So glad they are open now! They have lots of healthy and delicious foods available. And they open early - at 10 AM. But here is a warning - this is a former KFC and the inside of the business is small, so it gets very crowded very quickly. Also, the drive-through is available and many people seem to love it. But there were so many people waiting in line by the time we left, they were out into the street on Fillmore. There is also only one entrance into the parking lot area and that often becomes blocked by people in the drive-through line.
We have been waiting for Pollo Loco to open so that we could try their food for the very first time. We arrived shortly before they opened at 10 AM on a Thursday and people were already in the parking lot waiting. The aroma of cooking chicken was a lure and a tease!
The managers and MANY staff were very friendly and opened the doors early. I tried to get the Pollo Loco app, but there was a problem and I could not verify my account. The manager took down my information and said he would let me know in the next day or two if the problem was fixed. (Maybe because they only opened this restaurant yesterday, but the business had between 15 and 25 staff members working in the kitchen and at the counter, as well as walking around greeting people, and checking in on how people like their orders.) the restaurant itself was clean and bright. The seating area was maintained, but somewhat small, but the number of people who saw ordering.
Several people went in ahead of us and were attempting to use the computer kiosks, but most of them gave up. I'm not sure why people gave up, as when I used the kiosk, it was very simple and straightforward. Of course, you can only use credit cards or gift cards to pay at the kiosk, so maybe that was the problem.
I decided to order several things that my husband and I could share. I ordered the basic chicken burrito as a combo (this includes a bag of chips and a drink). I also ordered a side salad, and a street corn burrito bowl (as a combo as well). I added a small side of queso so that we could try that, too.
I sat down with my husband to wait. The lines of people ordering and waiting were amazing. people standing in line to order as well as people waiting for their order number to be called - quite a crowd!
Eventually, our number was called. (One suggestion I would have for management is to add a digital number display for announcing order numbers, since voices cannot always be heard over the noise of the many patrons.) There was a crowd of people that we eventually had to push through to get drinks. Pollo Loco have fountain drinks as well as fresh brewed tea, and bottle drinks available.
When I picked our food tray, the friendly staff member asked if I wanted salsa with my chips and I said yes, I would like both kinds. Also, because I had ordered the kiosk, they did not have drink cups on the tray. Apparently, if you order at the counter, they give you your drink cups when you place the order.
They included forks on the tray as well as 2 cups of salsa. I carried all this back to the table, then my husband got our drinks.
The food looked and smelled delicious! The street corn burrito bowl was large and ended up being very, very tasty. The bowl is filled with grilled chicken, pinto beans, Spanish rice, pico de gallo, roasted corn, and a wonderful, slightly spicy sauce. The burrito was on the small side, but for $4.99, it was a good deal and very tasty as well. I was very happy that we got the salad because, not only was it fresh and delicious, but I had not realized that the burrito bowl would not have lettuce. The bag of chips which came as part of the combo meal was small, but appropriate as a side dish. The chips were crispy and fresh. The two sauce we were given a red, slightly chunky, mild salsa and a green (possibly avocado) salsa or both tasty but not at all spicy. The queso was also delicious, but not at all spicy. The lack of spice in the food is probably a positive for most people, but I wish there had been a spicier salsa available for those of us who like the heat.
We look forward to returning soon and trying more different dishes. Next time I will probably try one of their larger salads.
Note: There are many fast food restaurants, nearby, including Taco Bell, Taco Express, and a Tacos el Amigos, but this Pollo Loco is likely to be far more popular than those alternatives, as long as Pollo Loco maintains the high-quality of the food and service. I hope they are able to find a way to expand their drive-through line area! read more