I'm mad. Mad that I've lived within walking distance of here for almost 3 years and just came here for the first time. I came at around 6pm on a Saturday and the line was almost out the door when I arrived but they move people through very quickly, I waited for 5 minutes tops. I got a 1/2 chicken dark meat, fries, and coleslaw. This was definitely enough food for 2 meals and was one of the cheapest meals in the area (around $15 before tip I believe). The chicken was seasoned well, very juicy, and still hot by the time I got home. The fries were crispy and excellent dipped in the yellow sauce. The coleslaw was was also very good. I'll definitely be coming here way more often now. read more

El Pollo Rico - 1/2 Dark - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

consistently amazing chicken. speedy service. good price. these are pros. the best of the best. these people should be proud of being part of something special. an institution in the community. read more

Delicious. There are many peruvian chicken places in the area, and after trying most of them, this place is #1. You would never walk by this place, yet it is packed with a line almost outside the door. The parking lot is always full and they pump out this amazing chicken smell as you walk down the street. All these things combined, you know it is good without ever trying a bite. The line moves at a slugs pace. You might think to order online and that will be faster, yet it is not. But all that to say, it is well worth the wait! The plantains...WOW. Honestly some of the best I've ever had. No overcooked and dry ones here. The chicken....just get a full chicken, you'll eat it all. read more

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El Pollo Rico has been an Arlington go-to for 10+ years easy. I used to swing by for a quick lunch pre-pandemic and finally made it back after being in the area one weeknight. Guess what...It's still still top notch. Fresh, tasty, moist chicken and nicely seasoned crunchy skin. The beans and rice are an excellent side and their steak fries are fried nicely and filling. One note...the folks working there are all good people...aside from the tasty meal, our car wouldn't start after dinner so I had to hang around for 3 hours waiting on a tow truck. Went inside and everyone was very nice and allowed me to sit inside and even use their charger to charge my cell. Thanks to the entire staff for a great meal and your kindness! read more

The rotisserie chicken here is amazing juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly every time. The sauces add a great kick, and the portions are generous for the price. Fast service and no frills, just really good food. Definitely my go-to spot when I'm craving Peruvian chicken in the area. read more

Still THE BEST CHICKEN EVER. I have been moved out of NoVA since 2010 but thrilled to see El Pollo Rico still going strong. They make the most delicious, moist, flavorful chicken and the green sauce is . Generous portions and fair prices. Go now! read more

El Pollo Rico - 1/2 White, fries, slaw - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I miss El Pollo Rico from when I worked in Arlington. It's still excellent! Great chicken and fast service. read more

El Pollo Rico - Entrance - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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For decades this has been the perfect chicken in Arlington. The salty, charcoal flavor of the chicken is just absolute perfect. Simple. Juicy. Perfect. I have probably been to every charcoal or Peruvian place in the area and this is hands down the best chicken. Where they excel in chicken, they are very limited in sides. We typically just get fries, which are unexciting, but do the job. But other chicken spots definitely have better side options. Don't expect much from dine in. It's simple, but clean. We normally grab to go. Writing this review is actually making me hungry. Protip: if getting delivery or pickup, throw those fries back in the air fryer and crisp them back up. read more

Their chicken is delicious, but the flan is some of the best I've ever had! Ordering is quick and food comes out before you're even done paying. Lots of seating and the chicken was so tender and flavorful. Their rice and beans are amazing and the sauces that come with it are great. The green sauce is very spicy and the white sauce was great with the fries. Out of everything we still thought the flan was seriously out of this world. Perfect consistency and truly amazing. We will definitely be back! read more

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This is one of those days where my inbox & comments were flooded!! According to my Good Northern Virginian folks, it's a STAPLE Peruvian chicken spot I MUST go to in Arlington V.A.!! When it's that many folk pressing you out...the foods good...LET'S GO!! . Where I am: @elpolloricoarl . Location Reviewed: 932 N.Kenmore St., Arlington V.A. . Menu Includes: A Whole Chicken, 1/2 White meat or Dark meat Chicken, 1/4 White or Dark Chicken, Steak Cut Fries, Coleslaw, Rice, Plantains, Beans, Yellow & Green Sauce, Beverages, Flan, & Ice Cream. . Items Reviewed: Their 1/2 White Meat Chicken Meal (with Plantains, Beans, Yellow sauce & Green sauce-$1 for 4, $14.84). STAMP the Chicken!! STAMP the Beans!! STAMP the Plantains!! STAMP the Sauces!! STAMP the Price!! Everything was EXCELLENT!! The chicken...succulent, the Plantains mildly sweet, caramelized perfectly, & tasty, the Beans were hearty with a hint of onion, garlic, and cilantro!! Their Churro Cheesecake ($5.23). STAMP!! Sweet, & rich...just a delicious cheesecake rendering of a churro!! Their Inca soda ($2.73). STAMP!! I normally only get house made drinks...but copping this soda rounded the meal out!! . Customer Service: Swift, Attentive & EXCELLENT!! . Online Navigation: Super Simple . Parking: Lot Parking/ It gets packed quickly. . Recommendations: Literally EVERYTHING I got above!! =STAMP =A.DELICIOUS =DELICIOUS =DECENT =PASS =NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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Absolutely the best chicken in town! There's always a line but it moves quickly. They don't have a wide variety of sides like other spots but they do everything they have really well. The chicken is perfectly cooked and very well seasoned. The interior is a bit dated but that's a sign it's good! read more

