Home of the original chicken cheesesteak, you should head across the street to Jim's for a real cheesesteak. Overpriced for chicken sandwiches, and I've never seen a place charge extra for lettuce and tomatoes until I visited this shop. Unsanitary food practices as well. Saw coworkers handling raw meat with their bare hands, and coughing without covering their mouths or even bothering to turn their heads away from the food they're preparing for customers. I'd much rather order food from a food cart, because it's the same dirty food but at least their pricing reflects the quality. read more

Food was delicious. My friend spilled her drink and one of the staff workers told us not to worry about it and cleaned up the mess, refilled her drink and even gave us more napkins and checked up on us to see if we needed anything. So sweet and nice. Definitely coming back here again. read more

My personal favorite cheesesteak spot when i visit philly, of course everybody has an opinion and this is mine, they are always consistent and that's also a big factor, I also heard Jims is the truth too but I have yet to go. read more

Cheeseburger was good. Took a little while to prepare it but it was great nonetheless. Saw a mouse that ran under my table and probably will never go there again. read more

Only get a few chances to get a real Philly Cheesesteak, a little disappointed in the meat. The bread was perfect, the whiz onions, peppers and mayo tied it all together but I expected better meat. I heard they have great chicken cheesesteaks and maybe the meat is a little better on the chicken. Got a hot dog and cheese fries for the kids and once again it was good but not $6 for small cheese fry or $3.50 hot dog good. The hot dog bun was stale and the fries are nothing more than cheap shoestring frozen fries. I'm in town for a few more hours and I have to try another cheesesteak to leave on a happy note. read more

I grew up in Philly and this place has, in my humble opinion, the best cheesesteak in the city. It is simply the most savory, large in size and flavor, and overall awesome cheesesteak I have ever had. read more

Friendly staff that simplified ordering. Couple of stools in very limited counter space.Had the standard cheesesteak with wiz. About a 10 in.soft roll with somewhat dry meat could have used more "fat" and cheese. Frozen unremarkable fast food fries with a medium fountain soft drink for 14.00. It was along ride to experience a better product for 1/2 the price in no. VA. read more

Doesn't remind me Of a philly chicken cheese steak ! Not a fan of chicly chicken meat precooked then finished to order !! read more

Very tasty cheesesteak here and friendly welcoming staff. They have a $10 minimum for credit cards, but didn't fuss over me charging a $9 cheesesteak. They say that the Cheese Wizz cheesesteak is their best. read more

Only been here for cheese fries and cheesesteaks. The cheese in the fries is salty but the little puddle that you get at the end of the cup always seem to depress me because now you know they are all gone. The cheesesteak is...well what you see is what you get. I'm not about all the different toppings, if you can't appreciate the simplicity then get out (not really...maybe). I can always come here knowing I will get a good steak. Of course, the seating is very limited but there is a new location a few blocks away which I have yet to visit. Go if you are a visitor aka tourist. read more

Great place for a cheesesteak. Juicy steak and chewy bread. Friendly staff too. Original ace is small and non-air conditioned. They now have a larger place just west of the original with more room. read more

Jim's is great and all, but honestly tourists - that line is not worth it when the Ish is across the street.

Now I go to philly often for appts and every time I slip away from my diet to come here! Best cheesesteaks this side of heaven. Cheese wiz is the icing on the cake! If your looking for the real thang do yourself a favor and park it here! read more

Excellent service, good food. I had the chicken cheesesteak and fries. Most excellent.

Not to familiar with philly steak restaurants but from what I had it was really good. Got a plain chickenphilly steak with wiz and mayo and it was the best one I've had. Granted my experience with philly steaks are again limited. The second location had a nice area to sit down in but it becomes crowded quickly and loud. The line takes a while to et through but mostly because the people who get up there wait til the last minute to look at a menu. The price was about what I'd expect for a place that sells the food that got its namesake from the city we were in. If they could find a way to expedite the line and get the food up faster that would give it a five read more

