Portillo's
Locationđź“Ť100 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60610
Rating
Notes - The Italian beef and wavy fries combo from this historic establishment is highly satisfactory. The only thing that can rival this level of satisfaction is a double-double with fresh onions and well done fries from In-N-Out. Like In-N-Out's franchises, Portillo's' were originally confined to a limited region, the midwest in their case, with a handful opening up in recent years in non-midwest cities like Dallas and Phoenix. The happiness you will feel after enjoying a Portillo's Italian beef (with hot peppers— a must!), wavy French fries (with cheese— a strong rec), and a cup of soda will be like none other, given that the calories won't bother you too much.
L'Patron
Locationđź“Ť3749 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Rating
Notes - I first ate at L'Patron in 2015 when it was still at its original location. It was a beacon of hope for an otherwise lifeless couple of blocks, next to depressing commercial businesses like Popeye's, IHOP and Walgreens. Since moving to their new location, the quality dropped a couple units but still puts them at a 9.6! My burrito of choice was and will always be the Al Pastor. Customization is unnecessary. The cheese is left out by default but guacamole is included. The burrito itself is consistently and excellently wrapped, then grilled for crunch and seal. The finishing step of cutting the wrap down the middle on a slight slant nicely adds to the convenience and presentation.