I'd been by Mikie's 7th a few times, and have been meaning to try them for awhile. I just couldn't ever seem to get over there when they were open. My wife and I finally made it recently, and though the sign said open 'till 9pm they shut down as we left about 8.
I ordered the steak po'boy, and my wife a burger. We also got sides of sweet potato fries and potato salad. The food tasted great, with a few disappointments. My po'boy was very small. I could have easily eaten 1 or 2 more. In contrast, my wife's burger looked to be much more filling (I know what I'll get next time). The potato salad was very dull, not my preference. I guess if lightly flavored chunks of potatoes are your thing, you might like it.
As has been mentioned by other yelpers, the atmosphere is lacking. The dining area looks like an after thought, and looks more like a poorly lit break room. Â If they're banking on a lot of take-out, they need some printed menus for people to take with them. I did not like that the only menu in the place was written on a chalk board. With a few simple improvements I'd think they could get a couple more customers in, and the staff wouldn't look bored out of their minds.
More people should go to Mikie's.
I had visitors from out of town. New York and Philadelphia, actually. Where could we eat that wasn't something that New York, already had, only better? . My guests  both had a yen for meat and concern about its provenance.  Mikie's 7th is a family business not to far out of Blacksburg that serves burgers from their own grass-finished cattle, and there's nothing like it in the Big Apple, so that's where we went.
We had their Signature Burger (portabella mushrooms, sauteed onions and muenster cheese, with some requested raw onions with it) the Beef Po'boy (sliced steak with sauteed onions, peppers, provolone-we though it was really a cheesesteak) and a special, Black and Blue burger (melted blue cheese with bacon). We also had an order of fries.
These certainly filled the bill. The Signature Burger was pronounced "delicious". I liked the Black and Blue, but decided it was flavorful enough that it didn't need the extra fat load from the bacon, and donated them to the Po'Boy.
I would have liked the blue cheese not melted, but instead crumbled on top for a little more bite. Maybe I'll ask them to do it that way next time.
The fries were ok, but I like them cooked a little crisper. Ok, a lot crisper.
Cooking grass-fed beef is a challenge so that it doesn't come out dry and bland, and Mikie's has mastered the art of preparing big, tasty grass-fed burgers. I think the secret might be adding enough fat into the beef when it's being ground, but I didn't get around to asking.
I also liked their whole-grain buns, which are much better than pasty white bread for grabbing onto a big burger.
We took home dessert-flourless chocolate torte and German chocolate cake. Since one of us avoids gluten, the torte was especially appreciated.
There was a sign in the restaurant, "Cheap meat is an accident waiting to happen", an adage used by some sustainable meat producers. But Mikie's is far from expensive, and is an excellent value-a reasonable price for a fine quality product.
They had a suggestion box, but no paper, so I'll post my minor decorating suggestions here. I think they should screen the back right corner of the dining room so the equipment there is tucked out of sight. A few big plants from Home Depot in some of the corners of the room and/or hanging in the windows would be nice to soften the feel and add to the "green" theme. Maybe some pictures on the walls-how about some nice big photos of the beautiful countryside that surrounds the restaurant? Prints from their website? Pictures of Mikie's first 6?
In any case, anyone who is looking for high-quality locally-produced food should visit Mikie's, and visit often.
This establishment is a true gem, well worth the 8 mile drive from Blacksburg. Forget the lack of ambiance complete with cinder block walls. The Pork BBQ, from a pig raised on the owners farm, was just as good any I have had. The whole wheat bun baked on the premises was wonderful. Others dining had the Beef Po' Boy and Mediterranean Panini, both with rave reviews. Finishing off the lunch with the "Love at First Bite" was unexpected and fantastic. A flourless chocolate torte topped with whipped cream, this dessert was simply delicious, baked on the premises with organic flour. All of my future visits to Virginia Tech will include a stop here-so should yours.
Review Source:Mikie's 7th has a lot of possibility, but I think still needs a lot of work in terms of service, atmosphere, and character. I love that their goal is to serve as much local food as possible, and of course serve their great meat, but I think the actual space of the restaurant needs some work.
It still seems pretty "empty", and there is a distinct difference between the room you walk into to order and the room you sit in to eat (I think they seem too separated... and would like to see more interaction between the kitchen side and dining side of things). I also did not like how there is no silverware or plates even offered (everything is recyclable)... but perhaps this place is meant to be more casual than I had thought. You also seat yourself, after paying at a counter before receiving your food.
For food, I had the spinach and artichoke pizza, which was tasty, and sweet potato fries for a side, which I think could have used a dipping sauce, such as a garlic aioli. One surprise was that no one came to ask us how our food was... which is surprising for a fairly new restaurant that seems to still be developing ( and four people were working on a fairly slow night).
Overall, I would say I would go back to perhaps get something to-go, but most likely not dine-in again due to the fairly impersonal staff and undeveloped interior.
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