MOVIE

This is a short movie that we put together with highlights from a bunch of the steak places we went to...Enjoy!

Day 20: Steve's Prince of Steaks (7200 Bustleton Avenue)

Steve’s quotes:
“Don’t make a mistake and be fooled by a fake, there is only one true prince of steaks.”
“Our steaks are worthy of renown. That’s why we wear a crown”
“One bite and you’ll be a loyal subject for life”
“Cooked right before your eyes so there is no disguise”

Steve’s Prince of Steaks was founded by Steven Iliescu in 1980. His empire began on the corner of Bustleton and St Vincent in Northeast Philadelphia, where he saw his dream of becoming “The Prince” turn into a reality. In 1992, Steve’s Prince of Steaks was voted “Best Cheesesteak” by Philadelphia Magazine in its Best of Philly issue. On November 27th 1998, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to bake the “Worlds Largest Cheesesteak,” for the Guinness Book of World Records. The steak itself was 365feet long and was made by 22 local cheesesteak restaurants, all competing to be the Best of the Biggest. In the end, Steve’s Prince of Steaks was crowned the winner! With the help of his son Ross, the loyal subjects of “The Prince” have continued to grow. In 2006, The Food Network aired a show called The Hungry Detective. During this show Steve’s Prince of Steaks was highlighted as the best kept secret in Philadelphia cheesesteaks. While the name may be a not-so-subtle jab at a more famous cheesesteak shop in South Philadelphia, Steve’s mastery of the flattop grill proves that it is, in fact, a veritable contender for the throne in this the land of cheesesteaks. Steve’s has a sizable and devoted following of fans who swear the long, thin cheesesteaks that the “Prince” serves are the best in Philadelphia.

The beef is lean (fat is hand trimmed before grilling) and grilled in whole slices, not diced. Both fried and raw onions are offered — as are the standard cheeses (although there's an extra charge for provolone). When we dove into our steak we knew right away what all the critics had been talking about, this was definitely one of the best despite the long car ride. The long roll added a unique texture to the sandwich and the meat is taken off the grill when its still a little pink so that its never overcooked. Our advice...make the trip its worth it!

Meat= 4.25
Cheese= 4
Bread= 3.75
Ambiance= 4.5
TOTAL = 16.5

Day 19: Chink's Steaks (6030 Torresdale Avenue)

When you walk into this northeast Philly favorite you certainly wont be raving about the décor, however all that matters is the sandwich and these guys sure know what they are doing. Chinks has been making cheesesteaks for a million years and has been named the best by countless magazines and critics. Even the famed George Perrier proclaimed that Chink’s is the best steak he has ever had. Naturally with all this hype we had to try it. If you spend too much time inside you might get a little loopy from the strong smell of fried onions, but that didn’t stop us. We took the usual and tried out their famous milkshakes too, one word, delicious. Our steaks arrived and we began to stuff our faces. By this time in our search the smell of cheesesteaks brings a euphoric feeling of happiness to our brains, but then a terrible feeling of remorse once we finish, so today we tried to eat quick and make our review before the side effects kicked in. The meat was chopped fine and was on the thin edge of being too fine, it was tender and juicy with lots of flavor. The cheese was evenly distributed and had that little something extra, a kick shall we say, that on looks for in a great cheesesteak. Lastly the roll was very solid, no Sarcones roll here but it certainly did its job.

Meat = 4
Cheese = 4.5
Bread = 4
Ambiance = 3.5
TOTAL = 16/20

Day 18: Philly Style Pizza (11th and Sansom)

After a doctors appointment in which the doctor told us that we were doing literally one of the most unhealthy things he could imagine, Doc referred us to a so called “best kept secret” for cheesesteaks. The place, a little pizza shop across the street from Jefferson hospital. Doc claimed that they made the best in center city so we couldn’t pass up this opportunity. We arrived at this hole in the wall pizza and steak shop and found nothing short of 20 doctors all standing in line for this places “famous” cheesesteaks. Signs outside read best of Philly cheesesteaks but when we looked it up online we found that they in fact have never won the coveted award. Despite the false advertising we went in and ordered our usual. The meat was tender and very flavorful, although it was very chopped up and slightly dry. Ketchup was a must. Cheese was evenly distributed throughout and complimented but did not overpower the steak. The roll was pretty standard amoroso roll, always tasty for Philadelphians. Overall we thought that clearly compared to the hospital cafeteria this place was king but in our ratings it was more like a neglected step chilled to the cheesesteak kings we’ve tasted. Don’t get us totally wrong though, this place is great for a quick cheesesteak fix if you’re downtown and don’t have a car or feel like walking to south Philly.

