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!

It's been over a year now and I still remember that bowl of delicious fried Okra I had the first…read moretime I ate here. It was very significant to me because as I was growing up I learned to eat Okra from my grandmother's home cooking. And I can't think of no better way to describe this place as this. 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. Pok-E-Joe's has become one of the most loved BBQ restaurants in Vinton, Roanoke, and nearby cities and towns. And key to its success is their quality meats and slow smoking cooking process that lasts for hours, turning their meats into award-wining Southern culinary masterpieces. Today, when I arrived a friendly young lady greeted me at the Host's station and after giving me a warm welcome, and inquiring as to where I wanted to be seated, took me to a comfortable booth next to the window. There I enjoyed looking over the menu with all the unique and delicious Southern BBQ foods such as the Pulled Pork, the USDA Prime Brisket, the Smoked Sliced Turkey, and others. Not long afterwards, my very friendly server, Jessica, came by with a big smile to greet me and take my order. I ordered an Iced Lemonade to drink. And to eat I ordered the Build Your Tray. I first asked for the Brisket Tips, which I had heard so much of, but they didn't have any today. So I picked my meats for the tray 1/4 lb of Pulled Pork and 1/4 lb of USDA Prime Brisket. For my sides I ordered Fried Okra, a Side Salad with Blue Cheese dressing, and Straight Cut Fries. The tray also included 3 Hushpuppies. I also wanted to include in this review their Pok-E-Cuban Sandwich, so I also ordered this with the idea of taking home the leftovers to eat tomorrow. My server Jessica did an excellent job taking my order, seeing that it was delivered, and checking on me at the right times. Everything was to good to the point of being exquisite. The flavor of the meats were out of this world, and they were so tender and juicy. The Salad was made with fresh ingredients and tasted refreshing with the Blue Cheese dressing. The Fried Okra and Hushpuppies were magnificent. And the Fries were the perfect cut and fried to perfection. As to the Pok-E-Cuban Sandwich, it surpassed all the others that I have had, with the slow smoked Ham and Pulled Pork, pickles, Swiss Cheese, and their house-made Spicy Mustard. All this, and at a very reasonable price. The ambiance of the restaurant was clean, warm, and relaxed. And contributed to the amazing diving experience. For dessert I had a Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowl Sundae. It was the dessert of the day and tasted amazing. Even the quality of the Vanilla Ice-cream was tops and creamy. This restaurant is very detail oriented, with fine food, cooked the right way, and provided with excellent customer service. And this makes for an extraordinary dining experience.

My wife and I were visiting Roanoke, and we stopped at Pok-E-Joe's for supper. We were very…read moreimpressed with the ribs, the jalapeño cheddar sausage, the smashed potato with pulled pork, and even the potato salad. Ryan was our server. He was very attentive and friendly. Keep up the great work!!

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.

Hot Chicken for the win! The best fries and fried pickles too! My favorite sauce was the scorpion…read morepepper! The wings were large crispy and juicy. Service was fast and courteous. Good spot, highly recommended.

It's inconceivable how on July 20th of this year it will have been a year since the grand opening…read moreof HCK Hot Chicken in Vinton, Virginia and I hadn't heard of it. I can say it's the best kept secret of the Town of Vinton, in Roanoke County, and it's about time that it no longer be a secret. I am determined to go try it out and spread the word. 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 this year 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 young established ones that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And HCK Hot Chicken is the perfect example. Located off East Washington Avenue, in one of the most beautiful areas of Vinton, near William Byrd High School, this restaurant is located inside a long standing convenience store, "Vinton Tobacco & Grocery," and in the same location of a bp gas station, but don't let this fool you, it has its own entrance on the side, its own parking lot, and a drive-thru lane for ordering. Besides this, its owner has done a great renovation job, that this is one of the cleanest gas stations/convenience stores that I have ever been to, and because of this it in no way detracts from the clean, bright, and contemporary ambiance of the restaurant itself. Founded in 2020, in Woodbridge, Virginia, the first HCK (Hot Chicken Kitchen) Hot Chicken restaurant had as its Mission: "Unity through Food." Recognizing the power of food to bring people together. Their belief is that "food unites us and can lift people up." There menu features succulent Nashville-style chicken sandwiches, classic and boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken and Belgian waffles, loaded fries, loaded mac and cheese, coleslaw, fried pickles, fried donut drops, and more. The owner of the restaurant who warmly greeted me when I arrived told me that all of their dishes are gluten and allergen free. With no MSG and no peanut oil.The chicken is farm-raised, fed only vegetables and grains, with no use of growth-boosting chemicals. When one enters the restaurant, it is nicely designed (with the colors red, black, and white), and with hardwood floors, wood tone tables and chairs, a well organized ordering counter, and a well lit menu high above the counter, as well as with large pictures of menu item just below the menu sign. The very friendly and knowledgeable order taker took my order from behind the counter. I ordered a Nashville Style Chicken Sandwich Combo with the mildest sauce they had. It came with their seasoned krinkle kut fries, a side of good sauce, and a drink. Not bad for $14.49, especially after you taste the food. The chicken was the plumpiest, juiciest, and tastiest chicken that I have ever eaten in a sandwich. The fresh toasted artisan potato bun complimented its flavor. The fries were crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, seasoned to perfection. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourselves because a picture is worth a thousand words. The welcoming and hospitable owner came to see how I had liked the food and I told him how amazing everything had been and that I looked forward to returning to try other menu items such as the Fried Donut Drops. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant for a very unique and wonderful chicken dining experience. Amazing food, clean and comfortable environment, and excellent customer service.

