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    El Pollo Rey

    4.5 (376 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Order El Pollo Rey Takeout or Delivery

    El Pollo Rey Photos

    EL POLLO REY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - El Pollo Rey

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    Micro Bowl, Chicken Taco, Burrito El Rey, and their Mango Habanero Wings
    Jessica A.

    Good friend recommended this new place to us, and I wish he would've done so sooner! Service was great and very chill place to have dinner at. Steak had the best flavor and not dry at all. Loved their salsas and side of Chiles they give with the order. Will definitely be coming back soon

    Whole Chicken Combo
    Jonathan O.

    They always day it never judge a book by its cover... I would say that mentality is old... because if the cover of that book is clearly a mom and pop Mexican chicken joint then judge away and do not sleep on this spot. Nothing else I can say can be more honest than this place is a 10/10 and you should not skip it.

    Huge chicken quesadilla!
    Andrew B.

    Took my wife here for her first time. 5 years later and this place is still amazingly good.

    Front door view
    Greg C.

    Ok. This is not your first date place to go. If you want to go to Mexico without actually going this is your spot. A basic layout for this taqueria, order at counter, take out or eat at home. About 5 tables. Mostly soft drinks, water, no Beer. Quick service and most dishes about $15 and up to double if you go overboard. Good size portions or chicken, carne asada in variations of burritos, asada/chicken plates or tacos. Food is very good and fresh. The front door is always open and at night it gets a bit chilly inside. Folks in there working hard and probably appreciate the breeze. Nice place. Will go back for lunch.

    Elote was dry and grilled which gave it a weird flavor
    Angela G.

    Years ago I remember being caught off guard when picking up some absolutely delicious chicken in Monterey. I have planned to go back to that place since then and was excited to be heading back to Monterey to get it. This was before my Yelp Elite days so I didn't have the place bookmarked or previously reviewed. So when I looked back to find it this came up and I thought this was it. But after trying it, I can't imagine that this was the place I was raving about in my head. I parked on the street and headed on in. The lady at the register was super sweet and helpful. I ordered a half chicken which came with sides and tortillas. It was out quickly then as I picked it up, I saw that they had elote too. So I order that as well. That actually took a little bit longer to come out. I got the food back to our hotel and served up everyone. We all started eating, and I was waiting for the nostalgia to hit. But there was nothing. Nothing had any flavor or excitement for us. Believe it or not, the pickled and grilled onions were the best part. Everything else was just bland. I don't know if it's because I hyped it up so much in my brain. But we were disappointed to say the least. It is a reasonable value though. My husband I were able to get off of the meal with a salad of our own on the side.

    Menu11/25
    Shaun G.

    Stopped here for lunch. When we got here the restaurant was empty but a steady stream of people would come in for take out. The place was clean and it is an open kitchen so you can watch them grill the chicken. We ordered the half chicken with rice and beans. There is a choice of refried or charro beans. Ordered the charro beans on the recommendation of the employee. Also got one carne asada taco. After the order was placed I read some reviews of how the chicken came without the grilled onion and the taco was so greasy it fell apart. Time to worry? The chicken arrived with the grilled onion. The white meat was moist and not dried out had a good grilled taste to it. Charro beans were good. Glad I went with the recommendation. The taco was also good. Not greasy at all and the tortilla stayed in one piece. Overall 4 stars and worth eating here again.

    Carne asada plate
    Lauren S.

    The grill is fired up and lined with red onions and jalapeños. Got the $10.99 steak plate and $14.99 chicken plate. Free rainbow tortilla chips for the table when you dine in along with 2 spicy salsas and picked onion. Bursting with flavor, the chicken is so moist and tender with the perfect amount of char flavor. The steak is so tender also equally as flavorful. Tortillas are fresh and we opted for corn and flour.

    Half Chicken order with rice and beans and roasted onions and jalapeños peppers
    George B.

