Joe’s Steaks used to be known as Chink’s Steaks, a name many found offensive. Even current owner Joe Groh lowered his voice when he reminded me what his world-class steak shop was known by from 1949 until April 1, 2013.

The old name was taken from original owner Sam Sherman’s nickname, referring to the shape of a certain race of people’s eyes. Sherman proudly owned his restaurant and created a brand of famous cheesesteaks known throughout Philadelphia, and was even mentioned on TV shows, like Anthony Bourdain’s “The Layover.” Now, Groh turned the old Acropolis diner at 1 W. Girard Ave. into a brand-new steak and soda shop, and put Fishtown on the map for real Philly cheesesteaks.

Groh has owned the original location along Torresdale Avenue for the past 16 years, and worked there since 1979. Groh was visiting Fishtown four years ago when he got the idea to open a second shop in the area. Finding the right location was extremely tough, but when Groh was shown one potential property, he realized he had a bigger problem.

“When I first came, I looked at a place next to Bottle Bar East,” Groh said. “The owner showed it to me, and when he found out that I was Chink’s steaks, he said no.” Groh realized the name was a problem for his future, so he decided it had to be changed. He’s changed his menu too, and added a black bean burger and a vegan cheesesteak to appeal to Fishtown’s broad, health-conscious demographics.

I’m standing in a line of people eagerly awaiting a taste of this legendary cheesesteak, when words I never thought I would ever say come out of my mouth:

“One Vegan Cheesesteak, please.”

I had already sampled one of Joe’s mouthwatering steaks, and I assure you it is just as tasty as it is on Torresdale Avenue. Thin sliced ribeye, gooey whiz and sautéed onions make for a fantastic steak here, too. The cheese fries are just as cheesy, only now, Joe’s uses hand-cut skin on French fries. You can still wash all that down with a rich, egg-cream milk shake.

Joe’s vegan cheesesteak starts with seitan steak from Vegadelphia, a Philly vegan food vendor. It’s lightly fried on the edge of the grill, with mushrooms and onions. Once it’s been chopped through a few times, layers of vegan mozzarella are left to melt away over the sizzling mixture. It’s gently cradled off the grill right into a warm, Baker Street, vegan roll. If you like seitan, you will love this sandwich. It’s soft, cheesy and still makes a good vessel to load up on pickles and peppers from their pickle bar. I will always love meat, but this sandwich is a delicious break from beef or chicken steaks.

The closing of the Acropolis diner left a vacant building right in the heart of Fishtown. “Someone said on Twitter that the Acropolis diner being closed was an eyesore,” Groh said. “This basically is the gateway to Fishtown, and this is the first thing you will see.” Image and customer experience are crucial when you are running a restaurant people are willing to travel to. Groh said a majority of his clientele at his Northeast location come to him from around the region. He expects his Fishtown location to have the same appeal. South Philly may see a slight decline in post-sporting event cheesesteak runs.

“I’m a destination on Torresdale Ave,” Groh said. “I think I’ll be a destination here too.”