It is said that valuable things come in small boxes, but never in my wildest imagination did I…read moreconceive of a place like Stellina. 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 uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Stellina, in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Stellina (which means "Little Star" in Italian) is a secretly hidden little bar within the very popular Italian Restaurant Fortunato, but with its own entrance through a door on the right of the restaurant. Its only indication of its name is a small letter board behind one of its front windows, stating its name and hours of operation. This bar was constructed with reclaimed wood from the Old Crow distillery and opened in December of 2016. Since then its gain a reputation as the ideal spot for hand-crafted cocktails in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. It seats only about 20 people, with 7 at the bar. Not that long ago it gained recognition by being featured in the New York Post as one of the world's best small bars. All that I can tell you about this place doesn't do justice to the experience of visiting the place for the very first time. After stepping inside, I was mesmerized by the simple yet effective, elegance of the establishment, complimented by the beautifully dressed young lady, server/bartender. Her elegant style and mysterious personality contributed to the character and ambiance of this one-of-a-kind relaxing place. The very hospitable young lady welcomed me and handed me the drink menu, while asking me if I also planned to dine there. I answered in the affirmative and asked her if they had any Mocktails. To my surprise, she pointed out that one side of the Drinks Menu were all non-alcoholic drinks, including mocktails, bottled mocktails, wine by the glass, and beers. I ordered one of the mocktails and by the end of my meal, I think I must have tried a few. She then brought me Fortunato's menu, and I ordered the Fritto Misto as appetizer and the Pork Milanese as my main entrée. I enjoyed both course immensely. A lady employee brought me the food from Fortunato's Restaurant through a door that led to the restroom area of Fortunato's Restaurant, pass the kitchen. For dessert, that Which I consider the "Grand Finale" of a wonderful fine dining experience, I ordered their Tiramisu and Hot Chocolate. They were absolutely mouthwatering. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to return in the near future.

Tried to get reservations at Fortuna, but could not. Stellina offers their menu and is right beside…read morethem. Stellina is small and on a Friday they were packed in. Scored at the bar which worked fine for me. Service was lukewarm, but still ok. Service started out slow and improved. However, no check-ins were performed at all. I was given a cocktail and food menu. I knew I wanted an Old Fashioned and dropped an order for their lamb meatballs. Shortly after I decided on the eggplant Parmesan main. My drink with Rittenhouse Rye bourbon was tasty, just not much of it price at $17 steep too! I also ordered a specialty hot rum drink with pumpkin spice at $10 that was amazing! The meatballs hit quickly and were devoured! So yummy! About 15 minutes later the main dropped and was huge! Really quality and flavorful for a vegetarian dish. Overall the food was better than the service and prices were stretched. 3.5 rounding down due to service.

There's a reason they built a parking garage in Vinton…read more.. Live music. Best burger in Roanoke. Fun and clean. Hoping the Town of Vinton will allow table games and sports betting soon.

Clean, congenial clientele, user friendly gaming, bright ambisince, customer service efficient,…read moretasty menu, a good package, adequately staffed! No pickle ball or ping pong tables is the only serious omission!

As the same with the Richmond location, the Cobra Kai double I ordered with crinkle cut and sweet…read morepotato fries paired with Jack Brown's signature sauce all were nothing short of perfect! One taste and you are in love! The service is attentive and friendly as the restaurant itself is decorative and pleasant to enjoy yourself within! My guess is that we should expect nothing less than perfection with every location!

First time at this location for Jack Browns which is store #2 in the chain. I had on my list the…read morelast visit and did not make it. They were packed before 5 PM on a Friday. But honestly the place is tiny. My visit with wife was brief by design. We sat at the bar and got cheeseburgers and water to move onto something else planned. Amazing service from multiple staff and yum burgers. Easy checkout and decent value. Hopefully a return visit next year and I can enjoy more of the menu. I love their sweet potato fries and large beer selection. Absolutely recommend.

After a little over a year of opening its doors in Vinton, Virginia, across the street from the…read moreVinton Library, this hole in the wall, family-owned American restaurant with the name of Absolutely Delicious Bar & Grill, has absolutely delivered some of the best smash burgers, hot dogs, and other delicious freshly made American comfort food in this neighborhood and beyond. 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 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 Absolutely Delicious Bar & Grill, in Vinton, Virginia, is a perfect example. Today I decided to give them a visit for a follow-up review of the first one I wrote when they first opened. The first thing I was happy to see were picnic tables with colorful patio umbrellas placed in the open space yard on the left of the restaurant. It seems like they are gearing up for expansion and many new things to come for the Spring of 2026, after a very successful 2025, for its high-quality food at reasonable prices, in a welcoming and friendly environment, with excellent service. As usual, as soon as I walked in the place, I was received with a heartfelt, open-arm, very warm welcome, and was given the good news that starting on March 16th their hours will be expanded to 10:30AM - 10:00PM Mondays through Thursdays and 10:30AM - 1:00AM Fridays and Saturdays. They told me about all their plans for the Spring of the new year, including the further expansion of their outdoor patio dining area. My server Justin, the son of this family-owned business, took my order and had me seat down at the counter of my choice. I ordered a Coke to drink, forgetting that they also had Cherry Coke, my favorite. To eat I ordered a Jesse Jones Beef All Beef Hotdog with mustard, ketchup, and relish; as well as a Smokehouse Burger, which had a double smash burgers, BBQ sauce, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Pickles and two cheeses of my choice. I picked American and Swiss cheese as my choice and they customized it to include lettuce, tomatoes, and ketchup. Then I made it a combo with Waffle Fries and a medium Coke. I enjoyed watching the cook make my food in their open kitchen. Wearing special black disposable nitrile gloves, he grabbed a ball of fresh, high-quality ground meat and put it on the grill; then he used a burger smasher to flatten the ball-sized beef patties onto the hot surface of the grill for maximum searing. During the process, he changed his disposal gloves several times to ensure food safety. He also used a basting brush to butter the burger buns before he heated them on the grill. This not only gave the burger a good taste but made it look delicious. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. When I took a bite of my smash burger, it tasted absolutely mouthwatering, or as the restaurant is called "Absolutely Delicious." The same with the hot dog. Best hot dog around! And the waffle fries were amazing. They were well seasoned and shaken after they came out of the frier; soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. The best waffle fries I've ever had. Even better than the ones from Chick-fil-A! They also had me taste their newly introduced Tater Tots; which are a graded potato formed into small cylinders and deep-fried. Their taste and texture were out-of-this-world! Very soft in the inside and just the right amount of crunchinnes on the outside. For dessert I had a couple of Strawberry Cheesecake Rolls. It reminded me of the fried cheesecake commonly served in Mexican restaurants but these also had strawberry filling. I was so pleased with their food and service that I gave them a good tip and paid at the counter with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard. I highly recommend this little restaurant and urge you to give them your total support. What you'll get back will be an "absolutely amazing" dining experience like never before.

