This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Kirk & Soul's Second Soft Opening and it…read morewas amazing. After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp 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 and businesses, 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 Kirk & Soul, in Downtown, Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. I loved the interior renovations of this new restaurant. Its beautiful hardwood floors contrasts perfectly with the lovely and very elegant black dining furniture, comprised of booths, tables and chairs, and bar counter, all with outstanding black marbalized table tops that give the place class. The restaurant's simple decor seems to emphasize its best features. Its high ceiling painted black also gives it a nice touch. And the large windows that go all around the corner bring in the light making the hardwood floors and table top shine to highlight their best features.The restaurant also has an open second floor, as well as a corner three steps high stage for bringing live entertainment that will provide the place with another exclusive detail to attract its clientele. I had an opportunity to meet the restaurant's manager, Blake, and he had great ideas that, when implemented, could most likely make this place one of the most talked about or highly regarded restaurants in the heart of fine dining in downtown Roanoke. Owner Justin Hayden described the menu of this Second Soft Opening as "a soul food Caribbean-style menu with a New Age twist." It included dishes such as Jerk Chicken with rice and beans, Oxtail Rasta Pasta, Classic Cheese Burger, Loaded Fries or Nachos, Wing Basket with your choice of sauce, and Garden Salad. Hopefully in the future they will also include other Caribbean dishes from other Caribbean Islands such as Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, who have excellent cuisines. Today I ordered the Oxtail Rasta Pasta and a Coke to drink. I was the first one there and had to leave early because I had another commitment. The dish looked and tasted delicious, with just the right amount of seasoning. I highly recommend this new restaurant to all, and am looking forward to returning when it's in full function.

All I can say is catfish catfish and more catfish!!! The hot honey catfish is amazing. The fish is…read morenice and flaky, fried perfectly and the hot honey sauce is the perfect mix of sweet and spice. Also loved the thick cut curly fries on the side. The jerk chicken egg rolls were really great too! Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable and eager to help with anything we needed. I'm from California but would at at Kirk & Soul all the time if I was a local. The place looks like it is a fun night spot too.

Up until recently, I was convinced there is only one option for decent Jerk Chicken in Roanoke, VA,…read moreReggae Grub, but after trying Island Jerk, located on Melrose Avenue, I'm happy to say there is another great Jerk spot. The brilliant green-painted food stand gives an incredible aesthetic and draws you in while making you crave delicious food. Additionally, the master barbequer/chef is a wizard with his Jamaican Jerk pan/smoker. What he produces is pure culinary magic. One of the greatest strengths of his Jerk Chicken is the savory, spiced and smoked flavors coming through in every bite. Another great element of this food stall is the variety of ways you can order your Jerk. While a lot of time and preparation go into cooking the food, the service is quick enough for the quality of the cuisine. The prices are reasonable too considering the state of the economy right now. I personally think local places like this gem are worth visiting and I look forward to trying other items on Island Jerk's menu in the near future.

There food need to be checked cuz it's getting ppl sick I will never understand why people eat…read morethere food

On a gloomy, rainy afternoon, Ocho Rios was the pick-me-up I needed! The jerk chicken and curry…read morechicken dinners came with 2 sides and were so fresh. The dining area was simple and clean amd jamaican music was playing in the background. We were helped by a super friendly young woman who informed us they also deliver with Door Dash and Grub Hub. I went home with lots of leftovers!

Wow! We love this place, if your taste buds go for Jerk Chicken; you're going to put Ocho Rios on…read moreyour regular places to eat. I ordered a side of fried okra, it's the best you'll find. Rice & beans are another great choice. We've eaten here twice, exceptional both times. Staff is super friendly, prices are reasonable with large portions. Can't wait to go back.

Really great food and wonderful atmosphere. Stopped while we were traveling and were thrilled with…read morethe place. Our server was super friendly and very helpful. The onion rings were amazing! Plenty of room for parking our travel trailer.