Meat= 3.5
Cheese=3
Bread = 3
Ambiance = 2.5
TOTAL = 12/20

Day 17: Chubby's (Henry and Wendover)

Both of us, at this point, have grown pretty tired of the taste of cheesesteaks and it does not help that Sam had almost thrown up after his cheesesteak from Mama’s the day before. But with some of the biggest names in the realm of cheesesteaks still awaiting our review, we knew we could not stop yet. Steve’s prince of Steaks and Delasandro’s were the two biggest names left on the list. Since Chubby’s is directly across the street from Delasandro’s we felt obligated to give them a try as well. So we drove down through Manayunk until we reached the corner with the biggest cheesesteak rivalry since 9th and Passyunk. We decided to save the more well known place, Delasandro’s, for last. So we went inside Chubby’s and took a look around. It was unlike any place that we had been to on the journey. It was more of a diner than a Steak place, which hurt the ambiance. While we were waiting for a table, we had a pleasant surprise. Caitlin Louie and her mom happened to be eating at Chubby’s at the exact same time that we were there. So we joined them and placed our usual order of a cheesesteak with whiz and no onions. The fact that they had whiz was surprising and helped make up for the diner-like atmosphere in the ambiance department. By the time our steak arrived, we were starving, and started devouring it immediately. The meat was finely chopped and somewhat bland in flavor. The cheese was standard whiz. It was nothing special, but still tasty and a nice compliment to the meat. The roll was also fairly standard. It did nothing to add or subtract from the overall flavor of the sandwich. Overall the cheesesteak was good but not good enough to reach the top tier of steaks.

Meat = 3.5
Cheese = 3.75
Bread = 3.5
Ambiance = 3
Total = 13.75

Day 16: Dalessandro's Steaks (Henry and Wendover streets)

Delassandro’s Steaks and Hoagies had been a staple of the Walnut lane neighborhood for years. It has earned pretty much ever award that Philadelphia has to offer and has been called the best cheesesteak by Citysearch. With all this hype we had to add it to our list. As you enter the shop it has an old time diner feel, there is an L-shaped bar to your right with locals enjoying hoagies and steaks. Straight ahead there is a steel counter where you place your order. We got a provolone wit-out steak, no cheese whiz here. Our order took about 5-10 min due to a surplus of take-out orders. The woman behind the counter smacked two red plastic baskets with out steaks in them on the counter and with an assertive “order up” we hurried to pick up our sandwiches. The sandwich was pretty big, piled high with tons of meat. Meltes provolone lined the roll but was used sparingly compared to the amount of meat on the sandwich. The meat itself was delicious but was chopped too fine, causing it to all mush together at times. The roll was good, a hearty crust and soft inside at first glance looked to be stellar, however after a few minutes the juice from the meat soaked right through the bottom. We think Dalessandro’s comes up a bit short when stacked up against the big guns as it has been in the past, but the walnut lane and Roxborough locals will tell you that it’s the best hands down.

