A small, cozy, friendly place with fresh, wholesome food every single time.. "The Best Soup in San Diego" as they advertise is so right!! wheather its hot or cold this chicken soup is amazing, hits the spot, the broth is fabulous, chunks of fresh savory chicken, zucchini, carrots, cilantro, sliced fresh avocados and rice. The street tacos are great in small soft shell corn tortillas- a choice of Tilapia, diced carne asada, steak or chicken, they're all wonderful- never a bad meal. Definitely a "go to" place. Mario, the owner, his Mother Rosa and family always make you feel like family... places like Don Pollo barely exist. Keep it up guys! Wishing you continued success read more

The Chicken Soup was very good! The broth was excellent, and had a lot of things mixed in, like slices of avocado, cilantro, veggies, and onions. The chicken and rice sank to the bottom, but tasted great when you got a spoonful. I'd recommend ordering the soup and staying away from the plates based on the Alambres Plate. Awesome presentation, but I was shocked at how little flavor the chicken, red/green bell peppers, and guac had. The rice and beans were also very underwhelming and had little flavor. Recommendation: get the soup; stay away from the plates. read more

Don Pollo - Alambres Plate... looks good, but didn't deliver on the taste. Get the soup! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

I read the reviews about this place so I brought my kids here for dinner. The rice and beans are their FAVORITE of any place we usually go (like Rubios or Pollo Loco) and the chicken quesadilla was fantastic! I absolutely loved the soup, although I thought the roasted chicken on its own was fairly average. Overall the price was good, especially for the quality of the food. I will definitely be back. What a find!!! Update: tried the carne asada street taco tonight. YUUMMMMM!!!!!!! And the people are super friendly!! We love it here. read more

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I'm glad I'm not the only person sick during this season. Not that I wish coughs and sniffles on friends but...it's nice to have someone who shares the same miseries. That's not grinch-y is it. Chicken soup has been known to help get over a bad cold. Not sure the science behind it but I sure know that a hot bowl of steaming chicken broth makes me feel so much better. I heard about Don Pollo some years ago. They make home made chicken soup, grilled chicken plates/tacos/tortas, and have also non chicken (pollo) items. You order at the cashier, pay, get a number, and they bring the food out to you. We tried: CHICKEN SOUP $6.75: - Someone brings a ceramic bowl of the chicken soup to your table. It came out about 15-20 minutes after I ordered it. Unfortunately, the broth was lukewarm. They use only white meat chicken in their soups (I asked for dark meat and they said it's not an option). There are also about three slices of avocado in the broth. There was even zucchini in the soup which I liked. The chicken breast tasted meaty and decently tender. The broth here tasted lack luster and didn't have that comforting feeling I've become accustomed to when having home made chicken soup. The broth needed to be served substantially hotter. NOTE: remember to ask for tortillas with the soup or they might yell at your afterwards if you remind them they forgot to bring out 2 FISH TACO PLATE $6.99: - The two fish tacos are served with lettuce, a spicy chipotle sauce, pico de gallo. There's also a slice of avocado on each taco. I believe they used tilapia for these tacos. I'm sorry to say the fish smelled and tasted not fresh. Not that I expect tilapia to be fresh nowadays. But there wasn't mention of what type of fish was used for these tacos. And I'm not sure why I assumed the fish would be breaded and fried. Regardless, the fish tasted old and I was hesitant to eat it. The best part was the chipotle sauce. The beans though were fantastic - creamy and almost earthy. 3 PIECE CHICKEN PLATE $7: - You get a thigh, leg, and breast with the plate. There's also rice and beans. The skin on the three pieces of meat were wilty and limp. The white meat was just ok. A bit dry but decently seasoned with salt and pepper. We opted for flour tortillas which tasted amazing with the dark meat chicken. The restaurant is tiny but packed when we started eating. There is a wait for the food but most people seem to understand that. There's limited seating inside and maybe two patio tables outside. You serve yourself drinks and utensils. The restaurant is simple, compact, and clean. A nice staff member came out to clean our table at the end and I asked if I could have a to go container for my soup. She was so nice and helped me package the soup. The soup tasted much better when re heated the next day. I'm not sure if I'd return any time soon but was glad to finally try out a few items from Don Pollo. read more