Today while I was working I got a craving for a Hot dog, tater tots and sweet tea. I looked on…read moretheir menu and they had all of it so i door dashed it and it was the BEST! Not to mention the fact i have a box full of tater tots I am going to eat with my dinner tonight of a Hamburger when i get home . First time ever eating here and look forward to the next time. Thank you for a delicious and hearty lunch today Absolutely Delicious!

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.

I was told to check this place out while I was in town. When I arrived they had a trivia contest…read moregoing on, I didn't participate but sounded like fun. The service was good. Sat at the bar and had a burger which was pretty good.

When I first reviewed this Downtown Roanoke Restaurant, I focused on their drinks and food. But…read morethis time around I couldn't help it to discover why this place is the center of Roanoke's night life. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that it would be appropriate this year to go back to this restaurant and write a follow-up review, since my initial review was one of my reviews that contributed to me obtaining this highly esteemed Award. I arrived on a Thursday evening with a 6:15pm reservation which I'm glad I had made because later I found out that this place gets to be a full house on Thursdays. A young lady host greeted and welcomed me at the Host's station as soon as I arrived. She checked my reservation and had my table all ready for me. Located in the middle of this very popular Restaurant Bar, gave me a nice view of the entire place, and with a light high above I had a perfect lighting to photograph my drink and food as part of my review of the place. My server Jillian arrived soon after I was seated. She had a wonderful personality and welcomed me with a friendly smile and very pleasant attitude. After answering me some questions about their Mocktails, I ended up ordering their Raspberry Burro. For dinner I ordered their BBQ Bacon Chicken Kababs with a side of their special fries and a salad. While I was waiting for my food to arrive I observed the place quickly filling up and I found out that tonight was Music Bingo and Live Music at 9:30pm with no cover charge. It brought me back to my college days in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the night life was a thing to look forward to. Suddenly I discovered the key of Martin's popularity and the important role it plays in contributing to making the City of Roanoke a Star City indeed. I enjoyed my drink and the Chicken Kababs with the side of special fries were amazingly delicious, as well as the salad. They have a good variety of quality items on their menu and their chefs amazingly deliver. I invite you to read my first review where I celebrate their Cuban Sandwich and Slaw, and view my photographs that accompany my review. What a night. Besides the food, I enjoyed playing the Music Bingo, which one of the card titles was The 1970's. One of the best years of my life, when I attended High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico and College in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. During that time I also won a Saltwater Fishing Tournament at the young age of 17 by catching a 405 pound Blue Marlin off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. It was the best of times for me. My server Jillian provided exceptional customer service, checking on me at the appropriate times. For dessert I ordered their Glazed Doughnut Bread Pudding, and it was so good, I can't wait to return to have it again. What an extraordinary dining experience I had that night. I highly recommend this restaurant and bar for when you feel like having a good time, alone or with family and good friends. I promise you will be able to sabor what a Five Star review is all about, and experience for yourselves why Martin's is one of the City of Roanoke's most precious gems.

Great spot for drinks. Everyone was super friendly and the atmosphere was very welcoming.read more

Not even worth one star. Horrible service, bartenders rather smoke then work, dirty, and 100 other…read morebars that have cheap drinks where I feel safe and not have to worry about getting robbed or hurt.

This looks were deceiving this would be the place! I pulled up to this restaurant, thinking this…read morewas just some kind of dive bar, and the food/service was not gonna be anything special. However, the moment that I stopped, and I was greeted like a regular, kristi I believe her name was Went above and beyond! Then, when it came to the food, oh my goodness for a little while I had to pay, it was some of the best food I've had in this area ! The cheese sticks were everything you would want in the cheese stick! The sandwich was beyond tasty! I will definitely be back many times

From the owner: Home cooked meals made every day, great night life and the cheapest coldest beer in townread more

They allow smoking. So don't go here if you don't want to smell like an ashtray after being there…read morefor 30 seconds. :(

Smoking bar. Friendly barmaid. Cheap drinks. Did I mention it was a smoking bar?read more

For a total dive bar, these folks have an amazing kitchen, producing good bar food late into the…read morenight. I ordered wings, and they were large, freshly cooked, succulent. Lots of choices on seasonings and sauces too. The staff is very friendly! Yo say this place is low key and laid back would be an understatement, but don't judge this book by its cover.

i ordered boneless wings and fries, the wings were pretty good but the fries were bland and stale…read moretasting. i only got like 4 wings with my order so it was mostly fries.