March Cheesesteak Madness is a bracket-style tournament of cheesesteaks. We have 64 Cheesesteak entries broken into four regions, so Let's have fun and virtually eat cheesesteaks alone together!
"I'm Jim Pappas from Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure. I've eaten over 550 different cheesesteaks in the last 22 months. I am hoping to use my new found Cheesesteak knowledge to help fill the void in our lives left by the canceling of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament". - Jim Pappas
Vote NOW! - March Cheesesteak Madness NJ & DE Region Round 1
The New Jersey & Delaware Region Chesessteak Contenders
#1 Angelo's Pizzeria - 736 S 9th St. Philadelphia, PA
The number two seed in the entire tournament. I know Angelo's is in Philadelphia, but they did start in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and I think it will make for a better late-round drama by placing them in New Jersey. Angelo's gets, well deserved, high praise for their entire menu; Pizza, chicken cutlet, and cheesesteaks.
Angelo's is taken out only except for a couple tables on the sidewalk. This will sound ridiculous to everyone that uses a Sarcone roll. Still, I think it is the bread that kept Angelo's from being the number one seed in the tournament, being a pinch too dense for a cheesesteak. https://youtu.be/BtTqWhs0vUo
#2 Meatheadz - 2653 Brunswick Pike Lawrence Twp, NJ
Home of last year's number one cheesesteak, the Dripping Steak. The dripping steak is a big fat cheesesteak made with provolone cheese, and a Meatheadz made au jus. They post some funny videos of customers enjoying they're Dripping Steaks.
Meatheadz is take out, but they have a few picnic tables under cover where you can enjoy your meal. The amount of meat, Meatheadz made au jus, and provolone cheese is what makes the Dripping Steak stand out. https://youtu.be/BMFTN0xZpLw
#3 Donkey's Place - 1223 Haddon Ave. Camden, NJ
Donkey's Place received national attention when they were mentioned on the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. I like everything about donkeys except the Cheesesteak; however, Donkey's should be on everybody's Cheesesteak bucket list. I do like the fried onions sauteed in a tomato-based sauce and the fact that they are a family business.
The Cheesesteak comes on a poppy seed kaiser roll. If you see my face in pictures or videos, you'll notice that I would have poppy seeds in my teeth for months if I eat a poppy seed roll. https://youtu.be/3WpL4fSx0i4
#4 322 BBQ - 1 S Main St. Mullica Hill, NJ
This is an excellent example of how the roll, meat, and cheese can be complementary to each other. BBQ Is flavorful, hearty meat, so it needs a roll to match it, and they found it with a sweet big hearty crusty roll to match their meat. The third leg of the stool is the cheese, and the cheese on this sandwich was melted through perfectly.
Great friendly people working the day when we went, and it was an outstanding overall experience. https://youtu.be/tFAi7plhwRY
#5 Tenderbones Rib Shack - 2504 Red Lion Rd. Bear, DE
Home of the three-pound Cheesesteak for $15 and every steak is weighed and signed during checkout. This Cheesesteak comes with green peppers, fried onions, and mushrooms as well as seasoned a bit.
Tenderbones is takeout only; you can ask for extra rolls, and trust me, you will need some. This is a good Cheesesteak, but at 3 pounds, you have to have an eating strategy.
#6 A&L P - 101 E 15th Ave. Wildwood, NJ
I don't like the name, but I love this Cheesesteak. It was off-season in Wildwood, and they still made a great cheesesteak. That told me loud and clear that at A&L P, they care about making great food for their customers. We got 'the bomb,' and it was the bomb.
Other than the salami on the bomb, everything else was a touch better than standard. Everything together made for a great experience. https://youtu.be/fLOYtzT7M4o
#7 Italian Kitchen - 339 N Hook Rd. Pennsville, NJ
This was last year's top traditional pizza shop cheesesteak, and it's just a big fat, well-made Cheesesteak. The Italian Kitchen has tables, a bathroom, as well as desserts and doesn't know what else to tell you.
