Portillo's Hot Dogs
Categories: Hot Dogs, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River North100 W Ontario St
(between Clark St & La Salle Dr)
Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 587-8910
- Nearest Transit:
Grand (Red)
Merchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
26 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
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261 Reviews for Portillo's Hot Dogs
This place has so much different kinds of food that it can be overwhelming. We came here with a mission and that is to try some Chicago style dogs. They didn't disappoint. Spacious, quick, and efficient, the place is a good place for a quick bite before heading out for a night in town. Definitely a place to check out when you're in the city.
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Two words: BIG BEEF! A magical 9-inch sub filled willed luscious, tender Italian beef!
Three more words: BACON DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER! As good as a burger gets. What the patty lacks in juiciness that many a gourmet burgers provide, this one packs a whollop with the yummy bacon and American cheese!
Can be hectic ordering, waiting in line for your number to be called, etc., and the tourists not knowing what anything is or how the place operates can be a bit frustrating.
But the good is good eats!
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BEST breaded chicken sandwiches in the city!! They are huge and so good. I love eating in, on the patio or coming to get takeout. I also really enjoy the french fries with cheese! Yum!! Thats all I've eaten at this one...a HUNDRED times I swear but it's good every time!
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The fabulous lunch adventures of Annie T. and Matt E. continued this week going with a Chicago favorite of Portillo's. Annie T. and her knowledge of all things lunch thought it be the perfect place for a quick unhealthy bite. When we first arrived I was amazed by the decor and ambiance. What a well designed restaurant, the theme itself impressed me.
When it came time to pick a line we put our blinders on and pretended the salad section didn't even exist. We were here for good ol greasy good, and lettuce wasn't going to cut it. We both got the Chicken Croissant breaded of course with some delish cheese fries. Once we devoured this fried piece of heaven we decided we had a small amount of room for dessert. We went right back up for the chocolate cake shake. I don't even like chocolate and I couldn't stop slurping it up, ever taste better than the last.
Im from Michigan and miss the days of coney island. This place is the closest Ive come to it here in Chicago. The food is unhealthy but life is short, live a little and treat yourself once in awhile. Plus don't be a fool get the shake, there is no way that running for forty minutes to burn it off isn't worth every drop of it. Stay tuned for the next adventure.
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While I am on a rant about Chi-town, I have to mention Portillo's. This is a staple if you are an out-of-towner. Here you find out what an Italian Beef is supposed to taste like. I always get mine dipped ith hot peppers. messy, but delicious. The only reason I am taking a star is I hate the decor. The fifties/sixties thing is lame. The food totally makes up for it though.
If you like your sugar with cereal, then the chocolate cake milkshake is for you. Unfortunately, I'm a coffee with cream, no sugar kinda girl and the chocolate cake shake so many people suggested was way too sweet for me. I did like the icy consistency, though. Next time, I'll stick with chocolate.
But what you really wanted to hear about was the Italian beef sandwich, right? Well, it was good. I got it dipped with hot peppers, which was messy to eat, but tasty until the end, where the bread is super soggy and turns into goo. I threw that away, but didn't miss those last few bites of bread anyway. I was there for meat and meat juices.
The fries were well-fried, crispy with a good french fry flavor, and didn't seem overly greasy. Let's put it this way, I saw the flagship McDonald's as I walked out of Portillo's, and I didn't regret not getting my fries from McD's.
I'll probably come back here again for the beef and fries. Maybe I'll try one of the breaded chicken sandwiches, too.
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This what you call NOT a real Chicago hot dog. I have had more edible hot dogs boiled at a children's party.
A) They are not served with the proper toppings (ie celery salt, hot pepers, pickles)
B) They have always been sitting around for a while by the time they serve them
C) They habitually under cook their fries
D) Its a chain. Really, in Chicago -- the home of the world's best hot dogs -- you couldn't do better than go to a chain?? Seriously???
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I am not a beef person, I try not to make a habit to going to restauraunts like Portillo's, but this is just one of those few places where I go ahead and break all my rules.
If you are going here, just do it right. Clog as many arteries as you can! Get the Italian beef with the peppers stuffed in there, get the fries and for the love of god; get the chocolate cake shake!
The food is really good enough to indulge in every now and then, it is one of those places where you love and hate yourself for doing it. Fuck McCdonalds, if you are going to block the passage of blood to your heart you best do it with Portillo's.
