More info about NEBA Roast Beef restaurants
I recently got a comment on the blog from Glenn Dispoto of Hollywood, FL. He was referring to my post from Odds and Ends from the Hotline, 7/3/08. This post featured some of my roadside related (non-diner) photos. I ran a photo of a former NEBA Roast Beef restaurant located in Quincy, Mass. now operating as a pharmacy.
NEBA was an early fast food chain that focused on the Roast Beef sandwich (sort of in competition with Arby’s). The chain was based out of Albany, NY and by around 1968 they got into franchising and introduced a unique corporate building style that drew upon McDonald’s influence. The building featured a stylized cow or steers head with ears and horns but in a distinctive almost post-modern shape.
Although I’m not sure how many were built, from what I have been able to determine, there are still a few left along the American roadside. Here is my shot of the Quincy location…
Debra Jane Seltzer of www.agilitynut.com has a shot of the former NEBA in Queeensbury, NY (near Lake George) operating as Mr. B’s Best Roast Beef..
There is also one located at 3504 Washington Boulevard in St. Louis, MO operating as Sunrise Chinese Restaurant. (Courtesy of B.E.L.T., the Built Environment in Layman’s Terms blog http://www.beltstl.com/)
Well, to get back to Glenn’s comment, he informed me there was still one down in Hollywood, Florida located on U.S. Rte.1 (now operating as a Papa John’s Pizza). Here are 2 images courtesy of Glenn, shot just recently. Notice the building has been alterred, the “horns” have been removed above the roof line.
This just in from Debra Jane Seltzer, a shot of the same building
from directly in front..
If anyone else sees this and knows of any other former NEBA restaurants, please let me know and if you have photos I’ll post them in a future Hotline.
Jack’s Hollywood Diner
Glenn Dispoto also sent along a photo of Jack’s Hollywood Diner of Hollywood, FL. It is a still operating 1951 vintage Mountain View Diner. It was originally known as Freddie’s Diner depicted here in this postcard image…
Here is a shot by Glenn as it currently is….
and here’s a shot by Debra Jane Seltzer from the left side front…
Thanks again to intrepid road scholar Debra Jane Seltzer and also
Glenn Dispoto of Hollywood, Florida!
Diner Hotline Weblog 
I have heard of NEBA’s before in passing. Anyone know whether they ever made it out to the midwest? The building prototypes of NEBA are fantastic!
Didi, as you can see in the post there was the one in St. Louis. So one made it out at least that far.
Yea, i did notice that right after I sent the comment. I would love to know more about the chain. Sounds like I gotta do some major digging one of these days.
Does anyone know what happened to the ceo Mike Dave of Neba Roast Beef Restaurants.??????????
There used to be a NEBA Roast Beef in the Condado section of San Juan, Puerto Rico back in the 1960s and early 1970s. I don’t remember if it was a free-standing restaurant or if it was on the first floor of a building, and neither do I recall if there were other NEBA locations in the island.
The NEBA building in Hollywood, FL has been demolished.