Craving cheesesteak? Explore 12 flavorful spots in New Jersey

⚫ These are 12 of the best places in NJ to get an authentic cheesesteak

⚫ Besides the Philly original, some places have cool concoctions

Ribeye steak sliced thin, topped with melted cheese, and fried onions on a long, toasted hoagie roll. That’s the authentic Philly Cheesesteak.

If you don’t have the luxury of going into Philly to get an original, there are plenty of places right here in the Garden State that serve up a great cheesesteak.

Here are 12 spots with the best cheesesteaks in New Jersey

The Original Steaks

21 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights

The Original Steaks on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights serves up some great cheesesteaks. There’s one with mushrooms, another with peppers and onions, and a third with cheese balls. There’s also the Cheesesteak Works with peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

Meatheadz Cheesesteaks

2495 Brunswick Pike #39, Lawrence Township

“Tired of the same boring sandwiches? Experience the most succulent, mouth-watering cheesesteak outside of Philly right here in New Jersey! Allow us to make your taste buds go wild the moment you taste our delicious cheesesteaks. Here, you are family. Come on by! After one bite, you will surely become a MEATHEAD!,” according to the website.

It’s a three-step order at Meatheadz. First, choose the cheesesteak. Choose from 18 varieties including The Jersey Steak (ribeye, pork roll, sharp cheese, and Meatheadz sauce), Loaded Steak (ribeye, bacon, fries, and cheese packed in a roll and smothered with Meatheadz sauce), and Angry Steak (ribeye, bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, hot peppers, and mad sauce). Second, pick a cheese (cheese whiz, provolone, American, or mozzarella), and third, let Meatheadz know “with or without onions.”

Pat’s Pizza

3103 NJ-88, Point Pleasant

“Home of the famous cheesesteak” is the sign featured on the outside of the establishment.

Pat’s has a variety of cheesesteaks on the menu. Pat’s Special Cheesesteak has onions, peppers, mushrooms, hot peppers, and sauce. There are also plain cheesesteaks, or ones with just onions, mushroom and onions, peppers and onions, lettuce, tomato, onions, oil and vinegar, and Cheesesteak California (lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise).

Donkey’s Place

1223 Haddon Ave, Camden

Serving cheesesteaks since its opening in 1943, Donkey’s Place is known for its cheesesteaks on poppy seed buns. Get a cheesesteak with extra cheese, extra onion, or extra meat, with french fries, cheese fries, pickles, spicy pickles, pickled tomatoes, chips, or stuffed cherry peppers.

Cheesesteak Louie’s

22 Boulevard, Seaside Heights

One of the most famous boardwalk eats is Cheesesteak Louie’s in Seaside Heights. Known for its cheesesteaks (it’s in the name), all cheesesteak subs come with any one choice of cheese. Get your steak loaded with peppers and onions. The Louie Original is steak topped with sauteed onions and peppers, Louie Chipotle is steak with sauteed peppers and onions with chipotle mayo, Louie California is steak with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, and King Louie is steak with sauteed onions, bell pepper, cherry peppers, mushrooms, topped with chipotle mayo, and double cheese.

Grab chicken cheesesteaks at Cheesesteak Louie’s too. There’s also The Virgilio (steak served California style with raw onions, pickles, and ketchup, and topped with American cheese), The Duno (steak with sauteed onions, lettuce, mayo, and ketchup, topped with applewood smoked bacon, and American and sharp provolone cheese), BBQ Louie (steak smothered in BBQ sauce), and The Big Dave (sliced ribeye, grilled pork roll, melted pepper jack, and topped with waffle fries).

Bob O’s Cheesesteaks

252 Main St, Ridgefield Park

You might think the best cheesesteaks in New Jersey only come from the boardwalks. But there are so many shops around the state, like Bob O’s in Bergen County. In fact, Bob-Os was voted “Best Cheesesteak in Bergen County,” according to its website.

Bob-O’s is fairly new, opening in November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. They use ribeye for all their cheesesteak sandwiches.

