Best Philly Cheese Steak
 

According to whom I speak, the best Philly Cheese Steak can be be found at either Pat's or Geno's. What's your preference or should I be a glutton and try both?

I would say go for both! Why not?? Then you can decide for yourself! They're right across the street from each other.

Most in-the-know Philadelphians write off Pat's and Geno's as overrated. Tony Luke's on Oregon Ave. is considered the gold standard.

But go to Pat's and Geno's anyway for the experience. What have you got to lose, 5 bucks?

Most important, don't order it with Cheez Whiz, that imposter glue. Get the white American cheese!

The most important thing, is if its put in a brown paper bag it should be greasy enough that the bag quickly becomes translucent!

Personally, I was always fond of Abner's in West Philly, but that's because it was close to campus, and open til 4AM. and for college students, that's a big plus. Also, I always thought it was supposed to have that drippy, slimy cheez whiz stuff. its gross, but that's just the way it is.

I was told by a local that though there are other options, cheese whiz is traditional for philly cheese steaks.

My family's favorite, hands-down is Jim's Steaks at 4th and South. And they are the BEST with Whiz!!

The best way to get this question answered is by going to the Pennsylvania message board at www.chowhound.com

I would skip the cheesesteak and go right to Tony Luke's on Oregon Ave and get an Italian roast pork sandwich with sharp provolone and brocoli rabe

I always thought the white cheese was provolone. That's what I always ordered at Jim's - provolone and fried onions topped off with catsup, of course. Can anyone tell me why non-Philly located sandwich places put green bell peppers in their cheesesteaks? I have never seen that in Philly.

I've had some great Philly Cheesesteaks all over the country -- usually with provolone or mozzerella and I've loved them.
At Pat's in Philly, I order the "real deal" with Cheese Whiz because that's what everyone said is authentic. I prefer most of the ones I've had elsewhere.

Well, this local (I grew up there with my three brothers and sister) had never even HEARD of using Cheez Whiz until I started reading chowhound and fodor's. I polled my family (most of whom still live there) and nobody EVER gets cheez whiz. However Birdie may be correct about the provolone. Either way, there are some delicious deli cheeses in Philly, don't settle for the glue!

I was also born and raised in Philly and now live in a Phila. suburb. I tried with whiz when I was young, but always get a cheesesteak with provolone. Most Philadelphians I know, do not get them "with whiz".

I can eat them either way. If you want provolone instead of Whiz, then go local and pronounce it "proovaloon".

Have to chime in here as I've been eating these things since birth. Whiz is the real deal to us Philadelphians--just go to Pat's or Jim's or Geno's and that's what you get. Agree wholeheartedly with buongiorno re: Tony Lukes--the roast pork is the best sandwich in this city (although TL's steaks are unremarkable). Those who know, however, will attest that John's Roast Pork is the finest cheesesteak in town (not convenient to anything, barely open on weekends, not made with whiz, and an experienced not be missed).

FYI, John's Roast Pork is on Snyder Avenue. If you've got to have a cheesteak go there like michaelcrane says.

I love this post because I've been curious for a while as to what Philadelphians consider a "real" Philly cheese steak. My DH ordered a cheese steak at the Philadelphia airport last year during a layover and was surprised to find it made with the whiz. Needless to say, he thought it was pretty gross. So we had a little debate over whether this was how they were made in Philly or that it was because he got it at the airport, and we all know how airport food can be...

I've found it rather enlightening to find that even Philadelphians can't agree on what constitutes a REAL Philly cheese steak.

My vote goes to the provolone version!

Oh, btw Birdie, in Boston, we obviously don't call them Philly cheese steaks, but if you go into a sub shop and order a steak and cheese, you have the option of adding onions, green peppers and mushrooms. Often called a steak bomb. Yummy! And I have never seen it served with cheese whiz!

