i HATE this pollo loco. this is my third time coming here and the chicken is ALWAYS burnt. i also asked for corn in my tostada salad and it literally looks like they put a little spoon of corn in. don't even get me started on the hot chocolate, how can you go wrong making hot chocolate? the powder wasn't even all the way dissolved. i had asked for two salad dressings and they gave me only one i had also asked for only green salsa but they gave me a mix of the green and red. they obviously can't do anything right, don't come here. read more

El Pollo Loco - powder from the hot chocolate not dissolved all the way - Mexican Near Me - Santee, California

See all

Excellent El Pollo location! Food and service is top notch. Never disappointed, consistently good. read more

See all

If there was an option for negative stars I would leave it. I went to el pollo loco Santee last night after a long day at work and spent $21 on a family meal. The experience with the employees was fair. ... However I asked for red salsa in a large container and the cashier agreed, but at the window the manager took over and they gave me a ton of sippy cup containers without communicating to me my request wouldn't be honored. (That's not the problem ) I get home and discover my beans weren't cooked they were hard to chew and swallow. And my chicken was undercooked and rubbery in some places, my wife and I both had immediate stomach pains afterward and needless to say I spend the remainder of the evening in pain and in the bathroom hoping the pepto would kick in. CHECK YOUR FOOD PRIOR TO LEAVING. read more

No customer service !! I spoke to manager over the free 8pc when purchased Familia Dinner through the app. She would not accommodate the El Pollo Offer. Said I must order the Free 8 pc at the same time I ordered the Meal. Nowhere is that stated, so it's buyer beware..... Seems that the manager could have accommodated by providing the offer as I have the weekly coupon sheet with me. I won't be going back. read more

We sat in line for at least 10 minutes saying hello multiple times with no response drove up to the window and was greeted with a very rude woman who said we'd only been waiting 30 seconds and then asked what do you want we drove away worst customer service we've seen in a long time read more

Service was terrible. Slow and they got our order messed up . The chicken was VERY dry, the cheese quesadilla was over cooked and dry

I've always liked El Pollo because the food is not overly processed and is a good quick meal for lunch or to get for a group for dinner. But, the Santee location has the best customer service and nicest people of any fast food place I've been. If you have to wait even a short time for a "to go" order they offer you a free drink while you wait. Very nice! read more

Ordered a salad with no meat. Got home ate half. Found meat. Instead of making something new they pulled chicken off the top and served it to me. Myself and children suffer from a crippling food allergy and specific diet. This kind of mistake is not acceptable. Rude service. I will never go back. The lack of concerns for people's health is lacking 100%. read more

The cilantro dressing is a home run here. Fast friendly service. This location is well run, clean, organized!

I sat in the drive through for over 20 minutes only to be told that I'd have to come into the restaurant if I wanted to use more than two coupons. No reason for the rule. And the last time I was here they forgot several of the items I ordered. Spare yourself the frustration and go somewhere else. read more

I go to el pollo at least twice a week and I've never experienced something like i did tonight. The lady working the drive through was "FaceTiming" someone while trying to get my money for my orders. No salsas were offered and she was was to distracted and busy with her friend on her iPhone. I won't be visiting this location anymore read more

I love EPL, their pollo bowls are my favorite item and I usually load it up with their house salsa as well. I also really like their classic chicken burrito which seems to have gotten even better lately. We moved out to Santee in early 2010 and I was happy to have so many fast food choices along Mission Gorge Rd but sadly EPL was missing from the area. Fast forward to 2014 and I watched the former Burger King being renovated into the EPL that is there now and I was stoked to finally have EPL on a consistent basis. Well, I actually had lunch inside today (previous drive thru experiences were always superb) and the customer service was epic. The manager (male, don't recall his name) came by my table at least 3 times to make sure everything was good. He even bid me farewell when I left. Food was awesome as always and I will definitely frequent this location. read more

Good food, decent prices, fantastic service. The service is really what gets me going back. I need to come here more often. They're always very polite. Again, very good food, too. No complaints whatsoever. read more

I ordered a chicken taco and shrimp taco. I have to say these were the worst most disgusting tacos I've ever had. The first orderI received the tortillas were cold right from the fridge. I took back and the second tacos were worse and still cold. Don't they cook the tortillas. DISGUSTING. ALSO I ORDERED A COKE AND RECEIVED DIET COKE UGH read more

I went drive thru to buy a double chicken tostada salad and they were so nice, specially the guy that help me Frankie very helpful and nice, I will definitely comeback and hopefully and get him again read more

I have eaten here multiple times and sometimes they are acceptable but then other times God awful. The sauce can taste funky at times and the most recent time I went I got sick after eating one of there quesadillas... I don't like giving bad reviews but there is a consistent pattern of them not getting things right that they should... that being said the staff are friendly but friendly doesn't stop food poisoning.... read more

