Tucked Away The Philly Way

Off the beaten path, down that flight of stairs, or tucked behind some crappy façade in a strip mall, some restaurants are overlooked because of their weird locations. It’s almost like there’s a parallel universe of Milwaukee dining lurking just beyond the curtain of the conventional. Just because a restaurant isn’t on the East Side or in Bay View, though, doesn’t mean the food’s not worth tracking down. Case in point: The Philly Way (405 S. Second St., 414-273-2355).

Walker’s Point isn’t known for its quality dining as much as for its abundance of dilapidated factories and its relative proximity to the more culinary-equipped Third Ward and Bay View neighborhoods. But since 2002, a small and rather nondescript sandwich shop has quietly stood in the shadow of once-thriving industry, nestled uncomfortably beside the lingering Second Street road construction.

Walking into the microscopic environs of The Philly Way, you’re immediately part of a crowded line. From there, the two-person crew briskly tends to the herd of hungry patrons—one person handles orders and payment, the other cooks.

If you’re fortunate enough to score a seat at one of the establishment’s three interior three-top tables or four coveted counter spots, you’ll be exposed to off-putting wall decor. Philadelphia sports photos and memorabilia are strewn liberally throughout the eatery. It’s a little strange to have the likes of Randall Cunningham and Eric Lindros peering at you from an adjacent wall, but the authentic Philadelphia food makes the decorations a bit easier to swallow. For those unable to take the encroaching Liberty City flare, there are more tables in the site’s makeshift four-season patio. (A second Philly Way location opened in Cudahy last August.)

The menu is similarly lacking in frills, but each of The Philly Way’s dozen edibles are rooted in quality. There are four varieties of fries, the “City’s Best Burger,” the “City’s Best Chili Dog,” and six types of cheese steak. Bold burger and sausage claims aside, it’s a safe bet that The Philly Way is home to the city’s best cheese steaks. We were brought to our knees by The “WORKS,” a French bread loaf stuffed with succulent rib eye, sweet red peppers, jalapeño slices, grilled mushroom and onions, and generous squirt of Cheese Whiz (a cheese steak mainstay). At $7.95, The “WORKS” is the restaurant’s most expensive menu option.

In many ways, The Philly Way—with its unpainted wooden exterior, shortage of seating and undeniable emphasis placed on utility over aesthetic—is right at home in charmingly unkempt Walker’s Point. But one bite of a cheese steak made in the Philly way and, suddenly, everything becomes beautiful.