The Real Thing

Towson, United States

4

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 410-583-7211
Website:
www.therealthingtowson.com
Address:
412 York Rd, Towson, MD, 21204
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.7 miCromwell Bridge Park and Ride
2.3 miLutherville Light Rail
2.4 miLutherville
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Divey
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
No
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 3:00 am
Open now
Local time (Towson) 11:27 Friday, 23 May 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 2:30 am
Wednesday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 2:30 am
Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 am
Sunday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Dine in and Carry out, we are famous for our Cheese Steak, Chicken Cheese Steak, Gyro’s. Italian Subs and Whole Wheat Wraps. We have a variety of sides and Subs. Hope to see you there.

History

Established in 1983.

I started in 1983 on the back street and moved to York Road in 1999.

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20 reviews of The Real Thing

No registration required
Place rating: 5
La Mirada, CA
The owner is the man! He genuinely cares about his customers, especially the college kids that keep him in business;) but seriously, he is great! The cheese steak itself is pretty good. I can’t compare it to a real cheese steak from philly because I don’t remember the last time I had one but this is as close as its gets! I always order mine with cheese whiz which is just melted yellow cheese. I also usually order cheese fries when I come here. I’m not the biggest fan of the white cheese he melts on top but once I get past that and get to the cheese whiz drenched fries on the bottom, everything is amazing! The only con would be the price of the food but the taste makes it all worth it!
Place rating: 5
Bel Air, MD
Co-​workers and I went here for lunch today and it was great. I recommend the real one sub. It was out of this world. The man behind the counter had a great sense of humor and made us all laugh. Will be going here again sometime.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Great sandwich, can’t complain about that.
I just don’t understand how the $ 10 sandwich price is justified. That is literally double of a footlong at subway. $ 10 for a single sandwich without any sides or drinks. How is this justified? I like the sandwich, but at that price point, this will be a rare event for me.
Place rating: 5
Hoffman Estates, IL
Called in for pick– up and when I got there food was ready. As soon as I took one bite, I felt like I was in heaven. Best cheesesteak place I’ve ever been to in my LIFE.
BEST CHEESESTEAK
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
A lovely man named Kim took and prepared our order. The cheesesteak was just the right amount of cheesy/​greasy. The bread was fresh. I could not have asked for a better meal after a beer.
Place rating: 4
Laurel, MD
AMAZING cheesesteak. Ate here twice in the same weekend due to a conference at a nearby hotel. The service during both visits was definitely lacking, but the cheesesteak made up for the unfriendliness of the staff.
When we went on Saturday, the credit card machine wasn’t working, so I suggest bringing cash as a back-​up just incase. The fries were amazing on both days. I’m not sure if I would drive up to Towson again just for a cheesesteak, but if the craving is strong enough, I might take the 50 minute trip.
Place rating: 4
Parkville, MD
Mouth watering, juicy, flavorful experience!
A 9 inch sub and fries with no drink cost me 14 dollars. (13.78 to be exact)
I waited about 5 maybe 10 minutes and the food was ready. Quickly drove home and opened it up. It looked amazing! I took my first bite, hoping the sub will be worth the 14 dollars. By the time I finished the sub, I had totally forgotten about how much I paid.
The meat is well seasoned, the bread is soft but not too soft to get soggy from the meat. There was just enough cheese and the hot sauce was a nice touch. (I recommend getting the hot sauce on the side so you can try the sub without it, which is what I did). The fries were great too! Not too greasy, crispy on the outside soft on the inside.
Would I go back? Yep. The owners are cool the food was great. I don’t like to say anything is the «best». But it was definitely delicious.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
Just like it says on the tin: if you like Philly cheese steaks, this is The Real Thing.
Place rating: 1
Lutherville-Timonium, MD
Yeah, they’re way too over priced. Asked for a cup of water and they said I have to buy a water bottle… Like no…
Place rating: 3
Potomac, MD
The cheesesteak lives up to the hype. The beef was tender and nestled under gooey cheese and grilled onions. The bread was fresh, and the fries were crisp and salty.
My only quibble is that I had to wait for 15 minutes for my order. Full disclosure: I did go during the weekday lunch hour, and the cook did warn me that completing my order would take some time. But after smelling the food and sitting at a table, my stomach was growling.
Place rating: 5
Santa Clara, CA
Fast & friendly service.
I found this place from Unilocal reviews. It lived up to the reviews.
I got a cheesesteak that was not greasy & huge even by sub shop standards.
Fresh bread, crisp bacon lettuce and tomato. Amazing quality.
I also got gravy fries that were crisp and covered in gravy. It was one size and that was large.
My friend came with and ordered a cheesesteak to and was just as happy.