My brother and I were in town and decided to grab dinner at Angelle's. Hannah T was such a…read moredelightful, diligent server and offered great suggestions for our meals. We were so impressed with the food and service that we decided to return for breakfast the next morning. Malena H gave the same excellence in hospitality as Hannah. The breakfast was phenomenal! Hats off to the servers, staff, and managers who keep customer service their top priority.

OMG! Best Jamaican food I've ever had and we honeymooned for a week in Jamaica!…read more We had the oxtail, beans/rice and cabbage. 10/10, no notes!

This place is awesome. The restaurant is ample for any party size, and the employees are super…read moreattentive, friendly and welcoming. We asked for the jerk chicken and brown stew chicken - both of which came with a sizable portion of cabbage and beans/rice - and were pleasantly surprised by the affordability. I recommend the sauce added to the jerk chicken; a sweet and spicy concoction I've never had before, but was amazing (next time I'm asking for extra). The fresh gizzada (cookies) smelled delicious so of course we had to sample them. Everything we ate from Box Food was mind bogglingly delicious. The plantains were made fresh for us, and worth the wait! I'm impressed and I'll be coming back as often as I can.

We celebrated a milestone anniversary here tonight and enjoyed every bite of it! The bread and…read morelocally sourced salads were a delicious start to my grilled lamb steak and my husband's Louisiana shrimp etouffee. His pecan tart and my cheesecake were excellent. My prosecco and elderflower spritz was refreshing. And the service was as good as ever in the quiet atmosphere. We will return.

Alexander's is located in the heart of downtown Roanoke. For my purposes I could not have asked…read morefor a better location. I had inquired with the restaurant a month or so in advance of my visit (I was concerned about the dress code) and they were spot on. I wore jeans and a buton down and was quite comfortable (and not out of place). It's a very nice restaurant, but it's certainly not "stuffy." Service was excellent. Food was phenomenal. Dinner started with some nice bread (and really good butter), and a salad came with my lamb ragu. It was all really good. The lamb was super rich and very flavorful. My only suggestion would be to serve the ragu over the polenta, and to add more vegetables. As it was, the dinner was "just enough;" I wasn't stuffed but I wasn's hungry, either. Really good dinner!

This Mexican spot is really good and authentic! Don't let the hole-in-the-wall location next to a…read moregas station fool you--the food is seriously on par with some of the best Mexican food around. Definitely worth stopping in, and I'll be back!

When I asked a personal friend of mine of Mexican origin what special restaurant she and her…read morefamily went to eat at to celebrate Easter, she replied: "Our usual place. My husband took us to El Costeño Mexican Grill." This triggered a desire to go try it out. She also told me, and our server later confirmed, that the owners were from Veracruz, Mexico. After doing some research I found out that Veracruz cuisine is known for its unique blend of indigenous, Spanish, and Afro-Caribbean influences resulting in a rich and flavorful mix of flavors. So with this background, you can imagine why I immediately made plans to go have dinner there with a friend who also appreciates good Mexican cuisine. When we arrived to the restaurant on Peter Creek Rd NW Roanoke, Virginia, it was located in a small strip mall of two businesses shared by a gas station. Yet surprisingly it also had a brick outdoor patio dining area as well, with outdoor seating. Inside, the restaurant was clean and organized, simple decor, some very unique style framed Mexican paintings on its walls all around. As soon as we entered a young lady host came out and gave us a warm welcome with a big smile and took us to one of the tables to be seated and gave us a copy of the menu. Our server, a young, friendly lady greeted us, brought us a basket of tortilla chips with a couple of bowls with salsa, and took our drink order. To drink we both just had Iced water, although they had a variety of softdrink, beers, and Margaritas. The Chips were fresh, thin, and crispy; and the salsa tasted amazing. Their menu was full of authentic Mexican food, including, super burritos and fajitas, as well as their famous mole sauce. All at reasonable prices. For appetizer we ordered the Queso con Chorizo. To eat my friend ordered the Super Burrito, and I ordered the King Burrito. The Chorizo of the appetizer was the Spanish Style with is richer in flavor and the Queso was soft and yummy. Best appetizer of its kind I've ever had. My friend's entrée looked wonderful with Mole on top. And he said it tasted like heaven. My King Burrito looked great with the melted cheese as well as the guacamole on top, and tasted amazingly delicious, filled with quality ingredients seasoned and cooked wonderfully. For dessert we both had a Churro Bowl that also was delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant for the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, amazing, genuine Mexican food, and extraordinary service.

