Demolition to begin June 1 for new Portillo’s in Avondale
Portillo’s is finally coming to the Northwest Side.
The beloved hot dog chain will begin demolishing a building — at the intersection of Addison Street and Kimball Avenue in Avondale — on June 1 to clear a spot to build its third Chicago location, a company spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Portillo’s already operates 39 restaurants throughout northeastern Illinois, but its only two establishments within the city are both close to downtown: one in River North, and one on the Near West Side.
The new location will bring the chain’s popular array of American food to a new sector of Chicagoans.
“We expect this to be a really great anchor for the Avondale community,” Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) said. “Residents are very excited.”
A demolition permit was issued by the city of Chicago last week for the large, lowslung building — which formerly housed a taxi company — that currently occupies the block.
The new restaurant, originally announced in January 2019, will be more than 9,000 square feet and include seating for 280 guests, an outdoor patio and a drivethru window. Inside, its posters and decorations will feature a Prohibition theme.
Ramirez-Rosa said the Portillo’s will employ more than 100 people and attract consumers to an area that has shifted from a manufacturing focus to a retail and restaurant focus over time.
Initially founded at a single Villa Park location by Dick Portillo in 1963, Portillo’s was sold to Berkshire Partners in 2014 for nearly $1 billion. TripAdvisor ranked the Portillo’s in River North the best fast casual restaurant in the country in 2018.