Philly Style Steaks & Subs — Restaurant in Norfolk

Fourth visit: the only trend that I see with this establishment is inconsistency. This visit, I ordered my usual: philly steak sandwich and one philly egg roll BUT, I went later in the day after the lunch rush, around 3:30pm. The sandwich had less meat which made the meat to bread ratio way off. The second thing was, although the Philly egg roll was hot, it was dried out and hard on the ends which made me think it had been made earlier and just dropped back on hot grease to give it "fresh" heat.

Although the food is absolutely amazing when it's on point, this establishment frustrates me because when I crave a philly, this is the first place I think of. That first visit had me hooked on an amazing taste but the other visits makes me feel like drug addict, chasing that "first hit" experience knowing that it is a hit or miss. (No, I never done drugs but I've been living long enough to know some people who have so I used that example in this review😁) Needless to say, I'm sure I will try again in a week or so to see if they get it right😩🤷🏾‍♀️

Third visit: (about a month from 2nd Visit) My conclusion is that once you find what you like, stick with it! Don't "try" different things and make sure you confirm your order before you pay. I ordered my "usual" philly cheesteak and it was absolutely amazing. I just wish it was "consistent" like they advertise.

Second visit: (less than a week from first visit) I ordered the same type philly steak and a turkey wrap. First of all, the Philly steak was not as good as my first visit. I asked for sweet peppers and they were missing. The turkey wrap was supposed to be hot (the cashier asked if I wanted it hot only to find out that it wasn't possible to do🤦🏾‍♀️) and very dry. I went back in to tell them they made my sandwiches wrong. They gave me a little cup of sweet peppers and sent me on my way with no apology or anything. I'm very disappointed especially since I spent $30 for two sandwiches and the company brags about how consistent they've been since 1985 or so.

First visit: I have been looking for a good philly cheesesteak and unfortunately, I have spent a lot of money being disappointed until I found this spot!! We were expecting a snow storm in the area and it had started coming down so I thought I would try this place out on my way home from a doctor's appt. To my surprise, upon entering there were many people sitting and standing around waiting for orders. I approached a gentleman and asked his opinion of the food there. His response, "It's about a 20 min wait but you won't find better." Convinced, I approached the counter and ordered a 12" cheesesteak with onions, sweet peppers and extra mayo (I hate a dry sandwich) which came to a little over $18. While waiting, I paid attention to the constant flow of customers coming in and out which I found impressive because here in VA people shut their lives down when they even hear that snow is coming! One thing that was a hit or miss for me was the ol'skool 70s music playing. Although I enjoyed it, when they called your name/number for your order, you may not have heard it clearly because the music was playing too loudly. After waiting about 20/25 minutes, I received my order and almost ran to my car. I didn't wait to get home. I immediately opened it and bit into it. Oh to the Em to the Gee!! THIS IS WHAT MY TASTE BUDS HAVE BEEN WANTING TO FIND!! Real, authentic steak, chopped (no steakums), with sauteed onions, sweet peppers, salt /pepper, oil and spices, yellow cheese and the mayo in the crevice of the bread (so that it's not dry). Absolute perfection!!

I may not live close by but no matter where I am, this place will be my go to spot for Philly cheesesteaks. I will not waste my money elsewhere again.

Another thing that I love about this place is that their menu is not just exclusive to cheesesteaks, so I will go back and try other items. Follow for future reviews on...

A Disappointing Dip: Philly Style Steak and Subs, What Happened? This review comes with a heavy heart, as Philly Style Steak and Subs used to be my absolute go-to, a genuine five-star experience that I'd rave about to anyone looking for an authentic taste of Philly in Norfolk. Sadly, my last few visits have been a significant letdown, forcing me to drop my rating to a mere two stars. C'mon, guys, you used to be the best – what gives? The most noticeable decline has been in the quality of the cheesesteak itself, which is, quite frankly, the main event. The meat, which once sizzled with juicy perfection and was generously piled high, now often feels dry and less flavorful. It's almost as if the passion has gone out of the cooking. The cheese, which used to melt into that glorious, gooey perfection, now sometimes feels barely integrated, sitting on top rather than becoming one with the steak and onions. And the bread – oh, the bread! It used to be perfectly toasted and chewy, the ideal vessel. Lately, it feels either stale or just lacking that crucial bite. Beyond the food, the overall experience seems to have lost its spark. While I understand places can get busy, the once-friendly and efficient service now feels a bit more detached, almost as if they're just going through the motions. The attention to detail that made the place special seems to have waned. It's not outright bad service, but it's certainly not the welcoming and top-notch experience it once was. I genuinely hope this is a temporary dip and not a permanent decline. Philly Style Steak and Subs has the potential to be a five-star joint again. But until the quality of the cheesesteaks and the overall care returns to its former glory, it's hard to justify more than two stars. Please, take this as constructive criticism from a once-loyal customer – you can do better, and I...

I have been a customer of Philly Cheese Steak for over 25 years. I have also recommended & taken new customers there many times over the years. After last night, they have lost a long time customer. The hours of operation on their website stated 8:00 pm closing. After driving 45 minutes & a delay due to an 🚗 crash on the highway, I arrived at 7:35 pm to a LOCKED door. Along with 3 other women, (2 of them drove all the way from North Carolina) we were not allowed entrance to place an order. An employee said they closed early due to staff shortage. There were approximately 5 people in the restaurant either placing an order or waiting for their food. We begged the employee to allow us entrance. We showed him (& he took a photo) of how many times we had called only to receive a busy signal because they leave the phone off the hook so an order could not be placed ahead of time. The employee went to the manager & showed him our attempts at calling, but we were not allowed entrance. Too bad for the owner’s loss of business. I would be looking for a...