There are very few restaurants I can think of that my entire family enjoys. We have a couple picky eaters, one who eats very healthy, and a couple who have no interest in being adventurous at all. This combination can make family dinners at restaurants rather complicated and usually someone wants to complain to management. I don’t know why, but the restaurant always seems to be blamed for my family having weird tastes. To restaurant staff that deal with our high maintenance group, I’m sorry. We’re generally nice people…I promise.

Fortunately, we’ve never had any problems at Montano’s International Restaurant. I’ve been to Montano’s a number of times over the years and it’s usually in a big family group. Last week, I went for dinner with my wife, mom, and grandparents and we had a great meal there – as we always do. I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure this is Nicole’s favorite restaurant in Roanoke, probably because they serve great crab legs. She may say otherwise but I secretly worry she will leave me for a character from Deadliest Catch who can provide her with an unending supply of crab legs. I digress…back to dinner!

The atmosphere at Montano’s is classy but casual. They have one of the largest and most popular bars in Roanoke and a massive selection of liquors, beers, and wines. There are multiple dining areas and you will probably see some people celebrating an anniversary, some having a business meeting, while others are simply enjoying a casual meal. The service is good and I would recommend getting a reservation because it’s one of the area’s most popular restaurants, especially on weekends.

In my experience, the food has always been consistently good. The pre-entrée bread is excellent and I have a hunch it is from On the Rise, but there is no way I can confirm this because the staff are "sworn to secrecy." It is served with a side of olive oil and Italian spices that are amazing! It takes serious self control to resist filling up on the bread before the rest of the meal is served, which means I have no idea what it actually feels like. 

For last week’s dinner, I had the Shrimp Salteado. Montano’s has a MASSIVE menu with a ton of variety and styles of food, ranging from French to Brazilian. The Shrimp Salteado was a giant plate of shrimp, smoked sausage, peppers, onions, and mushrooms cooked together and served over a bed of angel hair pasta. This could also be called “David’s Favorite Ingredients in a Pan.” I loved every bit of it. The shrimp were fresh and cooked properly and the sausage wasn’t too greasy or fatty. And I really appreciate the fact that they serve angel hair pasta. I may have been full from the bread but it didn’t matter – I completely cleaned my plate.

Everyone else really enjoyed their dishes as well – as they always do at Montano’s. The prices are a bit on the high side (many entrees are around $20) but I think it’s worth it. The variety on the menu makes it a place where everyone can find something they like and the quality lives up to expectations. Montano’s has been a popular dining spot in the Roanoke Valley for many years and I don’t see that changing any time soon. 

Information:
Montano's International Restaurant
3733 Franklin Road SW, Roanoke, VA 24014
540.344.8960
www.montanos.net