My favorite roast pork in the city. I've only ever ordered takeout or delivery and every time it's perfect. The menu is huge with roast beef, pork, cheesesteak etc. and lots of good apps and fries. So appreciate that you can choose how much juice you want on the sandwich as well as toppings. So easy to order. read more

I really enjoyed this spot. The service is awesome. Beer is cold & the beef sandwiches are simple & amazing. It's a chill place with a dive bar feel in a good way. The beef melts in your mouth. read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Lager & a beef with provolone, double dipped. - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you are a visitor to Philly, you need to stop by here for the best roast beef sandwich. Lots of meat with good amount of gravy to make it moist. You can add banana peppers to it. read more

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Top tasting roast beef and French fries. Service is warm. Will return whenever I visit Philadelphia.

The OG, this the spot to go. And while I truly love a good cheesesteak, this is a must see for anyone that visits me from out of town. Typical row home converted into a bar/restaurant, it's small, narrow but it's all good. The regulars who frequent this location are all good, fun people. The bartenders are on their game and make sure you never have an empty drink. But let's be honest, while the atmosphere is cool, the bar is fun, the food is why you come here. My go to order, beef combo on the out, gravy fries, a side of long hots and a few healthy spoonfuls of horseradish. The fries are always hot, but it never fails I cannot wait to have that first bite of the salty fry topped with shredded beef and gravy. It burns my mouth but who cares...this is heavenly. I like the outside of the roast beef (hence "on the out"), it gives it just enough spice and salt to cut through the savoriness of the cheese, beef and gravy. The horseradish is my way to wake myself up in between bites (although I've heard even going without horseradish is great!). A Philly staple, you have to come here, not just when you're a local or are in town. Make this a destination, spend the afternoon and have a great time! read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Gravy fries. - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Delicious food and great atmosphere with reasonable pricing! Roast beef Sammie was out of this world as always! Don't forget about the gravy fries. Can't wait for our next trip! read more

Nick's Original Roast Beef is as South Philadelphia as it gets. This place is iconic, the kind of spot where the food, the people, and the atmosphere all hit exactly the way they should. Sit at the bar with Chris or double-park out front and run in for a few sandwiches, either way, you can't go wrong. My order is simple: roast beef, extra cheese, light gravy, horseradish, and a side of fries. Perfect every time. The beef is tender, the gravy is rich but not heavy, and the horseradish gives it that perfect kick. It's the kind of sandwich you can't replicate anywhere else. And if you've got time, have a beer or three. The bar has that old-school South Philly vibe that just feels right. Friendly, no fuss, and full of regulars who've been coming here forever. Nick's isn't just a place to eat, it's a piece of the neighborhood. A must-stop, a tradition, and truly one of the greats. read more

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 I'd go back. read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - roast beef and fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Ifound this place on Yelp. Very highly rated. I had to try them. I arrived in Philly and immediately headed for Nick's. I arrived and sat at the bar. The waiter came over, and i told him it was my first time. What should i get? Of course, he recommended the roast beef. I said, hook me up, and he did. The roast beef sangawich filled the whole roll. It had cheese and a gravy / sauce. They had a small jar of horseradish, nice and spicy to add to the meal. Wow. What flavor. The horsey sauce was the topping on the cake (sangawich). That thing hit the spot. This was the best roast beef I've had. This is a must if you're in the area. Now I have another reason to come to Philly. I recommend. read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Counter / bar. - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Nick's Old Original is a Philly institution. If your a roast beef fan, then Nick's Old Original is for you. It's a bar/ saloon / watering hole / sports pub but from the late 70s and early 80s. Time has stood still inside Nick's. You'll walk in and pass the bar then the roast beef dunk / carving section to the dinning room in the back. My daughter ordered the pulled pork and my boss ordered the roast beef. They look like simple sandwiches with buns but from the words provided by my fellow diners, neither sandwich was simple but a sweet symphony of meats all in harmony. I consider their evaluations to be legitimate especially my boss who's probably been coming here since the 80s NOTE: If you order any of these sandwiches, you'll going to need a mountain of napkins. I did not partake their meals but watched them both carve into these sandwiches like skilled carnivores as if it was their last meals. There are other Nicks out there but don't be fooled. You want Nick's Old Original for the best roast beef sandwich in the Philly area. read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Roast Beef with extra Au Jus - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The service was awesome. The food was good...but I should have just had another cheesesteak...

