Amie B: Portillo’s

Portillo’s ordering counter.

Portillo’s ordering counter.

Portillo’s is a Chicago icon featuring the classic Chicago style dog and a few other famous favorites. It is also one of my favorite places to eat!

In 1963, Dick Portillo opened a hot dog trailer called “The Dog House.” It didn’t even have running water. He had to run to get water at a nearby hose. In 1967, the stand was such a success he was able to transform it into Portillo’s restaurant. Today, he has Portillo’s throughout the country.

Inside the restaurant with its old timely Chicago feel.

Inside the restaurant with its old timely Chicago feel.

Styled and placed in the roaring twenties, the Portillo’s locations have two restaurants inside: Portillo’s and Barnelli’s Pasta Bowl. Portillo’s is the modern-day Dog House with its menu consisting of the infamous Chicago style hotdog, Italian beef sandwiches, and burgers. Barnelli’s menu has pastas, gourmet salads, and ribs. Both restaurants have amazing options.

Must Orders!

They have award-winning ribs and Italian beef sandwiches, but this is what you should order:

  1. Chicago style hot dog- beef hot dog tucked in a sesame-seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, white onion, relish, sport peppers, kosher dill pickle spear and celery salt. A Portillo’s hotdog is the image for the wiki page for the Chicago dog.

    My friend enjoying the cake shake and hot dog.

    My friend enjoying the cake shake and hot dog.

  2. Chop Salad-  Barnelli’s gourmet salad has “romaine & Iceberg mix with Tubetti Pasta, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, Gorgonzola cheese, green onion, red cabbage and tossed with House dressing.” Not exactly the healthiest salad, but this meal isn’t about calorie counting.
  3. Cake Shake- They have an amazing, award-winning chocolate cake and they have managed to elevate to the next level of amazing. They take the cake and blend it in ice cream and chocolate. The pour it into a cup that has a slice of cake on the bottom. It is a cake milkshake on top of award-winning cake.

Questions for Amie? Email law-admissions [at] luc [dot] edu with the subject “Ask Amie” and she will make sure to answer them.

This entry was posted in 1L Life, Amie B, Chicago Eats. Bookmark the permalink.