really solid bar food!…read more I love the vibe here and the atmosphere makes you want to stay awhile. Definitely a great local spot if you're looking for good bar food and a fun, relaxed place to grab a drink.

We visited the Yard Bird Tavern in downtown Roanoke. Finding a spot can be a bit of a gamble;…read moreunless you're lucky enough to snag a space at the curb, you should expect to pay for parking. ​Atmosphere & Menu ​Upon entering, we found the restaurant pleasantly sophisticated, though it was nearly at capacity. While we opted not to explore the drink menu, we were eager to see what the kitchen had to offer. The menu itself is concise, focusing primarily on wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, supplemented by a few small appetizers. ​The culinary style is quite eclectic. They feature several unconventional toppings and flavor combinations that might seem a bit eccentric at first glance. ​The Culinary Experience ​I decided on a flatbread-style pizza topped with: ​Smoked chicken ​Pickles ​Peppadew-style peppers (which resembled small cherry tomatoes) ​A tangy, zesty sauce reminiscent of an enchilada base with an extra "zing." ​My wife opted for a "build-your-own" pizza featuring red onions, pepperoni, and bell peppers. Although she realized too late that she had forgotten to request light sauce, she noticed the oversight immediately upon the dish's arrival. ​Service Observations ​The service was a bit of a mixed bag. Our waitress was professional but remarkably brisk. She lacked the usual pleasantries or "small talk" one might expect, focusing instead on efficiency. While her haste felt a bit impersonal, I couldn't complain about her attentiveness--she was incredibly prompt at refilling my iced tea the moment my glass was empty. Make sure you bring your pocketbook this pizza brings a sting at the register.

Amazing food and service. The place is very clean and the people are very nice. The food was put in…read more5 minutes and it tasted amazing. But there were some bugs

Looks like we have a new chicken wings restaurant in the neighborhood and it's Atomic. Atomic…read morewings just opened a few days ago. It's located at Blue Hills Village, in Roanoke, Virginia, on the former Chicago Bob's Storefront. 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 this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public. And this Atomic Wings is the perfect example. Dedicated to serving a wide range of all natural jumbo wings and other menu items, Atomic Wings offers halal chicken at any spice level and a variety of dipping sauces to suit any taste bud. The founder of Atomic Wings did so by fullfiling his dream of recreating the hot, crispy wings he had once eaten during his college days in Buffalo, New York. Today at around 5:30pm I went with a friend to check this new place out. It had reasantly celebrated it's Grand Opening a few days ago, and still had some of the balloons decorations of the event attached to the outdoor columns of its building architectural design. When we entered I was surprised to find some customers eating there and others waiting for their To Go orders. The owner of the new restaurant came out and gave us a warm welcome, greeting us himself in person. He had a nice, friendly personality, and just by meeting him I could already anticipate the success of this new restaurant. Their menu was well lit and hanging high above. Their prices were very reasonable and they had a nice variety of chicken items besides their famous Wings, such as Chicken Tenders and Chicken Sandwiches, and for dessert, Fried Oreo Cookies. For those who enjoy a cold beer in a hot Summer day, they had both Bottled Beers and Tap Beers, as well as Beer by the Pitcher. They also had regular fountain drinks and milkshakes. And for fries, from Fresh-Cut Fries, to Waffle Fries, to even Tater Tots. The lady at the counter greeted us and took our order. We both ordered the #3 Combo Meal with 5 pieces of Chicken Tenders, Fresh-Cut Fries, and a fountain drink. My friend had Root Beer and I had Dr Pepper. They also had Pepsi and Southern Style H & C Brand Ice Tea. They charged for the order and took my first name to call us when the order was ready. When they called my name and recognized who I was, they immediately brought the order to our table without given us a chance to go pick it up. This is what I call service. Going above and beyond ones highest expectations even in the little things. When I saw the tray they had brought me, and placed on our table right there in front of me, I was mesmerized by the size of the Chicken Tenders and by the great amount of Fries served. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourself. But just as if this wasn't surprisingly enough, when I tasted the first Chicken Tender, it was so crispy on the outside and so soft and juicy in the inside, and so tasty, even before dipping them in the sauces they provided. And the Fries. You might wonder, What can they do to the fries to make them stand out above the rest? The answer: Nothing. The fresh-cut fries had their natural flavor that stood out and were fried in such a way that were crunchy on the outside and soft and moist in the inside. As we were enjoying our meal. More and more customers were coming in to pick up their To Go orders as well as to dine in. It seems like the best advertisement "Word of Mouth" after trying the product, was being very successful. And greatly so, for a new Star has joined the Star City of Roanoke and the community as a whole is benefiting from this new addition to their culinary lineup.

