Portillo's Shorewood — Restaurant in Shorewood

Established in Villa Park, in 1963, Portillo's has now cemented its status as a Chicago institution, and its Shorewood, IL, location is no exception. Beginning its journey as a humble hot dog trailer, Portillo's has successfully grown into a beloved dining destination, serving its cherished recipes to a loyal customer base for nearly six decades.

Stepping into Portillo's Shorewood is like stepping into a slice of Chicago's rich culinary history. The ambience strikes a perfect balance between nostalgic and contemporary, evoking a sense of familiarity and comfort from the moment you enter.

At its heart, Portillo's is famous for its hot dogs. The dogs, steamed to perfection, are nestled in a poppy seed bun and generously adorned with a vibrant array of traditional Chicago-style toppings: yellow mustard, bright green relish, fresh chopped onions, juicy red tomato wedges, a crunchy kosher pickle, a couple of sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. Each bite into these signature hot dogs takes you on a flavor-packed journey and reminds you why Portillo's has stood the test of time.

However, the menu doesn't stop at hot dogs. It also boasts a variety of delicious items, from hearty Italian beef sandwiches to crispy French fries and their sinfully good chocolate cake. Each dish holds a promise of quality and consistency, a testament to Portillo's commitment to its culinary craft.

Despite its growth, Portillo's has retained the fast and friendly service that made it such a hit from its early trailer days. The staff is warm, welcoming, and attentive, ensuring each guest is well taken care of. Additionally, the speed of service doesn't compromise the quality of the food, with each order prepared fresh and delivered to your table with a smile.

To wrap up the experience, the Shorewood location is equipped with a spacious, well-organized parking lot and clean, accessible restrooms - small but crucial aspects that add to the overall positive dining experience.

In conclusion, Portillo's in Shorewood, IL, carries forward the legacy of a Chicago institution with great aplomb. It encapsulates the time-honored charm of its origins while delivering high-quality, delicious food. If you're looking for a dining experience that's fast yet fulfilling, classic yet contemporary, Portillo's in Shorewood should be at the top...

This place is so famous, I doubt anyone will even bother reading this or even if it matters. But I’ll add my 2 cents anyway. I don’t quite know where to begin. I have never been to a fast food establishment where every facet of it, from the food, service, cleanliness, and decor is so great that it should be the gold standard to be emulated by everyone else. I do not exaggerate when I say that this is by far the best fast food franchise that I have ever been to. This location is awesome. But they are all awesome. Every single one. Anyone wanting to get in the fast food business should study how this business is run. Every single thing on the menu is among the very best of that particular food. Burgers? Among the very best. Hot dogs? Probably THE best. Italian beef? Most definitely the ABSOLUTE best. Salads? Polish? Ribs? You name it, it is going to be on your Top 5 or higher list for fast food. And my goodness, boy does your order arrive fast!!! This is where Portillo’s really shines and separates themselves from everyone else. They have developed a system that needs to be bottled and sold. At every location I have been to, every staff runs like a well oiled machine. Each crew member is dialed in and focused in carrying out their assignment. It’s like organized chaos. Everyone is moving, smiling, and getting people their food fast without missing a beat. And this is true whether you are ordering inside or going through the drive thru. Only at Portillo’s can you be in the drive thru wrapped around the building in a line a block long and get your food in what seems like 5 minutes or less. It’s truly something to be behold. Where and how they train their employees I don’t know, but other places need to take notice. They put all other restaurants that have a drive thru to shame. One would think that with as fast as they are getting your food, their service must be riddled with mistakes, right? Wrong! Their accuracy is astounding!!! In all the dozens and dozens of times I’ve been there, I have never ever been handed anything wrong with my order. When every time you go through the drive thru and turn to your wife to say how awesome this place is, your passion gets to the point where you have to express it. Thank you Portillo’s...

Always poor service. I typically order a hot dog and fries. Everyone's order comes up and then 40 minutes later, my number is called and everything is cold. Thinking the hotdog guy can't do his job, this time I ordered a beef hot and cheese fries. The order was just sitting on the back counter (again) and my husband had to ask if the order sitting there was ready....it was.....as usual....we just know we have to ask for our order and not wait for someone to do their job.

Every table is filled and a booth in the back corner by the garbage can opens up. There is an employee emptying the garbage and my husband asked if he could get someone to wipe down the table (it was trashed with garbage and various sauces and grease from a family with little kids). The guy said "No, that he was busy" and then he continued to say that he wasn't going to have time to do it for quite some time.

So, I took the trash from the previous guest and tried throwing it away in the container that he just emptied the trash to and he scolded me. Apparently, I am thinking that I am helping him by not putting it in a container he needs to empty and in his reality, I am doing bad things. Sorry, dude. I'm just trying to sit at the only available table.

Anyway, I sit down and open my foil wrap to see a bread roll that was fully closed with nothing sticking out. I thought it was odd, it's usually a mass of beef on an opened loaf. I opened the bread to see one small scoop of beef and then another weird glob! It didn't even cover the entire bread. $7.79 plus another 75 cents for the hot gardinera. Really? The rest of my order was eh. Fries were limp and super salty. The cheese sauce was good but no where near hot.

And, btw, while I'm dealing with the disappointment of a beef situation, my friend that does the trash, is perfecting his lean--nice. Once in a while, he paced and dragged his feet (that was pleasant), and then he leaned some more. You can't make this stuff up.

How this location is as busy as it is is beyond me. My meals (with no high maintenance requests) are never correct, warm, or priced appropriately for what I get.

Do...