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 The River and Rail Restaurant located in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example of one of them. Going back to this restaurant after the great honor that I had received from Yelp, made me recall the first time that I dined here. I invite you that after reading this review, you go back and read that one, and view my photographs accompanying it, because it's one of which I am most proud of, and an experience that I will never forget and forever cherish. I arrived at the restaurant on time at five o'clock sharp and as I waited for them to open I had an opportunity to meet and chat with a couple who had been loyal customers of this restaurant for years since it first opened. They, as well as I, were aware of the beautiful location of the restaurant on one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of Roanoke. As soon as the doors opened, I allowed them to enter first and then when the host came back she gave me a warm and friendly greeting, welcoming me back, and took me to an ideal table, where I had a perfect view of the entire restaurant, from their open kitchen, to their bar, to the entire dining room and entrance, allowing me to capture in photographs the real feel of the ambiance of this cozy, yet elegant, upscale Southern, New-American restaurant known for its scratch-made dishes using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients, including house-cured meats and pickled vegetables, as well as very creative cocktails. Shortly after I was seated, my delightful server Caroline arrived, and after a warm greeting took my order. To drink I order their Strawberry Fields Forever Mocktail. As appetizer I ordered a half dozen Oysters together with their famous Oyster Wraps. And as my main entrée, the Painted Hills Filet, cooked medium-rare. All the staff seemed so happy to see me and the manager came by to say hello and congratulate me for my outstanding Yelp accomplishment of 2025. My excellent server made sure that my order was well-paced, came by at the appropriate times to fill my glass with water and see if all was to my liking. Everything tasted amazingly delicious. Starting from the unique taste of my creative mocktail, to my flavorful appetizer, to my exquisite Filet main entrée that was so tender and cooked just right. The chefs in this fine dining restaurant are amazing and the quality of their meats is top notch. For dessert I had one of my favorite desserts, since I first had it there, their Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta. This dessert is absolutely mouthwatering. What an extraordinary dining experience I once again had there. Fine dining at its best. For those very special occasions, I highly recommend this restaurant. Or you can always make any day special, by dining there. read more

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The River and Rail is a small establishment so I'd recommend making a reservation no matter the size of the party or the day. The food comes out fairly quick, the menu is concentrated while still offering a large variety of options. The cocktails are good, though neither of us ordered from the cocktail menu, they have a full bar so you can order whatever you please. Service could be a little more vocal/communicative but it seems staff is perhaps limited? It was good but there's room for moderate improvement for sure. The Chicken Liver Mousse was absolutely amazing and I'd return again and again specifically for this dish (go ahead and order extra bread to come with it)!! read more

The River and Rail - Oysters, salad, and the most delicious bread - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

We had a very nice dinner here. They have a great outdoor patio that is dog friendly and the vibe is upscale. My beet salad had a lovely yogurt dressing and fresh herbs. My NC shrimp dish was fine but nothing memorable. My husband's pork was ok but a bit chewy. The collard greens were good but a tad spicey. The service was great- our waitress was helpful and the food came out quickly. read more

The River and Rail - NC shrimp - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Had dinner with a friend here recently, reservations are necessary most nights. I was ahead of my friend a minute or two and was seated promptly walking in, the place was already busy. My friend arrived shortly and our server appeared within moments of that. Water bottle in hand was served with our menus and a couple short glasses. The interior is open, country casual. Tables well spaced out, with seating also at the bar. Braised Octopus and the Pimento Cheese and Toast appetizers. The pimento with pickled veggies and toasted sour dough was quite good, freshly made and a great shareable plate. The braised octopus well presented and cooked nicely, solid flavors and textures with charred cucumber and cherry tomatoes with pistachios, again more than enough to share with an interesting mediterrean twist. I opted for the Heirloom tomato salad and it was simply delicious, maybe my favorite of the night? For my entree, the Monkfish filet, wrapped in Benton's country Ham sliced paper thin, and cooked beautifully. Served with roasted leeks, braised white beans, arugula over an almond romesco and a chile vinaigrette. Simply delicious. The R&R Banana pudding was also a cool twist on a classic dessert, with the coconut jalepeno sorbet. The only tick for me was the wine. At a certain price point the bottle should NOT be a screw top period. I ordered their top price point Pinot Noir from Austrailia, at $76 bucks, it was a screw top. This was a complete wow moment when it was presented at the table, the wine was okay maybe even good but the whole "unscrewing the cap" made the whole getting a nice bottle of wine for the evening to go with a nice dinner like a let down. I even said something to our server, she played it off but it was obvious it effected the experience. Dinner with a tip north of $300. 4 Stars worth a visit and recommended 01021 read more

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I really had a great date night at river and rail. I made a reservation just in case and I'm glad I did. The drinks there were amazing and our waiter was very nice as well. The food that I ordered which included the fried oyster kimchi lettuce wrap was delicious! The vibe of the restaurant was also very cozy. I am glad that I gave this place a chance and will definitely be back. read more

The food is absolutely AMAZING! I only wish brunch would come back. I can't find Eggs Benedict as good anywhere!

