More than 1,000 people lined up in Fishtown for Japan’s most-famous cheesesteak
People waited in line for hours for Kosuke and Tomomi Chujo's Nihonbashi Philly cheesesteak pop-up at Liberty Kitchen. All 300 sandwiches sold out, but another pop-up will give people a second chance.
More than 1,000 people crowded Fishtown’s Liberty Kitchen on Wednesday night to try a cheesesteak never before served in Philadelphia: the Tokyo cheesesteak.
Kosuke and Tomomi Chujo, the husband-and-wife team behind Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Philly, brought their take on the Philly classic to the city that inspired it. The one-night event, hosted in collaboration with Liberty Kitchen, served 300 of their coveted cheesesteaks to eager fans — some of whom showed up hours early.
Fans began lining up two hours before Liberty Kitchen co-founder Matt Budenstein opened the doors at 5 p.m. By the time service started, the line stretched down the block. Those who arrived at or after opening walked away empty-handed.
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“We never imagined so many people would come to our pop-up like that,” Tomomi Chujo said.
The Chujos, known for their love of Philadelphia culture, have gained recognition in Japan for their Philly-style cheesesteaks — and were officially honored by Philadelphia City Council with a ceremonial resolution Thursday morning. The resolution, thanking them for their passion and efforts in promoting the city abroad, was introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad for AAPI Heritage Month.
This week marked the first time the Chujos have served their signature sandwich stateside.
Two longtime fans, Diego Berrones and Zamon Ahmed, who have visited Nihonbashi Philly in Japan, got to enjoy the Chujo cheesesteak again — a sandwich they both rank among the top three they’ve had in Philadelphia.
“I think the best part was the cheese and the meat. The rolls are great, too, and they make it themselves every day,” Ahmed said.
Vee and Darrien Phommachak snagged one of the final sandwiches just minutes before the pop-up sold out shortly before 8 p.m. “It’s a great cheesesteak, but it’s a little different from a classic Philly cheesesteak,” Vee said. Darrien agreed.
For the event, Tomomi baked her signature rolls, which are modeled after South Philly’s Sarcone’s Bakery, using the ovens at Fishtown’s Lost Bread Co.
The $18 sandwich featured shaved ribeye from KP’s Fine Meats, a choice of New School Whiz or Cooper Sharp cheese, and optional toppings like fried onions, banana peppers, pickled long hots, Duke’s mayo, Hobbs hot sauce, and hoagie relish ketchup.
Liberty Kitchen head chef Beau Neidhardt said serving 300 cheesesteaks in three hours is the kind of volume that South Philly cheesesteak joints are used to. While Neidhardt is no newcomer to viral sandwiches — Liberty Kitchen’s kale Caesar chicken cutlet hoagie became so popular on TikTok they ran out of bread over a weekend — he’s never seen a turnout like Wednesday’s.
In Tokyo, the Chujos typically sell about 50 cheesesteaks a day. Wednesday’s frenzy left them in awe. “Something like this wouldn’t happen in Japan,” Tomomi said. “I’m so impressed by the people that came out. I was crying.”
One more chance to try the Tokyo cheesesteak
The Chujos will host one final pop-up during their Philly trip on Monday, May 5, from 5 to 10 p.m., at Yanaga Kappo Izakaya, as part of a Northern Liberties block party.
Only 100 cheesesteaks will be available, and they’re expected to be gone really quickly.
This time, the couple will prepare an Asian fusion version of their Tokyo cheesesteak in honor of the late Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka, founder of Rittenhouse’s Japanese restaurant Zama, who died in December.
The event also features collaborations with ESO Ramen, Neighborhood Ramen, Mawn, and Zama.