I really liked this place. There are really long lines, but very quick. I was waiting on the order for a couple of minutes, but hotdogs only. Those were ready before I ordered a beer :) also, they serve a beer in an ice-cold glass! Awesome! A lot of space, 2 floors, easy to find a table. Definitely recommend if you never tried Chicago-style hot dog 🌭!

The chocolate cake was my absolute favorite dessert of all time. It was so moist and not too sweet on the frosting. Absolutely divine!!! The hotdog was also excellent, I wish the peppers were a little more spicy but they had a kick. The restaurant itself was very cozy, lots of seating and things to look at. The staff could be a little bit more friendlier but what else do you expect from Chicago.

I really don’t know how to feel about this place. Came here with really high expectations cause of all the hype and the fact that it is an iconic spot in Chicago. The place is really cool, loved the decor and has a lot of seating available. But the food was really just bland. The chocolate cake milkshake was not as expected; the cake pieces got really soggy and mushy, not a pleasant feeling with the milkshake. Really tried liking the place but won’t be back on my next visit.

Had a chance to visit this Iconic Hot Dog Establishment but it is way more then just hot dogs. They have a pretty wide variety of food items to select from. We were in search of a Chicago Hot Dog and decided on coming here. Glad we did. The food was freshly made and had a great taste. We ordered a Portillo’s Beef Hot Dog (Reg Size) with all the toppings along with a Maxwell Street Polish. Both had great flavor and did not disappoint. I also ordered a small fries along with a Garden Salad. The side Salad is pretty large and is served with a pretty large piece of Ciabatta Bread. My daughter and son-in-law split a Beef Hot Dog and an Italian Beef Sandwich. She said it was really tasty. If you want a good quick meal visit Portillo’s!!

You enter the location and line out to order at the counter. You get a number that gets called with your order as you wait at your table. The Chicago dog was standard. My recently vegetarian friend thought the plant based option was on par. The Italian beef had some things going for it like the structure of the bread held the sandwich together which is a plus for me. The peppers packed good heat. The flavors and ratios felt standard. Seating wise, there is plenty and great for larger groups.

The wait is worth it, it is definitely good iconic food! The place is fun, and it's neat to look around and take everything in. Definitely a place I would recommend to tourists, but the lines and wait times can be up to an hour or more before your food is in hand. We recommend get there during "off times" - so before noon, after 2, before 5, etc etc. They messed up part of our order, and it would have taken so long to fix it that we just let it go. They are good, delicious, but busy! Be prepared to wait.

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.

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.

Oh my! Well we flew in and came straight to Portillo’s for some Chicago hot dogs and Italian beef. The place is iconic, so there’s that. The service is always so fun and the food…the food! So good. Hot dogs with a snap and Italian beef that melts in your mouth. Almost always busy, but the line moves right along.

Food was great, truly a taste of Chicago. The ambience of the restaurant captured the old style Chicago. Toilets weren't the best. While we were about to eat and we needed to combine 2 tables because we were 7 in total. We wanted to enjoy our meal and experience as a family. Until this service lady came to us and told us to rearrange back the tables after we ate. Paying customers rearranging back tables? It was past lunch and there was not enough customers to make her job busy. But NO she had to come to us and make us feel uncomfortable. Like she was the one paying for our meal. She was rude and management should look unto this kind of customer service. 2 stars for the bad and rude customer service!

Not impressed!!! The Italian sausage had way, way, way too much anise in it and tastes like black licorice, which I don’t like at all. The Italian beef was pretty flavorless except for herbs which I didn’t like either. Roll got instantly soggy. Not for me………. The staff however was cool and nice. Entertaining calling out numbers too! I’ll have to try the burger next time as that did look good!

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

Known mostly for their Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwich, this is an iconic restaurant in the Chicago loop area. There was a bit of a line, once you enter the restaurant. There were actually a couple of lines leading up to the ordering booths, but it moved fairly quickly, probably in about 10-15 minutes. There were so many historic pictures displayed that took you way back. There were also several other displays as captured in these pics, that showed the deep history connected with this establishment. The food itself – hot dogs - was fairly ok, they had a small bar that served beer on the tap as well. This place is easily walkable from the River walk and the central loop area, magnificent mile etc.

Another Chicago staple is what we heard and now we know why. The dogs were great. Can’t go wrong with a Chicago style dog and these were no different. Biggest difference I noticed was the bun. Very light and fluffy bun with great flavor. The toppings speak for themselves. The meat sandwich was great but it’s mostly meat. I recommend asking for a side of the toppings they put on the sandwich so you can add it as you get through the behemoth. Chocolate Pie was good but nothing life changing.

