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McNally’s Tavern exudes history — not only in the dark wood bar and its old-school style, but in its customers, with half the room grabbing a beer there for decades.
The century-old family run pub is a Chestnut Hill staple best known for its Schmitter sandwich — a cheesesteak variation with a bonus of onions, tomatoes, cheese, and salami on a Kaiser roll. Sisters Anne and Meg are the fourth McNally generation to run the pub, which began in 1921.
“It’s like a home away from home for some people,” said Anne McNally. “There’s nothing like Chestnut Hill and the community here.”
McNally’s may not be flashy, but to many, it’s home. Like Robertson’s Flowers or Kilian Hardware — it’s become a living landmark on Germantown Avenue.
“We have a lot of people who just got engaged or are celebrating engagements or babies, weddings, with a lot of people who call in their wedding gowns and say, ‘Can we stop in. It’s such an important part of our lives,’” Anne said.
Still, you don’t need to be a local or a McNally’s die-hard to come by and try the food. Anne noted that the Schmitter continues to draw customers.
“The Schmitter has a life of its own,” Anne said. “We sell a lot of Schmitters — every day I’m grateful for Schmitters.”
The celebrated sandwich was created by Anne’s father, Hugh McNally, in the mid 1960s. Like many important modern discoveries, the recipe happened by chance.
“Back then, we were open from 6 a.m. till 2 a.m.” Anne explained. “There was a guy named Dennis Krenech, who worked in the ER at Chestnut Hill Hospital. And one night, he came in and said to my dad, you know, ‘do you have any pizza sauce?’… He wanted a sauce on his cheesesteak.”
The problem was that McNally’s did not, and does not serve pizza, so no marinara was on hand. (For that, you can head a few doors down to Cosmo’s.) Luckily, Hugh McNally figured he could make his own sauce. He had mayo, relish and ketchup, and decided to mix them together.
Voila, the first Schmitter was born!
“Dennis drank Schmidt’s beer, so that’s how it got its name, Schmitter, from Schmidt’s beer,” Anne said. “A lot of people come and think it’s because of Mike Schmidt, you know, from the Phillies, but it’s not.”
Although there is no Mike Schmidt connection, the sandwich has become celebrated across the city. For years, McNally’s partnered with Citizens Bank Park and the Linc, serving Schmitter’s at the stadiums.
“We were at the Phillies and we were at the Eagles, and we had great experiences with both of them,” Anne said. Still, she believes the sandwiches could lose a bit of their magic sitting out under a heat lamp for too long.
“There’s nothing like sitting at a table, sitting at the bar, and your sandwich is made in front of you a minute or two after coming off the grill,” she said. “Any sandwich you wrap and take out is still great, but it’s not the same as eating it here — the vibe, the walls, it’s just different.”
What’s more, regulars know that the Schmitter is not the only delectable sandwich worth ordering off the menu. The tavern is also celebrated for its chicken cheesesteaks, its year-round gobbler (The Dickens), as well as their turkey, roast beef and ham sandwiches. Kids can enjoy a classic peanut butter and jelly, as the tavern doesn’t have a fryer for chicken fingers. Plus, for dessert if you have room, it’s worth checking out the coconut cake. (And even if you don’t have room, you can still take a slice home.)
Anne is grateful that McNally’s customers have been so loyal throughout the years. She understands that not everyone is going to get the tavern’s old-school vibe, but staying trendy was never the goal. If you happen to walk in — don’t be afraid to strike up conversation.
“For everybody, they have a special place that brings back good memories,” Anne said. “And for a lot of people, that’s McNally’s.”
