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 and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to go back and write follow-up reviews on those restaurants that impressed me the most during 2025, and OTH Chophouse & Oyster Bar in Cave Spring, Virginia, is a perfect example of one of them. This very popular upscale steakhouse and seafood restaurant is well known for its scenic mountain views, and a place to go for special occasions. I remember the very first time I visited this restaurant to enjoy the view, it won me over with its exquisite food cooked to perfection. So much so that the manager invited the executive chef to come to my table so that I could meet him personally and complement him for his extraordinary cuisine. It was so good that for three weeks straight I dined there and every time I was more and more impressed than the other. I invite you to read my first review and view my photographs accompanying that review, right after you finish this one to get the sence of awe I felt from the experience and culinary masterpieces. I have celebrated my birthday there on one occasion, and have dined there to celebrate special occasions, but to me, I can make any day of the year special just by dining there. This Wednesday I made a reservation for 5:00pm and drove in my Lexus up the hill to the restaurant. You know, "OTH" stands for On the Hill. When I arrived, the host gave me a warm welcome and took me to my table, with a magnificent window view of the mountain and the city below. During this time of the year, I would be able to watch the sunset as I was dining. Soon after I sat down, my friendly server, Rhiannon, came by to greet me and take my order. To drink I ordered the Winter Fizz Mocktail. For appetizer, I ordered from the Raw Bar, the Classic Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. And for my main entrée, I ordered the 8 oz Filet Mignon cooked medium rare & Lobster Tail.The steaks here are so soft and tender along with the Lobster tails, which beside being the freshest, they are also the largest around. As I waited, they brought me a basket with delicious freshly made small breads with soft whipped butter. To me, one can tell the quality of a restaurant by the bread & butter they serve. The Winter Fizz Mocktail was amazing. It tasted fruity and refreshing. When the Jumbo Shrimps arrived, they were so fresh and plumpy, and truly Jumbo. And with the cocktail sauce, they tasted delightful. The Lobster was cooked just right, then the meat was brought out of the shell for easy handling. I could taste the freshness of the Lobster meat dipped in the melted butter. The Filet was soft and tender, cooked as ordered, medium rare, to perfection. And even the baked potato with butter on top was soft and easy to take out of the peal. My waitress came by at the right times to check on me. What I did miss was the general manager, visiting my table. I found out that this evening he wasn't there, but they had another shift manager which they brought in from Billy's Restaurant. It was not the same not having him come up to my table to chat with me. This goes to tell you the importance to details, even of the management of a restaurant and the relationship they have with their customers. For dessert I had their Keylime Pie made in-house. The chef outdid himself with a wonderful presentation of the dessert. You have to view the photograph to believe it. It was so good, you can almost taste it with your eyes. Overall, once again I had an extraordinary dining experience here. This time, even the Sun graced me with providing me with a view of a beautiful sunset. read more

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First impression getting to the restaurant was 'Where's the Entrance?' We drove almost all the way around the building and finally figured out that the entrance was by the patio. When you walk in there's a kid in tennis shoes escorting us to our table and the table isn't even set for our reservation and we stand there and wait for 5 minutes. The fake candle, salt, and pepper are laying in the chair and we're left in the middle of the dining room for everyone to look at us like we're the crazy ones. Felt like going to a chain restaurant. The food was okay, but not for the price tag. I got the Shrimp Cocktail. The ice was melting to the point that there was a pool of water as I received the dish. The cocktail sauce itself was so thick you had to use your fork (you had two identical forks not a salad and dinner fork). My wife got the Crab dip. The dip was mostly cheese, if nobody told you that it was crab dip you wouldn't know. The server, Chris, was so overwhelmed having two tables that he had to be requested to return to our table just to refill drinks which were empty throughout the meal. For our entree's my wife got the seafood pasta which was so overpriced it was laughable. 4 small/medium shrimp, two clams, and two scallops. It's sad you can count the pieces. Chris, attempting some showmanship made an elaborate to-do about bringing the steak knife out with sound effects and all. (It was a cheap aluminum, one piece, steak knife.) I got the filet, lobster tail, and added scallops. The filet came out the right temp but there was no seasoning of the meat at all, the lobster tail was good, and the scallops were okay. I added the truffle butter to the steak which looked like a sad dollop and added no flavor to the meat at all. I guess to make amends for his poor service, Chris offered dessert as it was our anniversary and we got the cheesecake. It was some out of the box cheesecake with a smearing of fruit something, half a strawberry, two blueberries, and two dollops of, I assume, fresh whipped cream. Never in my life, even if you pay me to go back, will I ever visit again. Thankfully my company more than made up for the poor service, mediocre food, and steep bill. read more