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!

We went here three times in a span of three days. Overall it was really good and had good value, but sometimes it wasn’t as good as the other. Pro tip to order-get the cake! Get the shaved beef with cheese in the crossing This place also always seems to be very busy so order ahead or know it will take a while! Food-good food and classic Chicago. Super extensive menu which should cater to a wide audience Staff-friendly and can help you out! They always seem very efficient

If you have NEVER been to Chicago, I highly recommend visiting this place. Before you go inside, take in the view of the place from the outside. I would then make sure you look at the menu ahead of time. Once you enter do not look around...follow the path and get in line. The greeter wants you to get out the way and in the line. Then make sure someone else in the group grabs a table. If you visit at the wrong time, I can see this place being jam packed and no place to sit. Once you get up to order be ready because they are in a rush as well. The place reminded me of NYC...move move move or they will move you out the way. I waited awhile for my food...guess the veggie dog takes longer to get ready. I wished I had tried other things on the menu but it was my 1st meal in Chicago and I was alone and had no clue what will be next. Once you order and grab your spot, then take in the views and decor. The place had everything and anything you can think of...it was like a mini Vegas spot. This is a must place to try and have at least one dog the Chicago way. It's a quick bite to eat and you will leave happy.

I had the opportunity to visit Portillo’s Hot Dog in Chicago River North after looking through recommendations for the best places to eat hot dogs in the city. Upon arrival, I found the atmosphere pleasant and welcoming. I received the attention of a very friendly gentleman, who provided me with recommendations on what to order. I decided to try the Portillo Beef Hot Dog, but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. Although the meat had good flavor, the bun was a complete disappointment. It was completely soggy and waterlogged, with a unpleasant texture on the palate. I did not enjoy the hot dog at all and had to remove the sausage and meat to be able to eat anything. Furthermore, the hot dog was extremely greasy, which only worsened my experience. In summary, it was not one of my best culinary experiences and I would not consider it one of my top places to recommend hot dogs in Chicago.

What happened to Portillo’s hotdogs? They used to have crunchy skins, bigger and better tasting filling. Seems like since a corporate brought them over the food had gotten less like the good old Portillo I used to love. Even the Italian beef flavor wasn’t what I remembered. I know few of my friends told me the same.

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!

*** 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.

Portillo’s had a tasty Chicago hot dog! Had to take our hot dog to go but had to stop to see what all the tourists on the various review platforms were raving about. Parking was available on site. Restaurant has 2 floors and plenty of seating. Lines were extremely long but they moved fast. You order at a counter and receive a number. Before you know it, your food is ready for pickup. They did a good job navigating the people through. Very happy we stopped to check this place out.

This is one of those places you are told to go to while in Chicago. The food was great. The hot Italian beef sandwich, hot dogs and chocolate cake are all amazing. The line was pretty long for around 3 in the afternoon, but that is expected. The main reason that I gave them four stars is the state of the bathrooms and general lack of cleaning. They had a few employees walking around to clean, but they obviously needed more. I am hoping that this was just a one off situation. Overall, I would go back, since the food was very good.

Italian beef with sweet and regular spicy peppers is the way to go get it. Dipped dunk whatever it will be juicy all the way through. It's not as big as their competitors but it's good. The environment here is great. Great music, Chicago style seating downstairs and upstairs. It has a good theme to it. Good atmosphere. Just know you're in Chicago so you're not going to get parking. They have a fun way. They call your order as well. For instance, they'll say number eight. Don't be late. Front environment is usually open till midnight

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!

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.

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!

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!

Hot Beef sandwich 4 stars This came out piping hot. Beef hot dog 4 stars For a hot dog it was pretty good. Service was pretty standard for a fast food like environment. The problem is you have to wait a very long time. For these two items we waited half an hour. Not a place I'd return to for that reason. My friend thought less of the food, but a 4 means I did like it. I was also starving when I got there.

An iconic Chicago Establishment with Italian beef and hot dogs. We got the Italian beef (big beef, extra gravy, hot peppers). The beef was thinly sliced with every bite perfectly proportioned and packed with flavor. Was a little surprised how light on gravy, meat, and hot peppers it was (even though we ordered extra beef and gravy) - but the sandwich was def worth it. Plenty of places to sit

One of the best hot dogs I have ever had! Beef sandwich, even with extra gravy was a bit dry but also pretty good. Atmosphere was awesome! The shakes are to die for!

The seasonal salted caramel shake was delicious! The hot dog was something I have never experienced with all the different veggies and specialty peppers. The hot dog itself did not seem to have you to have a lot of flavor but all the toppings made up for it. The sandwich was a little dry however they did have a gravy option maybe that's where we went wrong in ordering it dry but the meat was tender. Bathrooms were clean, employees constantly walking around keeping the tables clean.

