Walk into Nicky’s of Beverly on any given day & you’ll see the classics doing exactly what they’ve always done: Italian beef, gyros fresh off the spit, & the Big Baby. It’s the food this neighborhood grew up on, & we’re proud to keep serving it exactly the way it should be.
But look a little closer at the menu, & you’ll find something else going on—a handful of dishes that don’t quite play by street food rules. We call it elevated street food: familiar, unpretentious, handheld food built with finer ingredients & a little more technique in the kitchen. Think real lobster instead of imitation, hand-breaded jumbo lump crab instead of filler, aged ribeye instead of standard steak-um. Same easy-going vibe, same low-key counter-service setting—just built with more care.
Here’s where to find it on our menu.
The Lobster Roll is the dish that started the conversation. A staple in New England, but unexpected on the South Side of Chicago—ours is made with juicy knuckle & claw meat, drizzled with butter, tucked into a toasted split-top bun, & topped with chives. Add a side of Cape Cod potato chips & a pickle, & it’s easy, unpretentious, & undeniably delicious. Light years from average.
Filet Mignon Sliders bring steakhouse quality to a bar-food format—three filet mignon sliders on pretzel buns, finished with pepperjack cheese & a side of spicy mustard. It’s a dish that shouldn’t work as casually as it does, but it does. If you’d rather have your filet between two slices of bread, the Ribeye Steak Sandwich is the move: a 7-oz aged ribeye on garlic French bread with bistro sauce & grilled onions.
The American Wagyu Dog takes the most Chicago food there is & levels it up: Snake River Farms 100% American Wagyu beef, smoked over hardwood, served on a brioche bun with Chef Alberto’s kimchi slaw. It’s a hot dog for people who take their hot dogs seriously.
On the seafood side, the Crab Cake Sandwich is made in-house with real, premium lump crab—no filler—finished with Old Bay hot sauce, red onion, arugula, & tomato on brioche. Want the same crab without the sandwich? The Crab Cake Bites serve up four bite-sized cakes with a side of remoulade, perfect for sharing. And if you’re after something lighter but still special, the Ahi Tuna Salad features seared rare ahi, avocado, watermelon radish, & wonton strips over crisp romaine with an Asian ginger dressing.
Parmesan Truffle Fries are a great shareable side that can also be a main event—crispy fries tossed in white truffle oil, finished with Parmesan & green onion.
For something with a little crunch, our Cotija Jalapeño Spring Rolls pack Mexican melting cheese, cotija, cream cheese, & jalapeños into a crisp-fried wrapper, while the Crab Cake Eggroll takes our house-made lump crab & gives it the same treatment.
If dip is more your speed, the Spicy Greek Feta Dip with Pita (Tirokafteri), is tangy, creamy, & genuinely addictive—crumbled feta blended with tomatoes, green onion, & cilantro, served with warm pita wedges.
On a cold day, the Lobster & Crab Bisque brings that same “why not?” spirit to soup. It’s a classic sherry & lobster pairing, slightly sweet, finished with green onion & chunks of lobster.
And when it’s time for dessert, the Boozy Gelato Shake closes things out right. We blend your choice of small-batch Zarlengo’s gelato blended with a housemade cream liqueur into something that’s part cocktail, part milkshake, & 100% delicious.
These dishes are proof that street food doesn’t have to mean cutting corners. Come try one—or a few—& taste the difference finer ingredients make.
