Portillo's, Chicago-style hot dogs

A variety of restaurants and street vendors offer the Chicago dog. It's hard to recommend the best: it's said that Chicago has more hot dog stands than fast-food restaurants; McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's combined!

Portillo's serves Chicago-style hot dogs the old-fashioned way: tomato, onion, relish, frankfurter sausage, no ketchup or mayonnaise, but yellow mustard on a bun, garnished with a few poppy seeds, and served with a slice of pickle on the side. And if Portillo's had the bad idea of offering ketchup dispensers, don't give in to temptation!

On Ontario Street, Portillo's places its small brick building across from a giant McDonald's with its gigantic vintage yellow arch. A small patio runs along the sidewalk, but we suggest you take a seat inside, in the hallucinatory décor hidden behind the red brick walls: a vintage car suspended in the middle of the restaurant, old gas pumps, street signs and advertisements from another era, photos and newspaper articles, but also - who knows why? - clothes, including underwear, hanging on wires from window to window. - in the Disneyland-style setting of a Sicilian suburb that's more fake than real.

Numerous tables are scattered throughout this two-story setting, while a series of counters hug the walls in an arc. Beware, ordering is quite conceptual.

Portillo's is a food court with several specialized counters: pizza, pasta, alcoholic beverages or hot dogs. For hot dogs, go to the main counter, just opposite the front door.

As you pass by, pick up a menu and consult it while you wait for an employee to come and take your order - in line, of course: so you'll already know what you want to eat.

He'll write it down on a paper bag, which he'll hand to you, and you'll hand it to the person behind the counter who'll take your order.

You'll then go behind a second counter to pick it up. But in the meantime, you can take a seat behind a table - not too far away - and watch the amazing spectacle of the cooks calling out the order numbers with infectious good humor while you wait your turn. It takes a while, of course (it's always busy, especially on weekends), but the cooks put on a great show.

Once your number is announced, pick up your order at the counter and take a seat, perhaps on the second-floor mezzanine, which offers a bird's-eye view of the main room.

• 100 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654
• portillos.com