You push open the door and step into a restaurant that seems to have been designed around one simple principle: there must be room for more tables, and trust me, there is!! The place is enormous, or at least it feels that way. The ceiling stretches overhead, the floor goes on forever, and there's no hostess stand in sight. No one is waiting to greet you. Instead, you're left to figure out the system yourself. Fortunately, the ceiling signs seem to know where you're going. Everything about the place says Chicago hot dog emporium. It isn't fancy, and it certainly isn't trying to be. No linen napkins, no mysterious foam, no server appearing with a dramatic explanation of the appetizer. Just laminated menus, stainless steel, bright signs, yellow mustard, and the reassuring promise of a hot dog piled high with enough toppings to require a little structural engineering. At the register, the cashier looks up with the blank, mildly haunted expression of someone who has been stationed there to process transactions, not thoughts. You ask a question. They stare. Not rudely. Not helpfully. Just a long, silent look that suggests your question has been received but will not be processed at this time. Your better off just ordering your food and hoping for the best. They do serve a crispy fried chicken sandwich with a sauce so aggressively spicy it feels less like a condiment and more like a personal attack. The first bite is delicious. The second begins the paralysis of your taste buds. By the third, you're realizing that requesting the sauce on the side was a good move. In hindsight, I probably should have done my homework and ordered the hot dog--the thing this place is actually famous for. Instead, I saw "spicy chicken sandwich" and made the classic mistake of assuming I knew better than a restaurant built around one very specific food. read more

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Used to love Portillos... just not that good anymore. The "assembly line" ordering needs help. Takes forever for food to come to the window and when it ready it's already cold. Bags are lined up with food in them while they wait for fries or other order additions. This is stupid! They need about 5 more people working to fill these orders so the food is hot. Let down with this location. read more

We popped in about 45 minutes before closing on a Friday night. We ordered a beef, fry and a drink to share between three of us. We had already eaten dinner many hours earlier so this was just a late night snack or what we call "second dinner". The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived, just a few other late night diners; that didn't last long, about 10 minutes after arriving, the place filled up with a bunch of students. They were having a great time (while being very respectful of the restaurant, staff and closing time) and they were fun to watch. Our meal was delicious, as always... freshly made and piping hot. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Italian Beef Sandwich - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I am a sucker for their loaded Chicago dog and goblet of beer. Great taste and affordable. Only complaint- we came at 3pm and fries were hard and crusty like they were old. Probably leftover from lunch. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Chicago dog loaded - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Quite sad...sandwich had hardly any beef on it...asked for combo dipped with hot on the side...they obviously don't know what that means. Received hot and sweet peppers on the sandwich, and a side of hot peppers, and it was NOT dipped. That's what I get for not checking the order before leaving the drive thru...come on it's not that difficult...used to always look forward to Portillos...this location needs some work... read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Combo...hardly any beef...asked for it dipped with hot on the side...NOT dipped and hot and sweet peppers on the sandwich... - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

It is exactly what it is. A fast food type resturaunt that serves hotdogs and beef sandwiches. I got both the chili cheese dog and chicago dog. The only issue I had was just the lack of taste of the hotdog. The hotdog meat itself was kind of "meh" similar to a lower store bought frank. As for the chili- it wasn't earth shattering , but something I would expect from a fast food restaurant. The waitstaff were extremely nice. Food came out quickly and the place was clean. 4 stars because they met the expectations of a fast food restaurant read more

Gave me completely wrong order and wasnt listening when I my order. Really bummed. Like actually nothing they gave me was correct.

