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"Let's leave the game early, head to Tony Luke's and beat the crowd."
Delicious. A little messy but when every bite is heavenly, you don't really notice that you're elbow deep in whiz and mushrooms. I like to load up on pickles and let my bread soak up the juice. Oh man, my mouth is watering as I type this. I need to be reunited with the most scrumptious cheesesteak in all of Philly.
Their breakfast sandwiches are bomb too. They load up a long roll with what seems like a million eggs. I order mine with ham, mushrooms, spinach and cheese. I hit a wall half way through but plow through till the end. You can't reheat eggs and no one in their right mind would through away such a perfect sammie!
Tony Luke's is much better than Pat's or Geno's, but I kind of wish they put a little more meat in their steaks. Still, it's good meat-- and they slice it, not chop it, like most of the other places.
Their roast pork is awesome. I like it with the broccoli rabe & sharp provolone.
I want to try more things-- like their roast beef, chicken steaks & meatballs-- but feel like I can't not get a regular cheese steak or roast pork. So that said, at least they have a larger menu that the other guys (if you're not a hardcore purist & see that as a good thing... I do).
The crowds can be a bit much here-- especially on the weekends-- but again, it beats Pat's & Geno's, even if Tony Luke's location is bit off the beaten track. (Still, I say no food is really worth spending more than 15 minutes in line.)
Tony Luke's is a fabulous place. After spending a miserable 6 hours flying from CMH to DCA to PHL during the remnants of hurricane Ida, I needed that steak badly.
TL's delivers on the goodness, using an extra sharp provolone that'll knock your socks off. No fatty pieces of meat, perfectly cooked in all aspects.
It was the perfect meal for the miserable weather, I only wish I had time to visit twice due to their extensive menu.
Best damned cheese steaks in Philly.
Get one with sharp provolone or whiz, either way they're a filling force to be reckoned with. Absolutely worth the trip down.
After going to Gino's a few months back, I didn't know what to expect since that experience was less than stellar. I got to Tony Luke around 2 PM and the line was nuts!! Always a good sign ;) First off, I like the fact that the cheesestakes were not made in .5 seconds, but instead it took about 5-10 minutes. The crowd was nice, friendly. So we got 3 subs, 2 cheesestakes one with white american and the other with cheese wiz and the roast pork sandwich that I heard was great.
Cheesestake with American - this was good, but it was missing a little bit of that pow.
Cheesestake with Cheese qiz - Delicious, perfect! The bread was soft and chewy, the cheese was gooey and the meat was cooked perfectly. The bread was good in all sandwiches.
Roast Pork - I didn't, neither did the other 2 people accompanying me care for it. Would not get the Parmesany vinegary sandwich.
I didn't realize that I had to ask for Onions (not sure, but if they did that) until after we were sitting in the car eating, but I can imagine how that would make these sandwiches perfect.
By far my favorite cheesestake, I am glad its not close close to my house here in VA, or I might have a few more pounds on me ;)
OK, I've got a real problem with these "cheesesteak stands" that assume everyone is so "enthralled" with getting a cheesesteak that we don't mind waiting for 20 minutes in rain, snow, or 100 degree weather to get it!!!! Who came up with this concept??
For one thing, no matter WHAT kind of day you go on, your food will NOT be hot by the time you eat it!!! So... with that being said, I'm not really a fan of Pat's, Geno's, or Tony Luke's!! Of the three, I frequent Geno's the most. (By default, usually, because their line is often shorter than Pat's.)
To its credit, though, Tony Luke's has more variety with their cheesesteaks. I prefer chicken cheesesteaks, and neither Pat nor Geno's has them. I also like that you can get broccoli rabe or spinach on them, which is another plus. They have very good fries too.
All three of these places are overpriced!!!
Also, Tony Luke's chicken cheesesteaks are pretty bland, so it is a MUST that you ask for salt, pepper and oregano or it will be pretty tasteless.
The service is a lot better than Geno's with their rude "speak english" signs, and Pat's which is always dirty. The cashiers were friendly to me each time I went and that means a lot.
