Dining

Dining out: Get a hot dog for $1 at Portillo’s, National Hot Chicken Day, and Easter and Passover specials

Posted March 25, 2026 10:11 am

Rick West

Portillo’s is offering a $1 hot dog deal for Perks members to celebrate MLB opening weekend. Courtesy of Portillo’s

Relish this deal

Portillo’s is celebrating Major League Baseball’s opening weekend with a deal on the food most synonymous with America’s past time. From Thursday through Sunday, March 25-29, Portillo’s Perks members can score a $1 hot dog with any $5 purchase. The deal is good for any dog variety, including garden, regular or jumbo chili cheese or the classic Chicago-style. It’s available in-restaurant or online, and it’s a one-time use per member deal.

Billy Brick’s and Fry the Coop have teamed up to create the “Another One Bites the Crust” sandwich for National Hot Chicken Day. Courtesy of Billy Bricks

Some like it hot

National Hot Chicken Day is Monday, March 30, so if you’re like George Costanza and like your chicken spicy, check out these hot ones from Fry the Coop. The local chicken chain will be offering its Nashville hot chicken sandwiches for $5 while supplies last at their 10 locations, including Bolingbrook, Darien, Elmhurst and Prospect Heights, on Monday.

They’ve also teamed up with another local eatery — Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza — to create “Another One Bites the Crust,” a sandwich combining Billy Bricks’ panuozzo bread (made from its pizza dough) with Fry the Coop’s hot chicken tenders. The sandwich features a half pound of the tenders topped with smoked Gouda, a house cheese blend, jalapeños and Coop Sauce served on the panuozzo. It will be available only on Monday, March 30, at Billy Bricks locations in Highwood, Lombard, Naperville and Wheaton for $14.95 with chips and a drink.

Prairie Grass Cafe is offering apple kugel as part of its Passover Dinner Package for Two. It’s from an old family recipe belonging to a friend of chef Sarah Stegner. Courtesy of Dario Durham

Passover meals to go

Passover begins at sunset Wednesday, April 1, and if you’re observing at home, suburban restaurants have take out options for you.

Max’s Deli in Highland Park offers Passover catering featuring family-style portions for chop liver and matzo, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup and a sader plate. Plus, add on brisket, salmon and more.

The Passover Dinner Package for Two at Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook includes matzo ball soup, matzo, mixed green salad, slow-braised barbecue brisket, cauliflower mash, roasted carrots, apple kugel and flourless chocolate cake for $130. The restaurant will be open for dine in; make reservations at (847) 205-4433 or place an order for pickup from 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1.

The Passover menu to go at Saranello’s in Wheeling includes matzo, beef chopped liver and gefilte fish with beet horseradish, and matzo ball soup to start, then entrées such as braised beef brisket with caramelized onions and broiled Atlantic salmon. Sides include carrot tzimmes, crispy potato pancakes with applesauce, and sautéed green beans. End your meal with flourless chocolate cake. It’s $59.95 per person, and items are packed cold with reheating instructions. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, for pick up on Wednesday or Thursday, April 1-2.

Soul & Smoke in Evanston admits they may not be the most obvious choice for the holiday, but you can order up mains like smoked pastrami or prime brisket (or slider kits of either one). Sides include brown butter cornbread muffins, apple slaw, mac and cheese and more.

Wildfire locations in Glenview and Lincolnshire are serving up family platters featuring braised brisket of beef, matzo-crusted Lake Superior whitefish, Chef Joe’s potato kugel, chocolate-almond macaroons and more. Half platters serve four to five and platters serve eight to 10. Call the locations to place an order.

Violi in Oak Brook will be serving a special roasted lamb fricassee on Easter Sunday, April 5, and Greek Easter on Sunday, April 12. Courtesy of Violi

More Easter options

We published a story last week with myriad Easter brunch options. Here are some restaurants that are highlighting globally inspired dishes for Easter.

A toda madre, Bien Trucha and Quiubo will be serving up a special enfrijoladas de cochinita Pibil for Easter brunch on Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5. The dish features corn tortillas covered in pinto bean-chipotle sauce, achiote-braised pork, crema, queso fresco and pickled habanero-onion. For dessert they’re offering concha rellena, Mexican sweet bread filled with vanilla cream cheese pudding and guava.

Ema in Glenview is offering a Mediterranean-inspired brunch Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5, with offerings including kefta and eggs, soft scrambled eggs and lamb shakshuka, Jerusalem bagel and smoked salmon spread and chocolate babka French toast.

The Purple Pig in Oak Brook is celebrating its first suburban Easter with several dishes designed to feel both celebratory and distinctly Mediterranean. The kitchen will serve Turkish eggs (poached eggs with garlic yogurt, nduja butter, za’atar and fresh herbs), roasted lamb leg eggs Benedict with a harissa hollandaise, and a house-made pasta with spring onion pesto, asparagus, lemon zest, burrata and soppressata breadcrumb.

Violi in Oak Brook will celebrate Easter Sunday, April 5, and Greek Easter Sunday, April 12, with a special roasted lamb fricassee, served with wilted spinach, baby potatoes and avgolemono for $34.99.

• Email dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.