For some time now I was wanting to visit this Mexican family-owned Seafood Restaurant that proudly…read morecalls itself Don Camaron (Mr Shrimp). With a cute, friendly, caricature Shrimp Chef design in it's logo, and the slogan: "Fresh Seafood Made To Order," how can one go wrong? Located in an unassuming and relatively small building painted light blue on the outside, and with a simple sign on the roof above the entrance that reads: "COME ON IN / NEW MENU / DON CAMARON SEAFOOD," this very unique seafood restaurant located on Brambleton Ave in Cave Spring, Virginia, is more than just your ordinary Seafood restaurant. It's Mexican heritage cuisine brings to the menu items some flavors that contribute to the seafood taste more delicious than ever before. When driving down Brambleton Ave you can't miss a tall orange sign with the name and logo of the restaurant, placed right in front of their huge parking lot, providing convenient complimentary parking to all its customers. The restaurant building itself looks small from the avenue because is in the back of the parking lot, but once you get closer you will begin to notice the difference. Its log cabin architectural building design seems to give it warmth and as you enter its doors, all the wooden accents in the interior design of the building, together with the blue lighting treatment of the bar, and logo cabin look of the main dining area creates a cozy, warm, and friendly environment, perfect to enjoy a good meal and quality time with family and friends. As soon as I entered the restaurant, a friendly young lady greeted me with a friendly smile, took me to a table of my choice in the dining room, and handed me the menu. One can learn a lot about a restaurant from its menu. In this case, it was a beautifully designed menu, with its name, logo, and slogan on the cover. Open the menu and inside I found a good selection of seafood items, cooked in a variety of styles, with an easy to read font and highlighted with professionally taken photographs of the main items on the menu. Just from viewing the menu you can't help it but to want to return to taste some more of their delicious cuisine. My server, a very friendly young lady with a welcoming smile came by, introduced herself and took my order. To drink I had an Horchata, which is a sweet non-alcoholic drink made with rice and sugar, and very refreshing with lots of ice. They also had domestic and imported beers and wine on the menu. As my main course, I ordered the Camarnes Gratinados (Shrimp covered in bacon and melted cheese), with the two sides of French Fries and Hushpuppies. I found all the items of the menu to be reasonably priced and served abundantly. My food arrived in a reasonable amount of time and you can even watch this in one of my video clips accompanying this review. Everything on the plate was amazingly delicious, quality, and plentiful. The shrimps were fresh, plumpy, tasty, and cooked to perfection. The Fries were the right cut and fried just right to be crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. And the Hushpuppies were amazing. My compliments to the Chef for such an extraordinary cuisine. I believe that the success of good tasting seafood lies in the way it is prepared and cooked. No dinner is complete without a good sweet dessert. So as the grand finale I had a Flan. Now this was no ordinary flan. I invite you to look through my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourself. It was homemade, made with the riches of ingredients, and tasted splendidly. One of the best, if not the best Flan I ever had. In conclusion, I had an extraordinary dining experience and highly recommend this Seafood Restaurant. What the owner and chef of this restaurant have created can't be described in words but experienced for yourself. Let's go visit and give it our support, so quality restaurants like this will flourish and enrich the quality of our lives.

Food was inedible and they did nothing about it. They couldn't understand what I was saying and…read moredon't know how to cook their seafood. Probably bought cheapest seafood they could find I hope this place goes out of business absolutely awful. Service was awful too. And only two people in the whole restaurant.