Overall, though, I have had better cheesesteaks in Philly.
I really like their roast pork. I hear John's roast pork is the best in the city, but they open and close at odd hours so I haven't actually had chance to try it. I get Tony Luke's roast pork with sharp provolone, and it always delivers. The meat is juicy, flavorful, and the provolone provides nice sharpness (it's not as sharp as sharp cheddar, but still good). The only caution: don't go here before/after major sporting events (Eagles game, Phillies game, etc.). You won't get your food for 20 minutes. I made that mistake once and never again!
Tony Luke's is a real good place to go. Lets start out with the food of course. The Philly cheese was very tasty. The bread had a nice firm outside crust and a warm soft center. The meat was outstanding, it pretty much melted in your mouth. The meat is sliced not chop. They have a verity of menu items that sounded great. The inside of tony Luke's was small, only about 10 tables. The only thing holding this place back from a perfect rating is the lack of meat they put on it. But overall you will be missing something really good if you don't try it.
Finally had a real cheesesteak, choosing sharp provolone as the cheese. It was like angels were tickling my tastebuds, it was so good.
A LOT of sammich for the money, and great quality to boot. The bread is PERFECT: crusty outside,… Read more »
Coming from Chicago, I expected a lot from a Philly cheesteak. This hype was there but it came up short. The food was good but it didn't blow me away. I still prefer the Chicago-style Italian Beef.
Not just a cheese-steak place. TL's has much much more, great roast pork, awesome chicken/broccoli rabe sandwiches, and awesome south philly attitude. Yes, there will be a line. Yes, you will be eating outside. Yes you will get attitude at the window. Yes the woman taking your order has finger-nails that could skewer an eyeball. All this is part of the charm, that and the amazing sandwiches. If you are going for steaks in philly, this is the place you got to go to. No question.
Everyone always says, "When you go to Philadelphia, you HAVE TO GO to Geno's and Pat's" - WTF??? They fail to mention TONY LUKE'S!
Well during my trip to Philadelphia, I WENT TO Tony Luke's, Pat's, and Geno's so I can honnestly say I have had the "big 3" in Philadelphia!
I saw this place on trael channel's "MAN vs FOOD" show, and thought that if its good enought for Asam Richmond then it must be good enough for me. - jk
This was my fav. out of the "big 3" the food was amazing! The cheesesteaks were simply to die for. He even has a bar across the steet, where we ended up watching the Eagles game. WOW, the stand is better then the bar but thats because we ordered other things besides cheesesteaks there!
OMG DEFINATELY GO HERE!!!!!
one the first day God created light, blah blah blah blah, and on the seventh day God drove to philly for tony lukes. THAT GOOD.
best in philly
Forget Pat's, Geno's, Rick's, Jim's, etc. This is my cheesesteak place, and it's where I take all my out of town visitors. The bread! The meat! The fake cheese! The peppers!
It's the greatest.
Tony Lukes is the bomb!!!
i love tony lukes!
:)))))
it needs to go worldwide so i can eat there all the time!
this place has the best cheesesteak in the entire world!
its the best cheesesteak that i've ever eaten.
About time I tried Tony Luke's. A buddy of mine raved about their roast pork sandwiches all the time. I stopped by for lunch with him and ordered a roast pork italian with broccoli rabe and provolone.
That pork was real hot, felt like it was literally taken out of the oven and given to me. I drizzled some of the hot sauce on it..and took my first bite. Mmmm yummy deliciousness. Pork was so tender and juicy. The cheese was nice and melty with every bite.
I am glad I tried the roast pork, it was fantastic. I would like to try their cheesesteaks next time though.
I can't offer much new to the reviews about this place aside from my personal promise that it is one of the best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. When someone comes into town and demands a cheesesteak, I take them here. The location is absolutely in the middle of nowhere and the ambiance includes sitting under a bridge and close to traffic and a gas station but the cheesesteaks really can't be beat on quality and taste (the buns are particularly awesome). There are others in the city I would visit in a pinch but if I'm trying to prove a point about good Philly cheesesteak (which I rarely do) this is where I go.
