We stopped by Geno’s Steaks while in Philadelphia expecting one of those “must try” cheesesteak moments. It was a solid experience overall, but honestly it landed right in the middle for us at a three star stop.
The sandwich was decent and definitely filling, with a good amount of meat and cheese, but it didn’t stand out compared to other cheesesteaks we have had in the area. The flavor was fine, just not memorable enough to make it a repeat craving.
The atmosphere feels very fast paced and tourist driven, which makes sense for the location. Service was quick and efficient, but it felt more like a grab and go spot than somewhere you settle in and enjoy the experience.
My wife and I both agreed it was just okay. Not bad by any means, but there are better sandwiches nearby that hit more on flavor and balance.
Overall, a solid three star visit. Worth trying once if you are in Philly, but not the one we would go out of our way to return to.
I haven’t had a Philly cheesesteak in ages, so this one definitely satisfied my craving—especially after a long commute. It was quick, easy, and fast. I don’t think I waited more than 3 minutes for my sandwich!
No fancy dressings, just a “whiz with”—a.k.a. philly cheesesteak with cheese and onions. 🧀🧅
I tried the cheese fries too. I went with Cooper cheese and a cold Powerade to wash it all down.
Warning: If you’re lactose intolerant, this is probably not the meal for you. For my lactose-tolerant folks, be prepared to have plenty of napkins because “drip happens.” 😂
Left with a full bellyand a good ol’ night’s rest. 😴
4
I went to Philly just to settle the Geno's vs. Pat's debate. I got both with whiz, peppers, and onions. What I liked about Geno's was they put the whiz on the bread so it stayed on the sandwich, unlike Pat's, where it ended up mostly on the paper. Both are tasty, but a little salt and pepper wouldn't hurt. Pat's onion and peppers were way better than Geno's. Geno's meat was thinly sliced whole pieces of steak, while Pat's was chopped. Both were good, but I leaned more towards Geno's because it was super tender. I walked around checking out other people's food before ordering, and Pat's fries looked a little too light for me, so I got fries and a drink from Geno's. Overall, both are great, and you won't be disappointed with either. Neither offers half sizes, so you have to get a whole sandwich. I guess they don't want taste testers. My overall winner would be Geno's. Slightly more bang for your buck. But if the wind blows east, I totally get why some would say Pat's. Try both!!
2
Overpriced and mediocre.
Came in late on a Sunday night. This was my second Philly cheesesteak, after Jim's South, and even though plenty of people warned me it's a tourist trap, I still wanted to try the iconic sub. They ran almost $20 each, and we got a Steak Milano and a plain cheesesteak.
The shop wasn't busy, so we had our subs in under 10 mins, but they didn't look great. Everything came out dry, and the roll and the toppings just weren't working together. The thing I noticed most was that they don't chop the shaved steak, they grill it whole. So with no sauce and barely a smear of cheese, it was about the driest meat filling I've had on a sub. The whole strands of steak also made it awkward to bite through.
Glad this wasn't the first cheesesteak I tried. If you're after the real Philly experience, go somewhere else.
2
Being from Crappyfornia, me and some buddies came to Philly for the All-Star game. First time here for all of us, so of course we have to try the deliciousness of the famous cheesesteak that originated from this area. We got 1 from Geno's and 1 from Pat's so we could taste them side by side. Not sure how many other places do it like Geno in which they do NOT do the fine chopping of the meat, which I apparently prefer, but the meat tasted like moist jerky. It also had an excessive amount of onions that took away from the sandwich. We all agreed that of all the cheesesteaks in the city we tried, this was our least favorite. Sorry Geno 😞