Just a beautiful cozy little place to sit, relax, eat your Cheesesteak, and then get a strawberry parfait for dessert. https://youtu.be/fLOYtzT7M4o
#8 Prima's Pizza - 7454 Lancaster Pike. Hockessin, DE
Primo's Pizza did some kind of Jedi Mind melt trick on me because they made my Cheesesteak precisely the way I would make a Cheesesteak. It was a big fat boy, with everything spending time on the grill together, just long enough to mix their flavors perfectly. The cheese was on the grill with everybody else and melted thoroughly and ultimately onto everything else.
The owner was a good guy and came out to say 'Hi.' https://youtu.be/ujxNB5EUQxU
#9 Gaudiello's Italian Hoagies - 29 Trolley Square Wilmington, DE
Nephew Eric is keeping the Gaudiello's tradition alive, with his gouda cheese sauce and thick cuts of bacon, breathing new life into traditional sandwiches.
Great little space, with what can only be described as an updated classic Cheesesteak, and not everyone has found him, so he is reasonably priced. https://youtu.be/41S1XKaVMwM
#10 Meding & Son - 3697 Bay Rd. Milford, DE
$8 to dollars was a small price to pay to change the course of humanity as the menu said you could add Seafood options to your sandwich. I added a crab cake to my Cheesesteak, and the surf and turf cheesesteak was born.
The people at meding's were great, accommodating, and a pleasure to be around. They happily accepted the challenge of chopping up my crab cake with my cheesesteak meat. A bit pricey, but dare I say worth it. https://youtu.be/DpJwME5ZRZU
#11 Jersey Jerry's - 1362 S Delsea Dr. Vineland, NJ
The cheesesteak aficionados cheesesteak, with a delicious roll, meat, and cheese. This is for the Cheesesteak lover that just wants a delightful basic no-frills steak.
A perfect Cheesesteak, but unfortunately, I don't think 'No Frills' will go far in this tournament. https://youtu.be/zIUuiS8VVbo
#12 Simaron Pizza & Steak Shop - 415 W Loockerman St. Dover, DE
They make a delicious Cheesesteak, but from what I read on the walls, they're much better people. There were pictures and newspaper articles of them cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinners to needy people and families.
This could be the Cinderella story of the tournament. https://youtu.be/Av2Ml_-Jax8
#13 Steak-Out - 641 Woodbury Glassboro Rd. Sewell, NJ
This is a big boy cheesesteak. I love the Western motif, especially since we are in a strip mall in South New Jersey.
I paid the extra $0.50 for the seated roll, and I recommend everyone else do the same. An excellent traditional pizza shop cheesesteak, fun little Place to eat it and friendly people. https://youtu.be/be450Q_8er8
#14 Amato Bros - 612 White Horse Pike. Oaklyn, NJ
A fun, family-owned-and-operated surprise, and at this location, they have a takeout-side and a far-side. Down we owned and operated means hey son/nephew was the bartender.
Delicious Cheesesteak, friendly people at a very well-run Place. Unfortunately, I don't think the ice-cold Cape May Brewing craft I had will help in this tournament. https://youtu.be/GAQVkJ16Elw
#15 Jersey Joe's - 76 Haddon Ave. West Berlin, NJ
The Liscio's roll box got me in a great mood, and when I saw it was a seeded Liscio's roll I was thrilled as the bread set the mood and this Cheesesteak delivered.
This was a perfect cheesesteak. I was with my mom, and she wasn't feeling well; otherwise, I would still be a Jersey Joe's. https://youtu.be/tJxoRZEcUrA
#16 Carmen's Deli - 42 E Browning Rd. Bellmawr, NJ
When you see cow statues out front, you know you're in for a treat at this old school deli. I was so confident in Carmen's that I bought some chocolate covered pretzels before I ate my Cheesesteak. This steak came with the perfect roll, from their own bakery, with the meat prepared nicely with the ideal cheese and melt.
Everything was put together correctly, and If they had inside tables, you'd find me sitting inside Carmen's regularly. https://youtu.be/N77S9bV2EYo
