Monumentally OT: Philly Cheesesteaks

[Carr Harris]

I am making a golf trip to Philadelphia in the near future. Seeing is there is such a large (and vocal) Philly contingent on this board, I was hoping for some advice on where the best place would be for me to grab a cheesesteak while in town.

 Are Pat's and/or Geno's worth going to, or are they simply tourist traps for out of town suckers (like me)? I tried to do a little research on the subject last night on a foodie discussion group, but found opinions were all over the map both for and against almost every major player in the Philly Cheesesteak game (apparently all DG's are the same no matter the topic  ).

Anyway where should I go for a cheesesteak while in town? I only have one shot at this. I need to make it count .

Thanks in advance.

[Jim Franklin]

One shot, then you need to go to Pat's just so you can say you have been to Pat's.

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

I am not from Philly, but I've been there who knows how many times. I always eat at Pat's when I go there. Good enough for Rocky, good enough for me. The sandwiches are really good. Pat's and Geno's are like 50 feet away from each other though, get one from each.

[Jason Mandel]

Pats & Geno's are worth going to once. I wouldn't call it the best steak in the city but it is a neat experience. I like the cheesesteak from Pat's and the fries from Geno's (since you're at Pats and geno's you need to order whiz wit (onions).

Other top contenders are:
John's Roast Pork (very weird hours though)
Jim's 4th and South
Steve's Steaks in the Northeast
Chink's Steaks Northest
Dalesanndro's Roxborough
Tony Luke's Front & Oregon

[PCCraig]

I may be biased and but I'm a fan of Pat's over Geno's. They aren't the best cheesesteaks in Philly by a long stretch as the Philly folks will tell you, but I've literally eaten at both back to back and picked Pat's as the winner.

[George Pazin]

As Jamie says, they are right next door to each other, so if you're heading there, might as well go big. I did prefer Pat's. Curiously, Pat's tried to open a store in NYC and it was awful - so disappointing.

Me, I always preferred Abner's on Penn's campus to both Pat's and Geno's, but the last time I was there, it was under new management and had slipped a little. When I lived in Philly, the same folks that owned Abner's owned a place down on South Street (or thereabouts) called Jim's Steaks. It was the same as Abner's. Jim's would get my recommendation as to where to go now.

Tony Luke's looked pretty damn good on the Travel Channel show Man V Food, very similar to what Abner's was back in the 80s.

Hey Philly guys, is there a consensus cheese? I started with provolone, moved on to American, ended up at wiz...

[Dan Kelly]

I'd just go to Macdonald's -- "C.B. Macdonald's National Cheesesteak of America," that is. Out on the Main Line somewhere.

Unless Wilson's is open. Some in the City of so-called Brotherly Love prefer Wilson's -- even as they doubt whether Wilson knew enough to build a great cheesesteak.

Flynn's "Nature Faker" Cheesesteaks are the biggest in town. Like 22,000 ingredients. They're free if you can eat the whole thing.

[Carr Harris]

Hey Philly guys, is there a consensus cheese? I started with provolone, moved on to American, ended up at wiz...

George you bring up a great point. I've never eaten anything but provolone on my steaks and the thought of seeing that toxic waste looking sludge on my sandwich makes my stomach turn. Is the wiz really that good, or is it an aquired taste?

 I'm all for authenticity but man, even melted Velveeta thinks that stuff looks tacky.

[PCCraig]

Hey Philly guys, is there a consensus cheese? I started with provolone, moved on to American, ended up at wiz...

George you bring up a great point. I've never eaten anything but provolone on my steaks and the thought of seeing that toxic waste looking sludge on my sandwich makes my stomach turn. Is the wiz really that good, or is it an aquired taste?

 I'm all for authenticity but man, even melted Velveeta thinks that stuff looks tacky.

Wiz on it.

That came out wrong....

[Phil McDade]

I'm not sure this thread is monumentally OT; are there five more important threads on the first page of the DB?

Pat's; Joey seems pissed off lately: http://www.genosteaks.com/

[D_Malley]

go to Tony Lukes but skip the cheesesteak and get the "roast pork italiano"

[Mark McKeever]

Having grown up in the suburbs of Philadelphia I have been to most of the usual places.  Tony Lukes is my preference.

Mark

[Michael Blake]

Carr,

I went to college in Philly 20 years ago and never left.  In the suburbs now.
I've eaten at all of 'em and still prefer Pat's.

George,

I preferred the establishment that was below Abner's.  

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I'm a Pat's guy all the way. I've never set foot in Geno's. Pat's is a family tradition. Cheese Wiz is the proper cheese. When you order, say "Cheese wit" if you want fried onions.I usually add hot cherry peppers. Both are tourist havens. As Jason listed above, locals usually go to other places. I suggest John's or Tony Luke's for their Roast Pork Italian( with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe) as both places are excellent.

Depending on where you are playing there are other places-Pudge's in Blue Bell is near Cricket, for example and Larry's is near Cobbs Creek.

