McNally's Tavern CHESTNUT HILL — Restaurant in Philadelphia

This place is the classic small whole in the wall with great beer and awesome sandwiches. My fiance and I saw this place on an Instagram account known for finding great food spots around the Philadelphia area. Once we saw this place pop up, we knew we had to come.

First of all, it took us a few minutes to find this place because there was no sign outside and there is another bar right next door that we were getting it mixed up with. However, we eventually found our way in (asked the bartender if we were in the right place) and sat at the bar. We ended up ordering a chicken Cheesesteak with fried onions and a schmitter. We divided it up half each. I've had the Schmitter one time before drunkenly at a Phillies game but wasn't in the clearest state of mind to judge it. This sandwich was much better than I remembered! Now, the chicken Cheesesteak.... This is a controversial statement but I live within walking distance of Dalessandros, I've eaten cheesesteaks from Mama's pizzeria, Steve's prince of steaks, Joe's steaks on castor ave, so I've got experiences with cheesesteaks. This CHICKEN cheesesteak was the best chicken cheesesteak I've ever had (I can't judge the beef cheesesteak because I didn't get it here). The bartender told us that it's made of real chicken (not chicken steak) that they marinate and chop up themselves. All I know is this chicken Cheesesteak was legit!

Although we were each really full after that, we couldn't resist the temptation of dessert after hearing the different cake choices. We decided to get a piece of the chocolate cake which looks like just an ordinary piece of chocolate cake... Wrong. This cake was delicious too. We were told it is a homemade recipe with traces of coffee that helps to cut the sweetness. Whatever they did they succeeded because this cake was nice and moist and not overly sweet like your typical cakes. We each really enjoyed it!

Needless to say, we'll be back... And we'll...

It took far too long to get here, but I was finally able to hit McNally’s Tavern in Chestnut Hill for “The Schmitter”. There were quite a few things on this menu that looked good so don’t be surprised to see a follow up on this at some point, but had to talk about this sandwich and experience specifically.

So we went on a Friday night around 7pm (had just landed in Philly at the airport) and the place was packed! We were lucky and a couple was leaving shortly after we told the hostess about our party so we sat fairly quickly. Cool vibe in the place, tin mugs hanging from the ceiling and sports on all the tv’s. Like I said though, crazy packed so it was loud and a bit chaotic.

The Schmitter is a pretty odd sandwich honestly given what’s on it. Basically a cheesesteak with onions, tomato’s, salami, and their sauce that is similar to a Big Mac sauce. I’d never have thought to add salami to a cheesesteak, but here we are. The flavor was quite good, it was on a round Kaiser (you can order long roll if you want) which reminded me of donkeys place a bit, and the tomato added a nice freshness as well. The price is what you’d expect, maybe a tad bit more, for the sandwich and it comes with basic ridged chips.

My girlfriend also got a chicken cheesesteak that was good but looked awful. They use a broiler/salamander to melt the cheese and it came out looking burnt, but it tasted fine.

All in all I enjoyed it and will come back again and get another or sample other items. The Schmitter at McNally’s Tavern -...

My wife and I have been to McNally’s a few times now, and it is easily one of our favorite spots. The place has a great old school Irish and English pub vibe that just feels right. Cozy, welcoming, and full of character. We love the vibes every time we walk in.

The highlight here is the “Schmitter” — an incredible sandwich that lives up to the hype. It is stacked with sliced steak, grilled salami, melted cheese, fried onions, tomatoes, and a special Schmitter sauce, all on a fresh kaiser roll. Every bite is rich, messy, and delicious. The flavors blend perfectly, and the texture has that great balance of crispy, gooey, and hearty. It is the kind of sandwich that makes you plan your day around getting one.

The service is always on point. They still use handwritten checks, which feels almost surreal in 2025, but it fits the charm of the place.

Today, we made a special trip to Chestnut Hill just for the Schmitter. There happened to be a spring festival going on, and we walked in at 4:58, not knowing they close at 5 on festival days. Usually, they close at 8. We would never intentionally walk into a bar right before closing, but we honestly had no idea.

Even with the late arrival, the staff (Kate) welcomed us without hesitation. We ordered drinks and sandwiches and were treated just like everyone else. No rush, no pressure, just great service. We also grabbed a slice of chocolate cake to go, and it was fantastic.

McNally’s is a gem. If you are anywhere near Chestnut Hill, this place is absolutely...