Carl's Steaks

[wannabechef]

I actually tried this place for the first time yesterday. I didn't have the exact experience as you, but I could see where that could happen. First the most important thing - the food. I've been to Pat's and Jim's in Philly - both a few times. My first time there was a cosmic experience. I had never had a REAL cheesesteak and I was blown away. I idolized those steaks in my mind, and as a result, every vist since then has been a disappointment. Especially my last visit - to Pat's, over the summer. The sandwich was a disgrace. It was so oily that the entire bread fell apart in my hands after my second bite. It literally became inedible without a fork and knife.

My very next steak expereince after that time was Carl's - yesterday. I have to say, I was blown away. I think the steak was out of this world. I ordered the standard - whiz-with. The meat itself was slightly dry but not to the point where it ruined the sandwich - and the cheese helped compensate that. But the star of the show had to be the bread itself. It was a delicous, fresh bun which held together beautfully until the last bite. I also liked it that the sandwich wasn't outrageosuly huge. It was small enough to eat comfortably and big enough to totally fill me up.

I happened to be one of the only 2 customers in the whole place and I still waited about 10-15 minutes for my steak. And it didn't even look like they were doing take outs. The staff just seemed a little incompetant. I noticed there was at least one brand new guy who they were training. I also saw, who I think was the owner, lecturing some of the employees which wasn't really professional in my opinion. Also, some of the workers were eating in front of customers - which I was always taught in my experience working in restaurants is a big no no.

So I pretty much agree with ppace. The steaks here seem to be wonderful - but the service was ehhh. (by the way, the actual store itself was very pleasent, if not a little small) All in all, I'm pretty sure I'll be returning. It's definately the best cheesesteak I've had in this city. I am interested to see if they can be consistent - and also how the staff operates in a more busy environment.

~WBC

[ahr]

Lunch today at Carl’s: One Whiz, wit’.

• BREAD. They got it about right. Other reports notwithstanding, half a long loaf, not an individual roll.
  

• MEAT. Chopped in advance – I prefer sliced – into huge mounds on the grill. Too dry, though properly greasy, despite periodic watering.
  

• WHIZ. Troweled on too daintily to leak as it should.
  

• ONIONS. Slightly underdone, slightly underrepresented.
  

• SERVICE. Fairly speedy, despite intrastaff chit-chatting. Are previous eG complaints responsible for that pile of drying meat?
  

• ODDITIES. The default is wit’; if the order-writer makes no notation, onions come. The menu offers a breadless Atkins steak.
  

Not Steve’s, but not bad. Definitely the real thing – finally!

[BBB]

Carl's cannot be compared to any the venerable houses of cheesteak. Everything sucked, the food, the service. Just bad. The wax paper wrapped around the sandwich caused the roll to be steamed into a soggy mess. Great cheesteak in NYC?...this ain't it.

[Fat Guy]

Finally made it Carl's tonight. The staff is indeed distracted and barely competent: they were far more interested in watching the WWE on Spike TV than they were in doing their work. My "steak" was served quickly but my fries (which were terrible -- skip the fries) lagged behind and, once they were ready, were forgotten. I essentially had to beg for the fries, and by the time I received them I was 3/4 through the steak.

The steak was good, very similar to what is served at Jim's, but certainly not fabulous. The linguistic red herring aside, I'd say Carl's is a strong performer given that it's an imitator in a remote locale. Certainly there is no better cheesesteak in New York, and that's progress.

Without a particularly educated audience, though, I can't see cheesesteaks becoming top-notch in New York. Excellence in cheesesteaks, pizza, bagels, whatever, typically requires a lot of competition, a lot of consumption, and an audience of connoisseurs. There are so many different tastes competing for the palates of New Yorkers, I just don't think people here (or anywhere outside of PA for that matter) are ever going to acquire enough of a taste for cheesesteaks for them to gain much traction.

[Daniel]

I just had Carls and i dont understand how they were able to maintain a greasy film on the outside of the sandwich while extracting all the flavor from the meat.. The meat was dry and tasteless. The french fries were absolutely terrible. Big fan of philly cheesesteaks especially in philadelphia, but Carls i feel is probably one of the poorer attempts i have seen to recreate this sandwich outside of philly.

[John]

Unfortunately, I've never had an authentic Philly cheesesteak, or even one from the White House. I do recall having one some years back at Wildwood that the locals raved about. It was very good, but then again I have nothing to compare it to except for the pizzeria and subshop versions here in North Jersey, which I'm sure don't measure up to what you get in Philly.