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I like this place its not expensive and the food is good. The big cheeseburger was like 3 or 4 bucks and the chocolate cake shake MmmmmMmmm......the polish sausage sandwhich is also amazing, the fries mmmmMMm...I like the inside too there are plenty of memorabilia hangin around. Even al capones death certificate I love vintage stuff. Yes to this place...
A solid lunch spot. Huge, so you can always find a table, and the assembly-line operation assures a quick turnaround. The menu is so diverse (supplemented by Barnelli's-- whose menu I prefer).
If I'm craving grease, the Portillo's cheeseburger hits the spot. However, I'm usually a sucker for either the Chicken Caprese panini (lots of fresh mozzarella and pesto) or the Chicken Pecan salad (WARMED honey dijon dressing) from the Barnelli's side.
Oh, and warning: the chocolate cake is insanely good. We order it for every employee's birthday at our office! The not-so-secret ingredient, mayonnaise, is what makes it so moist.
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This is my go-to lunch spot when I was too lazy to pack one that morning. Although I do not eat hotdogs, here ate 3 reasons to visit:
1) unlike some reviews, I enjoy the Italian beef with hot peppers. It is so juicy and delicious. I can only imagine how much closer I am to a heart attack post consumption.
2) if you're feeing naughty, get some cheese fries to compliment your sandwich or dog. They are simply irresistable, and I consider myself a cheese fries junkie.
3) now, if you really want to play naughty, order a CHOCOLATE CAKE SHAKE. They blend all the goodness of a vanilla shake but kick it up with a piece of their devilishly good and infamous chocolate cake. The outcome is an unexpected, but pleasing texture. The best is when you get a chunk of the frosting... Mmmmm, naughty.
Anyways, I don't advise eating here everyday as you'll probably end up in a food coma, but definitely a nice treat every now and again.
Chocolate Cake Shake.
How I dream of you.
I get you thrice a year.
And each time brings me closer to Nirvana.
I require moar of these.
It seems to me that most Chinese people that I know in chicago, particularly those that grew up in China, think italian beef is the best thing ever invented. To begin with, chinese take their food very seriously, and as more chinese are moving to the US to work, they (we) are exploring Chicago food in intense detail. In china, cows are much better used for farming purposes and it is rare for a cow to be eaten (we prefer pigs actually). It seems wasteful to raise cows for eating.
i don't know how many times I am talking to someone from the motherland and when talking about food, that there is fervor akin to nationalism about a sandwich.
Coming to chicago I was totally blown away by italian beefs, especially with how intense the beef is, how much is actually stuffed in their and the great flavour with hot peppers.
so portillos delivers some pretty good italian beef and I guess some people tell me its a historical chicago chain (like potbellys but without the VC money).
I think that this fascination with the italian beef is the reason why the Chinese consulate in Chicago is situated just one block north of Portillos on Erie.
Just another example of chinese nationals buying up name-brand american products. ;o) not a sovereign wealth fund perhaps, but indeed it is hard to stop the force of the chinese wallet, especially when it comes to vital resources like oil and italian beef.
As I count down the days to my annual Chicago trip, I've been doing a mental inventory of my go-to and never-again-go-to places. Sorry, Portillo's, but you're on the latter list.
Admittedly, your Chicago dog was decent, but it really wasn't any better than Gold Coast's, which is faster, hotter and served much more efficiently. No, the thing that put you on the no-go list was the cheesy beef. Should I blame the cabbie who recommended it? Maybe. But is it really his fault that the thing looked like an open wound? I'm quite the carnivore, but even I was mildly horrified. And somehow, despite its distinctive look, it managed to taste completely forgettable. I took a photo of it and everyone I showed it to gasped, and not in a good way.
Side note: The cabbie schooled me...when I got in and asked to be taken to "PortiYos", he said "This isn't California...it's pronounced "PortiLos". Two stars for the memory.
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This is a reliable spot for relatively inexpensive and tasty Chicago hot dogs and italian beef. The only thing I would criticize about the Chicago Dog fixings is that they don't use the neon green relish. I love that stuff!
The other item that I have had there that I enjoy quite a bit is the chopped salad at Barnelli's. The dressing is pretty good as are the ingredients which include a small amount of pasta, among other things.
