Best Philly Cheesesteak in Los Angeles Area???

[nd33x]

Does anyone know of a place that is anything close to the real thing???

[Hypnotic23]

Boo's is hands down the best I've hever had:

http://www.boosphillycheesesteaks.com/

4501 Fountain Ave Los Angeles, CA 90029

[phone]

[set0312]

Anybody else been to Figueroa Philly? I think it is fantastic, certainly my favorite philly cheesesteak spot I've found in California.

If you're in the downtown area (by USC specifically) it is definitely worth a shot IMO.

[JAB]

I've been twice, pretty good indeed.

[kevin]

You've been to Figueroa Philly twice or Boo's ???

Thanks.

[JAB]

Figueroa Philly. I don't think that I feel as strongly about it as set0132 but, if you're in the area.

[kevin]

Ok, cool

Yeah, I'm not usually in the area.

[Cliffyg123]

A new place in a small shack style building in the silverlake neighborhood (right by childrens hospital and behind the Vons) its called "Boo's Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies" I delivered their yesterday and since it was my last stop i bought a pepper steak with american and it was not only the best cheesesteak i have had, but maybe the best sandwich period. Its on the corner of "virgil" and "fountain" in a stand alone blue and white building/shack.

[Servorg]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/860736

[kevin]

Yep. I like it too. But it is somewhat old news in these parts.

[Skunk2Racer]

Bobs famous philly cheese steaks on Highland between Hollywood blvd and the 101 fwy it's on the north side of the street it shares space with chinese and a donut shop. I always get the Large with everything rib eye steak, grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, and provolone cheese

[Norm Man]

Another possibility for a good Philly Cheesesteak is:

Sam's Philly Steak Depot
18966 Ventura Blvd. (at Topeka)
Tarazana, CA
[phone]

Thread about Sam's Philly Steak Depot:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/326541

[LuigiOrtega]

I own Luigi Ortega's so I can't comment on my own restaurant. But, I like Lee's in Pasadena, Philly's Best, and John's Philly grill. It's the bread and how you handle it, and how you cook the steak (almost everyone uses the same quality). Haven't been to Markie D's in years, but it was perfect the last time I was there.

[SauceSupreme]

Welcome to the board. You've got some fans here.

[SIMIHOUND]

I am not finding an address anywhere on the site. Did I miss it?

[LuigiOrtega]

It's under "contact" I'm going to move it to the main page.

[popo]

DUDE, Luigi Ortega's is like my new favorite find. Absolutely great philly steak they got there! The cheesesteak is what attracted me initially, but I've actually become addicted to the pizza too. Top stuff. Got my brother to go and he is hooked too.

[Devourer]

I went to Markie D's last weekend to give it a try (Culver City location, on Washington Blvd). I got one with white american cheese (supposedly the most "authentic," but I like provolone myself) and grilled onions (hot and sweet peppers available on request... mushrooms too, probably) and an order of chili cheese fries. The bread was whitish and had a chewy texture and a bit of crisp from toasting. Meat was high quality and tasty, with a lot of grilled onions. Decent sized sandwich and a good portion of fries. Markie D's also serves pizza, which is apparently "authentic" Philly pizza, whatever that means. It looked and smelled pretty good, but I didn't get a slice.

I haven't ever had a cheesesteak in Philadelphia, so I can't comment, but I would definitely go back for this one. I am pretty much a sucker for any "philly cheesesteak," including the ones served in mall food courts, though, so YMMV. I would have a hard time choosing between Philly West and Markie D's because I also like the ones at PW.

[nosh]

Great Western served me the single worst cheesesteak I've had in L.A. -- horribly overcooked, wrong cheese and too much of it, onions burnt. Very disappointing.

My vote goes to Philly West on Westwood just south of Santa Monica Blvd. Sports bar, good reasonably-priced cheesesteak. Their char-grilled burger is served on the same roll and is excellent, too.

[cplourde]

Great Western Steak & Hoagie @ Lincoln & Superba, Venice

"2000 miles to Philadelphia, Eat Here"

This place isn't about the ambience, it's about the pepper cheese steak w/mushrooms.

[bobbyperu]

The Shack in Santa Monica (Wilshire and 26th) has a pretty darn good one - the restaurant/bar is owned by a guy from Philly, and seems to handle that kind of stuff really well. They also have a good annual trip to the Dodgers/Phillys game each year...

[Das Ubergeek]

John's Philly Grille in OC -- the one I go to is on Euclid and Katella.

[TBB3]

BIG MIKE'S in Hermosa Beach and El Segundo.