Food was amazing! The employees were very professional…read more Very clean the bathrooms are clean as well highly recommend

After reading the news that Jersey Mike's had taken the top spot in the 2026 American Customer…read moreSatisfaction Index for quick-service restaurants, ending Chick-fil-A's 11-year reign, and that the shift reflects customer's growing focus on consistency, value, and fresh-food offering, I decided to give a visit to this Jersey Mike's for the very first time, to experience for myself what I thought of this news compared to my dining experience there. But I should have foreseen this coming because just the other day in a Chick-fil-A not far from there, I arrived 5 minutes late after they had closed the dining room to the public and began serving drive-thru only, and I told an employee who was throwing out the trash that I had traveled this far just to dine at this Chick-fil-A (and I left out that I intended to write a Yelp review as well), she told me that she could not let me in, to go through the drive-thru. Needles to say, this attitude was not a reflection of the Chick-fil-A I used to know, although this was the first time I had attempted to eat there. I arrived at this Jersey Mike's for the very first time and parked in front of its building. The restaurant was clean and well-organized. An African-American, young lady greeted me and pointed out where I should go to order my food. There, an older, serious gentleman took my order for an Original Itatian Sub, regular size, in white bread, and began making it. Then he passed it on to the lady who had originally greeted me and she asked me what I wanted on it. I was expecting a different question so I waited and then she asked me: "Would you like that Mike's Way?" And I said yes. (Employees are corporate-mandated to ask customers this). She did a great job finishing building my sub, including pickles and banana peppers which I asked her to add. All the items looked very fresh and appetizing. I made it a combo and made sure my MyMike's was inputed to get my Shore Points. When I sat down to eat I noticed everything was fresh except the bread. With all the bread available that they had I would have expected to have been given a fresh piece. Here is where I detected a lack of consistency in fresh food. Yet in other Jersey Mike's this had never happen. It's amazing how one little detail can ruin a perfect score but I'm very particular on the freshness of the bread where I eat. Also, at Jersey Mike's the management protocol emphasizes a genuine enthusiastic, and welcoming atmosphere. I detected a lack of this from the manager and some of the team members where there is room for improvement. I hope corporate reads this review and takes action to correct the details that I have mentioned; because it is the little details that make the big difference.

Food is always awesome. Fast and friendly service. The ambiance is cozy. Feels like homeread more

The food was very good, as always! I was there for breakfast and with my omelette ordered a…read morebiscuit. Then I had a thought how if it could be put on the grill with some butter how tasty that would be... I requested it of the waitress and the cook brought it out to me to make sure it was done right... that service!!

OK, I feel like everyone in town loves this place, including myself. They finally accept debit…read morecards, which is amazing. The amount of food you get for your dollar they are feels like we are still in the 1990s. You can totally fill up on less than 10 bucks. I love the Kosher Klub German potato salad. It's always been my toe but recently, I've tried the submarine. And my oh my it is phenomenal.