I also appreciate the fact that they have a decent selection of beer for a hot dog joint.
All in all, a decent spot for a hot dog and a salad. Not my favorite, but decent.
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It's hard to believe that this is the ONLY Portillo's in the city of Chicago. Anyone who has ventured outside the city know that there are several locations in the 'burbs. From Arlington Heights to Willowbrook, we all know how popular Portillo's is in the Chicagoland area.
I have to admit that I've never set foot in this location because they have a great drive-thru service. Their drive-thru helped us avoid the tourist trap inside. They have the best char-broiled cheeseburgers, Chicago-style hot dogs, Maxwell Street Polish sausages, and Italian Beef sandwiches. They also have awesome milkshakes and smoothies.
This is one of our favorite places to go to when we're downtown, especially before we catch a movie at the AMC. Vegetarians beware, this place is all about the MEAT.
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I recently got to try their beef & cheddar crossiant sandwich.
Fan-freakin-tastic!!
Yeah, I could feel my arteries clogging up but so what?
Greasy yummy goodness.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/22/2008
Update: Ventured out and tried the BBQ chicken salad. Don't make the same mistake I made! It was… Read more »
This is a nice inexpensive place where you can choose from an assortment of good food that Chicago is known for. Pizza, Italian beef, ribs, it's a smorgasbord of food delights.
I chose a half rack of ribs and LOVED each and every one of them. The meat fell off the bone and the sauce was great. My only regret was that I didn't order a full rack.
If you want cheap eats and some good gut-sticking meat, definitely check this place out.
Wow, I love them burgers. I CAN'T RECALL A BURGER THAT HAS SATISFIED MY CRAVING THIS MUCH.. I felt like I was at a really good barbecue. I know they are known for hot dogs and such but I am the type to order what I like and stick to it. Maybe I'll try something else but the burgers were juicy and tasted homemade
If you're looking for fast food, it doesn't get any better than Portillo's.
Their cheeseburger is the best fast food cheeseburger you'll ever have. They serve Vienna Beef hot dogs which are, as every Chicagoan knows, the only hot dog worth eating. Cheese fries, shakes, chocolate cake. AND they have the best chopped salad around. I'm going to make a confession- the last couple years, when I go to Portillo's, I usually order the chopped salad. Lame, I know. But it's just so delicious.
Portillo's is your best bet if you're stuck in that touristy near north area. Also, just a short walk from the Loop.
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Portillo's serves its purpose: A convenient, fast, decent location for "Chicago" foods - hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. The hot dogs and the Italian beef sandwiches aren't the best in the city - far from it - but they are good and they aren't outrageously priced. Plus, the counter service is remarkably efficient. You can easily get in and out of Portillo's in a half hour or less. As a final bonus you can get a "schooner" of decent beer for 3.75 plus tax.
I had a hankering for a real Chicago dog...what I got was a wet bun filled with sport peppers, diced onions, sliced tomato, mustard, and a skinny boiled dog sandwiched sloppily on the aforementioned wet poppy seed bun. Awesome.....I've had better dogs in places that looked like a roach motel.
I dug the whole - everything under the sun menu and efficient drive thru, but the dog was a real trash heap. The onion rings and lemonade were average fare.
Maybe i need to try something more generic like a burger or bowl of pasta, or salad next time...its like a drive thru Cheesecake Factory!
As you can see on my profile if I were on death row and asked what I wanted for my last meal it would definitely be Portillo's beef sandwich with hot peppers and a medium fry.There's just something about how the grease drips down your hand as you take the first bite or the burning sensation of the hot peppers in your mouth but it has got to be my all-time favorite food. Other than the beef sandwich, hot dogs, cheeseburger, broiled chicken sandwich, Portillos also has some awesome salads. My top pick is the chopped salad and the next would be the chicken caesar. The chocolate cake and strawberry shortcake are also a tasty treat. No doubt in my mind, Portillo's is a 5 star. I'd give it 6 stars if I could!
Just to prove my love for Portillo's further I will share a semi embarassing moment with you all. If you've ever been to a Portillo's drive-through you'll know that you get your order ticket number slapped on your windshield. It's their way of keeping all the hunger madness under some type of systematic control. Anyway, I pulled up in my car all ready to place my order and the guy comes up and removes the previous ticket number from my *last visit* off my windshield, slapped on the new ticket number, and was like "Do you come here often?" Yes, what can I say. I'm a true Portilllo's fan.
