The River and Rail Restaurant

Been a while since I have been here, but I need to put this place in my regular rotation! Everything was just as amazing as I remember. Now, you do need to make a reservation now, not able to walk in and get a table. However, love this due to the fact there is never a wait. You show up and your table is ready! Staff were extremely nice and our table was always cleared before each course. For the first course, we had muscles in a miso broth with bacon, I could not stop sipping up that broth, so good! Along with that we had fresh, house made pork rinds with fresh pimento cheese. Now I don’t like pimento cheese, but this was really good . And nothing hits better like these fresh pork rinds, could snack on them all day! Next was a chicken liver mousse that was sinfully smooth and rich we wanted to just take the whole jar home to eat later. For the main course, we split a large portion of the hanger steak with glazed rainbow, carrots, and mushrooms. I have not had a steak that good in quite a while. All in all everything was top-notch that night service, food, staff, everything!

Great, modern, farm to table restaurant in Roanoke. We both had the jar of pickles to start which I devoured (all for a healthy microbiome). For mains, I had the trout which was crispy, and moist, sides were well cooked and flavorful. The reason for a 4 is my husband thought the hanger steak is a low cost cut of meat and was $$ here, he thought it tasted ok, but not as good as his previous nights prime rib. For dessert I had the chocolate panna cotta with cherries and it was one of my favorite desserts I have ever had!! So rich and fudgy, not a wobble in sight 😜 The server was incredibly knowledgeable and was very nice to put up with my several questions about gluten free and ensuring the trout was a fillet with no bones. From an atmosphere perspective, the restaurant looked lovely. We opted to sit outside and talked to a lovely lady who owned a local Inn. It was a wee bit chilly but very much enjoyed the peacefulness 💗 Would definitely recommend

Floored, the food, the service, the drinks every single element of our dinner was wonderful. Our server Jessica was great, but honestly, every person we interacted with was so hospitable. I love that the menu is small and incredibly well executed and that it changes frequently. It isn't cheap, but we are already excited to come back!

One of the best meals we’ve ever had. Not just the taste, but the combos, too! Who’d have thunk jalapeño lime ice cream over banana pudding would be to die for!

Cozy little gem in the Crystal Spring neighborhood of Roanoke. Fun vibe and excellent food and drinks. We highly recommended the jar of pickles and butchers block to start. Also the chicken & steak were delicious!

My husband and I made a reservation for our anniversary and couldn't be more pleased with our night there! There was a card signed by all the employees waiting for us at our table and our waitress was fantastic. I had a hard time deciding between the beef and pork entrees but finally decided on the pork and it was absolutely perfect. When restaurants have small menus, you know the food is going to be great, and that's certainly how it was for us. We cannot wait to go back.

Amazing food and great service! The food it top tier. I highly recommend this place..

It was our first time visiting, and everything exceeded our (high) expectations! The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, the cocktail menu and wine list were wonderfully curated, and everything from the kitchen looked & tasted delightful! We ate our way through several courses - my personal favorites were the Butcher Board (add the pimento cheese!!), Potato Roti & the Scallop entree! We had noted in our reservation that we were celebrating an anniversary and were greeted with a card and bubbles- above and beyond! Don't skip out on dessert at the end- the ice cream flight was a great way to end a perfect meal.

