Donkey's Place
Cheesesteak restaurant · Camden
1223 Haddon Ave, Camden, NJ 08103
Highlights
Iconic cheesesteaks on poppy seed rolls, a local legend
Iconic cheesesteaks on poppy seed rolls, a local legend
"Worth a trip across the river, a Donkey’s Place cheesesteak is a bit of a surprise. You won’t find the traditional long roll here, but a poppy seed Kaiser roll overflowing with meat, your choice of cheese, and seasoned onions. They offer delivery, but you should eat in person for the experience they’ve been serving since 1943." - Annemarie Dooling
"A single‑dish, family‑run bar that gained wider fame after an Anthony Bourdain feature, it serves a hefty cheesesteak on a round poppyseed Kaiser roll that soaks up the steak’s juices while holding up to thick strips of beef; opened in 1943 by Olympic heavyweight Leon Lucas, the original location in Camden remains iconic and the concept has since expanded to additional New Jersey sites." - ByKae Lani Palmisano
What Bourdain ate: A Jersey—not to be confused with a Philly—cheesesteak. It's on a round kaiser poppyseed roll with steak, fried onions, and American cheese.
"We know you're looking for a Philly cheesesteak, but we need you to go across the bridge into Jersey for this one. Just trust us: because inside this small, unpretentious bar decorated with boxing photos and various tchotchkes is one of the best cheesesteaks in the whole damn country. (It was even blessed by the late, great Anthony Bourdain .) But prepare yourself: Donkey's cheesesteaks do not conform to the image you undoubtedly have of the classic sandwich. Instead, the meat (piled high and so incredibly seasoned you could eat a plate of it, unadorned) is packed into a poppyseed Kaiser roll and topped with onions and American cheese. If you think it sounds blasphemous, take a bite and then come talk to us about how a cheesesteak is "supposed" to look." - Shaun Fitzpatrick
"One of the ten eateries on the Anthony Bourdain Food Trail that Bourdain visited in his 2015 Parts Unknown episode; it is located in Camden and is reachable by car, train, or bus from New York City and Philadelphia." - Sarah Buder