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My neighbor shared with me how amazing & healing the chicken soup is. It's true! Get the chicken soup. Hands down the best chicken soup i've ever had. Quality ingredients. Green enchiladas & bean & cheese burrito's. All loved by my family. Very nice employees. read more

Caldo de pollo is amazing they put plenty of chicken and it is so flavorful. I get exta avocado, I would definitely recommend of those rainy days read more

Wife was I'll and wanted soup. I got her the chicken soup and I got the carne asada tacos. Both were awesome. Highly recommended

My roommate told me about an amazing caldo de pollo place in Escondido. This led me to look for something similar, but not as far north. Found Don Pollo and bookmarked it! It wasn't until I had a borderline cold that I dropped by this place on my way home. I got the caldo de pollo (chicken soup) to go. I love super hot soup. I threw the soup back on the stove to get it boiling hot. The soup was so good! It had shredded white meat, chunky pieces of carrot and zucchini, and avocado. It also came with lime and tortillas. Not sure if it was the DayQuil I took earlier, the soup, or both, but I felt amazing after finishing my soup. Head and nose congestion, minor body ache, fever, throat irritation, all gone!! Definitely coming back here even when I'm not feeling sick. read more

I loved the Chicken Soup ($6.75) and it comes with 3 corn or flour tortillas. My stomach was not feeling good after a trip to northern california and I decided to go with a light lunch and they claim to have the best chicken soup in town. Well it was very good and I would come back to try the other items on the menu. read more

Don Pollo - Great chicken soup - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

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Go for the Chicken soup! It is the bomb! Heals what ails you! Can't wait for those chilly nights!

Forget your quick El Pollo Loco grilled chicken fix. I mean it. Come here instead! I love supporting Mom and Pop restaurants and not only does this tiny restaurant serve up some fantastic quality grilled chicken but they're Mexican menu items are tasty and full of flavor as well. They are apparently known for their hearty chicken soup which is made up of rice, lots of shredded fresh chicken, crisp veggies, delicious broth and yummy slices of avocado. It's comfort food at its very best and especially soothing on a brisk day. Portions are huge and filling! Not greasy at all and you can tell they don't skimp on the quality of their ingredients. Also note that their "taquitos" are not rolled tacos but street tacos that they serve with beef, chicken or pork. I also enjoy their chipotle chicken tostadas that feature are loaded with chipotle sauced shredded chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and cheese. Pretty much everything on the menu is wonderful. Service is friendly and the sweet gal that runs the place remembered me and the co-habby from our last visit when we were famished after the gym. Highly recommend Don Pollo's...four tasty stars! read more

Don Pollo - Grilled chicken plate - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

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I am all in support of small business and will overlook many issues. But the mistake they made with my takeout was so gross and health hazardous that I must give a strong warning. Look at the BURNED styrofoam container ( isn't it illegal to use styrofoam in CA?) For my chicken plate! The most disgusting thing is I didn't see it until after I ate BOTH SIDES (including the burned side attached with all chemical crap) of the piece because I was in a dark room watching a movie. I feel very sick all night both physically and psychologically. If they are going to put a freshly fried hot chicken in this kind of container they SHOULD KNOW THEY MUST USE A FOIL TO PROTECT THE FOOD FROM BEING CHEMICALLY CONTAMINATED. I am so furious about this terrible experience. I hope they read this review and make some serious changes before they slowly poison all customers. read more

Don Pollo - Really unforgivable to put customer's health at risk using such a hazardous material without proper protective foil. . - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

The food quality exceeded my expectation. The chicken is a must have in any form. My wife had the street tacos which they call taquitos (a little confusing -1/2pt) and they were some of the best tacos I've had. I had the three piece chicken meal and it was awesome! The place is a bit of a dive and they had a tv in the dining area blasting some political show. Who wants that as ambiance while you eat (-1/2pt). Overall: I will be back. read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

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This used to my favorite spot in Poway, but seems as if their quality and quantity has gone downhill. They used to load up the container to the brim with chicken, rice, and beans, but recently ordered the chicken breast plate and the second I was handed the bag I noticed it felt really light. When I got home and opened the styrofoam container there was a small scoop of beans and rice and essentially a half serving of thin chicken breast slices. Oh, and they forgot the included tortilla. It took me 2 minutes to finish and I already started brainstorming what else I should eat. Not sure if I'll be visiting this spot anymore after my last experience. read more

