{"id":59,"date":"2020-12-21T03:24:14","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T09:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=59"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:49:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T15:49:33","slug":"portillos-hot-dogs-bolingbrook-illinois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=59","title":{"rendered":"Portillo&#8217;s Hot Dogs &#8211; Tempe, Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_56570\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56570\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56570 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 750px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 750\/563;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"563\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2560w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-300x225.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-1024x768.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-768x576.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-1536x1152.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10-2048x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2048w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10.jpeg?size=128x96&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10.jpeg?size=384x288&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10.jpeg?size=512x384&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos10.jpeg?size=640x480&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-56570\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portillos Hot Dogs in Tempe, Arizona<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Portillo&#8217;s story is the story of the American dream, a rags to riches saga that began with a single hot dog stand opening in 1963. That single investment has blossomed into a multi-million per year chain with six different concepts and more than 40 restaurants in the Chicago area alone. The Portillo&#8217;s Restaurant Group has become, in fact, the largest privately-owned restaurant company in the Midwest. Among Chicagoland expatriates with whom I&#8217;ve worked (and one whom I married) Portillos is consistently named as one of the things they miss most about living in the Windy City.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Expatriates like my Kim know there isn&#8217;t anything like Portillo&#8217;s anywhere else in America.\u00a0 Other than frequent trips to the Chicago area, their only recourse has been ordering hot dogs online through <strong><a title=\"Tastes of Chicago: Portillo's\" href=\"http:\/\/www.tastesofchicago.com\/category\/Portillos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tastes of Chicago<\/a> <\/strong>which offers nationwide delivery of all your Windy City favorites.\u00a0 In October, 2005, Portillo&#8217;s launched its first location outside of Illinois, the lucky (hot) dog being Buena Park, California.\u00a0 Since then, multiple locations have been launched in several metropolitan areas including three in Phoenix. \u00a0During winter break 2020, the Portillos in Tempe was the first restaurant we visited in Arizona. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_56586\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56586\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56586 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 750px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 750\/449;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"449\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1222w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11-300x180.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11-1024x613.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11-768x460.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?size=128x77&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?size=384x230&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?size=512x307&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo11.jpeg?size=640x383&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-56586\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chicago Hotdog<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">There&#8217;s no way you could ever mistake Portillo&#8217;s for a simple hot dog stand today.\u00a0 Most Portillo&#8217;s restaurants are veritable theme parks&#8211;culinary shrines celebrating terrific food and the heritage of the Windy City in the 20th century.\u00a0 Typically this means no discrimination between both sides of the law; more than perhaps any city in America, Chicago celebrates (and sometimes it elects) its criminals.\u00a0 The Portillo&#8217;s in Tempe where these photos were taken under the ebony canopy of night is rich with photographs of the city&#8217;s nefarious and notorious characters as well as sundry antiques.\u00a0 There&#8217;s something to see everywhere you turn.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Portillo&#8217;s doesn&#8217;t offer table service.\u00a0 When you walk in, you&#8217;ll immediately proceed to a long, fast-food chain-like queue that seems a mile long.\u00a0 You&#8217;ll be amazed at how quickly the line moves and how efficient Portillo&#8217;s is at taking and processing orders.\u00a0 Within minutes after placing your order, your number will be called and you&#8217;ll pick up your order.\u00a0 Tables are adorned with checkerboard tablecloths, the red and white ones reminiscent of Italian restaurant table settings.\u00a0 Tables are spaced fairly close to one another despite the cavernous confines of this sprawling restaurant.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_56588\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56588\" style=\"width: 749px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56588 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 749px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 749\/492;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"749\" height=\"492\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13.jpeg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 749w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13-348x215.jpeg?size=149x98&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 149w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13-348x215.jpeg?size=299x196&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 299w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13-348x215.jpeg?size=449x295&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 449w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-56588\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Italian Beef and Sausage Combo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>21 December 2020<\/strong>: True to its name, Portillo&#8217;s features the quintessential Chicago all beef hot dog in all its cornucopia of ingredients glory&#8211;mustard, relish, chopped onions, cucumber, sliced red tomato, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun.\u00a0 Most appropriately, it&#8217;s often said of the <em><strong>Chicago hot dog<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0that it&#8217;s been &#8220;dragged through the garden.&#8221; The first time you have one, the Chicago style hot dog seems like an odd collection of toppings&#8211;some hot and some cold&#8211;that work surprisingly well together. The textures range from crispy to chewy and the flavors from tangy and acidic to pleasantly piquant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana;\">The melange of ingredients is by no means a cover-up for an inferior wiener; in fact, the all beef wiener is the highlight of this hot dog.\u00a0 Bite into it and your teeth will puncture an all-natural skin with a discernible snap, unleashing a salty, juicy meat impressed with a faint smokiness.\u00a0 Th poppy seed bun is warm and pillowy soft yet substantial enough to hold in all the ingredients nestled in its crevice. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana;\"> These hot dogs aren&#8217;t for everyone, but aficionados swear by them. Some proprietors will swear AT you if you ask for ketchup.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_56587\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56587\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56587 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 750px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 750\/427;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"427\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1067w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12-300x171.