Black Circle Bistro — Restaurant in Beckley

Had company from out of town. Went there for a late dinner. Had to park at tudors " another restaurant " and walk a short walk to place. Wanted to sit on top of deck. Waitress said " that's only for take out orders". We ended up at a small table next to bathroom. Bathroom is for everyone to use. I'm not a fan of that. The place is small and dark with pinball machines. Not sure if you have to pay to play those. I felt the prices are way to high for area. I had the salad with a small scoop of chicken salad which I was charged 4$ extra for. Salad was mostly iceberg lettuce. Was charged 3$ each for a bottle of water. They have no water on tap with lemon. The basket of fries was small and were end pieces for 7$. Was charged 1.50$ for the Appalachian ghost sauce to dip fries in.The person with me got the "thick skull"which is a bologna sandwich with a small cup of macaroni salad for 2$ extra. They said they were not impressed. Total bill 46.75$ plus the tip. Very disappointed. We ate at Texas steakhouse the next night and got way more food for 31.95$. Actually had water with lemon no charge and individual bathrooms. Steak tip dinner and smokehouse burger dinner. I'm not sure if this establishment is hoping to get the tourists all the time. For tourists it may be a deal. But not so much for the locals. It's hard to support small businesses when they have prices like this. We are being generous with the stars.( The owner responded to my review with sarcasm). That told me all I need to know about the Owner and Black Circle Bistro. Please take a class in " Constructive Criticism ". Most business places rely on customers, unless you don't need them. I give good reviews, bad reviews and in between. I review based on my experience. The owner picked thru my reviews and posted only negative ones. ...

Ok- so as a native resident of Beckley, WV, I have long been envious of Fayetteville, Oak Hill, and even Hinton for their broad range of restaurants. Beckley has finally got a nice eclectic eatery deserving of 5 stars that offers FOOD beyond the typical chain restaurants and greasy fast food slop houses that the city is flood with. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and I asked them to hold the tomato. It was truly the best grilled chicken I have ever had. The chicken breast was juicy and tender, the bacon crisp, and the accoutrements were fresh and well portioned for my sandwich. The kettle chips that came with it were crisp and non-greasy. My partner had a chicken salad sandwich and he was equally impressed. The atmosphere is charming- the restaurant is situated in an old gas house station and is adorned properly so. The place has several very interesting looking pinball machines if you are interested in such. We didn't play them but they looked fun. They even advertised a pinball machine league- which gives locals something to do in this limited environment in which we dwell. Finally, I want to say thank you to the staff for being as hospitable as they were. We did not know that they closed at 8pm and we got there right around 7:30pm. We would have never known given our waitress' hospitality. The young ladies in the kitchen were cleaning up which is always nice to see in any establishment yet everyone had a smile on their face and spoke politely. As I checked out I decided to buy a box of irregular cookies that they were selling at a reduced price. I am so glad I did- they are delicious as well. I have taken the time to write this review because I sincerely hope that this business thrives and prospers. WE WILL...

Stopped by the Black Circle Bistro because it was near our hotel during a road trip and it exceeded all expectations. First of all, the place had a great Rock N Roll vibe with well maintained pinball machines lining the wall that my kids lost their minds for. Though the converted garage atmosphere has a hipster vibe to it, the staff is super personable and friendly.

Then the food came. I am a huge burger guy and my usual thoughts about a burger is "it was just okay." Well, my wife and two kids all four got burgers and they were all fantastic. Nothing makes me happier than a place that I both enjoy and I don't have to argue and beg my kids to eat. They destroyed their food. If you have ever spent hours in a car listening to the Encanto soundtrack, there is nothing more amazing than 20 minutes of relatively silent grunting.

When it was time to go, I realized that I had walked right past a variety of cookie and pastries options by the front entrance. I was stuffed from the burgers but I decided to get some for the road and was kicking myself the next day for not getting more when I had the chance. Also, I'm not a guy who ever thinks to take photos my food, but the pastries, much like our burgers, were extremely Instragrammable.

One final note, I was "that guy" when I went, showing up at almost closing time on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I am lucky that I didn't get punched in the face, yet, instead, I ended up with a great experience. I go through the area around 3 times a year and Black Circle Bistro is now a destination for me. Take the kids, buy some cookies, play some pinball and if say it is a "regional fav", just stick...