This location has gotten worse and worse each time I've come now for the 3rd time. 1st time they gave me a random online order instead of my drive thru ordered meal, I had to come back. Second time my beef had pink meat. I came back just now to sit down and eat with a modelo, the employees do not care about our orders as they gave me wrong food items again and this time he filled my cheese cup up half way I said no may I get this filled, I paid for it. I'm sitting down getting ready to enjoy my meal and they have people up in here asking g me if I can buy them food but they clearly have a no loitering sign in the front. They employees have attitudes and honestly I regret coming back here. I will not be coming back here and will proudly let all of my friends and family know so they're aware it is a risk coming here and spending your money. Service is horrible and they don't care. read more

Stopped in for a dipped big beef with sweet peppers and a slice of chocolate cake. The sandwich was good, but the cake portion was noticeably smaller like about half the size of what I had back in February 2025. Same price at $3.99, but now only half the serving? Not sure if it's inflation or just a cutting mistake?!? read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Service slow even when there is no crowd. Ambiance drive thru - fair. Could do a better job maintaining landscaping and controlling litter in the area. Food: inconsistent. On three recent visits for chili dog, fries, soda - the soda has been fine. Dog ranges from hot and cheeses to almost cold. Fries range from perfect hot and properly salted to wimpy like warm and grossly over salted. I think poor management is it. read more

Only one there waited about 20 minutes for cold fries, and an extremely soggy burger that falls apart your hands. Being from Chicago none of this tastes like authentic Portillo's. And they said their shake machine was down. You mean you just don't want to clean the shake machine. read more

I would drive to another location in Chicago rather than eat here again. Long wait times. I got charged double and argued with me about it. Another person came to somewhat resurrect the situation and then this rude bald guy came over and made the situation worse. This is not the first time I've had bad experiences here with the bald guy and other employees. read more

When potillas first came to Madison the food was delicious. Italian beef sandwiches were very flavorful along with the aju and the girandulea was offered plus the sandwiches were diped in aju. Now the beef is pretty much tasteless, the aju is greasy and the girandulea is jalapeños in olive oil. Was very disappointed. They used to be one of my favorite places to visit. I heard they were bought out by corporations that buy privately owned businesses, cheaper them up and run them into the ground like quiznos. It very sad that corporations ruin once really good establishments. read more

Portillos is one of those--I'm so hungry and I have no idea what I want spots. Their locations are so consistent and employees always so nice and pleasant. I either lean towards the Chicago hot dog or the Italian beef sandwich. Either driving thru or eating in, the food is always fresh--French fries are always hot and fresh! Get the cheese sauce! It's on my bucket list to try the cake shake that they have. The interior is super fun to enjoy--lots of signs on the wall to enjoy. read more

Dirty tables!! Dirty bathroom!! The person t that took our order was friendly and professional. We couldn't find a single booth that was clean and we got there at 4:45 pm. There is a side dining area and there was an employee sleeping at a table and the rest of the room was empty so we would have felt very uncomfortable sitting in there. After walking around looking for a clean table my husband asked if I wanted to eat dinner in our car?!! I wiped off a table and we ate inside. This was such a disappointment because we love Portillo's! Come on Portillo's Madison East clean up your restaurant!!! read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Dirty bathroom and empty paper towel dispenser - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food was overcooked and burnt. The ice cream was melted. The fries wet and soggy. I am disappointed because it is the polar opposite of the one on the west side. read more

First, the people working are always nice. The beef sandwich is our favorite. Always hot and delicious. We like our frys crisp so we ask for them crispy and they always come out perfect. The added a self serve soda fountain which is great. Free refills. We eat here often! I do have to try something else sometime though... :) read more

I had high expectations when we walked in as the atmosphere and decor were great. The place was clean and the staff were hustling and putting out lots of orders. As we ate, we were all disappointed in the food. Basic food, nothing exciting. We paid $65 for 3 kids meals, an adult meal and a salad. This is pretty steep when you consider it's hot dogs and chicken strips. We all agreed-we will not return. We left dissatisfied and not having our tasty food itch scratched. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Chopped Salad - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Took 40 minutes to get our food, and when we got it we were missing the sauces, the fries were spilled out in the bag, amd the food itself was just very mid. The wait was very annoying but luckily I am patient. The wait wouldnt have been a problem if the food was actually worth the wait but, it wasnt. Would not recommend, and I dont plan on ever going again. read more

