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Amato's Cheesesteaks
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Cheesesteaks Sandwiches, Cheesesteaks [Edit]
1162 Saratoga AveSan Jose, CA 95129
(408) 246-4007
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
802 reviews for Amato's Cheesesteaks
Review Highlights
"Followed the advice of sharing a shorty with my bf."
(in 206 reviews)
"The portions are huge by the way."
(in 28 reviews)
"The onion rings and cheese fries are our favorites too."
(in 56 reviews)
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802 reviews in English
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Review from Tina T.
San Jose, CA
2/8/2012
It takes me like 2-3 days to finish one of their cheesesteaks.
Thanks Yelp for another find :) I came here about 2 years ago for the first time - I was good off cheesesteaks for the next couple of months. Their portions are HUGE.
I got the Pepper Cheese Steak and the Boyfriend got the Cheesesteak Sandwich. Both "shortys" (7 inch), but they looked like regular/large. They don't skip out on meat here, don't you worry.
To top it off, we got their cheese fries. OMG. My. Arteries. But OMG. Happiness.
They're super nice here, at least, for the past couple times I've been here. I'm craving their cheese fries right now as I type this actually. No :( Good thing I don't live too close to this place. =P I'd be in trouble. -
Review from Star'leigh A.
San Jose, CA
2/7/2012
Finally checked this place out after hearing so many great things about it! At one point, I was told how good this place was from 2 random strangers in one day!
I drive by this joint everyday on my commute to work, so I see the sign constantly calling me to "COME IN & TRY SOME, Star".... Well, this past weekend I did! Probably the best cheesesteak I've had so far. A coworker of mine even says its better than the ones he's had in PHILLY, so apparently they're doing something right! Also ordered the cheese fries & wasn't digging them at all. We ended up tossing it after only having a few - sorry, but I'm not into Velveta-esqe cheese on my fries.. =&
So if you're craving a good cheesesteak, plan a trip here. You won't be disappointed! -
Review from Reggie a.
San Jose, CA
1/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great cheesesteaks probably the best in san jose.
Big portions good flavor and you get philly style attitude with the workers.
I'll be back fooorsure. -
Review from Daniel D.
San Jose, CA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
great sandwiches and huge portion. Their meat quality is not very consistent though. mine was great but my friend's was very fatty. The cashier is not exactly miss congeniality but the rest of the guys were very nice...
I'll go back for the portion but take it to go... -
Review from Christine N.
Campbell, CA
1/20/2012
I came with a large appetite and made the mistake of ordering a half cheesesteak hoagie to share. I thought, a quarter sandwich would be a fair meal size. I was sooo wrong. The half sandwich can be split between 4 adults, easily.
The cheesesteak hoagie was tasty and well worth the money. The beef was piled high and had a large dose of peppers, lettuce, and dressing. I'd prefer even more cheese to balance out the beef. My friend had the chicken sandwich and it was really good also. Next time, I'll order the shorty chicken sandwich... and share. -
Review from JP T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/12/2012
been coming here since high school, came and ate maybe a week after it opened. Though quality has shifted slightly over the years, its still super delicious.. Their cheese fries.. man.. fries are deep fried for a little bit longer than usual so they stay crispier, and don't get soggy with the MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CHEESE SAUCE THEY POUR ALL OVER IT.
Cheese steaks. Soft french roll, i'd say about a pound of meet, melted cheese, add a touch of mayo with some onions and BAM. WHERE'S THE BEEF? It's in my Amoto's cheesesteak SON!!!!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/22/2008
This joint-style restaurant was opened when i was in high school and i still find myself making… Read more »
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Review from Patrick D.
Union City, CA
1/20/2012
Philly cheesesteaks at it's greatest. I haven't been to philly yet, but from what I heard, this is as authentic as you can get. BTW. Im going to philly this summer and trying Pat's cheesesteaks. I'll update this review in the future. Back to Amato's.
