Portillo's in Elgin will serve beer

Fans of Portillo's in Elgin soon may be able to have beer with their hot dog or beef sandwich.

The city's liquor control commission on Wednesday gave the OK to issuing the business a liquor license for beer and wine sales, with a final city council vote expected Aug. 24.

The plan is to sell beer only - Miller Lite, Sam Adams and a seasonal selection, said the restaurant chain's general counsel Susan Shelton.

The Elgin restaurant will need to secure a state liquor license next, Shelton said, adding she didn't know how long that would take. "We are anxious to be offering this here (in Elgin)."

Twenty five of Portillo's 37 locations in Illinois sell alcohol, company spokesman Nick Scarpino said.

The closest locations to Elgin that serve beer are in Streamwood and St. Charles, he said. The company also sells beer at two locations in California and one in Brandon, Florida.

The company is applying for liquor licenses in other locations, including Rockford, he said.

The Elgin restaurant at 1020 S. Randall Road opened in January 2013.

"We are applying for a liquor license because our guests have been asking us to do so since we opened in Elgin," Scarpino said.

This week, the company launched a new mobile ordering app downloadable for the iOS app store and Google Play.