This time I had the pleasure of stopping in at American Wings over in “Reynolds Town” for a quick bite and an even quicker retreat back to my house. (Reynolds Town is the area between East Atlanta and Little 5 Points that I am required to drive through on my way to work every day. To say this place is “hood” is not really doing it justice.)

Upon entering American Wings I couldn’t help but notice the steel bars barricading the outside of the store. I though to myself, “Well look at that. They must have a great sandwich because they have steel bars up to protect the secret recipe from being stolen.”  Haha, silly me.

Price wise, the Philly combo just couldn’t be beat. For only $5.89 you get both a drink and fries with your order. I was already liking this place. However, the size of the actual meal was slightly disappointing. The sandwich was small and there weren’t a lot of fries, but hey, it was less than $6. I can’t really complain.

I will admit, this was probably the best Philly I’ve had since starting this blog. The meat was cooked just right with the perfect amount of spices added, the cheese was good quality and very flavorful, and the french fries were seasoned with Seasoning Salt (a personal favorite of mine).

There was also something added to this sandwich that’s been lacking in most of the ones I have reviewed: Mayonnaise! I rarely ever put mayonnaise on anything I make, but I do enjoy it. I especially enjoy it on my Phillies. So, kudos to you American Wings for sadly making my day.

The Good:

• Very Cheap (Only $5.89)
• Seasoned Fries
• Great taste

The Bad:

• Location, Location, Location
• Small portions
• Did I mention location?

Overall, I give this sandwich a 6 out of 10 (6/10)

Looks like my streak of bad sandwiches has finally ended.

You can locate American Wings at:

1187 Wylie Street Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30316-1354
(678) 705-9725

Let me tell you this; I almost fainted when this thing came out. It was GIGANTIC! This sandwich literally had to weigh over a pound.

When I ordered the sandwich I was informed it didn’t come with fries. This bothered me considering it was $8. However, I now understand why. There would be no room left for them. This was the Highlander of Philly Cheese Steaks…….THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

The unfortunate part of this review is the fact this sandwich was completely void of taste. I don’t know if they forgot to add seasoning to the meat, the cheese was bad, or what. All I know is that eating this sandwich tasted like I was eating wet cardboard. The sheer mass of my lunch was not enough to save it in the end.

The Good:

• Holy God this thing is big

The Bad:

• Did not come with fries or a drink and still cost $8
• No flavor
• Toasted the bread, which led to crumbling mess

Since I’ve started this blog I have had nothing but disappointing sandwiches. It would appear I have been cursed. Maybe I will find my perfect Philly one day. As for this one, I give it a 3 out of 10 for size alone. (3/10)

Harry’s Pizza is located at:

2150 Powers Ferry Road Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30339-5028
(770) 955-4413

The first restaurant on the chopping block today is Goodfellas’  Pizza and Wings. There are a number of these places across Atlanta but I decided to be lazy and go to the one nearest my house. I would have to assume the quality of sandwich is about the same for each location, however I kindof hope my experience was just specific to this one spot.

Upon eating this Philly, only one word continuously popped into my head……“Mystery Meat!”

It’s one thing to look at the sandwich and not be able to tell what type of meat is being served to you, (Is that a long solid meat patty, or are my eyes deceiving me?) but it’s a whole other level of mystery when you bite into the sandwich and still aren’t able to pinpoint the “race” of you meal.

Putting aside my desire to call in Sherlock Holmes to crack the case of my sandwich, I tried to focus on the flavors of my meal in hopes that I haven’t entirely wasted my $8. As much as I tried, I was not able to find any distinguishing tastes within my sandwich. So, to sum it up, my sandwich had no visual markers to indicate what it was made out of and no real flavor clues either. It would appear my Philly Cheese Steak was in the Witness Protection Program.

Bottom line:

The Good:

• Uh…….it came with fries?

The Bad:

• Pretty much everything I just said.

I give this sandwich a 2 out of 10. (2/10)

You can find Goodfellas at:

30 Moreland Avenue Southeast Atlanta, GA 30316

(404) 524-0561

(Who knows, maybe their pizza and burgers are better.)

