I LOVE Maw & Paw's Diner - this cute local eatery, literally nestled in Eagle Rock, is one of those…read morehidden gems that offers daily specials, a great variety on their breakfast/lunch/dinner menu, and holiday buffets. Real talk: I stumbled upon this eatery years ago, but never had the opportunity to go 'off the beaten path' on our road trips to stop by - I couldn't wait to check this local eatery with their super cute logo! The hubs and I stopped by here and had a biscuit sandwich, a Hot Roast Beef dinner, and one of their famous hand-pattied burgers (which we actually stayed for an additional hour or so, as they weren't serving the burgers until later!). While the biscuit was forgettable, the hot roast beef was so scrumptious! It was so hearty, savory, and stick-to-your-rib deliciousness, and such a comfort meal on a plate! The burger was ginormous, and you can tell that they hand-form the fresh patties; the patty was super juicy and all the toppings were fresh. Service was so friendly, welcoming, and with a smile! The restaurant itself has such a charm, and I'd love to be able to return again to check out their holiday buffets!

So Maw and Paw's Diner is like a local's favorite in Eagle Rock. The town is small and there…read morereally isn't anything else around for a while unless you drive to Subway at Sunset Market so begger's can't be choosers. My dad used to love to come here for the buffet after Sunday services at the church and we would stop in here for a burger during summers after he picked me up when he got off work. Their burgers are handmade (meaning they are hand pattied) and used to be very good. During certain times when you stop in there will be buffets offered with things like frog's legs and the like so if you want to get some local country fixings you can try to haunt the board for those things. I tend to stick to what I know and go with simple items and wouldn't order anything other than a sandwich or the burger from here. It's simple food with a simple kitchen and it's very good for what it is. But this is not a fancy place. It's a small diner in a small town run by friendly locals. Temper your expectations, if you find yourself here and hungry, it'll hit the spot.

We just happened to stop at a nearby gas station and noticed this place up on the hill. We decided…read moreto give it a try, and let me say--it was definitely worth the drive! The kiddos had the chicken nuggets and waffle fries. If you love Chick-fil-A nuggets, you'll love these. My wife ordered the Chicken Caesar Wrap with salt and vinegar waffle fries. She wasn't a fan of the fries, but she absolutely LOVED the Caesar wrap. As for me, I had the burger, and it was FANTASTIC! It was huge, packed with flavor, and well worth the money. I was not disappointed at all. The waitresses were friendly, the food came out quickly, and the overall experience was excellent. I highly recommend this place, and we will definitely be back. Thank you from the Griggs Family from North Carolina!

My steak sub with peppers, onions and mushrooms was good, the fries were cooked well, the prices…read morewere reasonable and the service was just fine. A good lunch spot on our travels.

Great beer, great food, and some of the nicest people you're going to run into. We've been to this…read morerestaurant twice coming into town for for a marathon and both times it's been fantastic.

We stay in Douthat park for thanksgiving week and Jack Mason's is a staple in our dinner rotation…read morefor the week. We love to sit at the bar but there are tables and booths for those who don't prefer that. It's very rustic with license plates all over the wall of the bar. I always like my mixed drink. The bar tenders are always really nice but sometimes you have to wave them down. We love their burgers, BBQ sandwich, chicken Caesar wrap and chicken sandwich.

