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    Portillo's Ft. Wayne

    3.7 (123 reviews)
    ModerateHot Dogs, Salad, Burgers
    Open 10:00 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Portillo's Ft. Wayne Photos

    Business Info

    PORTILLO'S FT. WAYNE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    This is a picture of my food with not enough meat but plenty of bread
    Patricia S.

    My experience is based on the food. I've gone to Portillo's and ordered on the food apps and it's always the same thing. I order an Italian combination. They sell two different sandwiches one regular size sandwich one large sandwich but when I ordered the large sandwich, they don't give you enough meat or Italian sausage to cover a large sandwich. It's only enough for the regular sandwich And that's ridiculous and it's robbery.

    Jim F.

    Portillo's is the kind of place I'd frequent if it were closer to home (Louisville), but it's not so I have to wait for our every-few-monthly visits to Fort Wayne to get Portillo's awesomeness. I 100% love the throwback/legacy vibe of Portillo's. It's like a 50s diner with lots of red and chrome, with signage and memorabilia dating back (in most cases) to a time before I was born. I absolutely love the malt shop interior and the music that harkens back to a more innocent, less responsible time. Revolving door? A definite plus! Ordering is a breeze, with a live person standing there to take your order. No impersonal order kiosks here! (if you're wondering if that's a slam towards other national fast food eateries that prefer you order from a touch pad instead of a person, the answer to that is a resounding YES!). Any questions you may have about the food, that person has your answer. (Order kiosks do not.) On this particular visit I was Jonesing for a Chicago style hot dog. Luckily they have a combo for that! Two.... (yes, TWO) Chicago Style dogs, fries and a drink. Seeing that made Jim happy. And it's here where we come to my only issue with Portillo's. "What kind of drink would you like with your meal?" "Dr. Pepper®, please" "I'm sorry, we don't have Dr. Pepper®." (audible gasp) "Do you have Pibb®?" "No, we don't have that either." (audible sigh) "Ok, then, how about Coke®?" "YES, we have Coke®!" After ordering (and getting your non-Dr. Pepper®), you sit at the table and wait for your order number to be called. Looking around is like taking a step back in time, with LPs and 45s dotting the walls, vintage signage and movie posters all over the place. When they call your order number they do a little rhyme-y thing with it. I don't recall with they said (something like "Order 84 - Out the Door!"), but it fun and clever. Food delivery never takes along, and it's delivered in a paper bag on a heavy plastic tray. And it was deliver fast and hot. The fries were seriously too-hot at first. Now THAT is fresh food! The Chicago dogs were Spot-Freakin'-On! Seriously, the only thing that could have been better about them would be to have actually been IN Chicago. Go to Portillo's. It's fun. It's retro. You'll have a good time.

    Aaron D.

    I have a weak spot for Portillo's. While I prefer the sandwiches in Lincoln Park, these are pretty spectacular. I like them dipped in sauce and sauce on the side.

    Door in
    Ebenezer's Anni L.

    Why would a restaurant with a drive thru refuse to take cash in the drive thru?!?!! I had to go in. Hot dogs, burgers, chicken, and dessert on the menu. Food made fresh. Was able to a hot dog with just extra mustard and small onion rings. Both was way above average. Lots of setting but place is loud. Interesting decor. Will try one closer to home now.

    Side of Portillo's Giardiniera Sauce with fries
    Missi R.

    Portillo's really has an efficient drive-thru experience. Considering the large variety of food options on their menu, and the amount of business (busy!!) I am always amazed at how quickly and efficiently the drive-thru operates. And it is nice to have an actual person to take your order face-to face rather than a speaker. My orders have always been 100% correct. I usually do order ahead on the app, but sometimes (like today) I make a spur-of-the-moment decision to come here so then I utilize the drive-thru. The menu has enough variety to please everyone, so if you can't decide just head for Portillo's. The famous Chicago style hot dogs and grilled polish sausage, veggie dogs, Italian beef, fish sandwich, grilled portobello, chili, chicken, burgers, unique salads, shakes, desserts, and more. Don't forget to order a side of Giardiniera sauce with your fries. Save room for dessert because the chocolate cake is legendary.

    Drive thru view
    Antonio R.

    We tried this place one, for the reviews, and second, because I had never had this burgers and decided to put them to the test. I would say I was happily surprised to have a delicious burger. I had the cheeseburger with bacon, and I'll tell you, even though I ordered them through the drive through, their bun was so soft and tasty, and the meat was fresh and tasty as well, that I now understood why the long line to order. Their fries were also really good. My wife ordered a hotdog but she did not see a big difference with any other place. So far we have tried them two times and in both occasions they were really good. Next time I'll come inside to try them directly out of the kitchen. Definitely coming back!

