Herrine Ro: When it comes to a quick bite in Chicago,
nothing is better than a Chicago-style hot dog.
And Portillo's is the place to get your hands on one.
Customer: Portillo's is one of the most
famous places in Chicago,
so of course we had to come here
for our first meal of the day.
Herrine: Portillo's is a fast-casual joint
known for all the Chicago classics.
Brad Fithian: Our top sellers would definitely be,
we call our famous five,
and that's our Chicago-style hot dog, Italian beef,
we have char-broiled burgers,
we have a chicken croissant, and we have chopped salad.
Herrine: But obviously we're here for the hot dog.
I've had one before, but my crew hasn't,
so I can't wait to share this experience with them.
Brad: The Chicago-style hot dog
did not originate from Portillo's.
The recipe already existed; we perfected it.
A Chicago-style hot dog starts with mustard, relish,
onions, it has two tomato slices, a pickle,
two sport peppers, and celery salt.
It's synonymous that, Chicago,
you don't have ketchup on a hot dog.
The history of Portillo's, it started in 1963.
Dick Portillo purchased a 6-by-12 trailer
till it skyrocketed to what it is today.
We have over 60 locations currently.
Employee: Here you go, player, player, no problem,
thank you so much.
No. 30! I like that guy, he got great manners.
Brad: Portillo's is iconic because, one,
we pride ourselves on quality food,
and it just becomes an obsession.
I would say our demographic of our guests
is very much mixed between tourists and regulars.
We have some people that eat here seven days a week.
Customer: We're from Washington, DC.
We've been trying to find something
that really exemplifies Chicago-style hot dogs,
and this came up, and this could not be any better.
Customer: We do not have hot dogs like this in Boston.
Brad: I would definitely have to say Portillo's
probably sells more hot dogs than anywhere else in Chicago.
The best way to enjoy a Chicago-style hot dog
would be with a piece of cake afterwards,
a nice cold beer, and cheese fries.
If you're not from Chicago,
you have to try a Chicago-style hot dog here.
Herrine: Can we just talk about this spread?
I mean, it doesn't get any more Chicago than this.
Chicago-style hot dogs are a thing
that you can pretty much get anywhere in the city,
but Portillo's does it in a way that is perfection.
The pickles, like, these small little peppers,
and even that celery salt seasoning
really shines through in every bite.
You're getting a crunch and a snap from
not just the hot dog,
but that tart, salty pickle and the pickled peppers,
and the freshness of the tomato and the relish
and the onions provide that little extra punch.
It's the perfect bite every time you go in.
There is a reason why there are lines
the moment this restaurant opens.
Like, when I first came in at 10:00 a.m.,
I was like, "Are people really gonna be showing up?"
They show up.
And who could blame them?
Every food item here is just so great,
but I can't finish all of this,
so I'm gonna bring some of my friends in here.
How are we feeling?
Alana Yzola: Hungry.
Kyle Desiderio: I will say,
I've never had a Chicago hot dog.
Herrine: OK, so this is you.
Kyle: I feel like I should have that first.
Whoa. This is like...
this is the "Big Little Lies" of hot dogs.
This is an ensemble cast, right?
We got Meryl Streep.
We got a lot of actresses working
to make this hot dog great.
Herrine: And, of course, no trip to Portillo's
is complete without a slice of chocolate cake.
This chocolate cake is my
tried-and-true favorite sweet in this city.
Partially because I love mayonnaise, and to know that,
I'm not supposed to know this,
I'm pretty sure that there's mayonnaise in here.
I've heard it from many people.
It's the mayonnaise in the cake, and it's the frosting.
It's just the whole cake.
My love language is feeding people.
Now that you've had Portillo's a little bit
and you've kinda picked at a few things,
can't you kind of understand why this place,
even though it's a chain,
even though there's massive outposts
all across the country,
it is a legendary, legendary Chicago restaurant?
Kyle: This is one of those regional restaurants
that, like, defines a city.
Like, they're here.
Herrine: Right, that's a good point.
Kyle: They're in other places,
but when you think of In-N-Out,
you think of LA.
When you think of Whataburger, you think of Texas.
When you think of Portillo's, you think of Chicago.