O’Brien’s Schoolhouse Deli is an absolute gem! Their sandwiches are incredible—packed with fresh ingredients, amazing flavors, and generous portions. Whether you’re a classic deli fan or looking for something unique, their menu has something for everyone.
The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to grab a bite. On top of that, the staff is super friendly and makes you feel right at home.
We can’t wait to come back and try more of their delicious offerings. It’s clear that O’Brien’s is going to be a regular stop for us. Highly recommend checking it out—you won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike Blok
Some of the best quality food with very reasonable prices. I only wish I lived closer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pat Kinney
Excellent food and service. The servers were great and the owner was so nice. Loved the ice cream he brought us. The portions were huge also.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jh k
Have been to the new location twice now. Just something different about this one. The food is not as good both times and the guy last night seemed annoyed if you waited or a pick up order.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Aaron Lehrman
Big sloppy burger and tons of fries with a bit of a price tag.
- Schoolhouse Burger: HUGE! I’ve had some very large burgers before, but this one was a surprise. I am guessing 2/3 pounds total in the patties. I was a bit put off by the prices, but once I saw the size (and the amount of fries), I was not as put off.
They are called smash patties, but because of the size and thickness, it is not the traditional smash patty. This is an important distinction because true smash patties cook differently when they are thinner and have a much different texture cooking faster. These were a lot closer to traditional handmade patties. They were juicier as a result (which I prefer anyway). The other location’s burgers have been highly praised, but they didn’t seem terribly different from other locations I’ve visited. It’s not bad, but not superior (at least this time).
It is also very messy. I tried real hard to eat it regularly, but because it was so huge and the whole thing slid around like crazy, it was impossible by the time I was a third of the way through. After that, I had to eat the rest with a fork.
The toppings were fairly even except the onion and tomato. This accounted for almost half the height and was overwhelming the rest of the taste. It could probably use a bit more bacon (but anything could). There was a bit more mustard than ketchup (you have to decide if that is good because I prefer a lot more ketchup on my burgers myself).
I don’t think it was American Cheese like it described. Maybe WHITE American Cheese, which is another important distinction. I prefer the standard YELLOW American Cheese.
- Fries: A TON of fries! Thinner cut (my personal preference), warm, great texture, medium thick outer skin and fluffy center. They were cooked just right. They were quite salty. Most places are, but these were more salty than most.
- Service: Fairly standard, though slightly quicker to get to you. You seat yourself, but they come and serve you at the table. They use cloth napkins. Once I bit into the burger, I knew that wasn’t enough and asked for paper napkins, which they did supply.
One major issue I had with my visit was with the price. They changed their prices since they opened. In July when they opened, the Schoolhouse Burger was $17. That was what their website still had posted. Their menu when I arrived was different. I pointed that out and they even informed the owner. However, I was still charged the $18.50 on the menu. I was a bit disappointed, but paid it (the burger was HUGE).
I do my research with restaurants ahead of time to know the price, value, quality, and especially the story. I heard great things from multiple sources about O’Brien’s Deli & Burgers (which have hours impossible for me to visit most of the time), so I was excited to try the Schoolhouse location.
I knew this place just opened and I figured there’d be bumps. However, they have had another location before this one, so this is not their first rodeo.
- Atmosphere: Tiny interior. The tables are tightly lined up and servers are constantly walking sideways. There is a lot more room on the outdoor patios. It’s probably a place you want to visit to sit outside or for takeout. I was only there 20 minutes, so it wasn’t a big deal to me to sit inside.
The schoolhouse theme is kind of cool. I did notice the thick rope for pulling on the bell above the building.
Was it worth it? I think so. But it is a close one with the price changes. Would I recommend it? Yes, but not as a first choice.
Visited on a Saturday in September around 4:30pm.