OTH Chophouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

We had dinner here one night while in town. We were greeted walking in and seated in the same moment. A large eatery that sits on the hill overlooking the area. An impressive view is a part of the draw to this establishment. This is supposed to be white table cloth dining. We were having a slow leisurely meal the night of our visit and our server who was professional and courteous brought us menus and water, and took our initial drink orders. A Stella and a Sangria. We started with a dozen Oysters on the half shell. We had a mixed dozen of four types and they were good. Basic presentation but freshly brought in, prepared and served on ice with lemon, vinegar and hot sauce. Next, we tried the Marinated Olives, a nice serving of pitted olives with cheese and pimento. Savory, nice flavor and a good add to our meal. After going over the menu, I had the catch of the day, Halibut. It was okay but overcooked. Served with a baked potato and a bowl of mushrooms, the presentation was lackluster and at the price point one expects a finer presentation. My partner had the seared scallops, tiny little scallops that looked more like the small appetizer ones than actual dinner scallops. It was excessively expensive as well. This entree was north of $70 bucks and was not much more than an appetizer. It was okay but not at the level you expect for the price point presented. At the price we paid, the experience was lacking. This place has seen its glory days gone by. From the dated interior to the overpriced entree. It just missed the mark. 3 Stars an okay meal but nothing special as was hoped, and for the price a let down 01191 read more

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Lots of parking. We were a little disappointed that we weren't seated next to the windows, but we had an excellent experience regardless. The drinks were refreshing, the food was delicious, and the view was beautiful. The service was outstanding. We wanted for nothing. read more

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The Chophouse was at its best tonight. Our lobster with Mac and cheese and the seafood special both compared favorably with our recent Florida meals. The smoked bourbon cocktail was fun and our peppermint ice cream with hot fudge was delicious. Matt took good care of us. The Chophouse remains one of our favorite special occasion restaurants. read more

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Our first time here and it was absolutely amazing! The Ambiance was nice with a great view of the mountains and low lighting. Our waitress was very friendly and suggested a few items from the menu. Our food was prepared perfect, we both got the 14oz Ribeye with baked potato, caramelized carrots. Fresh hot rolls and fudge brownie with ice cream. We also got the oysters Rockefeller. read more

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I really wanted a 5 star experience. Love the location of the tests with its elevated view of Tanglewood. So beautiful. Didn't need a reservation as it was not crowded at all, thank God. The staff, especially our waiter Ryan were fabulous. Romantic, classy atmosphere. Ordered the crab cakes. As you can see from the pics they came out messy and unappealing. They tasted the same. Too salty and mushy. Born in Tampa, raised in Alaska and live in Maryland. I don't play with my crab cakes. I expected better. The cheesecake had a powdery taste and not as decadent as it looked. The presentation was pretty. Lastly, the coffee came out like tea. Very watered down. The garlic potatoes was missing its richness somehow. (Outback's and Cheesecake Factory's mashed potatoes are way better for way less). The Brussels, albeit plain, and the mixed veggies were scrumptious. read more

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We've been here several times this year and it's just so inconsistent. They do have really good food sometimes and other times you get served food that isn't edible. I think they've got their dinner mostly sorted out, but their brunch isn't where it needs to be for what they're charging. They never have enough servers. Today I was served a waffle that was burnt. I rarely send food back, and would have sent this back, but because there was only one waitress in the restaurant, she didn't come back until everyone else was done eating. Others at my table said their food at sat in the window for too long and gotten cold by the time it was brought to them. Just overall not great. read more

