Taylor Charles Steak & Ice

Okay so you’ve had a couple drinks and your tired of having to drive to U street for food. Well wait no more this spot is great. Great service, great food, great people. Great Experience!!!

You know what? This is a delicious philly cheesesteak and you need to get you some ok?
12:00am Walking in it looks like they found a shady alley and put a building around it, kinda sketch but I’m too hungry to care.
12:05am Getting my cheesteak with the house made white whiz and biting into it, the angels sing. I don’t even care that I’m in what looks like a a seedy alleyway anymore.
12:10am Hunger satisfied
Just go okay?

Almost everything about this cheesesteak is speaking my language, but the seasoning was a bit heavy, and the steak portion a bit light…
Got it with provolone (not a wiz guy) and onions. Again, if they toned the seasoning down just a notch, the quality ribeye might stand out a bit more. Cheese good. Onions good — bit larger of a dice than I’m accustomed to, but softened and seasoned properly. I really liked the roll. I really don’t get the obsession with Philly Amoroso rolls. They’re good. Congrats. Other rolls are good too. This one is good. Unfortunately, the meat wasn’t plentiful enough to really ‘fill it out’ — and $ 3 for extra is really pushing it.
Next trip might just be an appetizer tasting based on what I’ve read and seen here…

Pretty good a good addition to the area. Super tasty and a quick place to grab bite.

This place went downhill fast. What happened?! The meat is overly salty and the cheese is quite watery. The only thing consistent is that the bread is still good. I also do not like the fact that they just simply wrap it in one sheet of paper. The last time I came here, I had the sandwich in my bag and when I got home, the whole inside of my bag was covered in cheese. Also, the last time I was here, the meat wasn’t even fully cooked, so I ended up throwing the sandwich away anyway. I don’t know what happened here, but I doubt that I will be back unless they change something soon.

The bread is what Taylor does best. The cheesesteak, however, was unremarkable. A good spot after a night of revelry on H Street, but I probably wouldn’t go for dinner.

I’ve only been to Philly once and didn’t have a cheese steak during my visit. Does Steak & Ice serve up an authentic cheese steak? I don’t know and I don’t care. I came in for lunch one afternoon and really enjoyed my sandwich.
I ordered the beef, onions and cheese whiz. It was really good. Everything was fresh and delicious. The sandwich was a perfect size too. I was full but not too stuffed. I also ordered a side of Old Bay fries. Golden and crispy!
The staff was friendly and got me in and out quickly. I enjoyed the Beastie Boys playing over the house stereo while I checked out the graffiti covered walls. It reminded me of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air opening credits.
It’s not fair to compare Steak & Ice to your favorite sandwich shop in Philly. I live in the neighborhood and will be back again.

The cheesesteaks have gotten progressively worse. The one I had yesterday was so salty that I couldn’t finish it. The meat was in one huge chuck instead of sliced or chopped and it was so greasy that is soaked through the roll. The roll itself wasn’t great and was super bready, not in a good way.
Forget that these aren’t good cheesesteaks, they just aren’t good food.
Also, a on a visit a few months ago I found a long hair that was cooked in my risotto ball. If you do go, try the white whiz, it’s pretty good in itself.

It was cool. I have no plans to break my neck to go back but if someone else wants to go I would not object.
Sandwich: 3 Stars — It wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad. To be honest I prefer Steak Escapes as to me it seems to have more flavor. #shrugs
The Fries: 4 Stars — Loved them. Simple thicker cut fries but they were really good.
The Price: 2 Stars — Would love to see some type of combo deals. If you get a sandwich, drink and fries you will find your self over the $ 15 mark (if I remember correctly).
Service: 4 Stars– No complaints, very friendly (which is hard to find in the District) and efficient.
Other: Street parking (Pay 2 Park), H Street Corridor, New Store (so it’s clean, modern, etc).

As a Philly area native, I firmly believe that cheese steaks made outside of the region do not stand up to the original. It’s a tried and true fact. I thought Taylor Charles Steak and Ice would be different. Nope. Two stars. Why? Very simple reason– the steak wasn’t chopped up so you don’t get the even consistency of cheese, onions and whatever else you decide to add. I enjoyed the house made white whiz, not as artificial tasting or toxic looking as cheese whiz, and I’m glad the size of the cheese steak was much smaller than the original Philly version. I finished the whole thing without feeling overly stuffed!
Saving grace after the cheese steak disappointment– water ice. This stuff is legit. Good even consistency and they use real fruit! I had raspberry seeds in my raspberry water ice! You don’t get that at the chain down the street (Rita’s). What is water ice? It’s kind of a combination of a slushie and Italian ice, but way better. Go try it. Perfect for DC swamp summers.
I like that the interior tries to mimic outdoor seating that you find in Filthadelphia (yes I can make fun of the grunginess, but you can’t if you’re not from the area). The graffiti on the ceilings and walls adds a nice touch.

