Philly Cheesesteak Atlanta, GA

Does anybody have any good places to recommend for a Philly Cheesesteak in the Atlanta area? Looking for the closest thing to a true Philly. I'll be honest, I've never had anything close to a real cheesesteak. I'm dying to try a good one. Any recommendations appreciated!!!

I am also interested in informed replies to this thread.

Dearfolk,
Fount of knowledge on this subject I am not... I have yet to find an Atlanta area example of a cheesesteak that is even remotely on a par with the two I've tried in Philly, Pat's and Geno's... and surely nothing in Metrolanta is as good as the ones at Mama's Pizzaria in Bala Cynwyd or Donkey's Place on Haddon Avenue in Camden, N. J. (I've never had the pleasure of trying either place, but my correspondents have been advising me of these two for years.)
When someone runs across something edible out there, post it here and I'll check it out as soon as I am able.
Whizzing Right Along, Ort. Carlton in Cheesesteakless (So Far As I Have Yet Found) Athens, Georgia.

IMHO the best cheesesteak in the ATL area is at the Mad Italian. They have been around ATL for over 30 years in a few locations. They just opened a new location in Marietta on Roswell Rd. at Piedmont and it's still as I remembered it to be. The remaining "original" location is still along the access road on I-285 in Chamblee. The real original was on Peachtree just north of Piedmont Hosp.

Another vote for the Mad Italian as the best Philly cheesesteak in Atlanta. Just visited the newly opened M.I. in Marietta and had a Philly cheesesteak --- UM Um GOOD!!

Doctor Dan

Dan, have they started selling beer at the new location yet. Last time I was there, the license had not arrived yet.

Great, I'll definately give them a try this week!

--Thanks, from the land of RoadFood suffering...Atlanta!

How far is Marietta from the Buckhead area (near Lennox Square)? I will be up in that area for a week next month.

I thought Marietta was in S.E.Ga. closer to Jax, Fl. than Atlanta

Marietta is about 15-30 NE of downtown Atlanta. Just follow I-75 North and pretty much the first burb past Atlanta city limits is Marietta.

quote:

Originally posted by georgiadawgs
Marietta is about 15-30 NE of downtown Atlanta. Just follow I-75 North and pretty much the first burb past Atlanta city limits is Marietta.

Georgiadawgs,
Marietta is NORTHWEST of Atlanta! The next places NE are Chamblee and Doraville, then Duluth and Norcross.
Never give up on Roadfood in Atlanta. Every time I encounter a new place, I mention it hereabouts. You might have to venture into some (ahem) interesting (not to mention obscure) neighborhoods to try such places, but you're not apt to be disappointed.
All I'm waiting for to begin reporting firsthand again on an ongoing basis is to purchase a more efficient vehicle than the one I now have....
Barnacularly, Ort. Carlton, Ensconced In Lovely Athens, Georgia.
P. S. Thanks for that Mad Italian recommendation. I've never been there!

Northwest that's what I meant...oops...I live Northeast of ATL

Well...I finally tried a Philly Cheesesteak from the Mad Italian...

It was definately a good meal, sandwich, chips and a pickle for $5...Can't complain.

The Cheesesteak was good, but it seemed to be nothing compared to the pics of the cheesesteak joints in the northeast I've seen on here! Very little meat, about a 3:1 bun-to-meat ratio. I would have to say, for somebody that has never experienced a true cheesesteak it was good enough, but compared to pics of what I've seen on here, it really didn't seem all that great! The only difference between this and the chain Philly Connection seemed to be it was fresh and not nearly as big a rip-off. Other than that...

Sorry, am I missing something? Is this what you would get in Philly? I sure hope not, because compared to the pics of the places in Philly they look to be at least 10 times better!

quote:

Originally posted by georgiadawgs
Well...I finally tried a Philly Cheesesteak from the Mad Italian...
It was definately a good meal, sandwich, chips and a pickle for $5...Can't complain.
The Cheesesteak was good, but it seemed to be nothing compared to the pics of the cheesesteak joints in the northeast I've seen on here! Very little meat, about a 3:1 bun-to-meat ratio. I would have to say, for somebody that has never experienced a true cheesesteak it was good enough, but compared to pics of what I've seen on here, it really didn't seem all that great! The only difference between this and the chain Philly Connection seemed to be it was fresh and not nearly as big a rip-off. Other than that...
Sorry, am I missing something? Is this what you would get in Philly? I sure hope not, because compared to the pics of the places in Philly they look to be at least 10 times better!

