Old Original Nick's Roast Beef — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I can not say enough good things about this establishment. I had taken a friend into Philadelphia for a doctor appointment that day. Afterwards we were hungry and of course, when in Philly, have a cheesesteak. So we Googled different restaurants in the area and looked at their menus on line. We decided to come to Nick's because it had good reviews. Those reviews did not lie!!

Nick's is located on a corner of a very busy neighborhood. It takes some time to find a parking spot. Upon entering, we were greeted by the gentleman behind the bar. He had told us to have a table in the back. Nick's is a very simple, not over-the-top, fancy establishment. All the focus is on the food here. As we went to our table, I looked over at the steam table and saw piles of delicious roast beef and roast pork just calling out my name.

So my friend and I sat down and were greeted by Michelle. After looking at the menu, I had the roast pork sandwich drowned and my friend had the roast beef sandwich. We also had onion rings and disco fries. A "drowned" sandwich means extra gravy / succulent meat juices poured over the whole thing. I couldn't decide which one was better. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this was BY FAR THE BEST DAMN SANDWICHES I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!!!!!

The disco fries were crispy shoe-string fries smothered in cheese, gravy, and chopped roast beef on top as well. FANTASTIC!!! The onion rings were not those nasty frozen things from a bag. They are fresh made to order. They are thick and tasty. SUPERB!! When I tell you how amazing this food is, I was actually licking the plate it was served on. I was still raving about the food here even two days after our visit. The prices are really reasonable for what you get. You can definitely tell that the love is put into the food. I can't wait to go back again. Just thinking about the food is making me hungry! The sandwiches here beat out ANY silly cheesesteak you'll find anywhere. Go here!!! You will NOT be disappointed!!! Kudos to all the staff at Old Original Nick's. Much love for...

I'm sure people are going to be pissed about this one, but I am bound by honesty. This place was heavily hyped up to me and all things considered...it was pretty good. I ordered online, waited the appropriate amount of time before going in, and they didn't have my order. Apparently they had the online order ticket machine turned off. Whatever, these things happen. They began making my order then and it wasn't incredibly long until it was done. It was a small little corner bar in South Philly, fairly dark inside, but it seemed like a fun place to hangout and have a couple beers. I'm guessing 90% of the high ratings here are nostalgia for people, which I totally get...but for someone who didn't grow up here, it was good, not great. Notable - Cash only.

I ordered the roast beef and I got an order of fries "overboard" or "overload" or something haha, basically just fries with gravy. Not sure if I got the right order even because my fries had roast beef on them but whatever, I wasn't complaining. Got the roast beef with gravy and cheese on it, there was a good amount of both. The roll was beat up but with this much liquid going on I expected as much. Some of the beef was a little tough, but the flavor was good.

All in all, it's not something I would ever go out of my way to try again, and I do believe is better in the eyes of people who have been coming here their whole lives because of nostalgia. It's not in the top 10 roast beef sandwiches I've ever had. With that said, I travel and eat a lot. Nick's Didn't Suck, but I don't see a situation in which...

Old Original Nick’s Roast Beef is an institution that feels like walking into a warm, meaty time capsule – and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s got all the character you’d expect from a place with “Old Original” in the name: wood paneling, regulars who probably have assigned stools, and staff who don’t mess around but also secretly care. The whole place smells like a roast beef baptism, and I left spiritually full.

The roast beef sandwich? Gone before I even thought to take a picture. That should tell you enough. Juicy, tender, perfectly “wet” – like a sandwich with street smarts. Grab a drink at the bar, soak in the no-nonsense Philly vibes, and accept that you’ll be haunted by this sandwich during moments when it’s very much not available to you – like when you’re out of state, stuck in traffic, or it’s 3AM and...