This places serves up the «average» cheesesteak. The meat was flavorful and bread was fresh but I would prefer a bit more cheese — since that is half of its name. Got it with onions, peppers and mushrooms — all delicious additions.
I did like the alternative options — and regretted not getting the cheeseburger spring rolls. But there is always next time — if i end up there while in the neighborhood and actually going back … since I would probably go to H& Pizza or Taylor’s or Sticky Rice or … so you get the idea.
The cheese fries were amazing — I must say — with classic cheez wiz as the cheese smothered all over them.
Everything else was just alright … expect the seating — I did not like it at all.
Koral

Decent steak and cheese spot but nothing overly special.
I had the basic cheese steak, which is very basic, you get steak and cheese on bread, 50 cents extra for mushrooms, so it very simple. Steak is of high quality, ribeye section but that doesn’t do much to in the over enjoyment of the entire sandwich. Bread was fresh, provolone cheese quality and those 50 cent mushrooms are just okay.
Also had a side of fries, they were decent but nothing special, I wish they were crispier and fried a little longer.
Service was good, staff was friendly and efficient. Decent place but for about 13 dollars for a sandwich and fries not worth any special trips.

maybe it was all those PBRs from across the street but I thought my cheesesteak was awesome. Gooey, beefy, with some tasty fries to boot.
I don’t know that I would come here for lunch but as a post bar bite it’s pretty much what you need and probably want. I wonder if they’re affiliated with Taylor Gourmet.
Of the two ridiculous fries we got, pizza and chili cheese, the latter was the better.

A tasty 2am food option on H Street? Yes please!
The steak — is phenomenal. Meaty, substantial, and lacking gristle. Mmm.
The garlicky spinach and mushrooms are tender and fresh.
Onions? Fresh chopped and have a bit of crunch.
Provolone… well it is fresh provolone… but I wish I had tried their housemade whiz.
The bread was fine, but a bit crustier than what you get up in Philly.
My boyfriend said their raspberry ice cured the impending hangover and upset stomach from too much time spent @ Biergarten House.
Overally, the pricetag isn’t inconsequential (A specialty steak & cheese, a large italian ice, and a soda ran up a $ 17 dollar tab), but I would definitely go back.
Bonus: you can reheat your cheesesteak the next morning @ 350 degrees for 15 minutes and it tastes just as good as the night before.

Stopped in for a quick bite early evening. I didn’t want anything too heavy, so I just ordered the truffle cheesesteak spring rolls with regular cheese whiz. They are beefycheesy crack. I could have ordered another set.
The team on duty was polite and friendly, and also offered free samples of their ices. The raspberry was pretty good.

Stopped in as part of an H Street food tour (aka killing time while waiting for a seat at another establishment), and glad I got to try this out.
Yes, they play up the Philly style here. No, you’re not going to get the straight up Philly cheesesteak you may be looking for (talking to you other fellow PA/​DE folks). The interior is cool, sort of like a Philly playground/​alley with graffiti and picnic table benches. It’s nice and bright, so it doesn’t feel grimey. The condiments bar is on the side, and yes, they do have hot and sweet peppers!
The menu is Philly enough, with ribeye as the main meat option (you can get chicken or veg as well), grilled onions (wit), and your choice of cheeses (wiz is there). Playing up to the tourist ordering style, yes, but what can you do outside of Philly?
We decided to split one cheesesteak (ribeye wit wiz and mushrooms) three ways and try it out. Some things I noted while munching through the sandwich — 1) the ribeye pieces were kind of chunky, not the long thin slices I’m used to, this is just a personal preference 2) the onions, mushrooms, and whiz were actually good, would have preferred the sandwich be served open with the whiz on top though 3) the bread was a bit tougher than your Philly Italian roll, might have just been because it was the end of the day? 4) lots of juice dripping down, I’m guessing the meat was frozen, probably why it was a bit chunky
Overall, it was a decent cheesesteak, but you gotta get the steak bang-​on to contend with the Philly originals. Would have preferred a bit more cheesiness factor as well. A good option for the trendy H Street, and better than whatever «steak and cheese» ridiculousness DC tries to pass off.

