Shank's Original

Decided to stop by on my way in from work and I was not disappointed. This place is amazing hands-down the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had steak, egg and cheese on a long roll with ketchup, mayo, and fried onions. I will be back!

Classic roadside steak shop. Service was excellent. They do have a bathroom on site for customers. There is sitting outside and standing inside at tables. They use Liscios rolls which are some of the best you can buy. I had a Rozynsky which was excellent. I had to try the scrapple fries. It was worth trying. They kind of tasted like polenta. It is top 5 for me in the City

I’ve been coming to this place for years because the food is genuinely good. Despite being a loyal customer with a consistent order, I was treated with what felt like unnecessary hostility. I greeted both ladies behind the counter with a polite “Good morning” and was completely ignored. No acknowledgment, no response. Just cold stares. It was uncomfortable and felt personal. To make matters worse, I asked for my usual order. A chicken cutlet breakfast sandwich with eggs and was told I couldn’t have it, even when I offered to pay extra. This has never been an issue in the past. The refusal felt arbitrary and targeted, especially since I’ve been ordering the same thing for so long. It’s frustrating to feel like I’m not welcomed at a place I’ve supported for years. Whether it’s bad customer service or something more discriminatory, it’s disappointing to be treated this way.

My top 3 cheesesteak spot Shank’s Original. I visited Shank’s on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch. There was a couple people there which was great because they were able to turn around our food quickly. I got a steak with extra American. They slipped up and gave me onions on it even though I asked for no onions (it happens, no big deal). Overall a top tier roll for the steak which is a great combination with the Cooper Sharp American cheese. Very creamy cheese just the way I like it. The cheese fries are delicious as well. You can’t go wrong at Shank’s in Philadelphia. It’s a great place to enjoy lunch on the water and relax.

Being from Chicago, I know good food. I've always heard of "Philly cheesesteaks". I had totally no interest. I was on vacation and driving through Pennsylvania and decided to try one. I make the most AWESOME decisions. I stopped at Shank's Original. Why? I did it because it didn't appear touristy and to be a chain. Simple is always better. The damned sandwich was delicious! I have no other way to say it. The employees were also very friendly. The bread was soft and warm. The Steak was great quality. PLUS, I got to feed some birds and sit by some sort of river. I recommend everyone try this place. If I ever return to Philadelphia I will visit Shank's Original again.

Both the roast pork and cheesesteak are great. I think Shank’s is pretty underrated, and needs to be recognized along with the “big name” cheesesteak and roast pork shops nearby. Pork is tender, flavorful and moist. The cheesesteak was seasoned well, lots of pepper on mine which I’m into. Good bread, and it’s affordable; both sandwiches and a drink for just under $30. Easy to park also.

Don't be fooled by those tourist trap cheesesteak places (they know who they are). This is a great cheesesteak. Definitely top ten in philly. Rolls are fresh and don't fall apart with the meat. Meat is flavorful and fresh tasting. Sandwiches are full of meat. There's outdoor seating available. Located right on the river, next to the coastguard station. Update, chicken parm sandwich, and hoagie were also delicious. Hoagie was jammed packed with meats and deliciousness.

I finally got to try Shank’s Original, and I must say what an incredible experience. I ordered “The Philly Special” and man was this sandwich amazing, literally one of the most underrated cheesesteak I had in Philly hands down. If you a true Philadelphian this is the sandwich to order, highly recommend taking the time out to check this establishment you will not be disappointed. I will definitely be returning.🤤😋

So for me the cheesesteak is a pass but the chicken cheesesteak was very good. I thought the cheesesteak was a lower quality meat and pretty bland. Plenty of cheese and not dry. I liked the seeded roll. The chicken cheesesteak was pretty good. Flavorful and moist. Good cheese ratio and again the roll was good. I would go back and try the cutlet and some other things.

