East Idaho Eats: Goody’s Deli and Pub serves up delicious sandwiches in a favorite hangout spot

POCATELLO — Sitting across from Idaho State University — Goody’s Deli & Pub is a popular hangout for college students and locals alike.

Regular patrons of the bar enjoy snacking on pretzel bites and drinking beers as they watch football games. College students type on their laptops as they work on homework with half-finished sandwiches and drinks next to them. Back in the kitchen, its common to hear staff members singing along to music and offering each other advice on their personal lives.

This is what it looks like on a typical day at Goody’s.

“We definitely have a mixture of (people) and it’s fun to see,” said Jessica Allen, co-owner of the restaurant.

That’s the environment that Jessica and Carlos Allen have worked to maintain after taking ownership of the deli just over a year ago. As Goody’s has been a pizza and deli shop in Pocatello for over forty years, it’s a long legacy to uphold.

Goody’s is a restaurant that’s split in half, the side closest to Idaho State University is a deli, and the other half is a bar. Having the sandwich shop and pub be separated creates an environment that caters to single adults and families alike.

Goody’s is best known for their sandwich line, which gets filled up with college students and professors every afternoon during the school year.

“We have a lot of the college kids that come in almost every day or three, four times a week and a lot of the staff gets to see them on those days and get to know them,” Allen said.

But it’s not just sandwiches that Goody’s offers. They also carry pretzel bites and chicken wings with at least eight different kinds of sauces.

Goody’s pretzel bites, served with a side of beer cheese, are typically ordered by patrons of the bar in between drinks.

As is the key with any good soft pretzel, they use butter to get the salt “nice and stuck” to the pretzels, said Chase Haage, the general manager.

“I don’t know if you’ve had pretzels from the fair versus pretzels out of the bag, but that butter really makes a difference,” Haage said.

When first introduced, Goody’s only served wings during football season. It now serves wings seven days a week because they’ve been so popular since they’ve been put on the menu. People can find a variety of sauces ranging from mild to hot.

Goody’s, found at 905 South 5th Avenue, is a restaurant that’s maintained importance in the university community and the Gate City at-large.

“We would just like to thank our community for supporting us as a local business, our employees for all of their hard work and our customers that come in on a regular basis,” Allen said.

Hagee said he was happy Goody’s provides people with a place to eat and drink where they are comfortable.

“I really like being the hosts to somebody’s hangout spot, and that’s what this place feels like,” Haage said.