First time coming here, was about 2-3 years ago. I had recently mtn biked at least 20 miles (or what felt like it) at the saratoga gap. My cousins suggested this place. OMG. I ordered the LARGE philly cheesesteak with mushroom and a side of fries smothered with cheese wiz. Let's just say; it was waaaaay too big (that's what she said, i know). I ended up eating the sandwich for dinner and lunch the next day. Meat was cooked well, not over cooked. Mushrooms and onions were bursting in flavor. Took my wife here recently within the year and she's from NY. She agrees it tastes like an east coast philly cheesesteak. The atmosphere of the place is hole-in-the-wall, however the food explains it all.
Try this place out! You know you want to. -
Review from Laurie W.
San Francisco, CA
A-Ma-to? tomato?
Cruised into this lil tiny place and the folks there are pretty nice, not the HI WELCOME....more like they talk to you like regulars.....
menu is pretty big for a small shop, each sandwich comes in different sizes and the smallest one is pretty big already! I had to take the second half home.
I just got the regular cheesesteak with onions. I believe they use cheese wiz for the cheese which was good and people werent kidding about the beef...they make sure you get your money's worth! However, i find the beef too be a little bland, not much flavor but it was still good.
You get your money's worth here if you're looking for a full meal! They have seating and sauces for your choosing!!
Definitely will come back! -
Review from Ringo C.
Saratoga, CA
1/20/2012
Very Big Chicken Mushroom Steak Hot Sandwiches!
Delicious!! -
Review from Jason P.
Manhattan, NY
12/23/2011
The half cheese steak sandwich ($16) is enormous, covered in provolone, and has plenty of beef! By the time I had finished half of it, I could hear a small bell go off in my head. You know that bell, the same one that goes off when you're at a buffet or a Thanksgiving dinner. The one that goes "Ding! That's all the food you'll need for the rest of the fucking day."
But of course, I then proceeded to finish the rest of the sandwich, because who ever succeeded in life from listening to a bell?
As comedian Louis CK once said, " A meal isn't over when I'm full. It's over when I hate myself." -
Review from Brian C.
Framingham, MA
12/28/2011 1 photo
Quality: GOOD/GREAT
Amount: GINORMOUS
Price: REASONABLE
Staff is especially friendly!
Impressive amounts of meat go into each sandwich. I mean, if you've ever been to Subway or Togo's, and gotten a footlong roast-beef sandwich from each, then combined the meat from both sandwiches into one, you'd still not match the amount of carne in these hoagies. I take the QUANTITY of food very seriously, and this was one place where I was impressed. And I'm rarely impressed. OK...maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion. I probably just had very low expectations, and I was just blown away by how much they gave me. Still...I'd go back.
This is "America's" response to the monster burrito. -
Review from Ana T.
San Jose, CA
1/16/2012
If you feel like throwing any dietary caution to the wind and indulging then it doesn't get much better than Amatos. This place has been around for as long as I can remember and is practically a landmark in west San Jose. A small, or "shorty" as the call it, should be more than enough for even the largest appetite and more than enough for the rest of us to split between two people.
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Review from Holden M.
San Jose, CA
1/29/2012
Great cheesesteaks sandwiches and the size is huge!!! Can be a bit of a wait because the shop is small and it is so well known but it's well worth the wait. If you are not a big eater you can definitely share your sandwich for two people. My favorite cheesesteak sandwich shop.
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Review from Michelle P.
San Jose, CA
1/13/2012
I got the small philly with cheese, mushrooms, and bell peppers (the works)... it was so good! HUGE portions, I only ate half of my sandwich. Super beefy and cheesy.
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Review from Tommy S.
Saratoga, CA
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I finally stopped in here tonight and one good sign was there was a lot of people. Really didn't know which cheese steak to order so I asked the cashier and she was really helpful. I was going to order a whole, but found out this was 24 inches long and a half was 12 inches. We ordered a half and split it . We got the half with the works with onion rings. The onion rings came first which were crispy. We were eating on the bar right behind the grill.
They called my name out and I turned around and I said Whoa those are huge two big cheese steaks with heaping amounts of meat cheese, mushrooms, and peppers. I had to get a fork to eat a little before I tried to pick it up. Really good beef and cheese that melts in your mouth. I had a hard time finishing this one. Come here real hungry.The portions are HUGE. The Shorty 7 inches is 7.10. The Half 12 inches is 13.80 and the Whole 24 inches is 27.15. -
Review from Sachiko K.
