Doesn't Recommend

mass1000

Joined 5 years ago

Over rated Philly cheese steak. I am visiting Philadelphia from Miami with high expectation on Philly Cheese steak. Pat’s place was busy as usual with tourists like myself (holding a camera) here is my take on the cheese steak:

1. Bread: was kind of hard not as fresh as it should have been.

2. Steak: they cook the steak halfway in advance and they pile them up so steam would finish the cooking. (if you like a tasteless steak mainly due to steam cooking, then this is the steak for you).

3. Mushroom: they take the mushroom right out of a jar at room temperature and added to your sandwich at your request.

4. Green Pepper: they take the green pepper right out of a jar at room temperature and added to your sandwich at your request.

5. Cheese: they take the cheesewhiz right out of a jar at room temperature and added to your sandwich at your request.

6. You order your cheese steak and pay for it and pick it up in less than 15 second, then you have to make another line in a different window to order your fries and drink, while your room temperature sandwich is getting colder while you are waiting for your fries and drink.

Pat’s motto is to serve as fast as they can…quantity vs quality I would not recommend to eat at the Pat’s, just go and take your photos if you must…

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johnbb098

Joined 4 years ago

Pats or Pizzi. Pats steaks are ok. There are many little places here and there that have good steaks. I would also try Pizzi on 6th and oregon. Their Fatty Cheese steaks are great.

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JamJam123

Joined 4 years ago

Not that great... steaks were hard and made my jaws "tired". This maybe where Cheesesteak was borned, but it is really not that great to me. The steaks were "hard" , my jaw is tired after eating it! The bun is really just ok and I definitely ate better ones in other places. I am not a big cheesesteak eater and I don't eat a lot of them either, but if it doesn't impress me, how can it impress other "professional" cheesesteak eaters? I just don't get it...

Doesn't Recommend

HockeyFan16

Joined 5 years ago

Go Elsewhere. Pat's, in my opinion, is a tourist trap. As a local, I know many other places where the cheesesteak is MUCH better. Pat's might have invented the cheesesteak, but you can't rest on your laurels. My words of advice: GO ELSEWHERE!

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Babsthefirst

Joined 5 years ago

It doesn't get much better!. As always they wow me with the best cheesteaks ever!

I have tried all the competition and really this is the best by far!

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ridesdeepsnow77

Joined 5 years ago

Pat's steaks is KING in philly. Pat's is by far the best, the longest running cheese steak place in America. There are no fancy low class neon lights trying to be like Las Vegas, just good people making something so good it has spawned imitators. The island between 3 different streets is a haven of a truly Philadelphian treat

Doesn't Recommend

jafcot

Joined 5 years ago

Pats and Geno's Worst in Philadelphia. I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.........some people even like spam. However, anyone that knows cheesesteaks and general good food knows Pats and Genos are the worst cheesesteaks. They live on a reputation that has long since past. It is evident when local Philadelphia magazines or radio stations do their best cheesesteak ratings periodically. These two are never even in the top 20 establishments. The two best are proberly Steves Prince of Steaks and John's which almost always win local Philly media accolades by readers and listeners. There are dozens of places better than Pats and Genos. Pats and Genos cater to uninformed tourists, Saturday night drunks, and people who love fatty stringy, meat. Nobody is hating folks...........its just the truth.

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BBliggity

Joined 5 years ago

The REAL cheesesteak...others are a steak steak sandwich!. Don't get me wrong, times change, the economy changes, and their prices from their vendors that they get their product from change...so, the cheesesteaks have changed in quality a little over the years. However, both Pat's and Geno's are the only places that I want a cheesesteak from! Granted, they differ a little from each other, but...the only difference that matters to me is how long the line at either is, and I go with which is shorter. Geno's seems to be a little more in tuned with each other, and their line seems to go a little quicker...but, either is fine with me! Most others don't even carry CheeseWiz, and that's a sin in the cheesesteak world. Greasy is the way I like it, it's the way my father and grandfather liked it, and it will be the way my kids will like it when that time comes. Provolone?! American?! Steak Sandwich is what we call that! Wiz wit or go home! Every Eagles and Flyers game, I go and get them for my parties, and nothing else will be accepted in my house...NOTHING! Unhealthy?! Get up and go to the gym every now and then you lazy people! You don't have to eat horribly everyday, but if you're gonna do it...MAKE IT COUNT! If you're gonna go anywhere else, you may as well go to Florida to get a "Philly Cheesesteak"...LOL! Garbage...seriously! Don't get me wrong... I'm sure the sandwiches are good, but it's not a Philly Cheesesteak unless it comes from Pat's or Geno's...period. Also, the whole thing about Geno's and people only ordering in English...Geno's has MY support! You don't have to agree, and that's one of the great things about individuality. I just believe that when someone comes to this country, we shouldn't have to cater to them. It doesn't happen for me when I go to Costa Rica, Mexico, Germany, or France...so, it shouldn't happen here either. How hard is it to say "wiz wit" anyways?! Even if they chop it up, the person taking the order will know...