I was really looking forward to dining at this Sports Café for some time now. And today, right…read morebefore this year's end, I decided that it was time for me to go visit and have dinner there. Located in Grandin Village, one of the most popular neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia, it stands alone in a modern looking, white and gray, wide, architectural design, building, on 2326 Grandin Road. I arrived as the sun was beginning to set and parked in one of the spaces of their ample parking lot in front of their building. As I entered their main door, there was a small foyer with a framed collection of beer bottle caps, and a Christmas tree since we were in the Holiday Season. Then I entered a second glass door which on the right was the regular bar and restaurant and on the left, behind another glass door was another bar with a smaller dining area for smoking customers. Although with an ugly color carpet, the type that is installed with square pieces, the restaurant looked clean and presentable, with a bar that consisted mostly of draft beer and no hard liquor. Next to the bar they had a refrigerator with bottles of beer, and their Coke products machine must have been inside the kitchen. There were large screen tvs all around and the walls were decorated with sports memorabilia. The lighting treatment made the ambiance cozy and friendly. There were no employees around to greet me when I arrived. Only two gentlemen drinking at the bar. I waited for a while looking around until I saw the Welcome Seat Yourself floor sign. I went and sat at a table looking over the menus that were there. Finally a friendly, young server came out and took my order. To drink I ordered an Iced Coke. Then, I asked her to first bring me a half House Salad, and afterwards for my main entrée The Joe Gibbs Burger that came with their fries. She left without asking me what dressing did I want for my salad, nor how did I wanted the burger cooked. Their prices were reasonable. Their burgers were 1/3 lb Certified Angus ground chuck, made daily, according to the menu. Another long time of waiting and my server was nowhere to be seen. She never brought me the salad first nor never gave me a refill of my softdrink. After a long wait a gentleman comes out with both my salad and burger at the same time. By the time I ate my salad, which only had two tiny pieces of tomato, the burger had gotten luckwarm and the fries had cooled of that made them no that much appetizing. And they were the skinny fries, my favorite. Then after a long wait my server brings me the bill and I ask her is there time for me to have a slide of their Peppermint Cheesecake from the Christmas menu. After another long wait, she brings it. I then go to the restroom that was dirty and smelly, to wash my hands and go up to the kitchen entrance to ask for the bill. All the employees there were really very nice and welcoming to me, what I think they need is a whole lot of more training on restaurant operation, timing sensitivity, and customer service. I hope if the owner of the restaurant reads this review, and works with management to see that this happens.

False advertising. I received a flyer promoting $0.99 wings with no mention of any restrictions,…read morebut when I called to place a takeout order, I was told the deal was dine-in only. This was a bigger disappointment than Brent Pry coming back to Virginia Tech.