This time on the chopping block we have a Steak Sandwich from one of my favorite restaurant chains: American Deli.

To add a little back story to event, let me start off by saying I just relocated myself, as well as all of my belongings, to a new part of town. After I had finally gotten all my shit unpacked and ready to go I decided to take a field trip around the area to see what kind of local flavor I need to get use to. While on this trip around the neighborhood I came across the American Deli and my heart skipped a beat. As gay as this sounds, I am IN LOVE with American Deli. I’ve always had a thing for it and now I have one right in my backyard. Good times!

As I walk into the restaurant the first thing I immediately notice is a giant sign that reads: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich with 5 Wings and a Drink – $7.99. I am overjoyed by the idea of this Food Team-Up. My favorite sandwich + five delicious chicken wings? Sign me up. However, a problem did arise as the woman taking my order informed me that French Fries are not included in the price. WTF?!? No worries though, she then informed me of the special they have on Saturdays where French fries are included for free with every purchase. Already this review was getting some bonus points.

When my order arrives, I open it up and find a packed out container. It could barely hold all the cheesy goodness. The Sandwich, Wings, fries, and to top it off a friend dumpling was staring right at me from the table. It looked delicious.

One thing I love about American Deli is the way they don’t skip on proportions. If you have ever read any of my other reviews you would know proportions really matter to me. I’m a big guy, thus I like a big meal. Bottom line is this: The sandwich was HUGH!

I was all excited about my purchase and couldn’t wait to bite into my luscious sandwich. I wish I did wait, because I now have massive burns on the top of my mouth. (I have noticed this trend with all my American Deli purchases in the past. I ALWAYS get burned. Either they cook their food in the Sun or I have a hard time resisting the temptations. I’m assuming the latter.)

As for the nitty gritty, I was disappointed in my sandwich’s taste. I admit my burnt mouth might have taken away from the flavor, but I got the jist of it. The wings weren’t all that great either. It was pretty much burn chicken with BBQ sauce on them. Not a good way to spend $8.

I’m gonna try out a new style of reviewing here tonight. I’m gonna make a list of the Goods and the Bads.  Maybe that will help articulate my feelings a little better.

The Good:

• Giant Proportions
• Free French Fries (Apparently only on Saturdays)
• Fully loaded sandwich (Tons of Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms, and cheese)
• Free Fried Dumpling appetizer

The Bad:

• Ridiculously Hot!
• Old/Burnt tasting wings
• Steak didn’t have much flavor
• Messy (due to all the toppings)
• French Fries aren’t always included (this is a MUST in the business)

So there you have it folks. I love American Deli, but I didn’t love this Cheese Steak. Maybe I will just stick with their Burgers and Chicken Tenders. I officially give this Cheese Steak Sandwich a 3 out of 10 (3/10).

You can check out this American Deli (not sure why you would want to after this review though) at:

1162 Moreland Ave, Atlanta, GA‎ - (404) 622-1123‎

About a month ago, in a drunken stupor, I happened into a local Taco Mac. While looking over the menu I noticed the Philly Steak sandwich at the bottom of the last page. It was buried beneath the steaks and salads and rested above the un-priced alcoholic beverages. (I fucking hate when they don’t give you the Alcohol prices. Then I look like a cheap asshole when I ask how much something is. Shitty system) So, I immediately ordered and awaited my next review opportunity.

While waiting, I had to deal with the local flavor, namely UGA fans. Apparently there was a game on and we were lucky enough to be there for the last quarter. YAY US!! On a side note I have to say this. University of GA fans are the most annoying group of fans in the entire universe. They make me not want to live in the state. I mean WHAT THE FUCK? And is it just me or is there no chance in Hell 90% of UGA fans could actually make it into that school? Whatever. Just sayin.  (For extra points, check out my Halloween costume. I’m the perfect UGA fan………Get it? Get it? I’M DEAD. THE PERFECT UGA FAN IS A DEAD ONE! HAHAHAHAHAHAH…….moving on.)