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I don't hide the fact that I despise Portillo's and have done so for many years. I remember when they had just a handful of locations and they actually piled the beef high on their beef sandwiches. I remember a time when they actually produced a great beef. I used to heart Portillo's. However, as time progressed and Portillo's grew I feel that the portion size and quality have been on the decline. I feel like they have spent more money on throwback wall art and hanging vintage cars from their ceilings than maintaining the integrity of the product that the empire was built on. All this "atmosphere" is completely lost on me. I really just want a big juicy meaty "Beef". That sounded a bit wrong, but it's true. Having said all that, on Saturday night I decided to revisit my old flame Portillo's.
On my way home Saturday night I pulled into the drive thru and placed my order. I like the fact that you don't talk into a speakered sign, but instead your order is taken by an actual human being. Well, he has a speaker connected to him, but at least you place your order face to face. I ordered the Big Beef with natural gravy and sweet peppers, a Regular Fry, and a Large Root Beer no ice. The minute I walked through my front door the bag was being torn opened and the beef taken out of its plastic sleeve. The beef was of good size and well dressed with sweet peppers. It was actually good! As were the fries! For all these years I have resented Portillo's for selling out, yet here I was eating a perfectly yummy beef that this "corporate monster sellout" produced. Has my love affair with Portillo's been rekindled? No, but no longer do I despise my ex-beef.
I used the drive through, but I think based on the above you know that I don't care for the dcor. The service on this visit was excellent. The gentleman who took our order was friendly, funny, and attentive. I asked for no ice and my drink had no ice. I asked for extra ketchup and I received extra ketchup. This might seem like a small thing, but in the world of fast shitty service it is a miracle. I still prefer Carm's for my beef and O'Malley's for my dogs, but in a pinch Portillo's is definitely worth an occasional booty call.
1 Beef
1 Fry
1 Root Beer
--------------------------
$10.00
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Being from the west coast, I usually arrive in Chicago sometime later in the evening, and every time I request to get Portillo's as my first meal in town. They have a chocolate cake shake, which combines two of my favorite eats, milkshake and chocolate cake. They're regular chocolate cake is very good too. My favorite is the italian sausage/beef combo sandwich. It's so good and hits the spot to kick off my Chicago trips right. This location is in downtown Chicago, so parking's a bit of a biatch, but they thankfully have a drive thru. I know they also serve hot dogs and burgers, which I hear are very good, but that combo sandwich just can't be beat.
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OK I didn't order the Hot Dogs and maybe I should have. But the cheeseburger was slightly above average but still tasty and the fries were regular fries and the onion rings were also on the regular side. All in the middle.
Great service, lots of seating, great food. NO PARKING. This is a great place for a quick meal with the kids and their parents. The food is clean, the selection will please everyone and the service is fast. They have a take out drive thru, too.
It's relatively fast and a better option that than the McDonald's across the street. Had my first meal from them last night and was not blown away by my Italian Beef, but I have the feeling that I will give them plenty of opportunities in the future to up this rating.
How in the EF have I not reviewed Portillo's? I actually eat at the Barnelli's side more frequently but they are both awesome. I live a kitty corner block away form this place so it is also uber convenient.
They have NEVER gotten my order wrong and I special order my chopped salad with a few changes. A few nights ago the kid taking my order told me to "dip it low and bring it up slow" as well as rapped the entire conversation, quite entertaining. Their prices are great and the serving sizes are huge.
Back in the day when I first moved to Chicago we would go over there to get food to recover from a hangover and watch football. Where else can you get hot dogs, beefs, a tamale, a grilled chicken sandy, a salad, if you prefer, 1 meatball, onion rings, krinckle cut fries, pasta, pizza, ribs, chocolate cake, oh man. they have everything and it's all good. When you're hung over, options are key.
It's also really clean, all the employees are always awesome and the food isn't overly greasy (for what it is.)
If you are lucky the lady will be calling out numbers who rhymes everything. A few faves: "Number 59 it's eatin' time!" and "105 your meal has arrived!" you get the idea...
