Wait a minute, you might be saying; this site is featuring a plain jane-looking sandwich shop called Nick's? A place that is in a rather unsightly strip mall with a nightmare of a parking lot? A place that looks like a million other spots, and has a name that is used by at least a hundred other places? Well, the answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes. And the reason why this site is featuring Nick's Famous Roast Beef in Beverly is because they quite simply have one of the best, if not THE best, roast beef sandwiches not only in the Greater Boston area, but in all of Eastern Massachusetts.
Nick's, a North Beverly roast beef joint that has been around since the mid-1970s, may not look like much, but residents of Beverly and the surrounding towns don't really care about the aesthetics of the place. It is all about the beef here, and regulars come to the place time after time to enjoy the rare, lean, thinly sliced, and nicely-seasoned roast beef that is constantly being prepared fresh throughout the day. Indeed, the meat is so tender that it could probably be cut with the edge of a piece of paper, and the rest of the sandwich--the slightly hot sauce, the gooey cheese, the tangy mayo, and the lightly-toasted onion rolls--makes this deceptively simple sandwich one that you will not soon forget. There are other items on the menu at Nick's Famous, including cheeseburgers, pastrami, chicken sandwiches, and tuna, but for most people, the only items to get other than the roast beef are sides to go with the beef, such as onion rings (a favorite here) and fries.
Forgettable location aside, Nick's Famous Roast Beef is a can't-miss place for those who visit, or live on, the North Shore. Sure, there are other good roast beef places in the area (Kelly's in Revere, Harrison's in North Andover) that have easier parking and, in the case of Kelly's, much better atmosphere being that it is on the ocean, but in this writer's opinion, Nick's beats them both when it comes to classic roast beef sandwiches. If you like roast beef and have never been to Nick's Famous, get in your car and head over to North Beverly to try this beloved North Shore spot.
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