Warning: this review is only for food! 4.5 stars actually. Their flame roasted chicken is terrific as is their green salsa and it's all very affordable. For example one can have a 4 piece chicken only plate (1/2 a chicken) that come with a small iceberg salad and roasted onions and peppers for less than $6 or the same with rice,beans, and tortillas for less than $8. That would never be possible at the chain with a similar concept. If I included their interior in my review they would loose a star. Another yelper described the interior as "beat up" which made me chuckle aloud, but their interior is lacking. They do have a faux fireplace with an LCD screen viewing a flame image. They have two LCD TVs showing sports. They also have an interior dining place that they seem to be renovating and using for storage (see pic). Good thing I came for good food and not atmosphere. read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - Storage and renovation area as part of their dining room? - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

Have stopped at this establishment twice. The chicken is grilled and is so tasty. I usually opt for the 8 piece chicken meal. It comes with tortillas, rice, beans, salad, chicken and salsa. The service is quick and I believe you can place an order over the phone and pick up. Definitely recommend! read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - Chicken being grilled .. - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Fantastic delicious chicken. Tortillas are great. Fresh from a local tortilleria. Beans are delicious. Staff is friendly and helpful. Nice basic interior. Always busy with locals so you know it is delicious read more

I bought an 8 piece family meal and was shocked to see that the portions were extremely small. How is it a family meal if the family meal is made for literally one person. Total waste of 28 dollars just to get one scoop of beans, a scoop of rice, and 8 pieces of overcooked chicken plus the two pieces of lettuce that they claim is a salad. Do not recommend this place at all. read more

The grill chicken was very delicious, have tons of flavor. The price was really reasonably for how much food get. A totally hole in the wall place read more

This place has never failed me! I always enjoy their food and amazing workers, everytime i come in I am treated nicely and sometimes spark up a conversation with them. 5/5 for this place read more

Today, February 22, I bought a chicken, it came out terribly purple, I called to tell them and they put me through a certain Luis who is the manager, he told me to take the chicken to see him, he treated me very badly, disrespectful, I think that these types of people should not work there . never buy grill chicken. read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - Grill chicken - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

Place really doesn't look like much, but their chicken is pretty good. Def not dry like other places, flavor is all there. Rice and beans are good, only reason I give it 4 stars is bc the tortillas are ok. read more

Very good! Great family meal. Been here a couple times always leave satisfied. Gets very busy!

Best pollo asado in north county for sure!!! Great salsas great flavor I highly recommend compadres!!!! Bombbbb

This restaurant has excellent food at a great price. It is located on Nordahl Rd across from the Walmart/ kohl's plaza. The staff is incredible and the chicken is fantastic! I love their tamales. The restaurant is clean and inviting. read more

Hate to say it, but this place is dumb. How they do their meals need to change or this business needs to close. Gf orders two piece meal dark meat. That's fine, then I order 3 piece meal dark meat. They say they cannot give me the dark meat because I have to order what's left of the chicken after they give my GF her two pieces..like WTF. I tell them I want just two legs one thigh and they say that can't be done because they have to finish whatever's left of the chicken that made my gfs two piece meal and they won't start grilling another chicken until that chicken is done.. So what if we weren't in the same party, u would force the customer to get chicken they do lnt want. People should not be okay with some business forcing u to order stuff they can't sell. And the workers were rude with their responses. This place does not deserve four stars, it doesn't deserve any. Business model is ridiculous don't come here. Who knows they might be passing off old chicken. read more

This is by far one of my most favorite restaurants in north county! The owner is personable and kind, the staff is friendly and the food is delicious! read more

Compadres absolutely kills it with their grilled chicken! The combo plates are super affordable and great for lunch. The chicken's marinade is awesome. Really gives off a great flavor. The combo plates come with rice, beans, and a side salad. Such a great value. Can't say enough about how damn good the chicken is. Compadres will always be one of my favorite lunch spots read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - 4 piece combo plate - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

I like me some grilled chickens and this place smells heavenly when you walk up. There was a line out the door and I've been wanting to try this place out so we finally took the plunge! The chicken skin is crisp as it should be and the inside was nice and juicy. My GF and I both had the two piece chicken meal which comes with rice, beans, grilled onions, grilled peppers and flour or corn tortillas. Everything is nice and fresh and you can get red or green salsa or both. Just wished they gave a few more grilled onions. read more

This is my go to place when I want some delicious grilled chicken. The food is always amazing here. I love how juicy and tender the chicken is. It is perfectly seasoned and I can just eat the chicken alone. Also one of my favorite is the green salad. Omg the best green salad ever! read more

Great little place . The Chicken is good, the beans are good.. The Salsas are Spicey just how I like it !