Meat = 3.5
Cheese = 3.75
Bread = 3.25
Ambiance = 3.5
TOTAL = 14

Day 15: Mama's (Belmont and Levering Mill)

Today before heading out we met up one of our usual guest raters, Matt Biron, and a first time guest star, Jackson Greenberg. The four of us took the short drive through the burbs to Mama’s Pizzeria, which had an unfortunate location (right next door to a cemetery) which immediately hurt the ambiance. Inside there were a few tables with chairs up on them and one customer waiting for his order. I went outside with the camera to take a few shots and upon returning, was informed by Alfonse that not only did they not serve cheese whiz, but they would not allow us to eat there. We were forced to eat our sandwiches back at Matt’s house. These were two huge penalties, as far as I was concerned, towards the ambiance. The only thing that saved Mama’s from getting a zero in the category was the colossal size of their cheese steaks. I couldn’t even finish my half of the sandwich. And that’s saying something. The roll, which was more like a loaf of Italian bread cut open and stuffed with meat, was hearty and fresh-tasting, but was not the best fit for a cheesesteak. The meat was finely chopped and plentifully stuffed into the roll. It was juicy but did not have a strong flavor. The meat was held together by huge globs of chewy, provolone cheese that dominated the taste of the sandwich. Overall, Mama’s cheesesteak did not hold up to the ones in the top tier.


Meat = 3.5
Cheese = 3
Bread = 2.75
Ambiance = 2.25
Total = 11.5

Day 14: Tony Luke's (Front and Oregon)

Tony Lukes Old Philly style sandwiches is a south Philly institution that has been producing quality steaks and sandwiches for the past 15 years. The restaurant is in the best of Philly hall of fame, and has been raved by celebrity chef bobby flay for having the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia. We drove down to Front and Oregon where we saw the steel overhang and famous red neon Tony Luke’s sign. The line went back to the street and orders were called out via microphone. We were met by a couple of friends who decided to sample the menu and order the steak Italian, a traditional cheesesteak with sharp provolone cheese, topped with homemade broccoli rabe. We stuck to our roots and got a whiz wit-out. Unlike traditional cheesesteak places that constantly have meat cooking on the grill, Tony Lukes makes their sandwiches to order so you never have overcooked meat. They also bake their own rolls fresh every day. After about a 10 min Alfonses name was called (one of the few places that can correctly pronounce it) and we sat down to eat. Red hard plastic tables line the sidewalk under a steel roof that has a glass curtain wall which pulls around in winter so you don’t shiver while enjoying your steak. The first bite was just what we expected from a place that has been named one of the top 100 restaurants in America by Gourmet magazine. The roll was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and the meat was tender and juicy. The cheese whiz was fairly standard and got absorbed right into the inner part of the roll. Overall it was a little slice of cheesesteak heaven and created a hot debate at the table for its ratings.

Meat = 4
Cheese = 3.5
Bread = 4.5
Ambiance= 4.5
TOTAL= 16.5

Day 13: Campo's (2nd and Market)

“We grew up in the food and deli business, and we learned that the most important thing we can do is to put the customer first. We work hard to give you that extra special attention you deserve, we pay close attention to the details--and the results are exceptional. When Mike says, "That's not just a sandwich, that's someone's meal! Make it great!” it comes from his heart. Our business is more than just hoagies, steaks and sandwiches. It's personal--and it shows. So when you order any of the extra special foods we make here in our Philadelphia kitchen, you'll discover that, just like Ambrose and Rose, we don't let anything leave without a little love in it.”

Campo’s is a sandwich shop located on 2nd and Market that has been serving up cheesesteaks since 1947. Upon entering, one is greeted warmly by the owner Mike Campo and his wife, a sense of family resonates throughout and the atmosphere rings true of Philadelphia despite its touristy location. Mike invited us back behind the grill and told us a little about the history of campo’s and the kind of ingredients they use. Just in case you were wondering, they use thinly sliced ribeye, kraft cheese whiz and an amoroso-esque roll. In case you’re not a fan of the whiz you can have your choice of American, provolone, sharp provolone and even Swiss cheese, a favorite by presidential nominee John Kerry when he visited Philadelphia in 2004. The steak was served in a wicker basket and was pre sliced in two. The roll was disappointing but the meat was the least greasy of any we’ve tried. The whiz was classic and delicious and on the whole the sandwich was tasty. For the first time in the entire project we had a major discrepancy on our ratings. Sam gave it a 12.75 and Alfonse rated it a 15.75. An unheard-of 3-point differential left Campo’s sitting in the middle of the pack of the cheesesteak herd.