    Food was excellent and fresh. The service was quick as it takes for you to order. Ambiance was a clean place with a few tables. The take out orders were many. We will be back.

    Half Chicken Combo
    Caitleen N.

    Our first meal stop in Monterey! We had El Pollo Rey in our itinerary as a "best chicken" place, and it was pretty solid! Upon walking in, we notice that it's a more intimate establishment with the counters, cooking spaces, and dining tables all at the same height with essentially no separation from the kitchen - seeing your food cook right in front of you felt very authentic. The service was great, very kind workers. We ordered the Half Chicken Combo with refried beans and also got some chips and salsas. The food was really good, we enjoyed the tenderness of the chicken, the spices of the salsas, and the overall flavors of the combo. Would come back again!!

    Half Chicken Combo
    Melina R.

    Some of the best chicken I've ever had. It was extremely juicy and flavorful the marinade it's in was explosive! Rice was fluffy the beans weren't anything special but the chicken was out of this world. My friend got the carne asada quesadilla and it was a huge portion! Really yummy Smokey flavor perfect char on them and the asada was soft and not chewy. It pulled apart perfectly and they were generous with the guac! Have to come back. And it was super affordable!!

    Half Chicken Combo

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    Everything was fresh and delicious. Simple but great tasting grilled chicken, generous portion size.

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    3 months ago

    The family pollo & carne very delicious. Everyone is very nice. Highly recommend this spot for authentic pollo asado.

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    Page 1 of 10

    El Pollo Rey Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Pollo Rey

    Is there any seating?

    Yes, they have tables inside.

    Do the serve margaritas?

    No it's mostly take out and it's the best chicken on the peninsula! They do have beer....

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    The Meatery

    The Meatery

    4.3
    (323 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    So great to stumble on this find for a delicious sandwich for lunch. I got the pork banh mi which…read morewas one of the best I've had. The pork was soft and juicy with a few crunchy edges, the carrots were tangy, the bread was fresh and not tough and kept good balance with the amount of sandwich filling. The $20 price was high relative to where I'm from (Midwest) but it WAS a great sandwich... Also got the potatoes wedges. Not crunchy, but still delicious. Great casual lunch spot! The guys behind the counter were attentive hosts.

    3.5 STARS HELLO,…read moreMEAT SWEATS! Escaping the 4th of July warzone in The City, we headed to Carmel for a quiet staycation. The Carmel food scene tends to be mid and overpriced so I was in search of more affordable, local gems in Seaside and Marina areas. And...TikTok brought me to The Meatery, a boutique butcher shop and eatery. BUTCHER SHOP Array of ethically sourced meats - amazing looking marbled steaks, pork, veal, and handcrafted sausages (Mmm, blood sausage and fermented garlic sausage!). They also have house-made sauces and spice blends, condiments, compound butters, duck fat, and more. There's even fresh dog food (e.g. beef sirloin, brown rice, and blueberries) which I bought for my dogs. EATERY Made-to-order sandwiches and BBQ (brisket, pulled pork, ribs, etc) in the hot case. House-made sides (potato salad, mac salad, and kimchi) are available in the cold case. Bottled drinks including beer available. You can order ahead online but we ordered in-person. Note: Check Toast for the most up-to-date prices; the online menu has the old prices. There's about 6 tables for dine-in. Self-serve water. Bus your own tables when finished. F O O D * 18 Hour Smoked Brisket Sandwich ($18): https://tinyurl.com/rceamucw - Requested mix of wet/moist and lean brisket A signature item, the brisket sandwich was sorely disappointing. While I enjoyed the fresh, soft bun, tangy cola-cola bbq sauce, and acidic pickled onions, the lean brisket was very dry and tough (at opening time). * Calamari Steak Po'Boy Sandwich ($18): https://tinyurl.com/yn7zsvz6 The unique coastal twist on a New Orleans classic sounded promising on paper. The sesame roll was light and fluffy, and the slaw had a delicious creamy tang. Unfortunately, the thin, fried calamari steak was dry and chewy, while the heavily salted breadcrumbs overwhelmed its delicate flavor. * Dino Beef Rib ($21.50/lb): https://tinyurl.com/j8dsxnvc Eyeing this on another table, we decided to order it after trying the sandwiches. Def the highlight of our meal - the beef rib was rich, tender, and deeply savory. Not overly fatty with a crispy bark. Light on the seasoning and smoke so the tangy BBQ sauce came through for a boost of flavor. * Wedge Fries ($8) Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the wedges were dusted with their house seasoning mix (savory w/ a touch of smoky flavor) and served with a side of their fermented chipotle ketchup. * Kimchi Cucumber ($7.50) A blend of napa cabbage and thinly sliced cucumbers, the kimchi was mild and tangy. The perfect acidic in-between bites. S E R V I C E Warm, friendly service. Food came out fast. Overall, maybe we visited on an off day for the eatery. I can see why The Meatery is a local fav for their butcher shop tho. I mean, if I lived nearby, I would be all over 'em sausages! P.S - 3.5 stars rounded up for a small business.