I had many cheese-steaks but this Ishkabibbles Eatery makes the best with JIM cheeses steak line across the street so long around the corner i didn't have patience to wait for that LINE, so i try out the Ishkabibbles Eatery the sandwich were Huge but delicious, staff is prompt and respect and kind.. It was worth every penny.. I want them to know they are doing a good job as a visitor to Philly I would definitely eat there again when I visited Philly again:) read more

The Philly Cheese Steaks were really good. I had a BLT myself and my sister & nieces had the Philly but I did take a bite and it was one of the best I had tasted. Now the drink "Gremlin" was awesome. We all had the Grape/lemonade one and that's what it was called. I would recommend Ishkabibbles. There were 2 locations. The one that David B. mentioned in his review was the walkup to order with only a few chairs, but about 2 blocks up from it was the restaurant one with Air Conditioner and a lot more tables. ***** ( 5 stars) read more

I only go here for the Cheese Fries and Gremlin Drink after that i go across the street to jims amd get me a Cheesesteak. But the Cheese fries and drinks are great! I dont like there steaks the meat is very tough. read more

If you're looking for a good Philly cheesesteak LOOK NO FURTHER This place is hands down the BEST

I didn't want to get embroiled in some kind of Philly culture war; I just wanted a cheesesteak. And these were really good. We tried a chicken cheesesteak and a beef one, both with cheese whiz (wiz?) I thought the chicken was better, and I topped it with onions, which were delicious on their own really. There was very little seating and no AC, but that seemed to be the norm along this street. I can't give any comparisons because these were the only cheesesteaks I tried, but I really liked them! read more

So I went to Ish II (the one on south street) & it was absolutely trash. It's own by asians and they weren't friendly or welcoming and were very pushy. Not to mention, a friend that used his debit card there got his card skimmed and ppl were charging shit to his account, but that's not the worst part. The platters were WILD EXPENSIVE. I'm born and raised in Philly and I know it's sorta a touristy spot but $16 for a half assed cheese steak and boring ass fries?!? Really? So beyond all of that, they were incorrectly making "Philly" cheesesteaks in Philly - blasphemy. So when I saw the dopey white kid incorrectly making Philly cheesesteak I decided (as a Philly Native) to give him a Pro Tip: once the meat is done, you place the cheese (whiz included) on top of the meat, let it sizzle, then put the bread on top of that and FLIP it over. This fool, had been randomly smushing the meat and cheese around and then casually throwing it on a dry ass roll. This is NOT how a Philly cheesesteak is made. You are miseducating & overcharging tourists on Philly Cheesesteaks - IN PHILLY! UNACCEPTABLE. So when I got through giving his them pro tip he proceeds to say "oh, but if I do that the ppl will say I didn't put any cheese on it" NOT PHILADELPHIANS I responded. And I said if they want extra cheese then you can add it on top for special effects. I asked for SaltPepperKetchup (yes in philly that's one word) ON my fries and of course they give me salt & ketchup packets. And lastly, it WASNT EVEN CHEAP OR SATISFYING. Do yourself a favor go to Jims steaks on south street or in west Philly, Max's in north (Erie ave) or D'lessandro's in Rox. This place should be shut down. I know you're thinking, your from there, why were you even in there... I was working in South Philly that day and we wanted to sit and eat well sitting was all I did. I was better of giving that $16 to a homeless guy and eating when I got home. Smh. #DontEatHere #MrProTip read more

