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.

I've been following their social media for awhile now and finally had the chance to try their…read morelobster roll! I'm a fan of a Connecticut style roll (hot buttered lobster roll) so this was on my must-try list. The roll was expensive ($25) for a very small roll (we finished it in three bites) BUT it did contain both claw and tail meat. The roll was fresh and buttery and the lobster was cooked well. I only wished the lobster contained a little more butter. They had other items on the menu such as crab fries, coconut shrimp and on Facebook they show snow crab rolls coming soon (yuuum). The staff were really kind and even threw in a few fries for us to try. Overall, a nice experience but just expect to spend some money!

Note that this review is for the food truck when it was in RVA…read more Ok, so I should have tempered my expectations because this is a food truck, and I'm not in Maine, though with the lines and the social media hype, I was hoping to be blown away. Sadly, I wasn't. Service: I stood in line for 40 minutes before I ordered and then another 12 minutes for my food. Yes, there was a line ahead of me, yet there really was zero sense of urgency to move that line at above a snails pace. I also had to ask for forks and napkins Sandwich was pretty small, and lobster was chopped up and heavily seasoned. IMHO, it didn't taste fresh either, like maybe the seasoning was an attempt to cover the quality or freshness. Roll was not sturdy enough to support the lobster (pretty sure it was a cheap hotdog bun) Two sandwiches =$52. Alot for what it was and for lunch at a food truck My rating rationale Service +.5 Food~Taste/flavor/quality +1. Presentation +1 Atmosphere/vibe Value

Food and service is always very good. I would recommend this restaurant for lunch or dinner. GG…read morealso has a large room for special events.

The hostess was paying attention to her phone , twice I said good morning before she looked up…read more I told her we would be 4 people for the buffet . She took us to the other side of the restaurant where, without a word dropped off 3 menus for alcohol and left. After 5 minutes a waitress came in and directed us to the other side where the buffet is. The orange juice in the mimosa was rancid, no spoon was brought, just a knife and fork. I ended up having to use a straw to mix the cream and sugar in my coffee. No one but the owner behind the omelette station . The eggs are already mixed kept in a glass container and not kept in ice or any type of refrigeration. They were just kept out all the time as well as the ingredients. The water had a very strong taste, so I did not drink it. The only other time we were approached by a server was on the way out that we asked whom did we pay. It was quiet around 11:15 am. The price is reasonable but not worth it.

Absolutely one of the best smashed grill burgers you will ever eat. Clean, orderly traditional…read morediner with friendly waitstaff. Reminded me of the burgers at the cafe's my parents took me to in the 60's.

The Food, the service and the ambiance were excellent. Stopped there on our way to Asheville…read more Will definitely be returning!

Always love the grilled whitefish with lemon pepper seasoning, rice and sweet carrots. Enjoyed cole…read moreslaw this time instead of potato. Love the fried apple pie. Extremely sweet though. Cheddars is one of the few restaurants that doesnt carry bottled water, so they miss out on my drink sale.

First time here and pleasantly surprised!! The ambiance is elegant casual. The staff was very…read morefriendly and welcoming. The host had a pleasant attitude and great smile. Our waitress, Misty, made our experience positive and pleasant! The food was affordable and delicious my two favorite combinations. I can't wait to return for the biscuits, drinks and service!! Come back and ask for Misty she is awesome!!!

Recently visited Montano's for the second time and I've enjoyed both of my meals here. Came here…read morewith my family for a meal and everyone enjoyed what they had (with the exception of the oyster salad). I loved the pimento cheese bread I started with and my shrimp and salmon with pasta was very tasty. Standout here was the fried artichoke appetizer...that was delicious. Service was friendly and prices were reasonable. Overall, a very nice evening at Montano's. They handle big parties well (there were six of us) and everyone left happy and with leftovers!

Our new go to date night. Brazilian menu is outstanding and delicious. Wife and I are trying to…read morefind something new each time we dine out- not disappointed. The wait staff is knowledgeable but busy. Always busy. Gotta try this place. Reservations can be done online.

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.

We never get tired of Wasena City Tap Room & Grill. The food is delicious and the service is always…read morefriendly and attentive. The location and atmosphere are wonderful. Outdoor dining with the greenway trail and river in a neighborhood vibe make it a beautiful location to make a perfect day of it.

Was having a great time playing trivia until the shut down the bar 1/2 way through and even closed…read morethe bathrooms before the game was over All staff claimed they had no idea what was going on? No manager in sight

Food was excellent, my scrambled eggs were perfect, bacon was nice and crisp without being over…read moredone, and their biscuits and pancakes were light and fluffy!! Our service was quick and attentive! Not a fancy place but a great find for a quality country style breakfast!

Food was great, server was very friendly. Restaurant was clean and well managed. I had the veggie…read moreomelet my husband had the double cheeseburger both were 10!

really solid bar food!…read more I love the vibe here and the atmosphere makes you want to stay awhile. Definitely a great local spot if you're looking for good bar food and a fun, relaxed place to grab a drink.

We visited the Yard Bird Tavern in downtown Roanoke. Finding a spot can be a bit of a gamble;…read moreunless you're lucky enough to snag a space at the curb, you should expect to pay for parking. ​Atmosphere & Menu ​Upon entering, we found the restaurant pleasantly sophisticated, though it was nearly at capacity. While we opted not to explore the drink menu, we were eager to see what the kitchen had to offer. The menu itself is concise, focusing primarily on wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, supplemented by a few small appetizers. ​The culinary style is quite eclectic. They feature several unconventional toppings and flavor combinations that might seem a bit eccentric at first glance. ​The Culinary Experience ​I decided on a flatbread-style pizza topped with: ​Smoked chicken ​Pickles ​Peppadew-style peppers (which resembled small cherry tomatoes) ​A tangy, zesty sauce reminiscent of an enchilada base with an extra "zing." ​My wife opted for a "build-your-own" pizza featuring red onions, pepperoni, and bell peppers. Although she realized too late that she had forgotten to request light sauce, she noticed the oversight immediately upon the dish's arrival. ​Service Observations ​The service was a bit of a mixed bag. Our waitress was professional but remarkably brisk. She lacked the usual pleasantries or "small talk" one might expect, focusing instead on efficiency. While her haste felt a bit impersonal, I couldn't complain about her attentiveness--she was incredibly prompt at refilling my iced tea the moment my glass was empty. Make sure you bring your pocketbook this pizza brings a sting at the register.