Portillo's & Barnelli's Schaumburg

I have gone to Portillo's for the last 30 years and it had been consistently reliable and very good for much of that time. However, over the last 2-3 years I have really noticed a decline in the quality of the food. I typically get the Italian Beef sandwich with peppers and had never bitten into a gross large green pepper stem UNTIL recently...and this has happened to me 2x IN THE LAST YEAR! I was dining in the first time and brought it over to one of the managers and he basically dismissed it. This time we got take out and I had another large green stem in my sandwich! This is gross, not edible and really inexcusable. See enclosed photos. I really hope they get their act together and remove the stems from the green peppers! They are HUGE and GROSS!

Great place to 🥳 a birthday. Fun NOLA vibe, upscale southern food, good attentive, the biegnets were different than cafe du mond, darker and denser.

Heard a lot of people talk this place up so I had to try it out. The food doesn't look appealing at first sight but its delicious.

I absolutely had to stop here while in town for a work trip. My wife turned me on to this place and is become a favorite of mine. The restaurant was very clean and the staff were very courteous. There was ample seating. My food came out pretty quickly and was prepared as ordered. As always, the meal was delicious. The beef was tender and well seasoned. The fries were nice and crispy. Make sure to stop in if you're in the area!!!

The food and the atmosphere was great. The only complain was customer service. We sat in the diner around 8pm on the top left side of the section. The section we sat at wasn’t closed off yet and there were few other customers/families that were still eating at the section where we were sitting. Remind you I sat at the top left section of the diner around 8pm. One guess went to get his food and the staff closed off both of the entry ways around 8:30pm using the chairs and the retractable belt. He had to climb on top of the chairs to get back to his section since the employee closed off both entrances. The employee gave us a dirty look bc we were still eating. We were done eating around 9:30pm, I moved 2 chairs and the woman staff was giving me an angry look. We had our toddler with us, I’m not going to climb over the chair with my toddler. I moved the chairs back to make her happy. She was a very rude staff. I used to work at Portillo’s. We only closed off one entryway so the other customers could get out. She did the same exact thing in the other section.

Absolutely delicious and one of the perks of living in Chicagoland. I've loved Portillo's since childhood and I'm so happy it's still around and with even more locations than I remember from back in the day, which is a great sign that they'll be around for years to come! Sadly I did become a vegetarian about 15 years ago, but I've "broken the rules" a few times since moving back to IL only to enjoy Portillo's delicious hotdogs for old time's sake, if that tells you anything. However, once I discovered their vegetarian Garden Dog was just as good, I was a super happy camper! It is almost scary how convincing their plant-based hot dog tastes, but I imagine it has something to do with using all the same tasty toppings of their meat-based staple. Oh and their cheese fries? Omg... sometimes I stop by just for those! They even have tasty dessert options! To top things off staff at this Schaumburg location are great, though I've had equally solid experiences at other locations as well. They're super friendly, and their rhyming routine for calling out order numbers is a fun, nice little touch. Plenty of seating and I love the classic vibe each location offers in their own way. A++

First time stepping into a Portillo’s, and I’d been hearing the hype from friends and family for years—mainly about the hot dogs. Tonight, I decided it was time to find out if it lived up to the talk. I went big: long chili dog with cheese, crinkle-cut fries, and a large milkshake. Halfway through, I realized I’d forgotten the famous chocolate cake. A guy on my flight in had told me it was a must. When I mentioned it to the counter staff, they didn’t miss a beat—just handed me a slice with a smile. That’s service. The chili dog? Hands-down one of the best I’ve ever had—perfect snap on the dog, hearty chili, and a cheese blanket to tie it all together. Crinkle fries were golden and crisp, the kind that you can’t help but keep grabbing. The milkshake was massive and so thick it practically needed a jackhammer, but it was worth every spoonful. That chocolate cake? Rich, moist, and just the right amount of sweetness to close out the meal. For under $20, I walked out full, happy, and impressed. Portillo’s delivered the hype, and then some. Highly recommended. Portillo’s began in 1963 when founder Dick Portillo opened a small trailer called “The Dog House” in Villa Park, Illinois. Using just $1,100 in savings, he served hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches to locals. Over time, his focus on quality ingredients, fast service, and a fun, Chicago-style atmosphere turned the business into a regional favorite. By the 1980s and 1990s, Portillo’s had expanded throughout the Chicago area, adding signature menu items like chocolate cake and Maxwell Street Polish sausages. The brand became known for its nostalgic décor—each location styled with vintage signs and memorabilia. In 2014, Portillo’s was sold to Berkshire Partners, a private equity firm, and began expanding outside Illinois. Today, it operates in multiple states while staying true to its Chicago street food roots.

