
Where to Get the Best Cheesesteak in Berks County
The best cheesesteaks in Berks County, shop by shop: Esterly's, JD's, Spenny's, Redvo, Tony's, V & S, Mike's, and the pizza shop steaks behind them.
Aug 27JD's Steaks LLC is a counter-service cheesesteak shop in Sinking Spring serving griddled beef and chicken steaks, specialty sandwiches, hand-cut fries and pastelillos. Customers point to the choice of rolls and cheeses, including the hot pepper Cooper whiz, generous portions and a friendly, sports-themed dining room.

Known for: Philly Philly cheesesteak, Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, Hot Pepper Cooper Whiz, Fresh-cut fries, Pastelillos
JD's Steaks LLC appears in this post, researched and written by us.

The best cheesesteaks in Berks County, shop by shop: Esterly's, JD's, Spenny's, Redvo, Tony's, V & S, Mike's, and the pizza shop steaks behind them.
Aug 27The flaky, savory pastelillos emerge as a frequently recommended specialty beyond the core cheesesteaks.
The pastelillos are SO good and a must try!
Consistently delicious; always get the seeded roll and cooper sharp. Flaky pastelillos.
The in-house hot pepper Cooper & whiz cheese blend is repeatedly praised for its perfect flavor boost.
The Hot Pepper Cooper Whiz on the original cheesesteak was amazing.
The whiz was just the right amount of cheesy goodness.
Customers consistently praise the authentic, flavorful, and high-quality cheesesteaks that rival those in Philadelphia.
I just had the “Philly Philly” Cheesesteak at JD’s Steaks, and let me tell you, it felt like I was right in the heart of Philly!
This cheese steak was slammin! Probably the best one I've ever had in my life.
Guests highlight warm, personable interactions with staff and the owner, noting friendly greetings and attentive service.
Staff is super polite and owner always has a smile on his face.
Service was outstanding and was treated very nicely.
The sports-themed, clean environment with Philadelphia memorabilia creates an engaging and comfortable dining setting.
Inside is a nice sports decorated area with tons of throwback jerseys and sports memorabilia.
Nice little spot to relax have a good Steak sandwich & split some fries.
Patrons appreciate diverse sandwich styles, roll choices, and cheese options that let them tailor orders.
Different Cheesesteak’esque sandwich #1176... the pretzel braid and Kielbasa cheesesteak were very good.
I got the chicken cheese steak; I like the option to choose between two different kinds of bread.
JD's Steaks LLC is a cheesesteak restaurant located at 3998 Penn Ave in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, along the Penn Avenue corridor that runs west out of Reading through Berks County. The kitchen specializes in Philadelphia-style steak sandwiches built to order, along with hand-cut fries, specialty sandwiches and a rotating set of house creations. The shop can be reached by phone at +1 610-370-7402.
The restaurant operates as a counter-service steak shop rather than a full-service sit-down establishment. Customers order at the register, the sandwich is cooked on the flat-top grill behind the counter, and food is either carried out or eaten in the dining room. That format keeps the focus where the owners want it: on the meat, the roll, the cheese and the speed at which a hot sandwich gets into a customer's hands.
The core of the menu is the steak sandwich in its various forms. Thin-sliced beef is chopped and griddled with onions, then combined with the customer's choice of cheese and roll. Both the cheese selection and the bread selection are treated as real decisions rather than afterthoughts, which is a defining feature of how JD's builds a sandwich. Options typically include sharp American-style cheese, provolone and a whiz-style sauce, and the shop keeps blended and spiced versions of these on hand for customers who want more heat or more tang.
Beyond the original beef steak, the menu runs through a lineup of variations that use chicken, cutlets, sausage and other proteins. Common configurations include:
The shop also runs numbered or named specials that change from time to time, giving regulars a reason to check what is new on the board. These limited builds often pair an unusual roll, such as a pretzel braid, with a nonstandard filling. For customers who prefer to stay with the classics, the standard steak with onions and cheese remains the anchor of the menu.
Portion size is a notable characteristic of the operation. Sandwiches are assembled generously, and the fry orders are sized to be shared. The fries are cut in house from whole potatoes rather than arriving frozen and pre-cut, which produces a different texture and a more variable shape than mass-produced fries.
JD's also produces pastelillos, the flaky, filled turnover-style pastries rooted in Puerto Rican cooking. Their presence alongside a Philadelphia steak menu reflects the actual food culture of the Reading area, where Puerto Rican and broader Latin American cooking traditions are woven into everyday eating. The pastelillos function as both a side and a snack and have become one of the items customers seek out specifically.
Dessert items are available as well, and catering is offered for groups, offices and events. Customers planning a larger order are advised to call ahead at the number listed above so the kitchen can prepare accordingly.
The dining room is small, casual and quiet, decorated with sports memorabilia and throwback jerseys that lean heavily toward Philadelphia teams. The effect is closer to a neighborhood sandwich shop than a themed chain restaurant: the collection reads as something assembled over time rather than installed by a designer. Seating is available indoors, and there is outdoor seating for warmer months. Dogs are permitted in the outdoor seating area.
The atmosphere suits solo diners, which is reflected in how the shop is used during the lunch hour. It also works for families. High chairs are available, there is a kids' menu, and the pace of counter service means children are not waiting long between ordering and eating. The restaurant is popular for both lunch and dinner.
Parking is one of the practical advantages of the Penn Avenue location. There is a free parking lot on site as well as free street parking nearby, which makes a quick takeout stop straightforward even at peak hours. The parking lot, the entrance and the seating area are all wheelchair accessible, and a restroom is available for customers.
Service options include dine-in and takeout. The restaurant does not operate its own delivery service, so orders are picked up at the counter or eaten on site. Payment is accepted by debit card, credit card and NFC mobile payment methods such as contactless phone and watch payments.
Calling ahead is a reasonable approach for anyone on a tight schedule or ordering for several people. Because each sandwich is cooked individually on the grill rather than assembled from pre-made components, large or complex orders take time, and a phone call lets the kitchen stage the work.
Sinking Spring sits just west of Reading in Berks County, and Penn Avenue is the main commercial route through the borough. The location draws from Sinking Spring itself as well as Wyomissing, West Lawn, Shillington, Spring Township and the surrounding western suburbs of Reading. It is also convenient for travelers moving along the Route 422 corridor between Reading and Lebanon County, and the shop sees a share of visitors passing through the region.
Several things set the operation apart from a generic sandwich counter. The first is the emphasis on components: house cheese blends, choice of roll, hand-cut potatoes and specific protein preparations rather than one-size-fits-all fillings. The second is the willingness to build sandwiches outside the standard Philadelphia canon, including Latin-influenced items and rotating specials. The third is the ownership presence. This is a small, owner-operated shop, and the person running it is generally on site and working the counter, which shapes both the food and the interaction customers have when they order.
For anyone in Berks County looking for a steak sandwich made to order, with real choices about bread and cheese, JD's Steaks LLC on Penn Avenue in Sinking Spring is set up to handle it, whether the order is one sandwich at the counter or a catering tray for a group.
County: Berks County
Phone: +1 610-370-7402
Website: Visit Website
4.7 out of 5 stars
Based on 171 reviews
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