Pagano's is one of my favorite cheesesteak spots in Philly. Star ratings here could never really do it justice. I get the feeling that outsiders have always just viewed it as a neighborhood spot that sold darn good cheesesteaks and hoagies. To me is it better than some of the more popular touristy type cheesesteak places? Yes (looking at you Jim's, Pat's, and Geno's). Is it better than some of the very best cheesesteak spots in the City of Brotherly Love? (Ishkabibble's, D'alessandro's) It is hanging right with them. The steak is so flavorful and juicy. Seasoned just right and a lot of meat. Like among the most offered in the city that is also good. My order is "wit with wiz and provolone, add Mayo and ketchup." The cooking is perfect and watching the griddle cooks work is like watching Basquiat paint. I love the Philly straight to the point type service too. Very direct but always with respect. But I buried the lead, the cold hoagies are also on point! My favorite is the tuna hoagie with all the accoutrements. Just so damn good, especially the mayonnaise heavy moist tuna made like how my grandmother use to make (rest her Philadelphia native soul). I only wish that they offered fried fish or griddled salmon "cheesesteaks." The prices are set for us working class folks to truly afford. All the primping and extras are 86'ed to bring an authentic North Philly classic hood (the best of what "hood" means -- family ties, friends, respect, looking out for your neighbors, great food, good times, and uplifting culture) experience. Two lines once inside, one for hot food one for cold hoagies. You can see all your sandwiches being made with is like performance art. Don't pass up the dessert display either. I can certainly afford the prices but not the extra calories of dessert, so I passed. Clean interior (clean griddle too) and hospitable staff...as long as you are not holding up the line. If you need a moment or help, ask precise questions or step back in the line. Regulars know their orders and can get "impatient" if you gum up the works. North Philly stand up. Pagano's slid through and earned five stars. In my D.C. accent asking my Philly college attending son "let go down that Pagano's jawn" is as touristy as ever. But it is our thing. Five stars, easy!!!! read more

Pagano's Steaks - Cheese Steak..."wit" onions no cheese though. - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Purchased a corned beef hoagie from here last week. It cost $18. American cheese, onions, mayo, pickles, sweet peppers, oregano and oil. It looked perfect. The first thing I noticed was the roll itself. A great hoagie starts with great bread. It was not an amoroso roll that this store used since started going there in the 90's. The corned beef was strange looking, not great. I don't think I'll be going back there. It had been a go-to place for decades but not anymore. read more

Was in Philly for the weekend and tried 5 cheese steaks, this happened to be the first place that I visited. The customer service was good, the people that worked there were nice, very talkative. It had a nice family vibe and the restaurant was very clean. I ordered a Philly and curly fries, the Philly was huge I definitely got my moneys worth. The reason the rating isn't higher is because the meat didn't really have a taste and there was barely any cheese on the cheesesteak. It was just a bunch of bland meat that I had to drown in sauce. The curly fries were great though, similar to what you would get at an Arby's. read more

Pagano's Steaks - Philly Cheese Steak and curly fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The worse I've ever had. The hoagie was soaking. Then the steak was cooked in a way that I can't explain. No taste to it. And best believe it was the last time I've ordered from there. I can't even say much about it because if I do, it would make me angrier for wasting my money. read more

What happened to the quality of this place? I used to live in Philly up unto the 70's, and the best place to buy Philly cheese steaks/hoagies was a place called Bee's on Germantown Ave. I went back to Philly some years ago to visit my peeps and Bee's was no longer there so I went to Pagano's. I was blown away by the quality and size of the sandwiches. They tasted so, so good. I ordered a hoagie and a Philly cheese steak. They even packed the meat separate if you wanted, which I did. I was so impressed with the food I received. Went back to Philly last week and I made it a point to go back to Pagano's so I could experience their great sandwiches again. I was watching the cooks prepare the food and I thought to myself: that can't be mine. When the guy was done cooking the meat for the Philly cheese steak, it looked like minced meat. You couldn't tell the cheese from the meat, nor the onions/peppers. I wish I'd taken a picture but unfortunately, I did not. The hoagie was okay but not as I remembered it to be. I ate a small piece of the steak sandwich, and my daughter ate a small piece as well, but it was not appetizing at all. I was so very disappointed with it, the rest was thrown into the garbage. To pay $16.00 for inedible food in this day and time is a travesty. Pagano's you need to do better. Steak should not be unrecognizable. The best part of the sandwich was the bread. The placed looked okay, could have been cleaner. Didn't see a sanitation rating anywhere. I will not be back. Jersey Mike's is better and less expensive. Highlight of the visit was seeing a picture Patti Labelle when she was younger and a picture of Joe Frazier and Ving Rhames. SMDH! read more

