Portillo's Merrillville

555 E 81st Ave, Merrillville
(219) 769-8300

Recent Reviews Order Online

Customers' Favorites

Char Grilled Maxwell Street Polish Sausage
Chicago Style Hot Dog Small French Fry
Famous Meal 1 Italian Beef Sandwich
Italian Beef and Sausage Combo
Italian Beef and Sausage
Portillo's Cup Keychain
Chocolate Cake Shake
Chicago Dog w Fries
Italian Beef Dipped
Chili Cheese Dog

Menu

Featured items
Italian Beef Sandwich
Our famous, homemade, Italian beef is slow-roasted for four hours, thinly sliced, and served on freshly baked Turano French bread. Best served with home-cooked sweet peppers and/or hot giardiniera peppers (pictured) for an extra charge.Served regular-sized or as a Big Beef (50% bigger).
Cheese Fries
One of our most craveable menu items! Our drool-worthy, smooth cheddar cheese sauce tastes best as a dipping sauce for our salty, crinkle-cut French fries.
Hot Dog
Chicago-style hot dog with everything, which includes mustard, relish, celery salt, freshly chopped onions, sliced red ripe tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun. Chicagoans call this "dragging the dog through the garden."Served regular-sized or jumbo (pictured).
Fries
Portillo's famous salty, crinkle-cut French fries. Our fries taste best dipped in our drool-worthy smooth cheddar cheese sauce.
Cheeseburger
Everything includes cheese, mayo, crisp lettuce, a red ripe tomato slice, sliced red onion, pickles, and ketchup on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. It's a burger-lover's dream! Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).
Bacon Cheeseburger
Everything includes crisp bacon, cheese, mayo, crisp lettuce, and a red ripe tomato slice on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).
Chocolate Cake Slice
Our famous, homemade, fluffy chocolate cake is baked with love every morning in each restaurant. Each double-layer chocolate cake is generously iced with two pounds of rich, chocolate frosting.
Chicken Tenders
Our tender, juicy chicken tenders available in 4 or 6 pieces.
Cheese Sauce
One of our most craveable menu items! Our drool-worthy, smooth cheddar cheese sauce tastes best as a dipping sauce for our salty, crinkle-cut French fries. Available in regular or jumbo cheese sauce
Beef & Cheddar Croissant
A combination of our famous Italian beef layered with cheddar cheese and served on a toasted croissant.Best served with home-cooked sweet peppers and/or hot giardiniera peppers for an extra charge.
Bottled Drinks
Onion Rings
Crisp, made-to-order onion rings.
Strawberry Shortcake
Our Strawberry Shortcake is a light, fluffy angel food cake layered with strawberries and topped with homemade mascarpone cheese whipped topping.
Chocolate Cake Shake
Have you heard of our famous "cake shake?" Yes, we actually put a slice of chocolate cake into our blended milkshakes, making a truly unique, must-try dessert.
Chili Cheese Dog
Hot dog served with American cheese and topped with chili and chopped onions.Served regular-sized or jumbo (pictured).
Chocolate Éclair Cake
Our homemade Chocolate Éclair Cake is a seven-layer cake topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Rodeo Burger
New! Portillo's classic 1/3-pound char-broiled burger on a Brioche Bun, stacked with new thicker, crispier bacon, thinly-sliced red onion, onion rings, American cheese, and Portillo's tangy BBQ sauce.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Breaded spicy chicken breast served with lettuce, tomato and Portillo's Hot Giardiniera sauce on a brioche bun.
Breaded Chicken Sandwich
A lightly breaded, all white chicken breast served on a toasted brioche bun. Everything includes mayo, tomato, and lettuce.
Char-Broiled Chicken Sandwich
A char-broiled chicken breast, seasoned with a blend of secret spices, and served tender and juicy. Topped with mayo, lettuce, and tomato on a toasted brioche bun.

