Portillo's Hot Dogs -- The Verdict

A burger . . . at a place with "Hot Dogs" in the title? Yes, we dare. And by doing so, we completely sidestep the running ketchup-on-a-hot-dog controversy that's the talk of the town these days. Our Summertime $5 Burger Challenge rolled on, with a trip to this popular Ontario Street location. How popular? So popular that, by the time we left around 1:00 p.m., it was so crowded it took nearly 5 minutes to get OUT the door. Anyhoo, how were the burgers? Well, the reviews where mixed, with a 26-point difference between low and high scores. What's to like? A thick patty; generous bacon; served hot and quick; with tasty fries. What's to hate on? Unimpressive cheese, to start. Further, the "old fashioned style bun" with little corn-meal-like grains that left our fingers grimy after each bite. Poor beef-to-bun ratios and messy constructions had us knee deep in napkins mid-way through our lunch. "I dub thee the Lady Macbeths burger," wrote one. Average score: 65.