Best chicken soup in North San Diego inland. Would definitely return to try the other menu items

Don Pollo was for me a bit of a surprise. I found myself in Poway for work around lunchtime, and I checked YELP for local food options. Although the parking is connected to that of the Walgreens on the hard corner, Don Pollo is in a tired mid-block old-school strip shopping center with awkward ingress and egress (the "in" is on the left and the "out" is on the right), with a hodgepodge mix of neighbors selling medical, dental, chiropracter and tailor services, plus pizza, pool supplies, an Irish bar and other random uses. It is just off a big retail intersection with VONS, Stater Bros and (soon to open) Grocery Outlet at the other corners. I ordered the "3PC Chicken Plate" with all dark meat and flour tortillas. I got light fluffy rice, rich creamy refried beans, delish grilled onions, good tortillas - my only less than enthusiastic opinion of the food was that I found the chicken maybe a little bland, with thin skin that could have been crispier. Don Pollo was pretty full, but curiously all but one of the other tables was full of ladies wearing matching black shirts with white labcoats - I assume there is a professional school nearby or maybe the adjacent dental or chiropractor offices are bigger than they look. We can call it a mystery and move on. The dining room is simple and cozy and looks almost residential. You order at a tiny little counter with a simple menu board and a side board with a handful of handwritten specials. The service was fantastic - the lady behind the counter was super-nice and thoughtful - and she served good food. It turns out there is in fact good chicken in Poway. read more

Don Pollo - 3PC Chicken Plate (w/ all dark meat) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Only ordered soup... Closest good chicken soup. I like it. Good salsa too. Great service.

4.5 stars. This establishment popped up a bunch of times in my yelp search for something to eat around where we live. Tons of reviews and very high accolades for this joint; it was added to my bookmarks for sometime. Finally had the opportunity to come by, and it did not disappoint. It's located in a quiet strip mall off Poway and Community. It's small and humble, definitely family owned, with seating inside alongside the counter where you order. The lady running the counter was so kind and warm. She exuded a warm, motherly feel. She was so kind to ensure that we were comfortable, had enough space to eat and that it wasn't too cold since I was a good 8 months+ pregnant with my boys. She joked with us about her experiences with food and pregnancy and just really made us feel welcome. The food was amazing! We ordered the family style meal just to ensure we got a little bit of everything. The salad was nothing special but just a simple house salad with dressing (nothing to complain; great to have some fresh greens with your meal). The chicken was so tasty. It was like an upgraded, homestyle version of el pollo loco-- you could taste the delicious marinade and the time it took to grill and cook the chicken. The preparation was noteworthy and chicken was delicious, plump and juicy. We also got a side of the soup which is as good as everyone reviewed. I was a little hesitant thinking.. ok, how good can chicken soup really be? This was amazing with a ton of fresh vegetables (especially zucchini). The veggies still had some crunch to them which gave the soup great texture. The broth was out of this world and it had lots of chicken. Definitely one of the best chicken soups I have ever had. There was a side of rice and beans which was extremely generous in their portion. Rice was fluffy and well seasoned (not too salty) and the beans were ok for refried beans (not a huge fan of refried but it was palatable). I highly recommend coming by and giving them a try! Chicken soup is a must. Will definitely return -- especially the next time I have a cold and needing soup. Go support small businesses! read more

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Really great food the portion are big the soup is giant and the burrito is huge very delicious

If you haven't eaten here yet you need to! Everything is delicious!! And the owners are awesome!!

Always delicious. My favorite is their mandarin chicken salad with creamy balsamic dressing. You also can't go wrong with their famous chicken soup! read more

Chicken is 1000 times better than the chicken chain. Tastes good without feeling unhealthy. I'm a big fan of the chicken soup.