San Jose, CA
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place isn't bad. Got "The Works" which is beef and everything else on it (mushroom, bell peppers, onions).
FOOD
The sandwich is huge @_@. 'Shortie' is the smallest size they have their and our sandwich came out to be about $9. My boyfriend and I split one and we were both full. I couldn't even finish my half. They also have unlimited jalapenos you can get yourself on the counter. I think the taste is a bit bland. I would like it with more flavor, maybe some kind of sauce. Like I said, it's not bad though. For the price and size, I'd definitely come back.
SERVICE
I thought their service was awesome. We went on a Sunday night, not too crowded about a minute before they closed. They still let us order even while they were already cleaning up the kitchen. They only take orders to-go starting about 30 minutes before they close. We didn't want to create more work for them, so we just scooped out the jalapenos in one of the paper trays they had, but they kept insisting they wrap it up for us to go.
We ate outside on our car and one of the employees came out with a bottle of water for us because they felt bad that we were eating outside on our car. That was very nice of her :)
So overall, even though I didn't think the food was amazing, I still had a great experience at this place. Would recommend it to friends. -
Review from Thomas C.
Mountain View, CA
1/30/2012
I just had my first cheesesteak from Pat's on a trip to Philly yesterday. It left me with a craving and so I looked up somewhere in the Bay Area where I could get one. Today was my first time eating at Amato's. It wasn't really comparable to Pat's, but it was the best I've had here. My advice is split the shorty and a single order of fries between two people--they don't scrimp on the amounts at Amato's! Recommended.
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Review from Vabby V.
San Jose, CA
10/24/2011
I'm born and raised in Philly, so I am very anal when it comes to cheesesteaks, but I love trying local places to see how well they are. Amato's is very authentic and a big winner with me.
Me and my girl (shes also from Philly) went there a few nights ago and got a cheesesteak hoagie, and cheese fries. Let me tell you that the cheesesteak hoagie, 12 inch half, was huge! It has a huge amount of meat, and fillings and we were absolutely not expecting this amount of food. Didn't even finish the whole thing. Meat was good quality, good cheese...a little too much lettuce for my taste but not bad at all.
The cheese fries were great. Pure cheese whiz, and they cooked the fries right there for us, so it was very crispy.
Great experience, and big fan of Amato's now. Would def recommend it to all my Philly friends. -
Review from Michael H.
Newark, CA
1/29/2012
one of the worst sandwichs the wife and i have ever had
and the french fries forget it , i think they never change the oiland frooze on top of that
everything out of a bag ,, nothing fresh
we will never go back -
Review from Jason C.
San Jose, CA
11/6/2011
I'm in love with this place. Never actually had a problem with service here, and I can't imagine what all the complints are about. Either way, this is one place that I'll love forever. Best Cheesesteaks in San Jose.
Shorty Pepper Cheesesteak. That's it. You're a beast if you can finish one, with fries. -
Review from Erica S.
Updated - 9/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This time, I got the Chicken Steak Hoagie. I didn't want the cheese as I didn't care for the flavor last time that it made me feel sick. I ordered the fries, but didn't get it when I picked up my order. They said that it wasn't on the order so I decided to skip it and just share the ones that my colleagues got. 10 minutes later, they brought out the fries. I thought she was being nice, but I later realized that I paid $9 for my food so of course, I paid for the freakin' fries!
Sandwich was okay. Not too exciting for me.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/24/2011
Came here with coworkers during Friday lunch and boy, was it packed! Luckily, we found parking and… Read more »
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Review from David C.
San Jose, CA
10/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place is awesome. The regular is good enough for just lunch and dinner.
sigh. if you want cheesesteaks, come here! -
Review from Brian B.