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I've been coming here since I was a kid and although I moved away, I still come back here when I visit and it's always a treat. I got two cheesesteaks with provolone cheese and a corn beef hoagie as you can see the hoagie is always filled to capacity and very flavorful. The service was very nice and everyone was welcoming and asked where we were from the ambience gives an In-N-Out order and go type of vibe so it's really a local spot, but the food is banging and I will always come back because the portion size is enough to last for a few days read more

Pagano's Steaks - Corn beef hoagie - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I've been coming over 30 years. Food always got better. Keep up the good work appreciate. read more

Pagano's Steaks - I always enjoyed myself. Thank you for being. - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

What went well? Everything went well! I've only been here once, but when I went in, the two women working behind the bar were exceptionally nice! Gave us a ton of extra napkins and ketchup. Also the cheesesteak was so flavorful and delicious! I highly recommend this spot. read more

Pagano's Steaks - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cheese steak is super trash I took 2 bites then forced myself to take 2 more bits cuz I paid for it then threw like 75% of the cheese steak away hopefully a cat eats it off the street As soon as you walk in the cook has , I'm just here to get paid kinda vibe read more

Came in today from Virginia... One of the best cheesesteaks I've ever had in my entire life!! The fully dressed Italian sandwiches are also top rate, five freaking stars all day long !!!!! read more

It's not the same....the end of an era, even. I have been coming here for decades, literally, anytime I even got near Philly, I was stopping for a Paganos special hoagie, and an Italian hoagie. Later, I leaned into the cheesesteak (w/provolone and grilled onions - delectable. I guess any time you go from paying 8.75 to 16.00 it's a little bittersweet, I mean, I already admitted to coming here forever, but when the cheesesteak shrinks? It's enough to make me wonder what else I'm missing in the marketplace. I've been to Max's (although it was one in the morning and there was an armed guard manning the club next door) and Geno's, but always came back to Paganos. No pickle or pepper bar sucks, too. Oh well, another one bites the dust... read more

Overall decent and so much steak. Just look at my hands, lol. But lowkey, a little too juicy for me. Is that even possible? Lol. It's the sautéed mushrooms' fault though. read more

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First time visiting. Was hungry and wanted something for my road trip from the area. I got the mild chicken wings. Crispy and the mild sauce were OK. The wings sizes were different. Some big drums and some are very small. I doubt O would get there w8ngs again. Went back later to try the cheese steak I watched him make when picking up wings. The cheese steak and chicken cheese is worth returning for. The cheese steak with fried onions and mushrooms was really delicious and worth the $14.00. Definitely will be back when in a mood for red meat. read more

If you're in the mood for a big Cheesesteak or Hoagie this is the place to go. Pagonos has been around for years and is located on Ogontz Ave. In the West Oak Lane section of the city. Pagonos does not have a parking lot, just street parking. It can be a challenge at times to find a parking space, but the sandwich will makeup for it. When you enter the steak shop, steak sandwiches are ordered on the right and cold hoagies are ordered on the left. Sometimes there is a line, but they move pretty fast. You can stand there and watch them make your sandwich. They put so much meat on your sandwich its enough to share or another meal. All the ingredients are fresh. My favorites are the Cheesesteak hoagie, chicken Cheesesteak, Italian or tuna hoagie. Pagonos is not a sit down restaurant. So if you're in neighborhood or not I would highly recommend them if your in the mood for a big fat juicy steak sandwich or hoagie! read more

Pagano's Steaks - Turkey hoagie - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So disappointed today. I have been traveling for New York for 30 years getting cheesesteaks. This has been my spot and nowhere else the whole time. Coming from n and watching the old mean lady making each steak fresh. Seeing that raw thinly sliced steak grilled into juicy perfection was the highlight of the trek. But as they say "nothing last forever". Watching dude take pre-cooked steak out of a stainless steel container made my heart sink. All I could think was how dry and flavorless this is going to be but gave it a chance in hope I was wrong. Grabbed two triple cheesesteaks and headed to the car. Opened it up and was please the size of the steak remained consistent but after my first bite, the decision was made, Elvis has left the building. Time to find a new spot. No flavor expect the mustard they put on it and an old taste of reheated meat. This is not what I have come to know and love. Fair well Pagano's, it's been real. read more

Yeah, it was an okay steak. Not tons of flavor. The beef was a bit on the dry side. Small place. Wish it had a place for me to wash my hands. Probably not rushing back. read more

So I went home to visit recently and what do you know! I got right off the plane and arrived at paganos lol growing up this was right around the corner and we would always go and get a steak with sweet peppers and the works. (My fellow Georgians don't know what sweet peppers are) lol Anywho, I got there early and it was no one in there. Perfect timing because it can get packed! They cook everything in front of you fresh. It's just an amazing experience especially if you know the cooks and staff. I haven't been in a while but the service and hospitality was still there. I got my steak and one for my granddad along with a Tahitian treat soda. Yum!!! wish I coulda got more to go but thanks to coronavirus my visit was shut short. Definitely going again when I'm in town. One of the best steaks philly has to offer! #uptowngyal read more

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Paganos has the worst steaks to include chicken steaks that I have ever eaten. This is my third time trying over a two year period hoping they would improve. They have not. Cheap meat and chicken. They give you a lot which means nothing because of the taste. I would not recommend. The corner store has a better one than Paganos. I had to doctor it up to eat two mouthfuls. Not looking good at all. They need to get a better quality of meat instead Of the cheap stuff. read more

I walked out. As I entered the place, I was so excited because I was thinking of the old days when Paganos was THE place to get a cheese steak. It's been years since I had been there. When we walked in it was not very busy just three people waiting for their food. The signs say order at the register, so we walked over to the register. Not one person of the three behind the counter acknowledged us. The woman making the hoagies looked at us as if we were disturbing her flow. She said not one word of greeting. As we stood there waiting to place our order, she then told us to move over so someone could pay for their food. Why tell people to order at the register if you haven't collected money from those who have placed there orders already. Duh! We waited and waited until finally it was someone else's turn to pay for their order. Again we moved out of the way. Still no acknowledgment of our waiting , or an apology for the wait. Then there was an issue with the order that needed attention on the computer screen, so the person asked the hoagie lady for help , and as the hoagie lady was trying to correct it with her gloved hand, she decided to cough into the gloved hand. I was done. We turned and walked out. The rudeness and nastiness alone will cause me not to return. Back in the day. It would be so crowded, but somehow they made you feel as if they cared that you were there and wanted your business. Not anymore. My how things change. read more

Good steaks! Hot & fresh. I loved the fresh beef grilled with onions, sweet peppers, with cheese and mayo on the roll, and ketchup drizzled on top. It's so awesome to get what you had exactly in mind :). It was made right for me! I like to add hot peppers for an additional layer of flavor. The wait on a busy Saturday can be about 20 minutes overall. The ladies there today were friendly and professional. read more

Pagano's Steaks - Philly Cheesesteak! - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Back in the day in Mount Airy this place was my Jawn! The cheese steaks were huge. Man time flies. I now live in San Diego and I'm looking at this address, back in the day this place was on Michener in Mount Airy and now it's on Ogontz avenue? read more

Decent but I'm still on the hunt for Philly's best cheese steak. My fiance and I decided the evening after the Eagles parade that we should grab a cheese steak. I honestly haven't tried many of the places that natives rave about and this was one that I've heard mentioned. The line was sooooo long. There were about 15 people in front of us when we arrived and it took about an hour for us to be able to place an order. This is not a dine in establishment and certainly not in the best of neighborhoods. We actually had an alcoholic ask us for money while waiting in line. Overall though, it was decorated with lots of photos from celebrity's that have come in and it has character. Now onto the actually cheese steak. It was good, but I would have preferred more cheese and that the cheese and onions were actually cooked with the meat. Everything was put on separately, first the meat, then the toppings, then the cheese and ketchup. Okay but I'm not hurrying back. read more

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Great cheese steaks!. The day I went there was a line but well worth the wait. The second time I called ahead and my steak was waiting for...still delicious read more

I ordered a cheesesteak from here and I'm still trying to figure what kind of meat what used in it. This was NOT a Philly cheesesteak. The meat was chopped coarsely and we tried to figure out what it was. I really think it was some kind mixed cuts of something that did not have anything to do with quality. I DO NOT recommend this place. $14 lost and a disappointment later I will never go back. read more