When you think of Philly cheese steak sandwiches you may think of the famous Pat’s and Gino’s in Philadelphia. Once you order your cheese steak, it literally takes 30 seconds to make your sandwich and it is the best Philly cheese steak you may have.
Taylor Charles Steak & Ice is not that. It takes a few minutes longer to get your food (and in my case, 8 minutes later) and does not taste as good. Maybe I should not judge it based on Philly’s standards. I am glad I tried Steak & Ice out, but I won’t be going back. My sandwich was just decent and my order of sloppy joe fries were not the best.
The thing I was impressed with was the inside of the building. The décor is awesome and the graffiti on the walls make it look modern. Well done!

Two and a half stars. Plentiful seating inside, bright and colorful space. Pick up your order at the end of the counter when your pager buzzes, and bus yourself as you leave. I want to round up for the super duper friendly service, the pepper bar, the sensual undertones of the menu item names, and the neat soda fountain… but my broccoli rabe cheesesteak and sloppy fries were just plain underwhelming.
I can’t comment on authenticity, but the chewy bread was generally unappetizing, and the white wiz on the fries wasn’t that tasty. Mushrooms are worth the 50 cent upgrade. I should be more grateful about the cheese famine in my sandwich as a mildly lactose intolerant diner, but I was just disappointed by the experience. DC prices for generous sizing despite the 2:1 bread/​filling ratio; half the cheesesteak made for leftovers for another meal. I’ll give them another shot with the balls, custard, and non-​ribeye options.

I agree with the sentiment that they definitely need to work out the assembly line kinks in this joint. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but they could learn a thing or two from a number of fast food places lol It’s very disjointed and unorganized and honestly, I think they could do without the buzzers at this point because with three or four people gathered around that computer, not a one of them could manage to get the food out to customers in an orderly fashion. The one guy gave up and was just calling out names. I’m sure over time this will be ironed out though.
I went twice in one week because I wanted to make sure to go at different times and get different items. Both of the sandwiches I got were rib eyes but one had the white cheese wiz and the other with the regular cheese wiz. My vote is for the one with the house made cheese wiz but it was a little on the light side. The steak is cut into thick slices which I like and the sandwiches are quite large. I could only consume half. I think the price is fine, but they need to do some type of combo with the fries because I was not all that excited about paying $ 3 for regular plain old french fries in addition to the $ 8 sandwich and that’ s before the soda.
I would say that I don’t see myself going out of my way to come back here. I’ve had some amazing Philly cheesesteaks and not just in Philadelphia either. The ones at Taylor Charles are just okay but they have room for improvement. Maybe I think it’s just a bit subpar for the price point. The meat is good quality and cut thick, but I don’t know, the sandwich was just not all that exciting.

Like Liz G. I really, really wanted to love Steak & Ice and looked forwarded to their opening for a while. Like a cheesy tourist, I’ve visited the usual suspects that make up the standard Philadelphia cheesesteak spots, and I honestly don’t care to compare one against the others. Cheesesteaks are great any way you look at it: meat, cheese, bread, some toppings of your choice… what’s not to love?
I was ready to dig in to some greasy goodness and got to the business of ordering a rib-​eye cheesesteak wit’ onions, house made white wiz, mushrooms, and green peppers. I also opted to share sloppy fries, and Charles’ balls with my brother (wow…that does not look good in written text). We were offered a free sample of the Italian water ice; I opted for the mango flavor, and enjoyed it.
A big plus for Steak & Ice is their Penn Pop soda fountain featuring sodas «made to William Penn’s original 1708 specifications.» Taylor was one of the first places in DC to feature Boylan’s soda, which I love, and Penn Pop is something I will surely love as well. I tried the mandarin crème, and immediately gulped down half the cup and got some more!
Considering it was their first day being open, the ordering and food prep areas seemed a bit haphazard. Our food took a while to come out, and was not being prepared for take-​out, but I’m sure this is something that will get worked out with time.
The cheesesteak I ordered looked really good, but unfortunately, the onions were missing, and the white wiz seemed a bit light. The cheese steak definitely did not blow my mind, but it delivered in terms of taste. The steak was a bit overcooked for my personal taste, but it was seasoned well and had flavor. The mushrooms were really good, but I was definitely not feeling the green peppers.
The order of Charles’ balls were delicious (again…I don’t know how I feel about putting that in text). I mean… come on, breaded and deep fried zucchini balls with delicious lemon aoli on the side? You pretty much have to order them! The sloppy fries were a bit disappointing: the white wiz wasn’t generous enough and sexy sloppy joe was pretty bland. I was expecting a big greasy mess… but what I got was an order or fries with a dollop of white wiz and a little bit of ground beef on top.
So far, Steak & Ice is OK at best, but given some time to get their legs under them, this place will take off running. I’ll definitely be back to try some of the other items on the menu.