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    Alpaca Chicken

    4.2 (54 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Natasha R.

    Love this place! The chicken is delicious, and the sauces are very flavorful- would highly recommend everyone try it out in the area! They also have some fun drink flavors and lots of combo meals for people who want to try different things.

    Pollo Saltado
    Nicole M.

    100000% recommend for some delicious, comforting food! Their portion sizes are incredible, definitely fills you up. Their proteins are super juicy and tender, really fresh and delicious. I got the pollo saltado and also had sides of yellow and green sauce (you can get them at their sauce station), and as a sauce girly, I appreciate it. Even though it doesn't need the sauce to be good, either way it's super delish! Great service, everyone there is super friendly and really makes sure you get what you need and more. It's great for a sit-down, whether with friends, family, date, etc. definitely take a pic with the Alpaca at the door if you're here ;) I crave Alpaca (the restaurant) from time to time, glad I was introduced to here!

    1/4 Dark with green beans and plantains
    Surika A.

    Alpaca is hands down one of the best food options in the triangle area. Peruvian style chicken has always been a favorite of mine, but this chain is hands down the best I have ever tried. The chicken itself is SO juicy and flavorful. I always get the dark meat because it is what I prefer, but my friends say that the white meat is also pretty tender and juicy! As far as sides go, my go to order is usual the plantains and the rice topped with black beans. Lately I've been changing it up and getting the green beans. The plantains here are never dry and are always sweet and flavorful. The green beans also have this creamy sauce on them with onions that is incredible. Do NOT forget to get the 2 sauces (spicy green sauce, and creamy mustard/mayo tasting yellow sauce) and put them on your chicken or rice! You will NOT regret. The 1/4 dark comes with leg and thigh and 2 sides for $9.75. Some of the sides can be upgraded for a cost but overall is incredibly reasonable for not only the amount of food you're getting, but the quality. The location in Chapel Hill is relatively new and is very spacious with lots of seating inside. The location in Durham towards Li Mings is also beautiful because of their outdoor seating patio with beautiful string lights. Hands down, this is a MUST go.

    Outside. Storefront. Main front entrance.
    Daniel B.

