This was a rare gem! A gem that we really enjoyed. Our hostess was the best. She quickly seated us…read moreand told us about the "Tuesday Half Price the Entire Menu" day. Our group had been studying the menu prior to our arrival. We enjoyed nearly every cocktail on the menu along with one of their "special shots in an animal head shot glass". There was a little "show" with almost every drink. Even though we had already eaten, we couldn't resist sampling a few snacks. Each snack was unique. The baked potato skins had a spinach artichoke topping and the dumplings had a cayenne dust. The mini pizza was just ok. The service was the highlight of our experience. Our server was always there to make sure we had everything we needed. We hope to visit again when we are in town.

I wanted to share feedback regarding our recent dining experience to celebrate my son's graduation…read morewith family and friends as it was unfortunately very disappointing -- especially considering the price point and expectations presented for your restaurant and event reservations. First, the menu was extremely limited for both food and drinks. While the cocktails were enjoyable, the food quality and portions did not come close to justifying the $300+ we spent. We ordered the shrimp and wagyu skewers expecting thoughtfully prepared dishes. Instead, the shrimp appeared comparable to pre-made shrimp cocktail shrimp placed on a stick rather than freshly grilled seafood. The wagyu skewer lacked the quality and presentation expected from a fine dining establishment and honestly tasted more like beef stroganoff without noodles. I also ordered the lobster bisque, which was served lukewarm and tasted as though it came from a can. The Caesar salad with smoked trout was acceptable, but the trout resembled salmon more than smoked trout, and the dressing tasted bottled rather than house-made. What made the experience more frustrating was the lack of transparency regarding the menu prior to the event reservation. For a restaurant that strictly enforces reservations and cancellation fees, customers reasonably expect a much higher level of quality, preparation, and overall dining experience. Our server was kind, attentive, and did their best throughout the evening, so I truly appreciate their effort. However, much of the remaining staff appeared stressed, overwhelmed, and unwelcoming, which added to the uncomfortable atmosphere. Overall, the experience felt far from the fine dining experience being advertised. The drinks were honestly the only standout part of the evening. I also have to mention that the food we received looked nothing like the photos posted online and in Google reviews. It genuinely made us wonder if there was an issue in the kitchen this evening, because the quality and execution were nowhere near what was being represented publicly. I sincerely hope this feedback is taken constructively because there is a significant disconnect between the pricing, expectations, and actual dining experience being delivered.

Great food and atmosphere! Food was seasoned well and hot. Will definitely return again!read more

Phenomenal all around. Historic building renovated very nicely and historic art on the walls give…read moreit a unique southern feel. The menu is also very southern and tough to choose what get, but the fried chicken was amazing, pimento Mac n cheese was amazing, homemade biscuit/apple butter was amazing, Cole slaw best ever. Friendly service. I was to return for the meatloaf and ham. Amazing !! Well done.

The price here is an amazing value for what we thought was a really good Japanese meal…read more The sashimi Deluxe was a work of art, and really good variety of sushi. The fried rice that came with the chicken katsu don was great, smokey and flavorful from the hibachi. The unagi don comes in a nice wooden box with a lot of fish and tamago. The chicken katsu was even better than the typical katsu found at Japanese restaurants. Overall I would highly recommend Ocean Samurai, it was a great value and really great food.

Travel for Blacksburg! Ocean Samurai has quickly become one of my absolute favorites. It's rare to…read morefind a place that balances quality, creativity, and community the way they do. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is warm and inviting -- not too flashy, just thoughtfully designed with a clean, modern aesthetic. It's the kind of place where you can just as easily bring your family for a quiet dinner or meet up with friends for a casual night out. The sushi here is consistently fresh and beautifully presented. I'm not someone who's easily impressed by rolls -- but Ocean Samurai's signature rolls are something else. You can tell they put real care into each dish, both in flavor and presentation. Even the rice is seasoned just right, which says a lot. I also appreciate the range of options for folks who don't eat raw fish -- their bento boxes, hibachi, and cooked items are just as good. One of the things I really love is how they've made an effort to connect with the community. It's clear they care about the people who live here, not just the students. The staffs are friendly and down-to-earth, and they always greet returning guests like family. I've had several conversations with the owners and it's obvious they're passionate about what they do. Whether it's a lunch break during the work week or a relaxing dinner on the weekend, Ocean Samurai is the kind of place that makes you proud to support a local business. I hope it stays for a long time.

