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    John's Philly Grille

    4.3 (602 reviews)
    ModerateSandwiches, Salad, Delis
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    John's Philly Grille Photos

    Business Info

    JOHN'S PHILLY GRILLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - John's Philly Grille

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    Cheese fries

    I used to buy a lot of cheesesteaks and cheese fries here, since maybe 1998. The #6 I got today was disgusting. I didn't even finish it. The cheese fries (pic attached) barely have any cheese. They changed cooks or recipes or got cheap. Something happened. It was going downhill for years. But today was the last time I'll go there. I can't do it. Steve's Charboiler 2 blocks away...same problem. They changed owners, got cheap and the food was never the same. Philly Grille. RIP.

    Steak fries
    Sylvie C.

    I love love love getting my steak fries and subs from John's. I know of nowhere else that has such wonderful artery clogging food stuffs. It makes my day every time I get to eat them. There's no online ordering that works even if it has the Clover order system set up. But in-person ordering doesn't take too long and it ends up being better. You will get to walk away with hot fresh fries that comes with delectable ranch sauce. It's my favorite things ever. Possibly more than the sub itself. I wish I am kidding. The sub is extremely filling so if eating alone, best to do a half instead of whole. I like getting a whole so I can have some now and later. Aside from the philly cheesesteak sub, my other favorite is the Godfather. It's actually hard to pick between the two because both are wonderful. Can't wait to get my weekly fix again next weekend!

    Ernest F.

    Delicious cheesesteaks! Yummy sides too like the deep fried zucchini. Great service always!! Plenty of parking! Cool decor...There's even a picture with Kobe.

    The original cheese steak
    Lauren S.

    Wow! Totally blown away by this place! I'm originally from Philadelphia and this place is a must try! If you've never experienced a real cheese steak you're going to get it here. I bought the original cheese steak with just white American cheese, steak, and salt and pepper. The cashier was polite and friendly and the atmosphere is definitely a chill vibe. I will definitely revisit here often. Thank you John's Philly Grille!!!

    Cheese steak with peppers and onions
    Brandon B.

    The menu looked overwhelming but the nice young lady at the register helped us navigate what we wanted. I got the regular cheese steak with peppers and onions and an order of fries. The bread was soft with good texture and the steak was seasoned perfectly. The fries were piping hot with good seasoning and came in a separate bag. Yes, a bag of fries! Overall, good experience and enjoyed all the Philly memorabilia on the walls! I've been to the other location on Beach Blvd. But this location you can sit inside and not just outside.

    Mohammad H.

    One of the best philly cheesesteak I have had in Orange County. I gave the mushroom philly cheesesteak a try and it did not disappoint. Good sized portions with lots of different options will definitely come back and try other sandwiches. I also recommend getting the hot sauce that they offer, gives it a good kick with lots of flavor

    Philly Cheesesteak
    John S.

    Wow, look at the size of this sandwich. Freakin' huge. Delicious ingredients. Definitely will be back again! Best sandwich in Southern California.

    Order counter
    Mike W.

    They don't got Whiz! Cheez Whiz, that is. But they do have Tastykake (yeah!) First visit, and one of the better Philly cheesesteaks I've had. I ordered a half Mushroom Cheesesteak ($8.75), which had a nice roll, a decent amount of meat that was well seasoned, mushrooms, and Provolone cheese. Unfortunately, when I asked for Cheez Whiz (processed cheese sauce that's oh so yummy!), I was told they don't offer it. I skipped the grilled onions and hot peppers, but you can get them with your standard sandwiches. I wasn't super hungry, so I opted for a half order of fries (not on the menu board, but available for $2.95), and a standard fountain soda ($2.35), which comes with free refills. They served "steak fries", and the half order was plenty big. As any great Philly cheesesteak shop should, they carry Tastykake dessert products, so I picked up a pack of Butterscotch Krimpets ($3.45) to go, as well as a couple bottles of Hank's Gourmet sodas ($2.95 ea.) I got Root Beer and Cream Soda, but they carry Orange as well. There are plenty of tables inside, and a couple small ones out front. Parking is easy in the large private lot. I would definitely return when I'm in the area.

    Taking a bite of the pastrami...
    Cor V.

    Sometimes I just don't review because it is a great place, redundant, and we enjoy the food. This time I thought that I needed to update the review with our most recent visit to John's Philly Grille. We were surprised to see a nice busy place as we entered the small almost hole in the wall. Our turn to order. The lovely missus really likes #2 GR PEP CZ SK HALF with onions but no hot peppers. I am still on that difficult quest for a stellar pastrami sandwich my way, thus I ordered #23 PASTR WHOLE, no onions.. no cheese... no hot peppers...yes on pckles.... EZ Mustard, light mayo and HOT grilled. Two lemonades are brought to the table since there is no refilling. One bag of CHIPS. We sat at a table now that some of the crowd has departed. Oh boy, the sandwiches came all wrapped in white butcher paper. After two trials of pastrami at other sandwich places, "Perfect" is how I describe the John's Philly Grille abundance of Pastrami with pickles inside a tasty and crusty hoagie roll. We enjoyed John's Philly Grille and we will certainly be back for more.

    "John's Special" Cheese Steak Hoagie & Fried Zucchini

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    1 month ago

    I waited over 30 minutes for my order. And the food wasn't even worth waiting for. Definitely won't be coming back

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    Ask the Community - John's Philly Grille

    Do they have cheese wiz?

    No only real cheese slices which melt on top

    View All 2 Questions

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    Esther's place is a hidden gem in HB's old world village…read more The food is so fresh, delicious, and made with Love! I got a sandwich combo, it came with smoothie & soup. The soup was vegetable barley it was freshly homemade, so nourishing. The sandwich had fresh avocado- perfection. Smoothie was vibrant, bursting with flavor. The ambience is laid back & relaxed. Beautiful location in old world village. Esther is such a sweet lady, so welcoming & kind. I can't wait to return.

    I had eaten at Esther's place over 10 years ago with friends & it left a strong impression. Back…read morethen it was inside a old style pharmacy/vitamin shop. I had thought of going again back as they're closed on Sundays, I didn't get to go back until today (worked most Saturdays until last year). It seems the old pharmacy location is a different business now & Esther's Place is inside Old World Village near Bella Terra. Always drove past this place thinking this place was for Octoberfest like the one in Torrance. I was pleasantly surprised at the charm of the whole plaza & the stores they had in the Old World Village. The owner & the namesake of the store was there & greeted everyone with a big smile. She was friendly & welcoming. There seem to be regulars as she chatted with them with familiarity. You order at the counter wherebthere are a few stools. I got the half sandwich & a shake. She gave me a bowl of soup so I told her I wanted the shake. She said the soup was just for me to taste! She gave me a generous amount 'just to taste '. hisband ordered the full sandwich with soup & Esther said he will enjoy the soup as everyone loves it. He sure did enjoy the soup! Each day of the week, there's different soup, except split pea soup is served on Wednesday & Saturday. I got the 14k shake & it was delicious with lots of coconut shavings in it. I got half an egg sandwich which was delicious as well with tomato, lettuce, sprouts & avocado inside. I should've gotten the full size for just a $1 more but I was full. But for those who's like me, I didnt look at the prices so didn't realize it was only $1 difference. Husband got the chicken salad sandwich & enjoyed it thoroughly. They sell chips made in Huntington Beach 'since 1986' - we never knew about it. They relocated 8 years ago & Esther's Place has been around for 29 years. This is impressive as she is still cheerful, friendly & very well put together, and seems to thoroughly enjoy her work. We will go back as often as we can - it's across the street from Costco, REI, & other shopping locations. Hope Esther's Place stays around for many more years to come!!

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    You should never judge a book by its cover. Pulling up to the nondescript strip mall, I was sure…read morethat all the amazing reviews had gotten it wrong. The truth is I couldn't have imagined what an enjoyable meal myself and my two companions would be having. Having flown in from Seattle for work we were desperate to get away from the Hyatt Regency for a little bit better food. So I turned to yelp. As we walked inside you are immediately taken by the charming atmosphere. Everyone was so welcoming! From our amazing waiter Timmy to Misty our chef/owner. Every single dish was fantastic. From the French Onion soup with bone marrow, the Mac and cheese shareable, to the garlic bread with pesto.. But the entrees and desserts SHINED! I had the scallops while the other two had the 8oz hanger steak. Both steaks were cooked to perfection (rare and medium well) and the scallops were so buttery soft they melted in your mouth. The desserts was cheesecake with a raspberry gelee for one and a warm banana bread with ice cream and chocolate drizzle for the other. Even though we were all stuffed, the plates were worthy of a lick (although we restrained ourselves). So if you're ever find yourself in Huntington Beach and want to up your food game, come to this little gem. It won't disappoint. Will definitely be back next time!

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    Comfy and upscale
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    John's Philly Grille - sandwiches - Updated July 2026

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