I can't think of a better location for Henrietta's Cafe than Melrose Plaza in Roanoke, Virginia…read more When I first heard about this Cafe, I immediately wanted to go try it out, and today I had an opportunity to do so. Just as Melrose Plaza itself, Henrietta's Cafe far exceeded my highest of expectations. After many times of driving by Melrose Plaza, today I made a U turn in my Lexus and ended up in their ample parking lot. As I walked over to the Plaza, I was first very impressed by its beautiful contemporary architectural design. Inside, I was greeted by a friendly young lady in the Plaza's Information Center, and she pointed out where the café in the Market on Melrose was situated. It was located right next to the Market entrance. I was impressed by its clean and colorful look with beautiful ceiling lighting treatment. The ambiance of the place was so cool and relaxing, that I immediately felt right at home, looking forward to having some home cooking. At the beginning of the line, there was a Grab & Go section with large display refrigerators containing prepared food and drinks so you can take with you on your way to work or you can also eat these items in their dining area if you're not looking for hot food. On the way to the ordering counter you can find tall square baskets with some snack items many of which were on sale. The menu was on the wall posted on those boards that you set up letter by letter. And then came the glass display cases. First the refrigerated one with deli meats and cold items such as their famous potato salad. Then the hot one with their Fried Chicken, Fried Fish, Hot Dogs, and hot sides. A very friendly and hospitable young gentleman greeted you and explained the different combinations you could order. All at very reasonable prices. He then served them for you in a sturdy black clamshell container. I ordered two Fried Chicken Breasts with two sides, potato salad and sweet potatoes. And a Dr Pepper from the softdrink machine. Then paid at the counter with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard. It was all so simple and convenient. Since I was dining in, they put my order on a tray, and gave me some quality plastic utensils. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high quality of their food. For dessert I picked up a Coconut Cream Pie that came in a box and were available next to the register. The food was simply exquisite. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. The potato salad was very flavorful. And the sweet potato was amazing. They were smashed and cooked with a sweet sauce that contained some type of nuts. I sat down at one of the dining table to enjoy my dinner while observing all the other customers ordering to-go and some to eat-in. Later on when I visited the Market, there was a beautiful quote on the wall about the importance of food and how "food not only reaffirms our Humanity but the Joy of Being Alive." I highly recommend this cozy Café with wonderful food and very friendly and hospitable servers. And am myself looking forward to returning for breakfast one of these mornings.

The food is always delicious. They have catered a few events and the food was excellent. One of my…read morenew favorite restaurants.

I became a regular since my family have own favorite there. Here is what we order everytime:…read morechicken on rice, double cheese burger and fries with melts. Green chili is the superstar, came by request.

It's been a long while, but the day I had the chicken and fries, it wasn't the best. The batter to…read moreme didn't have much flavor, neither the chicken. I will attempt to make another trip. That was my first time, so we shall see.

The Grandin Village community is a very active and involved one as evidenced by the number of…read moreevents they organize and attend yearly. For this reason it is very appropriate that the name of this restaurant is what it is. Located in a key location next to the Grandin Theatre in the Grandin Village, it is centrally situated for people to visit right before or after they go watch a movie or attend any other activity in the neighborhood, or even a place to meet with family or friends for some good times, drinking, eating, talking, or even to enjoy playing some pool. One day I decided to stop by to grab a bite on my way to an activity and see how it was like. I entered and waited to be greeted and seated but no one around greeted me. I thought to myself, "Maybe here they expect you to find an empty table and sit down." So I went and did just this on one of the booths. While I waited I looked around and noticed a variety of different age people. Some were drinking and watching a football gave on one of the large screen TVs above the bar counter on the left side of the restaurant. Others were seated at the bar, drinking and talking with someone they hadn't seen in a long time. Two who seemed like best of friends were seated at one of the booths on the right of the restaurant and talking, drinking, and eating. While others were at the back of the restaurant enjoying a game of pool. The server finally showed up and pointed up to what I thought was a decoration, telling me that was a menu. After asking what I wanted to drink I ordered a sweet tea. The menu had a brief but very nice variety of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When the server came back I ordered a Black Dog (Half Pound Burger w/ Swiss). And asked him to add cheese, bacon, and mushrooms. With a side of Brew City Fries. You can tell I was hungry. When my food arrived the burger bun was fresh and soft with a very large meat patty that was well cooked but soft, nice amount of the extras, and some amazing fries. This is the perfect place to come alone or with family or friends to spend some good time, eating, drinking, watching a game on TV, talking , socializing, or enjoying an innocent game of pool in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Best little bar in Roanoke. Food is cheap and delicious. These places don't exist anymore. I hope…read moreit never goes anywhere.

Hot Chicken for the win! The best fries and fried pickles too! My favorite sauce was the scorpion…read morepepper! The wings were large crispy and juicy. Service was fast and courteous. Good spot, highly recommended.