[kjs]

big mikes is in el segundo too ? since when ? where is it ? they use high quality rib eye for their steak sandwiches...not sure if it's "authentic" but it's a damn good sandwich !!!!

[kevin]

it's on main, about three blocks or so north of the police station and north of the great sandwich shop original rinaldi's also on main.

[Bones25]

Big MIkes is really great. Much, much better than Philly's best.

I cant comment on the authenticity, but it is definately the best I have ever had.

[mc michael]

It may not be the most authentic, but the cheesesteak served at lunch at the downtown Palm really tastes good.

[rockhead]

I second the Philly's Best recommendation. Unfortunately, if you don't live in the O.C., where most of their locations are, the closest branch is in Santa Clarita. Not too far from anywhere in the SFV. I've tried all the places listed above and, in my opinion, Philly's Best is the most authentic and is a bargain as well.

I wanted to love South Street as it's close to my home. The sandwich was beyond horrible, I threw 3/4 of it out, and was wayyyy overpriced.

If you're into cheesesteaks, do yourself a favor, take a bit of a drive to beautiful Magic Mountain-land and stop by Philly's Best.

[ibrndubs]

I would suggest the Over Under bar on 14th and Santa Monica in Santa Monica. It used to be called Markie D's (known for their authentic Philly's sans the Whiz)
Well the recipe hasn't changed at Over Under, its my favorite in LA.
http://www.14below.com/grill/grillhtm...

[Arthur]

Markie D's is still in existence, at the address listed in the link provided by monku above, http://www.markieds.com/ . It serves what is IMHO hands-down the best cheesesteak in LA. I started eating there more than 15 years ago when it was operating out of a food court on the Third Street Promenade (opposite the long-mourned Benitas Frites). Looking over the Over Under menu at the link ibmdubs provided, I find it hard to believe "the recipe hasn't changed." I mean, come on, a Garden Burger Philly??? (Which is not to say that Over Under is incapable of making a damn good sandwich...

)

And Markie D's will serve up the Whiz upon request.

[ibrndubs]

Mardie D's used to be connected to 14 below/acting as their grill. Markie D's only had wine and beer license while 14 below had a full bar.
I think it changed names/owners in the past 2 years but the philly cheesesteaks have remained exactly the same.

[Pesky_Humans]

Seconded. Over Under has a superb Philly Steak, although I cannot attest to its authenticity as I have never been to Philly. I was introduced to this place by a Philly ex-pat though, so that's a pretty good look.

[monku]

A highly debated subject in LA...

I like Markie D's in Culver City.
http://www.markieds.com/

Also not a Philly Cheesesteak place but Connal's in Pasadena has an excellent Philly cheese steak sandwich.
http://www.connals.com/

[Jack Flash]

The *best* offering at Connal's, IMHO, is their gyro sandwich. Actually, get the gyro plate. It includes the sandwich (a full meal in itself, really) PLUS a side salad, PLUS frings (fries & onion rings) for $6.39 (I think the sandwich by itself is $4.69, so the plate is a really good deal). Wash it down with a milkshake or flavored soda (cherry-vanilla Coke, for example).

[monku]

Told you before to check out their gyro meat. Probably the frozen pre-formed ROM stuff that most places that serve gyros sell.

[Jack Flash]

What part of town?

There's a chain called Philly's Best, which serves up the real thing (Amoroso's rolls, Cheese Whiz, sweets & hots, Tastycakes, Frank's sodas) at reasonable prices at various locations throughout the Southland.

http://www.eatphillysbest.com/

If you're in Pasadena, check out Luigi & Ortega's. Yeah, the hybrid concept gave me pause at first, but gosh darn it, they really know what they're doing at least when it comes to their steaks & hoagies. They, too, use genuine Amoroso's rolls, have Cheese Whiz, sweets & hots, and even get the cold cuts for their hoagies from back east.

http://www.luigiortegas.com/home.html

[kevin]

i'm so there. cheeze whiz awesome sweets and hots.

[tatertots]

Philly West Bar & Grill
1870 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
South of Santa Monica Blvd.

[Nicole]

I like the cheesesteaks at Philly West, but to me they taste way different from the ones I used to get back in Philly (East!). So I would say that they are pretty good, but they don't meet the OP's criterion of "close to the real thing."

[kevin]

you might want to try the Great Philly cheeseteak stand on Lincoln, right before Venice, it's a shitty little stand (if it could be even called that) with a sign that says :3000 miles to Philadelphia.

[ozzygee]

I've been to South Street and found it lacking (in meat), overpriced and overhyped.

A much better alternative is

Philadelphia Sandwiches
11112 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
[phone]

I don't know that it's the best one in LA, but who cares? It's damn good.