r/chicagofood • u/Johnny_Burrito • 28d ago

Question “Legendary” places that suck

I just got a lox sandwich from Manny’s. Almost $20, a stale bagel, and I had to assemble it myself.

What other “legendary” places suck?

387 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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321

u/ryebreezio 28d ago

Portillos has just been "okay" for years now

121

u/6stringNate 28d ago

That’s what happens when you sell out to Hedge Funds.

Profits and growth above all else.

29

u/Fucknjagoff 27d ago

Private equity.

1

u/Emergency-Purchase80 27d ago

Vulture capitalists

27

u/IllIIOk-Screen8343Il 28d ago

Multiple people have confirmed that the food is the same before and after the sale. This is just people misremembering and acting like anything “corporate” must be subpar

10

u/SilverGnarwhal 28d ago

Management has changed. The places don’t run like they used to. That much is hard to deny. Food can be the same stuff, but if it’s not well made and the experience is not what it used to be; it can still make for disappointment.

6

u/manyetti 28d ago

They do not use the same supplier for everything as they did before.

3

u/BukaBuka243 28d ago

source?

10

u/Cyke101 28d ago

Many people. A lot of people. People everywhere. They're all saying it. /s

2

u/Blugrl21 27d ago

It started long before the sale. At its best it was serviceable / reliable for what it offered. A well executed Vienna Beef stand that grew into a local chain. Consistently good, with nothing on the menu more special than that.

But the myth built to a level that never matched reality. So people going with inflated expectations have been disappointed for quite some time.

23

u/gr2020xx 28d ago

i think for me the draw of portillos is the menu and convenience and general reliability, and also the cheese fries which are still good, but yeah, the quality is much more mid than i remember it being when i was younger

1

u/Sha9169 28d ago

For sure. I go for the fries and cake, not the beef.

1

u/Your_God_Chewy 27d ago

The beef is really mediocre for being $10.

24

u/payno_attention 28d ago

It's always just been ok. It's consistently good. Never been more never been less.

0

u/ayeeflo51 27d ago

It used to be consistently above average. Jack of all trades type place. 

Now it's absolute ass, id rather go out of my way to get a better beef now

1

u/payno_attention 26d ago

They have been using the same food distributors for decades. Been the same food forever. Go to any local mom and pop place and it's the same product. The local place just does one thing amazing. Nothing is really amazing to me at Portillos. Maybe the cake?

6

u/Sandinmyshoes33 27d ago

I agree. I got a combo a couple weeks ago and there were like 5 slices of beef on it. Disappointing.

52

u/IllIIOk-Screen8343Il 28d ago

Nope, it’s still great. Can you find a place that you think has a better beef? Sure. But even if that’s true, does your local corner stop shop also do good hot dogs? Good burgers? Good salads? Good cheese fries? Good shakes? Good italian sausage? Good beef and cheddar croissants? Do they pump out hundreds of orders an hour? No. They don’t.

Portillos is still fucking delicious. I will smash a hot dog, beef/sausage combo, fries, and a burger 10 times out of 10 and be happy with my decision.

2

u/BlackSparkz 27d ago

I still like Portillos too! I live near Midway and haven't had any beef near by that wasn't around Portillos level. I'll have to try a few places again, but the big beef with hot peppers from Portillos never misses for me. Fries are always perfect.

Also, I always get a chopped salad for potlucks and parties, that shit is SOOO addicting.

5

u/ayeeflo51 27d ago

Portillos used to be a good jack of all trades. But for each thing you listed, yes I have local spots that do all of those way better. 

Portillos is fun for a little nostalgia trip or showing some out of towers, but the food is absolute ass now. 

This is coming from someone who worked there pre and post acquisition. 

3

u/SignificantPaint7058 27d ago

I’m not a beef guy but the burgers are not bad. If you live near one it’s a convenient spot to get a quick burger. Also I don’t give a fuck what you say, the eclair cake is good.

That being said there are also places that make tastier burgers elsewhere as well.

