Any input on Kelly’s roast beef or clams? We stay quite near Kelly’s in Medford when we’re in town. I looked in once, and something about it turned me off. Is it worth trying, 'cause I love roast beef, and I love clams.
For both items (and the lobster roll as well) I would say Kelly’s is OK, and you could do worse. It really doesn’t rise to the level of somewhere I would seek out, and perhaps not worth the calories. Once in awhile I will stop at the Rt1 location on the way back from the beach if my kids and/or wife are so hungry that they are threatening my life.
If you are staying near the Medford Kelly’s I would recommend the aforementioned Mike’s Roast Beef in Everett. It’s a 5-10 minute drive from there or a cheap Uber. There are probably other worthy spots in the area of which I am not aware.
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I just checked the map, and Billy’s in Wakefield is also quite doable. Do you know how Billy’s compares with Mike’s?
I have been meaning to post for awhile that I have had several very satisfying visits to Nick’s recently (specifically the Beverly location as there is also a Nick’s in Wakefield). I may even prefer the Nick’s sandwich to Mike’s. I appreciate that their 3 way super beef is packed with flavor without being too sloppy to eat. It is well balanced among the mayo, sauce, beef and cheese, with a nicely toasted onion roll holding it all together. Also their onion rings are shatter crisp, which I like. Nick’s is a great take on the way to Cape Ann.
Apologies I didn’t get a pic before a few bites…
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I’ve personally never tried Billy’s, but @passing_thru has a post above and it sounds promising.
I’m not sure where you are coming from, but from your previous post that mentions you stay near the Kelly’s in Medford, Mikes will be much closer than Billy’s.
Mike’s may be closer, but 6 miles isn’t a deal-killer. When we’re in the area, we’re mostly focused on Boston, Newton and what’s close. But last year we “discovered” Malden! So I guess I could manage both Melrose and Wakefield. There was also talk of a Vietnamese place in Everett, Kiengiang. But the poster said it was dirty in his/her last visit. I also try to get to Boston’s Chinatown as much as possible.
yeah, this one’s on The List. need to try that spot.
I have honestly never tried the Medford Kelly’s, and mostly think Kelly’s in Revere coasts on reputation. Like uni says, Mike’s in Everett is close and good quality. (I haven’t found much else in Everett besides La Perle Caribbean and Elm St Bakery). Even better for a super beef is Fresco’s in Malden, if you happen to be going there.
If you do road trip to Wakefield to go to Billy’s, there’s a couple other spots out that way. Sei Bar for highly recommended Hunan food, Sonny Noto’s has a great steak and cheese, The Bread Shop is mundanely named but excellent and Slice Pizza has a respectably NY style slice in a combo gas station/pizza joint. Have also heard good things about The Porch and Meletharb Ice Cream, fwiw.
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Thanks for the update.
FYI there’s a Liberty Bell in Billerica center, and Simard’s Roast Beef on Rt 38 in Wilmington, opposite the shopping center.
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Hot Box at Bow Market seems to have fairly regular hours now, so today was the day for a walk up to Bow Market to see how they stack up. My order was taken quickly and came out in about five minutes, which was great. The staff were working hard and it looked like a whole lot of pizzas were moving out of there–I hope I get to try the bar pizza before I leave the Union Sq area, as it looks pretty good.
Ordered a super beef three way. For that, what you get here is a regular beef three way–that is, roast beef, mayo, James River bbq sauce and American cheese on a sesame seed hamburger bun. I don’t totally understand this naming–traditionally, a super beef is supposed to come on an onion seed roll and though personally I have no love for the concept of authenticity when it comes to food, it still seems to me that this is at the very least an error in classification.
Anyway, the sandwich. The well cooked, tender nature of the flavorful beef is a major plus, and the bun itself was fresh and did its part. But there are some problems too–the meat is under seasoned except at the edges, there’s not enough of the bbq sauce and the American cheese on top is depressingly un-melty. It’s not bad, by any means, and the higher quality meat makes it sure worth a try but at least on first impressions this one comes up just a little bit short.
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That looks like a really bad sandwich, e.g. unmelted cheese etc
it wasn’t great. you can sure get a better one at Fresco’s in Malden or Billy’s in Wakefield.
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this is again not at all north, but it struck me today while still slumming on Xmas holiday that I had never tried the super beef at Skampa’s in East Cambridge. I was hoping to combine this trip with a visit to New Deal Fish market (a place I consider the best fish market around, bar none) but alas, the latter was still closed up tight for an extra day after the new year.
Ah well, I had to go drown my sorrows in an ocean of bbq sauce and mayo. And be warned, fair travelers, if you are of a bent that eschews excessive sauce on your super beef then Skampa’s is decidedly not for you. However, the sandwich there also evinces a great belief in the benefits of huge amounts of relatively rare (if a bit underseasoned) roast beef, and so the ratio of ingredients for the sandwich is actually a fair balance overall. It is messy, though, but for me this is not a negative. Extra points here for an onion roll that was as fresh as it gets and for lovely, unassuming, friendly no frills service.
It beat the living hell out of that sorry thing above I got at Bow Market, for sure. Would go back, and as a Medford resident it saves the drive to Peabody or Haverhill or whatever.
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THAT is a thing of beauty…
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It is definitely nice having Skampa as a local option. You are correct though, they do go excessively heave on the sauce. This isn’t a sandwich you’re going to be eating in your car (I found out the hard way).
They also do a pretty good griddled burger.
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How do you eat that without getting it all over???!
I’m not sure if @passing_thru ever made it to Nick’s but People magazine did and anointed it the best sandwich in Massachusetts.
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You won’t be eating any roast beef sandwiches at Kelly’s (one of the worst food places in America), as they are shut down for salmonella (sp?). Can’t understand how they stay in business.
Never Enjoyed (the one time I stopped there),
CocoDan
I tried Zeno’s in Ipswich for a quick stop off after taking the dogs to Crane’s on a beautiful holiday yesterday. It was OK. The beef itself was very good, flavorful and nicely medium rare. The sandwich overall was sloppy to the point of falling apart. Too much sauce, no griddled bun 
… The people working there were very friendlily and the price was right.
Overall, I’d much prefer Nick’s (Beverly) location when in this area.
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