I haven’t had a cheesesteak since I made a pilgrimage to Geno’s and Pat’s in Philly almost a decade ago.
I remember nervously asking for my “whiz without” like an apprehensive George Costanza ordering soup, and enjoying both sandwiches about the same. It was a tasty little trip, but I drove home feeling like an absolute slob.
Two cheesesteaks in one sitting?! Gross, dude!
I mean, one wasn’t quite enough, but two was definitely overkill. If only someone nearby could just make one, I don’t know, extra-long cheesesteak? That… that would be the ultimate cheesesteak.
As it turns out, I’ve somehow managed to miss the cheesesteak on Sonic’s ice cream truck style menu for years now. It took them introducing the “Extra Long Ultimate Cheesesteak” for me to finally notice.
So, what exactly makes a cheesesteak, “ULTIMATE!?” You take a foot-long bun and stuff it with sirloin steak and grilled onions, then drizzle them with “melty” cheddar and a “zesty” cheese sauce! Oh, and hold the side of tots, because they’re inside the sandwich now!
I was a bit skeptical about the idea of a fast food cheesesteak, but ten years is a long time, and I was ready to dive back into the whiz.
That sounded better in my head, and to be honest, this menu item looked better in my head.
I could tell immediately the onions weren’t grilled well, and there might not be enough cheese. Also, the steak looked like dry greyish shawarma shavings they wouldn’t even serve on a street corner. Should I have just made the two-hour drive back to Philly?
I can happily say I’m glad I didn’t because this is actually pretty damn good.
That crumbly sirloin ended up being well-seasoned and moist, and there was just enough “whiz” to lubricate each bite.
The bun’s soft texture was ideal for a cheesesteak, and just long enough that it didn’t feel excessive.
Adding tots into the sandwich was a real “why didn’t I think of that” move that added a perfect amount of crunch and salty starch that tied everything together.
Despite it tasting good, I couldn’t really distinguish between the cheddar and the so-called “zesty” cheese sauce. It was just a generic Cheez Whiz flavor, which was fine, but I was hoping for maybe a little added provolone bite or something along those lines.
The onions were basically raw as expected. I appreciated the flavor, but the texture was a minor buzzkill.
Even with those flaws, I found it to be a completely substantial and satisfying meal. It’s not Pat’s or Geno’s, or any of the other Philly spots I’m sure are better, but it’s really solid for a fast food cheesesteak.
I’d say definitely give it a try, but maybe check out the app and see if you can’t hack in some fried onions and extra cheese. There’s also a spicy version you can try, but hurry up because the Extra Long Ultimate Cheesesteaks are only available through the end of February.
Remember to tip your carhop!
Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 970 calories, 63 grams of fat, 19 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 110 milligrams of cholesterol, 2240 milligrams of sodium, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 40 grams of protein.
Click here to read our previous fast food reviews.
I learned to stray away from Sonic’s grilled onion items. Honestly, it’s the reason I don’t go there anymore… I hate raw onions, but love grilled.
I’m the exact opposite. I LOVE raw onions, but I DESPISE grilled ones! They lose their wonderful flavor, and I’m not crazy about the mouthfeel, either.
What? They may shed the harsh raw flavour, and they gain an intensely sweet caramelized flavour! DO you not really care for soft/sweet foods?
To each their own of course, I love onion in all forms.
I would literally kill someone for desserts/candy, and I like soft foods just fine, although I prefer crunchy foods. I live in a culinary hellhole, so I’ve probably never had good grilled onions, but I still wouldn’t like them. To each his own. 🙂
Just ate philly cheese stk at sonic in Milton fl. It was awful. Does not taste like any I’ve eaten.?
Oh my goodness, that truly is the opposite. Mouthfeel’s important to me too!
If that’s extra long, what the heck does a regular sized one look like? Seems like it should be another 3 or 4 inches if it’s meant to fill that tray.
They could have topped it with Fritos instead and served the tater tots on the side to ensure of heart attacks.
I am not so sure about this one….anyone up for a road trip to Philly?
Oh, hell yes! I’ve only been once, but I loved the city. We could stay with my cousins. 😀
I’m sorry, but as a native Philadelphian, this is extremely offensive and just plain _wrong_.
🙂
this looks a little like the philly cheesesteak we used to get when i used to visit the states, from a food court at a mall. im not sure if it was a chain, and it was probably an insult to people from Philly, but it really was nice and a fond memory!
ive googled and ‘charleys’ seems to be a brand, but this was about 25 years ago so i’m not sure.
It’s still around. There’s one in the mall near me. Good fries. Never had an authentic Philly, so I can’t comment on that.
Just not sure if it was the brand we had 25 years ago – i think it may have just been some kind of generic “we sell cheese steak” kinda brand haha. i can kinda picture it in my head now but just not the actual name.
“lubricate each bite”
Lubricate is one of those words that shouldn’t be mentioned about food. 😛
I tried the spicy version and found it kind of dry. Too much bread. I like the same long hot dog bun in their chili dogs so I think it was partly that the steak wasn’t juicy enough? I don’t know. I’m used to Italian Beef sandwiches around here so I have high standards I guess.
Yes. I seen other reviews and it looked like crap. I am also use to Italian beef (Johnnie’s all the way)