Just before we went to press with our March 18 Wesley Chapel issue, we received the following statement from the management at Rock & Brews:
There has been a lot of confusion regarding the future of Rock & Brews on S.R. 56 and the likelihood of Portillo’s replacing it in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets.
To clarify the situation, Rock & Brews President of Operations Kris Maronpot recently provided us with this accurate information.
What’s Happening?
The Rock & Brews on S.R. 56 will be closing on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Rock & Brews encourages their rock star fans to dine with them by or before their final day of service on Sunday, March 23.
“It has been a great honor and experience to serve the Wesley Chapel and Tampa community,” Maronpot says. “We are thankful for everyone’s continued support. We look forward to serving those who rock in the future at our other Florida locations — Orlando, Oviedo, and Kissimmee — soon.”
Whether or not you were one of the midwestern U.S. natives who lost your minds when it was first announced that Portillo’s Hot Dogs was coming to “somewhere near” the Tampa Premium Outlets, you had a recent chance (on Jan. 26) to check out the Chicago fave in person at the main entrance to the outlet mall.
The Portillo’s “Beef Bus” sat at the mall’s main entrance from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. that day, but a lot fewer people than I expected showed up to sample the Chicago-style hot dogs, chili dogs, crinkle-cut fries and Italian beef sandwiches than I expected, probably because there wasn’t much promoting of it beforehand (at least not that I saw).
When photographer Charmaine George and I visited shortly after the Beef Bus first arrived that day, there were no lines whatsoever, but we immediately posted some pics and announced that even if you didn’t show up that day, you could still grab one of the “BOGO” cards (valid at any Florida Portillo’s, including the closest location on E. Fowler Ave., in front of the University Mall) that the restaurant’s marketing crew was giving away that day. They gave us about 50 of the cards, which we mentioned in our Facebook post and asked our readers/ followers to direct message me to say “I Love Portillo’s” in order to be sent one of the cards in the mail. At our press time, we still had about 20 left, so if you want one, send me an email with “I Love Portillo’s” in the subject line and we’ll mail you one, too, while my small supply lasts!
Our new friends at the Portillo’s Beef Bus don’t know when or for sure where Portillo’s will open (or they at least didn’t say if they did know), but we have now been told by employees of Rock & Brews, which fronts S.R. 56 in front of the mall, that the KISS-inspired restaurant will close by May 1 of this year, when Portillo’s will begin the process of revamping the Rock & Brews building in anticipation of opening the Lutz/Wesley Chapel Portillo’s before the end of 2025.
In the meantime, I hope you will continue to visit Rock & Brews. For more information about Portillo’s, visit Portillos.com. — GN
Whether or not you were one of the midwestern U.S. natives who lost your minds when it was first announced that Portillo’s Hot Dogs was coming to somewhere near the Tampa Premium Outlets, here’s your chance to check it out in person — at the main entrance to the Outlet Mall on the south side of S.R. 56 west of I-75.
The Portillo’s “Beef Bus” is currently sitting at the mall’s main entrance and it will only be there until 6 p.m. today! When we visited shortly after the Beef Bus first arrived, there were no lines whatsoever, but we’re guessing that will change as the day progresses, especially as our Portillo’s-crazed readers see this post.
Our new friends at the Portillo’s Beef Bus don’t know when or for sure where Portillo’s will open — it, of course, is still rumored to be taking over the space currently occupied by Rock & Brews by May or June of this year — but they have lots of Portillo’s “swag” to give away, including Buy 1, Get 1 Free cards, where if you buy any of the Chicago-based chain’s famous Italian beef, sausage or hot dog sandwiches, plus a drink and a side, you’ll receive one sandwich of equal or lesser value FREE at any of the chain’s Florida locations, including the closest one to us currently at 2102 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa! But, if you can’t make it to the mall today, we were given at least 25-50 of those BOGO cards to give to our readers!
I don’t believe the cards are valid for purchases at the Beef Bus today, but feel free to ask when you visit.
All you have to do is reply to this post “I love Portillo’s!” and we’ll be happy to send you one of these BOGO cards in the mail, while our supply lasts!
For more information about Portillo’s, visit Portillos.com.
Considering that long-established eateries like Red Lobster and TGI Fridays have shuttered many of their stores, it wasn’t a big shock that Bloomin’ Brands — which also is the parent company of Outback, Carrabba’s and Bonefish — made the decision to shutter most of its U.S. locations of Aussie Grill.
Among the stores that already are permanently closed is the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location on the north side of S.R. 56, across from the Tampa Premium Outlets, which closed its doors earlier this month. We had no news at our press time as to what might replace Aussie Grill, but we’ll keep you posted.
Portillo’s Is Coming…But Where?
Meanwhile, Portillo’s — the Chicago-based hot dog and Italian beef chain — originally announced on Dec. 5 that it was opening “later this year” and even gave the address of the new Portillo’s as 26000 S.R. 56 and said that it would be a 6,250-sq.-ft. restaurant. That announcement was later changed to what is shown below, but the spark had been lit, as many midwesterners rejoiced, many locals who had tried but weren’t overjoyed shrugged their shoulders and everyone else tried to figure out how Portillo’s could open a huge sit-down restaurant in just a few weeks time, in a location that already has a huge (actually closer to 8,000 sq. ft.) sit-down restaurant — as that address is where the Rock & Brews on the south side of S.R. 56, in front of the outlet mall, currently sits and is still open (and is still advertising in our pages).
As soon as I saw the original announcement, I headed to the nearest Portillo’s location — on E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa — to ask what the management of that location knew about the new store, but I was referred to corporate, which has not yet responded to my very detailed email, even though the revised press release at Portillos.com shown left deleted the planned address and timeframe in the original (Note-26000 S.R. 56 is still listed as the Lutz address when you click on the “Locations” button on the site).
Of course, I also took the time to sample my first Portillo’s Italian beef sandwich, with added mozzarella cheese and extra Italian gravy/au jus on the side, and I’ll admit it was pretty tasty. Good crinkle cut fries, too.
Our contact at Rock & Brews didn’t get back to us with an answer as to whether or not that location was closing, but we’ll keep you posted. — GN