    Photos
    Meat display
    Meat display
    Crispy Calamari Sandwich ($18) + Wedge Fries ($8)
    Crispy Calamari Sandwich ($18) + Wedge Fries ($8)
    A beautiful 2 1/2 pound ribeye

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    A beautiful 2 1/2 pound ribeye
    Deja Blue

    Deja Blue

    3.7
    (107 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    YALL. This jazz bar is about to turn into a jazz sports bar! :) Darryl is updating his menu and…read moreexpanding his food menu so everyone should get ready to eat, drink, and be merry here. The music is always popping & I can't get enough of the wings here. Good thing on Thursdays they have 80 cent wings available. One of my fave DJs also plays there on Thursday nights as well sooooo let's get her going ! Sea yall there for some good SOUL food like tri tip, ribs, sweet potatoes, Mac and cheese, and more!

    After supporting one of my Pastor friends, we decided to come to a restaurant we've never been…read morebefore. We searched up places near us, and this place had 4 stars. I will just say this was a very disappointing experience. When we arrived, no one was there. When the greeter did come, she hesitantly approached us and handed us a paper printed menu in a dark, empty restaurant, which immediately felt off to us. When our food was served, several items were served cold and lacked flavor. The catfish was barely seasoned and watery, while the chicken had this "special" barbecue sauce but no taste, the Mac and cheese was straight from a box, and was gummy like, and the greens tasted super watered down. The cornbread was extremely hard, and there were white particles floating in the water. Even basic items like the salt container were unusable, sticking to the container. The owner spoke with our group and hyped the restaurant up, but the food and overall experience did not match what was coming out of his mouth. I also noticed everyone else received cornbread with their meal while I did not. Assuming it came with the meal (since me and my brother ordered the exact same thing) I was later charged an extra $6 for it without being informed. Based on the food quality and overall experience, I won't be returning. If zero stars were an option, that's what I'd give.

    Photos
    More food area
    More food area
    Deja Blue
    Tables

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    Tables
    The Butter House

    The Butter House

    4.5
    (2.4k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    this place was definitely one of my bf's and my favorite meals in monterey since everything was…read moresuper yummy! we came here on a thursday morning and the place was crowded but there was no wait. also, the waitresses were so kind and attentive despite it being so busy, continuously asking us if we needed anything else or refills for water. much appreciated !!! foods: - lumpia: came out HOT and crispy! we had to cut it to let it cool down, but it was really good and crunchy and paired well with the sweet and sour sauce! it can get a bit oily, and we did see a bit of oil just pooled on the plate, so i'd probably limit to just one if you're not a big fan of oily foods. - pork belly fried rice: the pork belly was crispy and savory and paired so well with the fried rice and egg! the fried rice has bell pepper in it, which surprised me bc i'd never eaten that combo before, but i still enjoyed it! this was my bf's favorite dish and he kept talking about it the rest of the day LOL - lemon curd & blueberry pancakes: i absolutely LOVED this !! i'm usually not a big fan of sweet breakfast items, but this one was perfectly not too sweet and the lemon curd added such a nice tanginess that helped cut through the sweetness. i also loved how the pancakes were filled with blueberries and had more blueberries on top, so there was no skimping! we were surprised that we finished it all bc we usually don't eat all of our pancakes, so that really says how yummy it was hehe.

