Doesn't really get going until 10:30 or so, but the club got rockin' after that. Cute barhops and…read moredancers, a fun drag show, and surprising mixed crowd: women, men, mixed, neither, and old and young. The dance floor was hopping, and the dj's kept it bouncing! First time my partner was at an LGBTQ+ bar, and he had a great time!

Went here for the first time recently for a drag show and was not disappointed. The queens put on a…read moregreat show and even hung out with the crowd for a bit after their performance. The DJ was also fantastic. Obviously, being a lesbian, I'm not quite their target audience, but found the patronage to be very welcoming. The line to get in moved quickly and the cover was very reasonable. That being said, the drinks were slightly pricey for the strength and quality, and it was a bit difficult to get the bartenders attention despite it being not very crowded. Will definitely come back over the summer to dance and hang out with the community.

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.

My best friend Becca and I were looking for the perfect place to celebrate her 23rd birthday in…read moreRoanoke. We had originally settled on Fortunato's, but upon arrival at 6pm, the pleasant hostess had informed us that there was not a table available until 8:30. While she was seeing if there was space at the bar, another young woman said, "There's a table at Stellina!" We already knew that Stellina shared the same menu, so we were pleased to walk over there. A young man greeted us and said, "Sit wherever you like!" But there was only one table available. It was a great table, positioned by a window that let us see a glimpse of the city. Cocktail menus were already on our tables, and the young man asked if we wanted food menus as well. We said yes, and ordered The Obituary, a gin drink, a vodka drink that I cannot remember the name of, the house bread, Lumache a Forno, and Bucatini all'Arrabiatta. While waiting for our food, I got to admire the space. It was a small space decorated with a beautiful purple-lit wallpaper, christmas lights, and a colorful overhead light. The room was dark, but our table was tastefully lit with a small lamp. The wallpaper looked as if it had some floral print on it, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a collection of people's faces, which was charming. But perhaps the most striking element of this bar's atmosphere was the music. I immediately heard a trippy beat that was familiar to me, and upon shazaming it, found out it was Interia Creeps, by Massive Attack, one of my favorite 90s trip-hop bands. The music continued to impress me, and has inspired to start a spotify playlist called Stellina's Songs. Some of the standouts include: Army of Me - Bjork Never Let Me Down - Depeche Mode Lovesong - The Cure It's No Good - Depeche Mode The ambience of this dark, 90s music paired perfectly with the dark yet pleasant atmosphere of the restaurant. Our drinks were cold, our food was hot, and it was all quite delicious. I got to try both dishes and both drinks, and was perfectly satisfied. The gentleman that greeted us checked on us frequently, as well as another woman. Overall, the experience was classy and pleasant. The restaurant seemed popular among an older crowd. Nevertheless, this is a great place for anyone of any age to grab a drink or a bite to eat while feeling like an elegant member of society. This is truly a gem that Roanoke has to offer, and my experience could not have been greater.

Love their food first off. The staff there can guide you if you don't know what to order off that…read moredelicious menu they have to offer. It is beautiful in there and presentation is presenting. Service is better than the A-1 sauce in my fridge & so is their sauces Their food is better than a lot of other restaurants in the area as well. Remember this is locally owned so that says a lot. You'd be a little bit silly if you choose another restaurant ... can't lie lol especially if you're a food explorer! Their delicious desserts BTW goodness I ate like three different plates

