Philly Cheese Steak?

[whiner]

I'm having a serious craving. I feel like this topic has been done before but my search didn't find the thread I was looking for.

Any ideas for Philly cheese steak in SF proper?

[gordon wing]

You'll have to do some reading but this thread has some names and opinions ........
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5824...
It's an older thread ....... check to see if these establishments are still open.

[vulber]

The Cheesesteak Shop is probably the closest you'll coem to replicating the traditional Philly Cheesesteak. Obviously not as good as what you'll get in Philly, but good enough to satisfy the craving.

However, while not entirely "authentic", i REALLY enjoy the cheesesteak at Phat Philly - it has a much "cleaner" taste to it as the quality of beef used is top-notch and they dont' need to do a ton of stuff to manipulate the taste of it.

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Phat Philly
3388 24th St, San Francisco, CA

[osho]

I did not like anything I ate at Phat Philly - Cheesesteak and another beef sandwich that I had. Is Buster's in North Beach the real deal ? They don't seem to have a very encouraging health score.

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Phat Philly
3388 24th St, San Francisco, CA

[wolfe]

"They don't seem to have a very encouraging health score."
Are you sure that is not a positive for Philly cheesesteaks?

[wolfe]

This recent comment is on the link to Buster's on Columbus.
Real Philly cheesesteaks

I lived in Philly for 5 years and in the 12 years since this is the only place that can match up to a real Philly cheesesteak. One wit wiz and fried onions

[vulber]

Thrill of the Grill on Valencia claims to be a new location of Buster's in the Mission, but the cheesesteak there sure isn't anything special. I guess I'll have to try Buster's.

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Thrill of the Grill
535 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[jackiedoo]

Right on for Busters! I lived by this place for a bit and ate there all the time. Super yumm!

[chris1667]

Adding link Buster's Cheesesteak

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Buster's Cheesesteak
366 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[jessijessi]

Bump Buster's!

[whiner]

Follow up...

I've had the classic w/ provolone and the classic with peppers and the cheddar-beer sauce at Phat Philly. Neither were outstanding, but both were quite good. Recommended. Now I just wish they would open one in Russian Hill... :-(

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Phat Philly
3388 24th St, San Francisco, CA

[bbulkow]

Did you try the Cheesesteak Shop? That's the only place that really scratches my cheesesteak itch around here. Something about the bread, and the hot and sweet. I'm not a whiz guy.

[wanderlust21]

I second the Cheesesteak Shop recommendation.

Jake's is also o.k., though I like their waffle fries with whiz better than their sandwich. Phat Philly doesn't do it for me b/c the flavor is too clean -- not juicy, fatty and well seasoned enough for my tastes, but their Italian beef sandwich is worth trying.

[Robert Lauriston]

Has the Cheese Steak Shop kept the quality consistent as it has expanded to 25 locations?

http://www.cheesesteakshop.com/locati...

[wanderlust21]

I've tried three locations including the one on Lake Shore in Oakland. I like the one on Divisidero which I believe is the original.

[JackPoint]

I've eaten at pretty far flung outlets: San Ramon, Pleasanton, Divisadero near UCSF Medical Campus, Sunnyvale, off the top of my head. Quality seems reasonably consistent as far as meat quality, rolls, and cooking, but I've never understood why it seems to take three times longer to get a cheesesteak at a CS than at other places. I've ended up eating there as much as I have even though I think it is merely above average, because it beats a lot of fast food choices or unknowns, and I expect consistent quality, But I don't expect good or fast service or an overall wonderful experience. I'd say that's better than most when it comes to a chain, even a small one. Would I choose a CS over a Buckhorn or a quality BBQ place, if I just wanted meat I could chew and not specifically a cheesesteak? Probably not. Has CS disappointed me? As previously noted, as long I stuck to a classic cheesesteak and did not go for variations, no, I haven't been disappointed. Pretty good and a pretty good value.

