Jim, yes, it's the bread, mostly. I want to like Philly's Best, and I admire the mostly all-Philly theme and their follow-though. I had other beefs with my recent sandwich, though. I found the meat to be cooked well beyond the norm. It was in that beef purgatory between just cooked, which would be great, and long-cooked, which would have been fine too, though wrong. Instead, it was plain-old over-cooked. See also: squid for an example of something that needs to be cooked to order or cooked to death, but never in between. This was one sandwich; I've had better from PB, for sure.

PS, if they added Italian roast pork, I'd order it and not complain.

I been on a PB binge since the WS started. I was doing a little thing on the Cheesesteak vs. The Cuban for the worlds series. I have been eating/ordering from here for years. I always remember in HS snow days we would see the "what the heck is Phillys best?" commercials and order once of not twice during the day. This was always the spot for delivery for me and my HS friends in the neighborhood after doing what HS kids do...

Ive never been to Philly but I always liked this place then didnt really go for the past few years and now have found myself here quite a few times since I revisited it a couple weeks ago. As far as cheesesteaks go, these are by far the best I have had, but I haven't been to Philly. Its also a great delivery option for the area and a good spot right off the Belmont red line for el riders.


cheesesteak wit onions and whiz...Cograt to the Phillies '08 MLB champs

Its owned by a Greek family and along with the Philly cheesesteak and Philly Chicken I always get the fried cheese and every now and then go with Greek fried dough for a dessert.


The Philly chicken may not look appealing but its one of the better chix sandwiches in the area. I always go with onions, peppers and white American cheese.


Cheesesteak and Greek fried cheese balls

Phillys Best
907 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 525-7900
they have four locations but I have only been to this one

Philly's Best is a decent knock off of what I know to be the authentic item.

However my visits have been hit or miss. I am now at the point that I have pretty much given up on finding a a good Philly Cheesesteak in Chicago, and count our blessings for having the Italian Beef sandwich as a equally satisfying cousin.

For the record the best Philly Steaks I had was at a place I used to work the grill back in the day in Naperville. It was called Donti's Deli and their Philly's and Hoagie sandwiches were the real deal. Alas they are gone, and I have not found a suitable replacement.

As a side note the place I worked used hand trimmed slabs of ribeye, cut into large chunks, frozen, and then sliced paper thin on the meat slicer. Meat grilled with oil, onions, salt and pepper & topped with white American cheese, or provolone until melted.

I've never been to Philly to have an authentic one either, but the ones at Garibaldi's are pretty good IMO.
The cheese is Mozzarella, I think, so it's not quite authentic but still good. The NY style pizza is pretty good too.

http://www.garibaldis.com/index.html

They are in Villa Park, Carpentersville, Hoffman Estates, and Arlington Hts.

PB has been open in the west loop for awhile now, has anyone gone there and experienced any drop off compared to the belmont location? I went recently and felt something was off, but I was wondering if anyone could chime in as I'd rather go to the WL location which is much closer to me then driving north to belmont.

jimswside wrote:For the record the best Philly Steaks I had was at a place I used to work the grill back in the day in Naperville. It was called Donti's Deli and their Philly's and Hoagie sandwiches were the real deal. Alas they are gone, and I have not found a suitable replacement.

As a side note the place I worked used hand trimmed slabs of ribeye, cut into large chunks, frozen, and then sliced paper thin on the meat slicer. Meat grilled with oil, onions, salt and pepper & topped with white American cheese, or provolone until melted.

I lived in Huntington Commons a few blocks from Donti's for 8 years. Both the Phiily Steak and the Hoagie were my absolute favorite sandwiches. I never knew how authentic they were until I went to Philadelphia; they "were the real deal". There was always the same guy making the food and I believe he was the owner. I had several conversations with him however it was a long time ago and I can't remember his name

Marshall, his name was Mike, and he was the owner, I grew up over on Charles street, and worked for him off and on for 5 years. I miss that place.