Have had horrible experiences time and time again with the drive through here. Check the bags before you drive away, from big orders to small they cannot get it right. As someone who has been eating portillos almost her entire life, I definitely feel like the quality has gone down. Bring back the lemon poppyseed muffins and garlic bread sticks.

Food was amazing! Cool atmosphere! Do yourself a favor and try this gem! Good food! Nice variety of options for food and drinks.

I'll first start by saying I love Portillo's food - no issues there. The problem I have is with this particular location, which used to be my 'go-to' location - not anymore. For the last few months, the service level here has been getting worse and worse - forgetting food items and basically not caring about the customer. Here's my most recent problem: As I'm sure many of you are aware, if you complete the online survey from your receipt, you get emailed a code for a free large fry. I've been using these survey codes for years with no issues. Last week, I go to the Schaumburg location, place my order - with a new trainee (no problems with him - he was great), and hand him my survey code for my free fry. He didn't know what to do with the survey code so he calls over the manager (Ganzo). Ganzo proceeds to tell me that they no longer accept the survey codes and that the survey reward will appear in my Portillo's Perks app - wrong! I asked when did this new policy start and he's says 3 or 4 months ago and then walks away. I say to him as he's walking away that that's not true as I've used survey codes at other locations several times in the last 4 months and asked why am I still being emailed survey codes if you don't accept them??? He again just says it's only in the app and walks away again. I call him back a second time and showed him there is no survey rewards in my app. He angrily types something into the register and then tells the cashier to give me the fry - the cashier asks how to enter it and Ganzo says "Enter the survey code I gave him" - this all sounded to me like the manager just didn't want to honor the free fry. When I got home, I immediately completed my survey from the receipt, which clearly states: "Upon completion, you will receive a validation code via email" for a free fry. I explained in the survey what happened and requested I be contacted - and as usual, I was emailed a code for a free large fry. Sadly, a week later, I get a totally generic email from "Portillo's" that didn't even address me by name and just thanked me for contacting them - did not address any of the issues I reported or any apologies. I'll be avoiding this location from now on. I now go to the Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights locations, which so far, have still been providing good service.

I'm visiting Chicago for a concert and my friends felt we had to visit Portillo's, it's iconic. I had never heard of it but am always down to try something new, plus it's iconic! When we got there it was like going back in time, a huge old school diner. It's definitely worth taking visitors too. It's known for its hotdogs but has branched out to a wide variety of sandwiches made in a Chicago style. I had a sausage dog smothered in sautéed onions and mustard and my friend had a hotdog sans the onion. I have never seen a hotdog with a tomato in it! Our sandwiches were delicious. I also ordered a small fry to share but after the flavor fullness of my polish sausage the fries just didn't compare. I also ordered their world famous chocolate cake. It's true, it says so on the menu. I was so full from my sandwich I couldn't touch the cake at the restaurant, I just tried it now to finish my review and it's on point! It tastes different than regular chocolate cakes, I can't pin down the difference though. I will say it's just the right amount of sweetness, not overly so but the flavor of the cake is wow! Definitely a winner!

Super busy inside but the ordering screens worked well enough. Employees then yelled out order numbers when they were ready. The inside was a nice diners theme with comfy booths. Plenty of options to sit. The food was tasty with great fries and italian beef. My favorite was the chocolate cake!

You have one job, "Large fry." Someone ate half of mine before giving it. Explains the 3 stars.

Food at Portillos as always is amazing. The speed and accuracy also can't be beat. Service was friendly. The interior of this location is fantastic and has diner vibes.