This restaurant is in a class by itself. If you read my first review after dining there for the very first time you will clearly understand why. 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 set-up a reservation for a Wednesday, at 5:00pm, the very first reservation of the evening. I arrived on time with high expectations, and anticipating once again the extraordinary dining experience that I once enjoyed here for the very first time. When I arrived, I was surprised by the affectionate welcome that I received by all the staff of the restaurant. Clearly, it seemed to me that all of them had read my review and were moved by it as much as I was while writing it. They still remembered the table where I was seated at last time and pointed it out to me. This time, they also picked a table in a wonderful location for me, and assigned me the same server, Jess, who I had the first time. Being appreciated is the highest form of customer service, and this is the first detail that puts this restaurant high above the rest. Curiously enough, I was so impressed by what I ordered the first time I dined there that I ended up ordering the same items, with the exception of the Farmer's Green Salad, which I included this time. To drink I ordered the Strawberry Fields Forever Mocktail. As appetizer I ordered the VA Oyster Wraps. As my main entrée, I ordered the R&R Hanger Steak medium rare. And for dessert I ordered the Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta. My server and the chef did an excellent job in bringing out each course at the appropriate time. All items were tops in quality and freshness; prepared and cooked to perfection. From the the greens that tasted amazingly fresh, as well as the oysters, to the Hanger Steak that was so tender and juicy, like I have rarely experienced before. And the Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta was the epitome of desserts and perfect for the Grand Finale of an extraordinary dining experience. In conclusion I highly recommend this restaurant, as one of the best restaurants that I have ever dined at. Quality food cooked by an amazing Chef, served by a friendly and knowledgeable server, in an elegant yet relaxing environment with very competitive management.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Amazing place! Highly recommend!!! Owners are dedicated to presenting and creating a welcoming environment.

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!

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!

Very nice place to eat! Grab a great meal. Great for a date night. Or mid day meal. Great service and great food.

Service was friendly and great! Food was good but a little over-priced and I felt like they over-did it on the radish. The appetizers are very unique and tasty but are only a few bites. I had steak and it was satisfactory but nothing amazing. I'm from the Los Angeles area so perhaps that made my expectations a bit higher. Surprisingly enough, the French fries were very yummy and still memorable. Haha. It seems this place is one of few high end restaurants in the area. The (outdoor) atmosphere was nice and weather was perfect at the time.

Great place! It's a must to check out whenever you are in the area! I ate there 2x the week I was traveling. It was their first week opened but definitely worth it!

Still getting five stars! Restaurant is closed at the moment... Sign on the door says on winter break till January 12. Would have been nice if the restaurant updated their Yelp listing. I worked in restaurants for four years so I love that the entire staff is getting time off during all this going on. Hopefully pay is still being worked out. Anyways, I was pretty bummed but it's OK though. It happens. Just very unfortunate as I was in town for work and I got excited for this top rated restaurant. Perhaps next time I'm in town, I will be able to visit and try this amazing chicken I've read about. As an alternative, I went down a few minutes to Inka Grill Peruvian Cuisine. Excellent meal. If you're also looking for a great meal between now and January 12, go to Inka Grill and order the lomo saltado since The River and Rail is closed till then. Anytime after that, go visit The River and Rail while I sit at home, in Maryland and very jealous. Stay safe. Cheers and Happy New Year.

We made 5:30pm reservations and paid $ to hold it, as requested. When we arrived, the restaurant was completely empty except for the staff and two bar patrons. The host took us to the worst seat in the house (dark, impeding traffic directly from the kitchen, immediately next to the bar and therefore potentially face level with future bar patron butts). When we politely asked for another table, any other table, we were told "nope, nothing available." The whole exchange had a weird, racist-y vibe. Would we have gotten a better table if I had been a white woman? No tellin'. All I know is my spidey sense kicked into high gear. We left politely but won't be recommending this place to any of our friends. How good does the food have to be to overcome an unpleasant, creepy vibe?

We stumbled upon this spot while driving cross country. Despite coming in their final hour of service we were greeted with warmth and welcome! Hayden was fantastic and his recommendations were spot on. Hands down one of the best restaurants and we have dined at and we lived in LA and SF. Great fried chicken, deviled eggs, oysters plus desert. Kudos to the chef. best little treasure in Roanoke!

