So I live in Birmingham, AL and was recently accepted into the grad school program as an online student. Sometime in the next year, I am hoping to get funding and move to Blacksburg to complete my degree while doing research or being a TA or whatever.
To that end, I am looking at possibly making a trip to Blacksburg one weekend in January prior to classes starting so my fiancee and I can see the town (last time I was there I was very young) and so she can see if she could live there for 2 years (lived in Auburn for 4 years, so I don't see an issue).
All that to say this: if we do make a weekend trip, what places do we absolutely have to hit? I know and can look up plenty about the campus, but as mid-20's people, where do we HAVE to go while we're there?
Comments
TOTS
Seconded. Big Al's and the Hokie House, too....The Cellar for good food.
I do realize this wasn't really a helpful comment. Just wanted to post that.
While TOTS is the most popular bar, it won't be much fun in January. The restaurants the others are mentioning are solid. If I were to pick one, i'd recommend brunch (or dinner) at 622 North. Sadly I didn't try the place until my final semester but it is very good
Depends on when in January you go and what your tastes are. Right now the town is completely dead. Everyone left after December graduation, so most of the major hangouts are either closed (TOTS, I think Mike's Grill too) or empty. The Cellar is still open right now and it has fantastic food and a good selection of drinks, so I would definitely recommend it. Boudreaux's is fantastic, especially for brunch or something, and right downtown as well. Tap House, PK's, Green's, Substation II, Souvlaki, and Cabo Fish Taco are good casual places right near campus as well. Mellow Mushroom just opened up and the lines are finally short enough to get in if you want pizza and there are several other pizza places in town. The next step up (expensive) there are Social House and the Black Hen, both of which I've heard good things about.
Let us know what type of stuff you guys are looking for and people can be of help here. Souvlaki, Substation, and The Cellar are town classics that are sure to be open.
I miss visiting Oak Lane.
As a 2012 graduate and now a 'townie' let me see if I can help.
If you want great food, Poor Billy's, Blacksburg Taphouse, The Cellar, and Bull & Bones are the highest recommendations I can make.
If you're looking for the best beer selection in town, Frank's (the bar connected to 622 North), The Rivermill, or maybe the Taphouse are your best bets. Definitely Frank's though.
As far as seeing the town, you could really just park somewhere and walk up and down main street to get a decent feel for it. We're about to get a new cinema including an IMAX next year, which is really cool. Blacksburg is regularly listed as one of the best places to raise a family/just live in general in the country. I think there's a lot to like about it, especially if you like a rural setting.
If the weather cooperates you could maybe check out one of the hiking trails in the area, if that's the sort of thing you're into. It's likely to be pretty cold and windy here at that time though, so probably not.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to post 'em and I'll try to help out.
In honor of the Lawson thread, I must respond Taco Bell.
What have I done?!?!
HOMEPLACE. NOT IN BLACKSBURG BUT HOMEPLACE! YOUR WELCOME!!!!1!q
I took at date there one time and it was just fantastic. From what I remember, most of the time driving there had me thinking "where the hell are we going and is there any life out here" but the bottomless food is fantastic and the atmosphere is great.
Directions to the Homeplace: Head east on Harding Avenue, drive until you're pretty sure you're lost, then about 15 more minutes and turn right at the T-intersection." The good news is, it's the only road in the area, so you really can't get lost. If you're on a road, you're on the right road. And you don't turn until the road ends, so you can't really miss it, either.
Of course, kids today don't need directions, what with all their screens and gadgets.
Perhaps one of the best fried chicken dinners I've ever had in my life. A regular stop for hikers on the AP trail as well. Sweet tea is sweet!
The Homeplace is in Catawba, Va if you try to google it. It is a farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere seemingly. You take the back roads from Blacksburg towards Roanoke to get there. It is family style dining, meaning you go in & sit down, then they take your pick of two meats or three. You get your choice of fried chicken, country ham, & roast beef. Plus you get about eight kinds of vegetables. You get to eat all you can hold for about $15 a person plus gratuity, etc.
