Two friends and I were visiting from out of town. It looked so busy inside. We came in and I was pleasantly surprised at how fast we were able to place our order despite the long lines. Our food was ready very fast, too. All of the employees I smiled at and spoke to smiled back and were very kind. No one seemed to be in a bad mood and I really appreciated that especially not being from there. The cheese fries and the burger were really good! I loved it here and next time I’m in Chicago I will return.
What a delightful place. So much to take in with the decor. The Chicago dog (without the bright green relish for me) was super yummy. The Italian dipped was huge but only okay in flavor. After 2 bites it just was bland to us. Neat place to go to for lunch. And we were lucky. It wasn’t packed at 1pm Saturday. The prices were very reasonable.
Had a fantastic time at Portillo’s in Chicago! The Chicago-style hot dogs were a standout—loved that the pickles were served on the side, letting the grilled veggies’ flavors shine. Not too greasy or heavy, just perfect. The fries with cheese dip were also a hit; the cheese was so good that we dipped our hot dogs in it. The customer-friendly interior allowed us to take out our orders or enjoy our meal inside the restaurant. A delightful experience with delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere!
Superb place for a Chicago Dog! I was surprised after the first bite. Maybe it was the flavors of the toppings on the dog, but it was delicious..Didn't expect the hotdog to be so good! The fries were good and crispy as well. Had those with a side of the cheese. Great experience!
I had the Crispy Chicken Sandwich here. The taste was pretty good. I also had the Chocolate Cake Shake, and it was decent. It was too sweet for me, and the cake hadn’t been mixed appropriately. The ambience here is unique - There is a mix of a Native American theme and Sports Memorabilia. You will have to pick up your order from the counter at Portillo’s, because there is no table service here. That said, it is impressive how they manage to have a quick preparation time even when it is crowded.
If you haven’t visited Portillo’s before, it is definitely worth trying out. I would get the Spicy Chicken Sandwich for sure!
Wow! We are from out of town & were looking for some "Chicago hot dogs" and Portillo's was AMAZING! Highly recommend the hot dogs but the spaghetti & chicken sandwich were very good too. Don't forget the chocolate shake! 😋
This is my first time for Portillo’s Barnelli’s Chicago.
The restaurant was very spacious to sit.
I ordered regular size hot dogs, fried onion rings, and Diet Coke.
The hotdog was with very spongy bread, juicy meat, not sour pickle and cucumber.
With the pickle, the hotdog is more savory.
Fried onion rings are extra crispy and sweet. Very nice.
Service is great as well. I would like to revisit here.
-Flavor : 95 out of 100
-Service : 85 out of 100
-Price : 100 out of 100 (Very reasonable)
Jermain Anderson (Jermain Allen)
+4
*** Italian Beef Part II ***
It's the second part of my, "I never had an Italian Beef sandwich until now," confession. This was the second stop on my try them out tour, so if you're looking for the rest of the story, you'll have to visit my Al' #1 Italian Beef review.
With that said let's get to it. Personally, I've eaten at Portillo's many times, every time getting hot dogs (reference my Wienerschnitzel review for more hot related activities). If it wasn't for my friend, a Chicago lifer, and the only reason I visit, I would be totally unaware of the Italian Beef.
The Portillo's experience is actually pretty consistent across the board. As a matter of fact, I can barely tell the difference between many of their locations once I'm inside. The service has already been pretty good, and this location was no different.
So, what about the sandwich?
I hate to disappoint, but it was indistinguishable from Al's, which is why both reviews are four stars. I'm that way, I'm not sure if I should be disappointed or excited. The fact that Chicago has all but standardized a great sandwich can be appreciated, but the lack of variety also makes it ubiquitous.
At this point, I'm not sure if there would be a noticeable difference no matter where I went. This is in direct contrast to the sandwich to which it's always compared, the Philly Cheese Steak, which has a unique twist in almost every location.
In the end , it's a great sandwich, and a great experience.
Open till late, staff was quite friendly!
The food itself is alright - I heard a lot about Portillo, large portions for the price you pay. Nothing special tho about the Chicago style hot dog, burgers, chicken sandwich, and Italian beef. The chocolate cake shake is definitely a must try - they shake a full cake slice in it - a bomb of calories!
A fast food spot part of the history of Chicago - a must try!
Veggie dog ! But Chicago style - with all the toppings like relish and raw onions. My friend got one too and enjoyed it. We got a small fries and a small onion rings. In my opinion the small fries is more than enough for one person, unless you are really hungry. I think the fries were better than the onion rings too - just get fries . The small diet coke was HUGE though, I wasn't expecting that and definitely would not have gotten it had I known how big it was . This was right around the corner from my hotel at the Best Western. Literally 1 block. Big inside with lots of tables. Good for an inexpensive lunch and was nice to finally try the famous Chicago style hot dog . The plant based one is called Garden dog I think.
I love this place. Great food, very interesting design, fast service. Its my first place to go for quick supper. Italian beef is very well cooked. They have 3 options: dry, extra juice (my favorite) and soaked. For every taste. Cheese sauce is awesome. Caesar salad is big and fresh with hard boiled egg for protein. My husband loves their chocolate cake milk shake. It's a whole dessert in a cup. Absolutely informal, historical, interesting restaurant. Highly recommend
September 2023
We came here just to grab a snack (10 am), we were not disappointed with the Chicago hot dog (I recommend to order grilled onions), it was so great!
Then we tried the chocolate cake milkshake, it was good but a bit too sweet for my taste.
The decoration is awesome!
I can’t wait coming back to taste the pastrami sandwich and all the other stuff!
One of the more interesting resturants I've stopped in while in Chicago. Relatively unassuming in size from the outside we stopped in simply because they had pasta and a nice patio. The interior so interesting- much larger that the facade leads you to believe and it's gives the appearance of an old street corner, car and all. It was easy to order and the staff were very helpful, even helping us buy one of the bottled drinks reserved for delivery orders when we forgot to get drinks and wanted something we could reseal for on the go. It was much appreciated. The food was good and they were generous portions so we had plenty of leftovers. I would love to visit again next time I'm in Chicago!
The best Chicago hot dog! The place is huge inside, plenty of seating inside (lower and upper levels) the best part is how organized it is, so many people working behind the counter and everything was very organized! The place is very well decorated with plenty of things to look at it!
The menu has plenty of options and everything is very well explained, the service is very fast, the hot dog and Italian sausage sandwiches are absolutely amazing! They also have drive through!
Adriana García Flandes
+4
It’s a really famous place full of life that gets busy even during the working week. We were surprised by how the restaurant works and by the amount of people that were queuing. The classic Chicago hot dog is a must have, in my opinion the best option they offer.
I eat here every time I come to Chicago. I just loved the Chicago Dog and their onion rings. The seating area has great memorabilia to look at while you enjoy some great food. Lots of options from hotdogs, hamburgers, Italian Beef, and shakes. Highly recommend Portillo's.
The best you can get for cheap eats. The Italian Beef Sandwich dipped was fantastic. Get it with mozzarella, and if it's your think - peppers. It goes down well with a chocolate shake as well. The cake shake just seems to have a big hunk of cake at the bottom.
If you come to Chicago you gotta get a classic Chicago dog right?!?? Cool place here my Chicago dog was great and the beer was as ice cold as they come. I didn't love the Italian Beef sandwich, was kinda dry but maybe I didn't order it right.
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