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
My first reaction when handed my sandwich: "Holy crap that's heavy." I was not expecting it. You can get your cheesesteak in 7" (shorty), regular (12"?), and whole (way too big to even comprehend....). It's a solid sandwich, as you might guess. I had the Cheesesteak Hoagie with cheese wiz. You definitely need the wiz. It makes it. The wait is kind of ridiculous. You might want to call in if you can. All in all, though, a delicious and fun experience. Recommend.
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Review from Jerry L.
Campbell, CA
10/19/2011
I got the #8, Mushroom and onion cheesesteak of the shorty variety. Shorties are 7".. 7" my ass.. this thing was huge!
Needless to say, I felt I got my buck's worth and Amato's is definately my new cheesesteak place of choice. The meat was very tender, not over seasoned or salty like other places and the cheese was awesome. The bread is very good as well. Just slightly chewey but not soggy or over toasted.
If you're hungry, the smallest size will do most people good. I can usually eat a whole one at other places but the sandwiches here are filled to the brink. I had to save half for dinner.
I went around 12pm and the place wasn't crowded at all so if you need a quick lunch, go to Amato's! The staff is super friendly and the service is quick.
I took a star off for the average price. -
Review from Lindsay L.
San Jose, CA
12/16/2011
This place is amazing. Great food, & even better service ALWAYS. My boyfriend is obsessed with this place and sometimes wants it everyday! Also, the portions are huge. I love it here and the employees are very helpful and nice.
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Review from Ryan P.
Campbell, CA
1/25/2012
Order an original cheesesteak with onions, american cheese AND cheez wiz......nothing better
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Review from Angelic L.
San Jose, CA
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Forget the Cheesesteak Shop! Go to Amato's!!
I got a shorty size of the works, which has everything in it. Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese, and steak, of course! The bread was perfectly toasty, and the steak was extremely tender. I loved it! The shorty was pretty big--it was enough to make two whole meals for me.
It's pretty warm inside. I'm assuming their ventilation isn't very good, but their service is excellent! The people working are extremely helpful and kind. A lot of people who eat here don't finish their sandwiches, but all you have to do is bring your basket back to them and they'll gladly wrap it up for you to take togo. The man who wrapped up my sandwich asked me about my experience there, and I really had nothing to say except that it was great.
Seeing as how I never really crave cheesesteaks, I can't say that I'll be coming back often, but I finally know a good place to recommend to people when they want a delicious cheesesteak. -
Review from Anthony N.
Santa Clara, CA
11/27/2011
Idk what's soo good about this place, my friends loved it. but the cheesesteak's seemed like regular sandwiches to me. Me and my friend shared a "the works" cheesesteak (shortie), it was huge. Overall the sandwiches are just normal, and are actually pretty cheap if you split with a friend. (:
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Review from Donni G.
Citrus Heights, CA
9/4/2011
This is a really good cheesesteak.
The works which is mushrooms, peppers, onions, and cheese on this amazingly soft roll. I've only had one cheese steak that I liked better and that was on the Eastern Shore of VA. This place satisfies.
Get the cheese fries too, it completes the meal. -
Review from Benjamin L.
San Jose, CA
8/30/2011
This place was pretty nice. I went there a little early but they were nice about it. The sandwiches are massive; to the point that they eclipse subway sandwiches. I ordered a 7 inch sub and I was seriously full. The place had some normal sauces like Tobasco and ketchup, nothing too fancy. The sandwiches are about 8 dollars which includes tax. Some of the meat was cold which kind of annoyed me but other than that, great sandwich, great place.
Pros:
Large portions (even the smallest size is huge)
Filling
Nice Service
Plenty of chairs
Con:
Opens at 11?
some of the meat that was not on the sandwich was cold. -
Review from Eric R.
Boulder Creek, CA
12/22/2011
Best cheesesteak I've ever had. Jersey's and Calvin's aren't as good...sorry. Amato's has good flavor, good bread and huge portion. Shorty with works, fries to share and a Coke is a great twice a year food comma.
Cash only, busy as hell at 12pm. -
Review from jim h.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/12/2011
These are the best cheese steaks I've ever had. Been coming here for several years now and never had a bad sandwich yet. The bread is what really makes these sandwiches superior and also the quality of the meat.