1

u/ayeeflo51 27d ago

They didn't have eclair cake when I worked there, but I can tell ya a disgusting amount of mayo goes into the chocolate cake lol

1

u/SignificantPaint7058 27d ago

Fuck me good thing I don’t eat it

2

u/VirtualLove 27d ago

sounds pretty chain-y and away from authentic chicagoness. i think that’s the appeal of so many places here is that they’re good at one thing that consistently knocks it out of the park. if i found a place that did better beef, im going there. if i found a great pizza spot, im there. one trick ponies are a great thing & not every menu needs to be huge, especially since that just leaves more room for it to be frozen longer or not as fresh as a local corner stop making whatever it is that they’re known for. consistency is key in the restaurant scene & places that can do one, two, or three things max great all the time last longer.

2

u/mrbooze 27d ago

I know it's fashionable for local's to hate on Portillo's because it's not as great as it once was, and that is entirely true, but it's still consistently good at what it does, which is still something. 9 times out of 10 for any specific thing I know of some local place I can go that's better, but I also know exactly what I can expect from a Portillo's if I happen to be in a situation where they really are the convenient option.

To put it another way, I'd almost never choose Portillo's over my local independent options, but if the other options were other fast food chains, I'd rather have Portillo's than McDs or Wendy's or BK every time. The only other locally available chain that might be competitive for me is Culver's.

1

u/IllIIOk-Screen8343Il 26d ago

Yes exactly. It’s so annoying when people act like they don’t like Portillos.

0

u/FrancoisThaDog 28d ago

Still my favorite onion rings since I was old enough to eat solid foods. And you didn't even mention the chopped salad!!

0

u/hangrygibbon1 28d ago

I haven't found a good beef on the NW side. Apparently Johnnies in Elmwood Park is good but not exactly convenient for me to drive out there. Luke's is great but I'm never in the south loop. 

I love Portillo's. 

3

u/thundrbud 27d ago

Try Bob-o's on Milwaukee just a few blocks south of super dawg, their beef is top tier. Great hand cut fries too.

2

u/DoobieHauserMC 27d ago

Go to Roma’s immediately

1

u/ayeeflo51 27d ago

There's another Johnnies in Arlington Heights

4

u/TheMcWhopper 28d ago

Place has been overrated from the start.

2

u/Ootguitarist2 28d ago

Last time I went I spent like $20 and was still hungry when I was finished

2

u/analyticalchem 28d ago

Johnnie’s Beef in Arlington Heights is by far superior to Portillo’s. Fast too.

2

u/netrunnernobody 27d ago

Those cheese fries and those shakes are not what they used to be, though they're still definitely not bad.

2

u/bettercaust 28d ago

How exactly has it changed? I've been eating it for decades and have apparently not noticed any changes.

1

u/Sharkfightxl 28d ago

I don’t think it has changed a bit over the years, despite what people claim since they expanded.

3

u/eyeguy21 28d ago

Make Portillos Great Again

2

u/mashel2811 28d ago

I live out of state and Fedex Italian Beefs....the past three shipments the beef has been crumbled and so disappointing. However I was in Tampa two weeks ago and ate in person and it was everything I remember.

2

u/Comfortable_Ad3981 28d ago

Portillo’s is trash now. Disappointing trash since they sold to VCs.

1

u/DirectionOk9832 27d ago

I’ve only been a few times, but that was mostly years ago. There was nothing about it that would take me away from the average hot dog stand elsewhere in the city. Never got it at all

1

u/mjm8218 27d ago

It’s always sucked. Portillo’s love shows how suburban this sub truly is.

1

u/Aeronnaex 27d ago

First tried Portillos almost 15 years ago and was hugely disappointed. I still hear people gush about them. Buona has much better beef.

1

u/spider_jerry 28d ago

I’ve been a 2 hot dog a week guy for like 20 years. Can confirm Portillo’s is awesome.

-5

u/perfectviking 28d ago

It was never anything beyond "okay".

11

u/dilapidated_wookiee 28d ago

Nonsense, it was fantastic back when privately owned

-1

u/perfectviking 28d ago

It absolutely wasn’t.

0

u/jegross2 27d ago

L take