I guess the food may good but I wouldn't know. I was traveling from Asheville back to NYC and from the reviews this seemed to ba a standout. I arrived at 8:32p on a Tuesday night. A few people we eating at tables and one other person at the bar finishing their dinner. I sat at the bar after driving for 5 hours and the bartender gave me a menu then said let me make sure the kitchen is still open, mind you it's an open kitchen and I could see the cooks in there working. Surely at 8:32p this isn't a problem. He came back to say yeaaa the kitchen is closed- sorry. I was like, what, are you kidding! When did it close? He said yea it's slow, they closed at 8:30p- I said 2 min ago!? Well I would think if it is slow the owners would love someone coming in to spend money AND it was just me... I likley would have finished before the few tables were done. TERRIBLE. read more

The food gave my mother food poisoning with a very undercooked steak. It was still mooing. Woke up at four in the morning to her having diarrhea and a bad case of the pukes. So, not to not is the food overpriced but it also makes you sick. Our waitress was even high as a kite and doing her best Captain Jack Sparrow impression every time she talked to us and she was hard to understand. Do not recommend. Quality and service is perpetually circling the toilet. read more

This was by far the best dinner experience I had during a visit to Roanoke! The restaurant is cozy with an open kitchen, the staff were incredible, and the food was absolutely amazing. For appetizers we had the oysters, beet salad, and jar of pickles. The chow chow on the oysters was SO good, I was actually hesitant to try raw oysters for the first time but they ended up being a highlight of the meal. The beet salad was also delicious as well as the jar of pickles if you enjoy super vinegary things like I do. For entrees we had the sea bass and steak tenderloin. Can't even lie- one of the best steaks I've ever tried. It was perfectly cooked and so flavorful. Even the side veggies were incredible. The sea bass was also perfectly crispy and the sauce on it was so tasty as well. With everything being so amazing of course we had to try dessert too. We ordered the banana pudding and the chocolate panna cotta. The banana pudding is not traditional at all but if you like unique flavor combinations this is definitely one to try. The coconut jalapeño sorbet is like nothing I've ever tried before, and loved the cornbread crumbs too. The panna cotta was so rich, chocolatey, and delicious, and could definitely be shared between two people as it was a pretty large portion. The whole evening was a 10/10 and I would highly recommend! read more

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Love this place. Cocktails food service all good. Ambience also really pleasant. A go to when in Roanoke.

This is a high end restaurant with unique flavors. I highly recommend the food, drinks, and service is excellent. If you come to Roanoke this is top 5 in quality in the whole area read more

Wife and myself had dinner here in PM. Atmosphere was nice very comfortable and waitress was very nice and helpful with menus. Wife had chicken and veggies, I had short ribs and mash potatoes with Brussels sprouts. All was great, hot and tasted wonderful. Both had dessert. Home made sorbet and brown auger cake. Delicious. Recommend getting reservations. Very crowded. Highly recommend this restaurant. $100. read more

The River and Rail - Ribs, mash potatoes and Brussels Chicken and veggies. - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

The experience was awful the staff was unfriendly the waitress was incompetent the restaurant was freezing we had to keep our coats on the over priced food was tasteless we have not been there for a few years then was a very good restaurant but it has definitely changed will never go back again don't recommend at all read more

Hello I ate for the first time 8 years ago, again for my anniversary and when my daughter was stationed in Korea. All was good, service five stars food as well. This week worse experience ever both with reluctant service and food I wouldn't feed my dog. Actually my daughter did give her bland chicken breast that's because there were no seasoning or taste to effect my dog's digestion. My wife had the hanger steak no flavor and under cooked and got sick later. I had the mussels with extra bread to suck up the dishwater favored liquid-although the bread was good. So sad. Not to mention the cold outside (29*) was warmer than inside never took our coats off. Waitress ask how we doing we are freezing she said sorry to hear more water. read more

Best meal I've had in years and I'm someone who travels and eats at a lot of great places. My partner and I had some delicious cocktails (great bourbon selection) and enjoyed the Peking Duck and Hanger Steak for dinner. Both cooked to perfection and the accompanying vegetables were good enough to have been a meal on their own. Capped it all off with their famous Banana Pudding which is not like grandmas but is even better!! A jalapeno infused ice cream on top of a toasted cornbread crumble on top of a banana pudding custard was just pure perfection. All with an upscale casual environment and great playlist (if you're a Gen Xer). Can't wait to come back to Roanoke to visit so I can try this spot again. read more

The River and Rail - Banana Pudding - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Great cozy restaurant with excellent cocktails and food. The clockwork cocktail was amazing. Also liked the chicken entree. Bartenders provided excellent service. read more

Love this place. My wife's favorite. Great menu and we are always treated well. Great services and atmosphere.