And they now serve Coke instead of Pepsi...Whoo hooooo!
Why go anywhere else. -
Review from jack l.
San Mateo, CA
1/16/2012
Great cheeseteaks with fresh ingredients. I highly reccomend sharing a small with someone. They are huge.
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Review from Theresa D.
San Jose, CA
9/1/2011
If I'm ever craving food that will put me to sleep instantly this is the place. The sandwiches are approximately the size of a newborn or even bigger. Even though they are quite hefty sandwiches, the flavor is not compromised. Everything is well seasoned and melds well together. The workers that make the sandwiches are sweet and attentive. They also come with great Philly personalities as well. This is a nice place to stop by for a sandwich, I recommend that everyone should stop by.
FYI: Request toasted bread and "wit onions and wit wiz" LOL -
Review from Joanna R.
9/11/2011
Honestly... hahah.
I didn't like it.
I got it with cheese whiz which was kind of a bad idea. I think that overpowered most of my sandwich so I don't quite remember what the bread was like or if I liked the beef.
Maybe (IF I GO...again. maybe) I will try sometime in the future without cheese whiz and get some other cheese.
We'll see. -
Review from javier m.
Santa Clara, CA
12/6/2011
Best Cheesesteaks this side of the mississippi
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Review from Johanna P.
Northridge, CA
12/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ordered the Mushroom Cheesesteak. SO good! The cheese (American) is extremely creamy and works very well with the mushrooms, caramelized onions, and the steak. Their sandwiches are very big...I ordered a Shorty (7') the first time, and could barely finish half of it. My boyfriend and I learned the second time around - we just ordered one Shorty and split it, and even then we were pretty full. I also ordered onion rings on top of that. They don't jip you on the meat at all...it basically overflows out of the sandwich when you get your order. The onion rings are probably the best I've had (although they're not made at the store...) They're very crispy, just the way I like it, and when dipped in Ranch, therefore that much better.
The Cheesesteak Hoagie and the Cheese Fries are ok. The hoagie contains the works of a regular sandwich (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese), but with steak, and spices. The spices are a little overwhelming and takes away from the flavor of the cheesesteak. Not as good as the Mushroom Cheesesteak. Sometimes, simplicity is all it takes for something to taste really good. The Cheese Fries didn't live up to my expectations. There was way too much melted cheese (so much that it would drip onto the table), and it was very watered down. Not enough umph. The fries became soggy from all the cheese, and wasn't very appetizing to eat after a while. -
Review from Matilda P.
Campbell, CA
8/2/2011
There are sarcastic signs about charging a fee for putting up with grumpy people, which we totally appreciated, however the cashier was quite moody himself. Can we reverse the charge on them? ;)
We were craving a meatball sub, but the meatballs were dry and the flavor was mediocre. We had to ask for several extra sides of marinara. For a $16 sandwich, we really expected more.
I'm not sure if the meatball sandwich is completely not their specialty and we should have gotten a cheesesteak, but doubt we will be back to try. -
Review from Desirea A.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 1/21/2012
I lasted reviewed this place in 2010 and I just had another one of their perfectly delicious sandwiches and they are still make the best phillys!! I'm a loyal Amato fan!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/15/2010
I lo-oooove this place! It is super delicious and not pricey!! I'd eat their chicken works everyday… Read more »
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Review from John T.
Gonzales, CA
11/18/2011
Had the pepper cheese steak with an up sell to add grilled onions (which did not add any flavor). The cheese was white although you can request whiz-the yellow stuff. My gut was to go with the whiz but ended up going with the American cheese.
Btw I ordered the Shorty (smallest on the menu) and it was still a hearty portion.
Got the sandwich after a couple of minutes - nice and hot off the stove. After a few bites I realized there are two jars of different spicy peppers located on the counter!! Would of been nice if someone told me as I mentioned it was my first time there.
Overall the sandwich was well prepared but a little "tasteless" perhaps it needed just a little salt. Perhaps it needed the whiz! One thing for sure it the hot peppers on the counter definitely saved the meal.
I must come back to the same with whiz!Listed in: San Jose 408
