Shakers is near the Roanoke airport & in a strip mall. We were greeted by sisters at the hostess…read morestand. Since I was with my sister that seemed appropriate. The menu has sandwiches, pasta and shareable appetizers. The atmosphere is comfy and nice. Our server was on the ball when mistakes were made. We had several hiccups during the meal. The only reason I didn't rate three stars is because the glitches were fixed. The tomato soup is excellent. I orders a grilled cheese & soup. My sister had baked spaghetti. We split the spinach dip. My sister loved the pasta. The spinach dip wasn't hot. The cheese didn't even melt on the dish. I asked our server if the dip could be reheated - not even redone. The server had the dip redone. The second dip was not hot and was still clumpy. It seemed like frozen spinach. I asked if the dish could be redone. The server said she would not charge us for the dip. That was nice, especially since it wasn't that great. The third dip was hot and the best effort of the three. The server made sure we weren't charged. My grilled cheese was only cooked on one side. The cheese wasn't fully melted. The second one was better. This location is perfect to bring company arriving from or going back to the airport.

Easy 5 stars, there was not a thing wrong and moreover everything was satisfactory on service, food…read moreand atmosphere. The hostess was friendly and seated us upon arrival at our request a booth and provided menus. Waitress came in immediately after with drink orders. She smiled and was very friendly. I connected with my son for dinner and he ordered the Cajun chicken pasta. I ordered the 12 ounce ribeye with two sides of sweet potato and steamed broccoli. The restaurant is divided up by bar and bar seating. It's a bit like a sports bar with TV's. To the side is their dining room. Everything was clean including carpets and tables cleared. Within 15 minutes our dishes pushed out looking fabulous. The pasta dis was enormous! My steak after cutting in was proper medium as ordered and yum. The sweet potato with cinnamon butter was over the top scrumptious! Broccoli was fresh and tasty. Our server did a quick check a few minutes later. Close out was prompt and no issues using my card. Left a generous tip of 25% with phenomenal service. Definitely would return.

We can't say enough of this place. We had a wonderful visit for Sunday brunch. Ty (bartender and…read morehost) was excellent and very friendly. This was our first time here celebrating our son's birthday. I got the chicken biscuit which was excellent. The chicken and waffles were really good to. This really could be for two people. The drinks were excellent. We will definitely come back to try their lunch/dinner menu.

It was ok. Service was a bit slow and not as attentive as I would like. The steak was okay a bit on…read morethe fatty side and the broccolini was sparse. It looked like portion sizes varied by person. We were seated upstairs in the private section so it was very peaceful. Downstairs and outside was pretty packed.

Rarely do we encounter the birth of such creative restaurant as that of Dorothy & Frank's. But when…read morewe do, we're up for a big surprise. 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 Dorothy & Frank's in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. Right across from the well known bakery, Bread Craft, in the heart of Downtown Roanoke, and in the Historic Marigold building, a new restaurant has emerged, like no other that I have ever seen before. Just as I learned of its existence, the night before, and sent the details to Yelp so they immediately created a site for this new restaurant, I found out that the following day would be their Opening Night for dinner and I quickly proceeded to make a reservation to be among the first to catch a glimpse of this very unique restaurant and taste its culinary delicacies from its right off the press menu. Dorothy & Frank's is a new two-story restaurant and bar concept, conceived from the brilliant minds of Bloom Restaurant & Wine-Bar Chef/Owner Nate Sloan and Thomas Ceddia. It features a lower-level restaurant (Dorothy) with rotisserie based American comfort food and an upstairs listening bar (Frank's Wild years). The venue officially launched around the beginning of February, opened only for lunch, and today, Thursday, February 19, 2026, it was scheduled to begin dinner service. And I had the pleasure of being the first customer to be waiting outdoors in the middle of the rain, under my umbrella, with my five o'clock reservation, when it opened its doors. Inside, the place had a nostalgic charm, with dark harwood floors, high ceilings, simple yet elegant decor, and beautiful lighting treatment. The friendly host and charming manager welcomed me at the Host's station and allowed me to take a seat at the requested table next to the window, where I could better photograph the food, the interior of the restaurant, and the dining experience. My server Molly, arrived soon after and was able very helpful in coordinating with the bartender to make me a Switchel Mocktail that came out marvelous. As appetizer I ordered 6 of their Broiled Virginia Oysters. The young gentleman who brought them to my table recognized me from dining at Sidecar, a European-style gastropub in downtown Roanoke, where he used to work. I especially liked how well the oysters were prepared with the Neuske's Bacon. This was followed with a Market Salad with Tahini Goddess dressing, which was out of this world. And as my main entrée I had the Bistec, medium-rare. A quality Sirloin Steak prepared wonderfully, with grilled onion relish, shmaltz potatoes, and aerated bearnaise. My server came by at the appropriate times to see if I needed anything and make sure my glass of water was full, which by the way, was made in France with a refined crystal that made the already perfect water taste even better. Thomas, one of the owners, also came by my table, and I was impressed with his humility, his philosophy of life, and his vision of this magnificent restaurant. For dessert, the Grand Finale of an extraordinary dining experience, I had their Beignets du Noir, and they were amazing. I highly recommend this new restaurant and look forward to returning in the near future.

