Pat's Steaks

[jberendzen]

Just got back from my first trip to Philly - really enjoyed the city. However, I have to express my disapointment with Pat's Steaks in South Philly. I'm wondering if this place is mostly a tourist trap. I got the recommendation from the Sterns Roadfood column. It's not that it was bad, it just wasn't very good. I had the steak sandwich with onions and american: my wife had it without and with provel. Both were fairly bland. The entire dinner was very expensive considering the quality - the bill came to around $30.00 for the both of us, with drinks and cheese fries. Plus, a place like this should really serve beer.

I never found the cheesesteak experience I was hoping for (had one in a bar downtown). Maybe I should have bought off the street carts?

I'm thinking my daughter will end up in School in Philly and I'll be back. I'll keep looking. Any suggestions?

thanks

[GregD]

I never go to Pat's. It's not awful, but nowhere near the best. I'd go to John's Roast Pork down on Snyder near the Delaware River (near IKEA.) Or Tony Luke's on Oregon. And I know some people are huge partisans of other places--Steve's, lots of neighborhood spots. But I literally don't know anybody who's a partisan of Pat's, except late at night and slightly drunk.

[adam]

If Pat's was good at one point, those days have passed. The meat is generally rubbery and luke warm at best. When the best part of the sandwich is the bread, something is wrong. The only time I go is when I'm showing someone from out of town around and they want to do the "double-double" which is eating a steak and fries from Pat's and Geno's (or when I'm hammered and getting back to Philly from Atlantic City at 2 a.m.). For a really good steak the previous poster's two locations are both excellent.

[Stan]

Pat's has been hit or miss lately---from simply OK to devine. Forget the American, Cheese Whiz is it. You may want to add some ketchup or the very thin hot sauce. Jim's on South, John's Roast Pork near the old Spectrum and Dalessandro's in Roxbourough all make very good cheesesteaks. Lorenzo's in the Italian Market was my latest---cheesy (whiz) and tasty.

For me, the definitive Philly sandwich is the Roast Pork Italian at Tony Luke's. Imagine thinly sliced pork in juice served on an amazing hoagie roll topped with super sharp provolone and Italian Greens (spinach or broccoli).

[ellen]

I agree with your 2 choices, Johns and Tony Lukes....(although I love the hot roast beef at Tony Lukes even better than their cheesesteaks)

I went to Johns a bunch of months ago , around 10 am, as I wanted to start off with a cheesesteak for breakfast........I remember it's a little bit off the beaten track, in a sleeper location........but yet almost across from a fairly new shopping center....(staples store was there, I think)

Johns is definitely NOT a tourist trap....and while it is close enough to center city, one would not just stumble on it.........

I loved their sesame-crusted bread on the cheesesteaks..

ellen

[Matt T.]

Pat's is OK imho but I much prefer Geno's across the street. $30 sounds a very high for what you got! Someone else recommended John's at Weccaccoe & Snyder, I second that. An excellent, if overly-cheesed, cheesesteak. They have lousy hours though. Like 7am-3:30pm M-Sat. Tony Luke's cheesesteak is good but I like John's and Geno's better. None of these places serve beer. Jim's on South St does serve beer (but no french fries!), and I believe Dalessandro's on Henry Ave in Roxborough does as well. D's is the better of these two, but very far from Center City.

[Jack]

You didn't order it with wiz. That's the problem.

[gina]

In retrospect, my Pat's cheesesteak would have been better with wiz, but the meat still would have been grisly.

I've been ordering mine with American at Sonny's, and they are awesome.

[mitch h]

Pat's has definitely gone downhill over the years, but I still enjoy one at 3 AM.

Talk of the Town on Broad Street by the sports complex is also pretty good.

Of the "commercial" or tourist cheesesteaks, nothing beats Jim's on South Street. Although I am starting to come around on Tony Luke's, it's definitely a distant second to Jim's.

And, Whiz is a must.

[Jos]

This is slightly off the original post but still cheesesteak related:

I watched the Philadelphia episode of Food Network's Dining on $40 a Day this weekend. The host claimed to have a cheesesteak and soda at Jim's for $5.13 (or some similar number), including tax. I didn't think that was possible, especially in light of the $30 dinner for two enjoyed by the original poster.

