When Chef James “Big Jim” Jones purchased a deli slicer in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, it wasn’t a random purchase, it was the start of owning his own restaurant.
His goal for his eatery was to introduce his favorite roast beef sandwich — the North Shore 3-Way — to southern California, beginning from his home in Pacific Beach.
His self-named deli, Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs, on Cass Street, has proven the success of his concept.
Jones said the North Shore 3-Way is a Massachusetts-style roast beef sandwich, a popular regional sandwich of North Shore Boston.
Chef James “Big Jim” Jones, having some fun while making one of his popular sandwiches. (Courtesy of James Jones)
“The North Shore 3-Way features thinly sliced, rare roast beef piled high on a buttered, toasted onion roll. The 3-Way combo includes mayonnaise, white American cheese and James River barbecue sauce,” Jones said.
He said the combo of rare, thinly shaved roast beef is usually top round or bottom round, while the James River barbecue sauce is a “tangy, peppery, not spicy, very flavorful vinegary barbecue sauce synonymous with the roast beef sandwich in Massachusetts.”
“If you aren’t using James River, you’re not doing it right,” Jones said.
He said the North Shore Super Beef comes in more versions than just the 3-Way.
“A 2-Way refers to the combo of mayonnaise and barbecue sauce without cheese, a 1-Way includes only one topping from the mayo, barbecue and cheese options, while a 4-Way adds an onion ring to the combo and a 5-Way adds horseradish sauce,” Jones explained.
It’s the “Super Beef,” one of Jones’ favorite sandwiches, that is the cornerstone of his menu.
“It’s been almost six years doing this, and I could still eat a ‘Super Beef’ every single day,” he said. “They’re very well constructed, with the tanginess of the barbecue, the soft flavor of the beef, served on a crispy onion roll made with a butter and beef tallow mixture that we grill all the buns in, made in-house.”
The “Junior Beef,” is similar to the “Super Beef,” but features 5 ounces of roast beef as compared to the Super’s 8 ounces, and is served on a buttered and grilled plain bun.
Another one of Jones’ favorites is the “French Dip” sub.
“It’s the same shaved top round roast beef, fresh, but simmered in juice made with house-made caramelized onions. The simmered beef and onions get strained out, then goes into a locally baked, toasted sub roll with our house-made horseradish mustard and provolone cheese.
The “French Dip” comes with a side of au jus for dipping.
The Steak and Cheese sandwich at Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs is a popular choice. (Courtesy of James Jones)
Another favorite sub is the “Steak and Cheese,” which comes in three variations in addition to the original; the “Onion Steak,” “Pepper Steak” and “Steak Bomb.”
Jones’ version doesn’t use the standard ribeye, but instead uses leftover house-sliced roast beef, grilled with a beef and tallow mixture with their house seasoning blend. Eight ounces of the roast beef, along with five slices of melted White American cheese, is then served on a sesame seed hoagie roll.
“The ‘Steak and Cheese’ is almost as popular as the ‘Super Beef’,” he said.
The “Onion Steak” features 8 ounces of shaved and grilled top round, sautéed onions and melted white American cheese served on a hoagie roll.
The “Pepper Steak,” made with 8 ounces of shaved, grilled top round, is served with a cherry pepper relish and melted white American cheese on a hoagie roll, while the “Steak Bomb,” adds crispy fried salami to the pepper steak version of the sub.
Sides include barbecue curly fries and various chips, with Pepsi products on the drink menu.
For those who like to finish their meal with a sweet treat, Jones offers cheesecake, rotating the flavor every couple of days.
“It’s just my thing and it sells pretty quick,” he said. “I keep it creative on the flavors, with a fluff-n-nutter, a marshmallow cheesecake with a peanut butter magic shell on top, and Irish coffee as a couple of his latest creations.
Growing up in Massachusetts and working in the food industry most of his life, Jones said the pandemic forced a change in his plans.
“I grew up cooking; I kind of just naturally happened to work in restaurants. I was a growing boy and needed a place to eat, while the kitchen spaces were available and willing to teach me and feed me,” he said. “My first jobs were dishwashing and working a salad station.”
After 33 years in Massachusetts, Jones moved to San Diego in October 2015.
After interviewing for restaurants such as Lumi, in downtown San Diego, Jones decided to take a job in Mammoth in December 2019.
An Italian sub from Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs. (Courtesy of James Jones)
“I was snowboarding and making sushi in the village,” he said, “and COVID hit. They shut down the mountains and during the furloughed COVID unemployment I moved back to San Diego,” he said.
It was during that time, after “watching all my roommates spend their money on stupid stuff,” that he purchased the deli slicer.
“I got the idea for the roast beef from making sandwiches back home. So I started acquiring stuff for a mobile kitchen. I also bought a freezer for the beef and started cooking at my house,” he said.
Those first sandwiches were sold in the alley behind his house, which became a sort of drive-thru, Jones said. As word spread, it didn’t take long before he was selling sandwiches at a pop up in North Park.
“We started finding more and more breweries and bars willing to host our pop up, and then we started getting into farmers markets. We just developed a really steady schedule,” he said.
About 2 1/2 years ago, Jones said one of his neighbors told him about a vacant space on Cass Street that has since become the home of Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs.
“We’ve successfully doubled our sales every year for the first four years, we’ve been nominated for ‘Best Sandwich’ in San Diego Magazine, and we have more than 500 5-star reviews,” Jones said. “We’ve been doing everything we can to keep it going and get as much traction as possible.”
Part of his success is because he stays present in the Pacific Beach community.
“I go around and give lunches to several local shops, just so they can try my food,” he said. He also donates gift cards to local organizations and causes.
Find the recipe for Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs Horseradish Mustard at PBMonthly.net.
Want to visit?
Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs
Address: 4508 Cass St., Suite B in Pacific Beach
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and closed Tuesdays.
Website: bigjimsandiego.com
Phone: 858-352-6762
Good to know: Delivery is available by ordering online.
Recipe for Big Jim’s Roast Beef & Subs Horseradish Mustard
The horseradish mustard at Big Jim’s is a staple of several of the available sandwiches. To make it, mix together equal parts mayonnaise, atomic horseradish and a good quality Dijon mustard and add it to your favorite sandwich.
Courtesy of Chef James “Big Jim” Jones