Nopales

One of Roanoke’s best restaurants. The food here is absolutely amazing. I have the stuffed bell pepper and my friend had the salmon and both dishes came out to be absolutely perfect. The Latin American Caribbean fusion seasoning is what makes this food so delicious. While this place is a small hole in the wall place in Grandin, it is quite charming. They do tend to get a bit busy during dinner hours however the service is so friendly. We ordered an appetizer that did not come out before our meal so they gave it to us for free which was kind of them and of course it was delicious. I would highly recommend this place for a dinner date or a special occasion as it is a tad bit pricey.

Wonderful service, some of the best authentic Latin food I’ve had in the states, and a good selection of beers on tap. I’m not too much of a wine drinker but the owner has always helped me find something I enjoyed. Definitely recommended.

I came by the evening of the first democrat debate and had a quick order of tacos and a lovely red blend. I am really looking forward to coming back and enjoying some of the wine parings with some of the different options on the menu.

Disclaimer– I don’t like seafood. So if you do you may have better experience. Wine was top-​notch but very pricey for what we assumed was house wine since there was no by the glass menu. Service was good, staff accommodating… but bring your fat wallet

We have been there many times and usually sit at the bar. We may come off as easy going working folks but don’t be fooled. We love our food! We really love Nopales for the passion and consistency in the food. Im from the West coast (Seattle) and my husband is from Philadelphia. We love the passion in the food. The new chef there is talented just like the last and I am always left full and satisfied. The salads are so good. Last time I had the fish special and it was SO good. Sides are hearty and you wont leave hungry.

We stopped into Nopales in the midst of a cross country road trip, as its menu appeared to be the best on the block. Service was above and beyond, our food was even better than expected (manchego empanadas, sweet potato cakes with grilled romaine), and had a great conversation with the restaurant’s owner, who made it a point to introduce himself. If we lived in the area, we would ABSOLUTELY be back! A must stop for road trippers looking for a fresh and satisfying meal.

Again a feast was enjoyed by a group of 6 who enjoy ordering and sharing !!!
The apps are on point, Grilled Cesar YUM. They also had Brisket Beef tacos and they were GREAT! The fish tacos were second rate, especially compared to the special.
The wine selection is limited but fantastic. (Apparently it rotates quite often as well.)
Empanadas were pretty delish.
The duck (My absolute favorite, cooked to perfection)
The Stuffed Pork Chop (Cooked to a good temperature, tasty)
The Salmon (Overcooked, I would skip it)
The Sweet Potatoe cakes. (Felt like more of a side item)
A fun find in Roanoake, the staff was super friendly and polite. Everyone was very welcoming.

I’ve been here now half a dozen times and I’ve never been disappointed! Great food, good atmosphere, things off the menu are great. The specials are always on point. The desserts are homemade and incredible. All in all, just a great place to try! The coffee is even great!

A new local favorite! Actually, I’ve been meaning to write this review for months but have been a bit remiss in my duties:) The food is awesome, the wine selection is awesome but what tops the dining experience is the staff. Small and quaint environment, now has outdoor seating for those nice weather evenings. Great appetizers and awesome variety of entrees. Got room for dessert? Don’t leave without trying at least one. If you’re only passing through Roanoke, it’s definitely worth seeking out for a great dinner.

AWESOME!!! I lived in Miami 20 years and I knew I would miss Caribbean cuisine when I moved to Roanoke. Not! Unbelievable, great chef, totally upscale professional staff and everything from the boutique wine selection to the atmosphere and so delicious food was off the chain! Adiós Mee-​am-​me! I am at home in Roanoke! Quality of the food exceeds the price. Try the Vino Verde from Portugal and all seafood is fresh, delicious and authentico Espanol flavor! Viva Nopales!

Great food, great atmosphere, friendly and efficient service, and a great, affordable wine menu! My group had the chicken chipotle lime soup, pork empanadas, duck carnitas and chiles rellenos. It all was very flavorful and incredibly filling! Looking forward to going back to try the rest of the menu!

Roanokers love their cheap and filling Tex Mex restaurants with their magical white dipping sauce. Make no mistake, this is not one of them. Nopales is fresh, flavorful and eclectic. After two visits, the standout is Duck Carnitas (rich meat flavor mixed with a tangy onion slaw and sweet dried cherries). The empanadas have a deliciously flaky crust and come with an earthy mushroom or spicy pork filling. Two (of abundant size) come in each appetizer order but you can ask to mix and match if you can’t decide. The interior is intimate (just seating for small parties, it appears) with warm adobe-​colored walls and colorful tilework. This is a great date-​night addition to Grandin Village.

The concept for this restaurant appears to be upscale Caribbean/​Latin American. The way I understand Caribbean/​Latin American food is with big bold flavors with spice that may cause an ulcer. Also, the food should stick to your ribs and not leave you hungry afterward. This place failed on both accounts.
My dining partner and I both started off with empanadas, both the vegetarian and the pork. These were actually pretty good. The crust on them was very tasty. However, 4 dollars an empanada seems a little much for what we got. My friend got the Curry Chicken Trinidad and I got the Vaca Frita for entrees. My friend, being Canadian, has no spice tolerance. She asked if this dish would be spicy and was told it would not be. I don’t know if they made this dish more bland because of this, but there was no spice to it whatsoever and barely any flavor. It had the boldness of food that I would expect at Raleigh Court nursing home just down the street. My friends from Trinidad would take offense that Trinidad was used in the name of this dish. The vaca frita was not very flavorful either. The rice served with both dishes was good.
Service was excellent and the space looks modern, especially when compared to the restaurant that was in the space prior. I’m not sold on the value, each of us basically spent 40 bucks for dinner with a beer each.
Overall, my dining partner and I were greatly disappointed. All the flavors that I was expecting were dumbed down. And on top of that, I was still hungry after spending 40 bucks on myself. Cardinal sin.

Our group of 3 dined here for the 1^st time last week. I should mention the space has been very nicely redone and is a welcoming environment. The owner, Rocky Byrd has great knowledge of wine and picked out a very tasty bottle for our table. We started with an order of the fish tacos and the empanadas. Both were very tasty and fresh. The fish taco plate was accompanied by a very tasty slaw, I believe with jicama as an ingredient. Wanting to taste as many menus items as possible on this first visit I had the roasted corn soup with queso and a shrimp and chorizo salad as my meal. Really impressed on both counts. The smokiness of the corn with bites of the soft cheese were very complimentary. The chorizo in the salad was insanely good. I’ve eaten a lot of chorizo having grown up in Los Angeles and this was some of the best ever. I made sure everyone at the table had a bite. I was able to sample our dining partners hanger steak and liked it so much I may order it myself next time we are there. Had a nice char to the outside and great flavor and texture. We didn’t save room for dessert but were told they usually have flan (they’d just run out) and had a bread pudding. I’m holding back 1 star because he said they were expanding their menu this week and I want to go back again before I throw down 5 stars. I’d say Grandin Village now has yet another great place to dine, all within walking distance of my home.