Heard good things about this place, so I had to try it!…read more
I was on a layover in Philadelphia and thought to myself, I have to get a good cheesesteak. I've heard great things from other crew members about this place, so I had to check it out.
The shop itself is small and clean, and the staff was extremely friendly--honestly, friendlier than most people I've encountered in New York! I decided to go with the original cheesesteak, which comes with ribeye steak, fried onions, and Cooper Sharp cheese.
When I finally found the place, I walked right in and there wasn't really a line to order. I got my order in right away, but I noticed there were about 10 people waiting for their food. After ordering, I ended up waiting about 25 minutes for one sandwich. To me, that was a little excessive and would probably keep me from coming back. There are plenty of other cheesesteak spots in Philadelphia that make a sandwich just as good, but get you your food much faster.
That said, my rating is based on the cheesesteak itself and not the wait time. If I were rating the entire experience, this would probably be closer to three stars.
As for the sandwich itself--it was hot, the meat was well seasoned and cooked to perfection, and it wasn't dry whatsoever. The Cooper Sharp cheese was melted throughout the sandwich, and there was just enough onion to complement the steak without overpowering it. The sandwich was a good size and had a generous amount of meat.
You could really taste all of the individual elements, and they came together really well. Overall, it was a great cheesesteak. I understand that a freshly cooked sandwich takes time, but I was there around noon during the lunch rush, and I would expect a place like this to have sandwiches moving pretty quickly since everyone is there for lunch.
Overall, it was a good experience. The staff was friendly, the cheesesteak was very good, and I'm glad I tried it. However, I probably wouldn't walk a mile to come back here again. Next time, I'll probably find a cheesesteak somewhere closer to the market and save myself the wait.