Cheesesteaks are a staple in the city of Philadelphia, and so too is the endless debate about where to get the best one. We researched a variety of local Philadelphia magazines, news outlets and recommendations from Philadelphia natives to identify the top cheesesteaks shops in the city.
For this week’s review, the target was Ishkabibble’s, one of the city’s most notorious shops. Beyond its popular name, Ishkabibble’s established itself as the go-to spot for legendary lyricist and Philadelphia native, Meek Mill. Ishkabibble’s has two locations in Center City both on South Street, separated by just two blocks.
Ishkabibble’s holds its own as one of Philly’s most well known establishments, yet it has never been able to crack the highest ranks with counterparts Dalessandro’s, Pat’s and Geno’s. Due to constantly playing second fiddle to the city’s highest tier of shops, Ishkabibble’s and its celebrity endorsement have much to prove.
On a crowded and beautiful Sunday afternoon, each customer was decked out in Eagles gear as we stood in line at the shop’s window. The shop’s service window showed the customers many different options of cheeses, sides and even flavored drinks.
After ordering the steak the classic way with cheese whiz and fried onions, the sight of a full and balanced steak and cheese filled role was a beautiful one. Although the appearance of the steak was amazing, the amazement only lasted until we tried the cheesesteak. With our first few bites, it was clear that this sandwich was average at best.
The sandwich’s most dissatisfying quality was that the chewy meat had zero taste at all. We were confused about what the steak was missing until we realized it lacked seasoning. The best way to describe the taste of the sandwich would be cardboard, just bland flavorless box material. Because the sandwich tasted like absolutely nothing, we were left seeking more.
Outside of the steak’s flavor, the cheese’s flavor was also questionable. At first, it appeared to be thick and tasty, but when we tasted it, we were sadly mistaken. The cheese whiz tasted like cheese whiz served at your local little league field snack bar. This thick, slimy paste absolutely destroyed our stomachs, leaving nothing but pain and disappointment behind it.
In Meek’s hit single, “Millidelphia,” he is known for the famous lyric “for the love of the city.” We respond by saying Meek, for the love of the cheesesteak community, please choose somewhere else to go.
Rating: 3.9 out of 10
