The best Philly cheesesteak is in your backyard

By Tim Klapac
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

Cheesesteaks have been a member of food menus in sports bars all over Baltimore since gaining popularity in the 1930s in Philadelphia. Since then, varieties of this meat-filled sandwich have taken over Charm City. But some cheesesteaks do grade better than others. 

Here are the four best cheesesteaks in Baltimore, based on structure, taste, longevity, price and portion size.

Third Place

Crazy John’s “Pepper Steak Sub” $8.00
410 E. Baltimore St

Just three blocks from the Inner Harbor, this quick-stop establishment has been serving speedy cheesesteaks since 1987. With a varied menu of food that can be ready for you faster than you can pay your parking meter, Crazy John’s is the place for a sub on the run. 

Their open layout means you can watch your cheesesteak being crafted as you wait in the tight aisle in between counters, which creates a Philadelphia-style vibe. 

What gives them a good rating is the convenience factor. The amount of time between ordering and the first bite was the shortest here and although the cheesesteaks are the smallest in the group, they makes for easy eating for on-the-go customers.

Crazy John’s gets a few more points because they are open 24 hours.

Second Place

Kisling’s Tavern’s “Kisling’s Cheese Steak” $11.99
2100 Fleet St.

This dive bar in Canton, known for its chicken wings, is exactly the type of place you expect to find a delicious cheesesteak. As you walk in, the dark lighting and deep-brown, wood-stained walls give you the feeling as if you just got off of your 9-to-5 job and are looking for a lukewarm beer to cap off the day.

The “Kisling’s Cheese Steak,” heralded as their best kept secret, is loaded with every topping imaginable for a cheesesteak. Ten ounces of meat topped with provolone cheese sits on a bed of lettuce, tomato, mayo, grilled onions and hot pepper relish.

I was ready to write this sandwich off for how difficult it was going to be to eat, and because the cheese was on top of the meat. But this sub tasted so good, I had to overlook the challenge of eating it. The hot pepper relish gives this sandwich a flavor no other restaurant could duplicate.

Devon Johnson, a Baltimore resident, tried the Kisling Cheese Steak for the first time and was impressed.

“I’m not even a cheesesteak guy, I normally do chicken cheesesteaks,” he said. “But this was good. I’m gonna find out later in life if I dislike cheesesteaks or not.”

Because of the sheer size of this sandwich, eating it in one sitting is not easy. But the “Kisling Cheese Steak” reheats well the next day.

Although it is on the pricier side, especially after a $2 upcharge for fries, this sub is worth it.

First Place

Magerk’s Pub’s “Philly Original” $9.00
1061 S. Charles St

Where else would you expect to find the best cheesesteak in Baltimore than the go-to Philadelphia bar? Located at the intersection of Charles and Cross Street, right in the heart of Fed Hill, Magerk’s has been the destination for Philadelphia sports fans since opening in 2000.

With Philadelphia sports memorabilia adorning every inch of this bar, the atmosphere has you craving a cheesesteak before looking at the menu.

“We get our bread from Philly everyday which really changes it all,” said Brigitte Griffin, a bartender at Magerk’s. “Everyone in the kitchen has been here since the beginning so it’s a lot of love and dedication that goes into it.”

Magerk’s offers six styles of cheesesteaks, meaning there is a sandwich for everyone. I recommend the No. 4, known as the “Philly Original,” which comes with steak and Cheez Whiz. I did add onions for a little more flavor.

The sandwich’s structure was the best of them all, with the cheese sitting on the bottom and the meat and onions piled on top, which is exactly how a cheesesteak should be constructed. The thin bread meant there was more room for the meat and cheese and your time isn’t wasted on bread. 

The to-go boxes are made in sizes that are perfect for your leftover cheesesteak to rest until the next day. This sandwich reheats just as well as it’s initially cooked, meaning you can savor the flavor beyond when you leave the restaurant.

With a flat price of $9, the value of this sandwich is what puts it over the top as the best cheesesteak in Baltimore.

Honorable Mention

Mother’s Federal Hill Grille’s “Charm City Cheesesteak” $13.99
1113 S. Charles St.

One of the staples of the Fed Hill neighborhood, Mother’s Grille offers two styles of cheesesteak. The “Charm City Cheesesteak” is a classic set up of chopped ribeye, provolone cheese and sautéed onions on a sub roll. Their chicken cheesesteak has a little more to it with blackened chicken, peppers, onions, chipotle mayo and american cheese.

This is the priciest sandwich of the bunch, but bartender Sean Ohlhaver said the portion size and quality is worth the price tag.

“We use better steak than most of the other places,” he said. “You eat that with just a side of chips and you’re full.”

Served with chips, each sandwich has plenty of meat, but it gets a little carried away. Your first bite is going to be your most difficult as it is a struggle to determine where to start.

One you break through, this sub checks all of the boxes of a cheesesteak. What keeps this one from the podium is the lack of a unique flavor or quality that other sandwiches had.

Baltimore is a city known for crabs, but thanks to these restaurants, there’s a lot more you can get in Charm City than just a crab cake. Whether you’re watching a game, or hanging out with friends, a well-crafted cheesesteak is becoming the new Baltimore delight.