Solid! Lots of meat, soft bread, good onions, hearty portion, relatively decent price. Hot too. I got the Philly cheesesteak with American cheese. Loads of soft chewy meat and it was generous. Enjoyed every bite. Also got these spring roll/cheesesteak kinda things which were surprisingly good. Had a cookie too that was very tasty. Basic, but extra good if it cooks in the sun a bit and melts. Nice service at the window. Cole beverages.

TLDR: Super convenient location for your on-the-go cheesesteak fix. Try the "Philly Special", which is a cheesesteak with scrapple fries mixed in! Vibe: 5/5. Located literally right off I-95 near South Philly on the Delaware River, Shanks is an excellent choice for those passing through Philly in need of a quick cheesesteak. The restaurant itself is a stand, with a few outside bar tables and a counter to dine at. Parking is free and ample, with plenty of room on the side of the street near the stand. The stand butts up directly to the Delaware River, so you can sit and enjoy your food on the water. Service: 5/5. The staff and overall operation at Shanks is great! On the Sunday I visited, I placed my order on my phone via their website and it was ready in about 15 minutes after confirmation. When I got to Shanks, the order was hot, ready and bagged up waiting for me. The staff was very friendly and punctual in getting me my order and making sure I had everything I needed to enjoy my lunch. No complaints here! Food: 5/5. SOLID example of a cheesesteak in a town littered with them. Pricing is also very reasonable, with a foot long sub coming in around $12. For our Sunday lunch, we ordered a regular cheesesteak wiz wit, a side of fries and onion rings, and their "Philly Special" sub which consists of their regular wiz wit cheesesteak but topped with scrapple fries. Let it be known, the "Philly Special" at Shanks is the way to go. This is the first time I have had scrapple mixed in with a cheesesteak, but it certainly won't be the last. The spiced, unique flavor of the pork scrapple adds a little more umami to the ribeye. Paired with the wiz and fried onions, this is just a heavenly combination. Shanks also uses seeded hard buns, which was the perfect vessel for the heavy handedness of the meat. The original cheesesteak was also tasty in it's own rite and can stand toe to toe with any of the top contenders in the Philly cheesesteak scene. Fries and rings were also tasty, though need to be enjoyed immediately to avoid sogginess. Overall, if you are looking for a unique take on the Philly steak, definitely give the "Philly Special" at Shanks a try!

I'm not a cheesesteak guy but I gave this place a try today for lunch. It was just okay. What irked me was the leaflet menus by the order window with $11.25 as the cheesesteak price. When my order was ready I asked the young lady why it was $14.50, (pointing at the menu price), and she replied, "oh sorry, our prices have gone up"). Well, perhaps print new menus with the increased prices. They also surcharge for credit card payments, (they don't tell you unless you ask). At almost $15 for a run-of-the-mill cheesesteak sandwich I won't be rushing back!

Tried them on my last jaunt to the city. Did it make my top 10 cheesesteaks in the city? Not quite. But it might be #11 and a strong honorable mention. It's a very good sandwich. Excellent with the Cooper Sharp cheese. Maybe a little too much pepper on what I ate. But my son and I devoured ours happily. I'm told I have to come back for the chicken cutlet. I have a reason to return now.

I had never heard of Shanks, despite growing up in the region and living in the city for some of it. When heading up and down Columbus Blvd on trips to IKEA, AAA, and U-Haul after my moved back to the city, we noticed it and gave it a try. If this is a visitor's only experience with cheesesteaks or roast pork, they might not get the hype. There's nothing wrong with these sandwiches, but they weren't as good as others I've had. I even thought, "Huh, I've been away for a few years, and maybe I don't like cheesesteaks anymore." I don't eat cheesesteaks or roast pork often since that is not a good idea. So when I eat one, I want it to be worth the extra calories and fat. I am, however, very interested in going back to try "scrapple fries" when I want a heart-stopping indulgence.