Today I happened to have taken the road less traveled and it led me to a whole new world in dining…read moreexperiences. One which I can only describe with one word: Extraordinary! After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I was also 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 1772 Rooftop on Main, a very unique restaurant and bar, located in the historic town of Fincastle, Virginia is a perfect example. From the moment I heard about this place I couldn't help stop thinking about going there one day and having a memorable dining experience. One like none other ever before. The owners of this restaurant had that rare creative imagination of coming up with the concept of a restaurant and bar located in a historic building with lots of character and charm. Starting from its quaint handcrafted bar and dining room located next to its semi-open kitchen on the first floor, to the rooftop open dining patio with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the historic Fincastle Courthouse, originally designed by Thomas Jefferson. This together with the uniqueness of the rooftop patio having a bar made out of an old Beechcraft V Tail Bonanza plane that was purchased from Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke, Virginia. Once a fully functional aircraft is now the center of attention of the 1772 rooftop dining patio. After making a six o'clock reservation for a Friday evening to this family-owned restaurant and bar, I checked on my cellphone and driving on the alternative route of 220 it would only take me 31 minutes to get there from Roanoke, Virginia. I enjoyed the ride in my pearl white Lexus Luxury Edition listening to music on its powerful radio. When I arrived it didn't take long for me to find a huge parking lot conveniently located about a block away from the restaurant. Once inside, a friendly young lady greeted me at the Host's station and confirmed my reservation. I asked to be seated at the indoor dining room where I could see their kitchen and observe their operation, and then I would visit the rooftop on my way out. She leadi me pass an area of beautiful wooden shelves with item for sale, and through a hallway into the indoor dining room and bar, where she handed me the menu. It didn't take long for my server, another young lady, to welcome me, answer some questions about the menu, and take my order. The menu was not large but full of very desirable items that would want to make me return to try them all. I ordered a Pepsi to drink. A House Salad to start off with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. And an 8oz tender top cut Sirloin, their Baseball Sirloin as my main entrée. It was served with whipped potatoes and sautéed zucchini & squash. The salad was simply amazing. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. The main entrée was also exquisite. They had a wonderful team of chefs who knew how to bring out the best in every dish they prepared. For dessert I had a slice of their Peanut Butter pie. It was delicious but brought frozen and thus hard to eat. I would suggest they do something to thaw the pie a little like they do in other restaurants for the customers to better enjoy the dessert dining experience. When finished eating, I paid with my credit card and went upstairs to the rooftop. It was wonderful. A full-house of customers enjoying a good time together, with good food and good drinks. All the servers were very friendly and welcoming, creating the ideal ambiance for an extraordinary dining experience and night out.

Great setting, good food, awful service and management. Waited 30mins for a drink and to place our…read moreorder. Held hostage 2+ hours for a small dinner. The kitchen seemed on top of it, but when food was brought out, it would sit for 10mins. Customers eventually started serving themselves. Figure it out or close the doors!

My husband and I stopped here during our trip to ohio and our server was very friendly. Great food…read morefor a good price will definitely visit again when passing by.

I have visited this restaurant several times over the years and never expected exceptional service…read more Really only ever the bare minimum. Unfortunately, even that appears to be too much to ask. On my most recent visit, I arrived alone and took an open seat at the bar, which seemed like the obvious choice for a solo diner. I immediately noticed food from a completely different fast-food restaurant scattered across part of the counter. Since it was on the employee side of the bar and both employees were standing behind it, I reasonably assumed they were eating between tasks. In fact, one employee was actively eating from the food while on the clock. While unprofessional, I chose to overlook it. What I could not overlook was the behavior of the employee I later learned was named Betty. Rather than greeting me or taking my order, Betty decided to make comments about my choice of seating to the other patrons sitting at the bar. Instead of speaking to me directly, she chose to publicly imply that I had done something wrong by sitting in an open seat clearly intended for customers. When I asked whether she was referring to me, she confronted me and explained that it should have been "obvious" that the area occupied by their fast-food meal was reserved for the employees. Let that sink in: an employee eating food from another restaurant behind the counter felt entitled to publicly criticize a paying customer for sitting at a customer seat because it interfered with her personal breakfast. The entire interaction was embarrassing, unprofessional, and incredibly disrespectful. The issue wasn't the food. It wasn't the seat. It was the astonishing sense of entitlement and complete lack of customer service displayed by someone whose job is to provide hospitality. If employees want designated dining areas, management should provide them. What should never happen is a customer being publicly singled out and treated like an inconvenience for using a seat intended for patrons. Needless to say, I left without ordering. I will not be returning, and I will be sharing this experience with others. Poor service is one thing. Being openly mocked and confronted for sitting in an available customer seat is another level entirely. This restaurant already struggled with mediocre service. After this experience, it has earned something far worse: a reputation for making customers feel unwelcome.

Not only did The River Burger Bar serve up an absolutely amazing burger, but the service was also…read moreoutstanding. I currently live in Oregon, but had come to the area where I grew up for family business. Admittedly, the time difference has always been very challenging for me whenever I return east, so I forget to eat until it's usually just about or past closing time for most joints. The staff didn't bat an eye when I sheepishly saddled in 30min to closing; hoping to not go to bed hungry...again. I was graciously served a juicy, flavorful burger with the warm, southern?/Appalachian? charm I don't realize I miss til I'm back home & it's right in front of me. The interior is comfy & no-nonsense. Don't change a thing folks!