Meat = 3.25
Cheese = 4
Bread = 3
Ambiance = 4
TOTAL = 14.25

Day 12: Sonny's Steaks (3rd and Market)

We took our daily trek through the city and ended up in the most historical and tourist filled part of Philly, Old City. As we were walking down Market Street, we were approached by a few people from Kansas who asked us how to get to Independence Hall. As I tried to hold back my laughter, Alfonse politely told them that the large brick building, surrounded by flags and people taking pictures, was the place they were looking for. We started walking again and quickly arrived at Sonny’s, a small place that blended right in with the shops around it. When we were about to enter, we overheard two friends discussing whether to go to Sonny’s or Campo’s, Sonny’s rival down the street. They both preferred Campo’s so they went there instead, but when we sat down at Sonny’s they came back in. On the inside, Sonny’s was not crowded and we were able to have a conversation with the man behind the counter about our project. He assured us that our search for the best cheesesteak ended right there. He was wrong. It wasn’t a horrible sandwich, but it did not compare with the likes of John’s and Geno’s. Every aspect of the sandwich was adequate, but nothing was extraordinary. The whiz was tasty, the meat thick, and the roll sturdy. Overall however, Sonny’s failed to escape being placed in the bottom tier.

Meat = 3
Cheese = 3.5
Bread = 3
Ambiance = 3
Total = 12.5

Day 11: Pat's King of Steaks (9th and Passyunk)

“In 1933, as the family relates the story, two brothers were working their hot dog stand when they decided to try something different for lunch. Pat Olivieri sent Harry Olivieri to the market for some inexpensive steak. The brothers thinly sliced the steak, then grilled it along with some chopped onions. The aroma attracted a cabdriver who was a regular customer; he asked to try the dish which the brothers called a steak sandwich. Pat sold him the sandwich for ten cents.Soon after the brothers started selling steak sandwiches instead of hot dogs. By 1940, they had saved enough to rent space to open a restaurant at the same spot that they had their stand. Pats Steaks was born.”

We arrived at the corner of 9th and Passyunk in the Italian market, to our left sat Geno’s Steaks owner by the controversial Joey Vento, and to our right sat Pats Steaks owned by Pat Olivieri. In a place like Philadelphia it is hard to ignore history, and that was exactly what stood in front of us. Pats, the KING of Steaks sits with no flare, no flashy lights and takes no b.s. from its customers, if you order incorrectly you get sent to the back of the line (just ask Biron). The sandwich speaks for itself, it sells itself, that is their philosophy and it has worked for 75 years. The line wrapped around the corner as usual and signs like “don’t eat a misteak” and “how to order a steak by I.M Hungry line the walls.” Originality is what Pats is all about, they started the cheesesteak revolution and now everyone else is copying them. Whether or not their sandwich is the best we certainly can conclude that the atmosphere at this Philadelphia institution is unbeatable. The sandwich sits on a similar but crispier roll than Geno’s and the steak tender and slightly more chopped up. The whiz is made by land o lakes rather than kraft and gives off a more distinct yellow color, all while being slabbed over the steak rather than on the roll. Overall there is only word than can describe it…Delicious.

Meat = 3.5
Cheese= 4
Bread= 3.75
Ambiance = 5
TOTAL = 16.25

Day 10: Geno's Steaks (9th and Passyunk)

Today we journeyed to the cheesesteak Mecca, 9th and Passyunk. This south Philly intersection is home to the first two and most famous makers of the cheesesteak, Geno’s and Pats. Since Pat’s steaks invented the cheesesteak we decided to save it for last, so today we ate at Geno’s. When you walk up to Geno’s Steaks it feels like you are in Disney world, flashing lights and hundreds of celebrities’ faces line the walls. All of this is trumped of course by the overzealous patriotism at the front window with signs like, “if you can read thank a teacher, if you can read in English thank a marine” and the classic “Speak English.” We ordered our carne con queso and sat down amid the crowds of tourists. The sandwich took about 10seconds to make and the orange cheese whiz sat atop an amoroso roll with un-chopped slices of seared rib eye thrown on. Before we delve into the logistics of the sandwich itself let us just clarify that there is something that makes a cheesesteak taste better when you are in the south Philly environment, the atmosphere at Geno’s is unbeatable whether you are a local or a tourist. Taken out of context the sandwich may be comparable to the mass of others we have tried thus far, but in its truest element it was nothing short of delicious. The meat was tender and the whiz was strong but not overpowering, both lay on a classic Philadelphia roll, which despite its softness still had solid flavor and optimal support of the meat and cheese. Overall it was a great cheesesteak and a true Philadelphia experience.