My chicken sandwich was overcooked and salty. So much mayo that oozes everywhere and over powered the sandwich

I have been to many locations, my first visit to Madison. Just wonderful! Their Chicago dogs are every bit as good and authentic as the ones you get in Chicago .The service was fast and the prices are reasonable. I have never had any problems anywhere at any Portillo's, and Madison is just as good as all of them! And get this, I was eating in the restaurant and an employee was handing out free slices of chocolate cake! Their chocolate cake is fabulous! How cool is that? The next time I am in Madison, I will be back! read more

I can't understand how this place can't get a simple order correct. Ordered a Big Beef, dipped. Simple right ! Well they didn't put it in the plastic bag , like every other Portilllos does, so I set it on the seat of the truck, drove away, 3-4 mins later grabbed the bag, and the juice( grease) had seeped out of the sandwich wrap, soaked thru the bag,and into the cloth of my passenger seat. WTF !!! Who's going to pay for that to be cleaned ?? Let me guess, I Am ! Save you money,go elsewhere for food, I will be ! When I called the store to complain to the manager, the lady on the phone said hold a minute or two, after I told her what had happened. No one came back to the phone. So I called again, and the manager wasn't available now.. BS your ducking my call cause your idiot employees screwed up. No more money from me . read more

Really disappointed in beef sandwiches at this location. Beef was really dry and the peppers were few and mozzarella was on the wrapper not the sandwich. Gardiniera and mozzarella were limited on 2nd sandwich which was also very dry. We got the end of the bag of fries - none big enough to swipe in ketchup. Order wasn't complete in 1 bag and thankfully recognized it before we pulled away. Nobody else in line at 5:30pm should have been a clue! read more

This was the second time I have been to one of these places in Wisconsin - the other time was at their Brookfield location a few years ago. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday and it was pretty busy. The line moved well though it was much longer once we got through it. The kitchen is absolutely huge - not really sure why but it is impressive. I decided on the classic Chicago dog with everything on it - of course. My mistake was ordering the regular size vs the jumbo because it was tiny and not very filling. The flavor was good not great. My wife got the chopped salad and said it was very good. We each got a shake (or was it a malt?) and they were good and huge even though they were the small size. Next time I have a craving for a Chicago dog and I am not in Chicago I will stop again but I will order the jumbo size (which really isn't that jumbo)! read more

Worst service ever! Waited 38 minutes for a fry, 2 dogs and a beef. 38 minutes and they still got the order wrong. Lots of people moving at a glacial pace. After we left I called and calmly spoke to the store manager to let her know that I would like to inform the regional manager. She said a lot of people who work there called in sick and this just happens. No apology, no concern, no hope to do better. She said they don't give out the regional managers contact info. Since she said that she was the store manager I asked for her name, so I could reference my call to her. She said it's " Portillo's " and hung up on me. I have loved Portillo's forever and have been to most of their locations throughout the country. However, if this new level of service is acceptable to their corporate office then they spent a lot of money buying an awesome franchise only to drive it right into the ground. What a loss. I wouldn't waste your time or money here. read more

Always wanted to try this regional chain and was super excited to learn that they had locations in the Madison area. We decided to try their (Chicago style) beef hot dog, onion rings, fries, and of course we ordered their famous chocolate cake and chocolate cake shake. To be honest, the hot dogs and fries were alright. The hot dog tasted okay but the neon green relish was kind of off-putting and the fries tasted like they sat out for a while. Surprisingly, their onion rings were awesome. They were fresh, hot, and crispy. Their chocolate cake was moist and not overly sweet, I can see why they are known for their cake. The cake shake was equally good, but it was very rich. The shake kind of mellows out the chocolate flavor of the cake, but it paired well with their fried items. The large size can definitely be shared amongst a few people. Overall, food was okay, service was friendly and casual, can't say I would return again, one visit is enough for me. read more

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Service is good and the vibes are great! The food is great too! We didn't have anything like this in California so it was new to us and so worth it ! read more