The only problem is that they are closed for the holidays until January 22nd!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Homeplace-Restaurant/115564841808913
The only other problem is if you have a vegan in your party. I'm pretty sure even the iced tea has ham fat in it. But if you eat with vegans, you have to learn to manage your expectations.
If you can go on a warm day, hike McAfee's Knob and then Homeplace is only a mile from the starting point. It's best during fall though
Gillies is a must for brunch. Although it's vegetarian, they have some amazing brunch dishes. Also, you should check out Mellow Mushroom for some quality pizza and a wide variety of beer. The food there is pricey in my opinion (I am after all still in college), but it's a nice place. El Rodeo is the top spot for Mexican food and good margaritas in Blacksburg.
El Rod's makes some pretty great Jumbo Texas Margaritas
Thanks for all the replies! Very helpful.
I do know that TOTS and such will be dead, but I'm not much of a bar partier anyway (rather drink good beer or whiskey at home with lots of people).
We are definitely foodies. We love trying new and local stuff, and brunch is top of the list in the "favorite meals" category.
I do have one food question about Mellow Mushroom: it does have great food, but is it different from the Mellow Mushroom we have here in the south? There are several around Birmingham and Auburn and especially Atlanta, just wondering if it's just now reaching Blacksburg.
In terms of finding BBQ...don't think we're too tempted. We've had lots of BBQ, and I've no doubt there are awesome places to eat it, but it's not unique like I would like. We have BBQ places on every corner down here in Alabama (not saying they're close to the same obviously).
Does Blacksburg have any local breweries? Or has that trend not reached that far yet?
Also, every college town has to have a go-to wing so it, right?
The new cinema is a selling point for me. I love all the sci-fi/fantasy special effects stuff. Even if the movies themselves arent great, the effects can be worth the price of admission.
Interesting thought about the hiking trails and parks. In January I expect it'll be a bit too cold and windy for it, but my fiancee does love that kind of activity.
We are also well versed in just walking around campuses from both Auburn visits and visiting other SEC campuses for Auburn away games and ACC campuses for a couple VT away games. That's the part I'm most looking forward to.
Thanks for the suggestions! Any more would be great, or just discussion on the best dinner and brunch place in Blacksburg would be fun too IMO.
If brunch is your thing, then might I humbly suggest Lefty's. The dishes are eclectic and use as much local and seasonal ingredients as the chef/owner can find. My wife and I visited friends for 4th of July and the food was really good. Plus the decorations and atmosphere were wonderful. Good luck to you!
THIS! Lefty's was always my favorite place. Also, though this is weird and the setting is not ideal, the Kroger on South Main pumps out some pretty awesome food in their deli. Not your typical grocery store food either, this is top of the line stuff. That is, if Chris Martin is still the head chef there, he was at Preston's before going to Kroger just for a frame of reference.
Full disclosure: I used to cook with them while I was in school and shortly thereafter, it's been about 5 years though.
Dunno how it took this long for Lefty's to come up, hands down the best food in Blacksburg.
Breweries: there's one place in town (aforementioned Bull & Bones Brewhaus) that brews their own beer. HOWEVER.
Roanoke (45 minutes away) has about 8 breweries now. It's fantastic. Definitely a good part of the state to be in if you want great craft beer. In fact the whole state is fantastic.
Also the River Company, just over the river in Radford. Not too far from the River Course/other Bull and Bones location.
Since you really like brunch and you are going to be in town for a weekend, I would recommend Sunday brunch at Harvest Restaurant in Mountain Lake Lodge. It's not in Blacksburg but only 30 minutes away in Pembroke. Here is a sample Sunday brunch menu which really doesn't do it justice, as there are usually more items such as pork tenderloin, shrimp and rice, lasagna... http://www.mtnlakelodge.com/content/download/948/8518/file/Sunday%20Brun...
The fresh fruit platter has a great selection and the desserts are incredible. Also included is one mimosa per customer. I was just there this past Sunday and it never disappoints. If you are like me, after a big brunch I like to sip on a nice beer to help aid the digestion. Only a few feet away from the dining room is the Stony Creek Tavern, which happens to have Maroon Effect ale on tap. This is a beer that is brewed at the Bull & Bones Brewhaus in Blacksburg that others have mentioned above.
