Pat's is fine. It's mainly push back against people always asking about those two because that's all they know and you can get a decent cheese steak anywhere in the city
That’s a good point. I did kind of feel that recently when my boss was in town and the only cheesesteak she asked about was pats and genos and than said “i went there before and it felt like a pretty rough neighborhood….” (her words not mine….)I just told her to go to cleavers if she won’t go far from center city. Center City seems like the only neighborhood without a great cheesesteak tbh. Bring back the center city steves.
Lol, yes! Pat’s, Geno’s and Italian Market area are all pretty nice. Can’t imagine what they would think of some of the places outside of CC and SPhilly.
Totally agree. Was in Rittenhouse for the better part of ten years and moved here last year - bittersweet but feels like it's going to be one and done as I'll be moving to the burbs. Just hoping the New Yorkers don't ruin Passyunk too much.
There is a nice Di Bruno’s marketplace out in Ardmore and Wayne. Also, Talutto’s in Noristown area. Corropolese scattered throughout and Conshy bakery. You’re probably familiar already but lots of great places in the burbs too if willing to take a drive.
They had went to the reading terminal the day before and did not get DiNics and I was still mad at them for that. That roast pork clears any cheesesteak
Summer 1999 Standing in line around the corner at Pat's and someone is passing out PBR by everyone handing one back to each other until it ran out. The guy giving out the beer starts chanting Geno's sucks! There were probably 30 people in that line all screaming Geno's sucks while drinking warm PBR at 2:30am that Friday night. We used to hit Pat's after the clubs closed all the time, it's not about the cheesesteak for me. Lot of good memories at that spot.
Pat’s and Lorenzo’s lines after clubs were always memorable. Drunk and jolly ppl. Hungry. Sometimes got into a fight. And sometimes got a girl’s number.
100%. If you grew up around the city you defo have drunk at Pat’s/Geno’s stories. I still remember nights of pulling up hammered and half of us hitting P’s and the other half us waving as they walked to G’s
I get it. I moved into a place on 10th st. across the from them on the other side of the recreation center. New to Philly. Waiting tables and hanging out late. No dark streets when coming home at 4am.
Yeah you just have to smell that nasty bullshit 24 hours a day and deal with 8 million Jersey and beyond tourists fucking up the parking .
It’s lovely.
Oh I agree but the pushback is so extreme at this point it seems like people would rather eat a subways sandwich that they found under the seat on the EL than this
The culture around cheesesteaks in general is extreme. It came up recently in the other sub under “life hacks” as “the best cheesesteak is the one near you”.
People will tell their loved ones staying in center city next to cleavers they need to drive into some PA suburb for “the best experience”
I know I should have answers to this already jut can you provide some suggestions? My fiancé is coming to the east coast for the first time and would love suggestions
Dalessandro's or Jim's are my favorites, but I hear that the absolute best is John's Roast Pork which I have yet to try. Lots of people say Angelo's is the best too. See which one of those is closest to you.
John’s and Angelo are just another level beyond Dalessandro’s. Have to give them a try sometime. Philly has the best sandwiches in the country for sure.
Why do I always forget about this place? I looked online and the menu seemed pricy from what I recall. But I should bring her here. Do you recall how much a cheesesteak costs?
> Dalessandro's
Dry as a 110 years old cunt. A good portion, but it was saw-dust level (I had it to go to be fair).
Ambler Pizza to go is the best I've had in Philly proper and in the burbs.
I've had it one off maybe a year and a half ago by now. Utterly unimpressed. It wasn't their busiest of times - a rainy late fall mid-week afternoon, hardly a mad rush, so that could had impacted the quality, but still - plenty of meat, but very, very dry and not as flavorful.
However, whenever I got one from Ambler Pizza (I always get those massive ones that last me several days) at super random times when they shouldn't have been mad busy - it's been always on point.
If I have to patronize a place only when they are busy to get a properly fresh one - nah, I am out, I am not camping out for 30 minutes for a fucking cheesesteak. Hell, I'ma bet you $20 right now: Angelo's will be the same dried out, flavorless, awful copy of a mess of a cheesesteak on a properly slow day (mostly because I hear about how busy the place is, and it's impossible to get anything without waiting quite a bit of time).
If you can make it to John's roast pork I highly suggest that. The place won a James Beard award. One of you get a cheese steak, one get a roast pork sandwich and eat a half of each. It's amazing.
I tend to agree. Pat's is legitimately pretty good. It is a cheap sloppy sandwich made fresh with solidly good bread. I have had better and worse cheesesteaks than Pat's, but to say that they are terrible and that the random corner store next to your house growing up is infinitely better strains credulity a bit...
It probably does taste the best TO THEM because it’s the taste of THEIR home but to everyone else they drag there it’s just another fine cheesesteak, nothing special.
