Portillo's Livonia — Restaurant in Livonia

AWEFUL, AWEFUL EXPERIENCE. Stood in line for over 40 minutes to get the food, AFTER paying. Atrocious setup, never seen chaos like this at a food place before. The crowd was getting heated, we thought a couple of people were going to jump the counter nearly. Horrible setup. The food: ice cold, like it was sitting on your kitchen counter overnight. After all the wait and standing, we ate 2 bites and it was just too cold. Sat and ate the onion rings for about 7 minutes or so and decided to just take it home to heat it up in the microwave tonight. Walked out and went next door to Outback because at this point, we're starving. Told the eaitress there about just having left Portillos because of the debacle. She said, "Ooooh, your not the first ones that have came here because they left Portillos, for just that reason - our business has been doing better since they opened because people leave there and come over here". Loved eating at the one in Chicago, but will absolutely 100% not be back to this one in Livonia. Not worth it whatsoever. What a massive disappointment. Whoever is responsible for this setup standing for 40+ minutes for cold food should be fired! Judging by the talk of the 50+ people standing smashed into a circle with us waiting, nobody here today will be back either. It almost felt like we were on Candid Camera! I'm a hot dog fanatic - gas stations dogs, Coney Islands, hot dog stands, etc. It's my one food vice. And, as a former frequent Chicago visitor, Portillos/Chicago dogs have always, always been my fav. FINALLY get a Chicago dog place in town randomly out of nowhere, and it's a total disappointment if not cruel joke. Lots of people were taking cellphone video while the crowd was getting sketchy when we were all herded up in a crazy little space and no orders coming out. I'm sure they'll be all over FB and whatnot. Big shout out to all of the people that we met when standing around. Heard all about a couple's wedding and talked about that, talked to an 84 year old Air Force Veteran for quite a while about his experiences. Talked to a new dad and his experience. Talked with a nice older couple from Tennessee that said couldn't stand anymore, so we told them to go sit down and we'd bring them their food when their number came up. Met a lot of nice people just standing there for nearly an hour. Bottom line, we won't be back, and neither will anybody else that was there today, no doubt about that. Horrible, horrible experience made better by the great people that were all stuck in the...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Portillo’s - Delicious Food, Outstanding Service, and a Great Experience

I absolutely love Portillo’s! Whether I’m dining in or hitting the drive-thru, I’ve always had a fantastic experience. Here’s why this place is a must-visit for me:

The Food

Portillo’s has something for everyone, and the quality is always on point: • Vegetarian Options: Their plant-based hot dogs are incredible! I love them on the soft, poppyseed bun with relish, onions, and peppers—so satisfying. • Hot Dogs and Sandwiches: My non-vegetarian friends rave about their hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. Everyone I’ve been with has loved their meal, whether it’s loaded or plain. • Sides: The crinkle-cut fries are crispy and delightful. While they’re not McDonald’s fries, they hold their own, especially when paired with their cheese sauce (a personal favorite!). • Desserts: You can’t skip dessert here. Their chocolate cake and cake shakes are iconic, and the strawberry shortcake is just as delicious.

Drinks

Even their drinks deserve a shoutout. Their Coke is flavorful and tastes distinctly better than other places—it’s refreshing and pairs perfectly with any meal.

Service

Portillo’s service is simply exceptional. It’s clear they value their employees, and it shows in how the staff treats customers. The team is always friendly, efficient, and professional, no matter the location. • Drive-Thru: Their drive-thru process is super smooth. Orders are taken with handheld devices, ensuring everything is accurate and fast. It reminds me of Chick-fil-A or Culver’s in terms of efficiency. • Dine-In: Dining in is equally enjoyable. The restaurant is always clean, spacious, and well-managed. I’ve even noticed managers leading by example, actively engaging with staff and customers—it’s great to see a team that takes pride in their work.

Accessibility & Atmosphere

The Livonia location is fantastic. There’s plenty of seating, the parking lot is spacious, and it’s wheelchair accessible. The layout is welcoming and makes the experience comfortable whether you’re grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a meal with friends or family.

Final Thoughts

I’m so happy there’s a Portillo’s in Livonia now—I no longer have to drive out to Sterling Heights! Both locations are excellent, but having one closer makes it even better.

If you’re craving Chicago-style hot dogs, delicious desserts, or just a great dining experience, Portillo’s is the place to go. I’ll definitely be...

I’m a big Portillos fan, however, this was my least favorite experience. I arrived at around 5:30 pm on January 11th and nobody in line waiting for their order to be taken. I thought I’d get fast service. Wrong. I waited about three minutes before a cashier came to take my order. I ordered a regular size number 1, a Chicago style hot dog, a piece of chocolate cake and an additional fry, which I wanted large. I waited upwards of about 12 minutes for my order. There were only 4 orders ahead of me. In the meantime some of the employees were talking of other things unrelated to the orders so much so the female team lead or manager had to break up the conversation and assign the help back to their positions. After about 12 minutes I walked up to the counter and politely inquired about my dinner. It was done and it was given to me. I did tell the cashier that the order was for dine in so when I eventually did get my order, I was only handed the bag and not a tray. I didn’t request one because that would’ve taken another 12 minutes to locate one, I guess. Intuition told me to check the bag and the large fry was missing as well as the chocolate cake. I showed the young lady my receipt and my large fry was given to me. I asked about the chocolate cake and I was told to get it at the Grab-N-Go. Keep in mind this order was for dine in. I did go to the Grab-N-Go and for the aggravation of having to wait too long I not only got my piece of cake but I grabbed two others as well. Why not? Nobody was watching and they (at that location) wouldn’t have cared.

From now on I’ll just drive 53 miles to the Sterling Heights location instead of the 14 to the Livonia one. The Sterling Heights location has a better vibe, atmosphere, better service and better trained workers. They also have stacks of dine in trays at the counter and their microphone isn’t muffled. It’s cleaner as well as I’ve seen workers clean tables and housekeeping at the SH location and they, on a couple of occasions took time to ask if I needed anything. At the Livonia location, I didn’t see much in the way of housekeeping as grains of salt and various food stuffs were left on a couple of tables.

Don’t get me totally wrong. I’ll be back because I dig the food! It’s just that I’ll drive a lot further to get better service and my...