El Pollo Rico - 1/4 Dark Chicken w/ steak fries and rice - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I ordered and they never came. However, They recorded that the food was delivered but it was never delivered. Although I got a refund, they blamed uber & did not apologize. read more

No frills, order at the counter, hole-in-the-wall Peruvian chicken spot with delicious food The line was pretty long, but it moved quickly The menu is very short and straight forward - choose a size, either light or dark meat, and 2 of 5 sides My GF and I got 4 of the 5 sides between the 2 of us and they were all delicious Chicken came with 2 sauces, a tasty yellow sauce with a little kick and a green sauce which was basically just chopped up jalapeños A bunch of small tables with 4 chairs all around read more

Location was under new ownership and has fixed issues. Will probably return now and they have improved.

WORST SIDES OF ANY PERUVIAN SPOT EVER. Brick hard plantains Dry crispy rice How hard is it to put out quality sides? This isn't the first time. It is however my last. Way too many quality spots these days than to come back the name doesn't mean anything anymore. Good luck and please clean your tables. read more

I have been saying for years that I need to try this place and we came in on a Monday afternoon to give it a go. There was a line but it moved pretty fast and the place was busy during lunch in general (hard to find parking in the free lot). We ordered the 1/4 chicken and the 1/2 chicken and even the 1/4th chicken was a ton of food with the two sides. We loved the fries and the plantains, the rice was pretty lack lust. We also ordered extra dipping sauce which was a win. The chicken has such great flavor with great seasoning, I can see why this place is so highly rated. Staff friendly, tons of indoor seating, clean spot. read more

THE HYPE IS REAL For those who don't know, Chicken Sajji is an Afghani and also a Northern Pakistani delicacy which is hard to find in the US. The closest thing to it is Peruvian Chicken. One of m friends hyped El Pollo Rico quite a bit and I had to check it out for myself. THE HYPE IS REAL Hands down the best Peruvian chicken I had outside of Peru and I am absolutely loving each and every bite of it. The sides were amazing, especially the plantains. I am going to come here again. Very soon. read more

El Pollo Rico - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Brightly colored seating everywhere, making it feel like I'm back in grade school again. What a mood. I haven't been here for two years so I forgot how good this place was. The Peruvian chicken here is amazing and you know it is when there's a relatively long line at 9:15 PM. My friend and I came here because he was hungry. I was just going to chill but after slicing off a piece of his chicken, I knew I had to go buy some myself if I didn't want to wolf down his meal. It is the juiciest and most well-seasoned chicken I've ever had. It's not overly salty and the dipping sauces they have only enhances the flavor of the chicken. You honestly could go without it and eat the chicken as is since it's already very tasty! My friend and I ate in complete silence for a solid ten minutes. No words needed to be said - why waste your time talking when you should just focus on eating chicken? If you can make white chicken meat taste delicious without drying it up, you win my heart. This place wins my heart every time. That's all I have to say, honestly. read more

Came here with very high hopes as the reviews were raving about the Peruvian chicken. To my disappointment, the chicken was pretty bland inside except for the skin. Peruvian chicken is supposed to be flavorful even the inside of the chicken breast but this was just not it. My other disappointment was the hot green sauce, this is not how they make it in Peru and the portions of the sauce were so small. Also, they only sell chicken. They do not sell any other Peruvian dishes. The restaurant itself is pretty big. There are numerous tables and you go up to order what you want, pay, sit yourself and clean up. There is also a parking lot where you can park. read more

It's not a pretty looking meal but the chicken with yellow sauce is truly delicious and very inexpensive. The fries and coleslaw were surprisingly good as well but I would have loved a bigger or different selection of sides. If you're coming either order online we'll in advanced maybe like 30-45 min OR do stand in line and order since you will get your food faster. read more