It was about 10pm and we had just left a wedding reception an hour north of Baltimore. I had a few beers in me and a slight hankering for something greasy. What to do? In a (frankly rare) act of spontaneity, we headed to the city of brotherly love for some cheesesteaks after a friend's suggestion. And don't worry someone drove me.
The first time I had Tony Luke's I was convinced this was a level above all other cheesesteaks in the city. After the dry and meager offerings at the likes of Pat's and Geno's - Tony Luke's restored my faith in the Philly cheesesteak. My most recent experience was not as euphoric, but I still am a fan of the Tony Luke's. I think Jim's and Tony's stands atop the Philly cheesesteak scene and give a slight edge to Tony.
Tony Luke's steak is greasy enough and tasty. They use this soft Italian roll which goes perfectly with the meat. It tastes like a French Baguette but the outer shell is softer. Yum. They also have a variety of cheese - I prefer simple American here. The meat is seasoned well enough that you don't need Cheese Whiz to make it edible.
In addition to the steaks they have a good amount of other choices for hungry patrons. Also, they don't get offended if you say "onions" when you want onions. What a concept. They also have a parking lot and relatively ample covered seating.
They were unfortunately out of Roast Pork when I went - which I hear is the big thing in Philly these days. Maybe next time :P
3.5
I was expecting to be blown away by the legendary sandwiches at Tony Lukes, but sadly, I wasn't that excited by the pulled pork sandwich, with broccoli rabe, and prov that I had.
First off do you always have to wait in line like you're trying to get on a rollercoaster at this place? One guy told me he always orders two drinks cause he finishes one waiting in line before he ever gets a sandwich..
And when we finally got it the bread was soggy! That really turns me off to a sandwich, but I commenced eating to find that the flavors weren't really that spectacular, just kind of salty. On top the brocolli rabe was sparse and not fresh tasting at all.
I prefer Dinic's in Reading Terminal way better. (Now that is a tasty pulled pork sandwich!)
Maybe I should have gotten the cheesesteak, cause that's apparently all the rage... Dunno if the far away under-the-highway location will ever lure me back to try...
The best cheese steak in Philadelphia, controversially. With the awesome Pats and of course Geno's in South Philly many people don't find out about Tony Lukes. This place is like something out of the Soprano's but their cheese steaks are awesome. If you are willing to go just a little further (and you should), these guys use rib eye steak for their sandwiches. Great cheese, onions, mushrooms, peppers and rolls to go with that delicious greasy-in-a-good-way meat!
3.65 stars.
We strolled up to the glorified trailer that Tony Luke's occupies to escape the heat and to absorb the previous night's libations. Having tasted several cheese steaks during our years in Philly, we wanted to try an authentic place with a different style and taste.
Enter a cheese steak with extra American cheese, hot sauce, and mayonnaise, its companion a chicken cheese steak with onions and provolone. The house made bread was reminiscent of Italian bread that one purchases from a grocery store bakery, with a crunchy, chewy crust and overly salty flavor. Tony's cheese steaks showcased thickly sliced meat (with bits of gristle) that had only been lightly chopped, so each mouthful was substantial. However, the cheese on both sandwiches was congealed, rather than melted, and the steak meat itself was not particularly flavorful. The chicken cheese steak does not bear discussion, as it was woefully bland and weeped quietly in its roll.
If I were cruising along Oregon Avenue and craving a sandwich, I would probably visit Tony's again. However, there are better cheese steaks to be enjoyed in Philly.
I'm sorry! I'm just not a fan of tasteless meat with a slab of melted cheese on crusty bread ...
We ordered the pizza fries ---- bad mistake! The fries were soggy because the tomato sauce and cheese soaked the fries.
I rather have a bowl of noodles --- I'm sorry people of Philly, I just don't like cheesesteaks!
Delicious roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe and provolone.
(I don't give five stars lightly)
The best in town by far the bread is great the curly fries are great and there system for ordering is very simple (unlike pats) and there is ample parking in Tony lukes lot just to the right of the building. If your in the area make a stop you will not be disappointed
Had a cheesesteak here. It was pretty good. Not too fond of the crowd in the area and the seating outside can be a bit chilly, but otherwise I think it's one of the nicer cheasesteak location in Philly.
