Portillo's is a favorite of mine, but at the same time, you can get dipped sandwiches just about anywhere around here, as it's one of those things that in Chicago is like a "duh" kinda thing, but most of us understand that it's still something that's more of an area thing. I remember finding out that it was a Chicago thing when I was in Kentucky...I gotta say, people in Kentucky don't take kindly to ANYTHING that they don't understand. I thought I was going to have to get a group to take out everyone in that restaurant just for my own safety, great customer service at that place too...
omg, send some Portillo's this way.... (that's why I asked you Cselby if you have ever been to Chicago, simply because of this place) Wow. One of those wet sandwiches right now.... I might have to open one here
I actually used to work for Dick Portillo's (founder of Portillos) brother Frank, who's the owner of a chicken chain in this area, but actually got to work alongside him several times when I was in high school. I guess they don't really get along too well though.
Anyway, yeah, I do love Portillo's, but I'm actually an even bigger fan of Buena Beef now, they were one of those small places before they just blew up, now just about everyone in the Chicagoland area is within a 20 minute drive of one. I was shocked the first time I ate there and realized that I actually liked it more than Portillo's. There's some other great beef places in the area, but they're not chains or anything. Oh, almost forgot about Al's Beef, not bad there either.
