Every good thing experiences growth, and so has this family-owned business that started as a food…read moretruck in 2023 with a menu of North Carolina- and South Carolina-style barbecue staples. And now has opened a brick-and-mortar shack with a Texas-style barbecue in the heart of Salem, Virginia. After being awarded the Yelp NC Triad Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, 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 Big Daddy's BBQ & Sweet Shack, in Salem, Virginia, is a perfect example. I love a good barbeque, so as soon as I found out about this place, I set-up the GPS of my Lexus to 602 W 4th Street, Salem, Virginia, and drove down there to go try it out. As I was approaching the restaurant, I was intrigued by the architectural design of the this small restaurant. Words can't do justice to describe its appearance, so I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food. It was literally a shack with two large glass garage doors serving as the windows. Inside the place was clean with a rustic look that created the perfect laid down ambiance to better enjoy eating your barbecue. There, I had the opportunity of meeting Brent Bowles, the owner and the artist who designed the cute pig image for their logo. He was able to explain that his restaurant has a full bar with beer, wine and liquors, highlighting a selection of bourbon. He also was able to clarify the "Sweet" in the restaurant's name, in that they plan to carry special desserts such as smoked pecan pies and top-notch ice cream from the Tillamook Creamery. After I sat myself at a table near the window to have enough light to capture its food at its best, a friendly lady server came up to greet me with a copy of the menu and took my drink order. I ordered a Coke and began reviewing the menu. As starter I ordered the Brisket Sliders, and as my main entrée, a Pulled Pork Sandwich with French Fries as a Classic Side, which they charged $3.50 extra for them, and they were even not that many. My server was a bit inexperienced, because she brought me all the food at once, instead as starters first and then the main entrée. The food was amazingly delicious, with generous portions of meat in all the sandwiches. The starter Brisket Sliders were a meal by themselves, and are meant to share. I are one of the three and took the other two home for later so I could fit the Pulled Pork Sandwich. For dessert, the owner who was sitting at the bar, recommended that I have a piece of their Smoked Pecan Pie. It tasted delicious, reminding me of the caramel popcorn I use to eat at the beach when I was growing up. As you were probably able to see in my photographs, the place also had a small patio with picnic tables to be able to dine outdoors in good weather. I definitely recommend this place for when you're feeling like eating barbecue. And I can assure you, you won't be disappointed.

Great BBQ. Not covered up by excessive sauce. Have had it at the Salem ballpark and the Salem…read morelocation. Drinks, BBQ and ice cream and cheesecake, all in one spot. Service was super friendly.

food & beer are good. God is great. and the staff are crazy…read more... excellent Rubin & plentiful French fries. oh, and did I mention BEER IS GOOD.

Rarely does one find a restaurant that is so unique, that from the time you walk in, you feel right…read moreat home. After having been selected as number 4 of the Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at the 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 Hanging Rock Tavern is the perfect example. Little did I know that this smokehouse-style restaurant, known and loved by the Roanoke County community for its American classics, craft beverages, and live music, and that had temporary closed due to partnership changes, had quietly re-opened two weeks ago, with a new menu, under new ownership, but run and operated by the previous owner Greg, and with a new General Manager Chris. I arrived around one o'clock in the afternoon for a late lunch. Minimalist yet inviting, the restaurant's facade featured a sleek, unadored wood sign, its name and logo intricately carved and softly backlit, for a warm, sophisticated glow. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately struck by the warm welcome from a hospitable lady who greeted me at the door, making me feel right at home as she offered me any table I desired and handed me a copy of the menu. Not long afterwards, my server Mary greeted me to take my order. She recited the day's specials and mentioned there might be only one serving of the special brisket left. Despite liking several other special entrées, I immediately ordered the Brisket because I loved it and wanted to try their version. To drink I ordered a Cherry Coke, which was my favorite of the Coke brand which they carried. As I looked around, I was fascinated with the place, with its well sorted bar, its stage for live music, its diverse and enticing menu, its relaxing ambiance. The perfect place to enjoy a drink with a meal, listening to live music. My server arrived with my drink, and with it she brought a small paper bowl filled with in-house made kettle potato chips. They were so crispy and tasty. Them my main entrée was served. It contained a generous amount of well seasoned and cooked Brisket, with in-house made, fresh mashed potatoes, and green beans. As I was eating, the former owner and now right hand of the new owner came to visit my table. We engaged in conversation and that's how I found out they had re-opened only two weeks ago. After finding out who I was, he invited me for a tour of the outdoor of the restaurant in the back. After completing finishing eating my amazing Brisket with mashed potatoes and green beans, I enjoyed a slice of cheesecake with strawberry syrup for dessert. It was so soft and moist, the perfect cheesecake. As I was taken to the tour in the back, as was fascinated my the large space they had there. I got to see the Smokehouse. It was made with quality wood and was very clean inside. They also had an outdoor bar, a Herb Garden, and lots of picnic tables under wooden roofs. I was also told that way in the back they also had a larger parking lot for the convenience of their customers. Wow! What a wonderful place. I thanked him for the tour and we went back inside to say goodbye to everyone who I had met and had made this an extraordinary dining experience.