Very popular, casual, neighborhood restaurant on N Clark & W Ontario. You can walk in, place your order and pick it up within minutes. I was surprised by the spacious food court feel when I walked in. But way cooler. Service was quick and we enjoyed our first classic Chicago style beef hot dogs. It hit the spot. We had a side of onion rings too.

Portillo's rocks! The beef sandwich is fantastic, with mounds of beef on the big. Top it off with the hot and the sweet peppers, your mouth will thank you! (And burn a bit...) We have a Portillo's close to home on the west coast, but anytime I get a chance to visit Chicago I try to get in here. Great atmosphere and a cool looking interior.

Great and friendly staff! Food was good and hit the spot after a long day checking out the views Chicago has to offer. Way better treat than McDonald's or any other fast food joint around.

The food was a unique experience to Chicago and a must stop if visiting the city. The Chicago dog was good and the cake shake was a delightful journey. The reason for the low rating, however, is because of the rudeness of the staff and horrible logistics of picking up your order. Maybe I'm used to the Midwest "nice" but the service and logistics need a lot of help.

The polish sausage was probably the best thing we ate… ribs were average with a nice sweet sauce, hotdog didn’t have anything distinguishing. Italian sausage a decent spice kick and I’d order that again. Overall it was “fine”.

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!

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.

A place you cannot miss if you are visiting Chicago. Their hotdogs are one of the most famous one Chicago style of course. Plenty of seating in a cool decor space with details that cannot be missed. If you are not into hot dog they also have burgers, salads, pasta etc.

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.

Best burger in town, the place is packed with cool stuff all the way to the ceiling ...and nice ambience ...great burgers, also the Maxwell street polish sausage is killer!!! Decent prices, staff is super nice and kind , thank you Portillo, love the restaurant decorations, good place to take the whole family for a bite .. Gracias Portillos, definitely recommend this place, also is a Chicago Landmark

In town for the weekend and everyone recommended we come here for the food. Grabbed an Italian beef and sausage sandwich, a hotdog with everything, and a cake shake. Food was phenomenal and the establishment contains a lot of history on the walls! Best of all it's affordable! Highly recommend if you're in the area.

Came here for an Italian beef. Got what I expected. Great counter service from the gentleman handing out orders. Place was quite packed at 10:45pm on a Monday evening, but so glad they are open late. Google Maps says open until 12am but they closed at 11p. So call ahead or re-check before going late. There was a lady working hard to keep the dining room clean after every table was cleared; before a new guest sat down: this lady deserves a raise!

Good experience for fast food in downtown area. Hotdogs were yummy, spicy chicken sandwich was okay, salad was good, onion rings were nothing special, and pasta was tasty. A must visit when in Chicago.

I had a beef hotdog yesterday and the taste was ok nothing special. You dont get that feeler good of a sincere service. Just get you bag of food and beat it.

Always a great and quick treat you can count on. Never a bad bite and always the best service with a smile! Such a great place to bring the whole Family, a fun date or even a business break. Who ever you bring, they'll appreciate your great taste if food and fun. And always well worth the can't be beat prices. So come grab a hot delicious meal and a really cold drink.

First time visiting Chicago so of course I had to try the Chicago dog, and based on what we heard and saw around the city Portillo's is the place to try them at and let me tell you the inside is very cool looking every second you will see something new, it's very large and fast. There was a huge line and no seats anywhere but sure enough we had our food and a table ready in no time. Fair price for the delicious hotdog. In the picture is the jumbo version and I would highly recommend it.

Very pleasantly surprised by the lack of chaos in this food court like dining experience. People were patient, staff were quick and food was good. The regular size hot dogs disappear in five bites and are definitely not enough on their menu for a full meal. The chocolate cake shake is definitely overkill and can be avoided - it is exactly how you imagine it will be minus 850 calories. The Italian Beef Sandwich was 100% awesomeness.

What an fun place! No wonder it’s a landmark. It's spacious and exudes the old-world Chicago charm. I ordered a classic hot dog and a beef sandwich, and they lived up to my expectations. As a fan of lots of mustard, relish, and kraut on my dog, I was pleased with the toppings. The only minor drawback was that the hot dog could have been a bit hotter; it felt lukewarm. However, this is a small detail in an otherwise fantastic dining experience.

