# I'll take a Wiz With: Favorite Cheesesteak in Philly **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455 "2010-05-23T14:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/1 "2010-05-23T14:07:29Z")
Notice I said favorite, not best. I realize that these things are subjective… within reason. 🙂 I am not a Philly native but I’ve been here for three years so take that into account: I am partial to [Jim’s Steaks](http://www.jimssteaks.com/). The locals get irritated with me and if there’s a line at the South Street location, it’s not worth it to me to wait on it when there are places around that do just fine. But the bread and texture of the meat are quite pleasing to me, the best combination of the two most important parts of the sandwich. And I don’t care if it’s touristy. I am quite willing to try new places and have not tried every place by any stretch of the imagination so feel free to recommend places. And say how you do your steak. I usually do Wiz With but sometimes change it up with Provolone With if I want something a little less hefty. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/2 "2010-05-23T14:08:52Z")
Whoops! Wrong forum - I read it as “Out Of Town!” That’s what happens when I start reading forums without sleeping… Can someone kindly move this somewhere that makes sense? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/3 "2010-05-24T16:44:36Z")
Moving to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/4 "2010-05-24T17:12:30Z")
Chubby’s in Roxborough. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/5 "2010-05-24T17:17:49Z")
D’Alessandro’s, on Henry Avenue in Roxborough. The best. Within two blocks of that, Chubby’s and Fiesta’s, both also excellent. Provolone or Whiz, I like both. And onions and sauce, of course. D’ally’s cuts their steaks up pretty fine, but it doesn’t get dry, bread is awesome (bread can make the sandwich). It’s a moist, sloppy, succulent mess of a meal, as all good cheesesteaks are. When you’re done, you can walk right down to Fairmount Park and walk along the trails of the Wissahickon to work off the calories (I’d tell you to look for the statue of Chief Tedyuscung back there, but that’s too long a walk from D’ally’s). ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/6 "2010-05-24T19:10:03Z")
I’m a heathen, I don’t like the rolls they generally use in Philly… too soft. I prefer a crusty roll or a toasted roll. And Wiz is awful. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/7 "2010-05-25T11:20:05Z")
Provolone without. Born ‘n’ raised Philly. No apologies if you like Pat’s, Geno’s or Jim’s. None. What is required if you like these places is knowledge of other places that are very local and non-touristy. It’s not about having a required aversion to the well-known touristy places, it’s about being a native and knowing all the places and spots. Sometimes I want a Geno’s, provolone without and some hot sauce. Sometimes I want a LaSpada’s in (Philly burbs) Delaware County, ( American without). Sometimes I put hot cherry peppers on these. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/8 "2010-05-25T14:21:00Z")
You do realise that most of the Britdopers will be pissing themselves laughing at your title, don’t you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/9 "2010-05-25T14:24:47Z")
Has to be cheddar cheese. With everything. Sauce = hot sauce. Never ordered one in Philadelphia. Do they know how to do them down there? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/10 "2010-05-25T14:32:21Z")
Moving thread again from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/11 "2010-05-25T14:51:01Z")
Walt’s on Baltimore out in Yeadon/Clifton. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/12 "2010-05-25T15:13:52Z")
While it may be true that all the tourists go to Pat’s and Geno’s, there seemed to be plenty of locals as well when I’ve been there, so I’m guessing these are as valid choices as any. Anyhow, they comprise most of my limited Philly cheesesteak experience (provolone wit’ every time), and of the two I prefer Pat’s by a very slim margin. The bread is just a little bit softer, which I like, and the onions are tastier. I think they grill them longer to get them a bit more carmelized. My friend, who gets them without onions, said he preferred Geno’s but also by a very slim margin. He just said he liked the taste of the meat better. Bottom line, both yummy. I got a cheesesteak at the Philly airport once on a stopover, but I don’t recall the name of the place. It was surprisingly good, though, for airport food. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/13 "2010-05-25T15:17:43Z")
Chink’s on Torresdale Avenue in the Northeast. The steaks are awesome and you can get a great milkshake or sundae along with it. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/14 "2010-05-25T15:34:21Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I got a cheesesteak at the Philly airport once on a stopover, but I don’t recall the name of the place. It was surprisingly good, though, for airport food. I got one at the Amtrak station in Philly that was better than Ginos. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/15 "2010-05-25T16:58:43Z")
This tourist liked Geno’s better than Pat’s. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/16 "2010-05-25T19:51:54Z")
I tried Jim’s once, and it was like eating cardboard-- No flavor at all. The dive just off-campus at Villanova did a better job. Heck, _I_ did a better job, when I was working short-order at the student union. Of the places I’ve tried, I like Pat’s the best, but I should add the caveat that I’ve never actually tried Gino’s. I mean, they’re both right there, and I _know_ I can get a damn fine steak at Pat’s, so I was never really able to justify the risk. American with, plus absolutely nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/17 "2010-05-25T23:10:57Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You do realise that most of the Britdopers will be pissing themselves laughing at your title, don’t you? 🙂 Why, because taking a wiz means urinating? Yeah we say that here too. You’re not the same British poster who thought no one in America would possibly know that straight=heterosexual and dope= idiot are you? Don’t you know that WE laugh at YOU for your ceremonial monarchy and ridiculous notions of a constitution based on common law? Biscuits are not cookies! Stop adding extra u’s to things! ROOAAR! Kidding, kidding, I don’t think Quartz was that poster and I’ve nothing but respect for the English. I love your muffins. Back to the OP, I prefer Gino’s to Pat’s but you can get a good cheese steak at alot of different places in Philly. I take mine with Wiz, hot sauce, and a little bit of ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/18 "2010-05-25T23:24:25Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I got one at the Amtrak station in Philly that was better than Ginos. For the record, you can also get a great steak at Citizen’s Bank Park or the Wachovia Center. But strangely enough, the ones at Susquehanna Bank Center across the river suck absolute ass (or maybe not strangely, since it’s technically in Camden). ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/19 "2010-05-26T00:30:00Z")
Another vote for D’Alessandros, although Chubby’s has good fries. I also like that place next to the gas station near the Wachovia Center or whatever it’s called now. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455/20 "2010-05-26T13:36:52Z")
Third for D’Alessandro’s here. It’s pretty much the only thing I miss about moving from Philly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-take-a-wiz-with-favorite-cheesesteak-in-philly/540455.md?page=2)