Roast beef sandwich?

Where can I find a roast beef sandwich - like what you would get at Arby's - except, of course, better and with "real" meat?

There used to be a place called Cal's in Homewood which had this, but they've been gone a long time, and I've never found anything similar (except Arby's, bleh)

It's not like Arby's at all, but a couple of weekends ago I enjoyed a roast beef sandwich from Al's Deli in Evanston. I really love that place. It was jammed on a Saturday mid-afternoon with other folks who feel the same way. It's a simple and straightforward sandwich (although I asked them to add the aioli which they offer on the menu as part of a turkey sandwich) but they use high quality and fresh ingredients.

Actually, given some recent posts about waiting, I should point out that there is exactly one guy who makes sandwiches at Al's (Bob), and nothing is prepared in advance. He slices the baguettes in half as needed, and carefully constructs each sandwich. (OK, I think some of the other kinds of bread are already sliced, so they cut some corners.)

If you are impatient or in a hurry, call ahead or go at off hours (and I thought 2 pm on a Saturday would be at least kind of "off hours", but I waited at least 20 minutes for a sandwich.) A lot of people were ordering soup, which is the key to express service To me, a large part of the pleasure is the obvious dedication they have to quality over speed. (Although I was definitely surprised to see that they've hired an assistant; I'd never seen anyone but the brothers behind the counter before.)

I also enjoyed a Fentiman's Shandy, although I was a little sticker shocked by the $3.75 price tag on the bottle. It had a nice malty body (although nowhere near as much as a Malta or such) with just a touch of lemon. Proudly made "from 70% real beer", but non-alcoholic. (Has anyone seen Fentiman's products in stores? Al's also sells a Ginger Beer by the same producer.)

Again, it's not really like Arby's either (not heated) but I remembered I hadn't mentioned anything here, and while I ate, I'd been thinking that Al's doesn't get the LTH Love,
although I'd forgotten the recent visit by the food paparazzi. Reviewing that thread, I see that I'm not the only one with a fondness for their Roast Beef.

Al's Deli
914 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-9400

Al's Deli is a great suggestion. I'd also recommend the Italian Beef at GNR Winner fRedhots, which is actually more like a French Dip than a true Italian beef. I'm sure they'll be happy to serve it on a bun if that is what Arby's does (I can't remember, it's been at least 35 years since I've been to Arby's). And, of course, GNR Winner Manny's serves what might be considered to be the best roast beef sandwich in town.

fRedhots Italian Beef


Manny's Roast Beef

And, of course, GNR Winner Manny's serves what might be considered to be the best roast beef sandwich in town.

You won't do better than this, particularly if you like it rare (be sure to ask). Have it on an onion roll as above and, N.B., there's horseradish on many of the tables.

If you like your sandwiches at the other end of the doneness spectrum (i.e. pot roast), you won't find much better than the pot roast sandwich at:

Depot American Diner
5840 W Roosevelt Rd
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 261-8422

stevez, I think your Manny's roast beef sandwich picture should go with Mike G's Flying Saucer French toast picture in the Judy Chicago thread.

Kaufman's has great house-made roast beef, and you can specify how rare you want it... they'll cut it to order. Although, I don't think they make sandwiches at the counter. You'd have to assemble it yourself...

4905 Dempster St., Skokie

There's a place downtown not far from my work called State Stree Bread Co. They have a pretty good roast beef sandwich on their menu. You can get it cold or hot.


State Street Bread Company
30 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60611
312-595-0766

riddlemay wrote:stevez, I think your Manny's roast beef sandwich picture should go with Mike G's Flying Saucer French toast picture in the Judy Chicago thread.

oh no you di'in't

though a cousin of the roast beef (yet closer than italian beef), Keefer's Kaffe serves up a somewhat bastardized version of a Beef on Weck. it's pretty good if you get it on an "on" day

I'm with SteveZ. If there's a better roast beef sandwich in the city than the hand carved beauty from Manny's, I haven't found it.

There was a roast beef restaurant chain that opened and closed in Naperville off I-88 a few years ago called Lion's Choice, based out of St. Louis. They had really good roast beef with plenty of au jus for dipping. The problem is that the idiots who chose the location picked an area near an industrial park and it was hard to find. I miss them, they were really good.
http://www.lionschoice.com/

Don't forget the roast beef sandwich served at 17 West at the Berghoff (and at the Berghoff location at Midway Airport).

ab wrote:Kaufman's has great house-made roast beef, and you can specify how rare you want it... they'll cut it to order. Although, I don't think they make sandwiches at the counter. You'd have to assemble it yourself...

4905 Dempster St., Skokie

They do make sandwiches at the counter. I'm there at least twice a week and they seem to do a nice lunch business. You're right about the roast beef although my favorite is still their corned beef.

Big D wrote:They do make sandwiches at the counter. I'm there at least twice a week and they seem to do a nice lunch business. You're right about the roast beef although my favorite is still their corned beef.

Speaking of Kauffman's corned beef, I discovered over the weekend that they sell deckle only (point only) corned beef for more than a dollar less/lb. than their regular corned beef. It was fantastically fatty and the antitheses of the corned beef served to those who foolishly order theirs extra lean.

Kaufman's is awesome, everything a roast beef sandwich should be - fresh rye and blood red rare(without being three pounds of gut-busting, can't-do-anything-else-for-the-rest-of-the-day-sized.) I'm also a big fan of Finkl's Deli but I haven't had one from them in quite a while. Nothing against Arby's - but give me a Roy Roger's roast beef over them anyday - I'm not a fan of that 'cured taste' of processed roast beef.

Anybody try one from Jerry's Sandwiches? I'm more curious about their beer, but their sandwiches sound good.

The other night, after nearly 24 hours without a real meal, I succombed to the only thing available - a Subway 'roast beef'. Note the finger marks made by the 'sandwich artist' who made it, it must be how he signs his work. The roast beef tasted like cheap baloney. The bread tasted more like corrugated cardboard than actual corrugated cardboard would have. I know I'm probably preaching to the choir, but how can anyone eat this stuff?




Finkl's World Famous Deli
400 S Financial Place

Jerry's Sandwiches
1045 W. Madison Street or 1938 W. Division Street

Subway
Every other corner in Chicago (you know, right next to the Quizno's and the Potbelly's)

One additional place where the roast beef is hand-carved (or at least it was when I was last there a couple of years back) for sandwiches is the ale and lunchbar at Lawry's on Ontario. Considering its location, it did not then seem to me to be a particularly expensive lunch either.

http://www.lawrysonline.com/theprimerib ... n_info.asp

Et tu, Arby's?
After Popeyes dropped my two favorite sides, Cajun (nee Dirty) Rice and Onion Rings, now there's reports that Arby's is dropping the Potato Cake from its menu. It's been a while since I've ordered Arby's -- there aren't a lot of them around anymore. There's still one in Morton Grove on Dempster, it may get a visit from me.

My go-to order was always a beef and cheddar (two small or one super), potato cakes and root beer, lots of horsey sauce. Yes, it's certain kinds of terrible, but also certain kinds of great in ways that Taco Bell also does, but has never has appealed to me.

Somehow I don't think I'll get many takers from the LTH North Lunch group to hit an Arby's before they're gone.

This is The Darkest Timeline

Saw these at Jewel over the weekend, maybe they'll do the same for potato cakes:

JoelF wrote:Et tu, Arby's?
It's been a while since I've ordered Arby's -- there aren't a lot of them around anymore. There's still one in Morton Grove on Dempster, it may get a visit from me.

My go-to order was always a beef and cheddar (two small or one super), potato cakes and root beer, lots of horsey sauce. Yes, it's certain kinds of terrible, but also certain kinds of great in ways that Taco Bell also does, but has never has appealed to me.

Somehow I don't think I'll get many takers from the LTH North Lunch group to hit an Arby's before they're gone.

Don't morn Arby's yet. In the rural places that I travel, it is common and often the best option available, in my opinion. I eat the Reuben and the Smokehouse Brisket. In many places that I travel, those are the best sandwiches without knowing local knowledge.

JoelF wrote:Et tu, Arby's?
Somehow I don't think I'll get many takers from the LTH North Lunch group to hit an Arby's before they're gone.

Wanna bet?

Dave148 wrote:

JoelF wrote:Et tu, Arby's?
Somehow I don't think I'll get many takers from the LTH North Lunch group to hit an Arby's before they're gone.