Best pollo asado in North County. Like the original Pollo Loco was when it first started. The beans rice and salsa are great too.

Im all about supporting local businesses but when i order from somewhere and Im told my food will be ready in 20 mins, but Im waiting over 1 hour, now thats just ridiculous. I will not be returning. They need a better way of taking orders and figuring out their turnaround times. Keeping customers waiting for over an hour for a fast food joint is not ok. read more

After moving to escondido, I was looking for a good place to get Rotisserie chicken. Compadre's isn't Rotisserie, it is cooked over an open flame and the flavor is absolutely fantastic. I normally get the 3 or 4 piece which comes with rice and beans. They also give you a choice of flour or corn tortillas. Since it is so close to home, I get mine to go. The staff are friendly and get you your food quickly. read more

In the land of California burritos, carne asada fries, and fish tacos, we sometimes forget about the delicious Mexican dish that is pollo asado. Compadres is a solid choice for mouthwatering flame-grilled chicken. As soon as you park, your nose will lead you to the inviting aroma of chicken being cooked over a fire. The sight upon entering the restaurant confirms you are in the right place - with the staff hard at work grilling the chicken to perfection. I get the 3-piece chicken combo. In addition to the chicken, it comes with arroz rojo (Mexican red rice), salad, wheat or corn tortilla, chiles toreados (whole grilled jalapeño pepper) and onions. The order also includes their version of ranch, green sauce, and red hot sauce, which are all awesome. The chicken is juicy, cooked evenly, and packed with mesquite flavor. The rice is tasty and the tortillas are thick. Love the chiles toreados and onions! They add a nice kick to the meal and complement the grilled chicken. To top it off, I get all this for about $8. Great deal. The wait can be long and I need to remember to call in my order. Your patience will be rewarded. read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - 3pc. chicken combo - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Very affordable and delicious! The chicken, rice and beans taste homemade. I also appreciate this restaurant because it is healthier than most Mexican food. Also, it is VERY clean. The staff is constantly cleaning and mopping. We usually get the family meal that includes 8 pieces, rice, beans and tortillas. This is enough to feed four and we always have leftovers; it's only $18! This kind of deal is hard to find. The outside of the chicken is full of flavor and crispy, while the inside is juicy. They also have tamales, quesadillas and salads. One winter they even had churros and champurrado! read more

Compadres chicken is great, I plan on eating there regular when in the area I will recommend to friends and family often.

My friend and I were in the area & decided to try this place out. I was a bit hesitant because the menu was so limited and I wasn't sure if it'd be enough... But it smelled so good I had to order! I got myself the TWO PIECE CHICKEN COMBO PLATE and he ordered TWO TAMALES COMBO PLATE. As we were waiting outside for our food the cook came out and told us they had only one tamale left and offered to give us some chicken pieces to make up for it---He ended up giving us like 5 or six pieces all together. The CHICKEN was so juicy and flavorful, and combining it with the rice & beans in the tortillas was soo good!!! Overall the food & experience was great! Definitely going to go back again! Customer service was extremely nice and friendly. The place is narrow & a little crowded but only because they get so busy so fast, which is always a good sign. read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - 2 pc chicken wings & 2 tamales meal? - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

Highly recommend! The chicken is moist, perfectly cooked. The rice & beans are flavorful. All the spices are spot on. The place was clean and staff friendly. Our order was ready in minutes. Truly really good food you won't be disappointed. read more

Good portions and very tasty! I had the salad and my bf the 3pc chicken , both were delicious. The green salsa is so good too!

The best chicken you can buy! I love the seasoning and the freshness of the meat. Nothing was dry and way cheaper than going to El Pollo Loco. I expect this to be on one of those top lists in the nation pretty soon. read more

El pollo siempre esta muy bien preparado. Pero cuando tienen muchos clientes, deberían de poner a todos a trabajar, incluyendo a la señora que se la pasa parada mirando a todos trabajar. Aunque seas supervisor o dueña, te ves mal. read more

Do not judge a book by its cover! Yeah, this place is a little hole-in-the wall in San Marcos (They are in the Costco neighborhood, sort of speak), but it serves some incredibly delicious chicken that seems to have been marinaded and then cooked over wood burning grill. The parking is less than desirable for the little strip mall it is in, but the food "Rocks." The two pcs ($5) or 3pcs ($6.50) combos is the best deal that I like. The dipping sauce is unique in that it is not too spicy, I can't remember if it is the red or green, but ask 'em and they will tell ya! My go to spot when I am in the area and when I don't want Chipotle's but something other. Oh, did I mention it is super-cheap and they have your dish to you in super-man fast time. At least the 3 times that I have been there. Go during lunch if you can cuz at night it can get crowded, but still worth it. They have 3 locations, one in Oceanside and Escondido. I have only been to the San Marcos location. read more

