El Pollo Loco

Delicious food and authentic. Best hole in the wall in Santa Paula. People complain about prices…read morebut need to realize you're paying for the authenticity and supporting mom n pop shops.

Picked up a caldo de pollo for lunch on a rainy day and I was happy I had gone with a soup…read moreconsidering how chilly it was but the soup was just ok. Considering your paying $13, I felt the soup was over priced for the amount you recieve. I left got a chicken leg, a small piece of squash, carrot, and chayote. Soup needed a bit extra flavor as well. I poured the salsa, onions, and cilantro it came with and about 4 lemon wedges and some salt to give it a good flavor. Soup had plenty of caldo though. The rice on the side was okay too, nothing that stands out. Of course the meal came with a side of tortillas. I think I will come back again and try some thing else. I wouldn't reccoemnd this soup, perhaps try the beef/res if your looking for soup. However the menu has other items worth checking out.

Updated Menu Prices

See all

El Pastor Tacos with rice and beans

Tlaquepaque Restaurant

4.2(259 reviews)

1.0 mi

Food: very tasty; tacos, burritos, chilliques salsas chips…read more Service: nice staff and attentive Atmosphere: is good. parking ok, I think you can park in USPS lot. Price: not to pricey

Great selection & very tasty! Everything that they have is delicious. My favorite is their…read moreenchiladas de mole! Their homemade tortillas are a +

5/8/23

Chips and salsa 7/6/23

See all

Enchiladas de Mole 5/8/23

Taqueria & Estrellas

4.6(68 reviews)

0.3 mi

I noticed this time around they didn't bring chips and salsa to the table, I didn't ask, so I'm not…read moresure if it's upon request now. The chicken was good in the tacos, although I didn't care for the beans. Nachos were good.

Been eating here for years, Paula is the best cook! Burritos, hard shell tacos, tortas...everything…read moreis delicious! Buy a jar of their salsa on your way out, you won't be disappointed!

Inside

Burrito de Chorizo. Quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

See all

Inside

El Capricho Restaurant

4.1(176 reviews)

0.9 mi

We stopped by for lunch based on their rating, should have read the reviews. Service was fine,…read morenothing stood out, our waitress seemed kind. The vibe was on the quieter side. We tried their ceviche...not good. Had absolutely no flavor even with adding salt and salsa at the table. The only good thing was their salsa and chips. I wouldn't go back. Will keep Rabalais as my go to in Santa Paula.

THIS PLACE IS LEGIT AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD AND ITS AMAZING. Do your life a favor and come eat here…read moreif you haven't already. I was blown away by the depth of flavors being served here. Located right off Main Street you will find their resteraunt and when I went for lunch on a weekday, this place was PACKED. I had to wait about 10 min for a table to clear up but the food was worth the wait. We ordered the gorditas and the mole enchiladas and both dishes were a 10/10. Everything was so flavorful , portions were good and worth every penny spent. Overall we were beyond pleased with our lunch. We will defenitly be back! This place is awesome and can't reccoemnd them enough if your looking for some good Mexican food. Thank you El Capricho for the great lunch, see you guys very soon again. Till next time.

Dining room - busy with locals

Asada nachos with toppings

See all

Fresh salad

El Campesino Restaurant

4.1(7 reviews)

0.2 mi

Warning! This is Not a five star restaurant. I asked the waitress when we walked in if the food…read morewas good, her reply, they say it is Lol. We arrived at 5:00 on a Friday evening, No one was there, that was our first clue the place wasn't what it was rated for. To the food, absolutely the worst Mexican food I've Ever had, the service was even worse.. Our server sat behind the counter on her phone... I'm pretty sure, the owners gave the place 5 stars, because no one in there right mind would consider this, okay food. I hate giving bad reviews but it would of been happier throwing my money out the car window.