Terrible customer service. One other customer in the restaurant besides me. I stood at the counter for nearly 5 min without ever being acknowledged. Although there were two attendants up front (one who wore a burgundy colored shirt) possibly management? The walked back and forth nonchalantly ignoring me the entire time. I finally asked the male if he was busy, he said "no". I asked, can I order then? I work in customer service, and the service that I was rendered at this Santee location was unsatisfactory and unacceptable. read more

Just had a pretty disappointing experience customer service wise at this location. Ordered a family meal and had a coupon for a free half chicken with the purchase of the family meal. When I gave the cashier the coupon she actually looked put out/annoyed by it. I'm sorry you had to punch a few extra keys on the register but if you work at a place that issues coupons you should be prepared to take them. I saw another girl begin to prepare my to go order, when she brought the salad out of the cooler I asked her to make sure there are no tomatoes (also mentioned to the cashier) because my husband is allergic. She pointed to the salad and said, "There's no tomatoes...see?" I said "Ok, thank you" and stood there while she was gathering the rest of the meal. After she had everything on the counter, she grabbed some bags, called my name and then went to take someone else's order...leaving all of my food scattered on the counter. I realized that she wasn't coming back and I was on my own to gather and bag my food, so I put purse down so I could reach across the counter to start bagging my stuff. As I reached for that salad I noticed that the avocados were kind of brown. The girl walked by and I asked her to replace the avocados (I wouldn't even had noticed if I didn't have to bag my own stuff), she started to argue with me about how they weren't brown, but she took the salad and asked someone to replace them. She then brought the salad back, pointed to it and said with an attitude, "Are these ok for you?" At this point I had enough attitude from these girls (and the avocados were still brown) so I said. "No not really, but you aren't going to fix it so I might as well just stop complaining", to which she replied, "Ok, thank you". Seriously? LOL This location just opened, I am really surprised at the lack of customer service. With service like this I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon. read more

I've been here several times. The staff is beyond friendly and attentive. The manager must be amazing as this speaks volumes in the service they provide. Elvia is super polite and I am more impressed with them. Each time they exceed expectations. I really try at all cost to avoid any establishment with a drive thru and this place keeps me coming back. The food is great and the service even better. I wish all food establishments maintained this level of service. read more

Worst food ever!! Looks nothing like they advertise on tv. Never again will I go. Quality of food is extremely poor. Taste of the food equally extremely poor. Have no idea how they stay in business. read more

Just found out today they use their left over chicken for the Crunchy Tacos , how did I find out , I ordered two , Manager told me they didn't have any today I said why he told me they didn't have any left over chicken to make them WHAT what else do we eat their that is LEFTOVERS !! read more

I love el pollo loco they have good chicken. Their mango passion fruit iced tea is excellent. Also their avocado salsa is the bomb!

Love this place! CLEAN and well managed! The food is tasty to say the least. The manager made rounds asking our thoughts. Music was great! Must come and enjoy their awesome food! read more

El Pollo Loco - Everyone here was in great spirits. - Mexican Near Me - Santee, California

Great customer service. Delicious food. Clean. My order was not to my satiation, Eva corrected it and made it right. Thanks Eva! read more

Although my experience started off with a mistake, 5 stars were earned by how it was handled by restaurant management. Friday night one of our drive-through items was missing a chicken breast. I called the restaurant and spoke with Alex, the manager. She was extremely polite and apologetic, and told me to return at my convenience for a complete meal, complimentary. I returned Sunday, Alex was there, remembered our conversation and was as pleasant as could be in getting my complimentary meal. Quick and easy, in and out. No stress or drama, nothing but a friendly, pleasant manager apologizing for the error and making everything right. In all businesses, mistakes inevitably happen, but it's how they are handled that determines customer loyalty. Alex hit it out of the park on this one. By the way, the food, as always, was awesome! read more

very good customer services. I like the chicken avocado Burrito. this is place is my favorite place for lunch.

Aside from delicious and budget friendly food, the store is very clean. Shout out to a very amiable and helpful employee "Luz" thank you for helping me pack my food and helping me out with my baby. You deserve 5 stars. read more

El Pollo Loco is a local chain with specially marinated chicken pieces grilled to perfection. It is a great place to grab a tasty, quick lunch or dinner. They have added non-chicken choices to their menu which means the whole family can enjoy eating there. I had the Pork Carnitas Tacos, which were OK but nothing special. I actually found the portion size to be a bit small and expensive for that size. Given what I paid, I would have expected a much larger Taco like I got at Wahoo. read more

I recently visited this El Pollo Loco and they exceeded my expectations in every way. I was greeted by a very friendly associate as I walked in. My wait in line to place my order was minimal. My order was taken correctly. The food was great. The Salsa Bar was very clean, neat, and orderly. The dinning area was very clean and orderly. An associate followed up on me a few moments after being seated and refilled my drink. This is by far, the nicest El Pollo Loco experience I have had in San Diego. I highly recommend it!!!!! read more