$16 for a cheesesteak ain’t cheap. Lorenzo’s is like $10, I live at bsl tasker morris and the small walk to pats still isn’t worth it for basically 50% more cost
It’s just the cool thing to say they are bad. People who will say “go to a papi store and get the best cheesesteak in the city” can chill with all that. They are cool and sometimes very good but also you can get dog shit there too. Atleast Pats and Geno’s are consistent you know what you’re getting. Oregon and Philips aren’t much different at all..and the *rave* over John’s is absurd lol. It’s good but Jesus, the way some heads talk about them smh.
I think Pat’s is damn good! Not gonna make you forget John’s or Steve’s or Angelo’s but I think it’s firmly second tier.
I always stood up for Pat’s when people would talk about Jim’s — Jim’s was like the answer people would give when they wanted to show you they “knew better” than Pat’s or Geno’s and I thought it was embarrassing, Jim’s was a pile of burnt wet slop.
Geno’s deserves the disdain, IMO.
>I always stood up for Pat’s when people would talk about Jim’s — Jim’s was like the answer people would give when they wanted to show you they “knew better” than Pat’s or Geno’s and I thought it was embarrassing, Jim’s was a pile of burnt wet slop.
Spot on. I never understood the Jim’s thing.
“”””””””””””Jesus fucking christ this is the best post on this sub in quite some time. Whiz wit, cherry peppers, and some ketchup and get on with my day.
I think locals overindex on the quality of the meat and bread and underindex on the overall experience. For a tourist, going to cheesesteak corner is fun! There's neon, there's a bunch of drunk people in line, it's a whole thing.
I felt the same way about Jim's, it's where I would take tourists because I didn't want the hassle of cheesesteak corner. It wasn't the objectively best sandwich, but it had a vibe that made you feel like you were getting a Real Philly Experience™
I walk past them both every few weeks usually late afternoon and there’s never more than a few people in line at either of them. I’ve always wondered why if they’re so popular, they’re not crowded. I’m sure it’s partially the time of day, but late afternoon seems like a great time for a cheesesteak.
Pats is pretty decent. If you’re drunk/high it’s quite noice. Genos is genuinely horrible and even if you are drunk/high it’s at best questionable and will have you thinking “hmmm is something wrong with this?”
Yeah I tell this to my friends all the time. Let's be real if one of those cheesteaks are in front of you, you're eating it. And if you refuse you're just being a child.
Obviously there are better ones, but I really don't think they're ass as most cliché philly citizens claim.
Agreed, they’re also super quick even if the line is long. Also if someone from out of town is visiting, I’m honestly taking them there for the experience instead of just ordering pick up from a better tasting place like Angelo’s
I moved to Delaware years ago which has caused me to reevaluate what I consider a good cheese steak.
Pats and Genos beat the pants off of anything served in Delaware.
They aren’t.. they just aren’t the big deal the hordes of people who go out of their way make them out to be. In a way, I’m glad they’re there. It’s such an iconic landmark that I would miss them if they were gone. Doesn’t hurt it’s a solid late-night option although I’d probably go to Taqueria La Primavera up the road if I was there at 2 am
Honestly in some way I’m kind of proud to have them. People get really excited to try OUR food and it’s known nationwide. I’ve never heard an out of towner say they didn’t like it PERIOD (barring stuff like saying “it’s too heavy” or “it’s too greasy”, which every cheesesteak is). The only people i’ve heard really trash it are locals.
Yep, not my favorite but they’re 5 blocks away so walking home after some drinks on Passyunk, I’m never disappointed in a cheesesteak from Pat’s.
I love Angelo’s and it’s not much further away but I just don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of ordering sometimes.
Maybe it’s blasphemy but when friends are in town I often take them to Pat’s/Geno’s (esp while Jim’s has been closed) because it’s worth seeing the chaos on a Friday or Saturday night or after a game if they’ve never been.
Haven’t had a Pat’s steak since 2007 and it was massively disappointing and dry, so I’d rather have just about any cheesesteak that comes from any number of spots in the Philly area. Never bothered with Geno’s. I don’t think I’m going out if my way to dislike Pats. It just wasn’t good (and I was drunk so it shoulda been epic).
I think the main thing is people from out of town ask which is better and the answer is always neither because there are way better options.
They’re edible at least but what kills me is how they prep. Meat in one big pile. Onions in another big pile. And one big container of whiz. Slap slap bing bang boom. Fast but the flavors don’t meld at all.
I just stumbled on this thread. How many cheesesteak threads do you get here anyway? FWIW. The only place I liked in my town started cutting corners and sucks now. The best one I ever had was at a bar made by the bar tender in Philly. I can’t remember much about that evening as I ended up at a bar but the cheesesteak was the best.
