The history of the first Jim’s Steaks.
While many cheesesteak fanatics are familiar with Jim’s Steaks on South Street, they may not know that the original Jim’s is just a 10-minute drive from campus.
Richard Foronjy ’19 said his first experience eating at the original Jim’s Steaks with his St. Joe’s roommates was, in one word, “awesome.”
“It is very small, like one table along the wall and stools,” Foronjy said. “We were all sitting in a line facing the wall and eating our cheesesteaks. It was just a fun moment and memory that we all shared.”
The original Jim’s Steaks, located at 431 North 62nd Street in a West Philadelphia residential neighborhood of rowhomes, has been open since 1939.
Jim’s stands out on the corner with black brick walls and tile around the door. A large neon sign welcomes diners to “Jim’s Steaks and Hoagies” with an arrow pointing towards the entrance.
Inside, the counter is an arm’s distance from the ordering station. Three stools sit below the counter and a TV plays the news. An old Jim’s-themed clock hangs above the entrance to the kitchen.
Similar to the way that St. Joe’s students discovered it, David Simms, one of Jim’s employees, stumbled upon the hidden gem.
“I found out about this place through a mutual friend of my father’s,” Simms said. “He has been coming here for years. I grew up in Bryn Mawr, the Main Line, I didn’t know about this place. I didn’t know it was the historical place it is.”
The original restaurant also used to serve as the home of its namesake, Jim, who started the steak shop with his wife, Millie. That shop was open 24 hours at one point, according to Simms.
“We used to have a sign up here that had a little flyer that said ‘Come to Jim’s for one of Jim’s steaks and one of Millie’s Italian specials,’” Simms said. “She would make the hoagies and he would make the steaks.”
In 1976, Jim’s opened a second location on South Street to compete with cheesesteak rivals, Pat’s and Geno’s.
An original Jim’s cheesesteak, handed to you piping hot in a wrapper and brown paper bag, will set you back $8.75, but loyal customers say it’s worth every penny.
Flavorful meat, cheese and whatever toppings you desire are stuffed between a soft Amoroso roll.
Although Jim’s provides a simple steak for customers to eat, the small space forces people to make memories, while discovering the history of the famous restaurant.
Brendan Fallon ’20, another frequent patron of Jim’s, agreed that eating at the original restaurant with his friends is a special experience.
“If I’m ever going to 62nd Street, it is with the same group of guys and it’s always a lot of fun and a spur–of–the–moment decision,” Fallon said.