I was wondering if anyone has had a cheesesteak from a place called Philadelphia Grille in Elizabeth on Galloping Hill Rd. and Westfield ave. The owner supposedly worked at Pat's or has ties to them somehow. Someone on another forum mentioned that they make a steak comparable to Pat's. Anyone have an opinion on this place?

Also, for Holly or Rich, a few questions. What do you think of Gaetano's? From what I've heard, they have a few locations in South Jersey and many devotees who consider them the standard. Also another place (I think the name is Chick's)  in Jersey that was picked as the best by a Philly newspaper. Finally, as a neophyte, do you think I would be better off having my first Philly Steak at Pat's or Geno's and working my way up, or should I jump right in to one of the better places like Steve's or Dalessandro's?

Holly, I know you don't like it when restaurants use "Philly style cheesesteak" or something similar in their name, but don't you think it might be useful in describing their product in a non cheesesteak area like North Jersey?

It would be unfair for you to test cheesesteaks and not visit Pat's and Geno's first (they are across the street from one another), and then sample others after that; not because they are superior, but because they are part of the history (well, at least Pat's) and cache of the cheesesteak. Just my opinion.

Well, after putting it off for sometime, I will finally be going to Philadelphia to try an authentic cheesesteak. As suggested, I will be sampling Pat's and Geno's first. In the future, I will be working my way up to Dalessandro's and Steve's. Does anyone know the easiest way to get to Pat's and Geno's from North Jersey? How's the parking situation? Thanks for your help. Eager to see how these places compare to what I've had in North Jersey.

[mrbigjas]

The easiest way to get there is to come down the turnpike, then across the Ben Franklin Bridge, and continue down 95, getting off at Columbus Blvd (the natives still call it Delaware Ave), left at the end of the ramp onto Delaware, and then up Washington Ave to 10th, left on 10th, left on Federal, left on Passyunk--you can't miss it once you're near there. Parking is rarely a problem if you know how to parallel park. Have fun.

[Holly Moore]

Welcome to Philly, John.

Pat and Geno's are at the southern tip of Philadelphia's Italian Market. I've you've got the time hike the four or so blocks up and back. Lots of fascinating places, and two must-stops. The first is Sonny D'Angelo's butcher shop. One of his specialties is sausages. He occasionally does wieners, but I think you'll get a kick whatever assortment he has on hand that day.

Across the street from Sonny's is George's Sandwich Shop. This is one of the places featured on "Sandwiches That You Will Like." I wouldn't get a cheese steak there, but the bbq pork is totally traditional, as is the tripe if you have the "stomach" for it.

Let me know when you're going to be in town. Would be great to finally meet.

[herbacidal]

The easiest way to get there is to come down the turnpike, then across the Ben Franklin Bridge, and continue down 95, getting off at Columbus Blvd (the natives still call it Delaware Ave), left at the end of the ramp onto Delaware, and then up Washington Ave to 10th, left on 10th, left on Federal, left on Passyunk--you can't miss it once you're near there. Parking is rarely a problem if you know how to parallel park. Have fun.

Slight directions correction:

It'll be a right at the end of the ramp off of I-95 South.

Washington Ave. is the second right after you turn

onto Delaware Ave / Columbus Blvd.

[KatieLoeb]

The easiest way to get there is to come down the turnpike, then across the Ben Franklin Bridge, and continue down 95, getting off at Columbus Blvd (the natives still call it Delaware Ave), left at the end of the ramp onto Delaware, and then up Washington Ave to 10th, left on 10th, left on Federal, left on Passyunk--you can't miss it once you're near there.  Parking is rarely a problem if you know how to parallel park.  Have fun.

Slight directions correction:

It'll be a right at the end of the ramp off of I-95 South.

Washington Ave. is the second right after you turn

onto Delaware Ave / Columbus Blvd.

Another correction. It's left on 10th then left on WHARTON Street. Federal is one way coming at you off 10th so no left at Bitar's. Left on the next corner at the end of the baseball field onto Wharton and then left onto Passyunk. Park wherever and stroll from Pat's to Geno's. They're caddycorner to each other.

God help you, if you're still hungry, you can stop at La Lupe at the corner of 9th & Federal for a quick real Mexican soft taco. The chicken or the picadillo tacos are my favorites. It'll set you back about $2.

[herbacidal]

Yea, Katie's right. I noticed it, but forgot about it by the time I was done posting.