This is my second time here, first time was on my motorcycle with my wife, we waited 40 minutes for our food only to have it cold and missing some if it. They apologized and gave us a bunch of cake and deserts... We just wanted our food in a normal amount of time. This second time i stopped there on November 27 to pickup two lb's of beef, gravy and bread. I guess you can not just order this at the drive thru and think they could ever get it correct. I also ordered a double hot dog meal that was ice cold by the time i got to et it in the parking lot. I had to go inside to get bread for my two lb's of beef and then had to wait 15 minutes for them to hand me two frozen bags of bread. This place was not busy at all. Besides the cold hot dogs the order was fine in the end. This place has the worse service that I have ever experienced at a Portrillos, If you want a good experience and a complete order, do not go to this location. Yesterday was my very last time going there. read more

It's my first time going to the fabled Portillo's. I ordered a breaded chicken sandwich and a chocolate cake shake. I feel that I am a bit of a chicken sandwich professional and this one doesn't quite make it high in my list. It's still a good sandwich, but it doesn't have the kind of soul like Zaxby's or Chick-Fil-A. While I was researching the nutrition facts of the cake shake, a small one has a whopping 110 GRAMS OF SUGAR. I couldn't drink the whole thing without thinking of my health. Service was fast and homey. Food was good overall, would go again. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Chocolate Cake Shake Breaded Chicken Sandwich - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Always nice employees and the food is pretty good. I had chicken strips that were tasty and the breading was nice. The famous chocolate cake is not very tasty ( maybe just my opinion). They have crinkle fries which I am not a fan of but my husband loved them. Restaurant is always clean and staff is always friendly. read more

I don't know why the poor reviews. I thought it was excellent! Visiting Madison for work and my buddy who grew up here insists that I need to go to Portillo's. I'm from Cali SF Bay Area , where the closest Portillo's is in Anaheim (never been). He insisted on the Italian beef - dipped. Bonus was that they serve draught beer! Too full for the Chicago dog or a shake, so will have to come back! read more

For fast food this is a solid 4 stars! I've been to the ones in Chicago so I was like let me try the one in Madison. I was very pleased with the food. Food: Italian beef sandwich was very tasty. It's pretty messy and soggy when you get door dash to bring it to you but it still tasted really good. I would also add cheese and the hot peppers for some extra flavor. The onion rings were really good too. The sausage sandwich was probably my favorite. Once again if you are using DoorDash the food is not quite the same as eating there but if you don't feel like leaving your hotel this is a great Option. The cheese sauce for the onion ring is quite good as well. I will definitely go back next time I am in town. If you are in the area stop by and try them out. Solid four stars. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Today took the proverbial cake. After I ordered and paid - I was informed the grill is off because they close at 8p today. Mind you it's 7:40p, 1940h as I write this. So, I'm happy to take a refund. This was the 2nd trip where char on a hotdog was something that just didn't happen. 1st time it took 18 minutes. No explanation 2nd time I was told upfront it'd take 10min to char a weenie. I opted out. Now today is the 3rd overall incident but counted in that #2 as mentioned above. I didn't count the first incident in that 2 count referenced above. This wouldn't be such a disappointment if I lived near east or on the Eastside. Plus, it's Super Corporate and I expect more than a mom or pops. Lastly, their Chicago employees are protesting for better wages and work conditions. This trip solidified it for me. read more

Wife and I stopped here the other day. Portillo's is one of our absolute favorite places to eat at. Since we moved to South Carolina we only get to Portillo's when visiting, but we order 3-4 times a year to get the Italian Beef/Sausage combo meals sent to us. I ordered the Italian beef/sausage combo with fries and my wife ordered the chopped salad. Normally Portillo's is pretty fast getting your order prepared and out to you. After 15-20 minutes we finally got our order. Not sure what the hold-up was, but I've never seen it this bad in any Portillo's before. I took the food to a table and found that they had given me onion rings instead of fries. Went back and had them give me the fries. Food still great....service at this place sucked. I see they are hiring...so Covid must've taken the toll on this site. read more