Craving a Portillo's hot dog and some fries. I get mine with everything except the sport peppers. The drive through was fast and accurate. Took a star off since the dogs were not well wrapped but otherwise was delicious.

Ever since Portillo's went through a management and ownership change the food is absolutely garbage, Let me Give an example I stopped there in the Schaumburg store for their spicy pasta called arabiata, it was absolutely the worst which once was absolutely awesome, now has become subpar like a bottle of ragu. It was not spicy they clip you on every little thing the sauce was dry so I asked for more they charged me 349 for half a cup of crappy sauce. My point being is the recipes and the quality have changed dramatically over the shift in management and ownership. It no longer is the quality that once was! I cannot recommend this store it is absolutely awful I wound up throwing the pasta out, and again they absolutely hit you with charges for just the slightest request of maybe a little extra sauce or anything else.!

It's time to update my review, specifically for the Schaumburg Portillo's location. As much as the family loves Portillo's, there are similar options available, like Buona Beef opening more locations with great food quality. The main reason for the updated review is that over the past 6 months or so, after Portillo's sold their business, we've definitely noticed a drop in customer service and order accuracy. They are constantly.getting our drive through orders wrong lately. 1 out of 4 orders is either missing something or something is wrong. We are pretty frequent patrons of this location, getting food here at least a few times a month. Granted if we decide to call to let the manager know, they do what they can to make it better. But ultimately, we aren't looking to get anything free for later. We live 20 mins from this location now, so we just want what we ordered so we can have our meal. We don't need or want free stuff, just the right stuff that was ordered and paid for. We typically try to check our bags at the drive through after this new trend, but sometimes you're in a hurry and don't want to hold everything to double check the entire order. Ultimately, there are many options near us now, so I'm going to order elsewhere and help other businesses grow. I hope they get their stuff together because Portillo's is a staple and they built their business on amazing food and service.

Stop down ever since cashless drive thru. Food was good 2 years ago. Service was fast 2 yrs ago. Ambiance was drive thru. We drove away to eat at culvers cash pay drive thru

Food & service at this location gets worst each month. Yesterday we bought 2 beef sandwiches. Got home and 1 sandwich was only the bread, no beef on it! When I called to complain the female had to check with her manager, put me on hold and disconnected me. I tried calling back 3 times and each time I was disconnected as I was reaching a live person. Called back on a different phone and got through to the same female. She acknowledged I was the same order she spoke with (no apology for being disconnected) and said she will refund my money for the 1 sandwich I didn't get. Not even an apology from her. Acted like I was doing a store return. I said that's all you can do is refund my money when I don't have dinner now. Then I was disconnected again. Last month we were there and I received a burger on a brioche bun. The time after that the burger was on the regular bun. Poor QC. We are done with this place. Since Portillos was sold they lack quality control with their food and their employees are far from professional or empathetic. I understand mistakes happen but it was how they resolved their mistake, no empathy whatsoever. They don't care about their customers. So I'm done with Portillos and taking my business elsewhere. We have Buona and Johnnie's along with other places that actually value their customers.

Visited this Portillo's location awhile back after visiting the RH Outlet. Restaurant was very clean. Pretty crowded for a weekday afternoon, but everything moved smoothly. We chose a Chili Cheese Dog and a chopped salad. All good, just as expected from Portillo's!

Another disappointing experience. at this Portillo's. They shorted me a hot dog. Fortunately I still had the receipt. I noticed two other orders were wrong while I waited for my missing hot dog. Also, they must have changed to a lower grade hot dog because the casing is really tough to chew. But, I love Portillo's and I''m not ready to give up on them.

Once again, Schaumburg Portillo's messed up my order. Seems to be a constant thing at this location. I even asked and made them double check the order. The lady said it was everything was exactly right then we get home and the hot dogs have mustard, ketchup and onions which we did not order. Kids don't like mustard or onions! Really annoys me because they lady opened the hot dogs and said yes ketchup only. So disappointing for the amount of money you pay!! Won't be going here again.