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12-1024x583.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12-768x437.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?size=128x73&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?size=384x219&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?size=512x291&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos12.jpeg?size=640x364&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-56587\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Italian Beef<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>21 December 2020<\/strong>: Portillo&#8217;s also serves one of the best <em><strong>Italian beef sandwiches<\/strong><\/em> in the City of Big Shoulders, a mighty feat in itself. Better yet, try the combination beef and char-grilled sausage sandwich, imbued with the most tender, thin sliced beef and the most succulent sausage. If you don&#8217;t ask for your sandwich &#8220;wet&#8221; (dipped in the &#8220;gravy&#8221; in which it is prepared), you&#8217;ll notice that Portillo&#8217;s uses a fairly hard-crusted bun, one that crunches when you bite into it. The giardinara is also crispy, an assemblage of pickled and spiced vegetables you can have in either the hot or the regular variety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">In October, 2010, a writer for <strong><a title=\"Serious Eats: Italian Beef Challenge\" href=\"http:\/\/www.seriouseats.com\/2010\/10\/the-best-italian-beef-sandwich-in-chicago-illinois-als-portillos.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Serious Eats<\/a><\/strong>, one of my favorite food blogs, endeavored with three friends to determine the very best Italian beef sandwich in the Chicago area.\u00a0 Their quest took them to eleven purveyors of pulchritudinous beef where, in six hours, eating about three inches of each sandwich, they decided the very best Italian beef sandwich was Portillo&#8217;s.\u00a0 Every sandwich sampled was topped with giardiniera and served wet. Portillo&#8217;s rendition was described as &#8220;having no flaws,&#8221; despite all the components being pre-cooked at a corporate location.\u00a0 My favorite Italian beef from <strong><a title=\"Johnnie's Beef\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=38\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Johnnie&#8217;s<\/a> <\/strong>finished third in their balloting.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_56589\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56589\" style=\"width: 525px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-56589 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 525px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 525\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1920w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-225x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 225w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-768x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-1152x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1152w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14-1536x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14.jpeg?size=128x171&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14.jpeg?size=384x512&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillo14.jpeg?size=512x683&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-56589\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portillo&#8217;s Fabulous Chocolate Cake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>21 December 2020<\/strong>: Portillo&#8217;s <em><strong>chocolate cake<\/strong><\/em> is a rich and moist piece of heaven, an absolutely delicious hunk of chocolate perfection. It&#8217;s diet-devastating deliciousness in a slab-sized piece big enough for three. The chocolate cake is perhaps the best from a triumvirate of desserts. Strawberry shortcake and caramel pecan cake are the other two. You can also sate your sweet tooth with bone-chilling cold shakes and malts. Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry are available in thirst-slaking sizes of small, medium and large.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Most thematic restaurants eventually become caricatures of themselves and begin to pay more attention to their atmosphere and less to their food.\u00a0 Thankfully this hasn&#8217;t happened with Portillo&#8217;s which after nearly five decades in operation still serves one of the Windy City area&#8217;s best Chicago style hot dogs and so much more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Portillo&#8217;s Hot Dogs<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong>65 S. McClintock Drive<br \/>\n<strong>Tempe, Arizona<\/strong><br \/>\n(480) 967-7988<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>LATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 21 December 2020<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong># OF VISITS<\/strong><\/span>: 1<br \/>\n<strong>RATING<\/strong>: <strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Very Good<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Good to very good food; generally solid; delivers consistent quality, strong technique, and a comfortable, enjoyable dining experience<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>COST<\/strong><\/span>: $$<br \/>\n<strong>BEST BET<\/strong>: Chicago Hotdog, Italian Beef Sandwich, Combination Italian Beef and Sausage Sandwich, Chocolate Cake<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Portillo&#8217;s story is the story of the American dream, a rags to riches saga that began with a single hot dog stand opening in 1963. That single investment has blossomed into a multi-million per year chain with six different concepts and more than 40 restaurants in the Chicago area alone. The Portillo&#8217;s Restaurant Group has become, in fact, the largest privately-owned restaurant company in the Midwest. Among Chicagoland expatriates with whom I&#8217;ve worked (and one whom I married) Portillos is consistently named as one of the things they miss most about living in the Windy City. Expatriates like my Kim know there isn&#8217;t anything like Portillo&#8217;s anywhere else in America.\u00a0 Other than frequent trips to the Chicago area, their only&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,703,118,6,5631,30,553],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arizona","category-dog-friendly","category-hot-dogs-sandwich","category-illinois","category-very-good","category-sandwich","category-across-america"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Portillo&#039;s Hot Dogs - Tempe, Arizona - Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=59\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Portillo&#039;s Hot Dogs - Tempe, Arizona - Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Portillo&#8217;s story is the story of the American dream, a rags to riches saga that began with a single hot dog stand opening in 1963. That single investment has blossomed into a multi-million per year chain with six different concepts and more than 40 restaurants in the Chicago area alone. The Portillo&#8217;s Restaurant Group has become, in fact, the largest privately-owned restaurant company in the Midwest. Among Chicagoland expatriates with whom I&#8217;ve worked (and one whom I married) Portillos is consistently named as one of the things they miss most about living in the Windy City. Expatriates like my Kim know there isn&#8217;t anything like Portillo&#8217;s anywhere else in America.\u00a0 Other than frequent trips to the Chicago area, their only&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=59\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-21T09:24:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-06T15:49:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Portillos13.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"549\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"292\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=59#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=59\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"Portillo&#8217;s Hot Dogs &#8211; 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