Anyway, since I expect you to be pretty confused by now, it's:

I-95 South to Columbus Blvd/Delaware Ave. exit

right at bottom of exit

second right onto Washington Ave.

left onto 10th St.

left onto Wharton St. at the softball field (I think that's the third corner, but not positive)

By this point, you'll see all the neon lights and stuff for Geno's and Pat's, if you haven't already.

Park wherever you think is good.

Passyunk St. (the street both Pat's and Geno's is on) is a street on an angle, and cuts across the gridlike nature of most of the city's streets.

[Holly Moore]

So how many eGulleteer's does it take to give accurate directions?

Three and then it's time to look it up on MapQuest

[KatieLoeb]

So how many eGulleteer's does it take to give accurate directions? 

Three and then it's time to look it up on MapQuest   

Hey now - my part was absolutely correct. Hhhmmmppht.

Just don't ask us to be screwin' in any light bulbs...

[John]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was planning on going to Philly tomorrow, so I spent a lot of time this morning reading everything I could online about the various cheesesteak places. From Holly's reviews to Citysearch and everything else I could find through Google. Amazing the number of opinions. Similar to hot dog joints. One person's favorite was trashed by the next person.

It seems the consensus of a sizable numer of people is that Pat's and Geno's are tourist traps and not representative of the best that Philly has to offer. Many people, including Holly mentioned Steve's Prince of Steaks as the best, or one of the best in the city. I was going to try Pat's and Geno's first, but against the advice of fellow E-Gulleteers, and on a whim, I decided to run down to Steve's. After reading so much about them, I wanted to jump right in and try one of the best, if not THE best. After a rough night out last night, I really didn't feel like walking around the Italian Market when I would better enjoy it another time. So I grabbed my wife and set out for Steve's.

First off, let me say that my comments and opinions should be taken with a grain of salt. I am a cheesesteak neophyte. Never had one in Philly. And I was kind of overwhelmed reading all the comments about cheesesteaks online. People analyzing the moistness of the meat, the thickness, the way it is sliced, the type of bread, the water used in the dough. Wow. Plus I don't have much to compare it to. Some years ago I had a steak in Wildwood that was supposed to be one of the best. I don't even remember the experience except to say I enjoyed it. I have been hearing a lot about a place near me on Galloping Hill Rd in Elizabeth called Philadelphia Grille. I went earlier this year and can say that it was the best cheesesteak I've had since I began really paying attention to what I've been eating with a mind to make it to Philly for a comparison. I spoke with one of the owners who told me that the connection is with Jim's and not Pat's as I had previously heard. I forget whether his family has ownership or part ownership or what the connection is. He told me that there are differences with Jim's, and that his product is better. He uses a better meat (I don't know if it's a better type or grade or what). The steak is chopped like Jim's rather than sliced. He said that since he doesn't sell the quantity that Jim's does, he can use better meat. Also, he uses different bread. A harder bread than Jim's. He told me where he gets it from, but I don't remember. I'll have to ask more questions next time I'm in. As I said, I had nothing from Philly to compare this steak to, but it was the best I've had, and there is a Philly connection.

On to Steve's. Nice little place located on Bustleton Ave. in the north part of Philly. Ordered one Wiz without (hate onions). My wife had American with, and added mushrooms and peppers. We were lucky enough to grab the last 2 seats available. Let me add that for me, travelling somewhere to try something new (in my case usually hot dogs) I find that the anticipation is at least half the fun. To try something and judge for yourself after reading so many differring opinions from other people.

Everything was good. The bread was chewy and soft (compared to what I usually have in a cheesesteak from a Jersey sub shop). The meat was tasty and sliced a little thicker than I anticipated. Again, I don't know if this is the norm. I liked the wiz. At home I started using it instead of American or provolone, and I do prefer it. I think I remember the guy from Philadelphia Grille/Jims saying that they prefer the bread softer in Philly than what he serves here (Jersey). All in all everything was very good. I wasn't blown away, though. Probably from having very high expectations.

When we were finished eating between 3:30 and 4, the place had cleared out a bit, so I had time to chat with one of the employees. By the way, the guy behind me in line told me he lived in south Philly real close to Pat's and Geno's, but travels the 15 or 20 minutes to Steve's. The employee told me that I should have tried Pat's and Geno's first as suggested so that then I would be able to see how much better Steve's is. He told me that one of the other 2 (I forget which) is known for being fatty while the other is known for being oily. He also said that people from other states that don't know what a good cheesesteak is wind up at Pat's or Geno's when they're in town and rave about them only because they haven't had any from other places. Also, since the big 3 (Jim's being the other) sell around 2000 or so sandwiches a day, they can't maintain the quality that Steve's does. I don't remember if he said that they have lesser quality ingredients or that they are rushed or both. I asked this guy where they get the bread from (Amoroso, Sarcone's?) and he said that he couldn't tell me. All employees are required to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement. Can anyone tell me the difference between Amoroso and Sarcone's?

