Donkeys place (original) is located in Camden. It's been around a long time and has garnered a reputation thanks to the late Anthony Bourdain and the Philly-centric sitcom I've never seen called "the Goldbergs." The original location is one I've visited several times, I once even walked there after being in nearby Lourdes hospital. Walking in Camden? Gasp! Yes I survived both the hospital stay AND the walk down Haddon ave.
The original location is loaded with charm. They wisely haven't polished away the patina developed over the years. Yes, they did have the Anthony Bourdain episode playing on a loop, and they do sell "merch." But that didn't stop the place from being a true community hub: local residents mingle with tourists and hospital employees. The place was hopping at lunch time. The bar? Cheap shots and beers. Lovers of cheesesteaks, history, local color and booze should pay the place a visit.
So why did I just go ramble on about the Camden spot?
Donkeys Too in Medford frankly fails to possess almost any of the above, aside from copious "merch" for sale. What else it does have? the cheesesteaks! They are remarkably similar to those found at the original. The Kaiser rolls are fresh and must be from the same bakery. The beef is placed on the roll in long cuts, it isn't chopped up like a typical cheesesteak. The roll holds up to the grease fairly well, but I don't recommend traveling too far before consuming.
It comes wit wiz by default, I opted for provolone and found it to be superior. No frills inside, in fact all of the seating was put away and they're operating on a takeout-only basis for now.
Service was decent particularly given it was all high school aged kids working there. Much respect to them. The food didn't take too long to come out and everything was made correctly.
The steak is great and definitely different than the run of the mill. One sandwich will certainly provide satiety to any normal individual. We got fries for the hell of it with spicy ketchup, and it was indeed packing a kick! The fries weren't too soggy, they were surprisingly good and well seasoned.
Onions always seem appropriate on a steak, get those too. I figure I'll likely get agita anyway so I might as well go all out.
Be sure to bring some paper towels or wet naps. The tiny "pizzeria" style napkins provided by the shop simply do not adequately absorb the grease produced by the decadent mixture of cheese/cheese-like product (in the case of wiz) and steak (perhaps ribeye?).
I did have to heed nature's call and was a bit horrified by what I saw in the restroom. Not any worse than a random no-name gas station but not encouraging for a place preparing food. Floor was wet, soap was in short supply. They did have paper towels at least. Also, the trash can outside was overflowing. That one could be on the landlord.
Cards are accepted. Total for 2 steaks and an order of fries was $28. Certainly not cheap, but I've paid more at overrated chains like shake shack and gotten a lot less!
Parking is adequate as private lot as the adjacent storefront in the small strip mall is vacant.
Fridges had some different soft drinks including the usual Delaware valley staples like birch beer. They gave me a big paper cup at no charge to fill with water. No "water shaming" with the kiddie sized clear plastic cup like some places do it. I hate that!
While this lacks the soul of the original Donkey's Place- Medford ain't Camden after all - the product you come here for is very good. I recommend stopping by if you're ever in the Medford/Marlton/western beginnings of the pine barrens area to see what the hype is about. Be ready to consume it in your vehicle. Pack napkins, your appetite and digestive aids of choice. read more