My most recent cheesesteak travels brought me to Ishakibbles II. For those of you who don't know, a second Ishakibbles opened up a few blocks down from the original at 5th and South. For my first experience, I wanted to go to the original, but due to lack of time and it being closer, I settled for the Deuce. It features a ton of seating, unlike the first one from what I've heard. The downside of the larger one is it lacks that true cheesesteak joint feel to it. On a positive note, you're still getting the same food. For years, I've heard about this place every once in a while, but it always managed to slip my mind. For some reason, it seems like it's on that "second tier" of great cheesesteaks so it flies a bit under the radar. This is by no means a bad thing! I had my cheesesteak wit whiz and fried onions. I wish I hadn't waited so long! The steak is chopped up and I'm only saying this because for some, that matters. I personally don't mind either way how it is prepared because it's all about the taste. It had a decent amount of steak on it, not a lot, but certainly not small enough where I was disappointed. The amount of whiz on it was more than enough and overpowered the sandwich a tad. As for the onions, there was a perfect amount on it to give it the appropriate complimentary taste to the steak. Now, onto the roll. I saved the best part of the sandwich for last. As with any sandwich, the bread will always make or break it. The roll was an amazing blend of hard and soft and even had these beautiful ridges in the top where the bread started to split apart while baking making it aesthetically pleasing to the eye. A perfect size as it encompassed all of the steak allowing for minimal spillage. It was so good I had to ask them where they get their bread. It comes from the popular bakery Liscio's (I have to give credit where credit is due!). The only downside of my lunch was the fries. They were advertised on their menu as "Award Winning Best Fries". I'm not sure which award this was or who sponsored it, but these fries were mediocre at best. There wasn't anything special to them and were quite standard. If you're gonna put that kind of claim on something, you gotta come strong with it! Lastly, I washed my food down with an intriguing beverage known as "The Gremlin". Apparently, if you come here you have to try it. Who wouldn't try it with a name like that? I should have probably asked if there were any special rules that went along with drinking it. The Gremlin is simply a half grape flavored drink and half lemonade. It was fantastic! If you take one thing from this review, just make sure you get The Gremlin. All in all, the cheesesteak was delicious and could very well compete for a spot on my personal Top 10 list. I highly recommend it if you're on South Street, give this a try instead of Jim's--better yet, do the taste test! read more

went there for the first time over 20 years, exactly the chicken cheese steak i remember and grew up on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes!!! fantastic!!! will be back again, hopefully sooner that 20 years lol read more

this place is super small and finding a spot to sit is near impossible unless your timing is perfect. they have a walk up window which is the way to go if its a nice day. they have the best chicken cheesesteak in the city if you ask me...and your reading my review so technically you are asking me. big chunks of chicken. you don't see that to often. the thing should be called the "super ishka chunky chicken cheesesteak from heaven on south st" read more

South street greasy spoon. Over-hyped. Our chicken was dry as bone but again it was late at night so the dynamics of food service could change quite a bit. Left us a bit disappointed. read more

The food is great, as always. However, the service needs work! I ordered food for my friend (whom was visiting from out of town) and I around 2AM and the Asian women informed us that they were closing so we could not dine in, fine. We proceeded to leave, and I asked to use the restroom. I was told the bathroom was closed. I find it incredibly rude to deny a customer the right to use the restroom. I am a Philly native and I've been to this location many times and bring out-of-towners here often as well. I WILL NOT BE COMING BACK! read more

Hands down the best french fries I have ever had.... ever.... which says much considering they are my favorite food. I have never had a cheesesteak/chicken steak here but based on the reviews and frequent long lines I imagine that they are delicious. Some of my friends at school swear by their breakfast sandwiches as well. If you are on South St. I believe that this place is worth checking out. The staff is considerably more pleasant and accommodating then a lot of other restaurants in that neighborhood. read more

their gremlin drink is quite an oddity but it is the perfect concoction nonetheless (plus it is an instant cure for cotton mouth that makes you feel like theres a desert in your mouth). fries are pretty rad and its quite inexpensive. read more

The cheesesteak is the most iconic meal in the great city of Philadelphia, and ishkabibbles is the best place to enjoy it. From the excellent service to the wonderful workers to the world famous Ishkabibbles signature drink the Gremlin. The Gremlin a grape juice and lemonade drink. It's the perfect drink to wash down the amazing cheesesteak. Location is prime as it is located on the iconic South Street just a few minutes walk from Center City. This is a must stop on your Cheesesteak tour in Philadelphia. Gordon Ramsey would kill for this beauty of a cheesesteak. 10/10. read more

Best cheesesteak in philly! Skip the tourist trap across the street and go to Ishkabibbles. Every chance I get to go back home this is a must. read more