I had to visit Portillo's, given its iconic status in Chicago. The interior decorations were unique, making it an enjoyable spot for travelers. It's an excellent choice for those on a tight schedule, as you can taste both of Chicago's famous sandwiches in one place. While there's a bit of a wait for my order, I appreciate that the waiting area is indoors. The classic Chicago hot dog was somewhat rough for my taste but still enjoyable. Overall, it was a memorable experience. Thanks for the meal :)

Yum! When in Chicago, ya gotta get a dog right? We asked some locals for their recommendations and got pointed in the direction of Portillo's. The line was bonkers so we ordered online and ended up getting our order a bit faster that way than standing in line (even though they didn't bring each to go order out individually - they waited until they had 5-6 orders bagged and ready then came to the counter to hand them out. Maybe more efficient for them, but a little annoying to wait for a batch of orders rather than just our own.) We had a big meal planned later in the day so we just got a Chicago dog apiece and some fries to share. The fries container wasn't filled well so it felt like we got fewer fries than we should have, but they were hot, crispy, salty and tasty. The Chicago dog was SO good though! The hot dog itself was delicious and the fixings made it just right. I loved the sport pepper! Not only was the food we tried really good, but the decor and music and feel of the whole place was very cool and nostalgic. Great experience!

Portillo is a fast food joint that does not feel like one. We ordered a basic hot dog, Italian beef, and fish sandwich. Everything was great and not super salty. We loved the restaurant atmosphere and the service we got! It was our first meal in Chicago.

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!

My partner had the big beef they didn't put nothing else that supposed to go with it peppers etc, they forgot my small fry that's all i wanted last night after already eating earlier. The root beer was watered down, I'd rather have sweet tea but they didn't have any. Still telling the family to go here because according to my partner at least it was good.

There are many reasons to miss Chicago in between visits, and one of them for me has to be the distinctive “snap” you get when biting into a Chicago dog. I honestly can’t remember finding that when biting into a hot dog anywhere else. There’s just something about it that makes you feel like you’re being welcomed home. Finding one while here really isn’t that difficult, but one of my fave places to enjoy one is Portillo’s. The combo of toppings found on their Beef dog (especially the “Sport Peppers”) do an exemplary job of dressing Cinderella up for the ball. On the other side of the dance floor is where you’ll find their Polish dog which reflects a far more minimalist wardrobe (and isn’t likely to turn heads while at the ball anytime soon), but features a surprisingly flavorful and satisfying taste profile. While personally I’d slip the glass slipper onto the foot of the Beef dog, that’s not meant to overlook the merits of the Polish dog which rightfully earned its invitation to the ball. If neither of those appeal to you even remotely, not to fear. You can still accompany your friends here and enjoy a plant-based “Garden dog”, salad, or numerous other alternatives. Visiting Chicago is a good choice, but visiting without enjoying a Chicago dog would be a bad one. And that’s…Henry’s Take. #chicagodog #hotdogmagic

My wife got the Italian beef and sausage bowl, which is basically the Italian beef and sausage sandwich without the bread. I got the sandwich - both are excellent! This restaurant is a good spot for families with kids. It was clean, the staff was friendly and the atmosphere had a lot of character especially with all of the different displays on the walls.

Their polish is still one of the best. Recommended over even their hot dogs. Always good, but their customer service has been dodgy lately. My last visit, I ordered a big beef- they rang in a regular. After I waited on line to correct the order, I eventually got my… regular beef. I think they just gave me the original order, which isn’t a plus. Still good food.

Definitely an institution in Chicago. Good selection and variety of food options, we went with the classic hot dog and sausage, also added a Lemon Cake Shake for dessert. The restaurant itself may seem a little chaotic upon entry, but the system flows well after ordering and pickup. The restaurant itself as well acts as mini museum, everywhere you look you see paraphernalia from Chicago, not just sports memorabilia. Original Stanley Cup banner and a clock from a factory are some of the larger items, but everywhere you look you'll find something different. Quick and tasty food, definitely a spot to check out on any trip to Chicago.

Cool building, large eat-in cafeteria style. Wait in line, order food, wait for food and sit. It was a pretty long wait, even one of the employees behind the counter agreed. We also got the popular cake shakes, they tasted like they sound...crumbled up cake in a shake. Nothing to rave about but not bad either. I got the Baked Mostaccioli and it was delicious! Another in my party got the Italian Beef Sandwich and wasn't impressed. Not terrible, but not great either. I'd go again, but not sure why all the hype.

Loved the food here! I don’t think my wife and I were expecting the food and atmosphere to be as enjoyable as we found it to be. Loved the old time historical decor and the staff was fun and pleasant. The hot dogs were excellent and my wife enjoyed the onion rings. We shared a chocolate cake shake and it was really good! We might stop by Portillo’s on our way to the airport today before our trip home!