Joey Merlino will be opening a cheesesteak joint in the Packer Park section of South Philly, which is still predominantly Italian American. He's fixing up the spot that used to be Ace of Steaks.

It’s going to be the best in the city and will have legendary crooners like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dino, and Al Martino playing while you eat Philly's famous sandwich. He'll also have chicken cheesesteak on the menu. This man's man and stand-up guy will be behind the grill, cooking up those steaks.

It's gonna be called Skinny Joey's Cheesesteaks. A great spot for people who want to get their grub on after a Flyers, Sixers, Phillies, or Eagles game, as it's going to be just a few streets away from Citizens Bank Park. He'll be getting his bread from a local Italian bakery, such as Carangi's Bakery, Cacia's Bakery, or Sarcone's Bakery, but he hasn't decided which one yet.

In a twist of irony, skinny joey will be putting on 60 pounds of fat after working behind the grill.
All kidding aside, you cannot fault the guy for trying to be legit. For some deranged reason, certain people want him to be a gangster forever.. Its over !!!!!

He could easily be the boss of Philly and still running legit businesses at the same time. Toots Caruso in Chicago owns a stand that serves dogs, polish sausage and burgers.

But why bother being involved. Making money legitimately is too easy today. Being a mobster today is almost saying you aren't good enough or smart enough to make a living legitimately like everyone else. It's also embarrassing.

Wasnt' the entire reason guys got involved in the life anyway to allow their family members become successful in legit endeavors? Such as say your son becomes a Doctor or Lawyer.

You can go around and brag about them to others and say "Look at my son, look how great he is."

Lets use John Gotti as an example. Now his son of course got involved in the life, but when it came to his grandkids he wanted them to be legit. Wanted one of them to be a lawyer.

????

Lets see if the other cheesesteak places get fire bombed and Joey's is the only one left in the city.

Waiting to see him and Snuff in their hair nets with aprons in making sandwiches together lol

snuff actually owned a sandwich shop for a minute. Does this also mean Joey will need to move back to Philly ?

How will they compete with Pats and Genos? What do you guys think?

This embarrassing man is not the boss of Philly hahahah. No chance anyone wants to have a boss on fucking TikTok and VladTV the biggest rat platform in the known fucking universe

I guess you have a point. No one ever and I mean ever sees Toots Caruso in public let alone on social media.

If I ever see Toots or fucking Solly or Albie on Facebook or TikTOk my respect for them as men will evaporate. It's so embarrassing I can't even talk about it without losing my shit

You definitely will never see Toots or Albie on Social media. Solly is on Facebook though which surprises me but he just promotes his own legit business on there thats it. No discussion about mob shit.

He's actually on Facebook?? Does he have a profile picture

OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!!! I Have to log off before I punch a hole through my fucking laptop

LOL he's not like Joey! HAHAHAHAHAHA Guy just posts about his hardwood flooring business.

Think that Geno's and Pats will thrive due to it being the tourist place it has been forever and celebrities from Taylor Swift to LeBron stop by Genos, but the location of Joey's will be excellent for the Phillies games if you want a quick bite before or after and it is in the area of walking distance from Citizens Bank and Eagles games as well before for tailgating, and you could always use one after the tailgating. Point on the location is depending on where you live in that area there are a million places to go to eat including your house but I think Joey and Snuff will get alot of overflow from the sports complex

In regards to Philly, when it comes to Italian food what places are the best? I want the real Italian old school experience in Philly that is still around. Possibly some places that were in business when the Philly mob was at their peak and would even eat at these establishments.

I do not want anything modern!

So where do I go for what I am looking for?

Dante and Luigi's
Ralph's

Both have been around over 100 years, both are excellent.

Thank you! I appreciate those recommendations! Perfect for what I am looking for!

Whatever you do, do not go to Abdul's House Of Kabob. They have the worst Italian food in the world.

NY MAFIA knows the best the cheese steak joints....He's gonna google and fact check this !!!

I don't want the guys that serve the shit diced up. I want actual nice pieces of steak on my sandwich.

Yes !!!

Happy you agree! What places should I stick to when I go to Philly to find what I'm looking for?

NYMAFIA? Anyone?

20 minutes later after googling....

NY MAFIA:

Carmine, king of the Cheese Steaks !!!