Jimswside

Funny! I too worked at Donti's Deli years ago ( I lived across the street in the subdivision that was next to the golf course) when I was a teenager and I have never, ever found a cheesesteak to match Mike's to this day! They were the absolute best around! He also had the Italian version where you could add the tomatoes etc, and top it with mozzerella cheese instead of the provolone. I was addicted to them as well as the hoagies. The worst day ever was when Donti's closed. To this day I still think about them when I drive by the place on Chicago Avenue. Too bad someone couldn't have kept the place alive.

redhdbest wrote:Jimswside

Funny! I too worked at Donti's Deli years ago ( I lived across the street in the subdivision that was next to the golf course) when I was a teenager and I have never, ever found a cheesesteak to match Mike's to this day! They were the absolute best around! He also had the Italian version where you could add the tomatoes etc, and top it with mozzerella cheese instead of the provolone. I was addicted to them as well as the hoagies. The worst day ever was when Donti's closed. To this day I still think about them when I drive by the place on Chicago Avenue. Too bad someone couldn't have kept the place alive.

small world thats for sure,

Donti's was one of my 1st jobs, and I enjoyed working there(I started working there in 1989 until like 2002 or 2003). I liked to add some of the jalapenos, and cook them in with the Philly's I made for myself.

I used to eat at PB (on Belmont) all the time. Then I moved to the suburbs and my wife and I would go back on occasion when we felt we needed a fix and were always happy. But after they moved down a few doors, we went back 2 times and they were AWFUL both times at the new location. Not even good enough to walk downstairs for-let alone drive an hour. So we haven't been back in 2, maybe 3 years.

Incidentally, I like mine with provolone and have been to Philly many times. PB was the only place I felt held up to any place in the Philly metro area.

Someone mentioned Garibaldi's and I do like their philly, but it's not quite as tasty as PB used to be. I like their other subs and pizza better.

Philly's Best can be hit or miss, but on a good day it's the closest you can get to the real thing in Chicago. I say that as someone who lived in Philadelphia for 8 years, frequenting Jim's Steaks at 4th and South.

Also, Philly's Best has Cheez Whiz for the asking, which is the appropriate topping, if you're a purist. (OK, that can be argued, depending on which establishment in Philadelphia you prefer, but I'll always be a devotee of the Whiz.)

I have had the best luck at the PB in Logan Square on Milwaukee. I think it may be something about it being more of a hole in the wall. I don't remember his name anymore, but the cook I have had the couple of times that I have been there was from Philly and that probably helped. I still don't think it is quite "authentic" but there are a lot of reasons for that. When a city has an iconic food it is impossible to duplicate that food outside of that city because you lose the atmosphere. NY style pizza will never be as good as it is in the city, a cheesesteak will never be as good as it is in Philly after watching the Mets beat the Phillies. A hot dog, Italian beef, or Chicago style pizza is never as good as it is here, and I don't believe that it's the water as some people claim. IMHO it is the atmosphere and attitude of a city, the place you are eating, and the other customers that makes a truly iconic city food.

My take on Philly Cheese Steak.

It is much vaulted and world renown but it is a regional favorite and the authentic sandwich might not be to everyone's taste.

I love a good beef sandwich and have been chasing the elusive Philly for a while but most spots tend to shy away from the authentic and try to make a great tasting sandwich. Nice quality beef, green peppers and onions nicely sauteed, good cheese and a run under the broiler to meld all of the ingredients together.

... but I and the makers digress.

I have been to the PB spot near Logan Square and enjoyed the sandwich. The beef and onions placed on the grill, a shot of water to induce some steaming, the shredding of the mixture with the spatulas, the bun placed on top and covered to let the steam soften the mix. Topped off with the cheese of your choice (wit whiz ).

The steaming produces a flavor reminiscent of White Castle. Not to everyone's liking. But very popular amongst it's devotees.

I am glad that the PB in Logan is an accurate representation of the real thing as I found it to be a unique and delicious sandwich (but then again I have a fondness for a good steamed sandwich).

