Jessica B.

Ughhh *insert SHOCKED face here!* I am truly shocked and confused at the hype surrounding the 3-way roast beef sandwich and cult following it has as I couldn't figure out what was supposed to be so "special" about it that people wait in line so long for it... My husband and I arrived about an hour before this place opened on a Saturday, and the line for this sandwich was already forming outside. By the time we got inside, the line was down the street/around the corner! There are no sandwich sizes. It's pretty much a size "super beef" on an onion roll with the classic sauce, mayo & cheese. I watched the staff grab softball-sized handfuls of beef, pile it onto the buns and top it with sauce using a ladle. It was quite the operation! You can tell the fresh, rosy-pink, soft & flavorful beef is very high quality BUT the sandwich overall was not as impressive as I expected it to be in relation to the hype. I've had others where I was blown away by the taste/flavor after the first bite which is what I expected here, but it did not happen! Don't get me wrong, it was still a good/decent legitimate North Shore roast beef sandwich, but certainly NOT worth waiting in line for (in my opinion). You can get just as good of a sandwich (if not better) from other roast beef establishments without the lines/wait!

Leang L.

Had my first 3 way here and it did not disappoint. Got there late on a Saturday afternoon. No lines but two people after me were able to get a sandwich and then they sold out. The bar is set high with this one. Toasted buttery roll that had a really nice crunch and held the beef firmly together. The beef, warm, thin, rare and melt in your mouth tender. Just the right amount of sauce to bring everything together. If you're not making a mess eating it you're not doing it right. This place also has dry aged meats and specialty items.

Matt P.

I am always on the hunt for a good sandwich -- it's my strong belief that there's no reason you can't have a sandwich 365 days a year. Upon moving to Salem, my search immediately pointed me towards Modern Butcher. I went on a weekday around lunch time, when the lines weren't too long. My sandwich quests usually lead me towards an Italian sandwich, so at Modern I ordered their Modern Italian: mortadella, salami, soppressata, capitol, provolone cheese, hot pepper and pickle mix, shredded lettuce, pepperoncini, and red wine vinaigrette on a sesame seeded roll. This sandwich was packed with savory meats that matched the spicy, sour hot pepper mix. The roll was freshly baked too and smelled amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful. Inside, there is seating available, as well as an entire butcher shop (hence their name) and other food goods for sale. If you follow Modern Butcher on social media, at least three days a week they have a specialty rotating sandwich. These are wild and crazy concoctions that usually sell out. Although I haven't personally tried it yet, they are also known to have one of the best roast beef 3-ways on the North Shore. With so much going on, you need to get to Modern Butcher and see what all the hype is about.

Brian L.

If you know, you know. The Modern Butcher's legendary North Shore beef sandwich is one of those rare finds that absolutely lives up to the hype. I got there around 10:15 a.m. and there was already a line forming down the block -- by the time they opened at 10:45, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation (and caffeine). The staff moved things efficiently once the doors opened, and watching them prep those perfectly pink slices of beef in the open kitchen made the wait fly by. I ordered the North Shore 3-Way ($16.85 with tax): tender roast beef piled high on a fresh onion roll, dripping with just the right amount of BBQ sauce and mayo. Every bite was melt-in-your-mouth perfection -- smoky, tangy, and so ridiculously juicy you'll need a stack of napkins. The whole experience felt like a community event -- people chatting in line, the staff smiling despite the rush, and that unmistakable smell of beef and toasted buns filling the air. Come prepared to wait, but it's beyond worth it. Pro tip: get there before 10:30 on Saturdays if you want to score one without a massive queue. One of the best sandwiches I've ever had. North Shore royalty.

Julie H.

I was recommended from locals to visit here and it did not disappoint. I barely made it before they sold out of there famous roast beef-three way.

Brianna S.

Sandwich of the day was a hefty fresh Korean chicken burrito. Clearly made by people who love and enjoy food. The burrito was enough for two meals..I ate it in one and would do it again! Looking forward to the next sammy

Kristen S.

