Take a step into the world of Chicago food culture. When you enter a Portillo’s, you’re greeted with extravagant retro decorations, mouthwatering scents, and, of course, delicious food.
Portillo’s is a Chicago fast food chain serving up dishes from hot dogs and Italian beef, to burgers and shakes. With 35 locations across the country, most of the Portillo’s are concentrated in the Chicago metropolitan area. Unlike many other fast food chains, every Portillo’s is decorated differently, but to the max. They look like a hybrid between a wacky museum and a restaurant.
Beloved by locals and tourists alike — Portillo’s is the ideal place to try an authentic taste of Chicago foods. Here’s what you should order when you visit.
Hot Dog
As expected, Portillo’s serves a traditional Chicago-style hot dog with “everything” on it. “Everything” to Chicagoans means mustard, relish, celery salt, onion, tomato, pickles, and sport peppers — all on a poppy seed bun. It’s important to eat your Chicago dog without omitting any of its ingredients. It’s also a no-go to add ketchup onto your hot dog, as Chicagoans would call that a disgrace.
Chicago dogs are deliciously tangy, sweet, savory, and slightly spicy — creating the perfect flavor profile atop a juicy hot dog. Once you try one, you can’t go back to traditional barbecue hot dogs topped with just ketchup and mustard.
Italian Beef Sandwich
Everyone knows that Italian beef is Chicago’s staple sandwich. Here, they are sort of a religion. Although it’s better to try an Italian beef at a local shop in Chicago like Mr. Beef (the restaurant that inspired The Bear) or Al’s #1 Italian Beef, Portillo’s offers a great rendition of this Chicago classic.
A roll of French bread filled with thinly sliced beef: Italian beef is easily customizable. Order it “wet” or “dry” to choose how much gravy there is. Say “sweet” or “hot” to add sweet peppers or giardiniera, which is a spicy mix of pickled vegetables. The best Italian beef is wet, sweet, and hot. It’s juicy and the beef melts in your mouth. Absolute heaven.
Char-Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwich
Another great choice at Portillo’s is the Italian sausage sandwich, which features a massive Italian pork sausage on French bread. You can also add sweet peppers or giardiniera for more flavor and mouthfeel. This dish has a wonderful blend of textures: a slight crunch from the bread and outer casing of the sausage, a delicious chew and burst of juice from the sausage, and a good sort of sogginess from the peppers.
Chocolate Cake Shake
Perhaps what is most unique and iconic about Portillo’s itself is its gluttonous chocolate cake shake. This monstrosity is a chocolate milkshake blended with a slice of chocolate cake. The end result is a creamy yet chunky concoction with little bits of cake scattered throughout. Definitely do not try to finish one of these yourself — this drink is meant to be split. Portillo’s chocolate cake shake is so sweet and overindulgent, but you have to try it once in your lifetime.