El Pollo Rico - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

May 2021 - COVID Review: I have finally made it to THE Peruvian chicken spot that everyone swears on and now I see why. When we got there, the line to order was practically out the door! My husband and I both got a quarter dark chicken with fries and plantains. The chicken was super juicy that I can only imagine how the white chicken would taste. I loved that the plantains weren't greasy / oily like how some other places are. I wonder why they don't have yuca, but I guess if your chicken tastes as good as theirs does, I can understand it not needing to be on the menu. read more

El Pollo Rico - 1/4 dark with fries and plantains - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Best chicken in town. The service is super fast and there's always a table available even though it's always packed.

Delicious Peruvian chicken, and the best fried plantains I've ever had. Friendly staff. Love this place. read more

El Pollo Rico - Chicken, yucca, plantains, Alfajor on the left - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Wanted to see what the hype was all about. Bottom line: It was good but I've had better. Service was fast and quick. We ordered a whole chicken with fries, beans, and plantains. All tasted fine. I've had more flavorful chicken with its competitors in Alexandria. Nevertheless, the prices were reas and the meal was tasty. Don't know if it was allowed. But they didn't tell us we could have our service animal with us. No issues. read more

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Ok I have always been a fan of the OG location in Wheaton MD. I have been going to this spot for over 15 years. Always lights out, good hot food. A favorite spot to hit for the best chicken in town. But what set the meal off was the beans they offered with the meal. A family friend use to make a beans and rice dish. He was from Puerto Rico and when he went back home no one could come close to this dish except EL Pollo Rico. I became a big fan. Today my travel had taken me to this new location because I was in Va. The location was found easily. Large parking lot which is a big plus. The location in Wheaton was a let down because no parking an if you found it, the lot was too small. The inside was larger than the Wheaton location and has a similar flow. The service is still fast and quick. Orders are processed and within minutes you have hot fresh food. I got a whole chicken to take home and a quarter chicken now because I have not eaten anything since breakfast and it's late afternoon. Now the protein was good as usual and the fries were good. My problem was the beans. Yes the beans. They were NOT the ones they had at Wheaten. They had black beans with flavor and a hint of cilantro. What I got was pinto beans in some type of red sauce that look more closely to pork and beans. No flavor, bland and simply fell flat. I ate it but I was NOT SATISFIED with this change in the menu. When I ate the chicken the next day, I heated up a small sample of the beans again thinking if I let it set for a while and maybe add more flavor but same outcome. Flat bland food. I trashed the rest. Again NOT SATISFIED. Overall, I can partially recommend this location with the exception of the beans. Since I live in Maryland, I will be going back to the Wheaton site. I know they still have the black beans I love. Here NADA! read more

Man is this place overhyped. The chicken is fine but nothing out of this world. The sauce selection is limited and not very interesting - they give you a basic mayo thing and some sort of mildly spicy salsa. The plantains were not ripe enough when fried, so they were a bit harder than expected. The portion of rice was small. I had the food delivered, so many the in person dining experience is different. But honestly there are way better Peruvian chicken joints around the dmv area. Huacatay is my favorite, for example. read more

El Pollo Rico - Whole Chicken with Rice and Fried Plantains - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. Highly recommend the Peruvian chicken, rice, beans, fries, and plantains. You really can't go wrong. They get very busy, especially at dinner time, so I recommend ordering ahead online, or be prepared to stand in line for a while. read more

Pollo Rico is the absolute Cadillac of Rotisserie chicken joints ANYWHERE not just in the DC/VA area. The menu here is very simple but it cannot be easily duplicated!!! Most rotisserie places are kind of the same right.... Incorrect haha this place is 50x better than the next and there's absolutely nothing even close here in Cali. #1 the steak fries are amazing and make all the difference in the world. #2 the coleslaw is very very simple and very delicious. It's a little bit on the sweet side but when you add the green chili sauce it's the perfect balance. I always get the thigh, fries and coleslaw. You need tons of the green and yellow sauces plus lots of ketchup and you got yourself one of the best meals in Nova. Number one cheap eats spot for me in the area. The lines are long but they move quickly and I believe it's a family run joint so the service is cared for. The dining area is huge and there are some outdoor seats if you wanna sit outside. read more

Best chicken! We've been coming here since 2004. We live in Annandale now, but still drive to Arlington for El Pollo Rico. My brother-in-law lives in California, and when he comes to visit, this is what he wants to eat:) It's just the tastiest! read more

