Just when I thought I'd seen it all, The Haven opened its doors in Downtown Roanoke, two days ago,…read moreright as we were about to get snow, and I immediately headed over there, on a freezing Saturday, with a wind chill of -2 degrees, to discover a New Downtown Gem in a Freezing City.
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 The Haven, in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example.
Unique from the moment of its conception, this restaurant / bar is more than just a place where you can get a bite to eat and a drink to quench your thirst. It's a welcoming space where people can go to relax, connect, and enjoy good times with those who mean the most to them.
From the moment I walked through the door, I felt welcomed. Suddenly, the warmth of the modern industrial-chick interior, the exposed bricks, and the energy of the crowd, made me feel right at home and protected from the outside cold environment. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. From the people at the bar, drinking and watching a game on one of the large screen TVs, or enjoying some quality time with a group of friends while drinking and having something to eat, or playing pool at one of their beautiful blue pool tables, or a family in the low tables dining room in the back enjoying some elevated comfort food and a good night out.
One of their employees, a friendly young lady greeted me and took me to the open space dining area with low tables, which I requested after she asked me for my preference. She gave me a copy of the menu and took my drink order of a Cherry Coke. To dine I ordered a Side Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing to start off with and a Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Fried Rice and Broccoli as my main entrée. The food was amazingly delicious. Two nice size, plumpy and juicy chicken breast cooked to perfection with an amazing fried rice and fresh broccoli.
All the staff there handled the opening-days rush in winter weather wonderfully, to the last detail. One of their owners/managers graciously came by my table to say hi and introduce himself. He clearly understood that relationships is key to the success of a business. My friendly and efficient server, Kiesha, provided me with excellent customer service, checking on me at the appropriate times, making sure to refill my Cherry Coke naturally, without me having to ask, and to keep an eye on me, even during rush time when she was serving a large table with a family of four. And her recommendation for the Grand Finale dessert of the Funnel Cake Fries was outstanding. They were the best I've ever had, cooked and served just right with chocolate, strawberry, and caramel dipping sauces.
In conclusion I highly recommend this amazing, one-of-a-kind establishment to all of you reading my review and I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. As to me, what can I say, they already won me over.