This is one fast food chain that I forget I like until my husband comes here and gets me food. I think it's a step above most fast food drive thru places. At least I like how they try to make everything fresh or at least you feel like your earing real chicken. I would almost give four stars however I fond the food to be a little on the expensive side and sometime the food is really good and other times it just okay. read more

Really nice location and very clean and open. The employees were friendly and helpful and the service was quick! The food is delicious as always -- can't go wrong with El Pollo Loco! I liked that an employee came around offering a tray with salt, pepper, hand wipes etc. It is a nice personal touch to the otherwise fast food industry. read more

The new location looks beautiful, and they inside looks so much nicer than the BK days. I've only had EPL a couple times and it's always expensive overcooked dry chicken that tastes like it was soaked in Sunny D. Same deal here. Salsa bar was a mess and half of them were nearly empty. Side salad had no dressing, just some flavorless dry white cheese/sawdust crumbles. I did like the soda machine. The one thing that was totally unacceptable was a bucket of cleaning disinfectant (full) left out on a lower dining table. It was there from the time I entered until I left. As I left I heard someone complaining of their chicken being raw. It just reinforced my thoughts of never returning. read more

I love El Pollo Loco. I grew up going to the El Cajon location until they opened one in Santee, which I was thrilled about. HOWEVER, as far as a drive-thru goes, this place is the absolute worst! They screw up my order every single time and water down their avocado salsa. I keep returning in hopes that they might get it right this time and they have yet to do so. They need new management or something. I am so fed up with this place. read more

My family just tried out the new EPL on New Year's Day and while the food was good (or as expected, I should say), the service was not. The employees continued to carry on conversation with each other at the counter as we stood waiting to place our order. Then when we did start to place our order, two people began ringing it up on two separate cash registers. We did not order any drinks, but were not asked if we wanted anything to drink, either, so halfway through our meal, I had to go up to the counter to request some water cups. I stood there for at least 30 seconds, again, while several employees just chit chatted. We were only given 3 sets of forks/plates, etc (we ordered the family meal) for our family of 4, so once again, I had to go up to request more place settings. Again, I had to wait to be helped while the employees were too busy with each other to be bothered to help a customer. When the girl finally asked if I needed something, she walked away while I was still talking to her. The restaurant was mostly empty when we arrived, several employees seemed to just be standing around, yet the trash was overflowing and all the tables were dirty. When it was time to leave, we needed to get a to go bag and yet again, the same girl walked away as we were still talking to her. Overall, not a good first impression. I hope management will get all the kinks out and make this a new favorite place for my family to get a halfway decent quick meal. This type of service might fly in other cities, but not in Santee! read more

This is the third time we went to this El Pollo Loco and they asked us if we wanted flour tortilla or corn tortilla at the drive thru.. For the third time we requested corn tortilla.. When we were paying they re read our order to us and said flour tortillas.. We corrected them and said we requested corn... The whole time they were speaking English and suddenly changed to Spanish... They handed us our order and when we went home, we found flour tortillas.. And the third fking time! Last time I'm going to El Pollo Loco. Bunch of fking unprofessional employeess.. And you switch to speaking in Spanish! What!!! They saving all their corn tortillas for their fking fat ass selves! Fuck El Pollo Loco!!! KFC, Popeyes, Church's or Albertson's Chicken for me from now on! Cheaper too at those places!! read more

They failed 3 times to successfully give me what I paid for put 3 items in a bag and hand it to me with a drink.i came in first time no drink second time no chips and had to remind the tiny female cashier to hand me my drink and the third time they didnt put my caesar dressing in my bag so I just threw it away after getting home. Called store talked to manager she said come in and get a replacement, I come in they tell me I need a receipt, I mentioned I spoke to manager and the manager not wanting to accept any responsibility denied ever speaking to me. I will never come back and am telling everyone I work with not to come here if they expect the employees to be competent enough to place 3 items in a bag and hand you a drink cup. read more

Just opened like a month ago. Extremely BUSY place!! Friendly staff. Staff is constantly walking around cleaning and greeting.

Had a late night meal here through the drive through. Ordered 2, 3-piece meals and guess what I got. .a dry chicken breast that looked like someone had already eaten, dry and old. The other meal was the same but the wing was as small as a chicken leg gone anorexic. The rice was good and the beans. ..well all I got was soupy bean water. They did bad and if they saw what they were giving their regular customers they should be reprimanded. Not going back to this place or any other Pollo Loco. read more

I usually hit up the drive-thru in the evening after work. The customer service is genuine and they're efficient in getting people through fast. The food is fresh and full of flavor. All of the salads are yummy. The cilantro dressing is delish. Their BRC (beans, rice, cheese) burrito is a good size for the price too. read more

Very sad to say I came to claim my Special Birthday meal. In the email it states show email or print. I've shown the email inbox the past with no problem. This time they declined it. BooHoo Pollo Loco! Change your email if you're not going to accept it on the mobile version. read more