It felt like they are still trying to figure out the dinner service…read more A nice spot, but might be better for lunch. There are not many options for vegetarians, their recommendation was appetizers or they can create a veggie plate, with the veggies on hand. it was a bit overpriced for a plate of veggies on hand but tasted great and fresh ingredients. Get the eclair cake, you will not be disappointed. The space looks really nice and the front windows appear to open, but on a rainy afternoon, they were not open. The acoustics had it just on the borderline of not able to hear with everyone at the table.

Relied on Yelp for restaurants and decided on Mac & Bobs. Popular local place and Sam took good…read morecare of us. We beat the college crowd getting there before 6PM. My Caesar salad was very good as was my chicken parm. My wife opted for Tai chicken bowl( nice little kick). Both portions were good sized. Plenty of alcohol options so we choice beers and wine with our entrees. Going forward, we shall make this a regular stop on our way North.

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.

Alexander's is located in the heart of downtown Roanoke. For my purposes I could not have asked…read morefor a better location. I had inquired with the restaurant a month or so in advance of my visit (I was concerned about the dress code) and they were spot on. I wore jeans and a buton down and was quite comfortable (and not out of place). It's a very nice restaurant, but it's certainly not "stuffy." Service was excellent. Food was phenomenal. Dinner started with some nice bread (and really good butter), and a salad came with my lamb ragu. It was all really good. The lamb was super rich and very flavorful. My only suggestion would be to serve the ragu over the polenta, and to add more vegetables. As it was, the dinner was "just enough;" I wasn't stuffed but I wasn's hungry, either. Really good dinner!

There are times when one encounters very special restaurants that can only be described as…read more"priceless." And every time one returns to dine there, it only serves to reinforce the perfect attachment that one has acquired from the very first time they dined there and had the pleasure of enjoying an extraordinary fine dining experience. 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 Alexander's, in the heart of Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. From the moment I arrived and walked through their door, I was greeted in such a way, by none other than Bjorn, the Dining Room Manager himself, that made me feel appreciated and immediately made me feel at home. Neither the coldness of the weather nor the accumulated snow could hinder me from my decision to dine here this evening. I was the first one to arrive after they opened their doors. Since the streets were still icy and filled with snow, I left my Lexus at home and took a Lyft to the restaurant, which was not far from my neighborhood, the Historic Old Southwest. Since it was a slow night due to the weather, the Dining Room Manager himself doubled as my server for the evening. To drink, we discussed my flavor liking for a Mocktail, and he came up with a special one, that ended up tasting amazing. To dine, I started with the Deconstructed cajunese california roll appetizer. It was amazingly delicious! Then I had a Salad vinaigrette, which was included with every entrée, and a French Baguette with a cube of butter. The baguette slices with butter were so fresh, soft in the inside and crispy on the outside, that they confirmed my view that the quality of a restaurant's bread and butter is a reflection of the quality of the restaurant and its cuisine. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. As my main entrée, I had the Grilled filet of beef, sauce marchand de vin, cooked medium-rare. The filet was cooked to perfection, just as ordered, so tender, juicy, and flavorful. It was a culinary masterpiece from Chef and General Manager, Boni M. Webb, who graciously came out to greet me, and gave me an opportunity to personally celebrate her magnificent cuisine. She reminded me of my Japanese student who obtained the best grade in my Business class at the university where I taught. She was very humble and kind. As the Grand Finale dessert, on the advice of my server and general manager, I ordered their Glace au chocolat. It was wonderful. What an outstanding dining experience I once again had in this outstanding restaurant with a unique combination of exceptional food, atmosphere, and heartfelt service. I highly recommend it, and can't wait to return.

