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    El Pollo Real

    4.4 (46 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    El Pollo Real Mexican Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    EL POLLO REAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Half of chicken
    KELLY M.

    Came here for a dinner takeout. We order half of chicken with side of rice and bean soup. Let me say the chicken is delicious! I love how they made the chicken. We also order flautas which are fabulous. Crunchy and delicious. The salsa is not bad either. There are street park so you can run in to get the order.

    The best in Chicago
    Augie M.

    Second to none, El Pollo Real is not only the best place to get Pollo Asado, it is also the best Mexican restaurant in Chicago. Right off 31st between Kedzie and Pulaski, you'll find this diamond in the rough. If it helps, follow your nose and you will not struggle to find with the delicious smells of the smoke. A few other notes: An order of Arrachera (skirt steak) with a side of beans and guacamole; half chicken with two sides; whole chicken with two sides: under $50 and feeds about 6-8 easily. For takeout, 25 minutes to prepare with cebollas (grilled onions) and salsa (hot sauce). **While you're waiting, I strongly recommend grabbing some pan dulce (Mexican pastries) to go from Bakery La Paris just down the road towards Pulaski. I might be screwing myself with this review, but it is too good not to share. I hope you do not find this review cynical, just trying to help others get out of their confront and immerse in our culture. Good chicken should never be ignored. Char Broil Chicken Pollo Asado Arrachera Carne Asada Grilled Jalapeno Guacamole and Chips Adobado Grilled Chicken

    Seasoned grilled whole Pollo
    Jose C.

    El Pollo Real serves some of the best chicken in the city. You can get a whole seasoned chicken with 2 sides for only 14.99. That is a huge steal. Nowadays it's hard to feed a whole family for under $20. The seasoned chicken is of course well seasoned and grilled to perfection. I ordered rice and beans as my wife's and they give you tortillas. Some chicken rice and beans in your taco with their home made Salsa and that's all she wrote. The chicken is very juicy and they are vice welcoming in there. Can't wait to go back!

    Pollo rostisado y adobado combo
    Señorita Rodrigue Z.

    Pollo real is located on 31st in Little Village, 2 blocks east of Pulaski Rd. On a busy work night, I can rely on Pollo Real to deliver me a delicious meal right to my home, extremely fast. I called at 8:15pm (3-25-15) and placed my order as I arrived home, my food was delivered at 8:37pm. Now thats fast delivery!! Of course, they deliver within the community but you can also dine in, they have plenty of space. They have different specials and today (wednesday) is buy a whole grilled marinated chicken and get a half chicken for free. If you order the combo, for 5.00 more, you will get huge rice and bean portion along with a pack of tortillas. The chicken is so juicy and is adobado meaning it has been marinated and spices have been added to the chicken before it is placed on the grill. If you dine in, parking is available via street parking. As of one month ago, credit cards are NO longer being accepted for deliveries. For dine in, credit cards are accepted.

    Chicken!
    Valeria G.

    Wow! Just ordered for the first time from this place and it is absolutely amazing! So amazing, I want to come back and order again from this place to share with my friends. We ordered 2 boxes of chicken, rice, refried beans, and charros beans. It was reasonably priced, flavorful and just great! I can't rave enough on how delicious it all was. Wow!

    Adriana Kruzty A.

    So far the best pollo al carbon ive had around the area. Great taste ,salsas are delicious pickled onion good. reasonably price(cheap) over all good .

    Charcoal grilled chicken
    Melissa C.

    Oh my goodness this place really hit the spot. The chicken was packed with flavor, it was juicy and tender inside and the outside had a slight crisp to it. I must admit the white meat pieces were dry. I loved the salsas it came with and the rice and beans were good as well. Just thinking about this place makes me want to go back.

    Do you think I could get a seat at the grill?

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    11 years ago

    Very good chicken if you are looking to have a good chicken with yummy beans this is the place recommend the frijoles charros

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    Went here for my birthday dinner on a Saturday night. Nice atmosphere and music but not too loud…read morefor conversation. I loved the decorations. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas they were expensive but excellent! Came out on a sizzling plate. I tried the Habernita drink and sangria. The habernita drink had mezcal, orange, pineapple, and habanero so had a nice kick to it. My friend told server it was my birthday secretly and they came out with a sparkler had birthday music playing and shots of tequila for my table! We had a great time and I will definitely be back! I recommend coming here to celebrate your birthday or just to have a delicious meal

    Stopped by Bocaditos Mexican Kitchen in Chicago on a Wednesday night before a Blackhawks game and…read moreit was the perfect pre-game spot. The aguachiles were easily our favorite -- super fresh and full of flavor, with really well-balanced ingredients. You can tell the food is made to order and not rushed. The chips and salsa were also way better than your typical starter. The chips came out warm and crisp, and the salsa was smooth, flavorful, and super addictive. We also tried a few drinks, and they were excellent -- well-made, not overly sweet, and a great way to start the night before heading to the game. Our server was amazing -- friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. They kept checking in at all the right times and made the whole experience relaxed and enjoyable even with the pre-game crowd. Definitely a great spot to hit anytime you're in the area looking for solid Mexican food and a fun vibe.

