Ocoee Dam Deli & Diner — Restaurant in Tennessee

A Taste of Nostalgia Turns Sour: Occoee Dam Deli & Diner Misses the Mark on Service

Nestled amidst the scenic beauty of Occoee River and the Appalachian Mountains, lies the Occoee Dam Deli & Diner - a place once brimming with nostalgia for the adventurous youth. A trip down memory lane, I returned with my remarkable and beautiful wife, eager to relive cherished moments while savoring delightful dishes. But alas, what started as an eagerly anticipated date night unfolded into a disheartening experience that left us longing for the past.

The ambiance beckoned with the promise of comfort and camaraderie, but our server, April, appeared to be lost in some mysterious oblivion. As we waited, time stretching endlessly, it seemed like she might have been off on some daring escapade rather than attending to her diners. Thankfully, another server noticed our plight and came to our rescue, graciously taking our drink orders.

Opting for sweet tea, I yearned for that familiar taste of southern tradition, yet what I received was a mere semblance of its former glory. My taste buds were left disappointed, leading me to trade my dreams of sweet tea for the comforting familiarity of a Dr. Pepper.

Eventually, April emerged from her wanderings, and we proceeded to order the Spicy Dam Burger, a culinary masterpiece we hoped would reignite the spark of nostalgia. My beautiful wife, in her wisdom, requested her burger to be prepared well, while I sought the thrill of a perfectly cooked medium. Alas, as the plates arrived, it seemed the kitchen had its own whimsical interpretation of doneness, delivering two medium-well burgers instead.

Regrettably, April's vanishing act returned, leaving us stranded in a culinary limbo, thirsting for a refill as the minutes dragged on. Desperation prompted me to flag down any attentive soul for assistance, finally securing a refill.

And then came the culmination of our disappointment - a surprising visit from April, brandishing the check as if it were an unwelcome guest. In the midst of our unfinished meals, she whisked away my dinner plate, robbing me of the chance to savor every last bite. My wife, too, was left with half a burger and a plate of untouched fries. A cold sense of unwelcome enveloped us, leaving a bitter taste in our mouths that even the finest cuisine could not mend.

In all my years on this Earth, never have I felt so disregarded and unwelcome in a restaurant. My cherished memories of Occoee Dam Deli were tarnished by the indifferent service we received.

In the end, I can only hope that Occoee Dam Deli & Diner will rediscover its former glory, offering not just the taste of nostalgia but also the warmth and attentiveness that make dining a cherished experience. For now, I bid farewell to this once-beloved haunt, and perhaps, in another decade or more, I shall return to witness its revival.

Note: Despite the restaurant's shortcomings, my disappointment was tempered by the presence of my amazing wife. Her grace and charm illuminated the evening, and I am grateful for her unwavering company, making even a lackluster dining experience a memorable one. Addendum below this line The response to my review appears to be based on either a significant misunderstanding or a deliberate fabrication of the events. Contrary to the reply, April did not attend to my drink orders, nor did she offer any desserts. Furthermore, the provided timestamps seem to be entirely inaccurate. Another staff member had to take my drink orders as April was nowhere to be found for most of the meal. Regrettably, her absence and subsequent removal of my unfinished meal compelled me to leave prematurely. The overall service was far from satisfactory, as it lacked efficiency and warmth, resulting in an unwelcoming experience.

It is plausible that the individual who composed the response is the same lackluster server from my visit. Whether this response indeed originated from the owner or not, it serves as a testament to the establishment's declining level of service...

We were sat immediately. It did not seem to be busy. We got our drinks quick, and ordered. It went downhill from there. Our order took over an hour to come out. We had to flag down another waitress to go check for our food. She was extremely apologetic, and seemed to manning the restaurant alone with others working in slow motion. Tables around us started to notice the same problem and left. Tables around were being left dirty as they left. Had the waiter we flagged down not been extremely gracious, we would have heft too. From what we seen her tables had gotten everything and left long before we had even gotten our food. She was talking to other tables in area apologizing for the wait. We soon noticed they did stop sitting the area we were in and she took on a vast majority of the oncoming crowd. Again, getting everything they needed long before us. However, she was helping the situation the best she could considering she was also now busy. The food came out cold, but the by that point we just ate and left. It wasn’t horrible food, just cold. The service from our waitress played a huge part in our visit. Had we gotten our food in a timely manner(and hot); My review would probably be much better. We had heard amazing things about this place and were so excited to try the deserts. A-parent we’d came after the waitress had had a long day. By the point we got our food we were just over it. Kudos to the waitress who came over for trying to lightening the mood amongst the other angry patrons. She did apologize profusely, and fulfilled the concern our waitress...

We had a 4:00 reservation and when we arrived the greeter at the front desk informed us that the restaurant does not do reservations this was the first disappointment. After waiting about 15 20 minutes we finally were seated the waitress came and got our drink order. She returned shortly afterwards and got our food order. There were seven in our party when the waitress brought our food she only brought half our party's food they ended up having to wait several minutes until the rest of the food was brought out this was a big disappointment. The waitress came back once to check on us after we received our food. Once we got through eating we had to wait several minutes to flag the waitress down and ask her for two boxes because two people in our party needed food boxes. At this point we waited for about a good 15 minutes The waitress never brought our boxes. When the waitress returned she had a receipts and was ready to collect payment but she did not bring any boxes so we had to remind her about the boxes once again. After taking everybody's money our debit cards she left to go ring us out she returned with the boxes but went back to ring us out we waited another 10 to 15 minutes before she returned. I would say the food was okay but the service was the worst I've seen. It's sad because the service is going to end up costing this establishment customers in the end. I hope they are able to address the service because overall I enjoyed the environment it was a cute diner geared towards the...