There are several varieties of cheesesteaks to choose from such as The Bob-O Sandwich (shaved ribeye, grilled onions, peppers, and American cheese), The Scarlet Sandwich (shaved ribeye, marinara sauce, roasted sweet peppers, grilled onions, and mozzarella cheese), and The Disco Sandwich (shaved ribeye, fries, gravy, and mozzarella cheese on garlic bread), to name a few.

Twisted Steaks

55 Main St, New Egypt

It’s cheesesteaks with a twist. Instead of a hoagie roll, the steaks are served on warm, hand-twisted, artisan-style pretzels. According to the owners of Twisted Steaks, the salty, crunchiness of the pretzel sets off and holds the cheesesteak's juiciness in for a “true regional culinary delight.”

Choose from nine different cheesesteaks: original, chicken, bacon, BBQ bacon, pizza, bacon chicken, BBQ bacon chicken, bacon ranch chicken, and buffalo chicken.

Chief’s Steak Shop

109 Harris Ave, Middlesex

Build your own cheesesteak at Chief’s. Get beef or chicken on your choice of bread or Kaiser roll. Choose the cheese (provolone, White American, Swiss, Mozzarella, Cheese Whiz, or Pepper Jack). Choose the toppings (sauteed onions, sauteed peppers, sauteed mushrooms, hot cherry peppers, banana peppers, or roasted peppers). Choose a sauce (marinara, chipotle mayo, BBQ, teriyaki, moonshine BBQ, Sweet Thai Chili, Honey Mustard Ranch, spicy mango, bleu cheese, or hot sauce). Add extra toppings if you wish.

Gaetano’s Cheesesteaks

1280 NJ-33, Hamilton Square

Gaetano’s has three dozen different specialty cheesesteaks and chicken cheesesteaks. You can even create your own with endless combinations. All the steaks are made with a proprietary steak blend, seasoned, and served in fresh seeded rolls. Some favorite “steaks” to try are The Jersey (potatoes, green peppers, fried onions, cheese, and A-1 sauce), The Don (grilled tomatoes, oregano, parmesan, and sharp provolone cheese), The Grease Truck (french fries and mozzarella sticks), and Belmar For Shore (pork roll and extra cheese).

Big Bob’s Original Philly Cheesesteaks

4 Wilson Ave, Manalapan Township

Big Bob’s has original Philly cheesesteaks, just like in the name. Grab an original Philly (ribeye or chicken with chopped onions and cheese) or try a specialty “steak.” Some favorites include the Broccoli Rabe Cheesesteak (topped with broccoli rabe and provolone), The Loaded (cheese, bacon, fresh-cut potatoes, and special sauce), or California (cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo).

Dar’s Steaks

142 Haddon Ave, Haddon Township

According to Dar’s website, what makes their cheesesteaks so good comes down to three elements. It starts with the quality and cut of meat. Dar’s uses 12 ounces of ribeye to build the steaks. The rolls are equally important. The bread is delivered from a local bakery. While soft and chewy, it can hold up all the cheese and meat stuffed inside the roll. Third, is the treatment of the meat on the grill.

Choose between ribeye, chicken, or seitan as the protein. Then choose a seeded, plain, or gluten-friendly baguette as your roll. Choose between a plain steak, cheesesteak, cheesesteak hoagie, pizza steak, Buffalo-style steak, the Cali, Steak and Egg, the Hot Chester (hot Cheetos, banana peppers, and cheese whiz), or the Philly Dilly (loaded with pickles and homemade cheese whiz).

Midtown Philly Steaks

523 Washington St, Hoboken

You can’t go to Hoboken without a stop at Midtown for a cheesesteak. The steak is thinly sliced Philly-style steak served on a classic hoagie roll, a whole wheat wrap, or a garlic roll. There are five different cheeses to choose from, as well as tons of toppings to customize your steak such as peppers, onions, mushrooms, cucumbers, pineapple, and more.

There are about a dozen cheesesteak varieties from classic to chicken, pizza to California. Some specialty steaks include The Volcano (steak, cheese, sriracha, cherry peppers, and hot relish), Hawaiian (steak, cheese, grilled pineapple, and grilled ham), and Pittsburgh (steak, cheese, tri-color coleslaw), and so many others.

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