Service was terrible. The young woman in the front couldn't be bothered. Not very friendly to me…read moreand although they closed at 2 and it was noon, she told me they were closing soon. I had to order quickly. No salsa given I had to return to restaurant to get some. I guess she doesn't like working weekends. Food was good but I couldn't enjoy it being rushed

Trocitos de puerco en salsa verde

Torta

See all

Caldo de camaron

Chapala Mexican Restaurant

3.5(255 reviews)

1.1 mi

Service is usually helpful and fast! The chips and Salsa keep coming and is delicious. Serve good…read more"gringo-style" Mexican food as well if you can't stand the heat!

Loved this place! Exactly what I was looking for , very welcoming people , made me feel right at…read morehome. Very clean and the food was delicious .

Insode

Meat combo

See all

Outside on Harvard

El Preferido Taco Shop

4.4(130 reviews)

0.4 mi

The food was very delicious I would recommend to come the food is good like very good tacos.read more

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. I've been working down the street and decided to give this place a try…read moreafter my wife showed me their yelp and I was mad at myself for not coming sooner due to the amazing corn taquitos/burritos I had today. THEY WERE SO GOOD. If you haven't been here yet, do your like a favor and come eat here, you will not regret it. Called in my order of 5 corn taquitos/burritos around noon and the the lovely gentlemen let me know my order would be ready in 5 to 10 minutes. As I walked in he was backing up my order, talk about fast and friendly service here. Got a side order of guacamole for my order and it was a very inexpensive lunch. The corn burritos/taquitos were popping hot and came topppd with a ton of cheese. I poured the red salsa it came with over the cheese and I got the final product of salsa and cheese covered burritos/taquitos. 10/10, highly reccomend. These things were amazing. Overall come support this local buisness. Great food, great service, what is not to like here. Thank you El Preferido for the great lunch, I will be back very soon.

Inside order/pickup

Michelada; 2 tacos, asada/carnitas; taquitos & cheese; chicken taquitos dressed with cabbage; one cabesa taco.

See all

Where to find them. Takeout or dine in

La Cabana Restaurant

3.7(193 reviews)

1.5 mi

Get this! I've lived within 5 mins of this place for 6 years now. I pass it alllll the time. I've…read moreheard it's really good for years. And TODAY, I FINALLY tried it! I tried their Mexican Pizza and it was SO GOOD! Our server was the sweetest lady, a beautiful smile, so welcoming, and answered all my questions with patience and grace. If you've read any of my other reviews you know I usually have questions. Lol. Wait time for my order was just right. I even tried the fried ice cream and yes it was delish! The price point is fair. The ambiance/furniture is a little dated but CLEAN! I honestly wish I'd tried this place sooner, but yes, I'll be back!

Best thing is the chili verde soup!!!! It was soo good!…read moreAlso the chili verde plate was delicious, my son didn't not enjoy the chicken enchilada which was a mix of thigh more than breast meat.

Seating

Mexican Pizza

See all

This beautiful angel statue is the same exact one in front of my boyfriend's house!

Cocina 1912

4.5(105 reviews)

1.2 mi

So I knew of Cocina but wasn't able to come until recently. I had ordered for pickup prior to…read moresitting to try it. I like how they created their own app to make it easier for pickup. Prior to coming in I had tried their beans tacos dorados (tres taquitos) and their chilaquiles. Tacos were okay. I felt like there wasn't that many beans inside. Chilaquiles were delicious. I live close but by the time they got to me, the tortilla was not as crunchy anymore. Still enjoyed them. When I went in, got the chilaquiles again since I wanted to eat them fresh. Even better. Loved the sauce and how crunchy they were. I did get the red ones. They are a bit spicy for those who don't like spice. I have really liked that they use black beans instead of pinto beans. Their red rice has always been nice an fluffy. Another time I went I tried their quesobirria shrimp tacos. They are tied for my all time favorite spicy shrimp tacos. They were so good. The chipotle sauce you do to add to it was delicious. Overall, I love Cocina 1912. Love that it's so close to me and how delicious the food is. I have definitely started to bring people already to try it and will continue to do so.