Georgiadawgs,
Yes, we are missing something here in lovely Georgia! I think an integral part of my cheese-steaking experiences in Philadelphia (two only that there were: Pat's and Geno's) was the "street food" aspect of it all: watching the people added to the charm immensely. (The food was perfectly serviceable, but it proved to be only, say, 75% of the attraction.)
A major variable is the bread. Amoroso's is a common baker for many cheese steak places, but there are several others as well. I can't quite explain it, but that bread simply isn't available in Atlanta. It might be because of the water, but both cities use soft water from a basically-granitic source... so I'm running out of hunches.
Both the steaks I had in Philly were piled with meat. The Mad Italian's version sounds rather skimpy by comparison, which is a shame... I'd have expected something better from them.
One of my occasional drinking companions tells me of a place on old U. S. 23 in Gwinnett County - Duluth, he thinks - that is a sandwich shop run by a Philadelphia expatriate who produces "damned good" cheese steaks and beef sandwiches out of a nondescript strip-mall storefront location. It's named after the owner, I believe, but I've never seen anything that could have been it reviewed in the Atlanta newspaper's guide.
You're closer to it than I am - go see what you can discover one day when you're out hitting thrift stores and flea markets in the area. I'm anxious to know more. And if I manage to beat you there, I'll report back here.
Bon appetit!
Steaking My Life On It, Ort. Carlton in Phillyless Athens, Georgia.

Guys, the thread was to find the best cheesesteak in ATL, and IMHO the Mad Italian fills the bill. They aren't too skimpy and if you get the sauce with it it's pretty "serviceable" as ORT says. I've been going to the Mad Italian for over 30 years and enjoy them. Granted, they're not Philly, but a whole site better than any of the wannabes.

quote:

Originally posted by Oneiron339
Guys, the thread was to find the best cheesesteak in ATL, and IMHO the Mad Italian fills the bill. They aren't too skimpy and if you get the sauce with it it's pretty "serviceable" as ORT says. I've been going to the Mad Italian for over 30 years and enjoy them. Granted, they're not Philly, but a whole site better than any of the wannabes.

Oneiron,
I'd never doubt you, and will try The Mad Italian at first opportunity. Meanwhile, I will keep trying to turn up the other place; at worst it would be just another wannabe.
I'll let y'all know what I think, looking at it with an open mind - and mouth. Yum.
Whizlessly, Slow-Motion Ort. Carlton in 30601-central.

ORT I don't think you'll be disappointed, besides you won't get the "attitude" prevalent at Pat's in Philly. Mad Italian also sells some mean bottled salad dressing. We often space our trips there when we run out of the dressing so we can pick up a bottle.

rather than start a new thread, i'll revive this one...
if i ever eat a philly cheesesteak in philadelphia, it'll be b/c i made a trip there solely for that purpose...which probably means never.

SO...what's the closest thing to one in atlanta???
There's a place in Covington called "Little Phillies" run by a ex-phildelphian that I really like, if anyone else has tried it, what's your take on it?

"SO...what's the closest thing to one in atlanta???
There's a place in Covington called "Little Phillies" run by a ex-phildelphian that I really like, if anyone else has tried it, what's your take on it?"

while i have never been to "little phillies', i have a friend that visits me every so often and brings me those cheesesteaks..very tasty! i am around 200 miles from there, and since there is nothing similar here, i find them to be delicious

I've lived in Atlanta 19 years--there is one and ONLY one--Stacie's in Alpharetta. The dude is originally from West Chester, PA.

No offense, but Mad Italian is better than most in Atlanta, but not remotely in the same league as Stacie's or the one in every corner in the Delaware Valley.

Philly Boys on Howell Mill Rd for the REAL Philly Deal!

Tider, I will have to respectfully but emphatically disagree. While Philly Boys does have the Amoroso rolls, the sandwich is horrible. I went with high hopes, but it was a major dissapointment. The meat is chopped like scraplings. They are skimpy on the meat and it's absurdly overpriced.