Meat = 3.75
Cheese = 4
Bread = 3.5
Ambiance = 5
TOTAL = 16.25/20

Day 9: John's Roast Pork (14 Snyder Ave.)

Today we made the long journey all the way from the Schuylkill to the Delaware River. We followed it South to Snyder Avenue where we found John’s Roast Pork. From the outside, John’s appears to be nothing more then a run down shack. However once you stepped inside you are met by dozens of patrons standing in line for either the grill (cheesesteaks) or for roast pork and beef. The walls were lined with awards rather than the usual pictures of celebrities who enjoyed the steaks. Best of philly, Maxim Magazine, the inquirers best with Craig Leban, all of these awards let us know that we were about to taste something special. And just before we ordered we saw a picture of Ben Daniels and John. We had to order a Provolone without sandwich because they didn’t serve whiz. They made a mistake and gave us American cheese by accident, but it was still pretty delicious. Luckily we had Matt Biron there too (once again) and he had a provolone sandwich, so we were able to taste it. We could almost tell by looking at the sandwich that it was going to be one of the best yet. We were not let down. The meat was tender, juicy and very flavorful. The cheese was melted well, combined perfectly with the meat, and provided a nice secondary flavor. The roll, a thick specimen, laden with sesame seeds, was very fresh and supported the abundance of meat and cheese well. Overall it was a great sandwich, good enough to catapult John’s into first place in the current standings.

Meat = 4.5
Bread = 4.5
Cheese = 4.25
Ambiance = 4.0
Total = 17.25

Day 8: Larry's Steaks (2457 N 54th st, off City Ave)

Today we drove out to the St. Josephs University campus. There we found our latest cheesesteak place, Larry’s. We walked in amongst a crowd of college kids eager to eat at a place that is “home of the belly filler” (a 2 foot long hoagie or cheesesteak). The interior walls were lined with floral wallpaper, and the same oil painting was hung in about six different places around the restaurant. We ordered our Wiz Wit-out and waited…and waited…and waited. After about 20 minutes we received our order, the meat was chopped up but not a lot, and the cheese was barely noticeable, the roll itself was tasty but flimsy. Overall the composition of the sandwich was a bit off, as the balance of meat and cheese was uneven. The cheese whiz itself was good but its absence in the sandwich crushed Larry’s dreams of being atop our list of Philly’s best cheesesteak. Do not get us wrong however, Larry’s does its job as a satisfying steak sandwich for suburbanites who can’t quite make the trip into the city.

Meat = 3
Cheese = 2.75
Bread = 3
Ambiance = 3
TOTAL = 11.75

Day 7: Jim's Steaks (4th and South)

Jims Steaks is part of the Big 3, with pats and genos and is perennially considered one of the best steaks in philly. When tourists come to philly they eat at Jims. We walked down the construction-ridden South Street past all the shops and finally arrived at the infamous Jim’s steaks. The line, as usual was out the door, as the loyal customers battled the elements just to taste the glorious combination of steak and cheese once again. When we got inside, the sights and smells assured us that the wait was going to be well worth it. The meat was being sliced right before our eyes and the grill was sizzling with meat and onions. Pictures of celebrities lined the walls and we instantly knew what made Jim’s a Philly favorite. As all the other customers, we placed our order directly to the chef and watched him make it right in front of us. We ate upstairs, looking out the window onto the bustling South Street. The meat was thick and juicy. The whiz, which was liberally spread across the roll, was standard Kraft brand, but complimented the meat quite nicely. The roll was slender, but provided adequate support for the meat and whiz. Overall the sandwich was quite tasty and catapulted itself into second place on our list.