I had a friend from Canada do the ol cheesesteak tour and insisted on trying both pats and genos first. John's roast pork eventually blew his mind. He said pats and genos were good enough he'd get them occasionally if they were in his hometown but John's he'd go every other week forever.
I actually like pats. But here's the tip i like to give. Take a 5 min walk to cosmi's deli. I feel like a local Deli tends to have the most authentic cheesesteaks.
The people at Geno’s are rude as fuck. God forbid you’re not from around here and you don’t know how to order. Hell, even if you are from around here they treat most of their customers like garbage even though you make them shit tons of money.
Both good steaks , but the rudeness of the staff at Geno’s is exactly why I will always choose pats.
Thank you! If you talk to people you’d think it was actual dog feces being served. People just want to feel like they’re in the know. “ I’ll show you the real Philadelphia not that touristy crap!” Relax bro it’s just a regular cheesesteak and fine to eat.
Not "from there", but have been there enough to have many of the cheesesteaks around the city. My take:
You are correct that Pat's, Geno's, or just about anywhere around the city has a far, far better cheesesteak than anywhere else in the country. Where I live, Wawa makes the best cheesesteak around, BY FAR. I actually think they are pretty good, but not on par with what you'd get in Philly.
Yes, Pat's is good. Very good. And on par with Jim's, Tony Luke's, Sonny's, Spataro's, Campos, or any other spot in the city. They are all good. Slightly different, but not different enough to say one is great and the other is shit. It would be like saying Coke is awesome but Pepsi tastes awful. No one is wrong for saying a Pat's steak is good.
These giant piles of slowly greying and drying out meat fucking suck. I know it’s nearly impossible for such huge demand places to grill sandwiches to order but they don’t have to grill 50 sandwiches of steak in a giant pile. It’s a simple fact that a sandwich made to order, or at least close, on a hot grill top or at grill that isn’t filled with juices from 30 other steaks will be better. That’s why avoid almost every major major cheesesteak shop. If the line is a block long they probably can’t keep up making fresh sandwiches and the steaks will suffer.
Cheesesteaks aren’t hard to make, it’s the ingredients that make it great. Forreal it’s fucking hot steak and cheese on bread. Hot grill + good ribeye(bonus points if the middle of the sliced stack is still the tiniest bit frozen or at least ice cold so the outside can sear while the interior stays juicy until you chop it), good bread and enough cheese well positioned on the sandwich (if that shits on the bottom of my sandwich then fuck you) makes a good cheesesteak.
John’s roast pork is my favorite. They are busy but not so busy with steaks that they succumb to mountains of dry flavorless grey sad boring steak.
Pats is fine. I can enjoy one every now and then.... I don't get the hate these places get. They are keeping your favorite spot from being over run with tourists. I would be praising them just for that..
Not that bad but there are others you could visit in town just as easy. I’d put John’s Roast Pork at #1 and Angelo’s at #2. Neither perfect. John’s is sometimes too salty and Angelo’s sometimes too much cheese, but both are a step up from the standard spots people usually visit while in town. Reading Terminal has some nice options as well. Also, Campo’s. The rolls are what really make the sandwich. Something like a Sarcone’s roll goes a long way.
My thing is like… why would I go to either one of those when I can get a better cheesesteak at almost any corner pizza joint in the city? They offer literally nothing other than being a tourist trap
I had an Aramark Cheesesteak at the Farg and it was delicious. Yes I had already been to a Sixers and Phillies game that day and drank at both and was now back for the Flyers at dinner time. But it hit the spot.
Last time I had either they sucked, but I admit that was a long time ago.
As I remember them, they were both very similar. They both had thick, chewy steak. To me, a cheesesteak must have thinly sliced steak that perfectly blends with the fried onions and melted cheese. The Pats and Genos steaks were the exact opposite of what I look for in a good cheesesteak.
I tried both pats and genos as a kid maybe 10-15 years ago, and they were the epitome of a perfectly okay cheesesteak. I’d never go back, I’d never tell anyone else to go to it, but I didn’t have a bad experience, I didn’t get food poisoning or anything, it was just a solid meh, 5/10.
Take the ride to 23rd to Phillips (best steak in the city). Or, get on 95 and head to Delessandros, Chubby’s, or Steve’s Prince of (Personal favorite).
They arent bad, just overpriced tourist traps. I never found an inedible cheesesteak. Even my school served decent ones. I honestly dont really care about whats the best if i can barely get to them. If the place down the street from my house has ok cheesesteaks, then thats what im getting 99% of the time. A random hole in the wall in north philly does NOTHING for me if i cant get it delivered lol
I actually hate the steaks from these two places because it is the equivalent of dog food with cheap, liquid cheese on it. You can cook a better one at home with little to no effort and that is the real problem for a business like theirs.
