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Category: Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: RoxboroughMon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Best... Cheesesteak... EVER
I repeat....
Best. Cheesesteak EVER
We each had the cheesesteak with american cheese, onions, sweet peppers and ketchup. The meat was not greasy or oily but tender and succulent. We ate quietly and moaned softly unable to comprehend the deliciousness that entered our mouths, consumed our palates and caused our taste buds to go into a wild frenzy.
We snagged seats at the counter and had our cheesesteaks pondering how the hell we were going to continue with our lives without Dalessandro's in New Jersey.
ooops, this review has been hanging around for weeks:
There was nothing too different than my last visit here, it's just that I've since had better. In fact I had better about a half hour prior to stopping in here. During our Chubbies vs. Dalessandro's battle of cheese steaks I felt Chubby's won hands down.
Dalessandro's steak was lifeless and dry. The sandwich itself was much larger than our Chubbies offering, but more doesn't equal better.
For my money Chink's or Steve's both have the best steaks in town.
Happy 'shroom cheese steak
Tiny counter seems pointless
Ladies were chummy
3 stars for the Steak, the…
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Pure heaven. Every other Cheesesteak joint in Philly should bow down to Dalessandro's. And shame on everyone who thinks they have had a true Philly Cheesesteak that live outside of PA -- no really, shame on you. I went to a restaurant in Chicago that claimed to be the Philly equal -- shame on you for all your lies .. BOooooooO!
Dalessandro's, I claim you #1.
The Emperor has no clothes.
Okay, so on my first trip to Philly, I went to a very touristy spot where Pat's and Geno's is located to try an authentic cheese steak. I was probably more impressed with the fries than anything. After writing my review, a native Philadelphian (sp?) told me that I had to try Dalessandro's and that Pat's and Geno's is definitely not where its at and that only tourists go there. Well since I've moved to Philly, and pass by Dalessandro's every day, twice a day, I figured one day, it was time to try it.
First thought, you walk into a quaint, hole in the wall restaurant that is packed, and you already know its going to be good. There's very limited seating, and on the counter tops there are jars of peppers, sweet, hot etc. You order and you're immediately thrown into it, onions, sauce etc.
Anyways, I got the Mushroom with provolone, and well I probably could have gone with out the mushrooms, I was blown away by the sandwich. There was plenty of steak, and the flavor of the meat was miles above that of Pat's and Geno's. Next, time I'll probably ask for extra cheese, and no sauce (tomato), but I was thoroughly impressed.
Their drink selection is pretty ridiculous as well, sporting a million different beers, sodas, juices, teas etc. I chose a Key Lime Soda, and let me tell you, it was heaven.
My next trip will be to go across the street and try Chubby's, but let me tell you, if anybody were to visit me, I'd definitely bring them to try Dalessandro's once they asked me to get a philly cheesesteak.
I'm sad to say I was quite disappointed with my cheesesteak at Dalessandro's. It did not live up to the hype.
First the good:
- The roll. It was fresh, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- The cheese. Sharp provolone. Do I need to say more?
The bad:
- The meat. While I am a fan of chopped meat, Dalessando's meat was so overchopped it was essentially dry meat crumbs. In fact it was so dry, I was looking for add-ons to moisten the sandwich.
Unfortunately, I am not a fan.
My boyfriend and I took and impromptu trip up north last week...he's from Delaware and while we were there he promised me an authentic Philly Cheese steak! Apparently cheese steaks are serious business up north so everyone had their own opinions of where we should go to get the best steak...but we are Yelpers and of course we turned to this site to help us find the best cheese steak in Philly...and we found it at Dalessandro's!!
I must've have looked like a visitor when I walked into the place because the ladies behind the counter were more than happy to sit me down and explain the menu to me!! I was a little nervous about not knowing exactly what I wanted when I got there because I had read reviews of other places and I was afraid that my head would be chopped off if I walked on all dazed and confused while I tried to order.