Be warned, it is not for everyone.

Philly's Best
2436 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-1900‎

Just as a side note the owner of the Logan Square location attempted to open another near Austin and North. He even pulled his best grill cook to that location to give it a solid go. Sad to say it didn't survive and is now closed.

Even with it being close to home and having driven by many times I never did take the time to stop. Maybe if I had...

I could attribute it to a quote a friend of mine uses...

Please note: this is in the city of Chicago, so, to quote a fellow enthusiast,

One's comfort level in a given environment is always relative to one's life experiences. Some might consider this a "rough" part of town.

T'was the night after Christmas...

My bride and I were on our way to the Gallery Cabaret and decided to grab a bite on the way.

First stop, Cemitas Puebla. Grrr... Closed for the holidays.
Second stop, El Pollo Loco in Logan Square. Grrrr... Closed for good!

Running out of quick options I made the decision to make a stop at Philly's Best Express on Milwaukee. Not nearly the favorite of My Bride but I was working her with the variety on the menu. Perhaps a Stromboli?

Stopping in I ordered the usual large Philly Beef wit whiz on garlic bread (it was in top form) and she surprised me by ordering the cheese burger. I also decided to try some of their other fare and ordered the Grinder. When asked what kind (I didn't even know there was a kind) and after a quick look at the menu I ordered the top item, The combo...

American Combination Grinder

Ham, bologna & salami served with sliced onions, green peppers, tomatoes and white American cheese

... and baked in the oven. Good! Nice layering of the meats and the vegetables, raw before hitting the oven, were just cooked and still had a bit of life in them. The bread had a good hot crust.

Cheeseburger Sub

6 oz of pure beef, hand seasoned patty shaped to fit our sub roll served with white American cheese, mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes

Not a Chicago classic by any means but a rectangular patty on a short sub bun. The sub toppings with the mayo made for a nice and fresh sandwich. They also have other versions: with a sausage patty or pizza or mushroom, blue cheese and grilled onions.

Maybe the addition of fried salami might bring it close to my long lost and beloved Romanburger.

Not by all means our first choice but a great choice before some music and drink (and had some leftover for a bedtime snack ).

I was always a big fan of PB's until I finally got to Philly. I still like them, but less. Eastern style pizza on Touhy has better cheesesteaks - sometimes - rather inconsistent. PB's does have the tasty cakes in their corner.

mrefjl wrote:I was always a big fan of PB's until I finally got to Philly. I still like them, but less. Eastern style pizza on Touhy has better cheesesteaks - sometimes - rather inconsistent. PB's does have the tasty cakes in their corner.

Not sure I can agree. I am originally from NJ and have spent the better part of my life devouring cheesesteaks in Philly and I find that Philly's Best (at least the one on Belmont) measures up very well to the Philly versions. Sure the bread is different, but not terribly and PB makes a damn good sandwich. And oh those Tastycakes!

mrefjl wrote:I was always a big fan of PB's until I finally got to Philly. I still like them, but less. Eastern style pizza on Touhy has better cheesesteaks - sometimes - rather inconsistent. PB's does have the tasty cakes in their corner.

IIRC,there is some sort of family relationship between the 2.

IIRC,there is some sort of family relationship between the 2.[/quote]

Really? I didn't find ESP until much later, don't really know their story. In philly I was a big fan of the "onion pie" closed now, but I guess I like the meat sliced thicker - like Geno's - than the thin PB's style. It's still a very solid place. Wish I still lived on the northside sometimes.

redhdbest and jimswside,

I grew up in Huntington and I worked for Eagle foods in that same mall as Donti's.. We used to go over to Donti's to have that awesome sandwich and a pitcher of beer at lunch (Shhh don't tell.. haha)

What kind of bun did they use for that philly steak sandwich? Any other insight on how to make it?... Also, how was the Italian Sub made? Was the meat marinaded?... I miss that taste so much, that place was outstanding...

