Cuisine: Cheesesteaks
April 29, 2007
Pat’s: 1237 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Geno’s: 1219 S 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Phone: 215-468-1546 (Pat’s), 215-389-0659 (Geno’s)
Websites: www.patskingofsteaks.com, www.genosteaks.com
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Cheesesteak with Onions and Provolone ($7)
Cheesesteak with Onions and Cheez Whiz ($7)
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While there are definitely superior cheesesteaks to be eaten in Philadelphia (Try Donny’s at The Grill at Swarthmore College), it’s Pat and Geno who get the most press and accolades due to their hilarious rivalry and close proximity. From the outside, Geno runs a cleaner and more modern shop that somewhat resembles Times Square. Pat on the other hand, has a no-frills white storefront with faded red tables for customers to dine at. Geno is a bit more notorious than Pat because sometime last year he publicly demanded that all customers order in English because we live in America! I don’t know where Pat officially stands on the issue, but it’s most likely the opposite of Geno.
Yo quiero un cheesesteak con Cheez Whiz y cebollas, por favor.
My brother and I conducted a ’steak by ’steak comparison three years ago during Family Weekend and concluded that Pat made a better product, but that was ages ago. For kicks and giggles last weekend, the Astronomer and I set out to determine once and for all who makes a better cheesesteak–Pat or Geno.
Before I delve into the sandwiches, it must be noted that the customer service at both establishments is horrible. The men who work behind the counter are fat, mean, and intimidating. Small talk is non-existent; Pat, Geno, and their minions want you to pay and scram. The grill at Pat’s is also really disgusting (see evidence below).
The Astronomer and I headed to Pat’s first because he isn’t a known racist. The cheesesteak was made in 2.5 seconds, which was way too fast for the provolone to properly melt. Clearly made with indifference, our sandwich was handed to us unwrapped on some butcher paper. Every table at Pat’s was occupied so we sat on a ledge across the street. My first thought as I bit into the sandwich was, “eh.” My second and third thoughts were, “the onions are still a little raw” and “there isn’t much steak here.” On a positive note, the bread was good. Surprisingly, the meat was dry considering the copious amounts of grease on the grill. I can’t believe my brother and I gave Pat’s a thumbs up.
Soon after we finished the first, we crossed the street and placed our order at Geno’s substituting provolone with Cheez Whiz. Although it would have been best to compare apples to apples, I didn’t want to risk another cheesesteak without melted cheese. The folks at Geno’s were slacking because it took 10 whole seconds to produce our sandwich. Unlike Pat’s, our cheesesteak was handed to us wrapped-up in butcher paper. Once again, we headed to the ledge to chow. The major difference between the cheesesteaks is the meat. Pat chops his meat into bits, while Geno slices his thinly. My first thought as I bit into Geno’s sandwich was, “ooh, I really like Cheez Whiz.” My second and third thoughts were, “the onions are perfectly cooked” and “the bread is just like Pat’s.”
On this warm spring day, The Astronomer and I guiltily declared Geno the winner. As good liberals we should have let Pat win, but our tastebuds decided otherwise.
Interesting. I’ve only had my cheesteaks wit’ wiz, but my official taste test a couple years ago put Pat on top, mainly because the product was massive and sloppy–more meat than Geno’s, lots of whiz.
I don’t think it’s a fair test- provolone sucks, so obviously it’s not going to be as good of a sandwich. i think you should go back to Pat’s, order a cheese wiz wit, and then realize why: there’s always a line, people drive hundreds of miles to go, and I’m obsessed.
I am definately a Genos fan because pats philly was as bland as the faded red tables.
A few weeks back, a friend and I conducted a similar taste test. We went for the true apples-to-apples comparison, each ordering a Provolone Wit, regular fries, and a soft drink. We then split the portions and got busy chowing down. The outcome: we both agreed that Geno’s had the better cheesesteak overall. The meat was juicier, the cheese more flavorful, and the bread fresher. However, there is a yin to this yang: the fries from Pat’s were much better than the pathetic soggy effort from Geno’s. So, if you have true cajones and a craving for culinary excellence, I’d recommend first picking up your cheesesteak from Geno’s and then walking over to Pat’s to grab your fries, or vice versa. Just be forewarned that there may be some fireworks at your second stop.
I thought Pat and Geno’s were both good. But it was the Broccoli Rabe Cheese Steaks at Tony Luke’s that make me dream of my next trip to South Philly.
Thank you, Loren, whoever you are. Tony Luke’s special cheese steak is the only acceptable one. In fact, it is delicious.
Through my four years at Swarthmore, I was always confused by cheesesteaks. The concept is good, and I’m not a food snob, but god is cheese whiz disgusting. You’d think the product would have evolved. I think there’s a fine line between authenticity and adaptability. America’s come a long way since cheese whiz, so I don’t know why people still hold on to such strange ideals when it comes to their cheesesteaks. That said, I agree about Geno’s over Pat’s!
“…I’m not a food snob…”
Jon, you don’t seriously believe this, do you?!
Peter Baker says:
Cathy, I was just trying to see if Ajia has a website (because I need another part-time job (besides City Paper) in Philly this summer and kind of wanted to work there haha), and instead I was routed to your food blog. I ended up reading your Pats vs. Geno’s coverage, and here’s my two cents.
Both Pat’s and Geno’s make a pretty horrible cheesesteak, at least relative to
1) Sonny’s: best hand’s down
2) Tony Luke’s (annoying, but good)
3) Jim’s (touristy, but still far superior to P and G)
4) Steaks on south (too small, but good)
5) many other places in the suburbs that don’t really count I guess
6) the vegan steak at that place on 7th street, can’t remember the name, which definitely doesn’t really count.
If you look on my facebook profile, you can see a short movie about me doing the Jim’s / Lorenzo’s challenge
Sweet blog,
peter