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The prices are unreal. Extremely reasonable. The food was just ok. Someone posted its better than El Pollo Loco. Hmmm, it wasn't that flavorful. Granted its BIGGER chicken than EPL, and they offer salad and better beans and rice, but the wait it took to get my food was super long. I'm giving it 3 generous stars because it took 20 minutes for my food at 6:00 pm.. peak time for dinner! If there's a next time I'll call ahead. read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - Inexpensive! - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

Been here a few times but never checked in or left a review!? This place is freaking delicious and reasonable priced. Not sure what they marinade and season their chicken with but I need to find out! Gotta love their grilled onions and peppers. read more

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Best Caldo de Pollo soup I've had. Perfect amount of spicy and chicken and veggie flavor.

I rarely go to El Pollo Loco, but I come here every blue moon & they are never a disappointment. Food is always tasty & fresh. I love watching the guys grill the chicken and wish they could do that at my house. It's super healthy & fresh. You get to choose flour or corn tortillas for your meal as well. The people who work there are friendly, but sometimes don't pay attention. The prices are fair as well. As of now, they are expanding. Other than that, great place. read more

BEST CHICKEN everrrrr. that is all. just kidding :) FOOD: they keep it real simple. Chicken or chicken! well some variation to that, but you cant go wrong with the chicken. SO JUICY. They have individual plates and you can order whole/cut up chicken as well. PRICE: $5 for a plate with 3 pieces of chicken, salad and beans. AMBIANCE: super small but its more of a "eat and run" or "order out" place. SERVICE: The staff are all friendly and the food is prepared quick! read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - Chicken fresh off the grill everyday - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Love this place. Their grill chicken is the best I've ever had. Pros: - Simple Menu. No 20 million side items. I would rather eat at a place that does a few things great than a place that offers hundreds of things but is mediocre. - The chicken is cooked to perfection. I've eaten twice and both times, the chicken is was moist and flavorful. Speaking of flavorful, whatever spices the use really blends well with the grill chicken. - Prices and reasonable for the quality of food you get. - Their green sauce Cons: - Small dining area, however they do have outdoor seating for 4 Overall, a good alternative you are tired of the usual grill chicken joint (El Pollo). read more

Compadre Grilled Chicken - 3 piece combo - Mexican Near Me - San Marcos, California

If I could give this place more than 5 reviews, I would!!! Compadre Grilled Chicken, a name that you will want to remember. The whole chicken meal is wonderful and great for feeding a family! It is the most flavorful and juicy chicken you will ever taste and it is served with delicious tortillas, rice, and beans. Each bite is full of flavor and will lure you in for another. And don't get me started on the tamales. They are perfect and the filling is generous and oh so delicious. If I could, I would stop cooking all together and just eat at Compadre Grilled Chicken every.single.day. I recommend it to everyone that I know and you will too after you try!! **disclaimer, i do not work here, i just had the most amazing experience. My fiancée and i had been in and out of the doctor with our sick dog. We had been running back and forth and were struggling to make dinner. We don't love to do takeout (we're both chefs) but my fiancée insisted we try it out..and he found Compadre Grilled Chicken. Hesitant, i went and picked up a family chicken meal. All i can say is, we are now takeout people and it's always Compadre's!! read more

We come here at least twice or more a month the price you pay for the plate of chicken , salad , rice ,beans,tortillas and onions and serranos couldn't be any better !!! Chicken is always so juicy and tender flavor is out of this world. Also recommend their tamales it's hard to find a spot with tamales that are spot on of "home made "style this place hits home. We love our Compadre chicken . read more

Wasn't pleased at all The cashier is young and he gets very distracted with his phone therefore the costumer service garbage I was waiting in line for 5min because he was showing one of the costumers something on his phone read more

I've been meaning to write this for a while now. I've been coming here since 2017, new to the area then. I thought for sure today I'd take the pictures of the food but nope I ate it before I remembered to take the pictures. lol. I've had the grilled chicken, chicken soup, carne asada and they were all wonderful. The spices on the meats were tasty, foods flavored just right and fresh. Their beans taste like mom made them. The rice is fluffy. They chat the Chile, give you green and red salsa along with a salad and lemon on the side. Theirs enough food even if you order for one. It's fresh and hot every time. The staff are friendly and professional. They are upbeat and I appreciate it, especially during these times. I highly recommend this place. read more

I love this place. It never lets me down . On a lazy day I'll get the 1/2 chicken rice beans and side salad for 8$ feed my family of 3. Perfect not to mention they have tamales!! The queso con raja is my fave.mmm,mmmm good read more