Located in an industrial section of south Seattle, Elo’s Philly Grill is basically a hole-in-the-wall. A faux-woodgrained, worn-linoleum, hole-in-a-wall that is covered in positively awful art. I was taught to not judge a book by its cover. I also don’t judge by an angry owner who doesn’t want me to take pictures and won’t tell me her name. But here’s what matters to me… far from being a fan of the Philly cheesesteak which I’ve generally found to have a gritty texture, I am a fan of the Boston cheesesteak that I grew up with. Usually made in Italian pizza shops all over the Boston area, it’s a perfectly balanced steak and cheese sub, filled with freshness and flavor. I have search high and low in Seattle, and Elo’s Philly Grill is the only place that approximates what I miss from home. I can’t speak for ANY of the other food on the menu other than this: I order a Steak, Cheese and Mushroom sub with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and raw onions. Then before the proprietor wraps it in foil, i give it a good shake of salt and pepper. A little olive oil would be nice too to approximate home, but that’s not to be had at Elo’s. The sandwich needs to be eaten quickly. It only has a shelf life of 3-5 minutes, so I wouldn’t do take out. It’s balanced, it’s flavorful, it’s warm, it’s hearty, it’s a steak sandwich like they still make back in Brookline, Massachusetts where I grew up. And it’s delicious. (Feel free to get cooked onions, remove the mayo, add peppers if you must, but stay close to my formula for the best results.)