If you decide to check it out, check the weather conditions before driving up to the lodge, as it is at a higher elevation and usually get more snow.
If you and your financee are into outdoor stuff then that could be a big selling point for moving to Blacksburg. There is great hiking all around including the Appalachian Trail. McAfee's Knob on the AT is a must see for any hiker. Many biking trails are around (off road and on). The New River is a great spot to hang out. You can relax in a tube, kayak, wade, fish, or just chill down on the river. There's also some climbing spots around the area if you're into that. Great outdoor opportunities all around!
I'm pretty sure the Mellow Mushroom in Birmingham and Blacksburg are no different. It's a franchise so I doubt they would change much about the menu (except for the local craft beer). The one in Charlottesville isn't much different from the one in Blacksburg.
I was curious about this. Just seemed interesting that it was getting so many recommendations while being a chain. I love me some Mellow Mushroom (their pretzels and beer cheese are something i could eat every day). Just interesting.
Just moved out of Blacksburg after seven years and two degrees, so I like to think I have a decent knowledge of the food/bar scene.
Brunch: Lefty's and 622 have my favorite brunches in town. I see mention of Boudreaux's and Mountain Lake Lodge and would advise against. I've had Boudreaux's too many times to count (brunch, lunch and dinner), every time thinking it will be good and leaving in dissapointment. I told myself after this last trip that I couldn't be optimistic about it anymore. As for Mountain Lake Lodge, I've only eaten there once but was supremely dissapointed. Got a Bison T-bone which was more fat and gristle than meat and barely warm to the touch. However I have not had their brunch so maybe that is better. Mountain Lake is where Dirty Dancing was filmed and is a fun place to visit otherwise.
Local Breweries: Bull & Bones is the local brewery/steakhouse. I am not a fan of the beers and find their food to be overpriced ($18+ a plate for a steak and one bland steamed veggie), however, in my opinion, they have the best wings in town. The wings are smoked and insanely juicy and flavorful.
As mentioned previously, Mellow Mushroom is the same all over. Ours does have a great selection of beer but I'm sure it won't be any different than ones you've visited.
Beer selection: I would agree with the recommendations of Rivermill, Taphouse and The Cellar as having the best beer selection (outside of Mellow Mushroom), and each offer a completely different atmosphere. The Cellar has a great beer store attached, if you can't find something you like there try the Vintage Cellar on South Main next to Kroger (great wine selection as well). If you're on the bitter kick like myself I would recommend Lost Rhino's New River Pale Ale (only sold on draft) or Blue Mountain's Full Nelson.
Restaurants: The Homeplace is a must eat when visiting but it sounds like it'll be closed for your visit. My only other must eat would be The Palisades in Eggleston, VA. I take any and all family/friends visiting Blacksburg there. I grew up in Alexandria/DC and would compare this restaurant to something you'd find there at less than half the cost. In fact, my parents required at least one meal there every visit. Everything is local, fresh (farm to table) and made from scratch. Plus it's a beautiful drive: just hop on 460 west and turn off on Eggleston Rd (about 30 mins each way). They have live music quite often; normally a one man show of classic rock (Dylan, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Stones, etc.), folk, bluegrass or a mixture of all of the above.
Obviously a walk around campus will be beautiful. If that doesn't sell your fiance I don't know what will. Definitely check out the War Memorial (chapel and pylons) and the 4/16 memorial. If you can get into the brand new Performing Arts theatre and Signature Engineering buildings you won't be dissapointed either. Additionally, there's a really sweet ROTC exhibit in the library covering the history of the military program since the school's founding.
Enjoy your trip to Blacksburg and congratulations on being accepted into the Grad school!
The one other positive with B&B is you have a good chance of seeing and getting to say hi to some of the coaches there most weekends. Gotten to say hi to Lefty and Bud there. And the entire Beamer family once, Shane's daughters are adorable!
And glad you enjoyed the Corps Museum. I was on the staff when we moved it over when Rasche was being prepped for demolition and exposure to more of campus was a major goal.
Oh yes, the Corps museum is awesome. Definitely a great idea moving it to the library!
