Arby’s Review: Italian Beef Dip
This one leans a lot more into that “heavier sandwich” category, and right away you can tell it’s built around the beef more than anything else.
Visually, it’s pretty straightforward. You’ve got a long bun packed with sliced beef, usually with melted cheese, and served with a side of au jus for dipping. It doesn’t try to look fancy — it’s very much about what’s inside.
The first bite without dipping gives you a good sense of the base flavour. The beef is the main focus, and it’s seasoned enough to stand on its own. It’s not overly strong, but it has that savoury, slightly salty profile you’d expect.
The bread plays a bigger role than you might think. It’s soft but sturdy enough to hold everything together, which matters once you start dipping.
Then comes the au jus, which is really what defines this sandwich. Once you dip it, the whole thing changes. The bread soaks up the juice, the beef becomes more tender, and everything gets that deeper, richer flavour.
That dipping element is what makes it stand out. Without it, it’s just a solid roast beef sandwich. With it, it becomes something more layered and a lot more satisfying.
Texture-wise, you get soft bread, thin sliced beef, and then that added moisture from the au jus, which keeps it from feeling dry.
The only downside is that once you start dipping, it can get messy pretty quickly. The bread softens a lot, so it’s definitely not something you’re eating neatly.
Portion-wise, it’s filling without being overwhelming. It sits right in that middle ground where it’s satisfying but not too heavy.
Overall, it’s not flashy, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to.
Final Verdict:
A simple, savoury sandwich that’s elevated by the au jus. The dipping is what makes it worth it.