Portillo's is one of my favorite restaurants of all time! So why not a 5 star review? I am a native Chicagoan who moved to Madison a few years ago. Portillo's is such a beloved staple in Chicago. Loyal customers adore the hot dogs, salads, and pastas. However, the Madison location (and many other out of state locations) do not have the same choices as the Chicago locations. They don't have many of the famous salads like the garbage salad or any of the pastas. Portillo's is known for having the absolute best vodka pasta. It also has amazing fettuccine, ravioli, baked mostaccioli, and spaghetti. Many Madison residents from Chicago, like myself, were really disappointed in the menu discrepancies. I personally feel that they're trying to change the classic menu too much. There's a reason Portillo's is so iconic in Chicago and its sad that they are taking away so many staples. They're adding things like brats and Chicago bowls. There is no reason to add these sub par items and take away from the amazing menu Portillo's in known for. With that being said, the Madison location does have the iconic Chicago hot dog and the delicious chopped salad. Despite how different this Portillo's is from the true Chicago Portillo's, I still frequently dine there and enjoy my experience. The food from the original menu is well made and comparable to the Chicago Portillo's. It is also in a great location right next to the East Towne Mall. It's decorated with the classic Portillo's theme and ambiance. It's filled with neon signs, old cars, and other retro digs. Overall, I'd highly recommend visiting! read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Vodka Pasta (not at the Madison location) - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Second time here. Initial visit I tried the Chicago dog meal. It was okay. Not the best Chicago dog that I have had but ok. Today tried the "Big Beef" Italian beef sandwich dipped with hot peppers. Size was significant. Flavor was good. Peppers... okay. A little under served for the size. Overall it's a good sandwich. Again not the best Italian beef that I have had but good and will scratch the itch. Tried one of the cakes. I believe it was the Chocolate Eclair cake. Very rich. The chocolate overpowered the subtitles of the other flavors. But it's cake. So it's still pretty good. Next time I'll have to try the chocolate cake shake. read more

Portillo's Madison, Wisconsin - East Towne - Big beef Italian beef dipped sandwich w/ hot peppers - Hot Dogs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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There was so much excitement when Portillos made some stomping grounds in the Madison area and I think the hype is still there! I don't eat fast food often, but when I do, this is on the list. Service is friendly and efficient and the food comes package nicely for no spills in transportation. I love the Chicago style hot dog and the cheese fries. The cheese is a nice consistency (although I wish there was more of it sometimes!) and the fries are the thicker crinkle kind so a crunchy outer layer with a soft inside. Lastly, I always crave the chocolate cake shake! This sweet tooth of mine would love to have it everyday, but health right?! The shake is dense mixed with the cake, and it is oh so decadent! read more

I'm a Chicago transplant to Madison -- imagine my surprise when someone told me there was a new Portillo's across the road on the East side. You can bet I drove immediately over to that drive through! The hot dogs were amazing -- just like they are in the city. The roast beef dipped sandwich was incredible, per usual. I had to try the chocolate cake again, and this is where it differed from Chicago's experience. The cake I had was not the decadent, moist Portillo's famous cake. It was way more dry and not nearly as delicious from cake to frosting. Other than that, I'm so happy this new location opened and it's pretty much always booming and busy. The service was excellent and the drive through was quick! read more

I was craving a hot dog, and my partner suggested Portillos. We ordered 2 beef hot dogs with all the toppings, onion rings, and chili. The good: The onion rings were amazing. The bad: The hot dogs were so overloaded that the buns were soggy. They also weren't actually very "hot" with respect to temperature (we ate at the restaurant, not to go) which was a bit of a bummer. The chili was average, but also the temperature was luke warm which was a bit of a turn off. I might go back, but I might not. read more

Great burgers and get orders right. Better than west town Portillos 100%. Shakes are always blended through, sometimes Portillos doesn't Care to blend the cake shakes so if you want a good one, go here. read more