Shoutout to yelp elite Raquel for bringing me here. We'd been eyeing this restaurant for a while…read moreand we finally came in for lunch and had a wonderful experience from start to finish. Cocina 1912 is located in downtown Santa Paula and was easy to find. Large signage outside and plenty of 2-hour parking out front and across the street. This restaurant is surprisingly large. Not only do they have the regular dining area but they also have an attached second room for dining and a larger event space. This space can be rented out for markets, parties - you name it. Would make a great music space too. Another standout here is the staff and the hospitality. The young gal working behind the counter was super nice and welcoming. She helped us with the menu and on deciding what to order. What I also love is even though it's an "order at the counter place", the staff were attentive to come over to our take multiple times to check on us. Talk about A+ service and care. This alone would keep me coming back. Thankfully, the food is equally as good and tasty! We started with a Jamaica drink which was refreshing and hit the spot. For our mains I ordered the Al pastor tacos and my friend went with the shrimp tacos that were made queso birria style. Lastly, I ordered a side of rice and means. Everything was tasty and satisfying! The tortillas are freshly made each day and you could really taste it. The Al pastor and sides were about a 4/5. Not the best I've had but totally satisfied my craving and I'd get them again. The real star of the show was the shrimp tacos! My friend let me try some and I was blown away by the freshness of the shrimp and thought it was a delicious dish. Very spicy though so I know I can't hang lol. Regardless though I loved them, so if you can handle spice and love a good shrimp taco, you absolutely must get these. Such a solid experience here and a fun time with my friend. We'll definitely be back!

Interior high ceilings with cool light fixtures

Chile Verde Chilequilles

See all

Interior table and great brick walls with order counter

La Terraza

3.7(108 reviews)

1.1 mi

When I have a hankering for a crunchy taco, I go here for the taco combo- 2 crunchy chicken tacos,…read morerefried beans & rice, and a coke. The best. This is where I go in SP for that crunchy taco fix and it is my favorite in town. ¡Muchas gracias!

Food came fast and was delicious. Very happy with the portion size: big burritos. Plus - Great…read moreservice!

Tacos a la Carter, my favorite!

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

2 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Tedric M.

9 years ago

Good place for lunch. Staff is very kind and accommodating. Food is wonderful! Very tasty and presented well. Nice environment. Thanks.

David M.

5 years ago

I ordered a three piece dark chicken meal , chicken was very dry tasted like yesterday's chicken.

El Pollo Loco - mexican - Updated August 2026

People who viewed El Pollo Loco also viewed

WaBa Grill

4.0

(95 reviews)

Lunch rush staff have no sense of responsibility or urgency…read more I placed an online order at 1:09 PM for one bowl and an order of dumplings. The app said it would be ready by 1:21 PM. When I arrived at 1:18 PM, I had to walk around to the front because the back door leading to the parking lot was locked. By 1:45 PM nothing has been communicated to me--no employee has explained the delay, made any mention of it, or offered any sort of apology. Nothing. I understand that things can get backed up, but this kind of delay and lack of acknowledgment is disrespectful of my time and of the other people who have been waiting with me. I've watched people come in after me, order, eat, and leave. I was even handed an order that wasn't mine, despite announcing my name and that I was there for a pickup. I've wasted my entire lunch break waiting for food that was supposed to be ready 35 minutes ago. I left at 1:48 PM. They would not offer a refund, credit, or anything--just a "thank you for being patient." They ran out of chicken, she said. During lunch.

Absolutely 5 stars! Very friendly staff and the food is always delicious. They serve a lot of…read morefood as well. I go there a couple of times a week. Great food, great prices.

Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill

3.8

(271 reviews)

I had the grilled shrimp tacos and the queso and chips. The food was absolutely delicious.. fresh…read moreingredients and was put together very well. Very tasty .. the queso was outstanding! I'll be back next time I'm in Camarillo. Staff was very attentive and helped us out quite a bit!