Parking: Parking was a bit tight. The parking along Legacy Park was very narrow and the turn from the River Street to the parking spot was a really tight turn, especially with the parallel parking
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Angela Smith
I ordered the CBA wrap (with fries which makes the wrap meal $20) and a chicken strip basket. The total was around $43 with a tip. Very overpriced for what you’re getting. Nothing tasted exceptionally good, or memorable. The wrap was mostly just chicken and the other ingredients were not very well distributed so every bite until the end was chicken with a hint of sauce. Also the Ada village general store that was previously at this location carried chocolate shoppe ice cream which is far superior to the mooville ice cream they carry at obriens. I also find it a bit weird there are no kids options/meals on the menu at all. Not terrible but not worth the money. You can get far better food for less money at many of the restaurants in Lowell (Main Street bbq, hop hog, sabor Mexicano are a few exceptional restaurants nearby)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
John Geha
08/13/24 - A second visit, another delicious dinner! Excellent salad and pastrami on rye! Again, great service ?
Ada Michigan is very fortunate to have the O'Briens Schoolhouse. I was told their burgers are fresh gound and delicious. Well, I can atest to both. Fresh, delicious, with crispy and hot fries, definitely not sitting in a tray. Oh, and not greasy. Wonderful setting in Ada Village! Service is excellent. They have multiple sandwiches, salads, and even ice cream with a great wine list, this is a perfect location to sit and relax and enjoy a fantastic burger. Fun, with a great patio, and very tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
danielle goessele
Very disappointing experience. They delivered our food to another table then realized it was the wrong order and tried to deliver it to us. I explained to the staff that they were delivering the food after it had been touched by the previous customers and requested a new food order. The staff rolled his eye and said the customers did not touch it however he left after the food was delivered. They then brought the food to our table after requesting a new order after 5 minutes which means the food was not recooked and it was the original order. After mentioning to the waitress she said we will have to have another meeting regarding this. I had high hopes for this restaurant however will not be returning.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
Brian Dykhouse
These burgers are about to give Stella’s a run for their money. Huge and insane good!! Will be recommending 100%.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
jennifer bonney
Been twice so far, and really love this new place! We had- salad, fries, sweet potato fries, and burger- all excellent, and there was a lot of it. Looking forward to next time!
Finally had a chance to check out the new Schoolhouse. The location is fantastic and the new patio is great. The food was surprisingly good. We had a variety of wraps, burgers, and kids meals at our table. The smash burger was great. The service could be a little friendlier, but overall, I can’t complain. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Kyle M
O’Briens has been a great addition to downtown Ada. It is perfect for families and even families with dogs as the deck is pet friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bei He
Went around noon on a busy Saturday with young kids and with another family. Super family family, fast service, able to find seating fairly quickly (though limited seating), A++ quality food and portion size, price, plus ice cream scoop afterwards. This is a huge scale up for family dinning and will definitely returning with kids and for brunches with pals. Look forward to the continuation of this quality food and service.
Note, try the Tuna nachos, very fresh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kyguy77
I've had good experiences at the old O'Brien's on Fulton as well as the location on East Paris. Was looking forward to another location, but left disappointed.
Right off the bat it's unclear what the seating situation is. There's a sign that says to use the west gate, but there's no indication of if you're supposed to seat yourself or if someone would come by or if you were supposed to enter the building. I guess we looked confused enough to where a patron told us we could grab a seat anywhere, and soon after a waiter took notice and said he would be back shortly.
The service was lacking throughout--it took about 20 minutes (and us asking an additional time) to get waters, and one burger came out 5 minutes before the other one. We also never received napkins or silverware at any point.
I got the Rix burger, which I was anticipating to have some kick, but it was so blisteringly hot that I couldn't have more than a few bites. I may have been overconfident with my capsaicin capabilities, but my wife got a classic burger and said it was abnormally spicy as well. Maybe we just ordered poorly, but going 0/2 on burgers at a place that specializes in burgers doesn't reflect well.
