Visit Philly: 6 Steak Sandwiches You’ve Got To Try in Philadelphia!
02 Dec 2019
Disclosure: My transportation was covered by Visit Philly. All opinions are my own.
Lots of people seek out the famed Philly Cheesesteak sandwich upon their arrival in Philadelphia. I was no different. Only, I don’t like cheese on my sandwiches… especially that liquidy nacho cheese they put on cheesesteaks. So what’s a meat-loving guy to do? Forget the cheese, and find the best steak sandwich in Philly!
Now although I wasn’t ordering cheese on my sandwiches, where you gett these sandwiches did not change. Now finding the best steak sandwich in {hilly was my next goal.
“If you ask 10 people from Philadelphia what their favourite cheesesteak sandwich is, you’ll get ten answers.” This couldn’t have been truer on my recent trip to Philly.
So off I went on my own, and at some locations, with my travel companions, to find the best steak sandwich in Philadelphia.
6 Steak Sandwiches I Ate In Philadelphia
While this is not a list of the best cheesesteak sandwiches in Philly, it is a list of my favourite of the six steak sandwiches I tried while visiting Philadelphia.
6. Oh Brother Philly
This is a fairly new addition to the steak scene in Philadelphia. Located on Market Street in Old City, Oh Brother Philly is a very modern style restaurant, with plenty of seating inside. This restaurant was recommended by the manager at the hotel I was staying at.
This is not your typical “fast-paced cheesesteak shop”. The service is somewhat slow, but the sandwiches are pretty good. The bread is quite nice, and the steak is tasty. The meat is thinly sliced as opposed to chopped up like your traditional steak sandwich in Philadelphia. They were kind of frugal on the mushrooms and onions. Not sure if it was because it was late, but it just felt like half the amount everyone else gave in their steak sandwiches.
Location
Oh Brother Philly is located at:
206 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
Hours
Sunday to Thursday: 11:00am to 11:00pm
Friday and Saturday: 11:00am to 4:00am
5. Dinic’s
I put a callout on Twitter for people’s favourite places to eat in Philly, and Dinic’s came up twice, so I figured I had to try it.
This is not your traditional steak sandwich. It is brisket, which I love. The brisket is thinly sliced. The bun is quite nice, and packed full of tender brisket. I didn’t get onions and mushrooms, as this was the first sandwich I had in Philly, and I forgot to ask for them when I ordered. Rookie mistake!
Of all of the restaurants and booths at Reading Terminal Market, Dinic’s is one of the busiest. Be prepared for a long wait if you are there at lunchtime. Don’t worry… it’s worth it!
Location
Dinic’s is located in Reading Terminal Market at:
51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Hours
Monday to Saturday: 9:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 4:00pm
4. By George!
Also located in Reading Terminal Market, By George! is a bit of a hidden gem. It’s not in the heart of the market… it’s off to the side, close to a produce vendor. It’s good if you don’t like crowds, but enjoy a good steak sandwich like me!
The bun was pretty decent, and it was packed with tender meat. They were pretty generous with the mushrooms and onions. I must have gotten there quite early, as the onions weren’t cooked as much as I would have liked. However, it was still a really good sandwich.
Location
By George! is located in Reading Terminal Market at:
1200 Filbert St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Hours
Monday to Saturday: 8:00am to 6:00pm
Closed Sundays
3. Pat’s King of Steaks
Probably the most popular cheesesteak sandwich joint in Philly, Pat’s King of Steaks has been known to sell upwards of 6000 cheesesteak sandwiches on a busy Saturday. That is an insane amount of meat!
Fans of 1976’s Rocky may recognize Pat’s as where Rocky and loan shark Tony Gazzo had a bite to eat. There is a plaque there that says “On this spot stood Sylvester Stallone filming the great motion picture Rocky. Nov. 21, 1975”.
Well enough about Rocky, because I could talk about him all day. The steak sandwich was pretty damn good, but it was not the best I had eaten on my trip in Philly. They were very generous with the amount of meat, and the mushrooms and onions were overflowing. It was delicious! The ordering process is a bit weird. You order your steak sandwich at one window, and then order your sides and drinks at another window. So you are basically lining up twice.
Pat’s is open 24 hours, so it’s a good option if you are out at a bar and are craving something to eat after you leave. A bit of alcohol in your system might help you cope with the customer service experience. Hoping we just went on an off-night. That being said, it is a pretty decent sandwich.
Location
Pat’s King of Steaks is located at:
1237 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA
Hours
Open 24 hours
2. Geno’s Steaks
While they haven’t been around as long as Pat’s, Geno’s Steaks sure acts like they are the only steak sandwich worth trying in Philly. From the big flashy signage to the swag shop located across the street, Geno’s wants people 5 blocks away to know they are a quick walk to Philly’s best cheesesteak sandwich.
My gosh, this sandwich was fantastic! The meat was tender and juicy, and packed into a fresh bun. They loaded up the sauteed onions and mushrooms. The service was quick and friendly, and there is outside seating available.
There is a definite rivalry between Pat’s and Genos, as is evident by the battle of the signs of the two facing businesses. In my opinion, Geno’s bests Pat’s with sandwich quality and customer service.
Location
Geno’s Steaks is located at:
1219 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA
Hours
Open 24 hours
1. Jim’s Steaks
Located on South Street, Jim’s Steaks is a favourite steak sandwich destination for locals. With an exterior that looks like a 50s diner, Jim’s is a popular choice for people leaving bars, or just looking for an awesome sandwich.
The whole process is quite quick. You line up, order your sandwich, watch it get cooked right in front of you, pay for your order, find a seat upstairs, and enjoy… the best steak sandwich you will ever eat! That’s right.. This may not be the most popular tourist stop, or have been featured in one of the best movie franchises, but this sandwich is hands down the best in Philly!
WINNER WINNER, BIG STEAK SANDWICH FOR AN AWESOME LATE DINNER!
Location
Jim’s Steaks is located at:
400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA
Hours
Monday to Thursday: 10:00am to 1:00am
Friday and Saturday: 10:00am to 2:00am
Sunday: 11:00am to 1:00am
The Best Steak Sandwich in Philadelphia
Jim’s Steaks was a clear winner in my books. The fast service, and the seating area upstairs was just the cherry on top.
Have you been to Philly and had a steak sandwich? What was your favourite? What made it your favourite?
Let me know in the comments.
Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you would like me to review your product, service, restaurant, or travel destination, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca or tweet me at @BigDaddyKreativ
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. He likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and Travel Media Association of Canada. If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
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You have the best job ever!!!!
Thanks! It certainly was a fun adventure trying out all the awesome steak sandwiches in Philly! So many more places I would have loved to try.