Philly Cheesesteaks

You can't say you've been to Philadelphia without having tried a cheesesteak. And yes, it's called a"cheesesteak”, not a "steak and cheese”!

Ever heard Motown Philly by Boyz II Men? No? Well, you better check it out here.

Here are a couple of notable cheesesteak places within walking distance of the hotel (be sure to look at the guide to ordering below):

Jim's Steaks (4th & South Streets): This is one of the oldest cheesesteak establishments and according to its website, it is a Philadelphia Landmark. This may be true because every time we pass it there is a line out the door. Don't be discouraged by the line, it moves quickly and you'll have a cheesesteak in your stomach in no time. Jim's is located on famous South Street at the corner of 4th Street. It is about a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. There are also a lot of neat shops to check out along South Street.

Sonny's Famous Steaks (216 Market Street - 2nd and Market Streets)

Pat's Steaks and Geno's Steaks (9th and Passyunk Streets): These are possibly two of the most famous cheesesteak establishments in Philadelphia. These two rival cheesesteak makers are located across the street from each other in South Philly. If you choose to check out one or both (!) places, we strongly recommend taking a cab. When you’re finished, you will most likely need to call for another taxi (there might be one around to hail). Call your hotel to have one sent to you, or call one of the numbers to the right of this page. Parking is strictly limited around Pat’s and Geno’s and the area can be difficult to navigate for those not familiar with the area.

(Note: Not to insult Pat's or Geno's, but while they have become a tourist destination, their steaks are just as good as Jim's or Sonny's. Our recommendation would be to stick to Jim's or Sonny's for the same quality, but more convenience. But, we don't want to discourage you from getting the Pat's versus Geno's experience either!)

A guide to ordering:

You typically have three choices of cheese: American, Provolone, and Wiz (liquid cheese wiz and the most popular). If you want onions, simply say what cheese you would like and "with" (or "wit" if you want to be authentic). So, if you want a cheesesteak with wiz cheese and onions, just walk up to the counter and say "Wiz with". If you don't want onions, say "without". Cheesesteaks here aren't spoiled by lettuce, tomatoes, or mayo like they are in places outside of the state, but if you really want to have it all, order a “cheesesteak hoagie”.

All of these places with have a condiment area with ketchup, jalapeños, pickles, etc so you don't need to ask for them in line.