OTH Chophouse - Chicken and waffles - Steakhouses Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

We dined on Christmas Eve. The oysters and calamari were so over breaded and salty you could not fine the seafood. Ordered pork chop rare, it was dry and over cooked. Fish special was so dry and the gnocchi was super starchy with a horrible salty after taste. The decent salad saved the day. read more

Left a message on their voicemail to make a reservation and requested a call back but never received that call back. Got there and had no reservation for a party of two inside so we sat outside. You would think they would have better outdoor dining furniture and at least salt n pepper grinders and entrees to include a salad but no! Ordered a mix of the oysters which were pretty good and we ordered the Chilean Sea Bass and the Ribeye entrees which were very good It's the little things that are missing and the lack of customer service to check their voicemail and make a call back I hope they can make these improvements and maybe offer bread as well read more

The food is absolutely wonderful. Best calamari we've ever had. I got the chicken it was amazing and my husband got a rib eye, he said it was amazing. My most favorite part of the meal was their Brussel sprouts, man they were good!!!!!!Our waiter was so wonderful. The restaurant itself is quiet, has fireplaces, 2 dining sections. We went for our anniversary. And we plan on going back. It's just an amazing restaurant all around! Glad we found it. Great place for dates and it also has space for gatherings. read more

OTH Chophouse is located up on a hill that offers breathtaking views of the mountains. OTH offers indoor and outdoor dining, and I highly recommend coming here when the sun is setting because the views are beautiful. OTH offers a full service bar. You can order a cocktail off their menu or you can ask for your favorite drink. I had a lemon drop martini that was absolutely delicious. Everything was blended nicely and it was not too strong and not too sweet. It was the perfect balance. Next, I ordered their raw oysters and these are a must have! Every oyster was fresh and delicious. The waitress was very knowledgeable about where each oyster came from and how they tasted. Every time I had one, I kept wanting more and more. Next for my main course, I ordered their pan seared scallops. The scallops were seared to perfection and melted in my mouth. They were buttery and had a nice hit of lemon at the end. I paired it with their Brussel sprouts that were incredible. They had a nice charred to them with hints of maple bacon in every bite. Lastly, I had their creme brûlée and their raspberry sorbet. Dessert was my favorite part of the entire meal! The creme brûlée was absolutely incredible and it was not too sweet. The raspberry sorbet was a nice added touch and I was shocked by how much they gave me. Everything I ate at OTH Chophouse was absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to come back. OTH Chophouse is a great place to catch up with friends, family, or have a date night. They offer incredible food with incredible views. They are also extremely accommodating to any type of allergy. If you are in the area, I highly recommend coming here because you will be in for a treat. read more

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Really solid food and service. Nice views. A little dated but I'd definitely go back.

Food was good. Service was pathetic and lacked any positive comments. Waiter was inept. He apologized every time he came to the table for forgetting what he was supposed to have been bringing us. My steak was good, but wow...hire some quality staff and you have something here read more

Came for a family dinner. Server was not professional and when paying that much for a meal, we expected a little better. Food was not prepared as ordered (labeling yourself as a chophouse and not cooking a $50 steak to order is sad). The main entrees took 50 minutes to be served and it's not like the place was packed. Food had decent taste but all the other aspects made it a less than enjoyable experience. The specialty martinis/other drinks were well-prepared and tasty. For the cost of the meal, I would go to a different steakhouse in town for a more elevated experience. read more

Pretty dining room with nice overlook over the town. Food was delicious. Server was professional and pleasant. They forgot our salads otherwise it would be 5 star experience. The desserts were also very good and seemed fresh and made there. read more

OTH Chophouse - Dining room - Steakhouses Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