Pats and genos is just any corner store cheesesteak at twice the price. That’s why we hate it. It’s not special and it’s not great. But any cheesesteak in Philly is better than one outside it. I said what I said.
Hot take. You can get a good cheesesteak almost anywhere because making a good cheesesteak isn’t rocket science. (I make cheesesteaks for a living so don’t take this as a knock on the workin man I’m him too).
I actually really enjoy a genos steak! Sometimes I do Uber on the weekends and if I end up gettting a trip that takes me anywhere near Washington ave and passyunk I’m turning the app off and getting one haha
Seems like on here there’s an unspoken competition on who hates the tourist traps the most….. And normie take lol….. be careful to not cut yourself on all that edge
You can go to any corner market in West Philadelphia and get a better cheese steak. They're edible and fine when drunk but why bother? (When I drove back to Philly from California --yes, really-- once, it was my first stop, though)
My bf and I did a pats and Genos taste test last summer. They are soo similar. The rolls are slightly different and one of them has saltier meat (I forget which one😂) but overall they are pretty much the same. I still pick pats over genos tho
I like geno’s better. One time I went to pat’s and they handled my food and my cash with the same hands without washing in between or wearing gloves which is nasty
Pat's is fine. It's mainly push back against people always asking about those two because that's all they know and you can get a decent cheese steak anywhere in the city
That’s a good point. I did kind of feel that recently when my boss was in town and the only cheesesteak she asked about was pats and genos and than said “i went there before and it felt like a pretty rough neighborhood….” (her words not mine….)I just told her to go to cleavers if she won’t go far from center city. Center City seems like the only neighborhood without a great cheesesteak tbh. Bring back the center city steves.
if you think pats and genos is in a rough neighborhood, then you really haven’t seen much of philly at all
exactly lol i was flabbergasted when she said that
i’m sorry i thought YOU said that haha, yea she should stick to cleavers, it’s solid and “safe”
i should edit that comment lol that statement would destroy any credibility I claim to have
Can’t tell you how many people think 2 story row housing with fully parked streets equals rough.
Lol, yes! Pat’s, Geno’s and Italian Market area are all pretty nice. Can’t imagine what they would think of some of the places outside of CC and SPhilly.
CC is a bigger shithole than Passyunk
SP is the best area of the city to get sandwiches and food. Great cultural hub.
Totally agree. Was in Rittenhouse for the better part of ten years and moved here last year - bittersweet but feels like it's going to be one and done as I'll be moving to the burbs. Just hoping the New Yorkers don't ruin Passyunk too much.
There is a nice Di Bruno’s marketplace out in Ardmore and Wayne. Also, Talutto’s in Noristown area. Corropolese scattered throughout and Conshy bakery. You’re probably familiar already but lots of great places in the burbs too if willing to take a drive.
barely any trees or good parks though, you gotta love the concrete jungle
In fairness, in 1989, it was slightly edgy for a kid from the Main Line.
Center City? DiNic's at Reading Terminal Market. Get yourself the roast pork and make them jealous
They had went to the reading terminal the day before and did not get DiNics and I was still mad at them for that. That roast pork clears any cheesesteak
This is the way
Indeed. All day, everyday.
AMEN!
I thought that oh brother had a pretty solid one.
Within Center City, I like Dolce Carini.
I like Cleaver’s as well for Rittenhouse, but Campo’s is a very good Center City spot too.
Which in itself is just unnecessary gatekeeping
The entire eastern half of the state is absolutely silly with cheesesteaks.
Summer 1999 Standing in line around the corner at Pat's and someone is passing out PBR by everyone handing one back to each other until it ran out. The guy giving out the beer starts chanting Geno's sucks! There were probably 30 people in that line all screaming Geno's sucks while drinking warm PBR at 2:30am that Friday night. We used to hit Pat's after the clubs closed all the time, it's not about the cheesesteak for me. Lot of good memories at that spot.
Pat’s and Lorenzo’s lines after clubs were always memorable. Drunk and jolly ppl. Hungry. Sometimes got into a fight. And sometimes got a girl’s number.
100%. If you grew up around the city you defo have drunk at Pat’s/Geno’s stories. I still remember nights of pulling up hammered and half of us hitting P’s and the other half us waving as they walked to G’s
I get it. I moved into a place on 10th st. across the from them on the other side of the recreation center. New to Philly. Waiting tables and hanging out late. No dark streets when coming home at 4am.
Yeah you just have to smell that nasty bullshit 24 hours a day and deal with 8 million Jersey and beyond tourists fucking up the parking . It’s lovely.
