There are a lot famous places in the city that serve authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks. Steak & Shake, located at 2573 Frankford Ave., is one of those places.

  Steak & Shakes sits in an intersection by itself like a concrete island. It is designed like it was once on a boardwalk, but then transported to Kensington to serve the neighborhood with some of the best cheesesteaks the city has to offer. One of the first things to notice about the establishment — and this is how you know it’s authentic — is that the yellow chairs were chained and the blue tables were bolted to the sidewalk. Welcome to the neighborhood!

  When it comes to cheesesteaks, I like mine with mushrooms, sautéed onions, peppers, and sometimes with two cheeses. When I try a new cheesesteak joint for the first time, though, I keep it simple and stick to the basics.    That’s how you know a place is sporting an authentic cheesesteak.

  I ordered my steak whiz wit’, which was fantastic. For $6.75, a small steak was about a foot long. I had no problem eating the whole thing. The first thing I noticed was the soft bread the steak was served in. The bread, in my opinion, is just as important as the steak itself.  

  One of my favorite parts about this sandwich was the onions. There was enough to taste the sweetness of the onions without it dominating sandwich. The meat was also full of flavor. The cheese was delightful, which is one of the most important parts of the cheesesteak. There is a lot that can go wrong with this type of sandwich and the cheese can make-or-break it. One thing I’ve encountered in the past is the cheese being too hot. Nobody likes burning their mouth while eating something. Steak & Shake’s cheese came warm and in every part of the sandwich. What I loved about this steak the most is that you can taste each ingredient individually. It’s almost perfect.

  I have one complaint about the place and you may agree with me. The straws, they are not big enough! I figured I couldn’t go to a place called Steak & Shake without having a steak and a shake. I ordered a small chocolate milkshake. It went very well with my steak. It was smooth and chocolatey — The best kind. I complain about the straws, but they actually were pretty awesome, because they are bendy straws! Ah, sweet nostalgia.

  It is the simple things in life that can make someone happy. Steak & Shake keeps it simple and does it right. That makes me happy and I’m sure it’ll make you happy, too. Everything about this place is fun, from the local radio station playing today’s hits, to the bright yellow and blue tables chained to the sidewalk. The customer service was pleasant. I didn’t feel rushed when ordering, which can be a problem at some other places. The overall experience was well worth the trip up Frankford Ave.