    I was down in Monterey house sitting for a month so wanted to try a local spot for brunch with my…read morewife for our 10th Anniversary celebration weekend. The reviews are great. Maybe a little too great because the experience left me wondering if they were all posted by a marketing agency. The photos on the reviews are all a little too perfect imo. Conspiracies aside, the food was awful. I just don't get how this many people could share amazing post after amazing post and jive that with my in person experience. We ordered the corned beef hash. It needed salt. How?!!! Plus they basically only used beef and potato?! The menu said it had peppers and onion so when we asked, they brought some out on the side?!! Terrible. I mean it made it taste a little better but it was still not good. Then, the "lumpia" was more like an oil soggy egg roll. Too oily to even eat because literally it was dripping oil. So gross. Clearly someone not from the lumpia making culture made these. I do not recommend this place at all. Even the coffee was terrible. Only saving grace and the second star comes from the fresh squeezed orange juice. Delicious but come on ... smh ... does not save this place at all. Sorry, I really wanted to like this but this was my experience. Hopefully it was just a weird day.

    Photos
    Croissant Breakfast Sandwich with sausage patties, fried egg, cheddar cheese and house made aioli.
    Croissant Breakfast Sandwich with sausage patties, fried egg, cheddar cheese and house made aioli.
    TBH Benedict
    TBH Benedict
    Chicken & Waffles

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    Chicken & Waffles
    Tarpy's Roadhouse

    Tarpy's Roadhouse

    4.0
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Tarpy's *never disappoints!…read more We held a memorial service here for my beloved in-laws. The staff went above and beyond. They set the room up beautifully and placed some extra tables out for us, which enabled us to play a video, display flowers and photos. The food was served at the perfect temperature and was plentiful. The staff was able to accommodate a group that was far larger than originally anticipated and they were kind enough to set up another large table. Unfortunately I didn't capture any recent photos but again Tarpy's has remained consistent. Thank you Tarpy's!

    NICK WAS NICE. Date…read morenight in Monterey. Heard they had great steak. 12oz New York steak was good. Double up on the truffle butter and use it on the side of potatoes. I was dipping everything in truffle butter. The fried artichoke hearts were great. It tastes like a mom and pop burgers fried zucchini's. That's not a bad thing if it's enjoyable. If you order the angus steak and the New York steak, they come with the best of both worlds for side dishes. I split the mashed potatoes from the angus steak and some broccolini from the New York steak. And it was a decent balance of protein, veggies and butter haha. Nick was a funny guy. He was friendly and there Every time we needed him. Didn't realize I had made reservations 45 minutes before closing time. We may have been the last couple in the restaurant but he didn't make us feel rushed.

    Photos
    New Fall Menu Addition: Haystack Maui
    New Fall Menu Addition: Haystack Maui
    New Fall Menu Addition: Crispy Dates
    New Fall Menu Addition: Crispy Dates
    New Fall Menu Addition: Roasted Beets and Poached Pear

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    New Fall Menu Addition: Roasted Beets and Poached Pear
    3 Mundos Sandwich Shop