1000% recommend. This is a great spot to come get food if you're in the area or attending Philly sporting events read more

I haven't been to next and God knows how many years and I was talking to my daughter about South Philadelphia nostalgia for lack of a better word so I brought her in there. The food is every bit as good as I remember it and the people are genuinely friendly. She made such a mess but managed to get the food in her mouth and she really really enjoyed herself. read more

Very impressive looking , my wife is a long time fan I think it good not great i give it a 6.5 if I come back to Philly I will try it again

Food is great, service is nice, but they don't come back to see if you need anything. One napkin?, the sandwich is drenched in sauce. Regulars frequenct the place, but I feel awkward coming in alone as a female. (Just me?) read more

Simple, simple, simple. Sometimes we just have to know simple done right is just good. This small place has a bar in the front and a small dining room in the back. The service was good and the food was delicious! We had roast beef with provolone, a roast beef without cheese, and a roast pork with broccoli rabe. The sandwiches are served on a Kaiser on a cardboard plate. We got a side of au jus with a little on top too. Man the roast beef was outstanding read more

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Love me a sandwich with glass of beer while watching Philly sports at this warm and friendly place.

You won't miss that other famous Philly Beef sandwich when you get one of these. If you are a carnivore, is there anything better than a slow roasted rack of roast beef during the holidays? As I walk into a home with a roast in the oven, that aroma of beef is just so inviting and warm. If only others felt the same way about this scent, we could get Calvin Klein to bottle it up and I bet we'd all walk around the office with more joy in our lives. (I hope vegans don't flag this review as offensive). Sorry all, LOL. Outside of the holidays though, nothing reminds me more of the holidays than walking into Nick's with that same aroma hitting you just as you walk in. Tender "prime" roast beef, hand cut in front of you, stacked neatly, topped with a thin layer of provolone on a soft roll, is one of the best eats anywhere and definitely in Philly. Nick's may not have many protein options to choose from in between the roll but they sure have several options for how you want this roast beef, with cheese, with gravy, with horseradish,.. etc. This sandwich is undeniably beefy, as it should be, with just a hint of cheese. Get with the lingo, or just do what I do and get that "Roast Beef wet meat (gravy just on the meat), on the outs (the tender fatty pieces) with extra cheese, and a side of gravy". Then add that great horseradish and dunk the sandwich in between bites in that side of gravy with tons of beefy bits. There are few competitions where this sandwich doesn't take first. A side of fries, perhaps with gravy or my favorite onion rings is a perfect compliment, even if neither are fresh cut. Where Nick's undeniably loses a few stars is that this bar and the surroundings are well, divey. Parking is also tough, I've always had trouble finding a spot on the first go. But don't let that deter you from trying one of these sandwiches. Get a car and get a friend (or a stranger) to run in and grab your order, or grab two friends (or strangers) and phone in your order as they will not take phone order for less than three sandwiches. Nick's is a true definition of a Philly treasure off the beaten path. read more

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Take a trip back in time and visit The Original Nick's Roast Beef, same location since 1938. The neighborhood many have changed over the years but the outstanding Hot Roast Beef and Pork Sandwiches have the same great taste and quality as they've had since my Father first took me here in the early 1970's. I took my 11 year old son for his first visit yesterday (September 2022), the atmosphere was just how it's always been. Local guys sitting at the bar, enjoying good conversation over some drinks. The sit down dinning area hasn't changed much at all, the T.V.'s are nice and modern. The place is clean and the service is fast and friendly. Couldn't help getting nostalgic as I sat at the same table that I sat at with my Pops. Back in the day they only had Sandwiches and Chips. They now have Fries, Gravy Fries and Onion Rings. My son got a Wet Roast Beef no Cheese, I got a Overboard Roast Beef with Provolone (Hot Peppers on the side) and we split an order of Fries. Everything was perfect! Sandwiches taste great and the fries were crunchy! My son loved the whole experience, from the food, atmosphere and the tiny bathroom! I got a nice laugh when he came back from washing his hands and he told me how little the bathroom is, I actually did the same thing the first time my Dad took me! I'm not a little guy, as far as girth goes, so he thought I wouldn't fit in the tiny entrance, but of course I made it! Fun time and good eats! Hope my Son can take his Son to this location one day. read more

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This is one of those old school Philly spots that never changes. It's basically a south Philly bar with amazing roast beef sandwich and a few other sandwiches that have been in business for years and I am sure will be going for years more. They have some satellite locations in the burns but this is the OG spot. The burn spots are a little more refined but this is the one I love. It's almost feels like a scene out of Rocky or something. First you find street parking which usually isn't tough I parked a couple blocks away so i could get a taste of the old neighborhood on my walk up and then you walk through the corner entrance into this bar with a carving station at the end of it. I ordered 2 combos with cheese, long hot, and the complimentary house peppers and horseradish. I drove home real quick and then loaded up my sandwiches with everything. Some people say the horseradish is too strong and it is to some degree but this is one of the sandwiches around town I can't make spicy enough. The juiciness is amazing and the flavor just hits like magic with the tender cuts of roast beef. One sandwich is enough and having one in the fridge for later secures my plans for a great late night snack. I can't really say enough about it. I really love this place and everyone in Philly knows about it when you mention their name. It's as synonymous with Philly as pats or genos. In my opinion it's way better but not sure u can really compare it with a cheesesteak. It's not really something I can eat every day but it is something i can have a few times a month and love every time. The staff is nice and they are so Philly in every way possible. The service is fast and if you have never been I highly recommend it. read more

