Portillo's
NapervilleFood Editor
Local team review
The Maxwell Street Polish with grilled onions and yellow mustard is the order that regulars know about and newcomers overlook — a snappy natural-casing sausage with caramelized onions that rivals the Italian beef for best thing on the menu. The chocolate cake shake should not work: a literal slice of chocolate cake blended into a vanilla milkshake, absurd in theory, transcendent in practice. I've lived in the suburbs for years and still get a jolt of hometown pride pulling into this parking lot, which tells you everything about what this place means to Chicago transplants.
About the Restaurant
Portillo's transcends the fast-food category. The Italian beef, soaked in house-made gravy, piled on a chewy French roll, topped with sweet or hot peppers, is the reason this place has a permanent line at the drive-through. The hot dogs are snapped-casing Vienna Beef, dragged through the garden Chicago-style, and the chocolate cake shake (yes, an entire slice of cake blended into a shake) is the dessert that launched a thousand Instagram posts. The Jefferson Street location's Western-themed decor is charmingly absurd, and the parking lot is perpetually a war zone. Nobody cares. It's worth it.
Insider Tip
Order the combo: Italian beef dipped with hot peppers and a side of cheese fries. Then pretend you'll only eat half.
Photos
Hours
Details
1992 W Jefferson St, West Naperville
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