I will say that it's nice that the burgers come with fries (which were quite good) instead of being an upcharge like you see at so many other places.
O’Brien’s Schoolhouse Deli is an absolute gem! Their sandwiches are incredible—packed with fresh ingredients, amazing flavors, and generous portions. Whether you’re a classic deli fan or looking for something unique, their menu has something for everyone.
The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to grab a bite. On top of that, the staff is super friendly and makes you feel right at home.
We can’t wait to come back and try more of their delicious offerings. It’s clear that O’Brien’s is going to be a regular stop for us. Highly recommend checking it out—you won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Some of the best quality food with very reasonable prices. I only wish I lived closer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and service. The servers were great and the owner was so nice. Loved the ice cream he brought us. The portions were huge also.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Have been to the new location twice now. Just something different about this one. The food is not as good both times and the guy last night seemed annoyed if you waited or a pick up order.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Big sloppy burger and tons of fries with a bit of a price tag.
- Schoolhouse Burger: HUGE! I’ve had some very large burgers before, but this one was a surprise. I am guessing 2/3 pounds total in the patties. I was a bit put off by the prices, but once I saw the size (and the amount of fries), I was not as put off.
They are called smash patties, but because of the size and thickness, it is not the traditional smash patty. This is an important distinction because true smash patties cook differently when they are thinner and have a much different texture cooking faster. These were a lot closer to traditional handmade patties. They were juicier as a result (which I prefer anyway). The other location’s burgers have been highly praised, but they didn’t seem terribly different from other locations I’ve visited. It’s not bad, but not superior (at least this time).
It is also very messy. I tried real hard to eat it regularly, but because it was so huge and the whole thing slid around like crazy, it was impossible by the time I was a third of the way through. After that, I had to eat the rest with a fork.
The toppings were fairly even except the onion and tomato. This accounted for almost half the height and was overwhelming the rest of the taste. It could probably use a bit more bacon (but anything could). There was a bit more mustard than ketchup (you have to decide if that is good because I prefer a lot more ketchup on my burgers myself).
I don’t think it was American Cheese like it described. Maybe WHITE American Cheese, which is another important distinction. I prefer the standard YELLOW American Cheese.
- Fries: A TON of fries! Thinner cut (my personal preference), warm, great texture, medium thick outer skin and fluffy center. They were cooked just right. They were quite salty. Most places are, but these were more salty than most.
- Service: Fairly standard, though slightly quicker to get to you. You seat yourself, but they come and serve you at the table. They use cloth napkins. Once I bit into the burger, I knew that wasn’t enough and asked for paper napkins, which they did supply.
One major issue I had with my visit was with the price. They changed their prices since they opened. In July when they opened, the Schoolhouse Burger was $17. That was what their website still had posted. Their menu when I arrived was different. I pointed that out and they even informed the owner. However, I was still charged the $18.50 on the menu. I was a bit disappointed, but paid it (the burger was HUGE).
I do my research with restaurants ahead of time to know the price, value, quality, and especially the story. I heard great things from multiple sources about O’Brien’s Deli & Burgers (which have hours impossible for me to visit most of the time), so I was excited to try the Schoolhouse location.
I knew this place just opened and I figured there’d be bumps. However, they have had another location before this one, so this is not their first rodeo.
- Atmosphere: Tiny interior. The tables are tightly lined up and servers are constantly walking sideways. There is a lot more room on the outdoor patios. It’s probably a place you want to visit to sit outside or for takeout. I was only there 20 minutes, so it wasn’t a big deal to me to sit inside.
The schoolhouse theme is kind of cool. I did notice the thick rope for pulling on the bell above the building.
Was it worth it? I think so. But it is a close one with the price changes. Would I recommend it? Yes, but not as a first choice.
Visited on a Saturday in September around 4:30pm.