It's inconceivable how on July 20th of this year it will have been a year since the grand opening…read moreof HCK Hot Chicken in Vinton, Virginia and I hadn't heard of it. I can say it's the best kept secret of the Town of Vinton, in Roanoke County, and it's about time that it no longer be a secret. I am determined to go try it out and spread the word. 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 this year 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 young established ones that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And HCK Hot Chicken is the perfect example. Located off East Washington Avenue, in one of the most beautiful areas of Vinton, near William Byrd High School, this restaurant is located inside a long standing convenience store, "Vinton Tobacco & Grocery," and in the same location of a bp gas station, but don't let this fool you, it has its own entrance on the side, its own parking lot, and a drive-thru lane for ordering. Besides this, its owner has done a great renovation job, that this is one of the cleanest gas stations/convenience stores that I have ever been to, and because of this it in no way detracts from the clean, bright, and contemporary ambiance of the restaurant itself. Founded in 2020, in Woodbridge, Virginia, the first HCK (Hot Chicken Kitchen) Hot Chicken restaurant had as its Mission: "Unity through Food." Recognizing the power of food to bring people together. Their belief is that "food unites us and can lift people up." There menu features succulent Nashville-style chicken sandwiches, classic and boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken and Belgian waffles, loaded fries, loaded mac and cheese, coleslaw, fried pickles, fried donut drops, and more. The owner of the restaurant who warmly greeted me when I arrived told me that all of their dishes are gluten and allergen free. With no MSG and no peanut oil.The chicken is farm-raised, fed only vegetables and grains, with no use of growth-boosting chemicals. When one enters the restaurant, it is nicely designed (with the colors red, black, and white), and with hardwood floors, wood tone tables and chairs, a well organized ordering counter, and a well lit menu high above the counter, as well as with large pictures of menu item just below the menu sign. The very friendly and knowledgeable order taker took my order from behind the counter. I ordered a Nashville Style Chicken Sandwich Combo with the mildest sauce they had. It came with their seasoned krinkle kut fries, a side of good sauce, and a drink. Not bad for $14.49, especially after you taste the food. The chicken was the plumpiest, juiciest, and tastiest chicken that I have ever eaten in a sandwich. The fresh toasted artisan potato bun complimented its flavor. The fries were crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, seasoned to perfection. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourselves because a picture is worth a thousand words. The welcoming and hospitable owner came to see how I had liked the food and I told him how amazing everything had been and that I looked forward to returning to try other menu items such as the Fried Donut Drops. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant for a very unique and wonderful chicken dining experience. Amazing food, clean and comfortable environment, and excellent customer service.

Wing Etc. is a decent addition to the Salem, VA restaurant scene. As to be expected, the atmosphere…read morehas a comfortable sports-bar vibe to it. The waitstaff are excellent and attentive. The chicken, boneless and traditional, is nothing out of this world, but still good and the sauces are superb. My favorite sauce is the spicy TNT sauce. The prices could be lower, but what these days isn't overpriced? I'll definitely revisit to try other options in the future.

Sad to report our visit wasn't good at all. Basically, Wings etc - in Salem was trash…read more Customer service was nice - but food was subpar. Wasn't worth the money. We had the wings. (Sauces were good!) and the mozzarella sticks were good. But the wings and fries were blah. Actually, feels like it was all microwaved. Now as we write this 24 hours after our visit and I have to say one of the folks in our party has been ill all day, and that started about 10 hours after our visit. Of course this could be coincidental, I just don't know. But it is highly suspect. So I will say this - I'd will not recommend Wings Etc and suggest others take our experience in consideration.

