Gooey Looies — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Gooey Looie's are in a league of their own. When I say that, I mean Sonny's was a great steak, but this place off the beaten path of McClellan and 2nd are doing something to Cheesesteaks that no other place does. That's their secret, they know how to cook a steak to perfection without drying it out one bit but in fact it's done so amazingly, it retains all that gooeyness that's makes it so flavorful and juicy and they do it with an amazing white cooper sharp cheese that blows the doors off of American, provolone or whiz! I had the privilege of getting the opportunity to share my story with the owner and talk shop and more importantly talk steak! I shared with him my mission and that it had officially been fulfilled once I ate at his grocery/sandwich shop. I told him that I was getting them plain, without peppers, onions or anything exotic that would skew my ability to judge the meal for what it is, "cheese" + "steak". I asked him if the original ingredients that go into one. The original cheese and what was with the whiz. It started with American and somewhere along the line whiz made it in there and here we are. He didn't recommend the whiz, which to me ruins it. It is alright but too much cheese whiz is just way too much to deal with. I can't even finish a steak that's topped with whiz. He did recommend the cooper sharp cheese and on my second visit, I indulged! He was right! That is the way a steak should be, so if your ever in area...STOP!!! GPS this place and go! They are the friendliest bunch of Philadephians I encountered in my time there and they also have this amazing local dessert called water ice that's a really tasty, post cheesesteak treat. It quenches without being too sweet. The prices are the fairest of them all and the staff are the best. Hands down, without a doubt, thee BEST Philly Cheesesteak out there. You guys are amazing, keep doing what you're doing, see you soon!

Thanks!

There you have it. My review. The best cheesesteak! I hope you enjoyed the read and get an opportunity to taste the steak for...

Recently visited looies' and didn't have the experience I was expecting via the previous reviews. First, it was a bit hard to find. It sits inside of a small business/office corridor, which is tucked away behind a small parking lot, but after circling a few times, and asking locals, we found it. (Turns out that we kept riding past it due to it being a little secluded) but no biggie. So, we walk in, and the set up is basically a little mom and pop shop, with a small deli towards the back, which is exactly what I expected from the pics online. There was a sweet looking older women standing at a counter catercorned to the deli, who didint greet us, just pretty much stared at us along with the guys in the back, so I just decided to break the akward silence and greeted them instead. They replied with a slow & low "hello" and we commenced to order our meal, which was two cheese steaks, which were huge in size, and quite impressive looking. Once we arrived home to dig in, our anticipation haulted, due to the lack of taste. There were No seasonings WHAT SO EVER! just a bunch of oily meat, that ended up making the bread super soggy, with no chesse in sight... just a bunch of meat!! Maybe they just had an off day....willing to try them out again, possibly.

Conclusion:

Pros:

A+ for the amount of MEAT on one sandwich/hoagies; can easily make two sandwiches out of one.

D- for secluded/hard to find location for non-locals.

F- for first time customer hospitality.

D- for overall taste.

O, and they don't take...

I just had my first authentic Philly cheesesteak at Gooey Looies, and it completely blew me away. If you’re craving a cheesesteak loaded with flavor and all the fixings, this South Philly spot is where you need to go.

I got mine with provolone cheese, sautéed onions, and sweet peppers. The peppers had this perfect balance—slightly pickled but still fresh and firm when you bit into them. And let me tell you, the sandwich was massive—it felt like it weighed over a pound! I’m pretty sure if I had an extra hoagie roll on hand, I could’ve made another fully-loaded cheesesteak out of what they gave me.

We showed up at 10:15, even though they don’t officially open until 10:30, and they were already open and ready to serve us. No waiting around—just straight to enjoying one of the best cheesesteaks I’ve ever had.

Here’s what makes Gooey Looies stand out:

High-quality Ingredients: The freshness is undeniable. The meat is tender, the bread is perfect, and every bite is packed with flavor.

Huge Portions: They seriously don’t hold back. The cheesesteak is loaded with so much meat and cheese that you could easily make a second sandwich.

Customizable Order: Whether you’re into onions, peppers, or provolone (like me), Gooey Looies lets you build your sandwich exactly how you like it.

If you are visiting Philadelphia, skip other cheese steak spots and head straight to Gooey Looies. This is the real Philly...