My personal favorite for cheesesteaks is D'Allesandro's which is within walking distance of the fabled muni that is profiled here under Courses by Country- Walnut Lane GC.

Also, don't miss the Italian restaurants of South Philly- Villa di Roma, Marra's, Ralph's or Dante&Luigi's are all good.

[George Pazin]

go to Tony Lukes but skip the cheesesteak and get the "roast pork italiano"

Heresy!

At least for the first time visitor. It may be better, but you gotta get a cheesesteak the first time you go to Philly. Otherwise it would be like going to Chicago and getting thin-crust pizza...

 

George you bring up a great point. I've never eaten anything but provolone on my steaks and the thought of seeing that toxic waste looking sludge on my sandwich makes my stomach turn. Is the wiz really that good, or is it an aquired taste?

 I'm all for authenticity but man, even melted Velveeta thinks that stuff looks tacky.

Wiz is just awesome. I won't go back now. Just try it once - then you are free to make your own mistake choose which you prefer.

George,

I preferred the establishment that was below Abner's.  

 

[jonathan_becker]

Steve S,

That was a great post with a lot of good info.

Since Carr hasn't been too specific on where he's headed, (sorry Carr  ) he's playing in King of Prussia and then heading over to Ardmore for his next round.  Any advice for him in those areas?

[Joe Bausch]

Since Carr hasn't been too specific on where he's headed, (sorry Carr  ) he's playing in King of Prussia and then heading over to Ardmore for his next round.  Any advice for him in those areas?

You could and likely should just take the surface streets down from the The Golf Course at King of Prussia course to Ardmore National.  And you can easily pass by Garrett Hill Pizza on the way.  I happen to think their cheesesteaks are fantastic.

http://www.ghpizza.com/

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Ardmore or Ardmore Avenue?  

If it's that golf club on Ardmore Avenue, they have a good cheesesteak. For local flavor in that area, Professor Joe Bausch of Villanova is the expert in that area.

King of Prussia golf? Pudge's has a branch across Ridge Pike near Jeffersonville GC;otherwise, I'd suggest a trip to South Philly.

[David_Elvins]

Merion does a pretty good cheese steak. Having said that, as far as local food specialties  around the world go, I would rate the cheese steak near the bottom of the list. A doak 5.

[Sven Nilsen]

Mama's in Bala Cynwyd is the best.  Best bread, freshest ingredients, and about twice the size of the crap you get at the other places mentioned here.  D'Allessandro's is also pretty good, but Mama's is in a class by itself.

One recommendation, forget the basic cheesesteak and go for a cheesesteak hoagie (a cheesesteak with all the fixings of a hoagie (or sub, grinder, etc.)).

Here's a useful site if you want to waste some time:  http://www.bestcheesesteaks.com/cheesesteaks/pa.htm

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

Hey Philly guys, is there a consensus cheese? I started with provolone, moved on to American, ended up at wiz...

George you bring up a great point. I've never eaten anything but provolone on my steaks and the thought of seeing that toxic waste looking sludge on my sandwich makes my stomach turn. Is the wiz really that good, or is it an aquired taste?

 I'm all for authenticity but man, even melted Velveeta thinks that stuff looks tacky.

Go with cheese wiz. I thought it was gross when I first heard about it, now I love it. Hard to find it anywhere else though.

[Peter Pallotta]

And have it with a Rolling Rock...or five. Call be a boor, but man did those Rolling Rock's ever wash down a cheesesteak real nice. Of course, I'm talking a few years back, when you could sit in a bar and smoke a few cigarettes in between bites of cheese and gulps of  Rolling Rock. No better way to watch the Blue Jays beat the Phillies with a Joe carter home run....

[JESII]

That's just not right...you were doing so well...

[michael damico]

ABNER'S

and while there, check out Philadelphia Lager. I haven't been that way in about 7 years, but they used to only have it in Philly. Some of the best brew I have ever tasted.

[Kris Shreiner]

Mr. Bausch and Sven are bang on with their calls! Sad but true...in the main, the best Philly cheese steaks are made OUTSIDE the city. Pat's and Geno's are tourista rip-offs. I'm shocked at some of the postive local plugs...lads, you MUST have better taste, no? To each their own, I guess.

If you have to go to those two as a visitor, be ready to buy about three to feel you got a meal. They're scrawny, greasy and come on... crap cheese squeezed out of a bottle...how "JV" can you get? They make a fortune serving slop. Grew up there and I never even went near those two 'til I was in my thirties and only went once, at the urging of a fellow Philly boy from the Northeast. I ripped him all the way there because I knew what was coming...the weakest excuse for a cheesesteak I ever ate!

The "cheesesteak-hoagie"  at the right places is where you get some serious efforts and a well-made one is devine. On the next Philly "executive course" foray we need to have a cheese-steak tour "throwdown' to helps educate some folks and let the GCA taste buds vote the winner. I'll happily put it together with a little help from the Phellow Philly Golfalcoholics!

Cheersteaks!!!!!!
Kris