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    Cinco de Mayo at Barrio was EVERYTHINGGG…read more We fully committed to the holiday and ordered honestly the entire menu and somehow every single thing that came out was better than the last. Starting with margaritas (because obviously ‍), queso and chips that were dangerously good, and the chicken empanadas that came out perfectly crispy with so much flavor. We kept looking at each other after every bite like "okay wait... THIS is the best thing here" and then another plate would arrive and prove us wrong again The carnitas fried rice??? I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. So savory, flavorful, comforting, and packed with crispy carnitas on top with the eggs and pickled onions... literally unreal. And then the skirt steak tacos absolutely stole the show. The steak was cooked perfectly, packed with flavor, and paired so perfectly with all the toppings and sauces. Every single bite tasted fresh and homemade in the best way possible. And can we talk about the ambience for a second because WOW. The music, the energy, the vibe inside, everyone celebrating, the drinks flowing -- it felt like the perfect Cinco de Mayo dinner spot. The service was also AMAZING from start to finish and made the entire experience even better. One of those dinners where you leave already talking about when you're coming back If you're looking for the place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, date night, tacos & margaritas, or honestly just an incredible dinner in general... this is IT

    What a fun spot! We had reservations (glad we did) and sat in the bar area at a high-top table…read morealong the window. Perfect seat in my opinion. Views of the city right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago. What I tried: + chips and queso - 8/10 + ribeye with rice and beans (was a special) - 7.5/10 + spicy margarita - 8/10 Great service!

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    My second time here, the first time for my dinner companion. Everything was incredibly good, from…read morethe greeting we got when we arrived, to the service and the food...oh my, the food! Appetizers were quac and chips, and shrimp ceviche. The guac was really good, but the ceviche was the star. Served on a bed of cucumbers, it was visually beautiful, and the flavor was fresh and complex. There was also a LOT of it. We ended up taking some home. Entrees were steak and shrimp for me, and Tampiquena for my friend. In both dishes, the steak was done to perfection. The sauce that came with my shrimp was spicy and deep--lots of flavor layers there. Both of us took home portions of our meals because there was a lot of food on the plates. Finally, the service--the servers are attentive without hovering. If we needed something, they were there, but never intrusive. It is hard to believe this is a little neighborhood spot, given the service and the quality of the food. It was not too busy tonight--we ate early--but I recommend reservations. It is very popular with the neighborhood. Bottom line, we each had 2 margaritas, appetizers, and entrees, and our bills with tip were around $105.00 each--totally worth it! Try this little gem--you won't regret it.

    Excellent service. Great drinks. Very good food. We will return. Perfect seating outside on a…read moregorgeous day.

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    4.8(216 reviews)
    9.2 miLincoln Square, Ravenswood

    Thanks to Yelp El Xangarrito has been on my list for sometime, and I was not disappointed. It is a…read morevery small family-owned Mexican restaurant but the seating does not make you feel cramped. We did make reservations/wait list and was seated immediately. We started off with chips and salsa, and the salsa was a bit too spicy for me, but everyone else enjoyed it. We started with the Chicken Poblano - a savory dish with creamy poblano sauce mixed with chicken and sliced poblano peppers topped with corn. We all enjoyed it. Most of the reviews recommended the enchiladas and we ordered a variety of them. The Enchiladas Poblanos stuffed with chicken and cheese. The poblano sauce was rich and smoky. We also had the Enchiladas Morita. They were filled with shrimp and cheese. It was so flavorful and the morita chile added so much flavor. Each dish was served with a side jicama salad. Their special was a shrimp pasta with lobster. It came with full lobster tail. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. It is also BYOB, which is a nice option. Service was excellent, friendly offered recommendations. This is probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and highly recommend.

    Xangaritto continues to be a beacon of delicious food and friendly hospitality. They switched…read moreowners about a year ago and the beginning was a little rocky but today was an amazing experience. I love coming here for the tampiquena and the enchiladas. The tamipquena is marinated in something delicious, pretty sure it includes adobo chiles, making the tamipquena flavorful and tender. The enchiladas have some of the best sauces. We especially love then poblano sauce on the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas have some tender chicken and the sauce is slightly spicy and creamy. Everyone is super friendly, the waiting staff and chef take pride in their work and it shows. I continue to strongly recommend this place for a delicious dinner out. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. It s a cozy elevated escape.

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    El Xangarrito - Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

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    Manchamanteles Restaurant - Enchiladas Potosina

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    Manchamanteles is as fun and exciting on the inside as its boldly colored outside would lead you to…read morebelieve. The staff are donned in themed regalia, and will gleefully sing you a happy birthday song even if you're quite far from adolescence (and also a few days out from your actual birthday). The moles were all phenomenal, and the mezcal margarita pitcher more than satisfied our group. The interior is a bit bright and skews somewhat family oriented, so I wouldn't recommend it for every crowd. But for my group of friends and I, Manchamanteles more than delivered in food, service, and fun alike.

    Came here on Valentine's Day with a reservation, there were three of us, one kid. It was full of…read morefamilies, some couples. The had a tasting menu but we opted out of it. They give you a complimentary spicy trail mix. We started with the guacamole, it was okay. Then I got a traditional margarita, my partner got a pina colada with strawberries, and my kid got a pink lemonade (Marz Brewing made). The margarita was good, not strong but not too watery. For dinner I got the chicken fajitas, the waiter asked if I wanted just chicken which I though was odd because I ordered the chicken fajitas and I wasn't sure what he meant or if he meant no veggies, it came with veggies luckily. It also came with tortilla, corn, and a side of refried black beans with cojita, and rice. It was all okay. My partner got the lamb mole, it was sweet and savory, not spicy. And it came with tortillas. They have a lot of mole options, so if you're into that definitely come here to try! Overall it was just okay.

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    El Pollo Real - mexican - Updated June 2026

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