Anyway..hands down this was the best steak I have ever had and I am only an every once in a while beef eater...I wish I would've ordered it with a little more cheese...but it was so good with the mushrooms, onions, sweet peppers...and yes even a little ketchup on it! Awesome...awesome....I'm looking forward to visiting this spot the next time I take another trip up north!
In 2002, I saw a documentary on PBS called Sandwiches That You Will Like, by Rick Sebak. On my trip to Philly last spring, I made a point of stopping at four of the Philly places mentioned: Pat's, Geno's, Chickie's, and Dalessandro's. Pat's and Geno's were a bust. I liked Chickie's, but Dalessandro's was the only cheesesteak place I really liked.
I ordered a cheesesteak here to go, with provolone, mushrooms and onions (see pictures). The meat was chopped very fine (much finer than Pat's & Gino's), the shrooms and onions were cooked well, the bread was good (not a heavy crust, a soft lightly flavorful crumb), and the provolone was nice and melted into the meat (just the way I like it). Easily the best cheesesteak I had on this trip. That said, I should mention that I am not a local, and my cheesesteak experience in Philly is limited to Pat's, Geno's, and Dalessandro's. I have, however, had a number of cheesesteaks outside of Philly and consider myself to be an introspective eater. Interpret my review accordingly. 8-)
Parking was not bad. I didn't have to walk far (one block). The place was very tiny. Everyone was elbow-to-elbow with lots of locals enjoying their sandwiches at the counter where they had dishes of spicy stuff to dress up your sandwich (not for me). It's the kind of place that makes you feel like you've been invited into someone's private world, into their local hangout where they go to meet their friends two or three times a week for lunch or dinner. Claustrophobic and rather warm as the sun was beating in the big window, but homey.
I also got some Herr's chips which was pretty cool. Living out West, I never heard of Herr's until that episode of The Office when the vending machine runs out of Herr's so Jim and Karen make an all-day project out of finding some. The chips were fine, nothing special. Still, fun to try since I do like that show. The Hank's cream soda was also good! I like the fact that they stock regional brands that we don't see in other parts of the U. S.
Overall, I liked it! This is the place I'm going to tell people about when they ask for my cheesesteak recommendation in Philadelphia. Anyway, that's this outsider's opinion.
I don't think there's a whole lot left to be said about Dalessandros, with almost 80 reviews I think the reputation is solid.
The cheesesteak is fantastic and they've got a fairly extensive beer selection. What I really enjoy about Dalessandros is the service. It's been the same pair of women behind the register and counter every time I've gone and they've been pleasant. Took a friend for lunch one day when it was packed and they still asked at least two or three times if we needed anything.
I don't really dig the attitude/abuse sold to tourists at some other places and appreciate Dalessandros not playing that game.
Don't know how long its going on but as of my most recent visit yesterday they're running a $7.99 cheesesteak and Stella special Monday-Thurs. Try and beat that.
Wonderful place to get a cheesesteak if you're on the way home from Center City. Also the lines are shorter (than the joints in South philly) and the steak is just as good. I feel my arteries clogging now. For someone who rarely finishes anything, I always eat the entire steak. No leftovers.
Was in Philly this weekend and had the chance to try a place that has been on my list for years.. Its a homy little dinneresque place right in the Roxborough nieghborhood..
We arrive and sit down at the counter.. I order a Mr. Pibb's thinking I had seen it on the fountain.. Though, they did not have a Mr. Pibb, the woman who works there read her entire drink list to me.. She was doing it more to be cute but, they might have had 30 different things to drink.. She named them all..
I didnt really read the menu too much because we were there for cheesesteaks.. They did not have french fries.. We ordered the steak and noticed the tons of pickles they have out on the counter.. Pickled peppers of all kinds that they make themselves... I think I counted ten different pickle pepper containters. They had hot pickled peppers, peppers roast in garlic, they had bannana peppers in vinegar, they had chopped spicy peppers.. Pepper after pepper..
Steak arrives and it's huge.. There were a few of us and we all decided to partner up and split them in half.. This was a great decision as the halves were big..
