Pat's King of Steaks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rude service and ok food.

Salem, Massachusetts

August 2, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo On a recent road trip to Philly my friends and I tried three different popular Cheese Steak joints in Philly....Pat's, Jim's and Geno's. Pat's was our least favorite of the three based mostly on the service that we received. The line was long...as ...Read more On a recent road trip to Philly my friends and I tried three different popular Cheese Steak joints in Philly....Pat's, Jim's and Geno's. Pat's was our least favorite of the three based mostly on the service that we received. The line was long...as anticipated. The three men cooking the steaks had the personality of rocks. The one manning the window didn't want to explain any menu options and was just pretty much rude. We asked if they could do onions on the side... to which he yelled back "no sides". We asked for fries "you don't get them at this window". Then he just said "next window" so I thought he meant that I had to pick up my Cheese Steak at the next window, but apparently he was still talking about the fries. So, I walked over to the next window then he yelled at me again to come back and get my steak from him. I grabbed the steak off the counter and immediately the grease ran off the wax paper and down my shorts. Couldn't they wrap the steak? Since I then spent some time getting the grease off my pants, I didn't bother trying the fries, but they did look good. Ordering an overpriced Cheese Steak should not be this stressful!

I get that these guys probably see thousands of people in a day, but the majority must be tourists so they should really learn to have a little more patience.

Now, on to the steak. Overall the Cheese Steak was actually a bit larger than at some of the other establishments we tried, but was just very bland. We got two. One with peppers and whiz and one with cheese. The bread at Pat's was the best and like I said, the size of the sandwich was the biggest and best value, but the flavor just wasn't there. The seating, similar to Geno's, was all outside, and you had to stalk the tables waiting for someone to get up. But if you go with a group, just have one person go around table hunting while you wait in the line and you shouldn't have a problem. It worked well for us.

All in all, we weren't impressed by the food and the stress involved in ordering was enough to put Pat's at the bottom of the list for the three that we tried. Close

From journal The Great Cheesesteak Challenge

Philly Steak Finally

by rhondaraeg

San Jose, California

June 26, 2010

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One of our reasons for making a trip to the East Coast - is to try the original cheesesteak! Ok - maybe not high on our list, but Pat's was a good choice with so many to choose from. The location was not within walking distance of our hotel so we ...Read more

From journal Philadelphia June 11-13, 2010

Geno's or Pat's - You Decide?

by RoBoNC

Indianapolis, Indiana

September 11, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo After a long day exploring the sights of Philadelphia, it was now time to satisfy my hunger. I was craving a Philly Cheesesteak so I went off in search for the best in town. The locals directed me to two places, Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s. ...Read more After a long day exploring the sights of Philadelphia, it was now time to satisfy my hunger. I was craving a Philly Cheesesteak so I went off in search for the best in town. The locals directed me to two places, Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s.

Located in South Philly at the intersection of Passyunk and 9th street near the famous Italian Market, these two restaurants make up the Mecca of Cheesesteaks. Pat’s King of Steaks was formed in 1930 by Pat Olivieri and is still family run to this day. They claim to have invented the cheesesteak. As I got in line to place my order, I could smell the onions and peppers and hear the sizzling of thin slices of steak. While observing others order their sandwiches, I quickly learned to order mine like a native Philadelphian. Ordering a cheesesteak is as simple as saying a couple of words. First, decide on what cheese you want, American, Provolone, or a Philly favorite, Cheese Whiz. Once you decide on the cheese, specify whether you want onions by saying "wit" or "witout". By the time I got to the window, I was ordering like a pro with my "Whiz Wit."

Across the street is Geno’s, Pat’s rival which continues to cause debates as to have the best cheesesteak. Geno’s is easily located by the bright neon lights lighting up the building as if resembling something off of the Las Vegas strip. While Pat’s King of Steaks claim to have invented the famous sandwich, Geno’s claims to have revolutionize it by adding cheese to it. When Geno’s was founded in 1966, they claim there were steak sandwiches but no cheesesteak. So they threw some cheese on it and whoolah the cheesesteak was born.

Whether you like Pat’s or Geno’s, they both make one great cheesesteak. There is no indoor seating at either place so keep that in mind on hot days. Cravings can be satisfied morning, noon, or night as both places are open 24 hours a day. A sandwich and drink will run about $8, making it a great cheap meal.

After eating at both restaurants, I can say with certainty that the best one is… It is not going to be that easy. You decide?

www.patskingofsteaks.com

www.genosteaks.com Close

From journal Historic Philadelphia

Pat's King of Steaks

by fgriz

Urbana, Illinois

August 2, 2006

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True Philly experience. Kids loved eating outdoors with the Pigeons (who were also dining on cheese steaks). Try the classic "steak wit wiz" (cheese steak with grilled onions and cheese whiz). Pats seems grittier and more authentic, Genos is cleaner ...Read more

From journal Philadelphia Family Fun

Pat's

by mre16

Easton, Maryland

June 24, 2006

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Two local Philadelphians recommended Pat's or Jim's as having the best Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. Each had a line wrapped around the building so we chose Pat's because it was the only one of the two where we could find a place to park. The ...Read more

From journal A Day in Philly

Pat's King of Steaks

by tracyre2

Woodstock, Georgia

July 7, 2005

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After trying the three top locations for Philly cheesesteaks (Pat's, Geno's, and Jim's), our favorite is Pat's! The sandwich was tender, flavorful, and we wanted to take a truckload home with us! Pat's was actually the third place we tried, and ...Read more

From journal Philadelphia

Pat's King of Steaks/Geno's Steaks

by Kataries

Albany, Georgia

June 18, 2005

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Best of IgoUgo Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks each claim to be the originator of the world-famous cheesesteak sandwich. I heard about both of these on the Travel Channel, and on our trip to Philadelphia, of course I wanted to try an authentic Philly ...Read more

From journal Pat's King of Steaks versus Geno's Steaks

Pizzacato

by digitaldan1

Deptford, New Jersey

August 5, 2003

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Pizzacato is one of the many small restaurants that dot Philadelphia's Market Street East area. A bit on the small side, its menu is big on taste. The menu features traditional fare such as steaks, chicken and fish. Large picture windows provide ...Read more

From journal Dinner in Philly

Restuarant at PFSF

by Laura

Chicago, Illinois

June 9, 2002

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OK, I have come to expect hotel restaurant to be slow, but for breakfast!! It took a long time just to get coffee, and why wouldn't they just leave that mini-pot they use to serve it at our table? We ordered cereal and waited. Come to think of ...Read more

From journal A couple days in Philly

Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria

by kylebarber

Seattle, Washington

October 23, 2001

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Best of IgoUgo This excellent restaurant serves a great pizza, though I'd hardly call it a pizzeria. Pietro's offers a number of fine Italian entrees and pastas that looked scrumptious. But as they proudly trumpeted their title of best pizza in Philadelphia we ...Read more

From journal Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

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