(Tookout 09/29/2025 MO @ 5:00pm and many times pre-Yelping): Boo hoo... don't cry if their sloppy…read morePhilly cheesesteaks leave a mess on your clothes; it's part of the experience!
I heard a sad story that the Boo's Philly Cheesesteaks Silver Lake location was shutting down (they currently had locations in Echo Park and Koreatown), so I felt I had to pay my last respects to a place I frequented when I first moved into the area over a decade ago. Like a Tommy's burger, I craved something horribly sloppy and bad for you in every possible way, and for a time this was my go-to especially since I was able to take a casual walk to it. I'm older now and not necessarily wiser, but my body just couldn't handle it as it once did. Founded by an immigrant South Korean family by way of New Jersey, they made their way to Los Angeles to try and fill a need for authentic real cheesesteaks that any Philadelphian would proudly say "legit". Would I boo their Philly-inspired cheesesteak efforts!?
PURCHASE(S)
Cheese Fries Large ($7.95): A decent portion size of golden crispy crunchy steaming spud sticks with a side of hot gooey Cheez Whiz, ideally you'd scatter out the fries and pour the cheese on top of them. I was lazy and simply dunked each one into the cheese. However, you ran into the issue of your cheese solidifying which made it harder to dip your fries into it. Lesson learned... https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=9sOf0rQzJW9CNmfKuc_Ujw
Boo's Pepper Mushroom Cheesesteak w/Cheez Whiz Sandwich ($13.95): Served with thinly-sliced steak, grilled onions, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and your choice of cheese (of course I went with Cheez Wiz!) on an amoroso roll, this was a hot mess (in a good way!) of epic proportions. The sandwich was stuffed to the edges of dripping hot steaming ingredients that burned the inside of your mouth if you weren't careful. Everything basically congealed as it started to cool due to its exposure to the air. All of the flavors eventually melded together with the separate flavors present when you first started devouring it. This wasn't for the faint of heart, and you may regret having eaten this monstrosity when you woke up in the morning. It was worth it! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=iojHuknmyjcxgnClXJ6pyA
SERVICE
I approached the outside self-service order kiosk, placed my order, and in less than ten minutes a young gentleman appeared from inside with my order in hand as he called out my name. It was all quick and painless - thank you!
PARKING
(FREE): I luckily found a spot in their tiny lot (maybe six spots total). Otherwise, there appeared to be plenty of parking along the main drag of Fountain Ave. and all surrounding side streets - 'nuff said.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
In its latest incarnation since the pandemic, it had become only an order kiosk system and no more indoor dining. There was a communal wooden bench outside if you wanted to enjoy your meal. However, it wasn't very inviting, and you were up against a very busy, loud intersection. There was plenty of natural lighting since you were outdoors with only the electric street lights to help you at night. There were no TVs nor background music with the exception of the buzzing vehicle traffic. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=zqh3hCvkdUmGekZj-SBHTg
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
In my homage to Silver Lake's Boo's Philly Cheesesteak location, they were a wonderful piece of the neighborhood, still one of the best Philly cheesesteaks I've had outside of Philadelphia, and I always got my money's worth. The food wasn't healthy, but it did its job and tasted very good as it went down (coming out was a different story!). The prices were affordable and comparable, the portions were hefty, the menu selection was very limited, and the service was straightforward. .Plus, I always preferred to support small local mom & pop businesses. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $24.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS