The Cornerstone Bar & Grill

Was at cornerstone last night. The owner was having trouble with the music, jokingly said he needed a new DJ, he turned into a complete jerk, said that because I spent ten years in the Marine corps that was uneducated (currently a grad student in Boston) tried to follow me down the street taunting me. Luckily a cop was close by.

The bar was fun and the atmosphere was ok but with an owner like that I will never visit again.

Very dive bar feeling when you walk in, but feels like a restaurant once you sit down.  Staff provides prompt service and quality food is served.

I had a lemon pepper chicken salad that was delicious!  The lemon pepper chicken was tangy and the shredded mozzarella added a tasty touch.  Good portion for a salad, goes well with honey mustard dressing, and a fair value for $7.69.

Conveniently located in downtown Roanoke, you can simply walk there if you're staying at Hotel Roanoke (DoubleTree) via a pedestrian bridge.  Outdoor seating is very limited (3-4 small tables alongside the street.). There is an upstairs area available for more seating.

In the last two weeks, I've been to Cornerstone Bar & Grill in downtown Roanoke twice for lunch. I think I've now been probably five or six times for lunch or dinner, and I can't think of a meal I haven't enjoyed there. If you asked most people in Roanoke if they have heard of Cornerstone, they would say it's a bar that is downtown by the City Market Building but I don't think they would mention anything about the food, much less about the fact that they serve surprisingly good food.

Aside from the fact that they have a great location downtown, there isn't a ton of atmosphere for Cornerstone. In this sense, it's just a typical bar. However, they do have two additional floors for seating as well as some outdoor seating that is great for people watching in one of the more pedestrian-friendly areas of downtown Roanoke. Also, the past two times I've been, I was really impressed with the service. The waitresses were extremely friendly, checked our table multiple times to see if we needed anything, and the food was served quickly in both visits. Again, the little things people probably wouldn't expect when they drive by.

I think the food offers one of the best lunch deals in town, especially downtown where prices seem to be constantly rising (cough...Firefly...). I've ordered wraps during my last two visits and those are served with a side and drink for $8.00 I've tried the BBQ Chicken Wrap, Southwest Chicken Wrap, & Basil Chicken Wrap and all three were very good - the basil chicken being my favorite. Grilled chicken, basil, tomato, cheese, and balsamic in a wrap is a wonderful combination. And contrary to my ordering habits, they do offer things other than chicken wraps. For a side, I can't recommend anything other than the buffalo chips with a side of ranch. It's the flavor of a cajun fry in the shape of a potato chip and it's heavenly.

Downtown Roanoke isn't lacking in good restaurants and more seem to be on the way. Cornerstone Bar & Grill seems to be one of those good restaurants that stays under the radar and that's fine with me. I'll keep enjoying it while everyone else misses out.