Schaumburg is home to one of Chicagoland's many Portillo's locations. Nostalgia of the great first experience I had at their downtown Chicago location always seems to bring me back to one to try out a Chicago dog. While I probably hadn't been to this Schaumburg location in over 15 years, it's interiors still have that rocking retro diner vibe that I absolutely love. It's almost as if it transports you to a bygone era of food, even if just for a few minutes out of the day. All the online blogs and food reviews can argue that the Portillo's claim to fame is their famous chocolate cake shake, but for me, it's always the unique Chicago style dogs that keep me coming back (while the cake shake is just ok, the cake recipe isn't personally one that I like much, so more of a novelty item to try out once). Akin to hitting up Pink's hot dogs in Los Angeles, biting into this type of hot dog just hits different, and in a good way. I felt the hot dogs on this visit were decent, but not as good as past visits to Portillo's locations. I did visit later in the evening on a weekday when some portions of the restaurant were already closed off and service was pretty slow with ringing customers up and having food prepared, so that detracted from the experience a little bit. I'd give the hot dogs a 3.5/5, the chocolate cake a 2.5/5, the service a 2.5/5, and the interiors/decor a 5/5. I'll be back to a Portillo's next time I'm in one of the few spots of the country that has them, but will likely try to avoid the late night hours since the experience is more fast food-like and impersonal rather than the fun retro eatery experience you get during the day.

Great restaurant in Schaumburg. Always a treat to run into a Portillo's. Try the Combo with peppers it's great!

Best food chain I've had in a while, customer service was top notch and the food was delicious. We had the double cheese burger and the steak sandwich with fries and strawberry shortcake. Definitely a must every time I'm in Chicago. The restaurant was clean and very well kept.

I have never been to Portillo's, but I have had it catered at work. The atmosphere inside looks awesome. There was a nice nostalgic 50's 60's vibe going on here from the interior design, uniforms, and musicI You order at the register and then pick up your order after your number is called. Barnelli's is an Italian restaurant that sits on the side separate from Portillos, so there is plenty of variety at this location in Schaumburg. I had the plant based hotdog and my cousin ordered the itailan beef croissant with fries. The vegan chicago dog was not to bad. The bun was soft and fresh as well as the toppings and the dog had a decent flavor to it. It was pricey to be so small. My cousin said the italian beef sandwich and fries were delicious. I almost got the chocolate cake shake but I will have to try that another time.

9-7-25 6:30 pm. I just picked up 2 double cheeseburgers ordered with everything from the Schaumburg IL drive through and on both they only added a small splash of plain mayo, 1 tiny tomato and a small piece of lettuce. There was no pickles, no onions, no ketchup or mustard on either and they were the worst burgers I have ever had from Portillo's or anywhere for that matter! I'm 20 minutes from that location otherwise I would have returned them! Their quality has really gone to crap especially from this location on the last few visits!

This was a tasty lunch. Had the beef sandwich and double burger with fries and strawberry short cake. No complaints here! The location was nice and clean. The service was great. They did the wrong order but fixed it quickly!

Ordered food in the drive through, the guy read the order off to me while looking into our bag just to get home to be missing half the order after he had said it was there, tried to call after the fact and no one answers the phone.

A Chicago suburban chain favorite. I got only the Italian beef and fries only but it was delicious and hot when I got my. Easy to order on their website and pick up was quick inside the restaurant. I only wish I got to try their other stuff. Next time.

This place never disappoints every time we go here. This time we ordered cheese burger, spaghetti, roast beef sandwich, garlic bread and cheese fries. This place is self service and the line moves pretty fast for the ordering process. We went to the pick up window to pick up the food and it is fast. The food is delicious with fast food feel.

Sadly my previous 5 star review is now a 1 star. Wife brought me home ribs. I was excited to open the nice warm foil. Only to find nasty burned ribs that looks like they were chewed on.

The service was great; the food was very much tasty and delicious and was made to order; the atmosphere was that old time country feel with good music playing however it's definitely crowded inside when you're waiting on your order but it was fast and efficient..loved it‼I was a tourist visiting for my birthday although my birthday wasn't til 2 days later they did give me a free slice of chocolate cake for my birthday so that awesome

Slow service, workers who don't know the basics of customer service. Filthy floors and sticky tables, place has really fallen.