It should be there for a few more years.
When the new Corps HQ building is done it will go to a much bigger space there along with first and current Skipper. And the 3 Medal of Honors we have. Also might have a gift shop haha.
Speaking of.............Due South BBQ in Christiansburg is heaven. "The Trough" and "The Big Slop" are big enough for 2 people, unless you can throw down. They also have all you can eat lunch specials, again, great if you bring an appetite.
http://www.duesouthbbq.com/#!home
Can't believe I didn't mention this earlier. Best BBQ around hands down, my wife and I even got them to cater our wedding!
If you are a foodie then Cabo Fish Taco is a must. Its right on Main St in Blacksburg. Garlic-Buffalo Shrimp and Soy-Ginger Shrimp tacos are awesome.
Bull and Bones is a nice-ish restaurant/brewhouse that brews their own beer. I'm partial to the Maroon Effect Brown Ale.
I agree on the Boudreaux's brunch front
As stated before, the Homeplace is a must. Basically Golden Corral meets Cracker Barrel except actually real, authentic food with a southern taste. Seriously if that isn't comfort food, I don't know what is. Their roast beef is very delicious, but I tend to like pretty much all roast beef from anywhere.
Ignore the whole golden corral meets cracker barrel parts of this comment and I'd agree. the food is awesome and it's all you can eat, but not super refined. Homeplace is awesome with a massive group, slightly less so on a date (who wants to eat themselves silly in front of their girlfriend?). Palisades outside of town is probably the best food you'll get within easy driving distance.
The Farmhouse Restaurant is really good as well. It's slightly expensive but not too pricey. It has Southern food and great steaks. The food there is really quality and you can tell it's fresh. If you go there, the chicken soup is a must.
Seconding the Farmhouse. It was my favorite place to go on nice dates with my now wife.
It's in Christiansburg, so maybe 20 minutes away from campus, but we always loved going there. Lots of booths tucked away in secluded corners, soft lighting - very romantic.
If you are looking for something you couldn't get anywhere else I would recommend the Palisades Restaurant in Giles County. It is probably the most unique place you could eat at outside of the Homeplace. It is more expensive, but it is a great place to go on a date (~$30 / person). My wife and I used to go at least once a year when we were undergraduates. Check out the video the owner made below.
http://vimeo.com/15848924
I'll 2nd this. Just went there for the first time a couple months ago. Very cool place.
Without a doubt the Palisades is a great place with terrific atmosphere. Been going there regularly since it opened about 6 years ago. I even buy gift certificates for the Palisades as Christmas presents for people each year.
Best restaurant around IMO, I mentioned it in my post above as well. I consider The Palisades and The Homeplace to be two must-eats.
In my opinion, Cabo Fish Taco has the best food in Blacksburg. The tacos are awesome and they usually have some great specials that are really unique. Plus, it's right in the middle of Downtown Blacksburg, so it's an easy place to get a bite to eat if you're just walking around the campus/downtown area.
There's on place in Auburn called Tacorita that's right downtown and sounds like this place. I love tacos, so we'll probably be checking this place out among others mentioned.
I was always a big fan of the fish burrito
I think we're trying to stay in the town proper without a ton of driving. There will be plenty of time for date nights at the fun places 30-45 mins outside of town, as well as day trips to Roanoke for #AllTheBeer.
For us, it sounds like we definitely need to hit:
Cabo Fish Taco for lunch (we're both taco/Mexican fiends)
Boudreaux or Lefty's for brunch (why not both?)
Bull & Bones Brewhaus (anywhere that brews Maroon Effect beer and spells Brewhaus right is a must)
maybes:
The Homeplace (many good reviews, looks awesome, we love down-home food)
The Cellar
Taphouse
Frank's (I sincerely hope this is named after Frank Beamer, but I doubt it)
This is a solid list.
A few pieces of info:
- Cabo Fish Taco isn't really a Mexican restaurant, but rather is billed as a "Baja seagrill." It reminds me of the fish taco restaurants people rave about in California TBH. And it's delicious - it's my favorite restaurant in Blacksburg.
