Philly Southside Cheesesteaks

Lol, well, it wasn’t awful. I got a «traditional» for about $ 8.50. They cooked it really quickly which can be good or bad depending on your perspective. A bit over-​seasoned, but otherwise fine.
They had a health code review of 80, so YMMV. I didn’t get sick at least. I was going to give them 3 stars for being average, but the health code rating was enough for me to bump them down another star.

I have eaten better at carts on the street. This place was empty and that should’ve been a dead give away. The place is dirty and gross (the bathrooms were so bad I wouldn’t even let my Fiancée go in there). There was no ice in the soda machine, the owner/​grill man/​cashier had to hand-​deliver us ice in a giant scoop for our drinks. Looks like this guy couldn’t let go when Philly Connection went out of business. Probably should have.

The place is dingy, the restrooms were filthy, the traditional cheesesteak was «fair». It’s good if you’re looking for something fast and filling, but that’s about it. I’ve eaten here a few times, but it’s my last choice (like if nothing else sounds appealing to me). This place is always empty when I have gone in or driven by, and I drive by often as I like to go to Chocolate’ Café in the same plaza. Every time I’ve gone in the place, the air conditioner was broken and it was like a sauna inside. I’m really amazed they are still in business.

Oh, geez. I don’t know why I came here. Mediterranean Grill and Saigon Café, both of which I liked perfectly well, were right next door!
I walked into Philly Southside around supper time, and the place was damn near deserted. Bright, fluorescent lighting revealed more dirt and stickiness than I would’ve liked to know about. Two options at the drink fountain were «out of order,» hand-​written signs hastily taped onto the spouts.
I went with a large traditional cheesesteak, which by itself (without any sides or a drink) ran me over $ 7. Service was fast enough, though some of the guys behind the counter seemed a little distant and distracted. I went ahead and got my meal to go.
When I got home about ten minutes later, I unrolled the foil wrapper to find mediocrity inside. An overly neat sandwich made of a dry and pillowy roll, with meager amounts of meat, cheese, and caramelized onions carefully tucked inside. It didn’t look greasy, but I’ll agree with Michael L. that it felt strangely heavy in my stomach. All in all, a pretty bad experience, definitely not worth the money.

This spot is a bit of a grungy, dingy looking place (is it on purpose? The tables are sticky because they probably haven’t been cleaned) next to Mediterranean Grill. I figured that I’d give this place a try after passing it by so many times.
The place was empty (bad sign especially during lunch time), but I went ahead and ordered a large «traditional» cheesesteak for $ 7.59 (after tax).
The bread was cold, and outside of some caramelized onions and the white cheese, there wasn’t much to go with the ‘steak’ in the sandwich. It tasted ok… but very heavy… and my stomach didn’t feel so good. Right after I got back to work, I had to go… sit on the porcelain throne. No liquid… but wasn’t pretty.
I would’ve given this place a preliminary 3 to be nice… but 2.5, there you go. I’m surprised this place stays in business.

Okay, I admit it. I knew, going in, that this was not going to be a good experience. When the signage outside is a knock-​off of the former Philly Connection sign with what looks like a sheet over one word, how much quality can you expect?
Regardless, I threw caution to the wind and yielded to the desires of the group I was with and gave it a try. Just for giggles, I walked in and asked the guy behind the counter what the best thing on the menu was. I knew I was in trouble when he started going down the ENTIRE menu saying the same thing over and over.“we use only top grade sirloin…” and «we only use boneless chicken breast…» It should be noted that we were the ONLY customers in the store and the crew looked thoroughly bored. Hmmm, I wonder why???
Despite all that, I gathered the nerve to order a concoction called a Pizza Cheesesteak (why, I have no idea). And even made it a Combo so I could get the greasy fries and flat soda that comes with it! If I’m going to bomb, lets do it in a big way, shall we? My friends tried the chicken cheesesteak. Needless to say, the sandwiches were as bad as the cheesy sign on top of the building! They even have the nerve to have a menu item called «The Traditional» I don’t think so!

Please do not order from this establishment and think you have connected with Philly. These cheesesteaks and disgusting. Even I think they are TOO greasy, and I’m from Philly. The lone star is for the effort. If you are actively seeking a heart attack, there are much tastier ways to achieve that goal. Steer away from this restaurant!