Wanna bet?

I'm not going to deny it - I don't mind Arby's once in a while especially on a road trip. My go-to at Arby's in recent years has been a medium roast beef, 2 or 3 potato cakes and a side of au jus. I like to have the potato cakes soak up the au jus with each bite. Otherwise they are pretty bland. Take away the au jus and McDonald's hash browns blow them away. I have never done an LTH North Lunch yet. Could Arby's get me to go?

Ram4 wrote:I have never done an LTH North Lunch yet. Could Arby's get me to go?

There is a challenge here!

The Arby's at Wells and Madison has been one of the very few places that have remained open through the past year (outlasting the McDonald's just a few blocks away). Having said that, I have yet to set foot in there despite it's proximity to my office.

spinynorman99 wrote:The Arby's at Wells and Madison has been one of the very few places that have remained open through the past year (outlasting the McDonald's just a few blocks away). Having said that, I have yet to set foot in there despite it's proximity to my office.

My old office was across the street from this location and about once a month or so I would crave and crush some Arby's for lunch.

lodasi wrote:My old office was across the street from this location and about once a month or so I would crave and crush some Arby's for lunch.

I pass it on my occasional trip to Cafecito. My single moment of temptation was when they advertised a root beer float; calories I was unwilling to waste on Arby's ice cream.

I'm all up for an LTH North meetup at Arby's. Like Joel, I am a beef and cheddar fan w/horsey sauce sandwich fan from way back.

This original thread has moved slightly in the past few days from Roast Beef in general, to Arby's.

One memory I have is working warehouses on Pershing and Ashland in the 80's and stopping at Arby's on the way home. It was the 80's, so Arby's ran a 5 for $5 deal (I think it might be 2 for $5 deal now, I haven't been).

But I would order like it was White Castle. Would get 20 Arby's regulars for $20.

Would ask for 40 Arby's sauce packets (and yes, I use to also buy that little bottle they sold).

Good memories. I would polish off 7 or so at a time, then hit the stack throughout the weekend.

Willkat98 wrote: This original thread has moved slightly in the past few days from Roast Beef in general, to Arby's.
One memory I have is working warehouses on Pershing and Ashland in the 80's and stopping at Arby's on the way home. It was the 80's, so Arby's ran a 5 for $5 deal (I think it might be 2 for $5 deal now, I haven't been).

It was 1990. One of our indoor soccer players, Zoltan Meszaros, who did not get injured that season, was in a print ad stating, "I went five-for-five. Now, so can you, at Arby's."
(The then A.I.S.A. had a bylaw that when a penalty was given, the fouled player was the one to take the one-on-one shootout of him versus the goalkeeper. He had five seconds to score. At one of our games, Zoltan managed to score on all five of his shootout attempts.)

I will miss the potato cakes. Although it has been a long, long time since I actually ate at Arby's. That was | is the one at Oglivie Transportation Ctr.
Going back to the 1970s, I wound up on Sunday SuperTransfer runs at Arby's on W. Peterson Ave. near Sacramento Ave., on N. Harlem Ave. near Irving Park (where the KFC is now), on N. Ashland Ave. near Wellington St., and on Harlem Ave. in Oak Park, across from the Lake-Dan Ryan “L” terminus (which is now a condominium complex).

I had Arby's outside of Indianapolis a few weeks ago and potato cakes were still on the menu. I had a couple made fresh for me. On my way through St. Louis last week, I made my customary stop at a Lion's Choice Roast Beef location. They serve real roast beef with a little seasoning salt on a lightly buttered sesame seed bun and best of all - unlimited au jus for dipping. They still have around 20 locations all around St. Louis. Every time they tried to expand to other states it didn't work (including the long defunct Warrenville location I mentioned back in 2007 upthread). They have a great product but poor leadership I guess.

FYI....Lion's Choice has finally expanded beyond the St. Louis area. They now have a few locations in the Kansas City area.

And, yes, I have been crazy enough to make a 3 hour drive just to get a roast beef sandwich there. Twice. I guess you could say I like a good roast beef sandwich.

Back to the original point of this thread, is there anywhere in Chicago area that serves a real good roast beef sandwich like Arby's had back in the 1970's and like Lion's Choice still has? If so, I'll be sure to visit that place next time I'm in town.