Place rating: 2
Baltimore, MD
After reading reviews I decided to try this place… well, I’ve definitely had better. The bread was ok, freshly pulled out of the bag, I thought maybe it would have been toasted, but not so… My husband and daughter also tried a cheese steak and no one gave raving reviews… just didn’t really taste like anything. Maybe I’ll do what other reviewers did… have a few drinks then head back over. Overall, if you are walking past and are super hungry, go on in… but if you are on a mission for a delicious treat, there are other places you should try first!
Place rating: 5
Nottingham, MD
This was one of myfavorite spots to go to when I worked at the AMC — Towson theatre. I would always get the Chicken Pita with French Fries. The food was always served fresh, the fries were nice and crisp, and the chicken pita was always flavorful and dripping down my arm with pure goodness everytime i took a bite. The people who worked there was always friendly and joked around with us when we came in there. Unfortunately, AMC — Towson shut down, and I havent been there since because i dont live in the area. But I am determine to get there one day to have that Chicken Pita agin.
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
I’d give them 3.5 stars if possible. Sandwiches are really great. Bread is amazing (I think they steam instead of toast), fresh and delicious, cheesesteak was good («chop the life out of their meat» style for those asking). Cheese fries had actual cheese sauce and shredded cheese melted all over it. Pretty decent.
The «meh» part — were out of ham for another sandwich, not a whole lot of cheese selection for those into cheddar choices. Cook was a bit gruff, but you know, I get it. Not the end of the world. Took a minute for it to be prepped and ready, but thats what happens when you make food from (somewhat) scratch. Overall decent experience. Might try pizza fries in the future.
Place rating: 3
Baltimore, MD
So the first time I came here, I remembered it being SOOO FREAKING GOOD!!! however, that could have been due to the fact I was totally under the influence of alcohol…
The second time I came here, I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. The steak and bacon was overcooked (meaning it was a bit dry) and they didnt add enough american cheese. So the initial impression on my first visit was definitely influenced by my consumption of alcohol…
After saying all of the above… this is still probably the best cheesesteak in maryland, however, I also have not been actively searching for it either… so I may revisit this place again once I have a better idea of the cheesesteak scene in the Maryland area. If the competition is not as hot then I may add a star… otherwise this review will remain the same.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
Yes yes yes! Go there! My boyfriend and I just left. I got the real sub and he got the hoggie with a side of fries. The meat is seasoned perfectly. After eating this sub I wanna say please disregard the reviews based on price! You get what you pay for! If you want a cheap sub with frozen meat than go to subway but the meat you’ll get here is fresh and they are not stingy with it! The service was wonderful! Tony and his crew are awesome. Be aware of the area. Weekends tend to get busy during the later hours so be prepared for that! We will be back!!! Best sub in town
Place rating: 3
Parkville, MD
Nice little spot in Towson. Staff is friendly and funny. Food is good but not great. I came to try the cheesesteak because I heard great things but was not super impressed. When people compare this to Pats and Genos in Philly I have to wonder what they were thinking. Would still recommend the place just not the best cheesesteak I have ever had by a long shot.
Place rating: 3
Baltimore, MD
A little more expensive than the average carry out, but also a little more tasty. Something about the hot sauce mmmm. Solid cheesesteak joint!
Place rating: 5
Pikesville, MD
Delicious… I ate here twice in 8 days time to get the Real One. I work in Towson at least once a week, and I’ve never noticed the Real Thing ever until my boyfriend who lives in Montgomery County told me that his friend recommended it to him. We walked in on a Sunday morning, and it looked unimpressive. My boyfriend and I shared the Real One, a cheesesteak with the works. It was incredible. Tony, the owner, is extremely outgoing and friendly. I’m definitely coming back soon and bringing others. Also the cheese fries are really good. I think he uses melted cheese on top as well as cheese sauce. I highly recommend it. My boyfriend says it’s the best in Maryland.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
Found this place on Unilocal.Wasn’t really looking for a sub but when I saw the pictures and red the reviews I had to try it out. I ordered the Real Thing Cheese steak and onion rings. When u arrived I was greeted by the owner who was super nice and amusing. He made me feel very welcomed in his establishment. You would be surprised that you can walk in to patriotize someone’s eatery and they are aloof to you.
He warned me not to eat the who thing because it would put me to sleep. Lol. Not before I do this review. The sub was huge. Definitely worth it’s $ 10 value. All the vegetables were fresh and crunchy. The spunion sauce just enhanced the flavors of the meat and veggies. The onion rings were good too. Fresh made with real onions. Even after they went cold they we still crunchy. I’m as super pleased with this food. My treat for the week indeed.