El Pollo Rico saved our Thanksgiving Day! The food here is always delicious. I used to come here often when I lived in Arlington. We drove from DC just to get a whole chicken from this place in time for Thanksgiving. It's a no-frill casual place. Service is fast but there is always line. Their fries, plantains, and beans are great for sides. read more

El Pollo Rico - Whole Chicken - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I've been coming here since I was a kid at least 12 or 13 years old now I'm 32. I remember when this place was the only chicken spot in the area and I swear they didn't take credit or debit cards up to about three years ago. Staff is always friendly. Food is very fresh atmosphere is popping. read more

We are lucky in Arlington to have many 5 star Peruvian chicken. The chicken here is particularly delicious. And lots of people must agree because there always seems to be a line and a packed parking lot every evening. They don't have a big menu but what they do, they do really well. They serve french fries rather than fried yucca like several other restaurants. but the appeal for fries is broader. your choice of sides are beans, rice, slaw, fries, or plantains. Go for the yellow sauce if you don't like heat. I've tried all of it and it's all really good. You will leave here very happy. But at night expect a small wait and a full parking lot, there's some more spaces on the street however. There are options to have it delivered as well. read more

El Pollo Rico - dark quarters, slaw and fries - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Exactly what you want from a chicken shop. Chicken was served quickly and deliciously. Will be back very soon.

Food Alone: 4/5 Bang for your Buck: 10/5 Chicken with Steak Fries, Plantains, and both the sauces (I got a whole chicken for $17) First off, the price and their heaping portions cannot be beat. The chicken was extremely flavorful without being heavily seasoned. The nice crisp crust contrasting with the juicy meat was perfection. The steak fries were not the crispy kind but still delicious. The fried plantains OH MY THE PLANTAINS! Disclaimer that I love plantains in general but these were really good. Not too greasy, perfect amount of caramelization, and now too mushy. The yellow sauce is mayo based and the green sauce is spicy. Personally, I didnt think it was good to pair with the chicken because it shadowed the chicken seasoning. But i liked mixing the two sauces to dip my fries! read more

El Pollo Rico - Whole Chicken - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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It's been a while since I've come here and wish I came more often. The chicken here is consistently on point and all the side dishes are amazing as well (plantains, beans, especially). I think the price is so reasonably priced compared to some of its competitors because the chicken is undeniably the best - juicy, smoky, scrumptious, and with so much meat. To the owners - please put more sides on the menu! read more

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I love their chicken. I live in Orlando, FL and my daughter lives in Washington, DC, whenever I visit her I must go to El Pollo Rico during my visit and before leaving for Orlando, FL I must go there to pickup chicken to take home. read more

El Pollo Rico - Grilled chicken - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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It's a staple, a must have from the awesome rotisserie chicken smell as you park and walk in this tucked away hole in the wall to the delicious food. read more

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I've had a lot of Peruvian chicken before I tried this place, so I was skeptical when I saw how highly reviewed this was. So I tried and I thought it was good but nothing special. But then, I went to my usual chicken place, and to my surprise, it tasted kind of bad by comparison. So here I am humbled; El Pollo Rico is good enough that it ruined other Peruvian chicken places for me. The food is great. I think the sauce really separates it from the pack but overall everything is from the chicken to the sides are executed perfectly. They may not wow you but you will miss it when you go elsewhere. Last thing, maybe the only negative. Parking is a bit of a hassle during peak and same with seating at the moment. They reduced the number of available tables because of covid so I've just been taking it home. That could change as the pandemic winds down. read more

El Pollo Rico - 1/4 White, Fried Plantains, Steak Fries. - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This hole in the wall place in Arlington is a great find. I got there early on Friday and there was a line so maybe ordering ahead is a better idea. I got a quarter dark chicken with rice and fries and also both sauces. The chicken was great and is probably why the line there is so long. The rice and fries were not bad either. The yellow sauce was good, I think it is maybe some mayo-based condiment? The green sauce was spicy but the texture just was not great on the chicken. Great food and prices so I would definitely go again. read more

El Pollo Rico - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The BEST Peruvian chicken spot in all of Northern Virginia. Grab a whole yard bird. It comes with two sides. Go for the plantains and fries. Deeeelish. They have expanded the side selection. Back in the day, it was a small selection of sides. Lunch can have long lines. It's worth the wait. The chicken is juicy. A whole yard bird comes with 6 sauces. 3 hot (green). 3 mild (mayo based). The fries and plantains are scrumptious. Lol. Thumbs up!!!! read more

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