Also... does anyone really go to Yelp! to see if people like Portillo's or not? Probably not, I guess I just wasted my time : (
I was taking a tour of Chicago and one of the tour guides pointed this place out and said go here for lunch. We thought it was a shamless plug or some kind of marketing scheme between the tour bus company and the restaurant... it wasn't. It was amazing. If the over two hundred reviews of this place don't convince you, now there are two hundred and one.
The most efficient drive through I've ever been to! Well done Portillo's! The hot dogs were great as was the Italian Beef. And the chocolate shake was super chocolaty.
If you haven't tried it, get in your car and head down there right now... what are you waiting for?
Classic Chicago (even though there are 9 million of them in the 'burbs). The dogs are good, the fries are great, and I'm partial to another Chicago classic, the Italian beef. It's also easy on the pocket books, assuming you don't tip the drive thru guys like I do.
So I am obsessed with hot dogs. I like plan old normal hot dogs- only ketchup. I don't care for the fancy meats or toppings. I LOVE portillos. A hot dog and some cheese fries and I'm set.
I am not writing a review of them because of my love of their food (although they have the best chocolate cake and often cater work events for me- yum). NO- I am writing because they have made the drive through a fine art. There are several people out there no matter what the weather, doing orders through headsets so that by the time you get through the two lane wrap around drive, you don't feel like you waited more than a moment between paying and getting your food. Very rarely have I ever had to actually approach the window. If you are lame like me and pay with a card at a drive through, they will get you in and out in no time with that as well. BEST system ever!
Now I just wish they'd deliver....
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Get your Chicago dogs here! Oh and DO NOT forget the cheese fries. They have those awesomely amazing crinkle cut fries from your elementary school's cafeteria but only 100x's better with no lunch lady arms to accommodate! The Italian Beef and yummm-ay Breaded Chicken Sandwich/Croissant also leave me loving life. Top it off with a Chocolate Cake Shake and you are in fatty heaven!
Every time we go home to Chicago, we make a stop (or two) at Portillo's. We always, ALWAYS order Italian beefs with fries. Why? Because they are the best. The beef is shaved nice and thin. Perfect for piling high into the bread. And the bread! Let's talk about the bread. The bun is always fresh, soft and chewy. The texture of the bread pairs so perfectly with the delicately sliced beef. And the au jus.... it is seasoned to absolute perfection. What's more is you can top your beef sandwich with either hot or sweet peppers, or both. I prefer the hot peppers (giardinera.) Yum. Not to be forgotten are the crinkle-cut fries: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just the way I like 'em. (Take that, McDonald's!) And I hear they have good hot dogs, too.
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Love it, Portillo's has the best Chicago style dogs, Maxwell Polish and Beef Sandwich (HOT). Their prices are great and I just noticed that the Jumbo Hot Dog is really Jumbo now. I don't get to go as often as I would like to since I live about 900 miles away (in Dallas). I end up making my own Dogs at home since there isn't a decent place to get good hot dogs without being ripped off ($5 bucks for a regular "Chicago Style hot dog", no fries, no nothing) If you are from out of town skip Rock 'n Roll McDonalds and Hard Rock instead head across the street to Portillo's
Check out the menu http://www.portillos.c...
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Best Chicago-style hotdogs you will find anywhere! It has the dyed green relish, mustard, onion pieces, pickle, the WHOLE WORKS. The restaurants have the small hotdog stand feel, yet it's located right downtown. Unfortunately, it's a chain, but you really wouldn't know. The tamales are pretty "ew" (some disagree, but this is my opinion). Their shakes are also delicious...I hear their cake shake is not to be missed, yet I've missed it every time :X. The pasta and ribs are also delicious. Anything you have here will be well worth it. Then if you have a party, get a chocolate cake. YUMMMY!
BEST DRIVE-TRHU PROCESS EVER & great for the whole family.
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If baked spaghetti (from adjoining Barnelli's) and a chocolate cake shake (from Portillo's) don't take you to heaven, you and I will never be friends.
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Great Italian beef and hotdogs, reasonably priced, in a great location -- and they're open late, which means you're not just stuck with the Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's! Lots of space to sit and eat, too.
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our party of 7 was not dissapointed. The portions are huge, well-greased and tasty. Our vegetarian friend noted his sanwich seemed to be lettuce scooped up in a hot dog roll, 'nuff said. This location is huge so expect lots of ppl or visit during off peak hours like we did.
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