Portillo's Pairings
Chicago Style Hot Dog + Small French Fry
Chicago-style hot dog with everything, which includes mustard, relish, celery salt, freshly chopped onions, sliced red ripe tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun, and a small order of Portillo's famous salty, crinkle-cut French fries.
Chicken Tender 4 Piece + Small French Fry
Our tender, juicy 4pc chicken tenders and a small order of Portillo's famous salty, crinkle-cut French fries.
Cheeseburger + Small French Fry
Everything includes cheese, mayo, crisp lettuce, a red ripe tomato slice, sliced red onion, pickles, and ketchup on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun, and a small order of Portillo's famous salty, crinkle-cut French fries.

Hot Dogs
Hot Dog
Chicago-style hot dog with everything, which includes mustard, relish, celery salt, freshly chopped onions, sliced red ripe tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun. Chicagoans call this "dragging the dog through the garden."Served regular-sized or jumbo (pictured).
Chili Cheese Dog
Hot dog served with American cheese and topped with chili and chopped onions.Served regular-sized or jumbo (pictured).

Italian Beef & Sausage Sandwiches
Italian Beef Sandwich
Our famous, homemade, Italian beef is slow-roasted for four hours, thinly sliced, and served on freshly baked Turano French bread. Best served with home-cooked sweet peppers and/or hot giardiniera peppers (pictured) for an extra charge.Served regular-sized or as a Big Beef (50% bigger).
Beef & Cheddar Croissant
A combination of our famous Italian beef layered with cheddar cheese and served on a toasted croissant.Best served with home-cooked sweet peppers and/or hot giardiniera peppers for an extra charge.
Hot Peppers
Our house blend giardiniera. Enough to top one Italian beef sandwich.
Gravy Bread
Freshly-baked and toasted French bread dunked in our homemade gravy.
Sweet Peppers
Our home-cooked sweet peppers. Enough to top one Italian beef sandwich.

Portillo's Beef Bowls
Classic Beef Bowl
Our famous, homemade, Italian beef is slow-roasted for four hours, thinly sliced, and served in a bowl. Best served topped with Mozzarella (pictured) or Cheddar cheese, and your choice of sweet and/or hot giardiniera peppers (both pictured). * Cheese and peppers are an additional charge.

Char-Broiled Burgers
Cheeseburger
Everything includes cheese, mayo, crisp lettuce, a red ripe tomato slice, sliced red onion, pickles, and ketchup on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. It's a burger-lover's dream! Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).
Bacon Cheeseburger
Everything includes crisp bacon, cheese, mayo, crisp lettuce, and a red ripe tomato slice on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).
Rodeo Burger
New! Portillo's classic 1/3-pound char-broiled burger on a Brioche Bun, stacked with new thicker, crispier bacon, thinly-sliced red onion, onion rings, American cheese, and Portillo's tangy BBQ sauce.
Hamburger
Everything includes mayo, crisp lettuce, a red ripe tomato slice, sliced red onion, pickles, and ketchup on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).
Bacon Hamburger
Everything includes crisp bacon, mayo, crisp lettuce, and a red ripe tomato slice on our freshly toasted old-fashioned style bun. Each juicy char-broiled burger patty weighs 1/3 pound before cooking.Served as a single or double (pictured).

Chicken & Fish
Chicken Tenders
Our tender, juicy chicken tenders available in 4 or 6 pieces.
Char-Broiled Chicken Sandwich
A char-broiled chicken breast, seasoned with a blend of secret spices, and served tender and juicy. Topped with mayo, lettuce, and tomato on a toasted brioche bun.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Breaded spicy chicken breast served with lettuce, tomato and Portillo's Hot Giardiniera sauce on a brioche bun.
Breaded Chicken Sandwich
A lightly breaded, all white chicken breast served on a toasted brioche bun. Everything includes mayo, tomato, and lettuce.