Roanoke's Historic Grandin Village has many restaurants of all sizes and types but one that stands…read moreout is Rockfish Food & Wine. Founded in 2005 by Olivia and Rocky Byrd, this family-owned and operated fine-dining restaurant was established to bring a high-end yet relaxed seafood and wine dining experience to this area. It offers a seasonal menu and an extensive wine list of over 270 selections. 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 Rockfish Food & Wine located in the heart of Grandin Village, one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example of one of them. After making a 5 o'clock reservation on the Toast platform from the restaurant's website, I did some errands and then proceeded to drive to the restaurant located at 1402 Grandin Road. (This is considered the Main Street of this neighborhood) The restaurant's building is located next to a small 7-Eleven, and doesn't have parking, but I found plenty of on-street parking spaces good for an hour or in some cases two, and free after 5 o'clock. I picked one of them and parked my pearl white Lexus there. When I entered the restaurant, a young, elegant lady greeted and welcomed me behind the Host's station. Soon after she took me to the requested booth, I found out her name was Kayla and she would be my server. While I was reviewing the menu, she brought me a carafe of cold water with a glass, and a small dish with slices of a baguette and butter. She then took my order. To drink, besides the water, I ordered a Strawberry Fields Mocktail. It had just the right taste and was brought to my table by the bartender herself. To dine I started off with a Crispy Oysters appetizer which was delicious. Followed by a Dinner Mixed Green Salad, which was one of the most delicious salads I've ever had at a restaurant. It had many ingredients and tasted amazingly delicious. For my main entrée I had their Ribeye Filet Au Poivre median rare. It came served with roasted mushrooms, green beans, and cheesy mashed potatoes, and was cooked medium-rare just as I ordered it. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality food. My server provided exceptional customer service, filling my glass with water, and pointing me out the restaurant's owner who was an elegantly dressed, distinguish looking lady with lots of charm and a great personality, who had moved here with her husband and co-owner from California's central coast with a vision of creating a fine-dining restaurant which they felt the local area needed. I also found out through my server that every Thursday the restaurant had live Jazz music to a full house audience, and I would need to make reservations early. Seated at the table next to mine were a distinguished looking couple which I established conversation with and found out that the lady was Dr. Laura Treanor, the fifth president of Virginia Western Community College, who began her term on July 1, 2025. She had succeeded Dr. Robert "Bobby" Sandel, who retired after over two decades of service, and is leading the college with a focus on institutional effectiveness, instructional quality, and student success. For dessert I had their Vanilla Cheesecake with mixed berry sauce, which had missing the fresh berries described on the menu. I had just had such an extraordinary dining experience that I didn't even mention it. Before leaving and after paying the bill with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard, I had the opportunity of meeting the founder and co-owner of the restaurant, Olivia, and thanking her and her husband for such a wonderful dining experience I had today and always whenever I dine there.

Based on noticeably high prices we went expecting a high end dining experience and got just the…read moreopposite! The server was friendly and helpful but that is the only positive comment. 1. The Caesar Salad was really small, over-dressed and croutons, dry, hard and not bite-sized. 2. Fried Oysters were greasy, tasteless, overpriced, mostly breading, overly watery. Not an appropriate way to prepare Oysters. 3. The deep-fried Grits were breaded with Panco, not the right product as they are grease sponges and the Grits were mushy, too few and came with no dipping sauce. 4. The Tuna Tacos were the best item but only average at best. Very little tuna tartar and not chopped, not much flavor, served over tiny, raw, corn tortillas that should have been buttered and crisped in a pan. 5. The live Jazz with Lenny Marcus was great but the PA system was poor and one could not understand the vocals. 6. Seated right under a ceiling fan on high and AC set low and was quite uncomfortable.

Rochelle gave great service, food was delicious! Pizza smelled delicious, but we didn't get to…read moretry it. I can definitely recommend the catfish though!

We were longtime fans and frequented the previous restaurant at this spot lots and lots. It is very…read moredifferent so I think you just have to go in knowing that. It must be fairly popular, as they have an extensive menu, but for me it's a solid three stars. The photos speak for themselves in a lot of ways. I can't help but think with a little more attention to detail, and possibly being able to do that with a smaller menu, things would improve. The waitress told us they make everything in house and while that may be true for some things like dressings etc. I think that's a stretch. The fish with the fish and chips is certainly not fresh fish prepared on site, The portions for the meatloaf and barbecue plate were small in my opinion for a dinner portion, and the sauce I received with the chicken gnocchi special was not a cream sauce. I realize it sounds like I'm having a go at the restaurant, but I'm not. I would equate our meal with a diner type experience and there is certainly a place for that in the restaurant world. I miss the farm to table vibe though so while we probably will get back there at some point to try some other things but perhaps not rushing to do so.

I thought this was a cute elevated spot with a great menu and bar area. Nice casual patio area too…read more Our food and service was great. I would love to come back here to try their brunch. Ngl, I thought this was waterfront based on skimming through Yelp old photos - it's not. But it is close to the public ramp and has ample parking which made it a great pitstop after pulling our boat out of the water. Crab cake was not jumbo lump. But overall, a good dish. The sauce was fantastic.

The service is slow and the server seemed to be going though the motions. It got busier as we were…read morethere. It was hot outside and the interior of the restaurant was stuffy and warm. The baked Brie appetizer was good. The house salad was fresh and crispy. The airline chicken was too salty and overcooked. The prime rib special was $39 but they charge extra for sides and salads. Not worth the price at all. Too much money for meh food and lazy service. Go to Blackwater Cafe instead.