So, the sandwich comes out and it brings back bad memories of the Highlands Grill incident. Wrapped in tin foil and cut in two, the sandwich vaguely resembled a burrito which was the first impression I had at the Highlands Grill. However, this sandwich wasn’t so small once I unwrapped it.  It was a decent size and had a decent amount of French fries to accompany it. Proportion wise, it was just OKAY.

Much like the proportions, the sandwich’s taste also bordered on decent. Now, I have to admit, I was slightly drunk at this point, so my taste judgment might not be as accurate and honed as it would normally be, but I still knows what I like!

If I had to put a number on it (Which I do) I would give it a 4 out of 10. It wasn’t the worst I have ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best. I kind of wish I had gotten the Fish and Chips instead……….maybe I should start a blog for that. Just an Idea.

As for price, this Philly clocks in at a whopping $8.00. Not worth the money, if you want my two cents.

You can find you local TACO MAC about two feet away from you. Seriously, these things are everywhere.

Today’s review has an interesting story behind it. I’ll start from the beginning:

When I’m not doing reviews of artery clogging sandwiches, I do freelance film and video work. I have a photo shoot coming up this week and I needed to borrow some lights from my buddy over in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Upon picking the lights up, my buddy asks if he could buy me dinner. Being the broke bastard that I am, I obviously say YES!

Upon taking our seats in the restaurant (Verde in Buckhead) my buddy asked what the specials for the day were.  There was only one: A Philly Cheese Steak. Suddenly my eyes lit up and I asked her if I could please order one. This is where the situation turned weird.  The waitress turned to me and said: “Just one?”

When I heard this odd question, I had a couple things flashing through my head.  Why would I want more than one Cheese Steak? Was it because:

A.)   They were so small that one would not be enough? Maybe they were the size of a White Castle burger? (If you know me, you know this is a bad thing. I like big portions.)

OR

B.)    This girl thought I was such a disgusting pig that I would obviously want to eat more than just one.

I responded to the girl with “Yes?…………Just one I guess.” To which she said, “Are you sure?” At this point I was looking around the table in hopes that someone could enlighten me as to what I was missing. My buddy took this cue and explained:  “They’re TACOS man!”

And there it was. The cat was out of the bag and I couldn’t have been more disappointed. I HAD BEEN DUPED!!! But, needless to say I still ordered it. I also took the waitress’ advice and order two instead of one. I figured “What the hell, right?” Might as well branch out in the PCS world and try all the different variants.

As for the actual review, let’s just say Onions and Provolone Cheese on steak do not make a Philly Cheese. The tacos served to me were Steak Tacos with Onions, Provolone, lettuce, and tomatoes. No seasoning, no mushrooms, andnothing special.

The overall taste of the tacos were fairly bland. The only thing truly memorable about this meal was the sour taste the price left in my mouth. (Well, it would have if I were actually paying for them.) At a steep $3.50 per taco, this meal was certainly not worth the money.

I officially give the Philly Cheese Steak Taco at Verde a 3 out of 10 (3/10) It would have been a 5/10, but I decided to knock an additional 2 points off the score because of the deception I was privy to at the beginning of my visit.

Do you have a differing opinion on my review? Do you have an original Cheese Steak review you would like to add to the site? If so, feel free to leave a comment or contact me with a review. All reviews should be sent to me directly at: KodyWynne@gmail.com

Verde Taqueria is located @ 1426 Dresden Dr, Atlanta, GA‎

(404) 254-5319‎

http://www.verdetacos.com

While screwing around with the phone, I came across some pictures that I took last weekend at a local Grill near my house. I had completely forgotten about the Philly I ate that evening. So, here I am with yet another entry on my everlong journey to find the Greater Atlanta Area’s WORLD’S greatest Philly Cheese Steak.

