What's Moving Into Elton's In Arlington Center? 'One Crazy Place'

ARLINGTON, MA — The biggest little restaurant in America is about to open on Mass Ave. according to the people who now own the space where Elton's Roast Beef & Pizza occupied the corner of Mass Ave and Swan Place.

Apparently, "478 Mass. Ave." will serve breakfast sandwiches on weekdays, "crazy breakfasts" on weekend mornings, and lunch and dinner options such as soups, chowders, burgers, steak dishes, lobster rolls, baked stuffed lobsters, mussels and steamers. Its menu will also include sandwiches, subs along with some Korean options.

"It's going to be one crazy place," Joe Marcus who co-owns the spot with David Spinney told the Board of Selectmen this week.

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478 Mass Ave., which was originally slated to be called Big Papa's II, after the restaurant Marcus ran in Beverly from 1998 to 2004. His new restaurant could be opened by the end of November, he told selectmen.

Although the Board of Selectmen approved the licence to open, the restaurant still needs to apply for licences to change the signs out front and get a final check through the police, according to documents submitted to the selectmen.

The restaurant will be mainly takeout and delivery. Elton's was a small space with only 4 tables with bench-style seating adding up to about 16 seats. Marcus and Spinney plan to have 478 Mass. Ave. open seven days a week. They also plan to be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Marcus' LinkedIn profile photo shows him standing next to Danny Devito. He has a photo of himself with Boston Mayor Menino and an article from 1999 in the Crimson describes a competition in which he was planning on filming a burger eating contest to be aired on the David Letterman Show.

Marcus told selectmen he'd also had Steven Spielberg and former President Jimmy Carter swing through his restaurant in Beverly.

A post on Facebook announced the restaurant with an air of excitement and all caps:

"Coming soon to Arlington Center is "478 MASS AVE" "THE BIGGEST LITTLE RESTAURANT IN AMERICA!" We cant wait to be meeting and working with all our neighbors. Crazy breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Sing along Wednesdays with THE BEATLES, CROSBY STILLS NASH and YOUNG etc etc. Crazy over the top baked stuffed Lobsters. Soups and chowders you only dream about.

-Joe Marcus of Franklin"

Marcus has more than 30 years as a finance manager at car dealerships, according to his LinkedIn profile. "Used to own the craziest sandwich shop in the country! It was called Big Papas in honor of my father. Our regular clientele were Danny DeVito, Steven Spielberg, Susan Sarandon, Tom Hanks, VP Al Gore, President Clinton, Both President Bush's, President Carter, Nancy Reagan, Mayor Menino, Senators Kennedy and Kerry and the list goes on and on," he posted in his profile there.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/ Patch