After stalking their instagram for months, we finally made the trip from Providence, RI. While only 70 miles from home, it took us almost 2 hours to get there because of traffic and I'm happy to share that the time it took us to get there was so worth it. We arrived shortly after opening and queued up in line outside with other sandwich lovers waiting patiently for our turn. We went specifically on Saturday for the North Shore 3 way, lovingly called "the beefs" by the locals standing in line next to us. This sandwich is nothing short of amazing; they sous-vide the meat for 16hrs to get that melt-in-your-mouth texture then roast it in the oven before slicing by hand, add their house made sweet heat barbecue sauce along with creamy cheese and mayo and you've got a pile of perfection right before your eyes! We bought 6 sandwiches so we could each have one while we were there and another to enjoy later at home. I was worried about the take home sandwiches getting soggy on the ride, but they held up great when we enjoyed them 8 hours later. We also shopped their premade food case, picked up some bone broth, some smoked bones for our pups, and bought a sampling of sausages home to try. The staff was friendly and upbeat and managed the lines and customers like pros.

Ana H.

What a delight was to be able to eat here. The service was excellent, they make you feel like you're at home, also depending on what you decide there are some seats available inside our you can take it to go. The place is really nice and cozy (at least to me) and they have a mini market where you can get some other goodies while you wait for your order to be ready. I had their Fried Mortadella and some pickles to go (they were so delicious )

Alyanna T.

My partner and I both got the North Shore beef 3-way -- TASTE: 4/5 - super satisfying roast beef, and the 3-way topping stays classic w its combo of cheese, mayo, and tangy BBQ sauce. Beefs are only available Saturdays, but the other sandwiches looked tasty too TEXTURE: 5/5 - excellent ratio of toasted roll, tender beef, and a sea of sauce PRICE: 4/5 - honestly thought it'd be more than $15, great value SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - loaded and stacked. Definitely filled me up after the long wait SERVICE: 4/5 - this was our first time visiting, so could've planned better lol. Got in line outside at 12:30pm on a Saturday. With about 45 people ahead of us (they usher in groups of 15), it took us 1hr and 15min to get inside and order at the counter. Staff was friendly, and our beefs were ready 20min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - an updated, modern space w a small store and even more to-go options. Appreciate their philosophy on ethical and sustainable farm practices and butchery PARKING: 5/5 - free public parking lot on Central Ave off Maple St

Fatboy S.

Came because of the hype for the roast beef sandwich - and it exceeded my expectations. Hands down the best north shore beef I've ever had. Great customer service. The meats on the butcher side looked amazing as well. Would 100% return when in the area.

Erika C.

OKAY DAMN. The hype is real people. Stopped by to see what all the talk was about and this place is SO cool. I feel like I've been living under a rock not getting here sooner. Super friendly staff and absolutely AMAZING sammies. Best turkey sandwich I've ever had. Fresh delicious drool worthy. My man got the Italian and I got the turkey BBQ. Also some fresh marinated chicken breasts. Love how you can grab a craft beer there too and just chill waiting for your food. A forever customer. Support local. Bravo!

Joy G.

Amazing roast beef sandwich, coming from someone who doesn't even like beef all that much. This is not pretty to eat, especially if you snag one of the seats that face the sidewalk and have to unhinge your jaw in front of the inevitable line of people. (They only have the roast beef sandwich on Saturdays since it's quite an operation to prepare and assemble. For Tuesday-Friday, they have a short list of other sandwiches, including a loaded Italian that I had my eye on. Some food influencer/promoter was there at the same time as we were and got the Italian sandwich to try, so I was mighty jealous.) We waited for about 25-30 minutes all told - first waiting outside, then to get our food. I pride myself on refusing to ever wait in line for food on the theory that there's somewhere without a line that's probably just as good but ... this sandwich may have been worth it (up there with Au Cheval's burger). Would I wait in line for it again? Maybe, which is a pretty high compliment coming from someone who loathes having to do it. The sandwich itself: an enormous stack of tender roast beef, slathered in BBQ sauce, cheese, and mayo. For me (the heathen who finds meat kind of lukewarm in all its forms), the best part of the sandwich was the beautifully griddled roll. They have forks and knives if you need it but I went with the hands-on approach. You will get sauce smeared all over yourself. Best to avert all eye contact in getting the job done. The right side of the store is for sandwiches; the left side is for picking up sausages, burger patties, other meats from the whole animal. The people working at the store, including Lisa the owner personally slapping the sandwiches together in the back, are super nice.

Carlotta C.

WOW. Amazing roast beef sandwich, no notes, everything is balanced and simply delicious. Long line but it goes relatively quick