The $45. crab cakes sucked. They were greasy, the portion of filler to crab was disgraceful. It was something I would expect from a cafeteria style restaurant, not an upscale restaurant. I ordered a Key Martini, and wasn't impressed. I switched to Bud Light. The beer was cold! The crème brûlée was very good, the crab dip appetizer was good, our waiter was good, but the crab cakes were nasty. My advice: Get someone to teach you how to cook crab cakes and don't use filler instead of lump meat crab. read more

OTH Chophouse - Crab Cakes, greasy, too much filler. - Steakhouses Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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I will start with the part we enjoyed most, with a party of 6, we had a GREAT server, Ryan, who remembered every detail of our order and was very attentive. The food was a different story. I ordered fried oysters, which were overcooked and too salty, the Cobb salad had no dressing. my husband ordered seafood pasta, also too salty. We both were sick an hour later and I am still sick this morning. The crème brûlée was good. read more

Sunday, December 14, 2025, was our first experience at OTH Chophouse. We came with friends, and our food was exceptionally delicious. (Best seafood I have had in a long time!) Our server was fantastic. She was friendly, attentive, and informative. The wine she recommended was superb. Warm ambiance and beautiful view. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Food and staff were amazing! Sonny T was our waiter and he took excellent care of us!

This place exceeded our expectations! The food - stellar; service - our waiter Greg was attentive and friendly; ambiance - romantic with soft and warm lighting (definitely business casual vibes). We made a reservation online and were seated by the window overlooking Electric Rd. We arrived after the sun had set but I definitely think this would have been much more beautiful if we arrived in time to see the sunset and mountains before it turned dark. For food, we ordered the crab dip, she crab soup, beet salad, OTH chopped salad, lamb shank ragu, and the shrimp and crab bake. Everything was superb! The crab dip and lamb shank definitely stood out as our overall favorite dishes of the evening but everything else we ordered was not far behind. The lamb shank was so tender it was melt in your mouth. The crab dip was packed with so much flavor and they give you quite a large portion of it which we loved! The shrimp and crab bake was full of so much seafood we couldn't believe it. There were hardly any fillers, you definitely get your money's worth of seafood!! The she crab soup and salads were tasty, fresh, and filling. The price wasn't too bad considering the quantity and quality of the food we ordered. It is really wonderful to have an upscale restaurant on this side of town that leaves you feeling satisfied. Overall, we loved our meal and look forward to returning! read more

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This was our third trip to OTH, and it just misses the mark. We had the Filet, and it was cooked perfect and was a quality steak. The oysters OTH( Rockefellerish) were spectacular. The ribeye was below average and not seasoned. Our waitress was sweet and attentive with her service, so what's the negative? For the cost and appearance of fine dining, it's just not. We ordered a very nice bottle of wine that was over $100, it may seem silly, but she struggled to open it. Then poured both glasses without asking for us to try the bottle first. I just think for the cost they need to be a step up beyond laminated menus and unprepared staff. The views are great and it's there is so much potential here. read more

I'm very disappointed at OTH Chophouse. We may have been a little underdressed (due to my father being in the hospital). We were seated and waited for 10 minutes and not one server acknowledged us. My mother's birthday was on the 7th and my brother wanted to take her out for a nice dinner due to the stressful week that our family has had. I feel embarrassed that your staff treated us this way. I have eaten at establishments such as yours and have never been treated with such disrespect. I hope that no one else ever receives service like this. read more

My mom and I went there to celebrate her birthday and the food and view were fantastic. Our server was a bit slow but we didn't mind. Would highly recommend. read more

Service was a 5/5! Our waitress was amazing, very friendly, and personable. The view was a 4/5! Great view, we sat outside and took pictures of the beautiful sunset. And the food was a 3/5. The food was good, not great. We had the crab dip appetizer, seemed like more cheese than crab. The bread was good though. Was a large appetizer, great for a larger party. I ordered the bbq salmon and was a little disappointed. It was okay, but nothing to run home about. My wife had the scallops and she liked them, especially that you get 5. However, it lacked zest and presentation. Overall, it was a positive experience, and we would go back! read more

