Portillo's Sterling Heights — Restaurant in Sterling Heights

This is a big deal to have Portillo’s in Orlando! It was definitely worth the hype and the wait! I’ve heard about Portillo’s from my friends up in the Midwest. I still drive around dressed in my pandemic pajamas and didn’t feel like going inside, so, I opted for the Drive-Thru. I was expecting a long wait, confusing directions between the cones, etc. (The queue runs neck and neck with the newly opened world’s largest White Castle.) Instead, it was organized, easy, and fast! The energetic employees had it down to a science. Thank goodness because I was hungry!

Most of the time I study menus to do the math and figure out the best value. I had no idea what to expect. All of a sudden it was my turn to order. Agghhh! They’re so fast I didn’t even take time to look at prices. I didn’t want to be “that person” who holds up a line. I went all out ordered what they’re famous for and splurged. I surprised my family and brought home all the goodies, minus a few fries that magically disappeared on the way home, and we had a feast to last a few days. It was two years in the making. Everything was affordable and the portions were generous. There is also an offer on the survey for free fries when I go back.

I ordered the Italian beef with sweet peppers, the gravy (au jus) on the side, a hot dog fixed up the Chicago way, a plain burger, a cheeseburger with everything, onion rings, fries, and a small chocolate cake shake. The onion rings were big and crispy, the fries were hot and perfectly salted, and the burgers were nicely char-broiled and served on soft corn-dusted buns. My mom liked the hot dog and the cheeseburger. I’m still dreaming about that Italian beef sandwich and the onion rings. Oh my goodness, the shake was incredible! There really is a slice of cake blended in it! If you’re in Orlando, check out Portillo’s! Each location has a different design...

First visit to Portillos since they came to Orlando. When we pulled up there was no one in the drive through but we wanted the full experience, so we went inside. They were busy, but not absolutely slammed. We apparently got in before the dinner rush began. I ordered the big Italian beef sandwich with sweet peppers, onion rings and Coke zero. My fiance ordered a single Portillos classic Chicago dog, fries and Coke. The big Italian beef was excellent. The beef was very good and there was a nice amount of juice to make the roll nice and soft. When I saw the onion rings I feared they were basic minced onion wrapped in breading, Ala Burger King. Boy was I wrong...while they weren't massive slices of onions the size of your head, they were still truly sliced onions with a very flavorful and crispy breading, well fried and well seasoned. My fiance, though dealing with a pretty serious toothache ate what she could and really enjoyed it. She said the sausage itself had a really nice snap when she bit In to it. The 🍅 was nice and fresh, the relish, while unnaturally bright green was good and the pickle and peppers topped it all off nicely. The fries were fairly generic crinkle cut fries but fried and seasoned well. And dessert...dessert was their famous chocolate cake shake. I had heard of this legendary dessert beverage through a stand up comedy bit by Gabriel Iglesias. I said I must sample this bit of heaven, and when the announcement of Portillos coming to.orlando came, I knew I would finally experience this insanity. And I was not disappointed. Thick, creamy, chocolate. It was a true experience. Portillos delivered on the hype...

Members of my family live in Chicago and are very familiar with Portillo's, and other family members who have visited Chicago have prayed for Portillo's to come to Orlando. Now they're prayers have been answered.

One of us got the Big Beef sandwich with the works, and dipped in au jus. It was pretty soggy but they loved it. It was huge, and they only ate about a third of it. The rest is in the fridge, and should be good for two more lunches. I got the double bacon cheeseburger, and it was also huge, with crispy bacon and two slices of cheese. We thought both sandwiches were delicious. I also have to say that this was one of those rare occasions where the food actually matched the delicious looking photos on the menus.

You can see the sandwiches being made, and I spotted other offerings that I'll want to try in the future. I saw a couple of authentic Chicago style hot dogs getting made, and a really great looking sausage sandwich. The chicken sandwiches look good. I have a feeling that the shakes and the chocolate cake are going to be great, as well.

The decor was a diner style with lots of rock & roll decorations. There is a large indoor dining room, and I spotted at least two outdoor patios. The kitchen is huge, with a gigantic crew, so they were moving through the orders quickly when we visited.

Portillo's is a welcome addition to Orlando, and with locations only in Chicago, Tampa, and here, a rare addition as well. Orlando has a lot of chain restaurants, but Portillo's is one of those places that tourists aren't going to find at home.

I'm looking forward to returning and working my way through the menu. Highly...