I visited here during a vacation time this year. The town has a number of restaurants to choose…read morefrom and this was on the list. It felt in tune with the other members of the staff: Not a miss in step to ask or be told. On the mark ! If they didn't have it then questions were answered to what they had. Felt like a shot gun house in an old town where everyone was comfortable being there. Relaxing and enjoying. Food excellent for a first time try out.

I wasn't even in the mood for beer, but came here anyways and was shocked…read more I went with a friend for dinner here as the options are super limited in Lexington VA. I was already not in the mood for anymore drinking after spending a weekend in a major tournament in Lynchburg. Anyways, for a Saturday evening, this place was pretty packed both inside and outside. We both ended up getting a flight of beers each and every one was great. The food surprised me as my fish tacos was super fresh. The chips and queso was also great. Overall, a must see - especially for the view of the mountains if you decided to eat outdoors.

We are from out of town and wanted to take a large group out for celebration dinner. This was a…read moregreat location with a patio that overlooks the valley. Beautiful views and incredible weather made it very comfortable to sit outside on their large patio with well cared for benches with shade. There were about 15 of us so there were a whole bunch of different things ordered and everything was wonderful. Bavarian pretzels, mac and cheese, burgers and tacos. Everyone was very happy with the food. I would absolutely recommend

Amazing burgers and get the loaded fries. The fried Oreos are also a super nice treat.read more

My sister and I stopped at Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint in Roanoke after two ladies at the L&L…read moreshop downtown recommended it, and it turned out to be an amazing experience. The place is small but quaint, with dim lighting, a full bar, and a fun mix of music genres that keeps the vibe relaxed but lively. I ordered the Gregg Brady, and my sister had the Doctor Gozo, both made with 100% Wagyu beef. You can taste the quality immediately. I added mushrooms and grilled onions for a small extra fee, and had my BBQ chips that come on it, on the side. We shared the crinkle‑cut fries, which came with their incredible house sauce. The sauce was so good I asked if they sold it, they do not, but the waitress sent me home with some samples for free. Service was fast and friendly. The waitresses were dressed in black tank tops, black shorts, and black shoes, and every one of them worked with a smile, like they were glad you came. The restaurant entrance itself is handicap accessible, but the bathrooms are not, they're very clean but also very small and too tight for a wheelchair to fit inside. One of the coolest things about Jack Brown's is their Beer Club. If you drink 100 different beers, you become a "Notcher." If you drink 1,000, different beers you become a "Saint." On Saint's Day, Saints get all food and drinks free, unlimited, with no tab. It's a huge part of their culture and adds to the fun, and a loyal community. Overall, the food was phenomenal, the staff went above and beyond, and the atmosphere made the whole visit top notch. I will definitely be coming back the next time I roll through this part of town. How to Become a Notcher (repeat for the Saints) To achieve Notcher status, individuals must follow these steps: 1. Visit a Jack Brown's location: Start by walking into any Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint. 2. Request a Notcher list: Ask for the Notcher list to begin your journey. 3. Try 100 different beers: Sample 100 different beers to reach Notcher status. 4. Join the community: Once you hit 100, you become part of the Notch Club, which includes various events and celebrations. This program encourages beer lovers to explore different flavors and styles while fostering a sense of community.

We ate dinner here 2 consecutive evenings and the food was delicious and service great! Highly…read morerecommend this restauran!

We've lived in the area for two weeks and have eaten here twice , should I say more. Excellent…read moremeals here, service is awesome and servers are friendly! We love it!

(Very) small town diner. A favorite of locals. The building is an open floor plan double wide that…read moreseems to have been renovated in the last few years. Walk in and seat yourself, one server serves the whole room. The food is okay, needs salt and seasoning but good for the price. Myself and two children ate for $16, can't get breakfast anywhere else that cheap. Bring cash, as it is a cash only establishment.

If you're looking for ambiance, the North Star restaurant isn't for you. If you're looking for an…read moreexcellent burger and are near Buchanan, VA, the North Star will not disappoint. The North Star is a clean Virginia roadside diner offering delicious food. My neighbor and I were visiting Buchanan to have his John Deere mower serviced, and we asked the salespeople where we could get a good lunch. The staff unanimously recommended the North Star, but we were cautioned not to order the double-cheeseburger unless we were very hungry. They were right. It is rare to get a burger prepared exactly the way I prefer one (cheese, ketchup, and loaded with grilled onions), and the North Star didn't disappoint. My friend ordered the double-cheeseburger and loved his meal as well. The fries were really good, and reminiscent of New York diner fries. My wife and I have been back more than a few times when we are in the mood for an excellent burger.