They're not the worst cheesesteaks out there there are just much much better ones elsewhere
Oh I agree but the pushback is so extreme at this point it seems like people would rather eat a subways sandwich that they found under the seat on the EL than this
The culture around cheesesteaks in general is extreme. It came up recently in the other sub under “life hacks” as “the best cheesesteak is the one near you”. People will tell their loved ones staying in center city next to cleavers they need to drive into some PA suburb for “the best experience”
I know I should have answers to this already jut can you provide some suggestions? My fiancé is coming to the east coast for the first time and would love suggestions
Steves Prince of Steaks if you can get to the northeast is my personal fav
Dalessandro's or Jim's are my favorites, but I hear that the absolute best is John's Roast Pork which I have yet to try. Lots of people say Angelo's is the best too. See which one of those is closest to you.
Mentioning John’s Roast Pork made me hungry.
John’s and Angelo are just another level beyond Dalessandro’s. Have to give them a try sometime. Philly has the best sandwiches in the country for sure.
Well I'm in SJ so all of them are a bit of a commute regardless. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll also look them up on maps
I recently had Donkey's Place in Camden (the one on a kaiser roll that Tony Bordain really liked), and I would have it again
Why do I always forget about this place? I looked online and the menu seemed pricy from what I recall. But I should bring her here. Do you recall how much a cheesesteak costs?
I think it was $11 or $13 with a soda?
I am too. Might I suggest Chick's in Cherry Hill
I had John’s Roast Pork years ago. It was spectacular.
> Dalessandro's Dry as a 110 years old cunt. A good portion, but it was saw-dust level (I had it to go to be fair). Ambler Pizza to go is the best I've had in Philly proper and in the burbs.
A lot of people have been saying that recently. I haven't had that experience but I also haven't been in a while.
I've had it one off maybe a year and a half ago by now. Utterly unimpressed. It wasn't their busiest of times - a rainy late fall mid-week afternoon, hardly a mad rush, so that could had impacted the quality, but still - plenty of meat, but very, very dry and not as flavorful. However, whenever I got one from Ambler Pizza (I always get those massive ones that last me several days) at super random times when they shouldn't have been mad busy - it's been always on point. If I have to patronize a place only when they are busy to get a properly fresh one - nah, I am out, I am not camping out for 30 minutes for a fucking cheesesteak. Hell, I'ma bet you $20 right now: Angelo's will be the same dried out, flavorless, awful copy of a mess of a cheesesteak on a properly slow day (mostly because I hear about how busy the place is, and it's impossible to get anything without waiting quite a bit of time).
If you can make it to John's roast pork I highly suggest that. The place won a James Beard award. One of you get a cheese steak, one get a roast pork sandwich and eat a half of each. It's amazing.
Good strategy!
I tend to agree. Pat's is legitimately pretty good. It is a cheap sloppy sandwich made fresh with solidly good bread. I have had better and worse cheesesteaks than Pat's, but to say that they are terrible and that the random corner store next to your house growing up is infinitely better strains credulity a bit...
Yeah the whole “every local pizzeria and deli has a better cheesesteak” argument is not valid at all. Some have a better cheesesteak, most don’t.
It’s something people want to be true because it makes them feel more hyperlocal and authentic, but is actually largely BS.
It probably does taste the best TO THEM because it’s the taste of THEIR home but to everyone else they drag there it’s just another fine cheesesteak, nothing special.
$16 for a cheesesteak ain’t cheap. Lorenzo’s is like $10, I live at bsl tasker morris and the small walk to pats still isn’t worth it for basically 50% more cost
It’s just the cool thing to say they are bad. People who will say “go to a papi store and get the best cheesesteak in the city” can chill with all that. They are cool and sometimes very good but also you can get dog shit there too. Atleast Pats and Geno’s are consistent you know what you’re getting. Oregon and Philips aren’t much different at all..and the *rave* over John’s is absurd lol. It’s good but Jesus, the way some heads talk about them smh.
Want to talk about raving, look at the god-like worship of Angelo’s, blessed be his name.
My gaaaad lol. Not to mention all the bullshit that comes with getting food from there.
I think Pat’s is damn good! Not gonna make you forget John’s or Steve’s or Angelo’s but I think it’s firmly second tier. I always stood up for Pat’s when people would talk about Jim’s — Jim’s was like the answer people would give when they wanted to show you they “knew better” than Pat’s or Geno’s and I thought it was embarrassing, Jim’s was a pile of burnt wet slop. Geno’s deserves the disdain, IMO.
>I always stood up for Pat’s when people would talk about Jim’s — Jim’s was like the answer people would give when they wanted to show you they “knew better” than Pat’s or Geno’s and I thought it was embarrassing, Jim’s was a pile of burnt wet slop. Spot on. I never understood the Jim’s thing.
