Original Steak and Hoagie — Restaurant in Plainsboro Township

This is one of THE best restaurants I have ever eaten at, and is definitely one of the best in the area. Everyone knows the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover.” It is when this adage is applied with an attitude of whimsicality that often the best things and experiences are formed. My friend and I decided to come here during lunch one day upon a recommendation from another friend. The outside of this place is a bit unflattering, so we went into the establishment not expecting much. Boy were we surprised. Immediately walking in, we were greeted cheerfully by the chefs in the open kitchen. The interior decor, while a bit rustic, makes the restaurant feel very homely and cozy. The kitchen was well maintained and the floors were impeccable, and while I did not have time to visit the lavatories of this establishment, everything else was perfectly clean. We ordered the 22” special cheesesteak (comes in 2 11” halves) and shared it, and later ordered a side of curly fries. The cashier was professionally cordial and very efficient and enunciated, informing us rapidly about which menu items she recommended. After getting our hoagies, we were entrenched in the smell of the delectable cheesesteaks, and were eager to dig in. We were not disappointed. Our minds were transported to another dimension, like a raindrop falling gently against a car windshield, caressing the surface with a nimble feminine ease. The tangy tomatoes balanced out the juicy fresh steak, the slight bit of saltiness from the cheese brought texture and flavor, but also kept the greasiness of everything under control. The onions and peppers added a satisfying crunch to the texture, and it was all tied together by the freshly-cooked bread. As for the fries, the length and freshness of them indicated that they were homemade and home-cut. The texture was perfectly crispy, and it was complemented impeccably by the high-quality ketchup they provided. We left feeling extremely full and surprised by how good the meal was. Both my friend and I vehemently recommend this establishment without reservation. We will definitely be returning with even more of our friends and for many more lunches to come. Would rate 10 stars if...

I love visiting eateries that remind me not to judge a book by its cover. Or a restaurant by its rundown exterior and worn, no-nonsense decor.

"This looks like a place I would come as a drunk college kid," my husband mused when we first stepped inside.

True to his observations, the menu is rife with the kinds of deep fried goodies and artery-clogging sandwiches that are best meant for youthful bodies with optimal metabolism. We ordered a fun variety for ourselves - a meatball parm, a pound of buffalo wings, an order of curly fries, and - to balance things out - the harvest salad.

For those ordering sandwiches, know that they're enormous. A half order is an 11" deal, while the whole is a Brobdingnagian 22". Our half sandwich was great, and definitely more than enough for us to share.

We had few notes on anything we ordered. The curly fries were hot and crispy, the buffalo wings hot and tangy, and the meatball parm was just as expected. I was particularly surprised by the salad, which was just supposed to be a fresh and green counterpart to all the heavier foods. I would have been happy enough with some greens and a vinaigrette, but we had a pretty robust salad with blue cheese, chicken, and pieces of diced apple. I never would've expected to find a good salad at a place like this one, but there you go.

There are a few high tables and stools, but little else by way of ambiance. Clearly, the focus here is to eat and clear out. That said, service at the counter was incredibly warm and friendly. As far as parking goes, there are a few spots out front and even a few more behind the building.

I struggled with the number of stars here, because this isn't highbrow or fine dining. If that's what you're after, I'd definitely look elsewhere. But it's predictable, freshly prepared, and therefore perfect for a college town. If that's what you're expecting, this is your...

Did this place change ownership or just the original owners just give up?

Used to LOVE this place. Never lived any closer than 20 minutes from here but I occasionally made the drive. Their buffalo chicken cheesesteak used to knock my socks off, and everything else was great too.

I live even further from them than I used to, but today I made the 35 minute drive each way. Man, have things changed. 11" buff chx chstk cut into 4 pieces... the two pieces on either end barely had ANYTHING on them. 22" italian cut into 8s. the 4 peices on the ends had barely any meat on them.

You know when you go to Subway and they count out like 5 slices of pepperoni for a whole footlong and you think "oh, that's why i stopped coming here"? Well that's Original Steak and Hoagie now too.

Also their bread used to be a point of pride. Don't know if they changed their recipe, or changed their supplier, or stopped making it themselves, but it used to be the best part of an already great sandwich. Now it's just average (and sadly still the best part of a...