The guy in front of us, who hailed from the Chicago area, asked if the place had just opened, because the line was so long. We suggested that perhaps he should seek out barbecue or Tex-Mex instead of Chicago fast food on such visits, and he laughed and stopped talking to us. We tried.
We ordered an Italian beef/sausage combo sandwich, a beef-n-cheddar croissant sandwich, a hot dog and a chocolate cake shake.
![](https://media2.dallasobserver.com/dal/imager/u/blog/15999614/portillos_first_look_-_hank_vaughn-2.jpg?cb=1690312528)
The waiting area for completed orders has a large monitor that makes it a bit easier to keep track of your meal's status.
Hank Vaughn
![](https://media1.dallasobserver.com/dal/imager/u/blog/15999619/portillos_first_look_-_hank_vaughn-7.jpg?cb=1690312528)
Chicago-style hot dog dragged through the garden: mustard, relish, celery salt, chopped onions, tomatoes, pickle and sport peppers piled onto a steamed poppy seed bun.
Hank Vaughn
The chocolate cake shake was the real reason we went that night; along with the dogs and beef, it's one of the items that made Portillo’s famous. An entire slice of chocolate cake is blended into each shake, according to Portillo's, and considering how thick it was we take them at their word. Perhaps a wider straw is in order, however. We were a bit disappointed that no visible chunks of cake were apparent as per the marketing photo, but that's more quibbling.
So after being in the area in one form or another for over six months, Portillo’s is officially open with manageable lines now. There are a few other options out there, but at least you know what you’re going to get here, and two more future locations have been announced: Arlington and Allen. Maybe at some point native Texans will even outnumber Chicago expats at this location.
4560 Destination Drive, The Colony. Sunday – Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.