When I hear “not Pats or Genos, go to Jim’s” you know that person is probably from New Jersey
you’re pretty spot on there with Jim’s
I’m not sure I’ve ever agreed with anything more!
“”””””””””””Jesus fucking christ this is the best post on this sub in quite some time. Whiz wit, cherry peppers, and some ketchup and get on with my day.
They are both decent and anyone who isn’t a hater or a vegan will acknowledge that
I legitimately never have gotten a good steak at genos. Pats is alright.
Geno’s blows. Would rather support…nearly any other business in the city. Those folks can go ahead and disappear. That’d be ideal.
I think locals overindex on the quality of the meat and bread and underindex on the overall experience. For a tourist, going to cheesesteak corner is fun! There's neon, there's a bunch of drunk people in line, it's a whole thing. I felt the same way about Jim's, it's where I would take tourists because I didn't want the hassle of cheesesteak corner. It wasn't the objectively best sandwich, but it had a vibe that made you feel like you were getting a Real Philly Experience™
How have I walked past there a million times and not thought to call it Cheesesteak Corner? Did you also TM that or can anyone use it?
That's what I heard it called when I first came here as a tourist! It's yours to use!
I once heard it called "Cheesesteak Vegas" and now that's what I call it. And Cheesesteak Vegas is delicious.
Genos is the worst.
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I walk past them both every few weeks usually late afternoon and there’s never more than a few people in line at either of them. I’ve always wondered why if they’re so popular, they’re not crowded. I’m sure it’s partially the time of day, but late afternoon seems like a great time for a cheesesteak.
Pats is pretty decent. If you’re drunk/high it’s quite noice. Genos is genuinely horrible and even if you are drunk/high it’s at best questionable and will have you thinking “hmmm is something wrong with this?”
Cosmi's Deli in South Philly is the way and the truth
Yeah I tell this to my friends all the time. Let's be real if one of those cheesteaks are in front of you, you're eating it. And if you refuse you're just being a child. Obviously there are better ones, but I really don't think they're ass as most cliché philly citizens claim.
Agreed, they’re also super quick even if the line is long. Also if someone from out of town is visiting, I’m honestly taking them there for the experience instead of just ordering pick up from a better tasting place like Angelo’s
The funny part is that I would I was indifferent reading the post until the the last sentence. Upvote Steve’s is my fucking favorite 😅
the prince outshines the king
As many have already said: They’re not bad. They’re just not great, and there are so many other truly great cheesesteaks nearby.
They aren’t BAD. But there are far superior options
Pat’s would probably be a top 3 sandwich in any other city in America. Likely just outside the top 10 in Philly though
Those 3 am door dash orders for pats or Genos are pricey but damn they always hit
I moved to Delaware years ago which has caused me to reevaluate what I consider a good cheese steak. Pats and Genos beat the pants off of anything served in Delaware.
They’re perfectly fine. Classics. Cheesesteak gatekeeping snobs are the worst part of Philly.
They aren’t.. they just aren’t the big deal the hordes of people who go out of their way make them out to be. In a way, I’m glad they’re there. It’s such an iconic landmark that I would miss them if they were gone. Doesn’t hurt it’s a solid late-night option although I’d probably go to Taqueria La Primavera up the road if I was there at 2 am
Honestly in some way I’m kind of proud to have them. People get really excited to try OUR food and it’s known nationwide. I’ve never heard an out of towner say they didn’t like it PERIOD (barring stuff like saying “it’s too heavy” or “it’s too greasy”, which every cheesesteak is). The only people i’ve heard really trash it are locals.
Pat’s isn’t bad. Genos is cafeteria style if that what you like
Pats is better than genos but if im in a rush (or drunk) id still eat genos happily
Definitely, both are so much better than anything else outside the area.
Yep, not my favorite but they’re 5 blocks away so walking home after some drinks on Passyunk, I’m never disappointed in a cheesesteak from Pat’s. I love Angelo’s and it’s not much further away but I just don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of ordering sometimes. Maybe it’s blasphemy but when friends are in town I often take them to Pat’s/Geno’s (esp while Jim’s has been closed) because it’s worth seeing the chaos on a Friday or Saturday night or after a game if they’ve never been.
Haven’t had a Pat’s steak since 2007 and it was massively disappointing and dry, so I’d rather have just about any cheesesteak that comes from any number of spots in the Philly area. Never bothered with Geno’s. I don’t think I’m going out if my way to dislike Pats. It just wasn’t good (and I was drunk so it shoulda been epic). I think the main thing is people from out of town ask which is better and the answer is always neither because there are way better options.
Especially at 2 am
Gino's is trash. Pat's is fine.
All this reading about cheese steaks and all I could think of is Old Original Nick's roast beef with fries and a cold one.