[chris1667]

Mapping it.
Cheese Steak Shop

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Cheese Steak Shop
1716 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94115

[JackPoint]

I spent part of my college years in the Philly suburbs, and I was hooked then and need my regular cheesesteak fix. Not only in SF proper, but in the Bay Area overall, the best cheesesteak I've had is at Burger Meister, and of course, they also make a damn good burger. They have locations in Cole Valley, the Castro, North Beach, and in Westlake Village in Daly City. I also give high marks to the San Carlos cheesesteak competitors, Jersey Joe's and The Refuge, and a shout-out to the unusual BBQ version at Gorilla BBQ in Pacifica. The Cheesesteak Shop is OK, but stick to the original and avoid the variations.

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Burger Meister
507 Westlake Ctr, Daly City, CA 94015

[majordanby]

they also have a shop in berkeley on shattuck, downtown.

[Ruth Lafler]

There's also a Burger Meister in Alameda, which seems to be a hotbed of Philly Cheesesteak activity (it also has a Cheesesteak Shop and a place called "Yo Philly" -- all close enough together to do a "crawl").

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Yo! Philly's
1234 Park St, Alameda, CA 94501

[nerdigrrl]

Yo Philly's imports its bread and has Little Debbie's snack cakes. Their sammies are much better than the Cheesesteak Shop.

[herbjaff]

I was born and raised in Philly. Weaned on Pats and Geno's. The only thing close is the original @ The Cheese Steak on Divasadero. They fly in Amoroso rolls, carry Wise potato chips and Tasty Cakes.
What are "Little Debbie's snack cakes"? They sure aren't from Philly!
Get "cheese wit"

[SunsetKid]

Just don't order your cheesesteak with Swiss like John Kerry did.

[jeffreak]

I like the one at Showdogs

[tobze]

I prefer Jake's Steaks over The Cheesesteak Shop (on Divisadero) and Buster's, though I haven't tried Phat Philly yet (nor Pat's/Geno's, so I can't attest to "authenticity", just tastiness).

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Jake's Steaks
3301 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Phat Philly
3388 24th St, San Francisco, CA

[Dick A.]

Try them out. Don makes a mean cheese steak!

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Jersey Joe's Hoagies
21 El Camino Real, San Carlos, CA 94070

[theomordha]

Whiner, I think you are going to be really unhappy with what passes for a cheesesteak in Calfornia. I have eaten them at all of these places and none of them measure up to the standard cheesesteak and none are close to either Pat's (my preference) or Geno's. Burgers are a different story, there are many here in the City that are much better than anything in Philly.

[theomordha]

Yo Philly's in Alameda is closed as of February 1, 2011. Groupon according to the Alameda Patch, killed them.

[Pius Avocado III]

Had this place on my radar for a long time and this thread was about to finally push me over the estuary- that is a drag! Object lesson- go to the places on your list sooner rather than later!

I'd been wondering how Groupon worked, the article is worth reading:

http://alameda.patch.com/articles/too...

[drewskiSF]

wow. i didn't get the Yo Philly's one, but i've gotten others. now i'm feeling bad about using the service, though i've always gone above the coupon value

[Ruth Lafler]

I don't feel bad -- it's a voluntary, calculated risk by the business to participate in Groupon -- the money they are prepared to lose on their product should be equivalent to what they would spend on any other form of advertising or promotion. Groupon didn't put this guy out of business, his failure to take the time to understand how it worked (and, for example, put a limit on the number of groupons available), put him out of business.

[vulber]

while you're technicallly right and it was yo philly's fault, i still feel bad - it's very easy for business owners that aren't familiar with the internet to be sweet-talked into something that sounds a lot better than it is by a savvy salesperson

[Ruth Lafler]

I also feel bad, because he was doing a very chowish thing. But if his food costs were really as high as it stated in the article, the Groupon fiasco just hastened the inevitable.

[hannah]

Phillies on Geneva does a good philly cheese steak and you have the option of whiz or provolone.

[whiner]

Update: Buster's is ok for 2am snack, but not great quality. I prefer Phat Philly. I will update when I hit another one.

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Phat Philly
3388 24th St, San Francisco, CA