Geno's Steaks
(215) 389-0659
1219 S Ninth St
Philadelphia,
PA
19147
39.9337
-75.1589
Neighborhoods: South Philadelphia, Bella Vista/ Southwark
Reviews & Ratings for Geno's Steaks
72 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 72 reviews
Spread the word: Geno's is NOT the best in town.
by hbronsky
September 30, 2007
I feel it is my civic duty to join in the chorus of boos.
Let's start with the food: The steak was totally dry and bland and the cheese in short supply. The only thing that kept this thing from sticking in my throat was the moisture of the onions. The bread was decent, but a cad in a nice suit is still a cad. The fries were also terrible; mushy and flavorless. And what kind of place charges full price for refills?
The service was also unpleasant. Unfriendly, unclean people who make no bones about their displeasure in serving you.
I'm inclined to think that this place survives on reputation alone. I honestly can't see anyone walking away from that place and recommending it at all, let alone claiming it to be the best in town. Maybe twenty years ago it was awesome, when Joe Votto was younger and less self-satisfied or something, but now its an unnecessarily (and absurdly) politicized vendor of over-priced cafeteria food.
The one bright spot of my visit was overhearing a spiky-haired youth in a wife-beater telling his older brother that he's TRIED to quit smoking but he just can't do it. The adolescent fatalism in his voice was priceless. World-weary and broken at only fourteen...sigh.
- Pros: People watching
- Cons: Everything else
America First
by CSMobileUser
May 19, 2009
Great Ads!!! When in America be an American, first! Stand for what our country was founded on!
Its just not a FATTY
by johnbb098
March 12, 2009
Geno's is ok but if you want a different kind of cheesesteak on a south philly sarcone roll try 6th and Oregon. Pizzi Pizza FATTYs! They are awesome.
Can you spell P-R-E-J-U-I-C-E and TERRIBLE People's Skills and not so good food
by juanitaRsecor
February 18, 2009
My first impression as I stood in line was looking at a bumper sticker saying order in english and then two other signs stating marines died so you can speak english and another one but the best sign was the plaque dedicated to a cop that honored him and then saying murdered by someone, whose name is either synomous with being black, arabic or african, you make the call. I decided to eat there despite this bc I thought well maybe the service and food will make up for the ignorance but I was THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED!!!If you are visiting and want to know what you can order besides steaks, the guy behind the window is of no help! When I got my steak sandwich, it was a two pieces of meat, a slice of provolone on the biggest piece of bread. BLAND! So I had to search for the meat and cheese inside a hard, unsoft big as hell piece of french bread or italian bread. The cheese fries were fantastic but come on, if you mess up frying potatoes and putting cheese on fries, then houston we got a problem...i wouldn't recommend geno's at all but there is a place on south street Steaks's on South Street...great steaks, nice big and juicy and tasty!! Nice service and just a place to sit and eat and grab a steak sandwich! I will go back there, me and my ethnic self!
- Pros: Cheese Fries
- Cons: Poor Service and Terrible Steak Sandwichs
Over Rated
by TheGreatFoodSeeker
February 08, 2009
Ever since Will Smith (Fresh Price of Bel-Air) had aired, I could not wait to get to Philadelphia so I could try an "Authentic" Philly Cheese Steak... you know just how Will described in on television.... ?ewie goowie with lots of cheese and artery clogging grease and stuff!? Well, I was taking my son to the 2009 Presidential inauguration so I scheduled our flight into Philly. I googled "The best Philly Cheese Steaks in Philly" and up came Geno's. It was not easy to find but thanks to GPS we finally found it. I was excited and taking photos in front of the bright orange structure; just like a tourist. There was a long line that moved rather quickly. I placed my order for two cheese steaks and paid $15 bucks for a few flat DRY meat slices (don't even know if it could be called steak!) on a hoagie with some cheese and onions. Then had to step down to another window and pay for our $3 sodas separately. My son and I actually sat outside with blowing snow to eat this gross, tasteless, hoagie with cheese and onions!!! Someone had to have been PAID to have Geno's identified as "The Best Philly Cheese Steaks!" Seriously, they had some autographed photos of celebrities posted all around the outside of their establishment (no indoor seating) as if these were all personal friends of Geno?s. Some of the photos looked as if the celeb was just being nice and posing with the guy. Very disappointed, we left and headed for DC. I was still determined to find this wonderfully ewie goowie cheese steak so on the return trip home, we visited downtown Philly where our noses were drawn to this little cart serving up some Philly Cheese Steaks. Skeptical at first, I only ordered one $4 steak. Oh it probably will never make anyone's ?best? website but by far the BEST cheese steak my virgin taste buds had ever experienced! I ended up going back for seconds! Don't know the name of the little cart, just a man making a buck, but he definitely got my vote!