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Vincepapale

Joined 5 years ago

Pat Kills Geno's (No Comparison). For 30 years I wanted to go to Philly & find the best Cheese Steak. Finally making it there this spring, myself and a coworker decided to visit the 3 most popular haunts in walking distance from our hotel downtown. We decided to hike to Geno's, Pat's and Jim's.

Geno's was first & we were so disappointed in the steak!!! It was dry - too much bread & it just had little flavor. The locals I asked told us & I must confirm that the price is way too much for what you get. I will say the meat was lean (& sliced), but I can get a better Philly in Denver, CO than at Geno's. My co-worker had the exact same impression.

I admire Geno's for their publicity of cops' causes, but I got to wonder if that is more for their own publicity than for the cops. This has nothing to do with the taste test (as I had already had my steak), but it was offensive none the less: Geno's will give out free bumper stickers (1 per customer the sign says), espousing their latest publicity on ordering in English. I saw a fellow in front of me get 5-10 of them. So I asked for 1. The employee turned & asked an old guy (I think it was Joey), if he had any stickers to give out - pointing to me. I guess I didn't look South Philly enough, cause he said "nah, we're out."

Very classy Joey!!! I'll just make sure that everyone knows my opinion of Geno's. Since I work in the travel industry, I'll make sure to tell folks where to steer clear in Philly.

As for the rest of the Steak trip - the next two were a quantum leap!

After Geno's we go across the street to Pat's. The employee greets us with a big smile & takes our order. Oh man - night & day! Pat's was HUGE! They piled it on & yes this is what I was expecting in a steak in SO Philly. Outstanding.

After some serious walking, I worked up enough room to venture to Jim's at South & 4th. While not as big as Pat's - it had a certain flavor that just beat out Pat's.

Locals say Gooey Louie's (huge & meaty) & Tony Luke's are the best.

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bmklaver

Joined 5 years ago

To Each His Own. Not from Philly, I diligently tried to get an overall consensus of the best place for a Philly from locals. Our first trip to the city, we were told to go to Jim?s Steaks. From all the celebrity photos, I got the impression they know what they are doing so my opinion doesn?t matter much. However, I wasn?t overwhelmed by the product. The meat was chopped up (which seems to be a debate on this preparation as being ?true Philly? or not), it was not greasy (kind of dry in fact), and lacked something (I added salt). The onions were great and the bread was fantastic. I ordered with provolone as I heard that was the way locals ordered it. Probably mostly Italians since we were in South Philly. Good sandwich but nothing to stand in line for in my opinion. Our second trip we stopped at Pat?s on the way to the airport. I ordered with onions and this time wit whiz. The meat was not chopped finely so now I was confused about how a real Philly steak should look. Concerned that I would be biting into a chewy greasy mess like the ones I could get at TGI Fridays, I was not disappointed. The meat was very tender and juicy. The mixture of whiz and the juices from meat and onions was fantastic. I thought the whiz was going to be thick, salty and just plain sick. Maybe that?s why the meat at Jim?s was not salted in preparation to get whizzed on. Anyway, I thought it was great. Lot?s of meat and bread must have been good because I downed it in 5 minutes. Next time we are going to Geno?s and maybe Tony Luke?s as seen on the Food Network in Bobby Flay?s Throwdown. Any suggestions on where to try is welcome. Also want to try a real Philly Hoagie.