We came here for dinner on a Friday night while staying in Roanoke. Located in just south of the main downtown area in a cute neighborhood with other eateries & houses, this restaurant may be easy to miss. On a Friday night, this place was packed with most people having reservations. Luckily there were seats at the bar so we were able to eat. We had the pickle jar & cornbread to share. The pickles had a mix of dill, carrots, radishes, mushrooms & bread & butter. I liked the radishes, carrots and dill the most. The pickled mushrooms were also very tasty and unexpected with maybe a bit of anise. The corn bread which had a lot of flavor from the skillet came with a tasty maple butter which worked perfectly with pork shank. As somebody who is not a fan of pork, I did like the shank which was buttery, rich and fell off the bone. As my main dish, I ordered the octopus which was from the appetizer menu.The dish had one main tentacle and was perfectly grilled and seasoned so it was a bit charred and not rubbery. The fingerlings and greens did not overwhelm the natural flavor of the octopus. Between this and the other appetizers I was comfortably full by the end of the meal.I think this was my favorite place in Roanoke and would definitely return if in the area again.

This place was great! We came to the area for our "babymoon" weekend and wanted a nice dinner out. Props to the hubby for finding it! One thing he forgot - get a reservation! It is small and quaint. We waited only about 30 minutes tho for a table which wasn't bad for a Saturday night! It is also a great location as it's not downtown and has ample parking on streets around. The food was delish!! Prices definitely for a nice night out. We started with the cornbread with whipped maple butter and sea salt...y'all...SO good!! My husband put the butter on like frosting haha! He got the NC catfish and I got the Maine scallops. The catfish was a little burnt but still tasted great and he loved the sauce on the rice and the veggies were cooked perfectly and very flavorful. The scallops were cooked perfectly! So so good! The cream sauce on the plate with the sweet corn rice was amazing and the veggies were perfectly crisp. We were too full at that point to get dessert haha. The service was fantastic. They were attentive enough to make sure you had plenty of water and make sure you didn't need anything but not too much so that I felt our date night was interrupted. If you live in the area or visit you should definitely try it!

River and Rail was our choice for our first date night in Roanoke and it did not disappoint! We ordered the Salumi board, cornbread and two deserts that I can't remember the names. Everything was excellent including personalized service. What a great place!

Food is always fresh and menu changes seasonally. The bar tenders keep the drink menu fresh and always introducing g new cocktails that are fun and ahead if the curve. The servers are fun, receptive and friendly. The vibe is upscale and trendy in a great neighborhood. Always 5 stars consistently! My fav restaurant/ bar in Roanoke

DISAPPOINTED!! Very small portions, limited menu options (not the same as posted on internet), high prices, no substitutions, no bread served with salad or meal. All that and they want $10pp deposit!!

We enjoyed an interesting midweek dinner at this farm to table restaurant. Highlights were my rainbow trout, the panna cotta with fruit and grape sorbet for dessert, and the French pressed coffee. The Bibb salad needed more thorough rinsing and my husband's hangar steak was a bit too chewy. The service was wonderful, starting with complimentary champagne because we are newlyweds. It will be a special occasion option for us.

River & Rail has long been one of the premier restaurants in Roanoke and Southwest. The staff is fantastic. The food is always changing and very unique and delicious. Everyone there is top notch. A great date night. You won't be disappointed!

So happy we took the opportunity to try a little fine dining in Roanoke. River and Rail was simply outstanding. Covid measures were expertly taken - all staff wearing their masks properly and the diners were pretty considerate too. I don't typically flock to these types of 'farm to table' eateries. But wow were the flavors fresh. We started with the pickle plate - the radishes were so strong and outstanding! Probably an acquired taste, and I loved them. I then enjoyed the stripped bass - there were loads of really dense, thick mushrooms. Mushrooms paired with the crispy outer layer of the fish was the perfect texture. My husband had the trout - he enjoyed it; the tail made me squirm a bit, but he said it was very good. Highly recommend giving this place a try; you won't regret it!

LOVE this place for a cocktail at the bar or a nice date night. Intimate feel with such class.

Amazing food and service. Cocktails are a work of art. We had the pork with grits and collards and the flavors were traditional, yet elevated.

Went there with the whole family and we didn't stay after being handed the dinner menu. Nothing on it was for children or the 'plain eaters' from out of town.