They use chopped ribeye.. You can hear the steady sound of chopping coming from the back.. I do not think I have ever had a steak chopped so fine.. It was wonderful.. We ordered with fried onions which again were chopped.. I love when onions are chopped into the meat like that.. We ordered provolone and whiz with our steak.. The cheese melted through the entire sandwich making each bite perfectly portioned..
The bread was a little more doughy than say Pat's but, I found it to be excellent..
This place is really stellar, the staff is super nice.. I am going to put this down as one of my favorite places..
A must try for any cheesesteak fans.
I'm finally glad I got to try this place out. Previously, I had attempted to dine here on a Sunday...only to be let down when I realized they weren't open... Now, there's a sign on the front saying that they're open sundays!
I ordered the usual, a steak with whiz and onions. The woman taking the order was friendly too. No pushiness as you might feel at some other popular steak joints. The steaks were ready in a matter of minutes and they looked great! Definitely got a lot of steak along with the onions and whiz. It was juicy, tasty, and not as greasy as some of the others I've had. I wish I could say whether I liked this more or less than the enemy across the street...but it was too long ago. This was definitely satisfying though.
This was one of those five stars that is easy to write. They deserve five stars just for the sheer wonderful cheese-steak. The location is small, hard to navigate in, and crowded. But damn, this is one hell of a cheese-steak sandwich.
I would pass on Genos and Pats, and go for the gold here. A real sandwich in anybodies book. And they were actually friendly here, which given this town, is really saying something!
As I was growing up in Southern California, Philadelphia always found a way of defining my life. In many ways, sports contributed to a love of that city for me. I love the Philadelphia sports scene, including their rabid fans, and it naturally translated into me loving everything about the city -- including Philly Cheesesteaks. When I first learned about the dueling establishments of Pat's and Geno's, I thought for sure that was the ultimate source for cheeseteaks. I enjoyed many sorry attempts by franchises in CA to emulate the Philly staple (with one getting incredibly close to the real thing, Philly's Best), but I knew I had to make the pilgrimage to the mecca of cheesteaks.
My time came last March. Embarking with a Zipcar from Washington, D.C. I was venturing to the city of brotherly love. However, I was going to Philly with a Philly native who wanted to murder me when I told him I wanted to try Pat's and Geno's. He said he had a moral obligation to direct me to a real joint - Dalesandro's.
After a three-hour drive, we parked in a residential area in the heart of Philly and walked over to a small restaurant that hardly had any fanfare announcing its presence except for a large sign that made it seem they sold actual raw steaks or something. Donning my Philadelphia Flyers shirt, I nervously approached the counter and ordered a steak with mushrooms, stupidly forgetting onions. This mistake was expected though, I had just arrived in my favorite city and was desperately trying to seem like a local, but caving under insurmountable pressure.
After a few minutes, the steak arrived. It was piping hot, open faced, and was beckoning me. It was a siren in many ways, beautifully playing its song in the form of wonderful aromas, with the negative effect being a few years knocked off my life-expectancy. Raising the sandwich, I thought of everything that could go wrong. What if I drop the sandwich? What if the sandwich sucks? However, I was at the point of no return. I took the first bite.
If God is manifested in anything on this Earth, it is in a Dalessandro steak. I didn't want the bite to stop. I immediately tuned out everything around me and devoured my sandwich. I was with 3 girls, which means I probably should have attempted to eat my sandwich as a civilized man, but I was in full-on beast mode. I finished my sandwich and wanted to cry. It was the perfect welcome to Philadelphia, and I still regret not ordering another sandwich. I know I would have eaten it.
However, the girls didn't finish their sandwiches and kept it as leftovers. Five hours later, as we were getting ready to leave back to DC, my friend unveiled the sandwich, wrapped in foil, and cold as ice. She couldn't finish it, and I almost turned it down, but I could still smell the aromatic steak penetrating the air. Who would have known, that hours after the sandwich was created, the steak was STILL delicious. As I took that blissful last bite, I rejoiced in my first Philadelphia experience beginning and ending with the best Philly Cheeseteak in the world.
I love you, Dalessandro's.
