Meat, cheese, bread and onions. While those ingredients might seem basic, they are the core components of the iconic Philadelphia cheesesteak. With hundreds of cheesesteak places in Philadelphia and dozens in Los Angeles alone, it is sufficient to say the cheesesteak market is popular and highly saturated. Everyone has their allegiance to one place or the other, constantly claiming their sandwich is the best cheesesteak in town.
I was at Matū’s in Beverly Hills for dinner when my dad told me they’re known for having an incredible cheesesteak. I was shocked, given that it’s a high-end steakhouse. Since I’m going to college in Philadelphia next year, my dad and I set out on a mission to become more well-versed in the Philly cheesesteak world. This left me wondering, where can I get a hold of the best one?
I needed to compare Matū’s highly praised cheesesteak to some of the top-rated places in Philadelphia. To some tourists — like myself — this might seem like an easy decision: go to Pat’s or Geno’s, the longstanding across-the-street rivalry in Philadelphia. But when I spoke to locals, they advised me to avoid the gimmicky tourist traps that do not live up to the hype.
A local recommended Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philadelphia, and a quick Google search confirmed the credibility of the suggestion, with many sources arguing the true competition for the top spot is between Angelo’s Pizzeria and Dalessandro’s Steaks and Hoagies. But as I was heading to Angelo’s, with my luck, it turned out they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
So I frantically researched for another place, comparing various rankings and food blogs, and found two consistently high-ranked places just a few blocks from each other: Jim’s South Street and Woodrow’s Sandwich.
Here is my ranking of cheesesteaks from least to most expensive. The first two are in Philadelphia, and the last one is in Los Angeles.
Jim’s South Street
When ordering, I asked the servers to make me their most popular cheesesteak, which was served with cheese whiz and caramelized onions. The sandwich cost $13.49, which is cheaper than other quality cheesesteaks by $4.
The bread wasn’t a sesame seed bun, like its competitors; it was a typical hogie roll, but it wasn’t fresh or toasted. It absorbed some of the meat juice, which added a nice flavor, but not a great texture. The bread wasn’t bad, but it didn’t add anything to the cheesesteak, and for simple sandwiches like these, every component matters.
When I bit into the sandwich, the meat was flavorful, rich and juicy. But when I tried the meat on its own, it was surprisingly drier and tougher than I expected, given the ample juice dripping from the sandwich.
However, there was one part that exceeded my expectations: the caramelized onions. Don’t underestimate the importance of good caramelized onions, because the rich sweetness adds a depth of flavor.
Going in, I’d never tried cheese whiz, because frankly, I never wanted to. I’m not a big cheese fan to begin with, let alone artificial cheese. But when the server said it was part of their signature dish, I knew I had to go for it. Crazily enough, it was not nearly as artificial-tasting as I anticipated. Still, I didn’t love it compared to other cheeses offered, like provolone.
Despite my nitpicky feedback, overall, the sandwich flavors blended well together, and I would happily eat the cheesesteak again. It was tasty and enjoyable, but with the artificial cheese and ample greasy juices, it felt more like a decadent guilty pleasure than a typical lunch.
Woodrow’s Sandwich
A few blocks west of Jim’s lies a newer cheesesteak contender, Woodrow’s Sandwich. The place had a cute ambiance and laidback vibe. I got there a few minutes before noon, and there was only one other customer inside. But as lunch picked up, the place was packed within 20 minutes.
I ordered from the QR code at the table, so for any introverts, this is the place for you. I ordered at 11:58 a.m. and got my food exactly 10 minutes later. I ordered “The Cooper,” which is their version of a classic cheesesteak. It was $17, the median price of the three cheesesteaks I tried.
The sandwich is made of very thinly shaved ribeye with Cooper Sharp American cheese — hence, the name. Unlike Jim’s, the tender and delicious meat practically melted in my mouth. In the description on their website, it says the sandwich has fried onions; however, the onions were soft and caramelized. Initially, I thought maybe their version of fried onions was different, but their other sandwiches referred to the onions as caramelized in their descriptions. I don’t think this would be a make or break for a cheesesteak, but I wanted to be transparent so no one has false expectations.