Tony Luke's is truly one of the best sandwich destinations in Philly. My favorites I always come back to:
1. Chicken Parm
2. Steak Italian
3. Roast Pork w/ Spinach
You also usually get a nice free side order of South Philly attitude. Just deal with it and savor your fresh to order sandwich on a great roll with homemade ingredients.
I feel that I might be committing sacrilege by saying I wasn't all that incredibly impressed with Tony Luke's... but there, I said it. I'm not saying that I prefer Pat's or Geno's (Really, I'm not, because the added touristy kitsch doesn't make for a better sandwich.)
After waiting in a line that went past the end of the building, I got my chicken cheese steak, sat down at one of the covered outdoor tables (which we had to fight for) and... just... wasn't that crazy about the sandwich. The meat is sliced rather than chopped, so the cheese didn't have much to stick to and it all oozed out one end when I tried to pick the sandwich up and eat it. There were college kids in ivy-league t-shirts at the table next to us proudly taking pictures of them with their Tony Luke sandwiches, and I really just don't see what the hype is all about. The meat wasn't terribly tender, the cheese kept leaking out, and there was way more bread than there was meat to go with it. I've definitely had far worse cheese steaks, but overall I'm convinced there's gotta be a better place in Philly to get Philly Cheese Steaks, and I'm going to keep searching for it.
Yes, I like many others only went to he "Big 3" as others have put it. Pat's Geno's and Tony Luke's. After watching the Cheesesteak Throwdown with Bobby Flay, I had to do the Steak Italian. My only regret was that I forgot to ask for hot peppers. The best thing about my steak was the sharp provolone, it really ties it all together. Obviously in Philadelphia you should stay away from the tourist junk, go to Pat's because it's historic and all but whatever. If you're going to go to a place that has been televised and is famous, or one of the "big 3," Tony Luke's is the place to go.
4.5 stars...
Best cheesesteak I've had in Philly, much better than Pat or Geno's. Indoor-ish seating and tons of great menu options. Much fewer tourists than Pat and Geno's too which keeps the lines down. Place is a tad dirty and seating is a bit limited but the food definitely satisfies.
I came here after a Phillies game when I was on vacation in Philly last July and it was my 2nd favorite cheesesteak I had in the city with Pat's being my favorite, I had the mushroom cheesesteak with whiz and it was yummy!. It's far from the subway station so it's best to use another form of transportation other than walking. Go try Tony Luke's if you haven't!
Yes, I am a Philly native, 25 yrs old and just had Tony Luke's for the first time. I should be jumped for that, no?
I must say, Tony Luke's is some good shiz with whiz... perhaps that's why my cheesesteak was so runny, but it was still delicious!
If you don't get whiz, you're cheesesteak will be a little more dry, clean and easy to eat.
The service was pretty fast especially when there were about 6 orders in front of us. The meat never frozen or chopped up. Slices of beef, so some might not like that style. To me... you chew it up anyway, who cares?
They get an extra star for me cause they provide antibacterial wipes so you can clean your hands. Yay for no germs!
We said "Hello" to Philly with a cheesesteak, it was only fitting that we said good-bye with a cheesesteak as well. I picked Tony Luke's because he beat Bobby Flay's sandwich on Throwdown!
CHEESESTEAK: At least 4 inches longer and 20x tastier than my sandwich at Pat's. This was a hot, amazing work of sandwich art. I got it with whiz and brocolli rabe and piled on the dill pickles. It was so juicy, I was dripping all over the place. The whole package - quality/cut of meat, the bread, the cheese, the unique flavor of the rabe - was perfect. The bf ordered it hoagie style (lettuce, tomato, mayo) and the sharp cheddar was really good. Pat's may be the original, but Tony Luke's makes it so much better.
ATMOSPHERE: There was a long line - mostly baseball fans - but very limited outdoor seating. Service was nice and the "take-as-many-pickles-peppers-as-you'd-like" was convenient. Menu is super impressive: you can get chicken, pork and veal sandwiches, and breakfast, too!