It is not often that one encounters a restaurant of this caliber. But oftentimes, unexpectedly,…read moredestiny takes it course, and one ends up in front of the front door of such restaurant. This is the case with Brood Restaurant and Bar. Located in the heart of Main Street Salem, near the beautiful Roanoke College, this place is more than just a casual fine dining restaurant, it's one of the best restaurants that I have ever visited, and in this review you will find out why. After making a reservation for 5:00pm, not knowing how bad the traffic would be, I left early, only to discover that there was no traffic and ended up arriving at 4:30pm. Like in many of the best fine dining restaurants that I have eaten at, this one had a glass and wooden door with simply the restaurant's name and logo engraved on it, which included a tiny artistic rendition of a rooster as part of it. As I entered the door I was fascinated with the simple yet magnificent decor and ambiance of the place. The original restored hardwood floors and the natural brick walls gave it an air of distinction, as well as the antique furniture Host's station holding the menus and reservations computer. The furniture was elegant yet comfortable at the same time, and the lamps gave just the right light to create a cozy yet elegant and comfortable ambiance. The Host came out and graciously greeted me, and after I told her that I was half an hour early for my reservation, she invited me to have a seat at the bar until the kitchen was officially open at 5:00pm. It was the way she said this that motivate me to go discover the bar and the drinks it had to offer. Soon I was given a warm welcome by Cole, the bartender, as I sat in the middle seat of the small but cozy bar. After I asked him to recomend me a Mocktail, I had him make me a Mule Mocktail and to my surprise I can say it was the best that I have ever had. This young bartender was surprisingly at the level of the ones in restaurants such as Lucky, River and Rail, and Alexander's, just to name a few of the best around. To accompany my drink I ordered the Sea Scallops appetizer and they were so tender and fresh covered with an amazing mix that included little bits of bacon. When it was time to move to the main dining room I told the bartender that I had enjoyed the bar, and his excellent service but I wanted to finish my dining experience at the main dining room to better be able to review the restaurant. He made arrangements for the move and to my surprise and manager's wisdom, they made him my server as well. It is in little details like this one, that one uncovers the greatness of a restaurant and its extraordinary customer service. There, I ordered another of the Wonderful Mule Mocktail, and a Caesar Salad to start with, with the Steak Frites, medium rare, as my main entrée. Everything was delicious. For dessert, I ordered the Belgium Waffle Bread Pudding, at the recommendation of my server. This dessert was amazing. By the time I was finished I could notice that the restaurant was filling up with repeat customers, and by my experience today I could see why. Needless to say, I highly recommend this restaurant to all those reading my review and viewing all my photographs taken to compliment this review with some visual flavor, for it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case not a single word can do justice to this extraordinary dining experience.

Today was my first time eating at this restaurant and although I love their Downtown Roanoke…read morelocation one, and have giving it 5 Star reviews, this one I feel deserves only 2 Stars at best and that's giving it too many because I feel it's one of the worst Seafood restaurants I've ever eaten at. From the time I arrived at their parking lot that where I parked was not even paved but full of rocks and dirt, I started questioning in my mind, how would it be inside. When I entered through their back door, it was their bar area and some high tables and chairs for people to eat in that area, but I didn't see anyone to greet you nor a sign to say "Seat Yourself." So I kept walking forward. There were a couple of pool tables along the way with customers playing pool. When I reached up front, the Host wasn't at the Host station but as I waited there standing up, one of the servers came by, greeted me, and took me to one of the booths. She handed me a copy of the menu which you could tell were run down around the edges. Only the Summer Food Specials one was in good condition. To drink I ordered a Sweet Iced Tea. It tasted watered down and had no lemon slice in it. Yet the server was so nice that I felt sorry for her because she had nothing to do with the quality of the drinks nor the food prepared there. The ambiance of the place was Ok, but not as nice as the one in Downtown Roanoke. I didn't like that other than the booths all their tables and chairs were the high kind. Another thing, my favorite item in their Downtown Roanoke restaurant menu was not even in their menu here. I invite you to read and view my photographs and video of their Downtown Roanoke restaurant to see the difference. For food I ended up ordering the Piggyback Scallops (bacon wrapped Scallops) and as the main course, their Seafood Platter with fried Jumbo Golf Shrimps and Cod Fillet, with rice pilaf and onion rings as side, and it also came with two Hushpuppies. My server goes back to put the order and next time I see her she is bringing me my main course and forgetting about my appetizer. When I mentioned it to her she tells me she'll go put the order in now. To be brief the Cod Fish was the only item that looked and tasted fresh. The shrimps where somewhat soggy, the onion rings looked awful, the rice pilaf was lukewarm and the Hushpuppies were burnt outside and raw inside. The scallops didn't taste fresh wrapped in mostly raw bacon. I asked for tater tots as a replacement for the onion rings, and even them were not cooked well. And if this wasn't enough, my Keylime Pie I ordered was not fresh. It was mushy like if it had been left out for a while. I invite you to view my photographs because a picture is work a thousand words. After I paid and was leaving and walked by the kitchen I glanced in and it didn't look that clean to put it nicely. Then when I went to the restroom to wash my hands it was also not very clean. I felt I wasted my money there and wouldn't recommend this restaurant nor plan to return.