Wow this is the real deal. Not only were the cheese steaks unbelievable, but the ladies working the counter were super friendly and helpful in constructing one of these bad boys. Excellent customer service!
If you like hot peppers then this place is for you, they feature six or seven types to choose from.
This is like a typical Philly cheesesteak joint, except with indoor seating. The cheesesteaks are great and of course expensive (like $6-8), but they're also huge. I prefer this place to any of the South Philly places just because the service is more customer-focused; I like being able to have time to breathe as opposed to spitting out "ONE-WIT-AMERICAN!". They may not have deliciously greasy cheese fries, but at least you can order your drink at the same time as your cheesesteak. Parking is better because it's less congested than the city. It's a good place to stop when coming home from Philly and you need a quick place to stop because you're just starving.
Random trip to Philly leads to a cheasesteak eating frenzy!
Not my favorite cheesesteak even though it was very good.
The best part was running into Sean Paul, apparently it's his favorite stop for a greasy meat filled cheeseseak!
I'm glad I live 1000 miles away, or else with places like this filled with food and people so easy to love I would never ever see my toes again.
The ladies behind the counters rawk! Liz and (I'm so bad with names, so I will just call her beautiful lady 2) put my first night in philadelphia to bed with their warm smiles, and awesome sense of taste as I just let them fix me up with my cheese steak the way they liked it and it was goooood.
Provolone, onions, mushrooms, and then I threw some flaked peppers and jalapenos on the top to be finished with a Yuengling...
Damn.
this place is money...
Sitting next to regulars who celebrate their birthdays here and hungry Phillies fans while watching the game on the little flat screen it was a nice glimpse into daily Philadelphia life.
This is a great hangover cheesesteak as it's greasy and the bread a bit soggy from all of the grease. I went a few times because it used to be in my old neighborhood, and it's mainly takeout. If you're in the area, I would stop by for one. A lot better than the "world famous" joints in South Philly
The Greastest Chicken Cheese Steak place that ever lived! It's my plan a, b, and c. Just wish they would do the whiz!
4 / 11 of my cheesesteak pilgrimage (see my list!)
Dalessandro's rates top for me of all the places I went to. Parking's a breeze, the staff is friendly, and the steaks are amazing. They're large, the bread is nice and soft, and the finely chopped steak melts in your mouth. My first steak here was American-wit, and I was amazed at the way the cheese fused with the bread. Sadly, while the bites with the cheese were near orgasmic, the rest of the steak was lacking in comparison. I found it's made even better if you ask for some Whiz on the side and lather it on top of the sandwich. Heaven!
They have a large selection of peppers and sauces there, where I found sriracha goes really well on a steak. Also good: the diced up red peppers. No fries here, but the sandwich is so big that you won't miss 'em. If you're visiting Philly, definitely mark Dalessandro's on your itinerary!
YUM.
I got referred to as "hun" about 6 times by the woman behind the counter. The tables were cozy and full of regulars, and I had a cup of crab chowder that was friggin' amazing.
Why must you be so far away?
This is what's up. I LOVE their steaks.
Yea it's cramped. Yea you might die running across Henry Ave, but man -- you get a great sandwich here.
I'd choose this way over Jim's, Pat's or Geno's.
I risked being late for my flight back home to eat a steak here, and it was worth it!
I've been eating here since I was a kid. I didn't know that they changed management; everything was still good and Carol was still behind the counter. not much has changed. On my FB page you'll see a picture of what a real steak looks like.
Real steaks, Amoroso rolls...it gets no better.Best steak in Philly which means it's the best in the U.S.
Best cheesesteak in Philadelphia, hands down. Each bite is smooth, the meat is chopped well (no thick slices here), and it just tastes that damn good. No explanation is needed other than trying it. It's worth the 20 minute drive, the 15 minute wait, the whatever. Whenever people outside of the Philadelphia area ask about places to go for a great, not good, cheesesteak, I send them here.
