Pappa Geno’s

When I heard Pappa Geno’s had a location in the Heights, I was really excited to try it out. I was in the area on a Friday after and stopped in for an early dinner.
The colors/​décor here is diner-​esque with orange and white that kind of reminded me of whataburger haha. But it wasn’t busy and the lady at the register greeted me and was really friendly.
I ordered the #1 which is a regular cheesesteak with steak, cheese, and onions. The sandwich is a good size for what you pay. The bread was toasted well and the steak was sliced really thin. To me the steak was a little overly salted. The melted cheese and onions with the sandwich was really good and added good flavor.
Overall, if you are craving a Philly cheesesteak, you should give this spot a try!

I really liked the cheesesteak sandwich here. The bread they used was great for this type of sandwich and there was plenty of meat and cheese. Sandwich was served piping hot which was awesome. Fries were a disappointment. They could do so much better with serving fresh hand cut fries instead of frozen… at least I think they were frozen cause they didn’t taste like fresh cut. Anyway, don’t let the fries deter you. Wish they had steak sauce for the sandwich as I have always liked adding that to my cheesesteak sandwich. Service was quick and friendly. Place was clean and there is plenty of parking.

4 things worth advocating:
1. Meat is grilled in perfection according to thy preference.
2. Sauce adds flavor to the food makes it more fantastic!
3. Servers are friendly, though there’s a wait time, we’re still being accommodated well.
4. Place is clean and plenty of tables to choose from.

Okay, so, let me start by saying that I went to undergrad and grad school in Philly so I lived there for 5 years. This place is not bad when you consider that Houston is definitely not Philly. However, they aren’t using Amoroso rolls and the whiz they put on my cheesesteak was simply over powering. It was a very good cheesesteak, but it definitely doesn’t compare to a Philly. I’m not a huge fan of Pat’s or Geno’s but I would have to rate both of them above Pappa Geno’s. My favorite cheesesteak place: Tony Luke’s on Oregon Ave puts this place to shame, but then again it does that to everyone. Jim’s is also ahead of Pat’s and Geno’s.
Back to the review of Pappa Geno’s. Overall, a solid place. The onion rings we got were pretty good and my girlfriend enjoyed her cheesesteak a lot (albeit, her first ever cheesesteak). I will likely come back again, but I will still be longing for a Tony Luke’s.
I was, however, impressed to see the Fat Philly, which reminds me greatly of Princeton’s Hoagie Haven and Philly food trucks near college. I can’t wait to try that! I will update when I do.

This place is the closest we have come to finding an authentic Philly cheesesteak! Delicious. Good service. Just wish they were vegetarian friendly with the grill I couldn’t order anything beside fries (which is yum!) because they did not want to clean the grill, which I do not fault them for. Totally recommend!

To each one’s own? The first bite of my Pappa Geno’s philly cheesesteak was incredible. I loved the onions and cheese, it was all around a great combo. The same goes for my partner in crime. We both ordered the specialty (#1) and with each bite, it just went downhill for both of us.
I love greasy food… hence my adoration for various sandwich spots, bar food, and pizza joints. Yet, I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as I should have. So, with that in mind, it might be a personal moment. Maybe with the number of reviews, I just expected more out my meal, like the most epic philly cheesesteak ever. Don’t get me wrong, they give you plenty of food (most generous), are quick, and service is incredibly friendly. Parking is easy. All that’s a plus, but my meal was a bit of a letdown.
Don’t expect much with atmosphere. It’s clean, but yeah, I felt like I was in a college cafeteria. So, if you live nearby, just get your order to go.
Based on my experience, I don’t have an interest in going back, so that closes the Pappa Geno’s chapter. I’d say there are better places in and outside of the Heights.