Delicious food and soup. Great environment for a special meal. We will be returning. I had the lobster mac n cheese which I highly recommend and wife had scallops which were cooked to perfection read more

This has become one of our favorite steakhouses in Roanoke. I had called at the last minute and they were able to get me a table. My wife and I ordered appetizers drinks and dinner. Everything came out promptly service was fantastic. Ambience was great. The food exceeded my expectations. I have ordered tuna tartare everywhere we go, and this is some of the freshest I have seen yet, it was fantastic. My only complaint with it I wish they would've added some sort of chips. My steak was cooked so good I normally take some home and eat for the next day but I ended up eating the entire thing. My wife got the lamb Ragu and it was absolutely fantastic, I have had it before at other places and it was not near this good we were seated in one of the side rooms which was a lot quieter and private, the main room that has all the windows that everybody wants the view,we will definitely be going back. update we have since returned to other times to the bar area. They have fantastic drinks, great bartenders, great service, and great food.. between four and six in their happy hour specials, they do half off bottles of wine, which is a fantastic deal. They also have other drink and food specials as well. read more

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Overpriced $54.00 for just an average T Bone Steak I should have gone to Outback in which it would have been the same quality...we were totally disappointed in the food it's not about the money it's about the quality of the food was not there read more

Okay no reviews s to date so here goes. Have always enjoyed this restaurant location on the "hill" from when it was Steak n Ale , Carlos' to now OTH Chop House. Ambiance: Nice views of the valley and sunset. We visited in Dec 22 and they had a Christmas tree in the dining area. Quiet and cozy with mellow Christmas music in the background. Thumbs up! Service: Prompt and attentive. Again thumbs up. Dinner: you are going to get two separate reviews. Appetizer/ Calamari- great flavor but a little chewy. Maybe the oil temp was too low but planning to give them another shot. She Crab Soup: enjoyed this Lot's of crab and flavor. Sea Bass/Risotto/Baked Carrots: Sea Bass cooked perfectly. Could have benefited from some liquid glaze or sauce. Risotto and Carrots: Very good. Shrimp and Clam Bake: This dish was good but not what I expected. I would have preferred some type of creamy sauce or some type of texture. That is just a personal preference. The carrots and risotto were very good. Enjoyed the Christmas weekend dinner and will probably try again for a special occasion. read more

We had the filet mignon, 14 oz ribeye and lobster tails. The food was phenomenal and hubby says was the best ribeye he has ever had! We went last night to a 7 pm reservation and was 3/4 full but not loud at all. The wait staff was attentive. Pricey but the food was great and worth treating yourself a few times a year! Lol. read more

Greg Service Elaine is the best server! Food was fantastic! I travel for a living and this quality of service is a lost art

Great experience at OTH! Very friendly staff and beautiful views, food was delicious especially the steak. Will definitely be coming back.

Food was great, good atmosphere, very nice place. Food was fresh and hot. Total was a little pricey but worth the cost. The total for 2 was over one hundred dollars and paid with a debit card. No tip on the debit card due to fraud on card previously. I had no cash available for tip. If you eat here you better take cash. And a lot of it. Waiter boss was very rude asking for a tip after paying over one hundred for the meal. I waiter actually called me complaining about not receiving a tip. He said if no tip was received then we could not eat at the restaurant again. Really! That is bad. But we will not eat at those places again. Cannot afford to pay everyone's wages. They should pay their employees more and not ask customers for money. Cost enough already . read more

Great service and very good menu items. Nice location. Pricey. But expected. Upscale.

We have been wanting to check this place out so Sunday brunch we decided to go. What a colossal disappointment. We should have paid attention to the negative reviews. We literally would've had a better brunch at Cracker Barrel or maybe even waffle house. I would give the food an average rating Except for the omelette was so dry and overcooked the lobster sauce topping was the only thing that redeemed it and made it chewable. The fries were potatoes I mean it's kind of hard to screw those up and I am a long time drinker of bloody Mary's and if there was a drop of vodka in that bloody Mary I didn't taste it. Three of us got the seafood omelette and all three of us agreed it was well below average. Someone got the double cut pork chop ordered medium rare it came medium well but was OK. When we arrived there was one other table they left shortly after our arrival and we were the only table and this was 1 o'clock Sunday brunch so I'm assuming I'm not the only person that has his opinion. Very overpriced very overrated and I will not return. I can only imagine going for dinner and spending $42 on the fillet or seared tuna and being served the quality food that they serve. I don't predict that they will be there unless they make some very serious changes. read more

We arrived with a 7:15 reservation about 5 minutes early. We had heard alot about the venue and were excited to come here to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary. Upon entry we were met with a completely disinterested hostess who rather than greeting us simply said "reservation?". I replied yes and the hostess motioned us to follow her where we were sat at the first table they passed in a half empty dining room. We sat down and figured out the appetizers we wanted as well as drinks. 15 minutes passed and no one came by to take our order. No one greeted us or apologized for a delay. No water. No bread. No sorry we are busy... nothing. The table to our right was complaining fairly loudly about the length of time they waited for their food and a few moments later we watched an exasperated waiter hand what appeared to be a very hot plate to the patron. We waited another 5 minutes before we left. As we went out the door the same disinterested hostess said "I hope you enjoyed your meal" without even looking up from her phone. We said thanks but it had been 20 minutes and no one even came to wait on us to which she responded, "See ya!" It was very disappointing. read more

My husband and I went there on Tuesday April 2nd for our anniversary. We had crab cakes and Med. chicken pasta. The crab cakes were a pile of light brown much. The pasta dish had little to know flavor. The staff and bartender were very nice. It is a shame the meal was a disaster. read more

Tuna steak was excellent. Oysters were fantastic - Impressive bar selections. Service was very knowledgeable about the menu and service was very prompt. Nice remodel of the prior restaurant. read more

We had to wait 20 minutes for our drinks, 20 more minutes for our soup and an hour and a half for our food and the place was not even half full. The food was ok but definitely not worth the wait or the price. The view out the windows was nice was had a beautiful sunset. My suggestion would be to find OTHer restaurant. To go to read more

A huge disappointment. High quality food well prepared, but a lack of attention or concern from staff for the overall dining experience. We chose this restaurant to celebrate a very special occasion with friends. We called in advance to request a special table by the window, which we were assured would be granted. Unfortunately, it was right next to the kitchen, with all the bustle of food being brought in and out and harsh lighting destroying the ambiance. Despite a number of other empty tables, our request to be re-seated was ignored. We ordered an appetizer, salads, soup, and our main courses . Salads came out quickly, but no appetizer. Our waitress clearly forgot. Soup followed shortly thereafter, with the missing appetizer in tow. The crab soup was rich and flavorful, with plenty of crabmeat, although overly salted. French onion soup was superb. Salads crisp and delicious. Fried calamari was fresh and light with nice seasoning. Our main courses arrived - two filets, a New York strip and the sea bass. Unfortunately, no steak knives and no sign of the waitress. Five or ten minutes later, the knives finally appeared. The sea bass was flaky, delicate, and expertly cooked, with a gentle hint of miso so not to overpower. The New York strip with red wine reduction sauce was rich and flavorful, cooked to perfection. A side of Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple flavoring gave an interesting twist and worked well with the other strong flavors. The filets would have been equally good except for a plating mix up, giving the right sides but wrong steak to each diner - mine overcooked for my taste, his undercooked for his, but discovered too late to comfortably trade (especially after being ripped apart by the butter knives). When our waitress finally stopped by to check and we politely pointed out the mistake, she became defensive and insisted she had ordered correctly. (she may have, but it was not what arrived. The steaks were clearly reversed during plating). No apology was ever made, or any attempt to rectify, adjust or compensate for the mistake. A small gesture here would have gone a long way. Overall, this restaurant clearly has a great chef who uses fresh, high quality ingredients with interesting flavorful touches. If only the rest of the staff could live up to those standards, this place would be a winner. read more