Residents of Gurnee won’t have to drive far much longer to satisfy their craving for a Chocolate Cake Shake, Italian Beef or famed Portillo’s Hot Dog, as the restaurant group plans to open a new location right in town.
Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik confirmed with the Daily Herald that Portillo's applied for a permit with the city Thursday.
They aim to open up shop at 6447 Grand Ave., replacing the former Applebee's, the publication reports.
"It's a big first step," Kovarik told the Daily Herald. "We've wanted a Portillo's for a really long time."
The restaurant group will still have to jump through some hoops before they can open their doors, but Kovarik said their application is “a big first step.”
"We're in the very early stages," Kovarik said, adding the restaurant group. "There's a long road ahead."
Once the restaurant group receives a special use permit and gains approval from the plan commission, she says, they will be able to open later this year.
