Portillo’s Hot Dogs

Reviews

• Melyanna S.

  star star star star star 14 June 2026

  I have been here about a dozen times since they opened. The wait between their opening and this review was intentional; I wanted to be completely sure that my devotion to Portillo's was as unwaverable as the Sea itself- not capricious like the love of a woman half my age, which fades with continued exposure to its object. Infallible, forthright, and delivered with honesty.
  
  Portillo's makes life in this grey, unremarkable hellscape bearable. I will continue to come here at minimum of once a month until I die or I (Please, Odin: hear my supplication) leave the area. I usually get the same thing, perhaps I'm boring that way: Italian Beef, dipped, Giardiniera- aka the hot peppers. The reason I get the same thing every time I come here is the same as the reason folks prefer cocaine to the trucker pills at the gas station, which are exponentially cheaper but also offer a pick-me-up. But enough about me and the melancholy story which brought me to such depths that writing reviews on Yelp is my only contribution to the Beauty of the world.
  
  Sometimes I get the fries in addition to my sandwich, which are delicious. Sometimes I get the strawberry shortcake, which again, is delicious. Consistency is one of the keys to the success of this joint. I have tried many other items on the menu, and all are perfectly satisfactory. The Italian Beef, however is utterly in a league of it own. The Italian Beef is in a SPORT of its own, that no-one else is even playing. The Italian Beef wields its power from on-high in a manner akin to Xerxes, who is, in his own words, a Generous God. The Italian Beef was present at the Big Bang; its essence flows throughout the Universe, breathing life into all things.
  
  The dipped thing (the process of drowning your fucking sandwich in the juice of the cows that sacrificed their lives to make this entire enterprise possible) is critical here; all that delicious bovine liqueur is essential to the experience. Other reviewers have complained about the "messiness" of the Italian Beef. These individuals have also given a bad review to: Sex with Another Human Being, Disneyland, and the Grand Canyon. While I have compassion for all of creation and sincerely appreciate that we are all in this hysterical pageant together- I recommend ignoring their ignorant, yet innocent sentiments.

• Gabe C.

  star star star star_border star_border 4 June 2026

  Love the interior! Comfortable, huge seating, and Chicago-style memorabilia.
  
  The food was not bad by any means, but it's not a place I'd go out of my way for considering the prices. My mom got an Italian beef with cheese and a small fry (sides are a-la-carte); I got a summer salad (upgraded the chicken). No dessert and no soft drinks. Total was $22.
  
  That's not an unreasonable price if you're going to a sit-down place and are waited on. But for a quick-serve place that seems a bit ateep to me. I could go to Wendy's and get the same salad for a better price to be honest.
  
  I'd probably go back; wouldn't be opposed to it.

• Geoff L.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 3 June 2026

  Sunday afternoon, 3:47. Extremely painfully SLOW DRIVE THRU.
  
  Just waiting for a jumbo dog and small fries. Waiting 17 minutes and counting.
  
  Just recieved order, 4:04.
  
  Shouldn't have to wait that long for a dog and fries. Chicago Portillos drive thru are a snap. This one has always been painfully SLOW.

• Nathan M.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 30 May 2026

  Was not a fan.  I'd planned my whole day around eating here, as I knew it wasn't going to be healthy.  I had just a small protein bar for breakfast so that I could load up here, seeing as how it was my first time.  Not sure exactly what to get, I went with a Chicago dog, an Italian beef and an order of fries.
  
  The first problem: the cost.  My Chicago dog, Italian beef sandwich, fries and drink rang me up for over $16.  I can go to a sit down restaurant and get an entire meal plus drink and a tip and have it be $16.  Prices like that are absolutely inexcusable for the food that offered.
  
  The second problem: the food wasn't that impressive.  I will admit up front that I am NOT a Chicago dog fan.  Hot dogs are best with either ketchup and/or mustard, sometimes relish, sometimes chili.  Adding all this extra crap to a hot dog does not make it better, but I decided to try it anyway because I'd heard from so many people that they're the best.  Wrong.  The best remains the one I got at Wrigley Field, but even then it wasn't that good.  The peppers that came on this dog were hard (crunchy), almost like they were old or something.  The pickle that came with it was bigger than the bun, so I just took that off and ate it separately.  The hot dog itself was excellent, as it had that good "snap" you want out of a dog.  But the rest of the stuff on it...no.
  
  The Italian beef was alright, but I've had better at many places.  It was messy as hell and the only real flavor came from the sweet and hot peppers I added to it (for a ridiculous cost of almost $2).  The fries were good, but let's face it: it's hard to screw up fries.
  
  The third problem: Something is rotten in Denmark with this food.  Like I said, I had my entire day planned around eating here.  This was around 1:30 yesterday, and all I'd had to eat since waking up at 6am was a protein bar.  Since 3:30pm yesterday, I have practically lived in the bathroom.  I even got woken up at 2am with stomach cramps and spent a good chunk of the night in there.  I'm not flat out saying that something I ate here made me sick, but I am saying this place was the ONLY thing I ate yesterday and I've now been to the bathroom enough times I've lost count.  My stomach literally hurts as I sit and type this, on top of making horrible gurgling sounds because something just isn't right in there.  Seeing as how I ate multiple things, I have no idea what item caused it.  Like mentioned, the only thing that really stood out was the "crunchy" peppers that were on my Chicago dog.
  
  Between the cost, the "meh" food and the after effect of moving into my bathroom for almost 24 hours at this point, I definitely won't be back, which is unfortunate because I'd never been to a Portillo's before.  Anywhere.  Always heard good things, but had never been.  And now I'm one and done.

• Annamaria G.

  star star star star star_border 28 May 2026

  What a surprise to discover a Portillo's in South Bend. I've been in Chicago and love it. The Italian beef is good. I recommend extra gravy versus dipped because it gets a little extra soggy than other places that serve it this way. I still enjoyed it all though. The service was mediocre. You order at the counter and pick it up when they call your number so there's not too much interaction with staff anyway. Plenty of seating, the space is pretty large. Such a nice atmosphere. Overall I'm glad we discovered this location.