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Best food! Employees friendly Bar and restaurant side very clean I will still drive from the far North East to eat there read more

The Culinary Adventures of Tom Coghlan, FB If it's a Roast Beef Sandwich you are craving, Old Original Nicks; Roast Beef at 20th an Jackson Sts. is the spot to try! While Nicks offers a good Roast Pork Sandwich and a wonderful Ham Sandwich, I almost always order The Roast Beef Combo ( Extra Sharp Provolone Cheese) with extra cheese, on the out (with some crusty outside meat) when available, cut in half and overboard.(lots of gravy) A chalice of Stella is my beverage of choice! http://www.nicksroastbeef.com/ read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Old Original Nicks; Roast Beef at 20th an Jackson Sts - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Is a dive a dive if I give them 5 stars here? I'm worried. These guys deserve all five stars--NO DOUBT--but I don't want to spoil the vibe. A friend who grew up in Philly brought me here for lunch and thank God he did. I can't wait to bring friends and family here. This place IS south Philadelphia (as far as I know). It's authentic. It's extremely local. It's historic. And oh my is the food GOOD. Just the right mix of cooked-that-minute roast beef, amazing gravy boat fires, and a just-right beer selection including local Philly breweries. Don't change a thing, Nick! read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Just look at that historic sign - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Perfect old school type of joint. I dream about this sandwich. I always get mine with cheese

First trip here was just recently. I was teased by some locals I know because I've never made a visit, so a trip was mandatory. It wasn't as dumpy or divey as described. It was a bit dark in the back, but it looks like they've spent some fazools fixing it up. Gotta love walking and seeing the guys working hard slicing and cutting up the meat! Ordered a roast beef sandwich and made a mistake by ordering fries. Take my advice and order two sandwiches and forego anything else. I took my sandwich as is and didn't ask for it wet or extra wet. If you like your bread somewhat dry just ask for a roast beef sandwich. Sandwich wise - I was liking the thickness of the roast beef and threw on some hot banana peppers that were on the table for toppings. The meat was tender with some fatty pieces, light au jus but overall it was a heck of a sandwich with provolone. I'll repeat if in the area. As advertised and yummy read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Roast beef sandwich - Great looking sandwich! - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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By Light Years, the Best Sandwich in the Country! USDA Certified Prime Whole Rounds with a secret aus jus that's second to NONE. My father was good friends with Nick and his Brother and I remember the brother when I was a kid growing at a table in the bar area. Those were the days. It's the LAST but the BEST of the Mohegans. read more

Nick's got the best overboard roast beef sandwiches made in front of you freshly cut meat cooked. It's amazing service is great. People are great you can sit and have a drink while you're waiting and eat inside. Have a couple drinks. Watch the games whatever play some music have a great sandwich and have a great time. read more

Food- amazing! Very good. One of the best Roast beef sandwiches I've had in Philly. They would've gotten a 5 star if their fries were available. Please fix the fryer :) Service- top notch. Our waitress was extraordinary, kind and very sweet. Ambiance- it's okay, dive bar vibes nothing special. read more

The roast pork would impress the hell out of you... unless you had just finished a roast beef. Good as the pork is, the prime beef (ordered on-the-outs ... with extra crunchy bits of the caramelized crust) is beyond belief. Still slightly pink, it's melt-in-your-mouth tender. An operated roll (some of the bread scooped) provides for a perfect bread-to-meat ratio. On my recent visit, I was coming directly from a funeral, and as I was wearing a clean suit I avoided the "overboard" - drenched in rich gravy.. Combos come with a nice Provolone.. not so sharp as to overpower the meat. Pepper rings and horseradish are provided to add a little zing. I put peppers on one side and horseradish on the other. Sammies as thoughtfully served read more

The real thing. Great carved roast beef sandwich smothered in gravy. Very friendly people and the gravy fries are to die for.