- Pros: The long lines moved rather quickly.
- Cons: Flat, dry, tasteless meat on huge hoagie; outdoor seating only; limited parking; hard to find
The people working there should really "Sweeten Up"
by Machinist
January 26, 2009
Being rude and arrogant to a man and his small children is no way to run a business. I would not recommend Geno's to anyone, especially family types. The nasty and impolite service certainly reflects in the food and prices.
- Pros: None
- Cons: Not real friendly people, Not very good food.
They "No Hablo" cheesesteak
by HockeyFan16
December 14, 2008
Geno's had it's 15 minutes of fame when the whole world found out that the owner of Geno's posted a sign saying "When ordering, speak English". I have a better idea for the owner: Instead of worrying about what language a customer speaks, why don't you spend some time learning how to make a cheesesteak? This place, just like Pat's across the street from it, is simply a tourist trap. When visiting Philadelphia, ask a local where to go when you want to experience a cheesesteak. I guarantee you that you will be sent to someplace much better than Geno's (or Pat's).
- Pros: Absolutely none, unless you like rude people taking your order.
- Cons: Many, but their cheesesteak is the biggest con in town.
RIPOFF!
by JonL46
November 15, 2008
Geno's is fine when you're drunk and hungry at 3am and nothing else is open. Otherwise John's Roast Pork makes one of the best chessesteaks in the city. Anyone who tells you Geno's or Pat's is the best is either :
1. Not from Philly
2. Mentally challenged
Geno's is highly overrated. Tourist and drunks are the reason it's still open.
Huge disappointment, don't be swayed by the name and PR, go anywhere else
by rayaskew
September 25, 2008
I happened to be in Philly for a week and figured I shouldn't leave without having "a genuine Philly cheesesteak" - what a total disappointment. You can read all the other 1-star reviews below and they're pretty much spot on. Regardless of the curt service (which can sometimes be excused if the food is amazing), the sandwich was 1-star at best (almost no meat at all). After trying Geno's I walked across the street and tried Pat's. A HUGE improvement in service and the sandwich too (a TON of meat). But in general, I'm just not impressed. Either the whole Philly cheesesteak thing is blown insanely out of proportion, or these places are just completely off their game. Either way, have dinner elsewhere. Just take a look at the summary and you'll see an equal number of 1-star reviews as 5-star, which should give you a big red flag.
- Pros: None really
- Cons: No taste, no meat, no value, no clue why i came here
Expensive Dry Meat, Non-english NOT welcomed!
by nospeakenglish
August 18, 2008
What a huge dissapointment! 2.5 hour drive to eat an overpriced, tasteless with little meat and cheese, and big dry bread. The employees are rude and do not welcome non-English speakers. Geno's restaurant has signs posted all over their windows requiring people to order in English only. It has signs such as "We are in America, Speak English". They also sell "Speak English" tees for $10. Not only was it a non-welcoming feeling (for a bilingual Hispanic) to approach the cashier after waiting in a long line, similar to the ones in Disney World, but the cheese steaks weren't even the best. The place is definitely over-rated. Non-English speakers should definitely buy their steak sandwiches somewhere that accepts your order and money regardless of the language you speak. That's what customer service is really about... pleasing your customers, not pushing away your customers. By the way, who are they to request English only, when they don't even speak English. They speak Philly slang.
- Cons: Long lines, rude employees, bad service, non-english not welcomed
Don't listen to eliteists
by MrDonCheech
July 24, 2008
Do yourself a favor; try the steak from Geno's with an open mind. I'm not going to say it's my favorite in town, but I can't stand these people who put the place down.. All of these places are about the same - it's more about how you like the steak prepared.. Geno's, Pat's, Tony Luke's and my fav - Ch*nks (won't let me spell it correctly! lol - guess the PC police don't know cheesesteaks - its on Torresdale) all use sliced beef. SLIGHTLY varying quality, but all sliced into pieces. Jim's, D'Allesandro's etc chop the steak into very small pieces.. Also, some places put the cheese on the outside and some on the inside.. Now - Geno's specifically puts the cheese on the bread (it tends to be less sloppy). I like that. Anyone who tells you that the meat is poor quality and get in your car, turn on the navigation and find some obsure place - is doing you a diservice! These places all use decent meat at best - it's supposed to be that way!!! People just like to seem informed and Geno's (and Pat's) are too obvious an answer.. Another thing - what's with all this talk of "tourist trap" - did I miss something?? Is Philly suddenly the new Paris?!? tourist trap - how absurd.. Try going there after any sporting event and telling the Eagles, Phils, Flyers fans that they are tourists...
- Pros: Close to Italian market - can walk off calories
- Cons: Lines can be long
