Maverick’s

Rick Nelson, food editor of the Star Tribune, knows a thing or two about where and what to eat in the Twin Cities. So when he suggested we have lunch in a storefront restaurant in a nondescript strip mall, we were on our way. What to have? One thing, and one thing only: a roast beef sandwich. Maverick’s makes a specialty of them: soft, pink, velvety slices are cut to order and piled into a soft white bun. Rick told us that the restaurant concept was inspired by the proprietor’s desire to improve on Arby’s. If that was his only goal, he has more than succeeded, for this is a super roast beef sandwich – simple, pure, and satisfying.

It is served cafeteria-style, along with a short menu of other beefy things, including brisket and barbecued beef, plus pulled pork, ham, chicken, and fish filets. When we stopped by, open-face roast beef sandwiches were the day’s special: the same good beef piled on a plate with the roll on the side and a couple of mounds of mashed potatoes. While the beef in this one was the same good beef as in the simple sandwich, we much preferred Maverick’s crisp French fries to the ersatz mashed potatoes.

Ambiance is that of a workman’s cafe. Once you get your food, you stop by a condiment bar where the choices range from horseradish and horseradish cream to hot peppers, ketchup, mustard, and pickles. Then you find a place at one of the four-tops along the side of the room or at the long banquet table that runs down the middle. We walked out happy and satisfied.

Maverick’s closed in June of 2018 and reopened in March of the same year under new ownership. We have not reviewed it since reopening.