Parking: Parking was a bit tight. The parking along Legacy Park was very narrow and the turn from the River Street to the parking spot was a really tight turn, especially with the parallel parking
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
I ordered the CBA wrap (with fries which makes the wrap meal $20) and a chicken strip basket. The total was around $43 with a tip. Very overpriced for what you’re getting. Nothing tasted exceptionally good, or memorable. The wrap was mostly just chicken and the other ingredients were not very well distributed so every bite until the end was chicken with a hint of sauce. Also the Ada village general store that was previously at this location carried chocolate shoppe ice cream which is far superior to the mooville ice cream they carry at obriens. I also find it a bit weird there are no kids options/meals on the menu at all. Not terrible but not worth the money. You can get far better food for less money at many of the restaurants in Lowell (Main Street bbq, hop hog, sabor Mexicano are a few exceptional restaurants nearby)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
08/13/24 - A second visit, another delicious dinner! Excellent salad and pastrami on rye! Again, great service ?
Ada Michigan is very fortunate to have the O'Briens Schoolhouse. I was told their burgers are fresh gound and delicious. Well, I can atest to both. Fresh, delicious, with crispy and hot fries, definitely not sitting in a tray. Oh, and not greasy. Wonderful setting in Ada Village! Service is excellent. They have multiple sandwiches, salads, and even ice cream with a great wine list, this is a perfect location to sit and relax and enjoy a fantastic burger. Fun, with a great patio, and very tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very disappointing experience. They delivered our food to another table then realized it was the wrong order and tried to deliver it to us. I explained to the staff that they were delivering the food after it had been touched by the previous customers and requested a new food order. The staff rolled his eye and said the customers did not touch it however he left after the food was delivered. They then brought the food to our table after requesting a new order after 5 minutes which means the food was not recooked and it was the original order. After mentioning to the waitress she said we will have to have another meeting regarding this. I had high hopes for this restaurant however will not be returning.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
These burgers are about to give Stella’s a run for their money. Huge and insane good!! Will be recommending 100%.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Been twice so far, and really love this new place! We had- salad, fries, sweet potato fries, and burger- all excellent, and there was a lot of it. Looking forward to next time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious food! Friendly staff! Great location!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ahi Poke Nachos
Finally had a chance to check out the new Schoolhouse. The location is fantastic and the new patio is great. The food was surprisingly good. We had a variety of wraps, burgers, and kids meals at our table. The smash burger was great. The service could be a little friendlier, but overall, I can’t complain. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
O’Briens has been a great addition to downtown Ada. It is perfect for families and even families with dogs as the deck is pet friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went around noon on a busy Saturday with young kids and with another family. Super family family, fast service, able to find seating fairly quickly (though limited seating), A++ quality food and portion size, price, plus ice cream scoop afterwards. This is a huge scale up for family dinning and will definitely returning with kids and for brunches with pals. Look forward to the continuation of this quality food and service.
Note, try the Tuna nachos, very fresh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've had good experiences at the old O'Brien's on Fulton as well as the location on East Paris. Was looking forward to another location, but left disappointed.
Right off the bat it's unclear what the seating situation is. There's a sign that says to use the west gate, but there's no indication of if you're supposed to seat yourself or if someone would come by or if you were supposed to enter the building. I guess we looked confused enough to where a patron told us we could grab a seat anywhere, and soon after a waiter took notice and said he would be back shortly.
The service was lacking throughout--it took about 20 minutes (and us asking an additional time) to get waters, and one burger came out 5 minutes before the other one. We also never received napkins or silverware at any point.
I got the Rix burger, which I was anticipating to have some kick, but it was so blisteringly hot that I couldn't have more than a few bites. I may have been overconfident with my capsaicin capabilities, but my wife got a classic burger and said it was abnormally spicy as well. Maybe we just ordered poorly, but going 0/2 on burgers at a place that specializes in burgers doesn't reflect well.
I will say that it's nice that the burgers come with fries (which were quite good) instead of being an upcharge like you see at so many other places.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
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