So, as a lactose intolerant guy, I rarely go out of my way to order food that comes with cheese. But what’s a Philly Cheesesteak without cheese? So I hit wally world to pick up some lactaid pills to help tame would could be an explosive situation for me! Lol I hit the spot, ordered #1 cheesesteak and headed home ready to conquer my meal.
Right off the back I liked that they wrapped the Philly Cheesesteak in foil. It was still quite warm once I got home.(I easily stay 30 minutes away) Unwrapped the sandwich, sliced it in half, and dove in for my first bite. Initial reaction: «Damn this pretty good, and super cheesy too!» Second bite… Initial reaction: «Damn I really like this, but is eating all this cheese gonna make me suffer later on. Nah, it shouldn’t, I took that pill!» Before I can even go in for the 3^rd bite I psyched myself out of eating anymore of it. I could mentally feel my stomach being twisted in knots and legs going numb for sitting on the throne too long. :(
So I called in the human garbage disposal (9 yr old son) and Mr Picky (2 yr old son) to finish the rest of the sandwich and give me their thoughts for this review. My 9 yr old of course devoured the sandwich. I asked him what he liked about it and what would he rate it out of 5 stars. He said he like that it was cheesy and the steak was good and that he would give it 4 stars. My 2 yr old surprisingly ate the inside of the sandwich but didn’t care to much for the bread. I asked him what would he rate it out of 5 stars. He just started singing daddy finger daddy finger where are you lol So I took that as a strong 4 too! lol

My first time here and my first Philly cheesesteak. Surprising right? This is going to sound stupid but I always thought Philly cheesesteak was meat, bell peppers, and cheese. So I’m allergic to bell peppers. So I wasn’t too thrilled about it. What’s good about that… I ponder?
Last night my boyfriend brought me here. It was the cutest orange and white checkered counter-​service stop. They got Philly cheesesteaks, other sandwiches, & burgers. Their menu is very straightforward. I thought the prices were high for a sandwich. $ 9! This better be awesome I was thinking. I read the other Unilocaler’s reviews and it recommend Philly cheesesteak with cheese whiz. I hate cheese whiz! So I opt out for a #7 without bell peppers. Good choice!
So our sandwich came out pretty quickly. I got a red basket with blue and white checkered deli paper. At first glance I see thinly sliced beef steak with melted cheese and a toasted frenchy bread with mushrooms and onions. Oh I love the bread! The bread is soft inside and toasty crusty on the outside. The steak was juicy and oozing beefiness. The grilled onions struck just the right between soft and crunchy. And finally the provolone had awesome sharp intense flavor that melted throughout the sandwich. It was pipping hot while consuming the entire sandwich. My mind was changed. Delicious! I would definitely come back!

They don’t use Amaroso rolls, the «standard bearer» of Philly Cheesesteaks everywhere. Usually that’s a red flag that the restaurant in question has cut costs or is trying too hard to be different.
In this case, however, the rolls are the difference. The bread is crusty on the outside and chewy on the middle with the great pull associated with Philly sandwiches.
The steak is that great compromise between fried cheeseburger greasiness and chewy, beefy steak that’s the hallmark of philly cheesesteak.
One of the best I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten at Jim’s Pats and Geno’s in Philly.

Uh, don’t go here if you’re on a diet or if you don’t like cheese (but what kind of monster doesn’t like cheese?). Here’s the deal they have great food and it’s decently priced. I got the cheese-​whiz type on my sandwich my only regret is not getting some cheese for my fries.
Don’t let the décor or the location deter you, it’s just so very heights-​esque.

Glad I decided to give this place a try. My wife and I were near the area and were struggling to decide what to eat for dinner (a common problem among couples I presume). We finally decided to try a cheese steak from Pappa Geno’s.
The place is in a shopping strip next to a gas station, but don’t let the deter you from stopping by. The two young girls attending the counter were extremely nice and patient with us while we decided what to order.
We ordered a Wicked Philly and fries with gravy on the side since we were taking it to-​go. No regrets! The peppers on the cheese steak gave it a good kick and the brown gravy accompanied the fries well. The gravy was slightly saltier than what I would have preferred, but that didn’t stop me from eating the whole thing. The cheese steak is close to a foot long, so it can easily be split among two people. The bread was soft and held together very well.
Pros: Tasty cheese steak, good gravy, nice staff, fast service.
Cons: Décor is nice, but gives an outdated 60s feel. Fries were not that impressive, so get it with the gravy. Can be pricey, but affordable if you split a cheese steak.

For starters… Add the gravy to the fries! It’s amazing.
We showed up on a Saturday night and there weren’t too many customers so we ordered right away at the counter. Within 10 minutes our food was served piping hot to our table. You should have seen the size of this cheesesteak… I’m a big girl but I couldn’t even eat it all. I have had the cheesesteaks in actual Philly and I can say it’s about double the size with lots more meat. The flavors were bursting with goodness with every bite. I also got the cheese whiz fries… my co-​diner got the disco fries and the moment I saw them I regretted my decision on just the plain cheese whiz fries (although they were amazing). He shared is disco fries which are a combo of cheese and gravy and I was in heaven. The gravy was so thick and rich and tasted phenomenal on the fries.
I know for a fact I will be dining here again. My overall experience was fantastic!