I love Portillo's... when they get orders right. This location has been so inconsistent especially with the request of a "dipped" sandwich. I've had a beef that has been bone dry at least 3 times when it should have been dipped. Why is it so hard y'all. All I want is a hot juicy beef sandwich. And cheese sauce that didn't spill all over my order. Also pay your workers more.

We've ordered Portillo's catering a bunch of times over the year for celebrations and birthdays and am just now getting around to a review for our most recent event for 30 people. When compared to Chipotle, Panera Bread, Einstein's, P.F. Chang's, or just plain old delivery pizza, nobody compares in terms of simplicity and quality than Portillo's. Ordered their Italian beefs and meatball platters this time and needed to give them a shout out for their ease of ordering and customer service. Really like how their beef's come with sweet peppers, bottles of giardiniera, and fresh bags of their rolls with every order. The meatballs were large, uniform, and delicious with many guests opting to go for a meatball sandwich instead of a beef. Seems like the other places we have ordered catering from seem to drop the ball on one of the many ingredients or items they promise delivering sub-standard results. In addition, Portillo's has the best Italian beef in the Chicago area making it a desired meal for guests in your party.

Clean, consistent and reliable place for casual dining. The garden side salad is a good choice for me because it's gluten free without the croutons. I also love their tamales because they remind me of the kind we'd get in Chicago at the local hotel dog stand as a kid. I wish they would offer a gluten free bun or lettuce bun option for their hamburgers. They now have a plant based hot dog which was surprising.

I moved out of Chicago over 30 years ago however whenever I return Portillo's is high on the list. Always tasty, you gotta try it extra wet.

Expired sausage.... Horrible quality,not acceptable. This place needs to be checked out by the health department.

Well, it finally happened... Portillo's quality has gone so far down that I will likely not go back unless it's for a beef, a burger, or a hotdog... and that's it. I had baked mostaccoli with marinara, one of my go to comfort foods, and the sauce tasted like it was made with tomato soup. There was hardly any mozzarella on it. The parmesan cheese has always been the powdery kind but now it's the cheap powdery kind that tastes like soap. And the pasta was overcooked and mushy. It's really gone downhill since Dick Portillo sold it. C'mon Portillo's... you can do better.

I normal have an excellent time with this location, but today, I was traveling and decided to place an order ahead of "ASAP", and gave a 30-minute window. When I arrived my order was ready and waiting for me, but when I asked when it was prepared, the manager informed me that it was started a few minutes after I placed the order. So it was just sitting on the counter for 20 minutes? Upon seeing this the manager suggested to remake the order, which would have been the end of my adventure today, but I guess not. The first burger great, juicy, delicious; the second, cold, dry, with a cold piece of cheese--someone had just refreshed the condiments but used the same old dry patty, gross. Do better please, this incident makes me realize not to order to far in advance again.

The Portillos of today is not even remotely close to what it was in the 1990's and 2000's. The food quality is absolutely atrocious. The burger patties are anemic, and the buns are such low quality that they have zero flavor and contribute no structural integrity whatsoever. The Wendy's burger I had just a few days prior to my visit was far better. The beef sandwiches are cheap in terms of both quality and portion size, but not in terms of cost. The fries and onion rings are nothing to write home about, either. Private equity is truly the bane of modern society. I've seen this happen time and time again. An honest person starts a business from the ground up, provides a quality product that grows it into something respectable, but ultimately has to retire and thus sells the company...and the buyer (usually private equity) cheapens everything down significantly in order to get the profits they desire while still paying down the loan to acquire an already established business. People really need to stop supporting businesses that get bought out by PE firms who come in like vultures, cheapen everything down to make their quick buck, and hope you either don't notice the difference or just keep giving them money anyway.

Charming place for lunch. The location is loaded with nostalgic items from the 50's snd 60's. We had one of their fully loaded hot dogs. Menu has many other choices. Order ahead and take out. Fun place!

I got the classic Italian beef sandwich. So delicious and so flavorful! Would truly recommend! Service was good. We got everything we needed and there was a worker there helping put out leftovers in a bag. Good atmosphere to eat your food and enjoy your lunch/dinner.