- If you are looking for Mexican in downtown, El Rodeo (or as everyone calls it, "El Rods") is the best option. Pretty standard Mexican fare, but it was always tasty while I was at school. And the margaritas are awesome and huge.
- If you're staying in downtown and really only planning on walking, Bull & Bones isn't really walkable from the center of downtown. That being said, it's a short drive down Main Street and well worth it IMO.
- I totally recommend The Cellar for a late night beer/snack place. And make sure to actually go downstairs if it's open... it can be a little cramped if it's busy, but it's part of the charm. And do yourself a favor and get a Pita Pizza. It's a personal pan size and you can pretty much get any toppings you'd want on it.
I second The Cellar
Cabo Fish Taco sounds perfect though. Love fish tacos (and pretty much any other kind of taco TBH).
Will definitely check out the downstairs of The Cellar.
Also they do an awesome trivia night on Sunday nights and they have a marg named the El Cheapo. Got to love college towns. also the best person to give a comparison would be Mr Andy Bitter as he used to be the writer covering Auburn before covering Tech.
Frank's is kinda a given name based on the owner/operator of the bar attached to 622 North (as others have noted, a great restaurant in its own right). I'm not sure there's a sign anywhere that actually say's "Frank's" but that's what most people who frequent call it. It's not a 'party bar' by any means but you can sometimes get some good live music there, and in my opinion the beer selection absolutely cannot be beat. Great staff too. And the bar food is prepared by 622 North's chefs, so it's easily the best bar food I've had in town.
War Hokie when were you planning on this trip? I'm back at my parents for the holiday but I will be in Dothan soon. On a side note all my Auburn friends and classmates say I need to go spend a night there. They rave a about the sky bar. I'll have to let you know if I ever make it up there.
I was originally thinking January, but now it looks like May/June. My fiancee actually has a bridesmaid who lives not too far from Dothan.
Sky Bar is a great party bar, but they are liable to let just about anybody with something like this in:
(NOTE: this is not an indictment on Obama, it is just the first thing to show up on Google for fake birth cert.)
Auburn really is a great town. Typical southern small town with a BIG football team. Quixotes was usually my bar hang out along with Moe's just for drink specials on Wednesdays. Still party-ish, but not quite as big as Sky Bar. Sky Bar did just add a huge upper deck that kinda sort overlooks Toomer's Corner, which is really cool too.
I have been, they had an awesome band with a hot chick lead singer and they deck was cool. I will also second that it is barely a step above frat house in terms of the crowd and establishment. Way bigger than any bar in blacksburg, also there are no supper clubs in BBurg. All bars close at 2 am.
I went to the Auburn Supper Club once. I will not be back. After the 4th 40+ year old guy got thrown out in the 1.5 hours I'd been, I peaced out and never looked back.
On a side- side- off topic note: 4 in Auburn + 2 in Blacksburg, that's a pretty significant engagement. Sounds serious!
Haha, sorry I wasn't clear on that. I met her my first year at Auburn, but we didn't date until my last year at Auburn (I know, I'm an idiot). We got engaged in July 2014 and are getting married in May 2015.
Congratulations!
My advice to anyone visiting Blacksburg in January would be to drive slowly enough that you don't arrive until April.
I have had a great time in Auburn. One visit involved a bar that had a crawfish boil and a bikini contest in the same night. Toomer's corner is incredibly normal and overrated. It is a college town for sure as there is not much around it similar to BBurg. I think blacksburg and christiansburg have more to offer to a late 20s married couple as Auburn seemed completely geared to the college aged crowd. If it is still called Rivermill, that was where most of the graduate crowd hung out as you could sit and play darts and converse. I also loved Gillies breakfast, place is vegetarian (not that there is anything wrong with that) and the breakfast rocks. Cabo also a gem and better for groups as its on the end of the bar area of south main, a little more low key.
I visited Auburn this fall on a non-gameday weekend for a buddy's wedding, and I have to agreed. As a mid-20's guy, I almost felt too old to be at some of the bars downtown. It was enlightening.
Gameday experience was awesome though. Had a tailgate Stock The Bar Shower which was awesome.