Meat = 4
Cheese = 3.75
Bread = 3
Ambiance = 4.5
TOTAL = 15.25/20

Day 6: Lorenzo's Pizza (9th and Christian)

After a thoroughly relaxed morning at TPS we ventured out to the Italian market yet again. This time we walked 2 miles to the southwest corner of 9th and Christian where we sat down outside at Lorenzo’s Pizza. Lorenzo’s, a perennial best of Philly winner for pizza, had also won the coveted award in 2002 for their cheesesteaks. We approached the takeout window and placed our order, wiz wit-out, luckily they had whiz unlike Georges yesterday. We were invited inside by the owner to take some shots of the grill, the interior was lined with Philadelphia sports memorabilia and the sweet voice of Howard Eskin (a WIP sports radio host) accompanied the sound of sizzling meat and onions. The customers epitomized the south Philly blue collar stereo type as they sat in their construction gear downing sausage subs and pizza, in the corner sat two old time Italians playing chess and conversing in Italian, and somehow managed to talk with their hands, eat, and play all at the same time. The cheesesteak itself was prepared by slathering a layer of cheese whiz on the roll then laying the bread over the meat, a quick swipe and the sandwich appeared to be done, not so fast, once the grill master had the sandwich turned over he then lathered another layer of the gooey yellow cheese whiz atop the meat. We bit in and the meat was tender and delicious, chopped thin but not too thin. The cheese was perfectly distributed and tasty, finally the roll was standard and held the sandwich together nicely. For the first time all project we both gave the cheesesteak the same ratings in every single category. Here they are…

Meat= 4
Cheese= 3.5
Bread = 3.5
Ambiance = 4
TOTAL = 15/20

Day 5: Georges Steaks (9th and Christian)

Today we journeyed down to the Italian market and went to Georges Steaks, an old steak shop that was founded in 1936 in Deep South Philly. This year the owner decided to move it closer to the Italian market center at 9th and Christian. It sits next to Lorenzo’s pizza, a local institution for pizza and steaks (we will go there tomorrow) and has a large slogan that reads Georges steaks: “don’t divorce your wife because she can’t cook. Eat here and keep her as a pet.” The gill was loaded with roast pork, roast beef, onions, and steak and the guy manning the grill look like he was straight out of the mob. We requested our usual but were befuddled when the owner said that there was no whiz, we rebounded quickly and settled for provolone. The cheesesteak was served on a smaller than normal roll that resembled a long hot dog roll, we were skeptical at first, but after the first bite we knew that this steak could compete with the rest. The meat was juicy and chopped up, and the cheese melted in nicely. The roll despite its lackluster appearance was crisp and delicious. Overall we were shocked and really enjoyed this steak.

Meat= 4
Cheese= 3.5
Bread = 3.25
Ambiance = 3.75
TOTAL = 14.5

Day 4: Rick's Steaks (Reading Terminal Market)

Out fourth steak brought us to the tourist flooded Reading Terminal Market. We entered and immediately we were in a line (for Rick’s Steaks) that stretched all the way to the door. while waiting in line we got a chance to chat with some West Virginians who were in town for a wedding and decided to try their first Philly cheesesteak at Rick’s. We ordered the usual Whiz-without and two cokes. The meat sat on the grill in large un-chopped slabs and next to it sat a mountain of onions. The meat was simply flipped until brown and then tossed onto the Liscios Bakery bread, which had already been slathered with cheese whiz. The sandwich was served on a Styrofoam plate…and we have nothing else to say about that. The roll was crisp and flaky and the cheese whiz was better than average. Unlike our previous 3 cheesesteaks the meat was not chopped but was still sliced very thin, it was juicy but also incredibly greasy and had large pieces of fat around the edges. Overall the sandwich was enjoyable and the reading terminal atmosphere made it worthwhile.

