One of the most amusing scenarios to witness in this city happens any given Friday or Saturday night, around 2:30am, when the bars have closed and the meat and cheese craving hooligans of the area flock to the apex of the city’s biggest rivalry: Ninth and Passyunk. As a regular, I’ve spent many a night under the vibrant, neon Geno’s lights watching as poor, pathetic, Pat’s fans stand in line for their sad excuse for a cheesesteak (okay, so it’s not that bad, but clearly I’d throw a punch on Geno’s behalf). While I’ve never actually seen a punch thrown, I’ve seen the stakes–or the drunken, inaudible face-offs–heat up over whose is best.
We may never settle the Pats vs. Geno’s score, but it’s time to investigate: where can you get a really good cheesesteak in Philadelphia? The answer is almost anywhere–it’s Philly and it’s a cheesesteak. But for those who have never ventured into the world of meat, cheese and grease, here is a list of the best and worst places to get to know Philly steaks.
A tip before beginners are sent off to the wolves: remember to brush up on your ordering etiquette. A traumatized few can bear witness that taking too long to decide between “whiz wit” or “American wit” could leave you “wit-out” a cheese steak. No time for indecision, questions or manners–please and thank-you’s are kind of a joke. Most places are chiefly concerned about the final product, and thank your cheesesteak-loving god that they are.
The Nostalgic Steak: Abner’s
Hawks, Quakers and Dragons flock to this University City joint that caters specifically to campus crowds. The cheesesteaks are nothing out of the ordinary but are still pretty tasty. Huge portions at college-student appropriate prices are part of the reason University City keeps these guys in business. And if you miss it when you’re gone, they’ll ship it to you–anywhere in the country. How’s that for nostalgia? It’d certainly make the bitter death of your college lifestyle a bit easier to swallow.
The Picture of Philly Steak: Tony Luke’s
With all the Pat’s and Geno’s hype, you might not think to venture away form the bright lights to try another South Philly steak, but once a Tony Luke’s steak touches your taste buds, you’ll be glad you did. The meat is cut to the perfect thickness and is tender and flavorful. The meat is much more juicy than greasy and is what makes this sandwich memorable. The thick Italian roll is fresh, crusty and made on the premises. It’s the perfect combo that melts in your mouth. Tony Luke’s won me over with their steaks, but the rest of their menu is packed with authentic South Philly specialties as well. When you try the roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe, you’ll rave about just as much as the natives who grew up loving it. This is by far one of the best restaurants to experience Philly’s signature foods.
Best Rivalry Steak: Geno’s
The bright lights that tower above Joey Vento’s Philadelphia legend are not easy to miss. The meat comes in uncut, long, tasty slices and the seasonings out-do that of the bland meat next door. The soft rolls always taste fresh and the cheese goes on them before the meat. The service may not be extremely personable, but if you go there enough they might warm up to you (or you might get used to them). All I know is that they may not say please and thank-you all the time, but I have to give a shout-out to Reberta for my extensive collection of free Geno’s pens.
Overrated Steak: Pat’s “King” of Steaks
Too fatty, too plain, too close to Geno’s where I can get a sandwich that fits my steak standards. The place is a mess and they don’t give me free stuff. But there has to be a reason Pat’s is “The King of Steaks”, right? I don’t see it.
Try it for Philly’s Sake Steak: Jim’s
Jim’s is just okay. It’s a cheesesteak, therefore, I’ll eat it. Contributing to the cheesesteak triad (Pat’s, Geno’s and Jims), it’s a steak that everyone seems to try just because of its location (tourists, we’re talking to you). It’s hard to resist the smell that Jim’s steaks put in the air as your walk down South Street: the scent of frying meat and onions hoovers around the corner of Fourth and South. In comparison to the others, Jim’s steaks are overstuffed, dry, flavorless and finished with bland, soft rolls. If my first choices were in a more accessible locale, I can assure you Jim’s would be out of business.
AroundPhilly Staff