Our second Cheesesteak stop in Philly landed us at Shanks. This one came recommended by someone that comes into my job. Right out of the gate..... Plenty of parking!! Right on the water. This is a little hole in the "pier" joint that can not be overlooked!! They take both cash and cards here too!!! A rare thing. My wife and I shared a chicken Cheesesteak wiz wit and the boys shared a Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak. The chicken Cheesesteak was OUT OF THIS WORLD. It was flavorful. Right amount of cheese, onions done right. Just amazing. We also got fries with old bay seasoning. You can't miss! If you're in the Philly area..... Yeah... stop here before hitting the sights.

Awesome cheese steak ( I got the Philly Special)really enjoyed the lunch. The people were very nice and I can't wait to try all the sandwiches. Thanks for the Philadelphia experience.

Great food, quick service and a cool place to sit outside on a nice day made this a great part of the trip down to the area. Parking is easy, which isn't something easy to find in the area. Very much recommended.

We ordered a chicken cutlet sandwich with sharp provolone and spinach, a chicken cutlet hoagie and a cheesesteak with copper sharp and fried onions. All of our sandwiches were delicious, everything was fresh and perfectly put together. Do yourself a favor and stop by Shanks for a sandwich, you will not be disappointed.

Solid steaks. Great bread that's pretty thin and hallowed out so you can taste the meat. Steak has smaller ribbons and has a good juicy bite when you go in. Overall, would come back. They also take credit card.

Came here with my boo after walking around the area exploring. It was my first time here and I was excited to try a cheese steak from here. I looked at the Yelp reviews before chomping in to my sandwich and saw that they had a lot of 4 star and 5 star reviews which was a great thing to see. Had the cheese steak and it was really big and full of meat. It was hot and fresh and flavorful. i was really happy with the taste and the size, me and the boo ended up sharing it since it was so big. As I was eating it, I was savoring each and every bite because it tasted so delicious. Looks like they sell breakfast as well, so if I'm ever down here for breakfast time, I would definitely try it.

The cheesesteaks are good. It begins with quality meat that they use (unlike some other cheesesteak places - Pat's/Geno's). We got the Groupon for 2 - includes two cheesesteaks, 2 fries, and 2 drinks for $20. It's a pretty good deal considering two cheesesteaks are 20 bucks. This place is definitely better than Pat's / Geno's. The fries were disappointing - needed an extra 3-4 minutes. I'm surprised that this place is still here given that there's little foot traffic.

Great cheesesteak and you can't beat sitting by the river. Meaty and cheesey!! I will be back for the Scrapple fries!!!

Simply the best roast pork sandwich in the city HANDS DOWN!!!! Full of flavor and juicy Nice amount of fries also

Had a roast pork with Cooper sharp on a seeded role. Seeder roll was the hero and pork and cheese were just good, but much less spectacular then I had heard about it in comparison to dozen of others establishments. Family enjoyed a quick meal by the water feeding the birds with provided stale bread. Not sure I'll return for a roast pork, maybe a cheesesteak next time.

One of the best cheese steak I had in a long time . Meat to roll ratio is perfect. Had scrapple fries is a definite yes. Will be back.

The absolute best Italian hoagie EVER. There is no other place that even comes close!

Incredible! We walked from Hilton, (.5 mile) and savored every bite of our breakfast sandwich. Hubby got a cheesesteak to go (lunch) and we enjoyed a nice view of the water. They are a breakfast and lunch business only/ FYI

Terrible customer service!! Haven't even tried the food and don't even care too. Both ladies behind the counter should just quit their job if they hate being there that bad.

Stopped here the other day for lunch after hearing about it on WIP, and Yelp! They take plastic which is key because I had no cash on me. I would have been out of luck and hungry, thank you technology. Parking is street and they have a small lot which was free, also a plus. In the winter you go in the little tented area to order your sandwich, in the summer you order at the window. Now to the sandwich - I ordered the Chicken Cutlet Italiano (voted best hot sandwich of 2010). Wait time was about 5 minutes ans I was waiting I saw they had a choice of bread seeds or no seeds, and I quickly asked the cashier if I could change my sandwich to seeds, he said yes but it would be 50 cents no big deal. The roll was delicious. To me the roll either makes or breaks the sandwich. The chicken was breaded perfectly with broccoli rabe, it also comes with sharp provolone but I abstained being so far from home. Seating is outside with a few tables over looking the Delaware river. I ate half outside but it was too windy so I ate the other half in the car, can't wait to go again to try other sandwiches.