i think about the food I had here often. amazing quick casual food. that chicken soup... healed me. read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Soup - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Ah Yes Another Review of a place that's been on my bucket list for some time now. I was raised on great chicken as a boy and when I saw this place on Yelp I knew I had to check it out. This place is between a 3 and 4 Star place tucked away in the back of a small strip mall. You would never know it was here if you didn't see it on Yelp. It's not visible from Poway Road. There is plenty of parking and seating at this family run Small Grilled Mexican Chicken Shack. Now on to the food. The chicken is grilled nicely with allot of great flavor. The Refried Beans and Rice are tasty and come with most meals. I ordered the #1 Whole Chicken Meal to go. A little pricy at $18.99 This meal will feed three to four people or two hungry ones. It comes with, 8pcs of Nicely Grilled Chicken with some grilled onions and roasted Jalapeno peppers. The roasted peppers were a little spicy but not bad at all. A container of Refried beans. A container of Fried rice. A green salad with dressing. And a nice amount of corn tortillas to munch everything on. All in All not a bad meal. A nice to know place here in Poway. I will be back to try some of the other dishes they have like their Famous Chicken Soup and Street Tacos. (The Soup Looks Fantastic.) This place would have received a higher rating if they had given more than just a few Grilled Onions with a $19.00 whole chicken meal. Also the tortillas could have been A lot fresher. Perhaps they should look into serving fresh home made tortillas then they might be closer to a five star. ENJOY read more

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I ordered #5 4pc chicken salad, went to pay and realized I didn't have my wallet. Immediately I freak out, than do the walk of shame to the car. Wanted to confirm it didn't fall out of my pocket. I go back in to let the cashier know to cancel my order and she says " are you sure, it's ok if you pay me later". How awesome is that?? Who says that these days? Rosie did, she didn't have to do that. They made a customer for life and I promise to always pay. Let's get to the meal DELICIOUS..... Chicken was perfect price is also right. THANK YOU, Rosie for being so kind... If this doesn't make you want to support this small business, I don't know what will... read more

Don Pollo - Menu - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

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Best Chicken Soup in San Diego. This is my order request when I get a cold. Chicken soup will fix you right up.

I liked their chicken but sometimes it's hit or miss where the chicken can be dry. I guess I was lucky that I had a fresh batch the first time I went there. The last couple times, the chicken was dry so kind of bummed. Overall, I stopped getting their chicken in general and started getting their bean and cheese burrito. It's a fresh tortilla and tastes so good for something so simple. Plus you can't go wrong with their rice as a side. It's very fluffy and tastes like it's a freshly made. read more

The food was amazing ! Quick and friendly service! The chicken bowl was just right for lunch.

The best chicken enchiladas that I've ever had, I've had them from many places and even homemade these are still the best! The chicken soup is awesome as well! I've loved everything I've gotten from here! read more

I tried their chicken soup for the first time today. Worth every penny! High quality ingredients, white meat chicken, and a light broth full of flavor without being overly salty. read more

Food was very good. Our large catered order was hot and tasty. We had many compliments on how good it was. I will return, have reordered twice and recommended to other people. read more

We were looking for a chicken place nearby and found this place in Poway. Chicken and beans taste great!

We asked Mario and his team to cater my sister's baby shower yesterday and I have never had a better experience with a caterer! I started communicating with him a couple months ago to plan this as I live out of town, and his responses have always been prompt. Even when we changed the menu last minute, Mario was able to make everything happen for us like we wanted which included setting up at our venue and also providing us with warming/chafing dishes. Not to mention the food was absolutely delicious: amazing carne asada and grilled chicken for our tacos along with all the toppings and beans and rice. I'm sad I live out of town or else I'd use him for all my own catering needs. Thanks again Mario and his team for an amazing experience! read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Really good food! I had the pollo bowl and my husband had the chicken burrito. Both VERY tasty!!

It Is Delicious and the Tacos are Amazing, The Cashier very Polite, I will recommend to my friends here in Poway

Excellent chicken soup. Hearty with carrot, celery and zucchini. The chicken very flavorful. The broth was not too salty but seasoned very well. Excellent. Place was very busy and everyone in the restaurant was having chicken soup when I was there. Friendly service. Very clean. In a revamped little shopping center next to Walgreens. Worth the trip. read more

Don Pollo - Chicken soup - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Don't be fooled my the quiet service and small restaurant because this family owned business put a lot of heart and big flavors into their food. My favorite is their chicken soup but their half chicken and tacos are also top on the list. Easy to dine in with their fresh salsa bar and cold beer or take it to go. Don Pollo is always a fabulous choice. read more

Best chicken soup! Everything I've tried is delicious and fresh. The owner is so nice and customer service is always on point.

This place has the absolute tastiest chicken soup in the area. It is a go to whenever someone is feeling under the weather. We love their food. read more

Excellent restaurant with great customer service. Superior pastas and pizzas. Delicious desert offerings. Very comfortable environment.