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.

This location opened this past June and I hadn't had a chance to check it out. They've got some…read moregreat cocktails! I went with the vadka mule, which was very well-made. Vibes are different than most similar establishments around the area. Mostly older folks here. There's plenty of seating, and the ambiance is quite modern. Service was good, except one of the bartenders was a bit sassy with one of my friends. One great aspect is that they allow you to eat food here from outside, as they don't serve food here. As a result, you're only allowed to order two drinks per day according to VA law. Overall, still a good spot and I definitely would come back.

Great whiskey bar in Blacksburg A little of the eaten path so don't miss this wonderful place…read more They have been making some very good bourbons and a terrific atmosphere Highly recommend for any bourbon lover visiting Vt

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.

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!

Thursday night we were able to walk in without reservations around 5:30pm. Service was slow but the…read morefood was exceptional. My husband ordered his dinner from the "Starters" and I ordered from the "Main courses". Our meals came out at different times and so we watched each other eat. Suggestion: make sure you tell your server to bring it ALL out at the same time IF you order from different areas of the menu. Not all servers are seasonal servers.

Pasta excellent Fish overcooked…read moreSaw great reviewsso tried it Debating if i will go back, probably not

After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last…read moreyear, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, 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 Kabuki Japanese Steak House & Sushi located in Christianberg, Virginia is the perfect example. My friend and I arrived at the restaurant on a beautiful Tuesday early evening at around 5:30pm. The architectural design of the building itself was very impressive. The light blue tiles of the roof stand out as we're not used to seeing blue tiles on a building but mostly red. The majestic entrance to the building anticipated something special inside. After passing by several display cases with Japanese items inside we reached the Host's station where a young lady host warmly greeted us and guided us to the dining area. There we found several teppanyaki tables. These tables are designed with a built-in flat iron griddle where food is cooked in front of the diners. The term "teppanyaki" itself comes from the Japanese words "teppan" (iron plate) and "yaki" (grilled).  The first table was already complete, so we were the first party to be seated at the second table. I sat at the corner so had a perfect view of the chefs of both tables. First our server, another young lady came and took the order of everyone on the table. She then brought us our soup and salad which was a good size and very tasteful. Then the Chef came out and repeated the order in front.of us to make sure who wanted what and how did they wanted cooked. Both my friend and I ordered the Filet Mignon & Scallops. He ordered the steak medium and I medium rare. Then the Chef started doing a show with his cooking instruments and with fire. I invite you to view my photographs and video clips accompanying this review for a better idea of the set-up and food. Even though the food was a bit expensive, I appreciated the fact that it was plentiful. They serve us a good size Filet Mignon and three large size quality Scallops. I've been at cheaper restaurants of this type that the amount of food left us with much to be desired and a bit hungry at the end. But not here. We felt totally satisfied at the end. Our Chef had a warm and welcoming personality and made the dining experience a total pleasure. As the evening went on several other tables were filled, and this was good for it being a Tuesday. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant for its cleanliness and the beauty of its exterior and interior design, creating a suitable environment appropriate to enjoying a wonderful presentation and Japanese meal, provided by a very friendly and talented staff.

My wife ordered take out for dinner. Check # 2 Debbie 5408353670. 05/20/2026 5:04. I have to say…read morethis is the worst meal I have ever gotten from Kabuki. We ordered our steaks Medium. What we received was anything but. They were well done. Dry tough and fatty. The absolute worst. My scallops and our shrimp we're over cooked and rubbery. On top of that we see a Bullshit 10% to go tip. We will Never order take out from you again.