Shanks was another stop in my continual quest for Philly cheesesteaks. Very slow and a bit chaotic; decent steak. We may have just hit an off day, so I'll say the steak was decent enough where it might be worth a shot, but this place isn't high on my cheesesteak list.

Amazing little place!!! Doesn't look like much & small w/somewhat limited hours...but don't miss it!! It may be small but sone of the BEST Philly Cheesesteaks & Roast pork sandwiches anywhere!! Allfood is great!! Surprisingly large menu!!Friendly service & delicious sandwiches, etc., overlooking the water!!

I've gone past this little shack on the waterfront near Penn's Landing many times over the years, wondering if their cheesesteaks were legit. I finally had a chance to find out. I'm happy to report that they are legit! Big juicy, messy, cheesesteaks on a nice soft roll. They have covered benches outside, making this a good spot for hanging out and having a cheesesteak outside on a nice summer day. It's too bad it's too far from Penn's Landing to get noticed by the crowds there. The place would be packed if more people there knew such a good cheesesteak was a short walk away,

Skip The other place a few blocks away and go here. That other joint doesn't even have broccoli rabe. They put spinach on their roast pork. Wha? Awesome roast pork. Everything about it is great--the bread, the cheese. Really, really good. People are friendlier too. I stopped today for a breakfast sandwich. Was expecting it on a Kaiser roll. This thing was over a foot long, and on the same roll you'd get with a steak or roast pork. Best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. Go!

Great sandwiches with a great view and on-site parking. Make sure to ask for seeded roll!

YAAAS!!! THIS PLACE ROCKS! Fast, hot, deliciousness all on a sub roll. Friendly yet quick service. Walk up window service. A little bigger than a food truck. Cheesstakes to roast pork to fries to now even breakfast. Ordered the chicken cutlet, broccoli rabe, provolone on a seeded roll. Awesomeness. Will definitely come back again.

This place did not disappoint me. I bought the groupon literally fifteen minutes before I showed up. Go Groupon!! The philly cheese steak I had was huge and delicious. The bread they put it on was soft and the american cheese was great. The fries were super crispy! They are thin like McDonald's fries. So good. Come here if you can a decent lunch. If there is a groupon buy it because it does say you a lot of money.

We love the cheesesteaks and fries! They are one of the best in the city. Great service and very friendly. Hope to stop by again soon.

First time here. Have been wanting to visit for a while. Closer to 3.5 starts. The cheesesteak was juicy. Roll was okay. The fries were too salty. If I come back here, I will ask for no salt on zee fries. Nice staff.

Had a meeting minutes away from Shanks and needed lunch so stopping at Shanks was a no brainer. I first tried Shanks at the WIP sandwich contest held several years ago at the bar across from the Reading Terminal. They won for the Chicken Cutlet Italiano . I remember the Shank's models even more - handing out coupons and encouraging ballot stuffing for the fan favorite title that they won running away. I wanted a roast pork and didn't feel like driving to John's Roast Pork since the entrance to 95 was right there so Shanks was the choice. I ordered the pork combo with sharp provolone and homemade hots on a non-seeded roll. It wasn't great - it wasn't bad. In any other town but Philly it would be a home run. With Tommy DiNics - my hands down favorite, John's, the ORIGINAL Tony Luke's, Paesano, High on Market to name a few - it's not best of but it's still good.