The ALLSPORTS CAFE in Salem, Virginia, is a nice size restaurant housed in a building full of…read morebooths and tables and chairs in a festive place with a relaxed environment. It is decorated with a huge number of framed sports memorabilia tightly filling all its walls, as well as with many large screen TVs in front of a long bar located on the left side of the restaurant as you go in. The dark color painted walls and black ceiling give the place a cozy feeling and the open well lit space provides a comfi atmosphere in which to enjoy a comfortable meal with friends and family. I arrived there with a friend on a Tuesday, the day after we were hit with a snow fall and icy weather. It was hard to find parking. We finally drove around and found a two hour parking space in front of the sidewalk that led to the place. The sidewalk however was full of ice and snow, and I couldn't imagine how in a City like Salem it had not been cleared up either by the merchants located there or by the City. We had to be very careful walking towards the restaurant on a sidewalk in this condition. When we left, we also had a hard time pulling out of the parking space because of the ice and snow under the car. When we arrived we were warmly greeted and taken to one of the booths in the back area of the restaurant and provided with a copy of its two page menu. Both of us ordered iced water to drink and the Joe Gibbs Burger accompanied by a huge load of thin fries to eat. I also had a side of coleslaw. This burger had the Tennessee Bourbon sauce, bacon, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato & mayo. It was very fresh and juicy and the thin cut fries were amazingly delicious and plentiful. When we were finished and asked for the dessert menu our server told us that they didn't have dessert. I could not believe this and wondered if she was about to get off duty and wanted us to just pay so she could go home. So I inquired how come how could a place like this with a comfortable ambiance and great food didn't have any desserts. She then told us that they usually had one dessert a month, but the January dessert had not yet arrived. This was hard to believe but we paid and took off. I hope that when management reads this review they take action to fix this depending on what the real truth was and to train the servers on how to handle situations like this one. Overall I loved the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant and the food was amazingly good. If they would just fix the dessert issue I would definitely recommend this place and enjoy coming back again.

I'm sorry, it took y'all a good 15 minutes to even acknowledge we had been seated. Then, another 15…read moreto get our drinks and apps (slight delay when she brought the wrong beer). Wings aren't half as good as the Grandin location. And THEN they had the audacity to charge $2 for a side of ranch. No, thanks. I'll probably never be back, but if I do, I'll be smuggling some hidden valley in my purse. Absolute nonsense.

When I arrived at Zaxbys for an early dinner I had no idea how it would be. All I had seen had been…read moretheir commercials on TV, but this would be the first time that I actually would be visiting and eating there. From the outside, the restaurant's building looked clean and inviting. Cars already were driving up to the drive through window and putting in their orders. And a few people were dining inside as well. I noticed that the windows and the glass door were very clean, and this fact gave a nice first impression of the restaurant. Once inside, I noticed the cleanliness of the place and contemporary, comfortable furniture: booths as well as tables and chairs. The color combination of gold and black made the place look elegant yet relaxed. The decor was minimalist with a wide screen color TV and a few signs decorating the walls, and a nice lighting treatment that came down from the black ceiling above. When I arrived to the ordering counter, I noticed all the employees were working very motivated and with a purpose, all doing their assigned duties enthusiastically. A young lady up front greeted and welcomed me with a smile and seemed very happy to hear that this was my first time here. She gave me some time to review the menu that was placed where all fast food restaurants have them. I ordered the Zaxseas Surf & Turf combo, and a Chocolate Chip Cookie for dessert. The order was efficiently taken and I paid with my credit card. It contained 3 Chicken Fingerz, 8 Shrimp with Zaxtail sauce, Texas Toast, Crinkkle fries, and a small drink of Dr. Pepper. Everything in the order came out so fresh and hot. The Chicken Fingerz were crunchy in the outside and juicy and tender in the inside. Same with the Shrimp. The Fries were also very well fried and freshly served. And the sauces were amazingly delicious. As I was leaving, I saw who seemed to be the manager seated at a table interviewing a young lady. I didn't want to interrupt, otherwise I would have told him how well he was running this restaurant. I just had an amazing dining experience here and this was only my first time. I highly recommend this place and am looking forward to coming back soon in the near future.

We don't live near a Zaxby's, so we look forward to this every time we're in Roanoke. Other than…read morewishing there were more fries in a "large" (cuz they're so dang good!), it was awesome. I love that they still have grilled chicken for sandwiches and salads. And both of those are amazing. My wife had the Cobb salad with grilled chicken and I had the grilled sandwich. But the diamond of the table was the new chipotle taco, which I couldn't resist trying. It was awesome. Service was great. Place was clean. People were friendly. And food came fast, was hot, and tasted great. All up, the whole experience was everything we were hoping for. Yum!!! Sorry I forgot to take pictures.