The store is under new management and boy can u tell!! the cheesesteak was awesome!! Tons of meat- cooked fresh. French fries were delicious. I also tried the Onion rings which were crisp and hot. Definitely now my go to place. Cathy G read more

I drove to this place from New York to have some of the rudest customer service I've ever experienced. The skinny guy was a little rude but he made his out to be jokes so we just kindsa laughed it off, but the young girl was especially rude and nasty. I asked her how many steaks she prepared for me and she said, with the nastiest tone, "How many did I say it was" This place needs to work on their customer service!!! read more

I found out about this place on YouTube. I wanted to try a place that was more of a local where less tourists go to. Staff was friendly. I got a Cheesesteak with Whiz cheese and onions topped with mayonnaise. Hugh portions very good. read more

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The only place that gets my hoagies RIGHT. If I ask for extra onions they do it. If I ask for extra hots they do it. Happy customer read more

Great meaty Steaks! Friendly Staff and ambiance! Quick Service! What more can you ask for ?? read more

This one our first try of cheesesteak in Philly. We enjoyed it very much and the preparers at Pagano's are very friendly such that I wish them the best success. We ordered 3 cheesesteaks and enjoyed them. We also got a Hungry Man hoagie, which perhaps the best hoagie I have had. The choice and balance of spices is what set it apart. It reminded me of an Italian place of my youth that I liked very much but no one matched until Pagano's. I would say Pagano's actually surpassed that restaurant of my youth. (For the info of the people that work there, we are that Asian family that came in earlier today from out of town. The father has no accent ) read more

Worst steak I've ever had. Stopped today to pickup a cheesesteak that I ordered over the phone. The first bite was all Gristle. Tough and chewy. Smh... I spit that out. Next I noticed it was so dry. I had to run for a drink before I choked. I asked for mayonnaise. No mayo. I asked for cheese whiz. No whiz. They put American and provolone cheese on the sandwich. Not what I asked for at all and this is not the first time that this has happened. Getting home to find out that the sandwich was not prepared in the manner that you requested. Bad business. The meat had no flavor. No flavor at all. It tasted like water. Bland. They must use the cheapest beef on the market. I don't like cheap meat with gristle. As a native Philadelphian, Paganos is not like it use to be. I wasted $9.00 and will not be going back for some time. Go right across the street to the pizza joint. Their steaks have more flavor. See photos. read more

Pagano's Steaks - Gristle. First bite of my cheese steak. Had to spit it out. - Sandwiches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I grew up on Pagano's sandwiches.Had my first cheesesteak when I was in the 2nd grade had my latest one on my 62nd birthday in May of 2023! Best and biggest sandwiches in Philly. They've cracked the code...mc read more

My local steak shop in Philly. Gotta get the triple cheese. It was so good I forgot to take a picture.

I had the cheesesteak. It had a lot of meat. Probably the most meat for the money. cash only. I wish they had parking. read more

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Solid spot. Went for the cheesesteak which was good but the wings were what stood out. I got hot wings but the meat was quality and they were a nice blend of crispy and tender so I imagine any sauce would be good. Definitely recommend read more

Excellent steak. Definitely noticing a huge quality and service difference. Steaks are great and loaded with meat. Fries and Onion rings are very good as well. Efficient service. Enjoy read more

Like others have said, the fact that the cheesesteaks are overstuffed stops being a good thing if the steak that makes them so huge is also so dry that you don't want to finish even half of it. Sure you can add moisture with sauce, but that somehow doesn't really fix the dryness of the steak. The best cheesesteak places use ribeye, with some fat to it. Are you using very lean, cheaper cuts so an overstuffed steak can be sold? I think that is working against you. read more

Great sandwiches but too much meat. Really makes me feel inadequate when I can't finish a sandwich. The meat is literally spilling out of the bun. Most of the time I have to go to the supermarket and buy rolls then take some the meat out of the sandwich and make my a whole nother sandwich. Now I'm making my own cheesesteak. I come there to eat not become an entrepreneur starting new sandwich making ventures. Do us all a favor and chill with the extra meat. read more

New ownership, new management, all new employees ( may be a family) the food is significantly lacking in taste and portion size. Topping it all, however,the prices are sky high ( $ 17 for a hoagie!!!) Wow!!! read more

Tastiest cheesesteaks in the neighborhood, hands down! It's a bit on the expensive side but I'd say it's well worth the price.