Dining out: Zaxbys makes Illinois debut, new Portillo’s sauce lineup, National Hot Chocolate Day and more
Chicken finger fans rejoice
Zaxbys, a fast-casual chicken chain with over 950 restaurants throughout the U.S., has opened its first Illinois location in Plainfield.
Not shy about their love of the letter Z, Zaxbys is known for the brands “Chicken Fingerz” and signature “Zax Sauce,” as well as an active social media presence that has racked up multiple viral moments over the years.
The new restaurant opened at 13429 Illinois Route 59 on Jan. 19 with dine-in, drive-thru and delivery service. They’ll hold a ceremonial grand opening with giveaways and a charitable donation later in February.
Zaxbys says more restaurants are planned for the Chicago area.
Saucy
Portillo’s introduced a new lineup of dipping sauces this week along with a limited-edition package featuring a flight of all five sauces.
Sauces include the new 2025-26 Chicago Bears-inspired Comeback Sauce, a creamy, tangy chicken dipping sauce with black pepper, garlic and paprika. There’s also buttermilk ranch, barbecue, honey mustard and hot giardiniera sauce (a creamy, spicy sauce made with its signature hot giardiniera relish).
Portillo’s Perks members can score the sauce flight in a special package for 99 cents with each purchase of chicken tenders (or $1.99 a la carte) until Tuesday, Feb. 3. The flight is available to all guests starting Wednesday, Feb. 4, while supplies last.
BOGO HoCho
National Hot Chocolate Day is Saturday, Jan. 31, and not a moment too soon with the weather being what it’s been.
Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy stores are offering buy one, get one hot chocolate (equal or lesser value) all day, as well as in-store free sample tastings of the traditional hot chocolate from 4-8 p.m. at all locations. And if you grab a bottle of the chocolate milk, the staff will show you how you can make the signature hot chocolate at home.
Take flight
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, with suburban locations in Oak Brook, Schaumburg and Vernon Hills, is offering guests a trip through the restaurant’s portfolio of proprietary wines in February with a Reserve Red Flight. The $25 flight features two-ounce pours that progress from Perry’s Reserve Pinot Noir from Monterey to Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County to the Reserve Big Red Blend from Napa Valley.
New restaurant
The long-anticipated opening of Burl from husband-and-wife team of chef Thomas Carlin and Rachel Canfora-Carlin is set for this weekend in Evanston.
The restaurant at 2545 Prairie Ave. promises to highlight the “deep relationships between chefs and local farmers, connections that shape the team’s creativity and guide every dish.” They say at least 80% of their menu will be sourced from a local Illinois food network.
Initial hours for the restaurant will be 4-9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Email dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.