Portillo's Moreno Valley — Restaurant in Moreno Valley

I came here after a really bad , exhausting, and stressful day. Upon entering the establishment, I felt as though I stepped in a time portal. The atmosphere alone was entertaining and welcoming. The walls have autographed photos of the owner with various celebrities and the decor is like something out of a Chicago Deli circa 1950. The lighting was not too bright but also not too dim that you strain your eyes. That already worked towards putting my frazzled nerves into neutral. Then came the friendliness of the staff. As of late my previous experience of dining out is more nerve-racking than going through TSA at the airport and the person at the order window or waiter is an uninterested sociopath with the interpersonal skills of nurse Ratchet that still expects a big tip. The kindness and helpfulness here took me aback and restored some of my faith in the service industry. There are still some good people out there on the service industry highway. I had never heard of a Chicago style hot dog " through the garden" and decided to try it. Best hot dog I had in a while. Plus , since it has vegetables on it, you feel less guilty. I also tried the hamburger ( don't judge me) that was also good. Needless to say this place made me feel better, even if it was just for a little while. May it become your "...

Love Portillo's, it is a taste of Chicago. I will say that this location occasionally seems a little off taste wise, wonder if once and awhile they have to buy on the local economy. Service is fine, this is not as crowded as other locations. Chocolate cake is a sweet delight.

It's been a few years since I posted this originally, so time for an update.

Still not as crowded as a Portillo's in Illinois, sorry to say, but still feel at home with the unique decor and the great hot dogs and service. I have always found two things a little strange about their service. First, they have multiple cash registers usually open, but they each have their own line, so if you pick the wrong one, too bad, wait. Second, they really don't make it easy to get a refill on your beverage. You can get one, but you often have to stand in line or fight for someone's attention to get it refilled.

The food is good and they have a wide variety of items from hot dogs, to beef sandwiches, to really great salads. The deserts are good as well, we like the Chocolate Cake, REALLY GREAT FROSTING. And the Strawberry Short Cake is worth a try as well. The Fries are usually good, as are the onion rings.

We stop most times we are...

NEW review:

This place has gone down hill. They've raised prices and now charge .60 cents for adding peppers, which used to be free. The service is rude and slow. I waited in the drive thru for 15-20 mins total. AND WE WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN LINE! They offered no excuse or discount for the wait. I also question their sanitary procedures as the lady who handed me my bag of food was just "scrubbing" as she described, but didn't wash her hands at all. I doubt I'll be coming back here anymore. Definitely not worth the hassle.

I love this place, I haven't ordered something that I didn't end up liking. The Chicago dogs are the best, everything tastes fresh and full of flavor. The Italian Beef Sandwich is also super good, I haven't tasted anything this good, and I almost always order it. The fries are typically cooked to perfection and are just the right amount of crispiness. One of the best desserts is here as well, the chocolate cake shake, oh my God. This is so rich and flavorful, I don't know how they're able to have just the right sized pieces of chocolate cake so that it doesn't clog the straw, but it is perfect. If you're in the area, you NEED...