    Kim M.

    My goodness. I hadn't tried Portillo's in quite sometime. I find that things are very much the same. My sandwich - the fish - was boxed with no other wrappings- this allows for sweat - which causes soggy bread. Oh well, que sara, sara. I pulled up to the drive thru, ordered the fish and sat for 30 mins waiting in line. I felt so bad, I was what they call the lead car, the first in line, they had to hand deliver orders behind me. I asked for the fish without tartar sauce and thus simple request caused 39 mins in delay. They don't seem to be prepared in both preparation and product. I think I'm over it.

    Regular beef dry with gravy on the side, small fries, giardinara sauce
    Allison B.

    This place is quick and clean. I haven't had bad service here yet. I ordered my Italian beef with the gravy on the side for the first time - usually I get it dipped. While the dipped version is definitely messier, I think I prefer it over the dry version. The dry sandwich roll is quite crunchy - not bad just not how I prefer it. I like that their fries are crispy and typically salted just right. The small portion is pretty large IMO. I like to dip them in the gravy. I tried the giardinara dip for the first time but it's not what I expected. I imagined a more zesty acidic sauce mimicking giardinara but it reminded me of a yellow curry crossed with thousand island dressing, a bit sweet and definitely a spice flavor but not hot. The restaurant has a lot of seating and they do have a couple beers on tap if you want over at the dessert counter. I believe yesterday they had Gumballl Head and Blue Moon.

    Wright S.

    Hot Dogs ! Hot Dogs ! This was my hit on the menu. I love how when you go in you are directed to whole new menu in front. The servers are quick with your order.

    Chili dog ... it has beans!! Why???
    Jim J.

    I like normal regular buns. They do not have those here. Seeds on the chili cheese dog bun? No thanks. Chili beans on my chili dog?? No thanks. A weird hamburger bun?? No thanks. If you like normal just stick to the italian beef and don't ask for proviolone. Onion rings and fries are good.

    Cole slaw
    Dale B.

    I need to keep in mind that my first visit is about 4 weeks from the grand opening and was at 5:45pm on a Saturday night. That said...I will give this place another try and urge you to try it as well. The facility is brand spanking new, clean and in great shape. There was plenty of staff on hand to make this business model work. I don't mind the order then sit and wait for your number to be called concept. On this evening we had to wait about 10 minutes for an uncomfortable table for three to open up. Hunting down a table is a skill that you better have if you are going to dine here in a busy hour. The tables were packed tight. Unfortunately we sat near the garbage can where we were blocked several times by the bus team from accessing our table. The facility is very loud. You must go stand at the pick up counter to hear when your order is ready. On this evening...the gentleman calling out orders was very entertaining as he rhymed his words and one guy broke out in song. Note: the crowd at the pick area is so dense that fighting your way to the front to get a soda refill from behind the counter was very uncomfortable. For dinner I had a chili dog and sides. The chili dog was okay. The dog was tasty and warm. The chili sauce was a bit runny but sweet. I would have liked to seen a thicker chili sauce with more hamburger taste. The cole slaw and onion rings were excellent. The slaw was creamy but not too heavy with mayo. The slaw is fresh - delicious! The onion rings are moderately breaded which is fried to a nice crisp. The fried breading is darker than maybe a normal tan appearance. These rings were excellent as well. This facility has a nice outdoor seating area. I anticipate that this will be an attractive option nice it stops snowing in June lol.

    Chili Cheese Dog, Fries, Chocolate Cake Slice

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    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Portillo's Hot Dogs

    Portillo's Hot Dogs

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    8 months ago

    I have only had their cake shake which was really good. The food really didn't entice me any. But they do have good shakes.

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    10 months ago

    Food is Always good. We just got drive through so nothing on ambiance. Service is good. Our favorite fast food in the area!

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    1 year ago

    Had a beef dry, with sweet peppers service was slow at the drive through big order in front of me. All in all pretty good food.

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    1 year ago

    Always fresh, fast and friendly workers! My fav is Italian beef dry with a couple sides of gravy to dip as I eat. I also dip my fries!

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    11 months ago

    Great food! Expensive, but great quality. Being from Chicago, I'm glad they opened a Portillos here in Fort Wayne. Simply the BEST!!!!

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    2 years ago

    I LOVE their Chicago Dogs. The people are always nice. And the food is always amazing.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Portillo's Ft. Wayne

    Is it humane to have a worker in an ice shanty taking orders in the cold.?