BTW: Her other dining choices were, I believe, Down Home Diner for breakfast, Shane's candies for a gift/snack, and Villa di Roma in the Market for dinner. Despite the budget cheesesteak, she missed the $40 goal by a few dollars due to a truly over priced dinner, which included a glass of chianti.

Perhaps someone (me?) should start a $40/day thread to see what other options exist. I imagine Chinatown would figure prominently.

[mitch h]

Although $5.13 sounds a little low, you definitely can walk out of Jim's for less than $7.50 for a cheesesteak and a can of soda.

BTW, the star of that show is Rachel Ray. One of my big pet peeves about that show is that she is a HORRIBLE tipper.

[ellen]

I agree with you............it bothers me that she counts the tips down to the cents.......she'll say "plus $2.13 for a tip, and we still got 32 cents leftover for the day..........

(I don't think she's gone over her $40 a day budget yet)

If I eat on my own, and the bill is $7.00 , I'll usually just leave a $10.00 bill, and be out the door..........I appreciate good service..........

[bobh]

I recognize that everthing is relative, but, leaving a 40%+ tip seems excessive.

[ellen]

I don't like Pat's steaks either! I found them too much like shoeleather.......I don't get it!

[Hojo]

Go at 3 am, when you are really drunk and really hungry and you will get it.

Pat's and Geno's are about the experience more than the food....and the grease piles up all day until that time so they are really good by then.

[KOK]

I too saw the Philly $40/day (you're right in re Shane's and Villa di Roma - missed the name of breakfast and she doesn't re-cap) and also don't see how she got away so cheap at Jim's.

While Jim's website doeasn't list prices, both Pat's and Geno's steaks START at $5.75. So unless she had as coupon, got a TV star deal, Jim's is price cutting, or the segment was very old, she couldn't have had a cheesesteak and soda (and not a fountian soda, but a Barq's) for under $6.00

Thanks,

Kevin

[JanR]

I think the segment is at least a year old. That's when I saw it.

[Hazelhurst]

For what it's worth, I have a bevy of pals up there who all swear that center city stuff ain't what it was. They refer to it as the bomb theory: the center of town is the crater where the bomb hit and outer philly and even delaware have the quality shrapnel from what was once the epicenter of cheesesteaks.

The Newtown Square mob swears by Drexel Hill Pizza's cheesesteaks. They were good when I was last there in 1492.

[Eric Brachfeld]

They ain't food.

[cbluff]

Anyone been to Mama's Pizzeria on Belmont Ave. in Cynwyd? Cheesesteaks are great. Easy to get to for you city folks (with a car).

[Susan H]

Mama's is OK if you like salt. It's the predominant flavor. I went once and never again.

[Scott]

Jim's Cheesesteaks on South Street is the way to go hands down. The place is reasonably priced...less than $10 for me to get full and I'm pushin 300lbs here.... I usually go with a Double Meat/Whiz/Double onions myself along with a nice cold coke and i can still leave a tip with a $10 bill. That plus the taste is a million times better than both Pat's and Geno's shoeleather on a bun snadwhiches.

[matt]

I ate at Pat's once in the Reading Terminal Market and had heartburn for a week.

[matt29b]

My wife and I recently went to Pat's and found it to be bad at best. Overpriced, boring, paltry, and the biggest bunch of jerks (workers) I have ever encountered. If you wan't a real cheesesteak go to Trenton.

[Philly]

Why not go to the many great places in Philly discussed on this Board since this post; which by the way is 2005? Otherwise, your recommendation is very insightful.

[TwoBellies]

I enjoy Pat's steaks and I AM from Philly. There, I said it!

[GBak504]

Pat's secret is that their cheesesteaks are at their 'peak' when sauced. (er, you sauced that is...) Loud/bad/rude service..boorish crowd (2am..) that's the schtick..that's what makes it Philly.... You want a really good cheesteak...journey on... you want a real Philly chesse steak experience..you go to Pat's...then Geno's to do the circuit....

[TwoBellies]

forgot Sarcone's to complete the Holy Trinity (I know, it's a Hoagie, but who's counting. Got to do it all in one trip!)

[kmsue]

I just had Pat's this weekend- it was 4 am (and no, I was not drunk) but it sure did fill that craving I had! I kinda wish that Ishkabibbles (sp?) was open- I have to say, they are pretty darn good too! and I love how their fries are a bit on the thin side...mmm