The New Yorker Delicatessen is practically a landmark in the Star City of Roanoke, Virginia,…read more providing Quality Subs, Deli Meats, and other delicious items at very reasonable prices. I never got to visit it before Covid. But after Covid the dining room is no longer in operation and the Deli is Open for Take Out orders only. Their menu has been practically the same for 30 years, but now they accept credit cards for payment as well as cash. They have one of the largest parking lots of a restaurant located on Williamson Road. Yet it is never full anymore because now the restaurant is Open for Take Out orders only. Nevertheless, after all these years, I was looking forward to going in and discovering what was inside that has continue to attract such a large clientele to the restaurant. With a beautiful Art Deco-Ish Restaurant sign on its parking lot, that entice you to drive in; the architectural solid design of the building structure seems to be reflecting how solid this business continues to be in spite all it has gone through during the Civid era. The restaurant's building design contained many brown bricks as well as tiles making it look warm and solid. As one entered through two larged open doors, the first thing one saw was refrigerated display cases with Deli meats and other food items such as potato salad, cheese cakes. One of their employees greeted me with a smile behind the counter and even though I had a small menu of the place, she showed me a large version of the menu located on one of the walls, when I told her this was my first time here. The decor was very simple with chips filling all the all the wooden shelves around, a framed large portrait of the deceased founder of the restaurant, and many award certificates that the restaurant had won through the years. I ordered a Cheese Dog to go, because of the quality look of the hot dogs stored inside the refrigerator display case up front. And also an Onion Wheel, that had Corned Beef, Pastrami, and Imported Swiss, Served with Lettuce and Onions on a Buttered Onion Roll. For dessert I ordered a slice of their famous Cheesecake made in-house and a Chocolate Bomb. A dessert that I had for the first time at a local Italian Restaurant. Made with chocolate mousse in the center and other layers of chocolate all around, it is one of my favorites desserts ever. When I approached the cashier counter to pick up my order and to pay for it, a very welcoming and friendly lady who seemed to be the manager of the restaurant talked to me a little bit about the history about the restaurant and about its founder and his wife. From there I also got to see the dining area, that even though it was not used at the moment, gave you a sense of how the restaurant looked when it had eat in service. The food items were all reasonably priced. They sandwiches bread was soft and fresh and well toasted. And the deli meats, cheese, and other ingredients were served in generous portions, and amazingly delicious. And the slice of Dill Pickle was a nice touch to the eating experience. The desserts were also amazing, from the Cheesecake made in-house to the Chocolate Bomb who I would definitely return just for this alone. Even though I missed the inside the restaurant dining experience, I definitely highly recommend the amazing food and extraordinary customer service received. Great place to Order Out food for a family gathering or a special occasion party or event.

GREAT food with a great family friendly environment. Offering oven brick style pizza, super subs as…read morewell as calzobes and strombolis. And FREE FREE FREE delivery !

I have been to many bakeries in my lifetime, many wonderful ones located in cities like San Juan,…read moreMadrid, Rome, Paris, Brussels, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and Washington, DC, among others. I have truly enjoyed dining in each and every one of them. But Bread Craft, located in the Star City of Roanoke, is in a class of its own. After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing my consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants, businesses, and establishments, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to go back and write follow-up reviews on those places that impressed me the most during 2025, and Bread Craft Bakery, located in Downtown Roanoke, is the perfect example of one of them. Bread Craft is a premier, artisan European-style bakery established in 2006 by owner Alex Eliades, who besides having a passion for baking, has over 25 years of baking experience, and leads the bakery focusing on traditional slow-fermentation techniques. The bakery is known for its high-quality, scratch-made sourdough, pastries, and Croissants. It evolved from a wholesale operation into a popular 6,000 square foot café on Church Avenue, also supplying local restaurants. The bakery specializes in Franch and German-style baking, utilizing sourdough as a natural leavener. It servers breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches, salads, and some creative breakfast egg entrées. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8:00AM - 2:00PM and are well known for running out of items before the end of the day. For this review I visited the Bakery / Café for breakfast on two consecutive Wednesdays. The first Wednesday I arrived too late to be able to have their Chorizo & Eggs Cocotte from their Breakfast menu. Breakfast is only served until noon, and I found out about this on that day. So instead I had a Cheese Danish and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Both items were delicious. On the second Wednesday I arrived much earlier for breakfast. Luckily, right before a whole rush of customers arriving to place Take-out orders. As soon as I walked inside I immediately felt comfortable with its clean and contemporary architectural design and decor, and an exposed red brick wall that gave it a warm ambiance. One can see that the owner spent a substantial amount in renovating the place when they moved here, and that they took good care of it, because it looked as if it had just opened for the very first time yesterday. While I was looking over all the baked items they had, I received a friendly greeting and warm welcome from a lady behind the counter who seemed to be the manager and took my order. To start I ordered a Chorizo Quiche which happened to be the Quiche of the day, and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Then since I was planning to turn this into a Brunch, for my main entrée I ordered their Chorizo Cocotte from the Breakfast menu. And for dessert I had a Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant that was simply irresistible. Everything tasted amazingly delicious, especially since I love Chorizo. The Quiche had an amazing crust with the eggs inside cooked with the perfect amount of chorizo. The Chorizo Cocotte was served in an elongated bowl with two poached eggs over Spanish sausage, accompanied by three slices of freshly made Baguette. And if all this wasn't enough, the Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant was the perfect ending dessert to this fabulous put together Brunch. Oh and the coffee was the best of the best. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. What an outstanding dining experience I just had at Bread Craft. Wonderful ambiance, amazing food, and extraordinary customer service. I highly recommend this Bakery/Café whenever you're in the area. I'm absolutely certain it will become one of your favorites bakery.