What is strange is Pat's is the orginal and Whiz is an original topping, but hardly any one ever gets it anymore. Pat's and Geno's pretty much suck unfortunately. You can get better steaks almost anywhere and don't sweat not ordering whiz...unless at Pat's and Geno's which have this whole vibe about being the 'original' but no one I know ever eats there unless they are hammered. And of the 40 or so friends I have fromt he area, no one like them either.

As long as it doesn't have marinaro or get called 'steak and cheese' you're pretty much good to go.

Definitely Jim's on 4th and South Street!! And in 25 years of eating Philly cheese steaks, I have never had -- or seen -- anything involving cleverly-spelled dairy products on a Philly steak. Blasphemy! Stick with the provolone and onions. :)

c'mon, if you have any taste palate at all, you'll go for the provolone! Is whiz even cheese?

by the way, born, raised and currently reside in Philadelphia

My cousin, who lived in Phillie for many years says Sal and Dan's on Passynunck Ave has the absolute best cheese steaks. And, by the way, she says it is not cheese whiz that is used , it's velveeta.

Geez, if all the "born and raised in Philly" experts can't agree on what is an authentic Philly Cheese Steak, how on earth are we poor tourists to know?

Cheez whiz...velveeta...what's the difference, really? They're both nasty, fake cheese, any way you look at it!

I agree w/ others that Tony lukes pork w/ rabe and cheese is better than any cheesteak (btw there's a downtown philly tony lukes which isn't great)

If you're determined to get cheesesteak, go to hollyeats.com

There was an article in one of the local papers a couple months ago about a reporter who chomped his way through all the area cheesesteaks and then ranked the top 10 or so. Anyone recall where this article was?

I also vote for John's Roast Pork. Whoever heard of bell peppers on a Philly cheesesteak?????? And provolone all the way!

Philadelphia Magazine had an article like that last year, but I think the Philadelphia Inquirer may have run one more recently.

karameli - from eating at Jim's, how could you have missed those 5 gallon cans of melted Cheez Whiz on the side of the grill?

Someone's eating a lot of that! Including me :)

And another thing - here is my definition of blashpemy relating to a cheesesteak, ESPECIALLY at Jim's Steaks.

We waited one Sat. at Jim's almost an hour in line for our Pizza Steaks, with Whiz. As we were departing our table, a woman came and sat down with a "sandwich" consisting of lettuce, onion and tomato. My dad asked her if she didn't like cheesesteaks. She replied that she was a vegetarian.

Why in the world would a vegetarian or anyone wait in line for an HOUR at Jim's Steaks and not get a cheesesteak?

There was an article in Philly Mag about a group of high school boys that had taken on the task of finding the best cheesesteak in Philly for their Senior class project. A great article, but I think it was a year or two ago.

as a girl who grew up in the philly burbs i will prob be trashed here because i think the best cheesesteak is at mr. steak in wayne. perfect roll. they slice really good roast. and uhoh - they use american. can be ordered w/out cheese and/or with peppers, onions, or hot peppers.

Well, I went to Philly last week and had the cheesteak at Pat's with the Cheez Whiz. I live in Texas and have actually had better ones locally, but the atmosphere there made it all worthwhile.

In Philadelphia two years ago I tried a Philly Cheesesteak at Jim's and felt it was very mediocre at best.

Determined to try some at home, Chandler, Arizona, I've had 2-3 down here and they all beat Jim's by a long shot.


Jim

Sophie's truck on the Penn campus, corner of 34th and Sansom across from Hill House, the dorm that looks like a prison. If she's still there.
And provolone, definitely provolone.

Best Philly Cheese Steak--sixty miles east in Atlantic City.

It's all in the BREAD!!...which most in AC say is due to the salt air.

Frank Sinatra would call the WHITE HOUSE SUB SHOP and have them

put them on a plane out of Philly to Las Vegas. Nothing better

than the WH. Check it out.

Thanks for letting us know 8 years later.

8 yrs later, still John's Roast Pork, for both the cheesesteak AND the roast pork with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. DH took my stepfather who lived his whole life in Philly and had had many a cheesesteak, and he couldn't get over how good it was.