The Highlands Grill is a popular sports bar amongst the KSU (Kennesaw State) crowd for all their gameday antics. I actually visited it on the first game day of the season, but there was an obvious lack of attendees for the season opener. I don’t know if it was because there were no good games on at this time or if the Grill had fallen from its once popular status. Either way I could care less. Fuck sports. (Except for Baseball, Trivia, and Competitive Sex)

Anyway, I open the menu and the first thing I spot is the Highland Cheese Steak. So, I ask my waitress for it and her best French fries. Naturally, she looks at me like I’m a retard and says “Sir, we only have one type of fries.” To which I respond by putting a gun in my mouth and blowing my brains out……..

The sandwich itself was only $7.50, so not too terribly pricey, but I’m always skeptical when it comes to local establishments like the Highlands. You can never tell how big the portion sizes are until you actually get it, and then it’s just tough shit if it’s not enough. Sometimes you might be surprised, like I was when I visited Smith’s Olde Bar, but sometimes you can be doubly surprised when that giant size sandwich still tastes like shit. Bottom line: It’s a crap shoot.

Initial reaction to my selection was in fact disappointment due to the meager size of the sandwich and fries. I literally had to ask my waitress if this was my sandwich and not two small burritos. (It was an easy mistake to make considering the sandwich was wrapped in tin foil and was the size of a small burrito.) However, my waitress turned the plate around and I watched as the two burritos turned into one small sandwich cut in half. I Was Pissed…..and I hadn’t even taken a single bit of it yet.  My roll of the Philly dice had left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Yet, my inner pessimism quickly subsided as I actually tasted the sandwich. The tiny steak sandwich in front of me possessed such a great flavor that I had to forget about its size, if just for a moment. The steak mixed perfectly with the sandwich’s cheese, peppers, onions, and spices. I was suddenly impressed. However, this impression lasted only momentarily as I was quickly finished with my lunch. Once again, I was brought back to the size of the sandwich.

I have to admit. I loved this sandwich. If it were a little bigger I would give it an 8 or a 9, but I can’t in good conscious give it any more than a 5 due to the price and the amount you get for the money.  If you have a little money to waste and fill up fairly easy then the  Highlands Grill’s Cheese Steak is probably for you. But considering I have neither money to waste nor a tiny stomach to fill, one would not be surprised by my disdain for such a situation.

I give the Highlands Grill’s Cheese Steak a 5 out 0f 10 (5/10)

Visit Highlands Grill @ 2615 George Busbee Pkwy NW 28 Kennesaw, GA 30144

Exterior Photo by John Bickford

Smith’s is well known in Atlanta for its music. Pretty much every night there are 3 or 4 bands jamming out in the establishment’s fairly large upstairs venue. However, that night I was not there for shitty local music. I was there to start my long journey down the road to finding the city’s greatest Philly Cheesesteak.

The place looked like every other pub in the city with the exception of all the autographed play bills littering the joint’s walls. Dozens of famous bands have made their way through this bar on their trek to stardom and they sure wanted you to know this fact. Bands like Counting Crows, Soundgarden, Hole, and the Black Crows have all left a little bit of themselves in the walls of the bar.

But really, who fucking cares? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The sandwich.

Upon ordering the Philly Cheesesteak (PCS from now on),I wondered how far my $7.50 $9.50 would really go. Some places like to jip you on the portions and that is something I JUST CAN’T STAND FOR! So, much to my delightful surprise, I was pleased to see they had delivered on what I deemed to be a FULL SIZE sandwich.  Not only that, they had filled my plate with delicious looking French fries as well. So far, so good.

Because I was so pleased with the portion sizes, I decided to overlook the plain and unexciting food presentation. The PCS’s look was pretty unremarkable, which isn’t really a big deal; however the sandwich’s look wasn’t the only thing that failed to impress.

The PCS itself was as bland a sandwich as you can get. No spices, no seasoning, NOTHING. The melted provolone cheese attempted to cover up the sandwich’s lack of personality, however it did nothing but irritate me even more by being so god damn cheesy. (Try to figure that one out)

There isn’t much to say other than I didn’t enjoy my $7.50 $9.50 choice. In the end, the size of the sandwich did not make up for its lack of taste.

I give Smith’s Olde Bar’s PCS a 4 out of 10 (4/10)

Smith’s Olde Bar is Located @ 1578 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA‎ – (404) 875-1522‎