I'll save the boring story...when you say you're open at 10AM, and we're the first people in line - you would expect a hot sandwich right away, wouldn't you? NOPE. It means the cooks get there at 10 too, so they gotta turn the burners/stoves etc. on, wait for it to warm up - THEN you'll get your chicken cutlet sandwich (which everybody here raves about). They'll make a cold deli sandwich, sure.....but c'monnnn. How about turning the stoves on at 9:30 when nobody is around, then when 10 comes and you got your first customer - BOOM - ready to go! Yea - that makes more sense to me too.Had to wait a good 15-20 min for our sandwiches despite being first in line, literally. That's the negative one star. I sincerely hope they'll fix that as it's a very simple solution to a simple problem - who knows - maybe it was just that one day, this is why I'm not trashing them, but instead starting off with the one sticking point in an otherwise WONDERFUL experience. Now - on to the FOOD REVIEW. The chicken cutlet that everybody here was raving about was ON POINT. Absolutely delicious. I also split a chicken parm sandwich with my wife; VERY very good. The place is a small little joint off the delaware river with a nice view and good seating/atmosphere. I'd def. go again despite fierce competition from DiNics/Tony Lukes/Sarcones etc. I've added a few pics. Nice work guys, just please try to fix the timing issue. You're one of the few joints that are open in time for a 1pm kick to an Eagles game on Sundays!

I'm from nyc and my wife and I are thinking about relocating to philly so we took a drive down here and drove around. We got hungry so I suggested cheesesteaks at Geno's/Pat's to complete our Philly experience. I had been to Geno's/Pat's many times but usually late at night. During the day on a holiday weekend the line at both places had to be an hour or more. We immediately said no way and started to proceed home. Then we saw this little shack on the side of the road and I had a good feeling about it. The steaks (chicken and philly) were great! I am no cheesesteak gourmand but these seemed really good. We had them in less than 10 minutes with a nice place to sit and eat . TLDR: skip the lines and get a great steak at Shanks!

I used to go here quiet frequently, so it would only be a given that I ordered off of ubereats with it being so close to my house. It was also a nice, quick, and cheap bite to pick up (on penns landing but a very odd location), so whenever i was craving, i tried to get. All was perfect. Alas, everything has its downfall. When i ordered off of uber, my fries were spilled and cooked to hell. The roast pork sandwich, which is usually my favorite, was extremely dry with soggy bread? Most of the time, i try to over look these one bad days, however, my drink was missing. I didnt want to be a bother, but i did pay for it. Therefore, i called and got connected with someone immediately. I asked for a refund for the drink, and got a "sure" and they immediately hung up on me. This was 3/15, it is now 3/23. Upsetting really. *i work in the food industry, so i know they could have went on the app and refunded it in a matter of seconds. Wouldve took a few business days but not over a week 6/15/2018; still no refund

Definitely not what it used to be. ordered Chicken Cutlet Italiano and a drink. Cutlet was deep fried in what tasted like shake n bake. Hardly any broccoli rabe and very little provolone . Drink was mostly ice. Very dissatisfied. Will not be returning. Seems like they are cutting corners to maximize profit.

Great location with picnic tables and plenty of parking. Sadly the Chicken Cutlet Italiano lacked any flavor. No seasoning on the chicken and the spinach was flat too. Only bright spot was the view and the sarcones seeded roll. No comparison to the sandwich at Tony Luke's.

A top sandwich shop in Philly. Finally someone knows how to rock an Italian Hoagie! Such a perfect menu.... all great choices. Plenty of parking to pull in off Columbus Blvd. I always like to sit out in their tables. They have some of the best cheesesteaks in Philly. Bread is always so fresh... This place is a must try if you have never been. (My daughter loved the eggplant tomato provolone on seeded roll)

It's located where? Blink and you pass this place. Situated in a nondescript parking lot off Del Avenue, this joint looks much like a shack or trailer from the outside. Giving them props for putting the effort into their menu. VERY good chicken cutlet & chicken cheesesteaks. They have decent seating outside if the weather cooperates. Quick service, good deal. A MUST to pickup for the Birds or Phils game.