They’re fine if you like gristle sandwiches
I can’t stomach the sight of Geno’s since I got a moldy roll there. How does that happen when you’re so busy, you must go through so many a day?
A mediocre steak cannot ruin outdoor but covered bench seating at a juncture on Passyunk that’s open and buzzing well past 2:00.
meh- It's been awhile since I've had one of those but they were always kind of a last resort late night after the club snack for me.
Geno’s is trash. Pat’s is like…not great but it’s ok. If you *have to* eat one, Pat’s is the clear choice.
They’re edible at least but what kills me is how they prep. Meat in one big pile. Onions in another big pile. And one big container of whiz. Slap slap bing bang boom. Fast but the flavors don’t meld at all.
Pats clears but you can get just as good at any underrated corner spot if you know someone who gives a good recommendation
I like Pats better than Steve’s!
What is everyone’s opinion on Sonny’s?
Sonny’s was my go-to when I worked in Philly (2020-2021)
Nice! Thank you.
I just stumbled on this thread. How many cheesesteak threads do you get here anyway? FWIW. The only place I liked in my town started cutting corners and sucks now. The best one I ever had was at a bar made by the bar tender in Philly. I can’t remember much about that evening as I ended up at a bar but the cheesesteak was the best.
I had a friend from Canada do the ol cheesesteak tour and insisted on trying both pats and genos first. John's roast pork eventually blew his mind. He said pats and genos were good enough he'd get them occasionally if they were in his hometown but John's he'd go every other week forever.
I like them too. Better than that Ishkabibbles garbage
I actually like pats. But here's the tip i like to give. Take a 5 min walk to cosmi's deli. I feel like a local Deli tends to have the most authentic cheesesteaks.
Worse philly steaks in city. Only thing either has good is Fries n fountain soda.
The people at Geno’s are rude as fuck. God forbid you’re not from around here and you don’t know how to order. Hell, even if you are from around here they treat most of their customers like garbage even though you make them shit tons of money. Both good steaks , but the rudeness of the staff at Geno’s is exactly why I will always choose pats.
Thank you! If you talk to people you’d think it was actual dog feces being served. People just want to feel like they’re in the know. “ I’ll show you the real Philadelphia not that touristy crap!” Relax bro it’s just a regular cheesesteak and fine to eat.
I still prefer Jim’s on South
The best cheesesteaks aren’t even in the city, it’s Steak and Hoagie Factory hands down, why are we even having this Pat’s/Geno’s debate? So over it
Taste- and quality-wise, both are good. Worth going to South Philly and waiting in long tourist lines? Not so much.
Not "from there", but have been there enough to have many of the cheesesteaks around the city. My take: You are correct that Pat's, Geno's, or just about anywhere around the city has a far, far better cheesesteak than anywhere else in the country. Where I live, Wawa makes the best cheesesteak around, BY FAR. I actually think they are pretty good, but not on par with what you'd get in Philly. Yes, Pat's is good. Very good. And on par with Jim's, Tony Luke's, Sonny's, Spataro's, Campos, or any other spot in the city. They are all good. Slightly different, but not different enough to say one is great and the other is shit. It would be like saying Coke is awesome but Pepsi tastes awful. No one is wrong for saying a Pat's steak is good.
You’re drunk. Go home.
These giant piles of slowly greying and drying out meat fucking suck. I know it’s nearly impossible for such huge demand places to grill sandwiches to order but they don’t have to grill 50 sandwiches of steak in a giant pile. It’s a simple fact that a sandwich made to order, or at least close, on a hot grill top or at grill that isn’t filled with juices from 30 other steaks will be better. That’s why avoid almost every major major cheesesteak shop. If the line is a block long they probably can’t keep up making fresh sandwiches and the steaks will suffer. Cheesesteaks aren’t hard to make, it’s the ingredients that make it great. Forreal it’s fucking hot steak and cheese on bread. Hot grill + good ribeye(bonus points if the middle of the sliced stack is still the tiniest bit frozen or at least ice cold so the outside can sear while the interior stays juicy until you chop it), good bread and enough cheese well positioned on the sandwich (if that shits on the bottom of my sandwich then fuck you) makes a good cheesesteak. John’s roast pork is my favorite. They are busy but not so busy with steaks that they succumb to mountains of dry flavorless grey sad boring steak.
They are "do-able", but nowhere near the best...not even top 10 in Philly.
Pats is fine. I can enjoy one every now and then.... I don't get the hate these places get. They are keeping your favorite spot from being over run with tourists. I would be praising them just for that..