I can't say enough good things about the food here! It was definitely on point and hit the spot! I'm used to a Roast beef on weck being from Buffalo and this just tasted better on a softer roll with gravy. Service and ambience made it feel like being back home. Thank you! read more

Roast beef was excellent but the advertising of "combo" only meant it came with cheese. I was expecting fries or a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. read more

My granddaughter brought me a hot roast beef sandwich and the beef was tender, melt in your mouth tender. The gravy is delicious on the sandwich. read more

This local neighborhood fixture has been turning out tasty sandwiches for over 30 years, and we finally got our chance to sample the goods!! When you walk in Old Original Nick's Roast beef, you get hit in the face with the beautiful smell of roasted meat nirvana!! They have a small carving station set up steam table style where they hold the meats for slicing. To get an accurate read on the offerings, we selected 3 different sandwiches, one roast turkey, one roast pork, and, of course, one roast beef. At Nick's, they have their own lingo as to how you want your items customized. All 3 sandwiches were overboard, on the cut with toppers and Italian long hot peppers on the side, which meant dipped in gravy and cut from the spicy outside of the roasts with a broccoli rabe topping. 2 were combos, which meant with cheese, and the turkey had no cheese. As for the bar, the vibes in the location were quite relaxed, and the staff was super friendly. I got that dive bar feel, but without the dive bar attitude ..... Ultimately, I was just there for the food, so I paid about 80 bucks for the 3 sandwiches, 2 sides of gravy, 2 sides of long hots, and 2 sides of broccoli rabe. It was a little pricey, but I was optimistic!! We got home and sampled the goods, and WOW, these sandwiches were absolutely heavenly!!! Flavor bombs !!! You can taste the love they pack into each morsel and that gravy??!!! Give me an IV of that delicious elixir, please !! We enjoyed all 3, but obviously, the roast beef was the star!! A cannot miss item in my opinion!! I took points because, in my opinion, the pricing feels a bit off. 2 tiny cups of broccoli rabe for 4 dollars was excessive. As well as 2.25 for 1 tiny cup topping of the same on the sandwiches? 2.25 for exactly 2 Italian long hot peppers? Seems a bit on the cheapie side, but that's just my take on them. Would I return for another meal? Maybe yes, maybe no because Philly has SO many options and way more affordable. I'd say try them once for yourself and see what you think. Cheers to all!!! read more

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We come here every so once in a while for their awesome roast beef sandwiches. You can get them neat and you can get them messy.

Fantastic little sit down or carry out sandwich joint. Roast beef combo was outstanding as were the gravy fries. Joan was our server and made us feel like we've been going there all our lives. I will definitely make my way to Nick's every time I'm in Philadelphia for work. Best warm roast beef sandwich I've ever had. Period! Thanks Joan and Nick's!! read more

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No real competition for this Philadelphia landmark! You just have to come and try it. I always get the sandwich wet. The servers are awesome very engaged in what they're doing . It is a small south Philly bar, so it's quaint sandwiches is messy and good read more

The fryer was down so we tried the sandwiches and all of them were good. The roast beef, pork, turkey and ham all had great flavor. Service was excellent. Can't wait to come back and try the fries... read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef is a classic! A must stop in Philly. Kind of a hole-in-the wall place, but the locals highly recommend it, and the food was great! Roast beef was juicy, and delicious! read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Roast Beef - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

tl;dr a multi-generational corner joint best known for their roast beef sandwiches and gravy fries Nick's Roast Beef opened nearly 80 years ago at a corner spot in South Philly, and now they crafted a name for themselves as Philly's top roast beef joint. The restaurant maintains a comfortable, hole-in-the-wall air. The entrance opens into a short, 8-seat bar -- the original restaurant -- with a designated dining room in the adjacent building. A handful of hightop tables are stuffed into the tiny space on either side of an electronic slot machine. Each table has small jars of horseradish and sweet peppers joining the archetypal condiments. The frill-less menu is framed and propped up in the windowsill, alongside stained-glass panels of Philly sports teams. Framed memorabilia and accolades checker the dark-wood walls around the 2 plasma-screen TVs. I visited Nick's for the first time this past week, at an off time. The dining room was dead, but a number of locals filled the bar chatting as they sipped beers and tried their luck at the slot machine. I recited my order -- Roast Beef Sandwich and Gravy Fries -- to a bartender, then grabbed a seat at a hightop table. In a matter of minutes, the bartender beckoned me, my sandwich outstretched across the bar. The sandwich itself consisted of a generous serving of roast beef and a large slice of provolone between the two halves of a hefty Kaiser roll. Despite being slathered in gravy, the roll held up surprisingly well. The sandwich was good -- but not great. My major gripe was that my sandwiched bordered on warm rather than hot, yet I was happy that the sandwich was sufficiently hearty. I also tried some of the horseradish and sweet peppers, and they offered nice complementary flavors. Halfway through my sandwich, the bartender called me over again, this time with my fries. Unlike the sandwich, these were absolutely piping. Similarly bathed in gravy and shredded slices of beef, the fries were perfectly crispy on the outside -- and it's no understatement to call these some of the best fries in Philadelphia. At $16 for my ensemble, I will admit that this felt expensive for a hole-in-the-wall. The much-touted roast beef sandwich, unfortunately, wasn't as good as I was expecting but I definitely will be coming back it will be for those fries. read more

Nick's Old Original Roast Beef - Roast Beef Sandwich - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania