Best Burger" from The Roanoker Magazine in 2013. When I arrived to the place, I parked my Lexus over a bed of rocks parking lot, right outside, in the front area of the restaurant, and walked towards it. Inside, there was a small foyer with a bulletin board that had a copy of the menu, some Best of Salem Gold Awards, and some business cards from members of the community and customers of the restaurant. Then there was a bar on the left with a pool table on the right, and many Sports memorabilia on the walls of the establishment. It seems the owner was a great fan of the Virginia Cavaliers. Then in the back there was the dining room with a few tables, and a couple of them had a window view of the Roanoke River. Shortly after I arrived the friendly and very hospitable owner, came out of the kitchen and gave me a warm welcome, asking me to take a seat where I liked. I went and sat at one of the tables with the window view. To drink I ordered a Coke and to eat I ordered their famous "Hot Rock" Burger at the owner's recommendation when I asked him what he would recommend for this my first time dining there. The description on the menu of this burger was a "Hand formed fresh lean ground beef, provolone cheese, grilled onions, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, hot peppers, Italian dressing on pita bread." It was served with potato chips and pickles, or for an extra price you could have it with crispy fries or onion rings. I ordered it with onion rings. While I waited, I looked around at all the pictures and memorabilia on the walls, and I looked through the window at the Roanoke River water flowing. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. When the food arrived, everything tasted fresh and delicious. The burger was cut in half for convenience in eating it. The onion rings had a thick batter that kept them together and were easy to eat. The owner came by to check on me and see if the food was of my liking. We also talked about how he has owned and ran this restaurant for over 43 years. At first the restaurant was also opened at night, but now it's only open from eleven in the morning until two-thirty in the afternoon daily, and closed on Sundays. This makes it easier on him now that he's older, but you can tell he enjoys to continue running his restaurant and serving his customers. Because of its quality food, reasonable prices, and friendly service. I can see why this little restaurant is a local favorite for lunch or a casual meal and I completely give it my total support and urge you to do the same.

Food is pretty good. It's what you'd expect. Loved the service, very sweet older man kept drinks…read morefilled and made sure we were all good. I'd recommend giving this place a try

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River Rock Restaurant - The dining room with an eclectic decor.

The dining room with an eclectic decor.

River Rock Restaurant
River Rock Restaurant

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Mac and Bob's Restaurant - A spoonful of the Ultimate Chocolate Cake getting ready to be tasted and savored.

Mac and Bob's Restaurant

3.5(333 reviews)
0.0 mi
•$$

We stopped here tonight after traveling from Florida -arrived tired and hungry! The young lady who…read morechecked us in was great. Our waitress was Mackenzie- she was very busy with waiting on large tables yet she was calm and very friendly. Excellent service. Very empathic knowing we had been traveling for 12 hours. Watching other servers and they were all very friendly and calm! I had the fish tacos and my husband had a burger- both very good. Prices are reasonable and service is excellent. We have eaten here in the past when traveling back to Connecticut. Would recommend!

Place is cute inside, it's spacey and there's a dining area + a bar area. It is incredibly loud if…read moreyou go past 7pm so be mindful of that (lots of college kids including myself + friend groups watching the games). It also gets busy quick! If there's one thing this place can't mess up it's some chicken tenders. They are a staple here. I think they are ridiculously priced, but they are also ridiculously good. The honey mustard is a must with them. I have not been really impressed by the other menu items I've tried, I've gotten a calzone in the past and the fish and chips and they were both average. Service is always 50/50, either someone who is super attentive or someone who will ignore you and never refill your glass for the majority of the time you're there. Overall this place is kind of average, it's $$ for what it is but it's fun with friends. 100% recommend those tenders though.

Photos
Mac and Bob's Restaurant - All the walls were covered with framed photographs.

All the walls were covered with framed photographs.

Mac and Bob's Restaurant - A spoonful of the Ultimate Chocolate Cake getting ready to be tasted and savored.

A spoonful of the Ultimate Chocolate Cake getting ready to be tasted and savored.

Mac and Bob's Restaurant - The outside patio bar.

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The outside patio bar.

The River and Rail - A fork holding a piece of the Oyster Wraps appetizer.

The River and Rail

4.3(324 reviews)
6.7 mi
•$$$

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)!!

Photos
The River and Rail - The kitchen and server picking up some meals.

The kitchen and server picking up some meals.

The River and Rail - The Chocolate Panna Cotta dessert.

The Chocolate Panna Cotta dessert.

The River and Rail - A spoonful of the Chocolate Panna Cotta dessert.

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A spoonful of the Chocolate Panna Cotta dessert.

Bernard's - A fork holding a piece of Filet and Scallop from the Filet & Scallops Special of the Day.

Bernard's

4.6(349 reviews)
6.4 mi
•$$

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.

Photos
Bernard's - The Host's station.

The Host's station.

Bernard's - Close-up of the Filet & Scallops Special of the Day.

Close-up of the Filet & Scallops Special of the Day.

Bernard's - Poached pear martini

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Poached pear martini

Frankie Rowland's - Salem - steak - Updated May 2026

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