This is an unfortunate review to write with so many rave reviews. However, it's a one off…read moreexperience with me being out of town. I specifically targeted Bread Craft with its stellar reviews. I parked off street which was free. The business has a small sign and larger one over the entry. The walk up was debris free. The interior was somewhat compact, but a few tables were available for eat in which I planned. I'm confident they have a heavy takeout business with bakery items. The case of baked goods looked fantastic! However, I had my eye on their Eggs Florentine which can be difficult to find on a menu. Ordering is by counter and I found the woman to be friendly. I ordered the Eggs Florentine and coffee and was given a mug for self serve pour and a table number. I thought the bill was affordable, With few customers and not had anything to eat at 1 PM I hoped for them to roll out my dish quickly. About 20 minutes went by and a nearby table received their order. However, just moments later the waitress realized her mistake, but it was too late. She gave my order to another table that took a bite. The waitress apologized, but this point I was starved. No offer of a pastry etc. Unfortunately the coffee was lukewarm and not tasty. A manager I believe said hello, but no apology if he even knew. I mean the place is small of course he did. Another 20 minutes or so and my food hit the table with no additional apology or again offer of pastry etc. Even if it was to go. On the bright side my eggs Florentine dish was amazing! It saved the review from going under water. I switched coffee to the dark roast which was hot, but still not tasty. I would not return or recommend. 2.5 rounding up with a fantastic eggs dish.

This local family business opend around three years ago in a strip mall on East Washington Ave, in…read moreVinton, Virginia. Today I happened to be in the area with a friend and after having dinner at a Chinese restaurant we decided to go there to have ice-cream for dessert. When we arrived we noticed that the Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant shares a large parking lot with the other stores of that Mall, and it's located in the last storefront on the left of the strip mall. The sign high above of the front of the business reads: Lickidy Split - ICE CREAM & MORE. And on the windows it mentions: HOT DOGS and BBQ. So this is not only an Ice Cream Parlor alone, it is also a restaurant selling comfort food ss well. The windows and the restaurant inside were very clean and organized. It had a sign with the names of the 40 flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream available there. The dining area was filled mostly with mostly square tables with different color tablecloths that gave the place a joyful look and unique decor, even though they did not have many other decorations. Since it had a very long open space and plenty of tables and chairs; including a lined up line of extra chairs. Next to the ordering counter, it had a traditional Hershey's Ice Cream freezer full of all the current flavors they currently had. On the wall before the cashier counter it had a Bulletin Board for their customers and other local businesses to post their business cards. It also had some wooden shelves with homemade jams, candies, and earrings made by local artists to sell here. As soon as we were in front of the ordering counter a very friendly young lady came out to greet and welcome us, and to take and serve our order. We both ordered a waffle cone with a scoop of the Premium Gold Caramel Cheesecake Cookie Monster. Although the waffle cones didn't seem made fresh there, they were crunchy, and the ice cream was amazingly delicious. We enjoyed eating them in this relaxed and cook environment. We found that this is definitely the place to go for a good cold and sweet treat on a hot Summer day.

Nice little place with great selections, tried there banana split Needed help to finish lol…read moreFriendly gals , great portions , very clean. And great milk shakes and hot dogs. Take the little ones they'll love it.