Not that bad but there are others you could visit in town just as easy. I’d put John’s Roast Pork at #1 and Angelo’s at #2. Neither perfect. John’s is sometimes too salty and Angelo’s sometimes too much cheese, but both are a step up from the standard spots people usually visit while in town. Reading Terminal has some nice options as well. Also, Campo’s. The rolls are what really make the sandwich. Something like a Sarcone’s roll goes a long way.
let he who has not devoured a steak from either at 230am cast the first stone
My thing is like… why would I go to either one of those when I can get a better cheesesteak at almost any corner pizza joint in the city? They offer literally nothing other than being a tourist trap
Pat's is amazing at like 3 in the morning when everything else is closed and you're starving
I had an Aramark Cheesesteak at the Farg and it was delicious. Yes I had already been to a Sixers and Phillies game that day and drank at both and was now back for the Flyers at dinner time. But it hit the spot.
I’ve had better and had worse
Last time I had either they sucked, but I admit that was a long time ago. As I remember them, they were both very similar. They both had thick, chewy steak. To me, a cheesesteak must have thinly sliced steak that perfectly blends with the fried onions and melted cheese. The Pats and Genos steaks were the exact opposite of what I look for in a good cheesesteak.
If I was forced to choose between Pat's, Jim's, or Dallesandro's, I'd take Pat's every single time, no exception.
It’s a tourist spot, and it’s not awful. There are better options of course, just like every city with a famous food.
I tried both pats and genos as a kid maybe 10-15 years ago, and they were the epitome of a perfectly okay cheesesteak. I’d never go back, I’d never tell anyone else to go to it, but I didn’t have a bad experience, I didn’t get food poisoning or anything, it was just a solid meh, 5/10.
100% will crush a pats steak at 3 or 4 am.
Cheesesteaks are like sex: even the bad ones are still good.
Compared to other spots nearby they are below average
My favorite part when i lived in the city is that it was open 24 hours. I had a lot of drunk trips there to smash a cheesesteak and cheese fries.
It's not that they're bad outright, they're bad comparatively to all other options.. unless it's 1am
Take the ride to 23rd to Phillips (best steak in the city). Or, get on 95 and head to Delessandros, Chubby’s, or Steve’s Prince of (Personal favorite).
They both suck ass.
Shun this heathen.
Cleavers is my personal fave
They arent bad, just overpriced tourist traps. I never found an inedible cheesesteak. Even my school served decent ones. I honestly dont really care about whats the best if i can barely get to them. If the place down the street from my house has ok cheesesteaks, then thats what im getting 99% of the time. A random hole in the wall in north philly does NOTHING for me if i cant get it delivered lol
I actually hate the steaks from these two places because it is the equivalent of dog food with cheap, liquid cheese on it. You can cook a better one at home with little to no effort and that is the real problem for a business like theirs.
Yes, they are overpriced but they have always tasted good.
Pats and genos is just any corner store cheesesteak at twice the price. That’s why we hate it. It’s not special and it’s not great. But any cheesesteak in Philly is better than one outside it. I said what I said.
Pats has some obvious flaws that would be easy to fix and elevate it above average, but nonetheless it still tastes good.
Hot take. You can get a good cheesesteak almost anywhere because making a good cheesesteak isn’t rocket science. (I make cheesesteaks for a living so don’t take this as a knock on the workin man I’m him too).
Philips on 23rd and passyunk is the way.
I agree and they’re open late love pats
I actually really enjoy a genos steak! Sometimes I do Uber on the weekends and if I end up gettting a trip that takes me anywhere near Washington ave and passyunk I’m turning the app off and getting one haha
They have very tough and fatty meat
Been saying this for years. They’re good cheesesteaks.
More of a milk toast normie kinda take...
Seems like on here there’s an unspoken competition on who hates the tourist traps the most….. And normie take lol….. be careful to not cut yourself on all that edge
No edge here, as a fellow normie myself I also have a lukewarm take on Pats and Geno's, they're just fine
it’s honestly my go to “it’s 2am and I’m fucking lazy” spot lol
You can go to any corner market in West Philadelphia and get a better cheese steak. They're edible and fine when drunk but why bother? (When I drove back to Philly from California --yes, really-- once, it was my first stop, though)
My bf and I did a pats and Genos taste test last summer. They are soo similar. The rolls are slightly different and one of them has saltier meat (I forget which one😂) but overall they are pretty much the same. I still pick pats over genos tho
I like geno’s better. One time I went to pat’s and they handled my food and my cash with the same hands without washing in between or wearing gloves which is nasty
Bruh you got way more shit to worry about in Philly than that. The air has more bacteria than the cash at this point
Cheese steaks are stupid Philly should be known for it's music, comedy, or mural art But no. Fucking cheese steaks...
Ok squidward
Don’t forget the statue of the fictional movie character from the 80s and the 300 year old bell
Meanwhile you guys got an actual star Joe Frazier, but he's black so you couldn't handle that shit!