Absolutely delicious and great service! So happy the hubs got us a reservation here, I'll definitely be recommending it to others! we both loved the vibe of the place too, it's a good balance of classy and chill. read more

The River and Rail - Absolutely delicious food and wonderful service. So happy the hubs got us a reservation here, I'll definitely be recommending it to others - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

My wife and I dined there while we were on vacation in the Roanoke area. The drinks, food, atmosphere, and service were all top notch. It was one of the best dining experiences we've ever had in our travels across the country. The hospitality of their staff was amazing! (Special thanks to Luke and Melissa who were wonderful to us! They treated us like VIPs even though we were just visiting from out of town.) It truly set them apart from other restaurants we've visited. Our first visit was so good, we decided to eat there again while we were in town. If I'm ever within 100 miles of Roanoke in the future, I'll definitely stop in for dinner. It was the highlight of our vacation! I highly recommend The River and Rail! read more

3 couples and all of our meals (fishmonger pork chop and hanger steaks) were delicious. the skillet cornbread is amazing. Service was perfect and the atmosphere with the visible tiny kitchen is entertaining if you get the right table. read more

New to the area and looking for local experiences. The hangers steak was Delicious, I didn't care for the wild mushrooms but that's just me. I also don't like blue cheese so the chef modified it for me. I would definitely order it again! The cocktails were delicious and so many types to choose from! The service was friendly and the place is clean and welcoming. The prices are steep but it's a fancy restaurant so it's expected. read more

The River and Rail - Bar - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Bottom Line: High quality food and attentive staff. I'm really glad that I discovered The River and Rail thanks to Yelp while staying the night in Roanoke. Dining at The River and Rail is more like an experience than dinner given their crafty cocktails and interesting Southern-inspired menu. My husband and I stated with cocktails. He got the sweet and tropical inspired High Wide & Handsome which went down very smoothly but left him a little tipsy. I ordered the Model Citizen which was very much a sipping drink that I nursed throughout the evening. It is all booze but our server warned me that it was strong. For dinner we were very curious about the menu so we tried a lot of stuff - the jar of pickles, the pimento cheese and toast, the beef ribs special, the grilled broccoli and the dry aged ribeye. It was all really tasty and beautiful. Never in my life did I think that pickled vegetables could be a work of art but they surely were. And the beef ribs were also perfectly trimmed and mouth watering. Also perfect was the service. Everyone was friendly, attentive and taking proper COVID precautions. We sat relatively close to the door so I had a good amount of time to witness all of the hostesses interactions with the dine in customers and customers getting orders to go. Definitely a first rate staff at the The River and the Rail to compliment the first rate cocktails and cuisine. read more

The River and Rail - Beef ribs special - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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We went here due to reviews I read. We were not impressed. Appetiser of pimiento cheese was highlight of the meal. Our food took over an hour to get and the worst part was the food was mediocre. I love trying new places and wish this experience was better. It was crowded and people appeared to be enjoying dinner so hopefully their experience was better. read more

Absolutely top notch The drinks, alcohol and mocktail options were amazing The appetizer, and meals were all incredible I would have any item here The service was great and I never felt like the waitress was trying to puppy dog eye for a better tip It's a bit small inside but that makes it cozy, It feels like a jazzy space Would come again and again. read more

Good meal Good service I had hamburger & French fries Several years ago The burger was perfectly cooked, just as I ordered it. The fries were hand cut and also cooked perfect for me. read more

We walked in without a reservation and ate at the bar. Everything was fantastic. I had the Hangar Steak and my husband had the Smoke in Chimneys Trout. The dark chocolate panne cotta was literally the dark cherry on top! We will definitely return. read more

The River and Rail - "They not like us" cocktail! - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Was in Roanoke for some hiking. Came in after a long hike and ate an early dinner at the bar. Had the seasonal pork chop which is a large portion and cooked to perfection. Also had the shoulda coulda woulda mocktail....soooo yummy! Probably could have drank 5 of those. The staff was great and the menu was creative. Would definitely recommend if seeking some elevated cuisine in the Roanoke area. I'm definitely going to return if back in the area. read more

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Delicious food; simple ideas with great execution. Really friendly staff. Definitely going to return.