I went on a cheesesteak tour last year, and not surprisingly, this place topped most people's lists. It's on Wendover St, which is off Henry Ave, across from that other place from Boy Meets World (Chubby's). When Dalessandro's is open the clouds part, and the cheesesteak Gods shine a light on its infrastructure; believe me, it's that awesome.
It's a small place, so seating can be a problem around lunch time. It's also cash only, but those teensy-weensy issues won't make a difference when you're done eating greatness. Believe the hype.
I don't care what anyone says - forgot about the 'hot spot tourist traps' in other Philly locations - Dalessandro's is my pick. Their Cheez-with-it Philly is the best - comes with diced ground steak meat, a spread of Cheez-It sauce on the bread, and diced sauteed onions. They also give you a side of hot peppers of your choice, mayo, and bags of chips/drink. This location doesn't have fries, but when they begin to do so, you need to get their cheese fries. No outside seating is available, but there is a park where you can let your dogs run around across the street. Local street parking is available.
As far as cheesesteaks go, this is the winner.
The no frills yet warm/dinery atmosphere of this tiny place is charming. You get the sense it has been here forever and it practically has. The staff is pleasant. The cheesesteak is greasy cheesy heaven on perfect soft roll. I love their assortment of peppers. Worth the drive and the line. If only I had another stomach so I could eat two! LOL
Prior to living in Philly, we visited some friends here. Since my husband is always looking for a good cheesesteak, a friend had told him to try Dalessandro's. He only really had Jim's to compare it to at the time. Fast forward about 2 years and we move to Philly.
The entire 3 years we lived there, we never made it back to Dalessandro's. Hubby found his favorite cheesesteak at Gooey Looie's in south Philly.
So - when I was in town last week, I had to bring home some cheesesteaks for hubs. Dalessandro's was the closest to where I was staying, so we thought we'd give it another try.
The steaks are piled with meat - and of course fried onions and wiz. Sorry, but I also have to put ketchup on mine! I was pretty satisfied with mine and I ate it in the car. Hubs still says Gooey's is better. He thought the onions and meat should have been more mingled together and he thought it was 'too sweet'. Not sure where that comes from.
All in all, not a bad cheesesteak - just not our favorite.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best cheesesteak in the country. We recently went on a taste tour and went pretty far out of our way to try these steaks.
NO DOUBT this is #1 for us ... with Jim's a distant 2nd.
How long would you stand in line for the perfect food, the ambrosia of the gods? About 20 minutes. That seems to be the average wait at my absolute favorite steak/hoagie shop, Dalessando's.
I visited Dal's the other day for the first time in a while and was inspired to: a) go more often, and b) write this review. Now, Dalessandro's makes a mean cheese steak (minced up meat, none of this sliced steak stuff), but I actually come here for the hoagies, which I find to be ethereal. They are made with high-quality meats and sharp provolone. If you get one, make sure to ask for the crushed hot peppers. They are awesome.
Not much to the atmosphere and the place is usually jammed, shoulder-to-shoulder jammed, so I tend to get my food to go. Also, at this time, this page says they accept credit cards - not true; they are cash-only.
I *highly* recommend you try Dalessandro's if you find yourself in the Roxborough area.
Yep it's me Douglas K. here, typing away in LA (CA) at his golden-tressed lover Ephi B.'s house .... i'm a-gonna review Dalessandro's in Philly (PA) cuz I was just there.
My friend had a show at a music spot near here last weekend: when I realized we were close, I walked eight blocks to get four cheesesteaks for assorted band members. And me. I had heard about Dalessandro's for years but never been.
The best part about the place is the vibe. All the other best-of type spots in Philly put the demand for performance on the customer. You have to order in the right way, they always make you feel like you're holding up the line, etc. That's cool.
But this spot is like a little lunch counter and they're super nice. The steak is different than Pat's/Geno's/Jim's: chopped much finer and more uniform. No fatty chunks.
I really really enjoyed it. Even the grilled onions seemed more succulent. They also have way more hot/sweet/etc. pepper selection.
The only thing that would have been better would be to have my outrageously hot girlfriend there with me. THAT would have been "best-of" FO SHO.
