Jim's Steaks

The boys from MeatSpin took a journey to try one of Philly's most famous cheesesteak eateries, Jim's. Jim's offers locations in Springfield, Northeast and West Philadelphia but most notable branch is in the heart of South Street.  The cheesesteak itself was solid with available, yet drastically underused, cheese whiz.  The amount of steak provided was respectable and the overall quality of the roll and steak were slightly above average.  Jim's, however, doesn't give off that same atmosphere that you're at a legendary spot like a Pat's or Geno's does. Despite us visiting at a relatively uncrowded time, service was slower than we would have liked and the seating was limited and crammed.

MeatSpin Rating: 7.5/10

Pros: Good quality of roll and meat, great location

Cons: Limited usage of Cheese Whiz, crammed seating, slower service

Tony Luke's

The messiest cheesesteak yet happened to be one of the tastiest cheesesteaks that we at MeatSpin have tried. With every steak comes a generous helping of cheese whiz that compliments the steak perfectly. Also, Tony Luke's uses noticeably higher quality bread to make their cheesesteaks. However, there were some downsides to this eatery. After waiting in a long line of customers, It took a full ten minutes for them to get our cheesesteaks ready compared to the mere 10-20 seconds that we waited at Pat's and Geno's. Tony Luke's location in South Philly is nothing special as it practically sits under a bridge and looks onto the busy Oregon Avenue. However, the delicious-tasting cheesesteaks do make up for these downsides.

MeatSpin Rating: 8/10

Pros: Absolutely delicious cheesesteak, great meat used, perfect amount of cheese whiz
Cons: Very long wait, not a great location

Pat's Steaks

Just across the street from Geno's Steaks, Pat's delivers great tasting cheesesteaks with incredibly fast service. It has the same atmosphere as Geno's because of the outdoor seating and more touristy feel. The meat used in the steaks is shredded and very good, but not as good as its rival. The meat was noticeably undercooked but overall with the bread and cheese whiz it was an excellent cheesesteak. So next time you are making the tough decision between Pat's and Geno's, we at MeatSpin recommend getting your steak from Geno's.

MeatSpin Rating: 8.5/10

Pros: Incredibly fast service, great location in South Philly
Cons: Bad attidude from employees, not as tasty as their rival across the street, Geno's

Geno's Steaks

Today the good fellows from MeatSpin took a trip to Ninth Street and Passyunk to visit the legendary Geno's Steaks. With it's bright orange building and controversial reputation for only allowing customers to order in English, Geno's Steaks is likely the most well known cheesesteak eatery in Philadelphia. Given it's reputation we had high expectations for the quality of the cheesesteak and were not disappointed. The meat and roll are second to none and the steak is wrapped up and ready to be devoured in less than thirty seconds from the time it is ordered. Perhaps the most notable aspect of a Geno's cheesesteak is their "cheese whiz;" a melted cheese poured on top of the cheesesteak adding an extra element not offered at many establishments.

MeatSpin rating: 9.5/10

Pros: Cheese whiz is an excellent addition that should be available at all cheesesteak eateries, Great atmosphere in the heart of south philadelphia, highest overall quality of cheesesteak yet.
Cons: $9:00 for a single cheesesteak is the most expensive we have encountered, limited drink selection (fountain drinks only)

Chubby's Steaks

Although it was a good cheesesteak, Chubby's steaks are nothing special. They use good meat but do not offer cheese whiz, which I believe is a must-have for any cheesesteak eatery. The employees were friendly but they do not make the cheesesteak as fast as other places we have visited. It is located nearby Dalessandro's Steaks in Manayunk and is less expensive than many of the other places that we visited at $7.00 per cheesesteak.

MeatSpin rating: 6/10

Pros: Less expensive than others

Cons: Do not offer cheese whiz, bad atmosphere, nothing special about their cheesesteaks

Dalessandro's Steaks

Located conveniently on the border of Manayunk and Roxborough, Delassandro's was a solid beginning to our Cheesesteak review adventure.  The service is fast paced with friendly employees working hard to keep a smaller establishment moving.  Delassandro's might not offer much like french fries or a beautiful setting but they more than make up for it with their generous amount of meat and cheese. Peppers, onions and ketchup are also available and applied by the cooks before handing you your steak in a classic tinfoil rap. Seating is limited and uncomfortable and on a rainy day Delassandro's is even more crowded without the uncovered outdoor tables. 

MeatSpin Rating: 6.5/10

Pros: Great quality of meat used in the cheesesteak, friendly, fast service

Cons: Limited seating, limited options other than cheesesteak