We really enjoyed the beers here. There are a lot of different styles to choose from. Nice beer…read moregarden out back to enjoy your favorite when the weather is nice. Plenty of board and card games to play. Dog friendly. Nice staff. Great service.

We were rolling down 81 and wanted a better food stop than gas station/fast food. We found Olde…read moreSalem Brewery and Frank's Pizza across the street; you can order to be delivered! Friendly bartender, two good IPAs, comfortable, large room, and it looks like fun stuff on the calendar.

Brewing companies, there are many in this neck of the woods, but very unique, one-of-a-kind ones,…read morelike this one, rarely do we find one. I happened to find this one while searching for the Empanada Nirvana Food Truck. It just so happened that I found out that the Empanada Nirvana Food Truck was going to be stationed outside the Parkway Brewing Company this past Wednesday during National Empanada Day and so I researched this place to learn more about it. I found out that Parkway Brewing Company is a craft brewery in Salem, Virginia. Established in 2012, it is well known for its distinctive ales and a vibrant tasting room with a large beer garden, live music, and food trucks. It operates a 30-barrel brewhouse, producing a large range of beers from IPA to lagers. Located near the Roanoke Valley Greenway, it attracts runners and cyclists, and has become a community hub for outdoor enthusiasts and beer lovers. When I arrived in my pearl white Lexus, the Empanada Nirvana Food Truck was already parked outside, but had not yet opened, so I went inside the brewery to explore its building. There I found a casual, low-key environment with an industrial-chick interior featuring a fireplace and garage doors that opened to the outdoors, to an area with picnic tables and sun umbrellas. Inside there were also several colorful modern murals and a wide counter where customers went to order and pay for their beers. They had several menus as well as display coolers with some of the beers being sold there. The friendly and knowledgeable young lady behind the counter did an excellent job explaining what they had, including the non-alcoholic options. While going to the restrooms, one passed by a window where you could see the brewhouse. Along the way there were also shelves filled with souvenirs of the place. In the room where the fireplace was, there was also a stage for live performances, which usually took place at night. I loved the ambiance and vive of the place and am looking forward to returning to one of their music live performance and some of their beers, and knowing that they also carry non-alcoholic ones will allow me to enjoy the evening and drive back home safely.

Great beers and close to great hiking! We were there on a weekend when there was live music so it…read morewas pretty crowded but we still found a place to sit outside. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Loved this brewery (full disclosure, the band that was playing- Night Shift- was amazing and the…read moremain basis for this review!). The beer was good and the ambiance was fun. Lots of bonus points for being dog friendly! Also enjoyed the fire pits and Cornhole games! Service was friendly and efficient.

Sydney is wonderful, the beers are delicious, and Dan does great trivia every other Thursday…read more Dogs are allowed, which is good, because Sandy is Dan's buddy.

The BEST craft brewery in Roanoke! And just in case the rotating in-house styles aren't calling…read moreyour name, Blindhouse carries a handful of stellar beers from other craft breweries around the country as well as a few ciders and/or wines. Their pizzas are also delicious! Cheese, pepperoni with hot honey and suprema with bacon, veggies and chili oil are all wonderful pairings with their brews. On a recent Thursday evening, there was also a bluegrass jam happening in the taproom. So fun!! Love this funky little gem.

Tasty beer and welcoming atmosphere. As an added bonus, a bluegrass jam is held there 1st and…read more3rd Thursdays, 6 to 8:30.

We stopped here tonight after traveling from Florida -arrived tired and hungry! The young lady who…read morechecked us in was great. Our waitress was Mackenzie- she was very busy with waiting on large tables yet she was calm and very friendly. Excellent service. Very empathic knowing we had been traveling for 12 hours. Watching other servers and they were all very friendly and calm! I had the fish tacos and my husband had a burger- both very good. Prices are reasonable and service is excellent. We have eaten here in the past when traveling back to Connecticut. Would recommend!

Place is cute inside, it's spacey and there's a dining area + a bar area. It is incredibly loud if…read moreyou go past 7pm so be mindful of that (lots of college kids including myself + friend groups watching the games). It also gets busy quick! If there's one thing this place can't mess up it's some chicken tenders. They are a staple here. I think they are ridiculously priced, but they are also ridiculously good. The honey mustard is a must with them. I have not been really impressed by the other menu items I've tried, I've gotten a calzone in the past and the fish and chips and they were both average. Service is always 50/50, either someone who is super attentive or someone who will ignore you and never refill your glass for the majority of the time you're there. Overall this place is kind of average, it's $$ for what it is but it's fun with friends. 100% recommend those tenders though.

