Geno's Steaks
Bring your $8 and two simple words: Wiz Wit. For those first-time customer's to Philly's most tourist-driven steak shack, that means a cheesesteak with Cheez Wiz and onions. There is no other way to eat at Geno's. Just make sure you are ready to order when you step up to the counter. This place makes a cool $20,000 a day, and it does so in Soup Nazi type fashion. Geno's steaks are made with thinly sliced rib-eye steak, grilled onions and slathered with oozes of Cheez Wiz, but you can also get American or provolone. It is all delivered on a not-too-hard, not-too-soft oven-baked Italian roll.
Geno's Steaks
1219 S. 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 389-0659
Pat's King of Steaks
Pat's was founded in 1930--making it 36 years older than Geno's--and the owners claim to be the first and the originator of the Philly steak and cheese steak. Whether it is your favorite or not, one thing is for sure, without a Pat's there wouldn't be a cheesesteak or the line-in-the-sand steak competition in South Philly. A few paces away from the brightly lit Geno's, Pat's is a simpler setting, but delivers an equally explosive taste. Like Geno's, Pat's offers gently sliced steak but is piled higher, giving you more meat. It should be eaten relatively quickly because the cheese they use melts faster than any other in Philly. It is well worth the cram session.
Pat's King of Steaks
1237 E. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 468-1546
Jim's Steaks
Unlike the previous two stops, Jim's has four locations in the Philly area and isn't open 24/7. Jim's stays open from 10 a.m. until 3 a.m. on the weekends and closes at 1 a.m. on the weekdays. The first Jim's opened in 1939 and was the most recognizable cheesesteak in the country until the rivalry between the close-quartered Geno's and Pat's exploded later in the century, attracting out-of-towners, celebrities and presidents alike. Jim's an all-around different experience because it serves the sandwich with chopped steak instead of slices. Jim's also puts the cheese under the steak. The restaurant is inside, unlike Pat's and Geno's, and you give your order directly to the cook so you can get a first-hand approach at what you are about to gobble down.
Jim's Steals
400 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-928-1911
About The Author
Sean Quinn is a writer and editor based in New York City. He has spent the last decade covering major sporting events from the NFL playoffs to the U.S. Open. He has written for the Kansas City Star and ESPN, among others. He is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