Quaint neighborhood place with fantastic food, service and ambiance. Highly recommended!

The food was so good. The service was top drawer. I can't wait to go back. I was with my 90+ year old parents so we ate inside but it was perfect read more

Amazing experience! Service - Outstanding. Cocktails - definitely get one! Beef Tartare - Excellent. Chicken Liver Mousse - Incredible. Braised Pork - Delicious. Hanger Steak - the best my husband has ever had. Olive Oil Cake - omggggg. Might be good to plan ahead with a reservation, as they're a more intimate restaurant, BUT for a party of two - we walked in around 8pm and had no trouble on a Saturday night. Highly recommend!! read more

Came here on our first night in Roanoke! It is a little more of an upscale restaurant with nice ambiance, and the service was good. Unfortunately the food was just okay. For the price point ($30-$40 per entree) and such a small selection we expected each dish to be flavorful and "perfected" by the restaurant, but we both felt out dishes were just "alright". I think, based on the cost of our meal and overall food satisfaction, we would rather recommend going elsewhere. read more

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It was all just okay. We were last there about 3 years ago, until this week. It was so long in between because 3 years ago we had a very unpleasant experience there. But, thinking that sometimes things change, we went back. it was our anniversary and we had reservations. They seated us between the bar and a table of twelve people. Several other tables were empty in the place but it was very loud where we were seated. The service was fair but not great and the food likewise. The meat on my plate was a bit tough; the rest of the dish rather bland. The mixed drinks we had were good but the ice cube was SO large there was little room for the drink itself. That's a trick! The last time we were there we waited for over an hour between ordering and being served. When we inquired as to why it was taking so long the server said"we serve our regular customers first and we don't know you." True, and you never will. They evidently don't want to build their business further. Good to know that. read more

We had an exceptional experience at River and Rail during our first trip to Roanoke. Our waiter was helpful, kind, and funny and the staff in general worked together beautifully to make our entire experience feel really special. We loved getting to see into the open kitchen while the chefs prepared dishes and everything was delicious. We got the cheese platter and pimento cheese with pork rinds (pictured) to start and were really happy with both. We found out too late about the secret menu item simply called The Burger so I guess we'll have to take another trip to try that. ;) Our steaks were great though and the ice cream and sorbet flights topped everything off nicely. Really glad we found this spot. read more

The River and Rail - Southern Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Come here for upstanding food and service. The dishes are beautifully plated, colorful, and unique. My only qualm with the food is the whole "upscale bar food" trend that they have fallen into - when I go to a fancy restaurant I don't really want to see "pork rinds" on the menu. However, the main items are on the menu are great quality. I am a vegetarian and didn't have many options on the real menu, so I called ahead to let them know and they were happy to accommodate. The server asked me what ingredients on the menu (that were a part of other dishes) sounded appealing to me and the chef created a custom dish for me. It was outstanding. Everything seemed to be high quality. Our server was super friendly and informative. She was attentive and responsive as well. We ordered some cocktails for dessert and enjoyed them as well. The atmosphere is very cute, pretty, nice bright natural lighting. I would have liked for the seating to be placed a little further apart from one another as we were kind of close to other patrons. Otherwise, no real complaints. read more

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This place is a gem in SWVA. Not too many high end restaurants in this neck of the woods. I've been twice but because I've been living in Los Angeles for the last 25 years I've lacked opportunity. This latest time I had the Duck and my brother ordered the Ossobuco. Both delicious. I look forward to returning and trying something else off their very eclectic menu. read more

Our entrees were supposed to be tomahawk pork chops. No bone served. Both were terrible, overcooked, dry, and tough as wood. Positive reviews are undeserved. The pate was delicious, but that doesn't matter if he entree, the star of the dish would s awful! read more

Absolutely amazing atmosphere, very cool drinks if you like an entertainment to your beverage and the bartenders are top notch.

We've been twice and both times have been excellent! They asked if it was a special occasion and, as it was our anniversary, they had a sweet card signed by the staff waiting for us when we arrived. The second time we cane, they remembered that I was vegan and pointed out my options on the menu without me even asking! Everything is delicious! Service is great. You can't go wrong here for a date night! read more

Wow. This place is absolutely amazing. You have to make a reservation. It's quite small inside and seems to book up daily. I know why! Their food is fantastic! The service we received was impeccable and I literally have zero complaints! Go, now! read more

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