Lee’s Deli

Tried the vegan cheesesteak but it tasted more like a spicy seitan vegetable stir-​fry on a roll than anything remotely similar to a Philadelphia cheesesteak. The vegan ‘cheese’ sauce that’s include in the description was nonexistent, and instead replaced with two unmelted slices of some processed soy cheese. Regardless, the sandwich was very flavorful, just wrongfully named a cheesesteak.
Service was friendly and place was very busy during lunch hour.
Would return again to try some other vegan options but proceed with caution when ordering the vegan cheesesteak.

I’ve been here a few times to try some of there breakfast items and cheesesteaks. They make some bangin Korean infused cheesesteaks. The breakfast items are above average. However the menu is quite expensive and not something I can afford every other day. The owner is usually around in the shop with his wife. Very polite and courteous people. If the menu were a bit cheaper I’d like to think this place would become a regular favorite of mine

The shrimp over rice is freaking amazing! Well seasoned, lots of veggies and the sauce is the icing on the cake. It’s sad it’s all the way in southwest Philly but I love this little gem. This a must in your in the area and want something good to eat. Can’t wait to go back here!

my experience was ok…,
the italian hoagie was ok…
the gentleman who was making it was very slow… the lettuce was 2 thick… & my chicken cheese steak was done before the hoagie… hoagie’s r my specialty…& this italian hoagie was just ok… service was excellent… THE CARROT CAKE WAS
AMAZING…
i’m available for hoagie’s…just saying…
e-​mail me…

My wife, son and I went here yesterday. I got the chicken, shrimp, spinach steak with Alfredo sauce all I can say is it was «NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH». I’ll be back here many more times. The owner was super friendly and very helpful. Lees Deli should be a good landmark in Philadelphia

Carrot cake is honestly the best I’ve ever had.
I’ve tried a few things from here and all have been good so far. Their Homemade burger is very big and filling. Today, I tried their new Parmesan and Garlic fries, very good.
Lee was at the counter and was very friendly and sweet.
Looking forward to more great food!

Great neighborhood feel, friendly folks behind the counter. Mr. Lee is the man. Fries are on point. My boyfriend loves the chicken cheesesteak with either broccoli or spinach with their homemade sauces. I’m a fan of the veggie cheesesteak. Make sure to try the Carrot Cake Man’s carrot cake!

As a born-​and-​raised Philadelphian, I can confidently say that Lee’s is a personal favorite of mine (and a gem in the University City neighborhood). The food here is amazing, and Scott and his team are even more so. Can’t wait to come back. Love this City, and love my Lee’s!

I’ve heard nothing but great things about Lee’s, and every time I pass by I think «I really need to try this place.» I stopped by during the dollar stroll (and loved what I got), but I wanted to give it a fair shot and have a real «meal» here.
We walked in and were immediately welcome and offered a printed menu to look over by the owner (Lee, I presume.) I was really blown away by the variety of the menu (from standard things like cheesesteaks and club sandwiches, to a ton of vegetarian/​vegan options, Asian fusion dishes, and breakfast all day).
I opted for the Seitan cheesesteak w/​american cheese and Old Bay fries. My BF went for the Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry/​Fried Rice (I forget the real name…) We tried to pay then, but the owner politely told us to sit down and enjoy ourselves first, before paying. The food came out pretty quickly, but not before one of the cooks came out to drop off a few different home-​made sauces (the home-​made Dijon sauce, he insisted, was «great on fries»… spoiler alert: he wasn’t lying.)
My Seitan cheesesteak was HUGE, piping hot, and loaded with extra veggies. I added some ketchup and some of the house made sweet chili sauce. So good. The Old Bay fries were crispy and well-​seasoned (I think they are just frozen crinkle-​cut, but not a problem.) My BF’s Stir Fry/​Fried Rice came out on a giant plate, and he only ate half, saving the rest for lunch. He enjoyed it a lot.
The exterior and interior aren’t much to look at, but the people behind the counter, the extensive menu (can’t wait to try breakfast), and the overall experience made me a Lee’s fan, for sure.

It’s a shame I haven’t been to Lee’s more in the years that I’ve lived in West Philly because it’s pretty great. The first time I went I really wanted a sugar-​free energy drink, which they didn’t have, but left with one of their famous carrot cakes. It was SO GOOD! Yesterday I went again with my dad and we shared a cheesesteak. It was pretty good and the portion was enormous. They have a lot of cool sandwiches on the menu I’d love to try if I go back. Also, the staff was goofy and fun and joked with us the whole time. It was a nice atmosphere and I look forward to going back.

Great neighborhood deli! I recommend calling ahead as the wait times are sometimes long. My favorite hoagie is the Game Over cheesesteak which is a chicken cheesesteak topped with spinach and shrimp. I come here when I want something delicious and artery clogging.

I knew Lee’s deli in one dollar marker along the Baltimore street. Korean BBQ cheese steak was something beyond description. Really. Since then I often come here. I’m happy to find such delicious food. People who work there are all kind and steady, I think.