I gave Shank's a star more than John's because I've never even heard of scrapple fries before. They weren't all that great, but it's rare I get to try a food I've never even heard of. There is some seating outside and you can watch ships pass on the Delaware River. I also saw cormorants, which we don't get back home. My companion has a roast pork sandwich and declared it good, and huge. I also had a "birch beer." It tasted just like root beer, which is to say "vanilla," since root beer doesn't taste like root beer any more either. Now got off my lawn!

Has potential but the cheese is way to drippy. The onions are huge also. The meat is the best part really good, just gotta pull it together.

After hearing my friends talk about this place I decided to take the family down there to get sandwiches. The place does not look like much but they definitely make a good cheesesteak. The prices were on par with the rest of the sandwich shops in the area. I definitely recommend this place if you are a fan of cheesesteaks.

I have noyt been here in a while but thing are bad they burnt my chicken fingers; who does that; pizza steaks just taste like sloppy joe and look like a hoagie role dipped in tomato paste ; the sprites were flat; I don't know where to begin I was a regular at shanks; to be fair the fries were okay but its over priced BAD tasting food. I didnt see the regular cook but the taste is gone I spent $60 bucks and got fish food literally through the food in the delaware river. Wow I'm so disappointed.may. May 2020

I have been here a few times and every visit I try something new. My favorite is Old School Italian Hoagie..today I found another favorite...I had the roast pork sandwich and fries. It was clean and the staff was friendly and greeted me as soon as I walked in! I will be thinking about that hoagie all night! I will be back soon!

Chicken cutlet parm was average at best. Sandwich wasn't even that hot. Cheese wasn't melted. Also saw a giant rat outside the building

I never seem to get to this place before they are closed for the day. Which is the worst but that is my own fault. I USED A GROUPON TO MAKE MY PURCHASE AND THEY KNEW HOW TO USE IT. So I didn't even pay out of pocket more than about $5. Anyway the food was fresh, but you didn't have to go through the madness of Philadelphia to get a meal. They were quick, and friendly. I have been back 3 times since the first visit and this seems to be the place for me.

Great sandwiches. I'd put their cheesesteaks up as one of Philly's best. The Chicken cutlet Italiano is good (Cosmi's Lagasse with the addition of long hots and prosciutto is best, though). Great location. I like being on the river watching the boats go by while eating at Shank's.

Hadn't been here in 10 years, was looking forward trying it again. Showed up 30 minutes before close and they said they were "sold out of food." How do you sell out of food when you're a food place. Thanks for wasting my time

Stopped at Shanks for the first time on our way to go run some Sunday errands on Columbus blvd (i.e. Somehow finding a way to turn a $150 grocery shop into $300 at target-how does that happen?!) food: my husband and I split the roast pork Italian (roast pork, sharp prov and broccoli rabe). Pretty good-plenty of roast pork and a good amount of cheese. broccoli rabe was pretty good-more bitter than I'd probably like. overall satisfied, but I think johns overall is better. people/service: wasn't crowded at all but our sandwich came out fast. the guy at the counter was nice - not overly nice, but perfect for what you expect at a place like this. ambiance/location: it was a beautiful day, so it would have been nice to sit out at the tables and eat while looking out at the water, but the baby was napping in the air-conditioned car so we ate in the car. we'll be back!

I looked up best hoagie in Philly and was directed here by more than 1 site. Figured I can't not check it out at that point, so I walked down. First thought was how unassuming the place is - it's basically a trailer on the side of the road in the warehouse district off the Delaware River. The menu is on the side, and they have a window to order ordered the Italian hoagie on normal bread. It came out ptlretty quick (they weren't really busy) and I grabbed a seat and dove in. The bread was soft, but kind of tough. But the best part for sure was the most- incredibly flavorful and mouthwatering. They had just the right amount of veggies and oil to make it great. I think the only improvement that comes to mind would be in the bread, but that's easy enough to overlook.