So is this place worth a hour drive and back?

So is this place worth a hour drive and back?

Depends on what you order, but at least once just to try it? Yeah.

Mainly the Italian beef, and thanks.

Then yes absolutely.
It's worth another trip for the hotdogs too.

Thanks again.

I wass never blown away or anything, I preferred my local hotdog joints

Italian beefs are shitty wet versions of cheesesteaks.

The only regional food worth making a trip for is deep dish. The hotdogs are fine but only worth getting if you're already in the city. Italian Beefs are never actually good

Overrated trash.

Mind explaining why? Not saying you're wrong, just wondering.

People talk about it as if it's the second coming of Christ.

There's nothing wrong with it, it's good for what it is, but it doesn't deserve the worship it receives. It's a fast food restaurant.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

neck yourself my man

I eat portillos once a week just about. I like it. It tastes like coming home to me. That being said, it's not necessarily worth an hour drive. If you do drive out, promise me you'll get either an Italian beef or a cheeseburger and you better get fries. Don't even think about the pasta or ribs.

not at all. I tried it once because one of my friends was batshit crazy about it. It wasn't as good as he said is (nostalgia is a hell of a drug), but it was ok. Not worth an hour drive.

People treat it like the "Be all end all" place for beef, sausage and hotdogs. And while I will say it's pretty goddamn good, it's not that good.

Don't let that discourage you. Go there, try a bunch of things, have a shake, bring friends, and beware of the long line should you arrive around lunch/dinner time.

Portillo's is good but it's not two hours worth of driving good. Well maybe if there is some other stuff you can do out by it and make a day of it but definitely not worth the trip just for it.

Chicagoan here, no it's not.

I've gone a couple of times because it's shown up so much in "zomfg Chicago Hot Dogs!!!" stuff. Seriously not worth it. If you really want a hot dog (and why would you? they're trash), either know a local place that does a good job, or go to CostCo and get their Polish.

There used to be a couple of hot dog places in Park Ridge and Rosemont that I'd go to for lunch from work, when I wanted a change from the cafeteria. It's not like I'm anti-hot-dog, just that if I'm going to waste my money on one it either needs to be ridiculously cheap or really good, and Portillo's is neither.

I live in the NW burbs and eat at portillos pretty regularly. If you've never had it before it's worth going, maybe find something else in the area to do so you aren't driving out just for portillos. Also might as well get a chocolate cake shake if you're making the trip

There's one in Tampa an hour and a half away from me. I heard the burgers are pretty good? I don't give a shit about Chicago hot dogs.

depends, do they have altoids sours?

These. Best Italian beef sandwiches and hotdogs. Also their chilli cheese dogs are great too.

And their french fries are great. Get a side of barbecue sauce to go with it.

What is a local place that does a good Chicago dog that isn't portillos? I visited the city before I moved here and the places in my Japanese friend's guide were straight trash and I wrote off chicago dogs. A friend recently took me to portillos and it was actually decent, not good since hot dogs aren't ever good, but it was not bad.

Go to a White Sox game and get a hotdog there.

Make sure it's hot off the grill, not from one of those vendors walking around with a bunch of lukewarm dogs.

Portillos is good, but pic attached is home of the best Italian Beef. Get the booty with cheese on garlic bread.

Their Polish dog is god tier and it's a good price

They just opened up one near my work. Honestly they make better Chicago Dogs and Italian Beef at this raggedy chain called Dogg Haus, cheaper too

They opened up a Chick-fil-A across the street and I go there a lot more than fucking Portillo's for lunch

>Dogg Haus
Milwaukee bro?

beef is shit, good for 'go dogs or maxwell st polish if there's nothing else around though

Not him, but don't Sammy's and Martino's both have very good Italian beef?

The one in Park Ridge was called something like Paradise Pup. The one in Rosemont, I don't remember, but it was just a little strip mall place.

CostCo's Polish is actually pretty good IMHO, better than Portillo's for sure. Only downside is that they don't have ninety-seven different varieties of toppings to mix-and-match.

Any place in Chicago that has the Vienna Beef sign in the window and looks like its been open 20 years.

Theres hundreds of them, and if you dont like the food you probably never will.

OP here. Decided to go, among other things. The Italian beef and chocolate cake shake was pretty damn good, though I can see why some say the place is overrated.

any adult should be getting a polish or a brat, don't eat fucking hot dogs

I don't know mate, that's a pretty fucking long drive but it just depends on how adventurous you are. Never had the food myself but I'm pretty sure it's just normal Chicago shit

How packed was it? Seems like whenever I drive past the one near me, it's always packed (especially the drive-through).

Spotted the polish nigger