    Yes!!!!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    McAlister's Deli

    McAlister's Deli

    3.4
    (76 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    McAlister's Deli Lima Road - I've never been a big fan of McAlister's. However, I've had them,…read morenow, three times in the last three months. Twice dine in and once for a catered lunch. I have come to appreciate the freshness of their sandwiches lately. My wife had the chicken Caesar wrap. She liked the moist chicken, light tasting dressing and soft wrap. The potato salad was fairly standard with most. It had a nice mustard-mayo taste and consistency. It might have been a little heavy on the mayo. The egg and celery were good touches. Very smooth! The McAlister Club sandwich was filed high with delicious turkey and ham. The Swiss and cheddar cheese...plus toppings made a nice sandwich. The white bread was nicely toasted without being overly crispy. Just enough mayo to blend the tastes. The 1/2 salad, on the 2 choice deal, is enough for a whole meal. It's a real club salad. All the fresh meats, cheeses and toppings. Lots of croutons. The honey mustard dressing is thick and spicy. All blended to an enjoyable taste. The Mac & cheese side was rather small. The noodles were a bit mushy and over cooked. The cheese sauce comes off a bit "institutional". Perhaps a flavor that you would find at school or a place who isn't focused on a designer Mac & cheese. It was very creamy and had a mild cheese flavor. I liked the tee shirts the staff was wearing to promote their tea. McAlister's special tea is like drinking a hug - per the shirt. The tea has a nice smooth/warm/soothing taste. It kind of reminds you of a southern style tea. However, it isn't over the top sugary. It also doesn't have a bold strong tea taste. It's good...and I almost felt the hug lol.

    Visited this location on a recent visit to Fort Wayne to grab lunch before heading home to…read moreLouisville. McAlister's is usually a safe bet. Sunday around noon o'clock and it was pretty a pretty busy place. We reached the corner to place our order after a short wait and the gentleman behind the corner took our order. He spoke very quietly and I felt bad having to ask him to repeat nearly everything. After we gave him our order and he repeated it I questioned it if it was right. At the point another employee came back and asked us what it was. It turns out he was a new employee and still finding his way. No problem. No one starts out an expert at anything. The nice lady got it straightened out and we sat down to wait. A few minute later a manager came by and apologized and said he thought our order wasn't entered correctly. We told him that was the case originally, but it was corrected by another employee and it was good now. The food took about ten minutes and wasn't presented as the prettiest meal I've ever eaten. Both lids on my Jalapeño Turkey Crunch appeared to be sliding off the side and the pickled looked like it had been mushed in the hands of a toddle, barely resembling a pickle. It made it a VERY messy, high-napkin-utilization meal. While the tables were addressed quickly after diners leaving, the floors were another story. Yes, it was lunch rush, but at the same time it takes a micro-second to pick up an errant straw wrapper or napkin. This location has a nice outside seating area with several table and umbrellas. It was a bit too hot/humid for us to eat outside, but in better weather we'd have absolutely eaten outside.

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    McAlister's Deli
    McAlister's Deli
    McAlister's Deli

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    Marquee at the Landing

    Marquee at the Landing

    4.3
    (111 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Fabulous food. Cute ambiance. Lackluster service…read more Had a solo reservation for weeknight dinner and when the hostess attempted to seat me at one of the half booth two tops tucked against the wall, the server motioned for me to be seated at a four top table in the primary entrance to the dining room. Ugh. Thankfully the hostess honored my request to sit at the original half booth. The server was perfunctory and checked on me minimally. So I sat for a while before ordering. My cocktails and food was brought out by others. However, she did retroactively add my Cunningham points when I forgot to advise her I was rewards member. The cocktails were sensational. I really loved the Act One and the Flasback was also good. The wedge salad was delightful, if slightly overdressed. The beef tenderloin with blue cheese was tender and cooked perfectly to temp. I enjoyed every scrumptious bite.

    We were just here on Mother's Day and had a wonderful meal. Even with the busy holiday, our…read morewaitress was top-notch. She was able to take our order just from memory. She made sure that the water was filled and that the food was perfect. I can't stay enough how amazing the food is. I feel that it is on par with the nearby farm table restaurant. The food is cooked to perfection and also uses many tasty ingredients. All the food seems to be cooked from scratch. One of the most underrated restaurants and likely a top contender for best restaurant now in Fort Wayne.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Seafood Cioppino
    Seafood Cioppino
    Blackened Scallops

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    Blackened Scallops
    The Hoppy Gnome

    The Hoppy Gnome

    4.2
    (735 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    What an outstanding lunch! I was here with a large group, 14 people, and the server was very…read moreaccommodating. Thankfully it was not very busy on a Wednesday at lunchtime, so the food came out much more quickly than expected. I ordered the banh mi wrap with shrimp and it was delightful. Just the right amount of heat in the sauce. But the real star was the Brussells sprouts. Jammy and delicious with a hint of bacon. Best sprouts Iʻve eaten in a while. Seating area is very open. It might get a little loud when itʻs packed, but that was not a problem for us at lunch.