I gave this place two stars because of the portion size. From the moment we walked in I wanted to walk back out & find somewhere else to get a cheesesteak. I was in town for my daughter's prom so we came for lunch. 4 of us in a group. The seating arrangements are not good at all. This place is tiny & should only be used as a take out spot. We were trying to place our orders with the man and he got irritated when we asked what toppings they had. And he was rushing us when we were the only people in the establishment, Shortly after, two gentlemen did walk in & place an order.The woman cooking the fries almost burned them. The grill person stands across from the counter style table with stools & makes so much noise chopping the steak you can't enjoy your food. Then as we're waiting eating up our fries that were ready eat before our sandwiches the grill guy makes the sandwiches for the two guys that ordered after us first. The mushrooms are from a can or jar not fresh at all. AND I saw the guy making chicken cheese steak and the chicken was huge chunks and instead of it being grilled it looked more like it was steamed. The flavor was ok but I wouldn't go back. Service also means a lot to me. read more

always stop here when in philly. hard to find a good cheesesteak put this spot hits the nail on the head every time. ishkabibbles, you never disappoint!! read more

First time having Philadelphia cheesesteak and I'm glad my first experience was at this place! The place was pretty crowded when I got there so that was a sign that I picked a good place. The wait for the food was a bit long, let me tell you, it was well worth it! My cheesesteak sub was greasy, flavorful, and delicious. It had ketchup, mayo, American cheese and roasted peppers. It was so good. I don't think I can give any other place a try. This joint will be my go-to for Philadelphia cheesesteak. read more

Absolute worst sub shop I have ever been to. Plenty of other places in the area to go to. Prices are high and the good quality is poor.

At first sight, this place is small and is not an Italian atmosphere; however, don't judge a book by it's cover. My visit to Philadelphia was very short, but very refreshing. People were nice, saying "Good morning " and just such a wonderful visit. Before I left from home, I had to have a cheesesteak! My daughter said Genos is good, but lets go to Iskabibbles.. not sure where the name came from, but the Chicken Cheesesteak was amazing, and delicious fries. Now that was worth it. Really wish they were in AZ. read more

Amazing cheesesteaks. Bread is very soft and tasty. Prices are very cheap for the quality of the sandwich. Miles better than Pats, Gino's, or Jims across the street read more

pretty decent fries. not much else is vegan on the menu though. open late.

We were looking for a place to have our first hoagie ever. Google suggested a restaurant close to this one but when we got there it didn't look crowded enough. Then we found this one on yelp. This is one of those hole in the wall places with finger licking awesome food. We got a flounder hoagie and an Italian hoagie. Both were the best we have tried in Philly. But the flounder is amongst the top sandwiches we tried anywhere. Great food. Too bad we're leaving Philly soon. read more

First things first, I never understood why there's always a tiny stand that offers delicious and flavorful cheesesteaks like ten feet from a Jim's steaks. Weird. Anyway, I feel like Ishkabibble's cheese fries are a definitive part of my teenagerdom. People always seem to associate trade mark Philly food adventures with the experience, and are always quick to reference the experience of going to Genos or Pats in the wee hours as a staple Philadelphia escapade. Well my experience growing up included hitting up this pink and yellow molecule of a resturant that has maybe ten or twelve stools and a counter to sit at. Outside is the noisy South St. crowd and directly across the street is a hype for some show at the TLA. The sounds and smells of grilling meat and piping hot fries are inescapeable, and you're surrounded by autographed framed head shots of local stars and acts that stopped by to grab a bite. Weekends meant delicious cheese fries and cheese steaks (or the famous ishkacheesesteak). This is the experience of eating at Ishkabibbles, and I would put it above any cliched Geno's trip any day. read more

nope, i didn't check out geno's or pat's or jim's because i was looking for a chicken cheese steak. so after wandering south street, i found it...ishkabibble's! let me warn you, these sandwiches are HUGEEEEE. i couldn't even finish half of it (but i did because it was soo good). we got the buffalo chicken with the blue cheese dressing on the side....i highly recommend it! very flavorful!! i also tried the cheese fries which was also really good, though i wish i had it w/ the cheese whiz. next time! heads up: this place is TINY so you might have to eat outside! read more