What are the 5 'hidden gems' menu items at Portillo's?

Portillo's Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches get a lot of love, but have you ever tried the char-broiled chicken croissant?

Photo by author

(CHICAGO) It's not a 'secret menu,' but Portillo's has a list of its "top five menu items that deserve more love."

Portillo's, the Chicago fast food chain well known for its Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs, and chocolate cake, has an extensive menu. Some of those items tend to get ordered less often than the most popular ones.

What's on the Hidden Gems Menu?

Portillo's has released a Hidden Gems List. It is made up of "cult favorite menu items that don't get as much attention as they should."

Portillo's Hidden Gems:

1. Maxwell Street Polish
2. Onion rings with cheese sauce
3. Char-broiled chicken croissant
4. Strawberry shortcake
5. Chili dog

Although my go-to Portillo's order is either an Italian beef sandwich with crinkle-cut fries or a chopped salad, I decided to broaden my horizons and give the hidden gems a try.

Because I am only one person, I didn't try all five but settled on the Maxwell Street Polish, onion rings with cheese sauce, and strawberry shortcake.

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Maxwell Street Polish

The Maxwell Street Polish is a Chicago classic. Invented as street food in the 1930s, on Maxwell Street, it's been on Portillo's menu since the 1960s. But, I must admit, I had never tried it.

It was delicious. The grilled sausage had the perfect flavor and bite and was slathered in yellow mustard with sliced grilled onions.

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Onion rings with cheese sauce

These were delicious. Since I typically get the fries when I go to Portillos, I was pleasantly surprised to see the onion rings were a perfect amount of crunchy. Dipping them in the creamy french fry cheese sauce was a real treat.

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Strawberry shortcake

I don't usually get dessert at Portillo's, as the food is pretty filling. But when I need a special treat, the chocolate cake is perfection.

I had not tried the strawberry shortcake before this but found it to be a perfect summer dessert. The cake was light and fluffy, and the whipped cream on top was a sweet and lovely texture.

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I still need to try the chili dog and chicken croissant

On a different visit, I will have to try the chili dog and char-broiled chicken croissant.

What do you think? Can you abandon your Portillo's favorite, and try one of these for the day? If you do, Portillo's would like to know your thoughts.

"We know it’s hard to resist ordering your favorite meal, but we want to challenge you to branch out and fry something new on your next Portillo’s order! Post your meal with #portilloshiddengems on social media and lettuce know what you think!"

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