The male overweight miserable cashier incredibly slow, rude and offensive. Don't come here;…read moreYolanda's has far better Mexican food, and service. If you're looking for something fast, chipotle is faster, and somehow less expensive, than Sharkys. The entire team working at this location has the enthusiasm of a dying whale; the cashier is quite literally one.

Tony's Burrito Hut

3.5

(160 reviews)

Came here to get one of their carne asada burritos. Gotta say, they do not put much meat in their…read moreburritos - mostly filler with a trace of carne asada. And for how much you're paying for the burrito? You'd think you'd get a bit more meat. Staff were nice, place had plenty of seating, area was clean. Easy parking outside. Wouldn't be my first choice - too expensive for the quality of the food.

Good local place for a quick bite. I had a bean burrito but the large was too big and fell apart…read more.. I would get the smaller one to eat without utensils. The asada burrito was good too.

El Pollo Norteno

3.8

(189 reviews)

A friend recommended this to try the roasted chicken and Tri Tip. As simple as it can get but the…read moreflavors are so wonderful. On their sign pollo and Tri tip are their specialty and That's what we ordered. The combo plate cakes with baked beans and tortillas. 1/4 chicken white or dark meat and 4-5 pieces of Tri tip. Beef was tendered and chicken was moist and flavorful. Ordered at the counter and they will bring it out to your table. Cheese cake and flan are good as well. It was very affordable. Check this place out when you're in this area.

THIS PLACE IS FIRE. Do yourself a favor and come grab some delicious food that they are serving up…read morehere. Each time I have came they are fast and the food is so good. Very good quality food. For starters the chicken here is incredibly flavorful and juicy. You can get half a chicken with a side of beans and salads with tortillas for $11 bucks. Most recently I ordered the bean and rice burrito and I added cheese and sour cream and it came out to $9 bucks. THAT BURRITO WAS MASSIVE. So much flavor in something so simple and I can appreciate that. Great prices, great food, great service, what more can you ask for. Make sure to check out pollo Norte next time you are in the are. You will not regret it, till next time!

Habit Burger & Grill

3.4

(183 reviews)

It's not just this Habit…read more I've been religiously going to the Habit for 20 years now and I still love the place, good selection, friendly staff but the quality of the chicken has really declined. Ever since Yum! Brands acquired the Habit in March of 2020 the chicken is lost all flavor and it's quality has fallen a poor grade of meat. It really saddens me because it use to be my favorite stop each day.

The burgers are good and reasonably priced. Service is normally quick I go here when I'm tired of…read morein n out to change things up a bit. Inside Iooks like a regular fast food place plenty of seating.

Karina's Mexican Restaurant

3.8

(83 reviews)

Such a good neighborhood spot! The chile relleno and ranchero burritos are our go to! Grab a beer…read morenext door at the garage while you wait

Great food and quick delivery. We ordered burritos and quesadillas. Was so good!! It got here so…read morequickly!!!

Original Tommy's

3.0

(239 reviews)

This place has the best chili burgers around! I read all these other reviews and they're pissed off…read morefor all these little things. Go into Tommy's knowing that the customer service may not be the best, but the burgers are going to rock! If you live here, come check it out. You'll be a regular. If you're driving through stop off and check it out.O

My bad! Why do we keep coming here? I mean yes the late night after bowling craving needs to be…read moresatisfied but is it? Might be more aggravation than it's worth! Because this place cannot be any more terrible with customer service! They literally have incompetent employees who do not care! We ordered 2 cheese burgers with the chili on the side, one a double and one a regular... what they gave us? Two doubles both with chili ON THE BURGERS! Seriously ? There was no one in front of us and one car behind us! No excuse! Lazy employees who don't give a crap!

B&J Drive-In

4.2

(30 reviews)

The BEST corn burritos in town- a must have when a craving hits. Plus the employees are friendly…read moreand service is quick! Highly recommend

We love this place. The burgers and fries are great. The crinkle fries are the best!! The breakfast…read moreburrito is enormous!! The staff are always so friendly and helpful. We love having them in the neighborhood.

Snapper Jack's Taco Shack

3.9

(506 reviews)