    The Hoppy Gnome (downtown Fort Wayne, southeast side of courthouse) - new food menu, you decide!…read more The old food offerings were the reason I came here and the reason I preferred not to come back. I loved the Cuban flavors, unique food items and the variety of tacos. Everyone loves tacos and The Hoppy Gnome did (still does, only 4 versions now) them well. However...after about a half dozen visits...I got bored with the same offerings. On line posters and most frequent customers (according to the manager) tend to favor the old menu. I, personally, found the change very refreshing and delicious! I will be back as there are lots of new things to try! The Hoppy Gnome is located downtown on the southeast side of the court house. You can park in the Citizens Center parking lot for free after 5pm. It is safe and right across the street from The Gnome. Making a reservation is easy on Open Table. I would suggest you do that versus walking in. The inside is still appealing with the bright and colorful industrial decor. They have a large private seating area for parties. They also have a street side outdoor patio. We sat outside on this summer evening. The area is spacious with solid high table furniture. People watching is fun but the traffic can be really loud at times. The new menu has a much broader appeal and less emphasis on Cuban only items. You will find lots of appetizer choices. Salads, burgers, flatbreads, pasta, seafood and chicken dishes are available. There are a decent number of specialty entrees and four varieties of tacos. All items pretty reasonably priced. Here is a run down on the food we ordered: -Chicken Flatbread: the crust was a little thicker than a normal thin crust and very soft; the manager said they really researched out this crust to fit their style; lots of delicious grilled chicken and toppings; very tasty! -Miso Honey Wings: 8 medium sized wings that are grilled and dipped; slightly crunchy skins; all white color on the inside but perhaps a little over cooked as the wing meat was tough and a bit dry; very unique sauce - very thick, sticky and rich in consistency; mild amount of sweetness and teriyaki flavors. The manager says about 70% of the people that order wings get the Miso Honey sauce. This dish was very good also! -Side salad: nice sized side salad; very fresh and attractive; no iceberg lettuce here - real greens; nice garnishment of carrots, cucumbers and roasted red peppers The team here was very friendly and professional - per normal. They hustled to serve. We particularly enjoyed sharing our experience with the manager and getting insight on the changes. Give the new menu a try for yourself!!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    S'mores
    S'mores
    Nice beer selection.

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    Nice beer selection.
    800 Degrees

    800 Degrees

    4.1
    (162 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    $51 for this... I…read morecontend that 800 Degrees is far and wide the best pizza in Fort Wayne, but after our last fiasco about two years ago when the presumed owner acted like a sanctimonious jackass, we have not been back. Fast forward to today and the house hottie wanted to do the humble thing and give them another go (Against my better judgement, but I digress... Happy wife, happy life). I've inexplicably gotten a gluten sensitivity about a year ago (which sucks), so we ordered two GF pizzas. The pizzas are literally half the size of their standard Neopolitan pizzas along with a $4.00 up-charge for GF, totaling $51 for carry-out (just two tiny skimpily topped pizzas, nothing else)... This is a joke right? While the pizzas were good (not as good as their Neopolitan), $51 is laughable and frankly insulting. Wow, this is some "bold" customer price gouging and should piss-off anyone that orders their GF pizza... Albeit I wouldn't expect anything less coming from the guy that treats his customers like ill repute. Needless to say, we are officially done with 800 Degrees... From bad customer treatment to getting bent by over like a cheap Vegas hooker via price gouging, 800 Degrees and its pompous owner can get bent. This is such a travesty because 800 Degrees is an outstanding pizzeria, but there are other solid pizzerias in Fort Wayne that deserve our business because they don't do either of the above. Good riddance.

    Perfect Sunday at the bar. Great service and even better food! Rhinegeist Truth beer, meatballs,…read moreCarne Pizza and Verdure Pizza.

    Photos
    Finally nice weather is here.  And what else than enjoying a great pizza on the patio
    Finally nice weather is here. And what else than enjoying a great pizza on the patio
    Caprese salad
    Caprese salad
    Bruschetta

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    Bruschetta

    Portillo's Ft. Wayne - hotdog - Updated August 2026

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