    We enjoyed the food at this Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken location at South Square in Durham. This is a relatively new Alpaca Chicken location. It opened in September 2020 and is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. Congratulations to the business for opening during and making it through the unvaccinated phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. I can't say I'm surprised because Alpaca's food and business model are takeout-friendly. This is a fast-casual restaurant chain with currently nine locations throughout the Triangle. At the time of writing this review, Alpaca Chicken goes as far north as Durham and as far south as Sanford. I believe the chain's first location opened on the north side of Durham in 2007: https://www.yelp.com/biz/alpaca-peruvian-charcoal-chicken-durham-2. It was originally known as Mami Nora's. I found this new location at South Square when searching Yelp. It's the closest Alpaca Chicken location to my wife and me. We visited for dinner on a Tuesday night around 7:00pm. We dined in. From the time we got there to the time we left, the restaurant had a steady stream of both dine-in and takeout customers. Based on our visit, this place seems to be well-established and popular. Here's what we got: * 1/2 Chicken ($11.99) - 100% all-natural Peruvian rotisserie chicken - white and dark meat, includes two regular sides; I chose maduros (sweet plantains, +$0.50) and tostones (green plantains, +$0.50); these sides cost extra because they were "premium" sides * Lomo Saltado ($12.99) - tender strips of steak, Roma tomatoes, and red onions sauteed and served over French fries with a side of white rice * Rice topped with beans (a.k.a. rice and beans) - a la carte regular size side ($3.99) * Caramel Flan ($2.99) - caramel custard topped with a layer of soft caramel My wife and I were both impressed with the quality and taste of the chicken. Simply put, it was delicious. Both the white and dark meat were tender and flavorful. I can see why this place was busy and why this brand has grown to nine locations in 14 years. There were self-serve dipping sauces for the chicken, a yellow sauce (mustardy, mayo-y) and a green sauce (definitely spicy). The chicken was so good, in my opinion, that it didn't need any sauce - even the white meat. The sauces made the chicken that much more delicious. The rotisserie chicken skin was delectable and overall, the smoky flavor, excellent texture, and great meat quality made this some of the best chicken we've had in the Triangle to date. The menu is fairly streamlined in terms of selection. Along with chicken and Latin American sides, there are a handful "made-to-order" entrees such as the Lomo Saltado we got. They make the made-to-order distinction because the chicken is already cooked in batches. When you order, it's cut and sides on the ordering line are added to your plate. I would say Alpaca is like Boston Market in this sense. Some sides, like the tostones, are made-to-order and aren't sitting on the line for immediate serving. Alpaca looks like a great catering option too. The sides were pretty good. I liked the maduros the best, but that's generally the case at any restaurant that serves maduros. Alpaca's maduros were just as sweet and yummy as I've come to expect of maduros. My wife decided to get an a la carte regular-size order of the rice and beans and I'm glad she did because it was addictive and gratifying. Rice and beans is a simple dish that's both healthy and comforting. I think they might season and/or butter the white rice here because it tastes too good to be plain. The tostones were fine. There was nothing wrong with them, but I'm not sure I'd order them again. I'd probably go for the yuca fries or green beans next time. The tostones were tasty and had good texture. The Lomo Saltado was savory and satisfying. It hit our table hot out the kitchen. I believe the steak they used for this dish was sirloin steak. If I had to nitpick, it was a little too well-done and salty for me. The steak could have been more tender, but it was seasoned and flavored well. The tomatoes and onions tasted fresh. The white rice was the same as described above in the rice and beans side dish - simple yet addictive. The portion size was large and filling, though I think they could have added a bit more meat. As for the Caramel Flan dessert, I can't say I recommend it. It wasn't bad. It was just very... average. Service wasn't bad either, but it could've been better. Our cashier was Jennyfer and she was nice/polite. Our orders came out quick. The manager fellow was nice and got my takeout containers and bag as soon as he could. The restaurant appeared to be fully staffed. However, tables and seats in the dining room were neglected and needed to be cleaned. My wife and I had to wipe down our booth. I didn't notice any tables being cleaned while we were there. That was really my only gripe with this place. It just didn't feel completely clean.

    I love alpaca but they skimped my girl on her chicken and rice portions! They may be sexist! You can clearly tell which one is hers

    Elisa A.

    1/4 chicken (white) with rice, beans, and yuca fries. Delicious as always! Always a must go!

    Yajaira J.

    When I discovered this place feel in love with the juicy chicken but it's the maduros that keep me coming back. Service is always fast in and out perfect for when I come late from work. They offer many sizes (1/4, 1/2 and whole chicken and their new dos pollos options) for their food so you can share or eat as much or as little as you want. And the sides are very well portioned. They come with a yellow or green sauce, but believe me when I tell you you're gonna want extra of that yellow sauce it is delicious!!

    Lomo Saltado
    Alex W.

    Restaurant: Alpaca Location: Durham, NC Food: Lomo Saltado A great place to have lunch with friends after church! I had the Lomo Saltado with a side of the green and yellow sauce. The Dish is steak strips with tomatoes and red onions over fries with a side of rice.

    Chop Chop Special
    Celina Y.

    as a californian who never experiences sub 40 degree weather, i greatly appreciated their outdoor seating area equipped with heaters. the quantity of food given for the price is incredibly substantial, and i have recently learned about the 10% off duke student discount. how fun. overall, 9/10 would come again featuring: 1. 1/4 white chicken combo w/ green beans & fries 2. 1/2 chicken combo w/ green beans & yuca fries

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    6 years ago

    Cool ambiance with great food and fun weekly specials. Love the jerk chicken, plantains, and drink options.