My Chicago favorite restaurant! And my favorite food, Combo and cheese fries! Always filling.

This is no longer the Portillo's or Barnelli's of the past. Think of it as the Spirit Airlines of restaurants. Add on charges galore, kiosks, uninterested employees, average food with tons of salt. Spend your money elsewhere.

Just an extra special shout out and early "Thankful Thursday" post to say thank you to the fabulous Portillo's crew taking orders and payment out in the extreme cold tonight. Such a treat on a single-digit temp night to get a hot sandwich and fries from Portillo's! Our food is always hot, fresh and Portollo's delicious and the Schaumburg team is fantastic. Thanks again and stay safe out there while providing that amazing service.

If you looking for a GREAT Chicago dog, burger, or Italian beef, you can hardly do better than Portillo's! Having said that, there are a couple of amazing "sleepers" you don't want to miss. 1. Do yourself a favor and try the cake shake. They have a new flavor--strawberry lemon--out of this world! Or you can go with the standard chocolate, which is also very good. 2. Try the Portillo bowls. My favorite is the Italiano. It has Italian beef, a meatball, and marinara sauce. You can add peppers, which I highly recommend. Great gluten-free option : ) 3. Try Barnelli's. For the salad or pasta lover in your group they offer exceptional quality food under the same roof. This is a "must do" when you're in Chicago, though they are starting to open more in cities around the country.

Loved this place for years, good food, they should put more cake into the cake shake (one time I only got one chunk), Good hotdogs and fries, too overpriced but what do you expect?

Very nice location and great food at reasonable prices. Our group of 10 came here for a late dinner on a Friday night. Lots of seating available and food came out quick after we ordered. Got the regular hot dog, chili cheese dog, and onion rings. Hot dogs were great, onion rings were OK. Ordered the strawberry shortcake for dessert and loved it!

Wanted to try this chicago classic but I am not a huge fan of hot dogs in general. That being said, this was a decent hot dog. The hot dog itself was alright but the toppings made it worth the try! It's definitely worth the experience. I also tried the cake shake. At a whopping 1500 calories for a large, it is a lot LOL. They literally blend a slice of rich chocolate cake into a shake. It's amazing and rich and chocolately and sweet and will make all your childhood dreams come true. I definitely could not drink a ton of it but it was great with the hot dog and a classic fast food indulgent experience. The vibes were super retro and cute! Tried some of the pastas as well. The Alfredo pasta was underwhelming and bland. Also the vodka pasta has ham in it (which I did not realize) but overall was more flavorful. I really liked the arribiata sauce, it was spicy and flavorful! Overall definitely worth the Chicago experience!

I was craving for Portillo's Italian beef. Came here on a Saturday evening. And I drove about 20 mins to get there. The drive through waiting line is crazy long but gladly it moves fast. I took a few bites then I realized I forgot to take the picture. Haha. It was juicy. I recommend ask for extra gravy on the side so you can dip the bun into the gravy to make the flavor even stronger. I had a fantastic meal and very satisfied. Can't wait to come here again. This is a very classic Chicago hot dog place. If you are a visitor from other cities, I highly recommend you try this out.

What to eat on a Wednesday night? My friend recommended me Portillo's hot dog. I was very lucky that there is a Portillo nearby where I live. It was quite busy inside. But they have Got the classic hot dog ( bun, pickle, pepper and tomato) with cheese fries. Hot dog is surprisingly not greasy at all. Perfect portion for one person. It's not a heavy meal as well.

Portillo's is no longer about customer service or consistent high quality food. It just about corporate profit. Bare minmum staff and up charges throughout the menu. Today, Saturday afternoon and only one register open.

I'm not one to write reviews, but this specific Portillo's location has been amazing every time I've been (10+ times). The workers are very kind and prepare the food very quickly. The floors are always clean and the tables are never sticky. The theming at this location is also spectacular.

This place is really busy but customer service is amazing they accidentally make our order wrong .they apologize and make our order right and took care of us really good.not like other restaurants they won't do anything for you .for that Thank u

Drive in service SO slow. Dipped large beef sandwich was just right but the terrible wait negated the rating