Given its enormous size, which fed both my dad and me, the $17 price seems reasonable for what you’re getting.
Matū
Matū is a steakhouse in Beverly Hills, with a newer location in Brentwood, and is known for their 100% grass-fed wagyu. For those who don’t know, wagyu is the highest quality beef there is — and the most expensive — with decadent flavor from the unique marbling of the fat. As a wagyu lover, I was very excited to try their cheesesteak.
For a place that proclaims to have one of the best Philadelphia cheesesteaks in Los Angeles, Matū sure makes it difficult to try it. They only serve their cheesesteaks to dine-in customers at the bar, which doesn’t take reservations. The restrictions don’t stop there. Although you can order to-go or pickup during lunch, the same doesn’t apply for dinner. However, due to its popularity, Matū is opening up a location in Pasadena solely for its cheesesteaks.
I got to Matū at 6:20 p.m. and waited for about 30 minutes to get a seat at the bar. If you are planning on going, I would highly recommend getting there as close to opening time as possible, which is 5:30 p.m. Once I was seated, the food only took 15 minutes to arrive, which, given the busyness of the restaurant, surprised me.
I ordered their cheesesteak, which, heads-up, is not even on the menu. The server informed me that it wasn’t listed, but he knew we were there for the cheesesteak because that was literally what everyone at the bar was eating. The cheesesteak is made with their wagyu beef, Cooper Sharp cheese, onions and a pepper on top; however, I ordered it without the pepper because the other places didn’t include that on their sandwich, and I wanted to directly compare them.
I had very high expectations, especially since they were charging a whopping $24. But Matū certainly did not disappoint. The bread was unparalleled, coated in sesame seeds and toasted; it had a great crunch on the outside but was still clearly fresh. The quality of the sandwich was evident. The meat had a very peppery flavor, which I felt somewhat indifferent to.
The biggest difference is the bead-to-meat ratio. The previous two had a pile of meat, and the bread simply seemed to be without adding much additional flavor. At Matū, the ratio was more balanced. The plus side is that every element added something; it wasn’t simply there. Also, it didn’t fill me up nearly as fast since it wasn’t piled high with meat. But that could be a downside to many. At the previous two restaurants, my dad and I shared one sandwich, but here we each got our own. Although delicious, the exorbitant price makes eating at Matū counterintuitive when either of the cheaper options would satisfy both of us.
Overall Comparisons
When recommending a restaurant to a first-timer, I would recommend Jim’s because it offers the more indulgent experience one might crave for their first cheesesteak. I would also suggest this to a college student or younger patron who can easily handle the grease, because, while definitely delicious, it is very heavy. It’s also the most affordable of the three.
Woodrow’s is the perfect place for a cheesesteak lover. It’s good-quality, flavorful meat that is still tender but not soaking the bun. It’s not nearly as messy and would be much easier to eat on the go or order take-out.
Matū is the most elevated restaurant and would be best suited for a lover of high-quality meat, but with a high price tag attached. Although Matū’s cheesesteak was amazing, I personally don’t think it lived up to the hype. I would be more than happy to eat it again, but I wouldn’t go there if I were craving a cheesesteak because the meal was not profound enough to justify the price tag.
All three places were delicious, and I would go back to all again. Breaking it down by component, Matū’s bread was hands down the best. Despite the quality of Matū’s meat, Woodrow’s meat was the most flavorful of the three. Matū and Woodrows used the same cheese, which I found better than Jim’s. However, for the onion component, Jim’s was better.
Overall, my ranking would be Jim’s in third place, Matū in second and Woodrow’s in first. I found Woodrow’s to be the best cheesesteak of the three, and I could totally see myself eating it regularly in college.