    3 Mundos Sandwich Shop

    4.3
    (794 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    So I was driving down to Monterey from Sacramento for a quick little 36 hour golfing trip.When I…read morearrived in Monterey,I was starving so I quickly jumped on Yelp and found the closest breakfast burrito spot I could find-That's when I found 3 Mundos Sandwich Shop on Fremont Street,which is a sandwich shop that also makes breakfast burritos. When we arrived they had a small parking lot but busy because they do a lot of Door Dash and Uber Eats business. Once inside I took a quick look at the menu and saw they had breakfast burritos of either Chorizo-Sausage-Ham-Bacon or Veggie. I chose Chorizo breakfast burrito($10.39) The shop is run by the owner-he was the cashier and the cook. In talking to him,he was telling me that his family owns multiple Mexican small shops like this in the Juarez Mexico area and El Paso Texas area.Says that all the shops use the same recipe for their hot sauce that is served with the burritos. Once the burrito arrived,it was both heavy and warm.Once I cut it open,I was able to appreciate the craftsmanship of this burrito in all its chorizo,egg,potato and cheese glory-it was beautiful. As pretty as it was though,it tasted even better,I had planned on only eating half of it as I had a tee time in less than an hour but one bite led to another and then it was gone. I've had many breakfast burritos in my day and as unexpected as this is to say,this may have been the best breakfast burrito I've ever had. Also the aforementioned family-recipe hot sauce that came with the burrito was so spicy yet so tasty--perfect combo to a perfect burrito. In closing,if you ever find yourself in the Monterey area and you want to treat yourself to some upper echelon breakfast burritos-do yourself a favor and stop at 3 Mundos sandwich shop-a top tier food experience awaits.

    A fantastic option for a Breakfast Burrito or sandwich…read more Greeted by the owner who took the order and made the Burrito, he was friendly and helpful with suggestions, providing fast friendly service . At the time I stopped in, it was very quiet compared to previous trips, with no waiting to order and our pick of seats. I ordered a Ham Breakfast Burrito to try something different and it was fantastic. The tortilla had a nice char on it before being wrapped around the plentiful ham, potatoes, egg and cheese in its swaddling embrace. Each bite was fresh and flavorful, even beforr adding some of the house made salsa, which added an even bigger burst of flavor and some heat. I ate 1/2 on site, and rewrapped the other half and enjoyed that while at the golf course.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Vegan chickn bacn ranch sandwich and it was delish! (instagram: jax.vegan.eats)
    Vegan chickn bacn ranch sandwich and it was delish! (instagram: jax.vegan.eats)
    Drive thru

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    Drive thru
    East West Pizzas

    East West Pizzas

    4.5
    (44 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    We were passing through looking for little Caesars. Couldn't find it so stopped here. So glad we…read moredid! Got the curry chicken pizza and it did not disappoint! My toddler ate half of a small cheese pizza as well and thats more than he usually eats. Lol, would recommend and def stop by again if we are in the area. The staff were friendly and the food came out quick.

    I honestly can't believe this place wasn't packed! My group and I stumbled upon this spot for a…read morelate dinner after a long day of exploring the coast, and it was exactly what we needed. It's a cozy, family-owned business. When we arrived, there was only one woman working and doing absolutely everything--taking orders, prepping, and baking. Another person eventually came in to help her, but we honestly felt for them! Despite being understaffed, they were kind and hardworking. We were so hungry that we forgot to take photos (rookie mistake, I know), but the pizza was phenomenal. We ordered: Classic Pepperoni: Perfectly greasy and crisp. BBQ Chicken: Great tangy sauce-to-topping ratio. Curry Chicken: The standout! Super flavorful and a nice twist on traditional pizza. They do not skimp on toppings which was great. It took about 30 minutes to get our food. Honestly, for a small family shop where they're making things fresh, that's not bad at all. If you're in a massive rush, be mindful, but the quality is well worth the half-hour wait. Bottom line: Support this local business! The food is great, the people are hardworking, and it's a perfect spot to refuel.

    Photos
    Ordering station
    Ordering station
    Calzone
    Calzone
    East West Pizzas

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    El Pollo Rey - mexican - Updated July 2026

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