Sides & Soup
Cheese Fries
One of our most craveable menu items! Our drool-worthy, smooth cheddar cheese sauce tastes best as a dipping sauce for our salty, crinkle-cut French fries.
Fries
Portillo's famous salty, crinkle-cut French fries. Our fries taste best dipped in our drool-worthy smooth cheddar cheese sauce.
Onion Rings
Crisp, made-to-order onion rings.
Cheese Sauce
One of our most craveable menu items! Our drool-worthy, smooth cheddar cheese sauce tastes best as a dipping sauce for our salty, crinkle-cut French fries. Available in regular or jumbo cheese sauce.
Side of Gravy
A side of our Italian beef gravy. Made from our own own blend of unique spices.
Tamale
An original menu item served at "The Dog House" in 1963, the classic tamale is made from a tasty blend of cornmeal filled with ground beef, garlic, and seven secret spices.
Cup of Chili
Everything includes cheese and raw onions.
Hot Peppers
Our house blend hot pepper giardiniera. Enough to top one Italian beef sandwich.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Cup of Classic Chicken Noodle soup.
Sweet Peppers
A side of our homemade, oven-roasted sweet peppers
Gravy Bread
Freshly-baked and toasted French bread dunked in our homemade gravy.
Giardiniera Sauce
Our hot giardiniera relish mixed into a creamy, hot dipping sauce. Dip and dunk your chicken tenders, fries, and onion rings!
French Bread
One piece of freshly baked French bread.

Desserts
Chocolate Cake Slice
Our famous, homemade, fluffy chocolate cake is baked with love every morning in each restaurant. Each double-layer chocolate cake is generously iced with two pounds of rich, chocolate frosting.
Strawberry Shortcake
Our Strawberry Shortcake is a light, fluffy angel food cake layered with strawberries and topped with homemade mascarpone cheese whipped topping.
Chocolate Éclair Cake
Our homemade Chocolate Éclair Cake is a seven-layer cake topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Whole Chocolate Cake
Our famous, homemade, fluffy chocolate cake is baked with love every morning in each restaurant. Each double-layer chocolate cake is generously iced with two pounds of rich, chocolate frosting.

Drinks
Soft Drinks
Bottled Drinks
Bottle of Water
Bottle of San Pellegrino
Milk
1% Lowfat Milk or Chocolate Milk

Shakes & Malts
Shakes and Malts
Our hand-made shakes come in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry (made with fresh-sliced strawberries!)Make any shake a malt for an additional charge.
Chocolate Cake Shake
Have you heard of our famous "cake shake?" Yes, we actually put a slice of chocolate cake into our blended milkshakes, making a truly unique, must-try dessert.

Dipping Sauces & Dressings
Cheese Sauce
One of our most craveable menu items! Our drool-worthy, smooth cheddar cheese sauce tastes best as a dipping sauce for our salty, crinkle-cut French fries. Available in regular or jumbo cheese sauce
BBQ Sauce
Ketchup
House Dressing
Giardiniera Sauce
Our hot giardiniera relish mixed into a creamy, hot dipping sauce. Dip and dunk your chicken tenders, fries, and onion rings!
Mayonnaise
Honey Mustard
House-made honey mustard sauce.
Side of Gravy
A side of our Italian beef gravy. Made from our own blend of unique spices.
Ranch Dressing
Caesar Dressing
Hot Oil
A side of only the oil from our house blend giardiniera.
Lite Italian Dressing
Mustard
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Photos

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Photo credit: google
+96 photos
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Recent Reviews

Their men’s room is a 1 star, it doesn’t seem to be kept up. I rate any place on where I can wash my hands and use the room.Do something Portillo’s! Fix it.
Same condition a month ago.
August 2025
Portillo’s is always a stop for us when we come back to Chicago or surrounding areas that have it. We ordered our food via drive thru and waited not even 5 mins and the girl at the window felt bad and gave us a free dessert. We definitely didn’t expect that, or need to be compensated for what we thought was a very short wait, but our daughter sure did appreciate it. Wish I caught her name, but she was very sweet. Thank you.
August 2025
This is the 476363927th time my boyfriend and I have stopped here as a place to eat while we travel. Always love a good dipped Italian beef (whether I can finish it or not. So much food), or some chili dogs (my guys’ fave).

The time of day in which we stop is never consistent. I’m writing this to say that this visit was around 2 to 1.5 hrs before closing. When we were looking for seating it seemed like the person cleaning the dining room had the auxiliary...
August 2025

More Reviews

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Portillo's Merrillville

555 E 81st Ave, Merrillville, IN 46410
(219) 769-8300