Jim's Steaks is a taste of rude Manhattan smack-dab in the heart of Philadelphia. The lines are long, the service is abrubt, and the steaks are consistently mediocre. Jim's is simply the definitive South Street eatery, and though I don't quite know why that is, whenever I'm in town, I find myself standing in the same long line. The clientele are a complete cross-section of American society, and somehow, the whole IS greater than the sum of its parts. You can find better cheesesteaks, many of them in New Jersey, but if you are visiting Philadelphia, or just reaffirming your membership among its citizenry, Jim's is an obligatory stop. Don't miss the blatant celebrity lies about the quality of the food, forever noted on autographed glossies. And on consistency, well, it is the hallmark of a great restaurant!? Don't miss Jim's Steaks... unless of course you're dining somewhere else.
Pros: cheap, consistent, traditional
Cons: busy, mediocre, busy
more