On the way home my wife and I agreed that Steve's is at the top of the list (short though it may be) of the places we've been to. But we couldn't determine whether it was better than the one we had at the Philadelphia Grille earlier this year. One way to find out. We headed directly to the Philadelphia Grille against my wife's mild objections. I had to make a comparison. Plus I wanted to speak with the owner and clarify what he told me regarding their bread and meat. Unfortunately, he wasn't in. But I'll ask him soon enough. I got the sandwich Wiz without just like Steve's and ate it in the car. The sandwich was smaller, but cheaper at $4.75. Steve's was closer to $6.00 if I remember correctly. The bread was harder, sort of like the bread at Calandra's. It is probably not authentic Philly style, but I like it better. The meat was chopped. And I was surprised to discover that I like it considerably better than Steve's. Moister without being oily. And slightly (very slightly) spicier. I'd say it is better quality. I thought the meat at Steve's, while tasty, was a little dry. But again, I don't know if this is how it's supposed to be. The wiz was the same at both places. Tangy and good.

This may border on blasphemy, but I preferred the steak at Philadlephia Grille to Steve's. I can't say that it's better simply because I don't think I'm qualified to judge cheesteaks. My area of experience is hot dogs. But I enjoyed it more. So did my wife. And for all I know; I'm liable to go to Pat's and Genos and like them better than what I had today. What I'd really like is to have Holly, Rich, Katie, or anyone else who has sampled a lot of cheesteaks to come on down and try one from the Philadelphia Grille. And if one of you give it high marks, then I'll know it's really good and not just something I like because I'm not sure what to look for.

It's funny, but I was wearing a Charlies Italian Hot Dog tee shirt, and the guys at Steve's had no idea what one is. I explained and told them about how Jimmy Buff's and Dickee Dees are the originals, and to many people the "tourist" places. Others such as Charlies and Tommy's are highly regarded by people who eat a lot of them like Steve's and Dalessandro's are regarded by many Philadelphians as better than Pat's and Geno's. I went on to tell them that hot dogs in North Jersey are big like Steaks in Philly, and that many owners of North Jersey hot dog joints won't allow their employees to divulge their suppliers like Steve's can't reveal where they get their bread. The guy said,"Oh, I can tell you that we use Dietz and Watson for our hot dogs. We don't have to keep that secret." Somehow, I don't think he got my point.

It was great to get to Philly and try an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. I can't wait to go back. Next stop Pat's and Geno's. And maybe as soon as tomorrow. If I can drag my wife or one of the kids. Holly, I'll be sure and let you know this time. I'd love to meet you. And anyone else from E-Gullet that wants to meet for a cheesesteak.

[herbacidal]

You mean after all that, our directions were not used?

[otello]

Sarcones: You need to go to ninth street to buy their bread (try their hoagies, awesome, from their corner deli). Also try their tomato pie and pepperoni bread.

Amoroso's: Servicable rolls that are better than most outside of Philly. In Philly, you can do much better. You can buy them at many places, including supermarkets, in plastic bags.

The best bread is served in brown paper bags. That must be a rule.

There is no comparison between the two. None.

Try Philip's Steaks. 23rd and Passyunk. On the other side of the tracks from Pat's and Geno's. Consistent quality. Open 24 hours. No lines. Right off the Schuylkill. Holly needs to get them on his site.

Edited April 18, 2004 by otello (log)

[Daniel]

Hey John,

Now you have to try woogies in nyc and tell me which you like better.

[R Washburn]

Sarcones: You need to go to ninth street to buy their bread (try their hoagies, awesome, from their corner deli). Also try their tomato pie and pepperoni bread.

Amoroso's: Servicable rolls that are better than most outside of Philly. In Philly, you can do much better. You can buy them at many places, including supermarkets, in plastic bags.

The best bread is served in brown paper bags. That must be a rule.

There is no comparison between the two. None.

Try Philip's Steaks. 23rd and Passyunk. On the other side of the tracks from Pat's and Geno's. Consistent quality. Open 24 hours. No lines. Right off the Schuylkill. Holly needs to get them on his site.

Is there any comparable bread to Sarcone's in New York? Sarcone's seeded semolina baguettes are my all time favorite sandwich bread.