Cheesesteaks at their finest! The line is always long and a lil slow but always worth every second of it. If you stop in Philly you have to stop here.
best in the city, hands down...roast pork is amazing too...give up on Geno's and the others...Tony's is the KING of Steaks...
This blows away any cheesesteak place in the area (minus Campos). The key to a great CS is the bread. Here, the bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. You don't have to worry about the CS falling apart. I have tried all different types of CS here along with the por w/broccoli rabe and prov. It was very good but not outstanding like their CS. Their Texas Hot sandwich (hotdog) was unreal and I live in the hotdog capital of the NE. Stay away from Pat's/Geno's/Jims and go here. Be prepared to wait (like anywhere else) and find a seat and claim it ASAP because they are a premium. Place rocks!
Whoever says love and commitment are a thing of the past...obviously has not eaten a Tony Luke's cheese steak. It's a marriage made in sandwich heaven. Perfectly cook, thinly sliced rib eye, and cheese!
This creation of awesomeness even makes Betsy Ross cry!
7 / 11 of my cheesesteak pilgrimage (see my list!)
Protip: There's a big open lot right next to TL's. I spent a few minutes parallel parking in front of the restaurant, sat in the car as I wondered if it was legal (and watched people give me funny looks from inside), then whipped around and found the lot.
It was a cold winter night when I came here, and was disappointed that while there was an indoor area here, it was still freezing. The Italian roast pork teased me, but I was on a cheesesteak mission, so I went with the steak Italian.
Oh. Em. Gee. I never knew provolone could have such a kick. It was sharp, slightly sour, and literally gave me pause. The rabe was an addition I think every cheesesteak place should adopt. It was a fantastically dark green and let me justify that I was getting some veg in my diet. It's really close to the airport, so I definitely recommend it if you're visiting. Next time I'm coming for the pork Tony!
A couple of things:
- I prefer sliced steak over chopped, so Jim's is out the window.
- Pat's and Geno's = BLAND
- I have an emotional connection to Tony Luke's in additional to the gastronomic connection.
My friends and I used to go to Tony Luke's before (and sometimes after) every ECW Arena show back in the day.
The ordering process: Steak, wit, provolone, mayo, curly fries, mozzy, Diet...Name - Junior.
Every once in a while I'd switch up and add some broccoli rabe or go a totally different direction and get a Roast Pork Italian. The meat is flavorful and juicy and because of the high turnover everything is coming out fresh. The fact that Luke's bakes is own bread is the cherry on top.
Most of the other cheese steak joints I've been to in Philly have bland meat. And Forgive me Philadelphians, but it's ridiculous to ruin good meat with whiz when real cheese is available. One of the worst days in my life was a trip I made to Philly on a Sunday, only to find out Luke's was closed. I forced myself to go to Pat's, ate their sandwich, and felt like burning the place down.
Please, do yourself a favor, avoid the name place (Pat's) and the fluorescent lights (Geno's) and go to a real sandwich shoppe when you're in Philly.
I'm going to start this review by saying that I'm a Jim's guy, so I've come to expect certain things that I think make a quality cheesesteak. I'll also admit that this is an extremely subjective debate.
Bottom Line: Don't like the roll, service takes too long, and I feel like I could get a better cheesesteak at about 10 different places.
My father defends this place as a cheesesteak joint by saying they have a great roast pork sandwich.
A great roast pork sandwich is NOT a great cheesesteak.
Let the debate roll on...
I had a good pizza steak, the bread was very good. My friend ate a cheesesteak with curly fries and enjoyed them. The outdoor seating was nice and plentiful. The atmosphere was relaxed and they have a nice selection on the menu. I plan on going back to try the roast pork.
Parking wasn't difficult to find for me but I feel that if it was really busy there would be a problem. I saw a fenced off area with parking right next to the place but I'm not sure what that was for. A lot of people park right in the middle area of the street.
Neighborhood: Pennsport
Category: Sandwiches
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Sandwiches
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Roxborough
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Pennsport
Category: Sandwiches
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