NJ vs. overpriced hype: Locals react to jaw-dropping cheesesteak price

Tuesday, March 24, 2026, was National Cheesesteak Day. A day celebrated mostly in Philadelphia and South Jersey.

The cheesesteak was born in 1930 when Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor who had a stand in the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, grilled beef, cooked onions, and put it all on one of his hot dog buns for himself.

The story of the success of the cheesesteak gets a little murky. The story goes that Harry Olivieri, Pat’s brother, a cab driver, got a taste of Pat’s steak sandwich and encouraged him to bag the hot dog stand and sell those great-tasting steak sandwiches. Pat Olivieri opened a new, bigger stand in the same location, called Pat’s King of Steaks.

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Regardless, the cheesesteak sandwiches became a South Philly favorite and sold like wildfire. Ironically, Pat’s original sandwich did not have any cheese on it. It was not until Joe Lorenza, a manager at one of the restaurants on Ridge Avenue, added provolone cheese to one of the cheesesteaks that it became an official cheesesteak.

Several local places opened selling cheesesteaks, and the popularity continues. Outside Philadelphia and South Jersey, cheesesteaks are now known as Philly cheesesteaks.

Don’t want to head to Philly for a good cheesesteak? New Jersey has its share of great Philly cheesesteaks. Lillo’s Tomato Pies in Hainesport, Cheesesteak Louie’s in Seaside Heights, Johnny Longhots in Marlton, Dar’s Steaks in Haddon Township, Meatheadz Cheesesteaks in Lawrence Township, and Cristo’s Wake and Steak in Bloomfield, just to name a few.

There have been variations of the cheesesteak, but the one at the Barclay Prime restaurant in Philadelphia takes the most impressive and some would say the most outrageous variation of the original South Philly cheesesteak.

Barclay Prime sells one cheesesteak for $140! Yes, I said $140!

The cheesesteak, according to Barclay Prime, is made of hand-cut wagyu beef, with black truffle, foie gras, fried onions, Cooper sharp cheese, on a freshly baked sesame seed roll, and served with a ½ bottle of champagne.

I do not know whether Barclay Prime put this on a menu to say that they have the most expensive cheesesteak in the country, or if they really sell many of these, especially to those who like to boast that they consumed such an expensive delicacy.

I must tell you that if I had substantial wealth, I still would not consume such a blown-out-of-proportion staple that you can find at great places like Pat’s, Geno’s and so many others around the area for a significant amount less than the $140 at Barclay Prime.

If foie gras and truffles, on a cheesesteak, make you happy, well then, Barclay Prime is for you.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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