Kelly's Roast Beef - Medford, MA

Kelly's Roast Beef had been in the back of my head to visit ever since I found it while researching Walt's Roast Beef.  This weekend, I finally hit them during a trip up there to drop my Selectric off at Cambridge Typewriter for repair.
 
The Yelp ratings for all the Kelly's locations were less than impressive... but what I had was excellent.
 

 
There were all sorts of toppings available, but I kept it relatively basic with brown mustard, horseradish sauce, and raw onion, wanting the beef to stand out on its own if it could.  It did.  I found myself imagining that perhaps this was like what Arby's used to serve in the old, old days, long before they switched to the processed rubbish we all know now.  Or perhaps they were never at that level.
 
This was the "large" size, and at $9.50, it wasn't cheap.  I was torn between whether or not the price was justified, because truthfully, this was an excellent sandwich.  In the end, I decided it was overpriced, if only because I remembered what I could get at Carbone's for not much more.  Maybe something like that was the source of the lackluster Yelp ratings.  Whatever.
 
I also tried some of their cheese fries, which included crumbled bacon by default.
 

 
Definitely one of the better cheese sauces I've had, not your standard neon-orange stuff at all.  The bacon was a nice touch but maybe a bit heavy on top of everything else.  
 
I'm not in the Boston area all that often, so I'd prefer to make each trip unique in terms of food, and I'm not sure when I'll next be at Kelly's.  That being said - and I've no idea what kind of a war I may be starting here - I'd choose it in an instant over Walt's, whose beef I found comparatively lacking in flavor.

I stopped at the Kelly's on Rt 1 a few months ago and came to the same conclusion: good sandwich but overpriced. Your side looks better than the onion rings I ordered. They would have been good fresh, but that was long before they were served.
 

 
   FWIW, Sunrise Pizza in Peabody, a few miles north on Kelly's on Rt 1, serves up a sandwich as good or better for three bucks less.
 
Top
 

ScreamingChicken
That's a good-looking sandwich!
 
Selectric?  You young people are lazy...my manual Royal does just fine!

Shows what you know!    My Royal #10 is my true baby ...
 

 
... but I'll work on that myself looong before I even think about rooting around in my Selectric's innards.
 

 
 

Top
 
   FWIW, Sunrise Pizza in Peabody, a few miles north on Kelly's on Rt 1, serves up a sandwich as good or better for three bucks less.  

 

wanderingjew
 
Next time you get to Boston- you must stop at the legendary Durgin Park, No Name or Union Oyster House- We've been to all three over the past year- all as good as ever!

All duly noted!  I figured there were one-off alternatives to Kelly's, but I did want to get that one checked off my list.  And tragically, I don't do seafood, but I'm sure I can find something that pleases me at each of those places.

Ketteract
Kelly's Roast Beef had been in the back of my head to visit ever since I found it while researching Walt's Roast Beef.  This weekend, I finally hit them during a trip up there to drop my Selectric off at Cambridge Typewriter for repair.
 
The Yelp ratings for all the Kelly's locations were less than impressive... but what I had was excellent.
 

 
There were all sorts of toppings available, but I kept it relatively basic with brown mustard, horseradish sauce, and raw onion, wanting the beef to stand out on its own if it could.  It did.  I found myself imagining that perhaps this was like what Arby's used to serve in the old, old days, long before they switched to the processed rubbish we all know now.  Or perhaps they were never at that level.
 
This was the "large" size, and at $9.50, it wasn't cheap.  I was torn between whether or not the price was justified, because truthfully, this was an excellent sandwich.  In the end, I decided it was overpriced, if only because I remembered what I could get at Carbone's for not much more.  Maybe something like that was the source of the lackluster Yelp ratings.  Whatever.
 
I also tried some of their cheese fries, which included crumbled bacon by default.
 

 
Definitely one of the better cheese sauces I've had, not your standard neon-orange stuff at all.  The bacon was a nice touch but maybe a bit heavy on top of everything else.  
 
I'm not in the Boston area all that often, so I'd prefer to make each trip unique in terms of food, and I'm not sure when I'll next be at Kelly's.  That being said - and I've no idea what kind of a war I may be starting here - I'd choose it in an instant over Walt's, whose beef I found comparatively lacking in flavor.

Ketteract -  You mentioned Walt's Roast Beef.  Janet and I absolutely love Walt's Roast Beef.  They do theirs thinly shaved style, as we like it.  We read your review on it, and noticed you went to the N. Providence location.  There are about 4 or 5 locations.  They do vary quite a bit by location.  The best is the original location in North Kingstown, RI, which has been there since the 1950s or early 60s.  (It was actaully in an adjacent building, which was razed about 35 years ago, and they moved next door.).  If you're in the area, give that one a try.  6660 Post Rd., North Kingstown, RI.   
 
 
Glenn