I had «The Game Over» chicken cheesesteak w shrimp & spinach & it was perfect. They make their own sauces & I had a spicy one that went well with my steak. As a kid in the 80s, I remember this spot being a classic diner with mini juke boxes at every booth. So it’s pretty cool to see that although it’s a different business, I can still get a decent burger, fries, & Coke.

Lees is great. Lee himself is almost always present at the front counter with a very polite neutral expression his face. Calm, in control and helpful. He doesn’t talk you to death but is definitely willing to make suggestions or give a bit of advice.
We usually get Seitan hoagies when we come here and the sauces they have to accompany it.
I’m not going to lie and say this food is groundbreaking — its standard diner fare but the place looks clean, Lee recently remodeled and it really looks great and the people that work there are always really laid back, polite yet not overbearing or over smiley. When I lived in W Philly I came to Lees almost exclusively after having a few Bahn Mi hoagies over at Foo Wa and finding them a bit dry (perhaps remaining true to tradition, I can’t say) and just not my style.
Lees is a great scene with good food at good prices. Love it.

Everything was great chicken cheesesteak real chicken breast spinach shrimp on a garlic roll. They’ve got a new loyal customer. A lot of options

One, two, three, look at Mr. Lee
Three, four, five, look at him jive
Oh Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee
My heart is achin’ for you Mr. Lee
’Cause I love your deli so
With apologies to the Bobbettes.
The chicken steak is unparalleled in my extensive sample. The menu, while staying true to the beloved short-​order grill, has enough surprising twists and thoughtful choices that I plan to eat my way through the menu – the Asian Fusion section is particularly alluring. The staff is charming and pleasant.

Maybe my last order 2 years ago was sub-​par. I don’t know. But I ventured back craving a chicken cheesesteak as I’ve stopped eating beef recently.
This time I got the chicken cheesesteak with spinach provolone and special sauce. It tastes great with or without the sauce — but I like that the sauce is really sour and spicy to give it nice contrast. Like other Unilocalers have said — it’s huge chunks of fresh chicken breast — don’t expect the usual minced up /​cut up meat that normally represents a cheesesteak. I will say that, I do sometimes crave that cut up minced up because it’s less dry and absorbs cheese much better. But this is a great alternative
I also go the shrimp and chicken cheesesteak one time which was also great.
Carrot cake continues to be $ 1.50 and deliciously diabetic.

Lee’s is a greasy food joint. They do greasy food alright. I’ve had there sandwich from them and they are decent. They have some vegan version of a cheese steak that I say far way from.
Their fries are decent. They are crab fries and cooked well. I like them loaded with old bay seasoning. They’re pretty tasty. No Chickie and Petes. but they do the trick.
There chicken fingers are okay too. All in all, it’s an okay place, that does the trick, and is priced well.

Lee’s Deli is a small corner deli with a surprisingly tasty Seitan «Chicken Cheesesteak» sandwich. The other food I’ve had is just okay so I wouldn’t really recommend anything other than that Seitan chicken cheesesteak. Be aware that it takes a while to prepare the food.
Here’s the rundown (I used ^ to indicate a half-​star and * for a full star. So, ***^ means 3.5 stars):
**** Seitan chicken cheesesteak is delicious. The seitan «chicken» is fried up perfectly with a bit of a sear. The sandwich is great with fried onions & some sauce.
*** Corned beef sandwich was cold but otherwise fine.
*** French fries are pretty basic. They’re nice with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
**^ Chicken sandwich with broccoli or spinach: The chicken breast is overcooked but if you don’t mind that, the sandwich is otherwise okay.
^ Onion rings are bad. They’re not actually real slices/​rings of onions that are deep-​fried. Rather, these «onion» rings are made of some mixture of flour or meal or other crap. They’re gross & don’t taste good.
Cash only.

I’ve now been here a few times, mostly trying their veggie steak. The steak is made with seitan and has carrots and bell peppers. If you don’t even know anything about cheesesteaks you’re probably still able to gather that it doesn’t usually come with carrots. This threw me off the first 1 or 2 times I tried it, but it started to grow on me. The seitan isn’t the best I’ve had, but I like it better than what I’ve had at Govinda’s. It’s flavored with salt and pepper (peppered well but not really spicy). It’s a good fix if you’re vegetarian/​vegan and craving something that tastes close to a traditional cheesesteak. The owner is also very nice and seems to take pride in satisfying his customers.
Other details… Be aware that the place is pretty cramped inside, especially if there are a lot of people waiting for food. There is limited seating inside. It’s more like a corner store with 3 booths/​picnic tables. When folks are waiting for food, they randomly stand in the walkway. So you will more than likely be getting bumped either by people looking at items on chip and beverage stand, or folks trying to maneuver around you to get in or out of their seats. So, it’s better to call your order in and pickup. (On a nice day, there is comfortable outside seating nearby.) It is also cash only, but an ATM is available on the premises, for a $ 2 fee of course.