Dalessandro's has my current cheesesteak crown. Too bad it doesn't help if I'm down in Center City.
Douglas K. over and out.
Douglas K.
This is my favorite place for cheesesteaks. I drive miles out of my way to get their cheesesteak with sauce and onions with hot peppers on the side. You can still keep it around for up to 2 days later and throw it in the microwave its still tastes amazing. I've tried most of the big and best cheesesteaks in the area and Dalessandro's crushes them all.
OH. MY. GOODNESS. I had this preconceived notion that was so far exceeded by Delassandro's, I can't even tell you. The pepper relish -- to die for. Good service, great food. Can you ask for more? I don't think so. Go. Now.
It has been about 9 years since I have been here, but this place has been the benchmark that I judge all other places that claim they sell "the best Philly cheese steak" etc etc...
I used to live in Roxborough many years ago. I still remember getting food while having a party. I remember the smell of the food as it entered the townhouse, or as they say in Philly, the duplex, and we would all just stop what we were doing and stuff our mouths...
Maybe it is just the memories of good times, but that's fine, Consider this a tribute to where this West Coaster learned what a true Philly steak was all about.
My friend drove us all the way out here just for the hyped cheesesteaks. I will say that they delivered. The sandwich was meaty and the sharp provolone made the sandwich even better. I personally wouldn't drive this far from South Philly just for a cheesesteak, though. I have Gooey Louie's here and while Dalessandro's is better than Pat's, Geno's, and Jim's, I don't think they beat out the Gooey.
I'm not someone who ever goes to Roxborough and I don't find the area very interesting. Parking was found rather easily, there is a football field with parking around it. I don't remember seeing any parking restrictions. The deli itself is pretty small and can feel cramped if crowded. It's not fancy, you can sit at the counter or at a couple of fold out tables and chairs that are around. They have fountain soda as well as bottled drinks.
Four stars for a decent cheesesteak.
This place serves the best cheese steaks around. Just enjoyed a cheese steak with sauce and fried onions and a cream soda a couple weeks ago. The cheese melting into the meat and onions with that soft roll is undoubtedly one of the world's best comfort foods. I enjoy a good cheese steak hoagie from here too. And just to not leave out the importance of the staff, Carol is an amazing gem who makes the experience all the better. She shares her knowledge of the food and passes the numerous kinds of peppers that enhance any of their sandwiches. Five stars forever.
Pat's is still the original, and arguably the archetype of a cheesesteak, but D'alessandro's has won me over. They have perfected their art - the roll is perfect, the meat is cooked just right, and the cheese is sharp and melted in perfectly. I appreciate that they take their time in making it right, I don't mind waiting at a seat at the counter for my steak.
On an aside, I get mushroom-provo-wit at D'Allesandros, and at Pats, I go mushroom-whiz-wit. It's just a matter of going with the strengths of each establishment.
A really good cheesesteak, if a bit on the too-large side - it's a good thing they give you a fork, because you end up eating half of the toppings out of the basket. The rolls are great, and the staff efficient and friendly. It's cash only, but they have an on-site ATM. The place can be a little on the filthy side, but that's more to do with being so busy in such a small space than any failing on the staff's part.
Worth the drive, worth the wait...the cheesesteak with fried onions at Dalessandro's has no competition - unless you want to drive another 45 minutes into the city - and these sandwiches are just delicious. Rolls are fresh, meat is MEAT with plenty of cheese and fried onions generously scattered throughout the sandwich. As all cheesesteaks are, they are best eaten fresh, not rewarmed - sit at the counter or quickly get them home. Be aware of the lines - but be patient, the staff works through the lines pretty quickly and they are worth the wait.
I am strictly a cheesesteak layman, having never lived in Philly, but Dalessandro's makes me very very happy. I think the sandwiches are delicious and I love it with the Hank's soda.
Agree with some of the other reviews, though, the peppers are overcooked and kinda gross, avoid them as a topping.
Neighborhood: Roxborough
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Pennsport
Category: Sandwiches
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Delis
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Sandwiches
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Sandwiches
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