Meat = 3.25
Cheese= 3.25
Bread=3.5
Ambiance = 3.5
TOTAL = 13.5/20

Day 3: Cosmi's Deli (8th and Dickinson)

We finished our service at 12 and were met by two familiar faces, Sam Klehr and Matt Biron. We drove down to south Philly and after a bit of a parking debacle, we arrived at Cosmi’s Deli on 8th and Dickinson. When we entered we were welcomed by the owner, a big guy named mike, who let us behind the counter to get some close up shots of the grill. He was incredibly nice and told us all about his restaurant and shared some choice words for Glenn Macnow, a Philly radio host who apparently “trashed” Cosmi’s when he did his own cheesesteak review. When we ordered our cheesesteaks we were given the choice of seeded or plain bread, along with the usual sides (cheese whiz, onions, provolone, etc.) We took our usual Whiz-Witout on the seeded roll. The Meat was chopped thin and piled high atop a thin coating of cheesewhiz which seemed watery after the moisture form the meat had sunken in. For the most part the sandwich was good, the roll was delicious and the sesame seeds kept Cosmi’s hopes alive, however the meat was a bit bland and over-watered which in turn made the standard cheesewhiz less delectable. Sam and Matt chimed in with their “guest review” (a 14/20) and Sam and I agreed.

Meat = 3
Cheese = 2.75
Bread = 4
Ambiance = 4.25
TOTAL = 14/20

Day 2: Ishkabibbles ( South St. Btwn 3rd and 4th)

Today we took a long stroll through the city and down to third and South. Twenty-two blocks later, we arrived at one of the last non-commercial treasures of South Street. After placing our usual order, we panned the camera around the restaurant and got some good footage of the process of cheese-steak making. The lines inside and outside grew larger and the cramped indoor space became more and more crowded. A film crew sat to our left and the cameraman made a sacrilegious attempt to order a cheesteak, in which he requested mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and peppers. While we were laughing to ourselves about his order, which sounded more like a Big-Mac than a cheesteak, our food was set down before us. We immediately began to chow down. The meat was chopped fine. It was tender and juicy, but not too greasy. The roll provided good support. It did what it needed to do, without distracting our pallets from the rest of the sandwich. Atop the roll and meat laid a thick layer of warm, gooey cheese whiz. The whiz far exceeded the standard that we had come to expect over our many years of cheesteak-eating, and it blended together with the meat perfectly. We left the restaurant with out bellies filled and on the long walk home we came up with our final ratings (shown below).

Meat = 4
Cheese = 4.5
Bread = 3.5
Ambiance = 4
TOTAL = 16/20

Day 1: Abner's (38th and Chestnut)

“Abner's Cheesesteaks of University City, now over 20 years old, has always been a proud supporter of university sports teams, alumni societies, community services and much more. We pride ourselves in providing customers with a true Philly food experience. Whether it be one of our famous Cheesesteaks or a fresh Garden Salad, we strive for quality and perfection in all our meals”

After a long morning of heavy lifting, We set off on a 2 mile journey to Abners steaks of south Philly. We trekked across the south street bridge and our walk ended when we reached our destination at 38th and Chestnut. Abner’s, a University city staple was just what we expected, the walls were lined with UPenn and Drexel paraphernalia, and pictures of famous patrons. We ordered a Wiz-Without, and sat down next to a group of construction workers guzzling down malt liquor. As Sam bit into the steak he was scalded by the burning hot grease that had been oozing out of the sandwich and onto his fingers. The sandwich itself was good but not spectacular, the meat was juicy but the cheese was bland and the combination of the two soaked right through the flimsy roll. Overall it was a bit disappointing for our first experience of the project, but we left the restaurant with our heads held high with hope that we would soon find our perfect cheesesteak.

Meat= 3.5
Cheese=3
Bread=2.5
Ambiance =3
TOTAL = 12/20

How We Rate The Steaks

We rated each steak on 4 different categories: Meat, Cheese, Bread, and Ambiance/Atmosphere.

Each category was out of 5, the final score out of 20.

you may see one of our ratings and think "wow they hammered these guys," just know that we chose all of these places based on the fact that they make great cheesesteaks. Our objective is to find the best of the best. For example a 13/20 is not a D-rated cheesesteak, but rather a good sandwich that simply couldn't quite cut it when stood up against the rest on our list.