My husband and I arrived at Mama Dale's Kitchen just after noon on a Friday in August for lunch. The restaurant is located inside the old Dairy Queen, next door to the Shell gas station off Smokey Park Hwy, near exit 44's off ramp. The location is convenient for us coming from Candler.
The dining room was empty upon arrival, with us being the only customers in the building. No one was at the counter and we questioned whether they were actually open. Fortunately, after about 5 minutes, a young lady popped out from the kitchen to take our order. The business is fairly new, so a few things stood out as being "unfinished." The menus were located next to the register on the counter, and not visually on display. The walls were bare and lacking in artwork, which hindered the atmosphere. But the establishment was very clean.
The server didn't appear to be super knowledgeable about the menu, and they were out of select items (such as tator tots and certain fountain drinks) because "the delivery truck hadn't come in yet." The seating booths and restaurant equipment (like the fountain drinks dispenser) appeared to be left over from the prior establishment. Overall, the environment felt like walking into a ghost town; eerie. On the positive side, the place was quiet and not overly loud with obnoxious clanging or shouting conversations. I prefer a quiet environment when I eat. :)
Onto the food: I ordered the Kim's Double Decker Club with fries and hubby ordered the Double Smash Burger. We only waited about 10 minutes for the food to be brought to the table. He tore his burger up before eating half my sandwich. The club was, hands down, one of the best clubs I've ever had. The candied bacon was so damn delicious. I can't remember the last time I ate a sandwich that had me actually celebrating my meal. The French fries had an appetizing seasoning, but unfortunately, I found them to be to mushy and greasy for my liking. Definitely could use to be fried longer. There was a second lady who checked on us periodically through the meal to make sure we had everything we needed and that everything was kosher.
Overall, I heavily recommend this restaurant based on the food and affordable pricing alone. I'm sure they will decorate and find their groove the longer they're open and operating. Will undoubtedly be back, and hope to see others discover this surprising hidden gem.
Ambiance 4/5
Cleanliness 5/5
Wait time 3/5
Service 4/5
Food 4/5
Price 5/5
Location 5/5 read more