The other day I had to make a trip to Walmart and whenever I do have to make that trip, I go to the one located off Cummings Highway so I can also get lunch at Lemongrass Thai.
This time, however, I drove past this place called O’Dell’s on the Go and remembered my brother saying it was a great deli, pizza, burger, and Mayfield ice cream place, so I stopped in to check it out.
Apparently, O’Dell’s has been serving customers since 1953. Some people consider it the oldest operational deli in the city. River Street Deli opened in 1998, and the Yellow Deli opened in 1972, so this place is definitely older. According to their website the establishment was originally opened as O'Dell's Grocery.
Over the decades, it evolved from a community grocery store into a local deli, pizza place, and sandwich shop. It’s the type of place where you can still order an old-fashioned milkshake while also having an entire walk-in cooler stocked with single beers, six packs, and cases of beer for sale.
It’s seriously the type of diner I would expect to see Guy Fieri filming an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
If you happen to order a milkshake, be willing to wait patiently. They are handcrafted and made to order and as the owner, Hood Capley, stated recently on their Facebook Page, “That takes time. I will not compromise quality by thinning them out. We’re committed to doing it right, even when it takes a little longer.”
They claim to have the world’s best chicken salad, and the diner is known as being home to their famous Gollywhopper. It’s a sandwich piled high with ham, turkey, bologna, salami, and creamy cheese, hugged by an enormous bun. It’s topped with mayonnaise, mustard, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, onion, and crunchy pickles. I saw a customer order one and it is massive.
Another customer ordered the Club sandwich, and it was also huge. Picture ham, turkey, bacon, and cheese layered on toasted Texas toast with creamy mayonnaise. According to their menu, their burgers and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are made with ½ pound of beef.
Yet another customer ordered a Reuben with onion rings and those onion rings looked well-seasoned and delicious. Her sandwich was hot with steam still coming out as she took a bite. Her Reuben had corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing on marbled Rye bread. Again, the sandwich was huge.
I decided to order their Patty Melt with waffle fries and a fountain drink. Their Patty Melt is served on sourdough bread, and the patty was at least ½ pound of meat. The cheese had the greatest pull, and the onions were grilled and soft. The waffle fries were seasoned, crispy along the edges, and soft in the middle.
It was an amazing Patty Melt and so big with so many fries I brought half of the Patty Melt and fries home for mom’s dinner.
They also have pizza, calzones, chicken wings, salads, a variety of other sandwiches, more sides, and sweets. You can build your own pizza or get one of their specialty pies. It’s a small diner with great food, large portions and a friendly staff.
O’Dell’s on the Go offers take-out, curbside pick-up, or delivery. It is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday from 9 a.m. until 9p.m. Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. They accept cash and credit cards, but you will pay extra using a credit card. If you don’t have cash on hand, they have an ATM inside their diner.
O’Dell’s on the Go
- 3031 Cummings Highway, Chattanooga, TN
- (423) 821-6332
- www.odellsonthego.com
- $$ - $$$