Marathon Deli, College Park

[Pat]

I don't know if it's still as good as it once was (I haven't been there in a while), but I've always liked Marathon Deli.

[Heather]

I blew off part of my errands yesterday and went for a gyro. It might not have been as good as it used to be (is anything?) but it was good. I scarfed it in the car, trying desperately not to dribble tzatziki on myself. The skin-on fries were excellent, crispy and liberally dusted with salt and pepper.

And Marathon was full of customers, while the Potbelly on the corner was not.

[bonaire]

I used to eat at Marathon when I went to school in CP. It was a nice break from dining hall food and the Cluck U I'd order at 4 am. Plus, when most of your $$ are spent on booze, it was relatively cheap for a gyro meal.

[JDawgBBall9]

it's still good and owned by the same awesome guy always making sure you're cup is full and asking if you want a refill on the way out (one of my favorite things is that they have birch beer on tap)...almost every time I'm back in College Park I make an effort to go there. It's usually fairly steady but never too packed when I've gone.

[Heather]

Every restaurant has a "where" but not many have a "when" like this place does for me.

We're on our way to the 'Vous, or Ritchie Coliseum, or a movie at the student union, or the 9:30 Club downtown... "Let's get something to eat before the show." Just walking into Marathon takes me back to 1987. I swear to God they even have the same tables & chairs. We'd stop at Tick Tock for a 40, then pick up gyros.

The gyro I got today was great, as it always is, and the fries are the same. They still have birch beer. The same great family owns Marathon. And I still get a thrill out of giving Potbelly and their soulless corporate dreck sandwiches the finger on my way into their shared parking lot.