Whenever you hear of the city “Philadelphia” or “Philly,” what do you first think of? Whether it’s the historical background, attractions for tourists, or the sports teams, we all know Philly is well-known for its unique, iconic foods. Philly pretzels, “wooder ice,” Wawa, and best of all, the classic Philly cheesesteak. The most common ways to make cheesesteaks are with either sliced or chopped steak. Now let’s be real here. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that claim to have the best cheesesteaks, but only one can truly dominate over the others. The chains that we will be comparing are Steve’s Prince of Steaks, Geno’s Steaks, and Pat’s King of Steaks. But before we look into individual cheesesteak chains, what cheese would you like, and would you like yours “wit” or “witout” fried onions?

Steve’s Steaks has 4 locations all over Philadelphia, and their classic slogan is “One bite and you’ll be a loyal subject for life.” Steve’s Prince of Steaks was originally founded in 1980 at its original location in Bustleton. They serve their cheesesteaks with sliced steak, and have 4 cheese options (whiz, american, provolone, and mozzarella), along with the classic fried onions and other extra toppings. Steve’s Prince of Steaks isn’t limited to just steaks and cheesesteaks though. They also have burgers, sandwiches, and hoagies, but they are often viewed as a cheesesteak chain instead, and it’s in their name. I would definitely recommend Steve’s when you have a big appetite too because their cheesesteaks are about the size of my forearm! 

With the only location on South 9th Street, Geno’s Steaks serves Philly cheesesteaks, hoagies, and sandwiches. Geno’s Steaks was founded by Joey Vento in 1966, and they are open 24/7. Similar to Steve’s, Geno’s makes their cheesesteaks with thinly sliced steak. However, Geno’s only carries 3 cheese options (whiz, american, and provolone), and their menu contains fewer options to customize your cheesesteak. At night though, this place is popping with color on the corner of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue from its many neon signs. Not only that, but Geno’s also has their own cheesesteak mascot named Whizzy!

The final chain that we are going to look at is Pat’s King of Steaks. Not to get mixed up with Steve’s Prince of Steaks, Pat’s uses chopped steak instead of sliced. Conveniently, Pat’s is also just down the street from Geno’s at the corner of 9th and Wharton Street. Pat’s King of Steaks is the oldest chain out of the three and was founded in 1930 by Pat Olivieri. What had originally been a hot dog stand soon became the home to the first cheesesteak. Pat’s King of Steaks’ menu mostly consists of cheesesteaks and variations, but they also sell hotdogs and fish cakes. They carry the same cheeses as Geno’s, and they also have a few neon signs outside of the establishment. The best thing about Pat’s though is their 4 step “how to order a steak” sign by the name of “I. M. Hungry.”

Though only three chains were compared in this article, Philly has many more places to purchase the classic cheesesteak. However, between Steve’s, Geno’s, and Pat’s, I believe that Steve’s Prince of Steaks is the best. The taste of their sliced steak on a long roll with dripping, melted cheese is a taste like no other, and I could always go for a good “American witout.” If you claim to be a true Philadelphian, then you must try cheesesteak from at least one of these classic restaurants, or maybe all three!