We are lucky to have a good seafood cook this far from the beach. My seafood platter with crab…read morecake, oysters, rice and vegetables was delicious. My husband's chicken wings were tasty as always. Michael and other staff are always friendly, and the prices are reasonable. For a place that looks like a bar, it's delightful and we come about once a week!

Great spot for drinks. Everyone was super friendly and the atmosphere was very welcoming.read more

Not even worth one star. Horrible service, bartenders rather smoke then work, dirty, and 100 other…read morebars that have cheap drinks where I feel safe and not have to worry about getting robbed or hurt.

There's a reason they built a parking garage in Vinton…read more.. Live music. Best burger in Roanoke. Fun and clean. Hoping the Town of Vinton will allow table games and sports betting soon.

Clean, congenial clientele, user friendly gaming, bright ambisince, customer service efficient,…read moretasty menu, a good package, adequately staffed! No pickle ball or ping pong tables is the only serious omission!

I was told to check this place out while I was in town. When I arrived they had a trivia contest…read moregoing on, I didn't participate but sounded like fun. The service was good. Sat at the bar and had a burger which was pretty good.

When I first reviewed this Downtown Roanoke Restaurant, I focused on their drinks and food. But…read morethis time around I couldn't help it to discover why this place is the center of Roanoke's night life. 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. I arrived on a Thursday evening with a 6:15pm reservation which I'm glad I had made because later I found out that this place gets to be a full house on Thursdays. A young lady host greeted and welcomed me at the Host's station as soon as I arrived. She checked my reservation and had my table all ready for me. Located in the middle of this very popular Restaurant Bar, gave me a nice view of the entire place, and with a light high above I had a perfect lighting to photograph my drink and food as part of my review of the place. My server Jillian arrived soon after I was seated. She had a wonderful personality and welcomed me with a friendly smile and very pleasant attitude. After answering me some questions about their Mocktails, I ended up ordering their Raspberry Burro. For dinner I ordered their BBQ Bacon Chicken Kababs with a side of their special fries and a salad. While I was waiting for my food to arrive I observed the place quickly filling up and I found out that tonight was Music Bingo and Live Music at 9:30pm with no cover charge. It brought me back to my college days in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the night life was a thing to look forward to. Suddenly I discovered the key of Martin's popularity and the important role it plays in contributing to making the City of Roanoke a Star City indeed. I enjoyed my drink and the Chicken Kababs with the side of special fries were amazingly delicious, as well as the salad. They have a good variety of quality items on their menu and their chefs amazingly deliver. I invite you to read my first review where I celebrate their Cuban Sandwich and Slaw, and view my photographs that accompany my review. What a night. Besides the food, I enjoyed playing the Music Bingo, which one of the card titles was The 1970's. One of the best years of my life, when I attended High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico and College in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. During that time I also won a Saltwater Fishing Tournament at the young age of 17 by catching a 405 pound Blue Marlin off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. It was the best of times for me. My server Jillian provided exceptional customer service, checking on me at the appropriate times. For dessert I ordered their Glazed Doughnut Bread Pudding, and it was so good, I can't wait to return to have it again. What an extraordinary dining experience I had that night. I highly recommend this restaurant and bar for when you feel like having a good time, alone or with family and good friends. I promise you will be able to sabor what a Five Star review is all about, and experience for yourselves why Martin's is one of the City of Roanoke's most precious gems.

I love coming to sidewinders to dance! The food is delicious especially the Sidewinder fries!read more

It was a great time with the guys. Line dancing karaoke and line dancing. The food here is good as…read morewell would recommend

Great place to shoot pool. Not janky. Tables by the hour or by the coin. Clean. They do have a…read morekitchen and a bar but my son and I were just there to shoot pool at 11 in the morning on a cold winters days we both had off. Him from school and I from work.

Cliquey little place for fun, middle aged golfers and friends - TVs always on to sports events. No…read morelive music ... more like a neighborhood bar. Good bottled beer and decent grill food. Hours seem to be at the owner's whim...