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    4 years ago

    Y'all this food is amazing. Get some Horchata here! The tostones slap too :)). And the rice and beans are tasty :))))

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    Ask the Community - Alpaca Chicken

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    AUTHENTIC! Quick service and nicely decorated…read more Having spent 12 years of my life in Peru, I feel confident with my assessment of Mi Peru. I was in town for business and as in every location I travel to, I look for Peruvian food. This is in my top three. One was in Austin, TX, one in St Louis, MO and now this one in Durham, NC. I had the lunch special. It included a drink, soup and entree. Of course you have to drink Inca Cola (tastes like Squirt with Cream Soda) nice and cold. I'll have to get a Chicha Morada to take with me (which I did, and it was fruity and sweet, like a non-alcoholic sangria with cinnamon). The soup was a chicken and lentil soup with various veggies. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I was in for a treat and prayed the Aji de Gallina would be just as good. It was! Aji de Gallina is a shredded chicken dish made with Peruvian Aji amarillos, nuts, Parmesan cheese. Add in all the delicious spices Peru is known for and you have a wonderful, homey, delicious dish. I will be coming back tonight for dinner. Can't decide if I want the Seco de Res or the Lomo Saltado. Both staple dishes in Peru. Part 2 - so...I was too tired to go back for dinner. BUT, I did order in. I got the Papa à la Huancaina (so delicious, it tasted like I make at home). It is a creamy, Aji Amarillo cheese sauce over yellow potatoes. I would have liked it a little spicier, but I understand having to cater to the general public, so I'll let that slide. But the flavor was as good as you could get. I also opted to order the Seco since I thought it would travel better than the Lomo Saltado. The rice was perfect. Not soggy or spongy. Just right. Flavored with a little salt and garlic. You could eat it by itself. The Seco meat was tender. I didn't even use a knife to cut it. In fact, it pulled apart easily with a plastic fork. I would have liked a little more of the cilantro sauce to soak up in my rice. The flavors were right on, but I love cilantro...so. It even came with a Salsa Criolla (lightly pickled red onion), which is authentic and served with many Peruvian dishes. I ordered additional salsa amarillo just to taste. It's a sauce made with aji amarillo and black mint. I know it sounds weird but it's actually so tasty and fresh. My only disappointment were the beans not that they weren't good and flavorful, but they were pinto beans. I was really expecting mayacoba beans (similar to a white canary bean). Sorry, I ate it before thinking about taking pictures. All in all, I would rate this highly for those wanting to try authentic Peruvian food. My next visit to Durham I'll be trying the Ceviche and Lomo Saltado.

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    My Afro-Latina heart was so happy…read more I've been searching for really good Latin food since moving to North Carolina, and Boricua Soul absolutely delivered. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was on point. They were playing great music that made the whole place feel lively and welcoming, and I loved that you can choose to eat inside or enjoy the outdoor patio. My husband and I both ordered the Boricua Soul Bowl. He got the chicken, and I got the pernil. The pernil was incredible it was tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. The bowl came with arroz con gandules, collard greens, mac and cheese, and I chose the tostones. I had honestly given up on finding good tostones that I didn't have to make myself, but these were exactly what I'd been craving. Crispy, perfectly cooked, and absolutely delicious with the Guava Lava sauce. Since, I couldn't pass them up, we also ordered a side of maduros, and they were perfectly caramelized and sweet. The empanadas easily made my top five. Crispy on the outside, flavorful on the inside, and gone way too quickly. Also don't skip the watermelon lemonade, it was so refreshing and paired perfectly with everything we ordered. We'll definitely be back. There are still so many things on the menu I want to try, but I already know I'll be ordering the Boricua Soul Bowl. One tip for first-time visitors: if you're sitting inside and trying to get back outside , the exit is the same door you originally came in through on the far glass door. There is a sign, but we watched three different people accidentally try every other part of the glass first, so hopefully this saves someone a little confusion.

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    Alpaca Chicken - peruvian - Updated July 2026

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