Curly’s Comfort Food, Levittown, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Curly has his cheesesteak dialed in. I remember his cheesesteaks being bigger and cumbersome to eat. This is smaller and a delight to eat. The meat is a thicker slice and has a lot of flavor. It has a lot of cheese. The cheese is melted nicely and touching everything. The roll holds everything together nicely. Curly took his good very big cheesesteak and made a very good big cheesesteak. Bonus Italian Peoples Bakery video
Stable 12 Brewing Company, Phoenixville, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I love this place (have you noticed a trend for this year’s March Cheesesteak Madness). A great variety of beers. Each beer has its own distinct great flavor. The 1st time I was here the bartender gave me great ‘The blob’ information. The roll for my cheesesteak was having a bad night. It is a Corropolese roll but not like any Corropolese roll I ever had before. It was toasted but had no structure. The meat, cheese and rest of my visit was very good.
Verona Pizza, Maple Glen, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Verona Pizza is looking to be the first back-to-back winner of the Judge’s Bracket. They are off to a good start. This is the same good cheesesteak I remember eating last year. Their roll has a lot of flavor. Good amount of chopped meat. There is a good amount of well-melted cheese. I would like the roll to be scooped. I think it needs a better roll-to-meat ratio. If you are worried about wasted bread. Make bread pudding. This bread would make an excellent bread pudding.
Johnny’s Pizza Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I like that Johnny is trying a different kind of roll, I like that he uses a small batch bakery, I like that he has a place to sit and eat your food, I like the meat/cheese/fried onions amount flavor and easy of eating, I like that I found a parking spot right in front of his shop. I’m sorry, I don’t like this roll for a cheesesteak.
Tony G’s Pub & Eatery, Norristown, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I have a whole new appreciation for Tony G’s. 2nd generation family owned. 45 years on that corner. It looked like the crowd had been going there for over 25 years. AND eating. My server was awesome. They allow smoking. No cigars. The cheesesteak; the meat was juicy and easy to eat. The roll was bigger and softer than I like. They get it from a local bakery. Supporting other local businesses. I love that. Good traditional cheesesteak. It needs a stand out. seasoning, more flavor from onions, keith made sauce, it needs something. You know I love $13.
Workhorse Brewing Company, King of Prussia, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
$4 City wide happy hour specials. You know I loved that. I think I got a honey bourbon. I’m not sure. I found the online menu and ordering process very cumbersome. They make their own beer cheese. They also make beer mustard. I told the guy visiting from Chicago that it was amazing on the pretzel. He ordered it. They were out of pretzels. The cheesesteak comes with very good french fries and a dipping cup full of beer cheese. It is a good cheesesteak. The beer cheese makes it a better cheesesteak. My love/hate relationship with Workhorse Brewing Co continues.
Stolen Sun Craft Brewing, Exton, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I think I love this place. Waitress and bartender were great. Several people on laptops concentrating on important stuff. I love their beer selection. Brisket Cheesesteak. Does very good brisket need cheese???? This was very good brisket. I could smell the brisket when they brought the cheesesteak out. At the suggestion of the waitress I got onions. That was a great suggestion. The onions added an occasional great crispy surprise bite.
Bridgeport Rib House, Bridgeport, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I was cautiously optimistic when I seeded The Ribby in March Cheesesteak Madness. The first time I went to the Ribby, I had a guest eater. Sometimes, laughter and beer cloud my judgment. This was another great visit to the Ribby. Monday night, they had a good multigenerational crowd playing free bingo. The cheesesteak was juicy. It came on a bready non seeded roll. I would normally complain about the bready roll but it needed it to hold the juiciness. Great cheese melt. Onions added a very good flavor. It came with chips. The chips did a great job balancing the juiciness. Fun crowd.
Goomba’s Pizzaria, Colmar, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Old School Cool. When I open the door I can tell they have been cooking good stuff there for a long time. I love the ‘we have been using the same grill for 30 years’ taste and the Biscotti. Very good roll. The meat had a very good flavor. The fried onions added a ton of flavor. I would have liked more cheese.
Seven Tap Tavern, Downingtown, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Sorry jaws and Downingtown, I had very low expectations for this place and cheesesteak. Holy Mackerel!! I liked both. The tavern has great views of the golf course. Cheesesteak had a great meaty taste. Major roll blow out. I would have liked a little more flavor from the onions. Came with french fries and a pickle, you know I love that. $14, you know I love that!!
Gazzo’s Steaks, Pottstown, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
We are not a food truck anymore. I got a cheesesteak with smoked cooper. The smoked cooper cheese added a very nice flavor without overpowering everything else. A very nice place to sit, eat and watch TV. The roll was softer than I like. The smoked cooper needs a co-star.
The Trappe Tavern, Trappe, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I love this place. George Washington ate here. A Wednesday night in January, and they have a great crowd. There are always great-looking specials. I saw someone order Lobster. It’s got a great vibe, and the staff is hardworking. One bartender may not have been amused by me. The cheesesteak was very well made. Nice crispy roll. Great meat flavor. I think it is a slice or 2 of cheese away from being a top-tier cheesesteak.
Mama’s Pizzeria, Bala Cynwyd, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Cheesesteaks are a three-leg stool and Mama has 3 good legs. I think she uses a 3 cheese blend. It is a heavy cheese. It is a lot of heavy cheese. The meat was juicy. I would like to see this meat and cheese combo in an egg roll. The meat and cheese are powerful and need a strong supporting cast. If you want a heavy cheesey cheesesteak, this is your cheesesteak.
Marrone’s Deli, West Grove, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Everytime someone tells me the roll is the most important part of the cheesesteak I tell them to go to Marrone’s Deli. Meat is the most important part of a cheesesteak and Marrone’s proves it. I love this little country deli. I got caught up in the country charm and bought a chocolate chip whoopie pie. $11 for the cheesesteak, you know I love that. The meat is great. Good traditional roll. The meat needs more from the role players.
Ugly Oyster Drafthaus, Reading, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
I love this place. Peanuts on a cheesesteak!! Genius!! The Cheesesteak comes with provolone cheese and house-made sauce. They make this a hardy flavorful cheesesteak. The cheesesteak alone will probably never win a traditional cheesesteak contest BUT Ugly Oyster Drafthaus is a must-stop in Reading. Bonus cathedral’equse urinal video.
Steaks, West Chester, PA
2025 March Cheesesteak Madness
OC Region – Contestant video
Steaks West Chester, everything is very good. Including, parking and inside seating. The Cheesesteak, roll, meat and cheese, all very good. It just needs something to make it great. Possibly more moisture, flavor from onions. Something needs to be tweaked to raise above very good. Very good is very good. But, greatness is right there.