Thanks much for your help!
Greg

gregkf1 wrote:
What kind of bun did they use for that philly steak sandwich? Any other insight on how to make it?... Also, how was the Italian Sub made? Was the meat marinaded?... I miss that taste so much, that place was outstanding...

Thanks much for your help!
Greg

they used a Gonnella roll for the Philly. I have made a Philly Steak at home in the past with meat they may still offer at Trader Joes, a thin cut beef product(find a big enough pan that you can get blazing hot, throw down some oil, onions, the beef, salt and pepper, grill, and chop, and then top with cheese(white american) when almost done.). At Donti's we used Ribeye I believe, trimmed it, froze the trimmed pieces, and then cut the meat paper thin.

The Italian sub if I recall(it was a long time ago), was just capicola, ham, salami, and provolone with a basic "italian" dressing(oregano and oil)

Thanks much,

You have no Idea (actually you probably do) how much Donti's is brought up by my brothers and friends I grew up with whenever we get together for drinks and someone orders a "steak sandwich" which is always made with mozzerella and can't touch the Donti's style...

And you are right (about the Italian sub), I meant the Italian Steak or Hoagie (can't remember which.. It's been a while), the meat always looked a little darker was it marinaded.

Thanks so much for your help sir

Greg

gregkf1 wrote:
And you are right (about the Italian sub), I meant the Italian Steak or Hoagie (can't remember which.. It's been a while), the meat always looked a little darker was it marinaded.

Thanks so much for your help sir

Greg

Italian steak was the same meat, but there were tomatos, green peppers, and mushroom in addition to the onion, as well as some oregano, and mozz cheese.

I grew up on Donti's, and worked there off and on for years.

Thanks again!

I appreciate it. I worked for Eagle for 8 years from 16 until 24 years old and I am sure I have bumped into you before. The sandwiches you guys made were alway top notch!

I can't wait to make myself a cheesesteak tonight.. I miss the fries too haha....


Greg

Greg- Thanks for bringing up memories of Eagle and Donti's. I also grew up in Huntington. I especially remember that good bread, giardiniera, and the oil dripping all over the paper, I think I always ordered an italian sub of some sort.

It always helps when you have a well seasoned grill like Donti's had too. You had two spatula's and when you threw down the extremely thin cut frozen rib eye meat that jimswide mentions you had to start "working" the meat correctly. That meant taking the two spatula's and chopping, pulling and moving the meat all the time in order to make sure it cooked well but did not over cook. You also had to add in the onions with the meat if that was needed ( who wouldn't want them!!) You then seasoned it with the correct seasoning, pulled it all together into a nice mound the length of the bun, put the cheese on top, then put the roll on top of that and covered the entire deal with the pan so it would steam and cook all together. Leave for about half a minute or less then slip the spatula under the sandwhich, flip and put into the basket or into the wrapper to go. AHHHH The good ol days! Man I could really go for one of those about now!!! I alway added a bit of extra onion and cheese. And I really liked the Italian version with some chopped green peppers and tomatoes added to the meat when cooking and then mozzeralla instead of white american cheese. Absolute HEAVEN!! And the Italian subs were the best around!

Boy they sure were the best around!

Thank you gentlemen... I can't wait to taste that again... SOoooo good!

Nic- What about those fries in the basket and of course.... RC cola... ahhhhh

MY GOD YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ME HUNGRY.... haha

Went to philly recently for a wedding, went to pat's, jim's, and gino's, was underwhelmed by them all. I'm sure there are better cheesesteaks in philly that are more of the hole in the joints, but I'd honestly rather have a philly's best cheesesteak with wiz than any of those 3 from philly. I will now appreciate them even more here in chicago after my philly trip!

This probably says more about me than any particular cheesesteak, but I've long preferred Philly's Best (on Belmont) to Pat's and Geno's (can't speak to any other cheesesteak institutions in Philly). I've given both Pat's and Geno's a few tries, and the sandwiches have always been gristly and bland.

By way of full disclosure, my father owns the storefront where Philly's Best got its start, and I've been the beneficiary of many PB freebies.