Awesome hot cheesesteak sandwich! The soft, fresh bread with the hot cheese and steak… Delicious! I recommend trying it.
Everything else wise was clean.
The location on N. Eldridge is just as good.

Oh. My. Goodness! I’ve been here one other time but ordered the wrong sandwich. This time I got the traditional Philly with cheese whiz and it was sensational. It’s too bad they don’t have a location in Sugar Land or I’d be in a world of trouble with my diet.
As for the place, it has plenty of seating and looks well kept. Food didn’t take long and was very fresh. Definitely the best Philly cheese steak in Houston that’s for sure.

The good:
The sandwich itself is amazing. I got the Philly works meal, and it’s pretty delicious. The interior was neat, kind of a 1960’s café style. Picked it up to go, and it was just finished as I got there. Stayed warm on my way home =].
The not so good: the meal was about $ 14. A bit pricey to make it one of my regular spots. The sandwich was huge, but I wish I could get half the size for half the price. Fries were ok, but nothing to write home about.
Overall, a tasty place, but a little on the pricey side. I’ll go again, but probably not for a while.

The #4 was amazing (wicked philly) and My husband got a #1 and we split cheese fries for $ 21.00. Yum yum yum.
Get here!
I’ve actually had a cheese steak in Philadelphia. This was really close. This is definitely the best you will get in Texas. We got our food fast, and it was super delish.

A Texas Cheese Steak? Yes I know it sounds like blasphemy but let me tell you about it. I haven’t been to this joint in years so I was like why not give it a try again. The first experience was good but after so long I needed to check it out again.
Parking is plentiful so no worries about that. Ordering is pretty simple but the employees are young and do what young people do: talk to themselves about their lives. So if you are looking for food suggestions you won’t find it with them. So check out the various Unilocal reviews to see what you should order. I decided to get the #1. The food was not bad but I would have loved the cheese steak to be a little more seasoned for sure. Overall the food is heavy but its good and the price isn’t bad.

While not a connoisseur of cheesesteaks myself, I have several friends who profess to be and of all the cheesesteak restaurants in the city, this has been deemed the best.
I recently went for lunch with a couple buddies who showed me the ropes.
Pretty standard as far as cheesesteaks go and the Whiz is plentiful.
Order at the counter and then brought to your table.
Nothing fancy, but just what you want from a good cheesesteak.

If you’re ever around this area, you definitely have to try this place if you like philly cheesteaks. I’ve had the #1 & #2 and both times I was very happy with the amount of steak they give you. It gets you full quick and you better be ready for that food coma, cause it will come (as well as the runs if you get something with cheese). Price is a little high for a combo (fries and drink) which will run you about $ 10 – 13 depending what you get.
Tip for take-​out: Make sure if you want fries and a drink, just say that you want to make it a combo otherwise you’ll just be walking out with just a sandwich.

I’m a big fan of steak. I’m a big fan of cheese. And when you find a place that combines steak and cheese in a delicious, greasy, this is so bad but this is so good, finger-​licking, nom-​nom I want more even though I know I’m going to get a heart attack good, and at a very reasonable price? You can’t help but rave about this place.
I personally love the classic, or #1. But lately I’ve been more into the Philly works, or #7. The combination of steak, mushrooms, grilled onions, bell peppers, and provolone cheese is just amazing. You top it off with some cheese fries, or onion ring? Woooo! Belly’s belly’s just too happy!
I have also witnessed the mammoth that is the fat philly. Two chicken tenders with smothered cheese fries on top of your cheesesteak? No, I haven’t tried it yet because, to be frank, I’m scared. Ha ha. It does look very delicious. Bet believe if you plan on eating that whole thing, come really hungry and don’t plan to eat anything else for the rest of the day because I don’t think your stomach can contain anymore food.
The service here is pretty quick, even during lunch time. The restaurant is pretty small with very limited seating. However, people seem to come and go pretty quickly. They also take orders quickly so the line is never very long. Parking in the restaurant’s lot is very limited, but you can park in the lot right next to it. If you’re coming from TC Jester, just turn into the parking lot before you reach Pappa Geno’s because otherwise you’ll have to bust a U.
I’m definitely frequenting this place. Well, maybe not too much. I don’t want to clog my arteries too quickly.