There's one side of the area that's more of a dark DJ area which is pretty loud. The brewery side…read morewasn't too loud, we sat at the bar. Very friendly and we got 2 free plastic cups. Beer was pretty good. Overall, a nice casual place for a couple of decent beers, we had stopped here for after dinner drinks. We got a flight and most of them were mild and flavorful. I can't quite recall if I had a favorite but would stop back by if we were ever in the area again.

Came here for a welcome wedding party. We had a whole section to ourselves. This place is so cool…read more I had their sour beer and I am not a big fan of beer but it was so goods it was key like pie sour and must try if you like sours! They have videos games you can play for free and ones you can pay money to play. Definitely recommend if you want to go have a couple of beers in the area!

In Roanoke for the day and needed a beer…read more Scale: 1-5 Beer: 5 - I had the NE IPA that was good. Saw a porter and ESB that I will try next time. Atmosphere: 5 - Relaxed vibe. Nice outdoor seating. Service: 5 - Quick and informative. Food: N/A Cultural/Political Agenda (1-5): 5 -Everyone is welcome. No preachy nonsense or virtue signaling, just beer, as it should be.

We enjoy visiting local breweries and decided to stop in at AFOG on a Sunday evening at 6:30pm…read moreafter calling and confirming their hours. The brewery was easy to find and we originally thought it was housed inside an old school building but later learned it was previously a health services building. In addition to AFOG, there are also residential apartments in the remaining adjoining part of the building. There is a large outdoor area where a birthday celebration was happening amongst a small group. We proceeded inside and were immediately greeted by Sam. She helped me identify the IPA options and i immediately chose their Millennial Serum, which is a hazy imperial style that I enjoy. We looked around a bit, snapped some photos and looked at their swag. I'm a big tie dye guy and I was happy to see they had a great selection of AFOG tie dye shirts in my size. We decided to sit at the bar while I enjoyed my beer and chatted about our day. We also enjoyed talking with Sam and learning more about the brewery. We learned they are soon opening their second location in Buchanan, Virginia. Great stop, we felt welcomed, the beer was delicious and I have a new tie dye that will remind me of our time in Roanoke.

I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world, but in none have I had such a wonderful…read moredining experience like I always do at Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery. 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 return to those special ones, that have made a difference in my life and highlight them, for the benefit of the public, so they too can have an opportunity to appreciate the qualities of a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience. And Bernard's Gastropub & Eatery in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Bernard's was born out of the love of two culinary aficionados turned professionals that in someway have managed to create a restaurant with an environment that transmits this intimate love to the hearts of their customers through the attention to detail in its extraordinary customer service and amazing culinary masterpieces. Today, I felt like dining at this restaurant, which I admire for its consistency in always far exceeding my high expectations of what a fine-dining restaurant should be all about. Not knowing if they would have a table for me at this late time on a Saturday early evening, I drove in my pearl white Lexus to the nearest private parking lot and gave them a call to inquire as if they could give me a reservation for the next ten minutes. A gentleman, who later I found out was named Matthew, and would be my server, answered the phone with a very polite and welcoming voice; answering my question of what was the special dish of the day and to come on down, that my reservation was assured. As soon as I arrived to the small, very elegant foyer in front of the Host's station, he came out to greet me and instantly recognized who I was. My only request was that he give me a low table because at my age seating at a high table was a bit uncomfortable. He went back to see what he could find and ended setting me up with what I consider one of the best tables of the house, and I was so appreciative of his last minute accommodation. The menu was already setup on my table. He poured water from a special bottle into my water glass and asked if I wanted something else to drink. I asked for a Mocktail and since he also was a bartender, he prepared me one of the best mocktails I've ever had. To dine, I started out with their Mussels Carbonara appetizer, which came in a bacon parmesan cream sauce that was simply amazing, and served with toast points. As my main entrée I had the Dinner Special of the Night, the Seafood Trio. It had a delicious, giant size crab cake in the middle, scallops, and shrimps, with parmesan risotto sautéed heirloom tomato, spinach, and nice size asparagus, with a burre blanc sauce. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the high-quality of their food and magnificent ambiance of the place. Everything was so delicious that only one word could ever describe them: priceless! For dessert I had their very famous Butterscotch Banana Pudding, which the chef makes at the moment ordered. It looked spectacular and tasted amazingly delicious: a culinary work of art. What a great way for the Gran Finale of an extraordinary dining experience!

Salty Salty They have potential to be good…read more But they use the same seasoning on fries - and French Onion Soup. Sub par food expensive. Not worth it.