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    El Pollo Rico

    4.3 (441 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    El Pollo Rico Photos

    EL POLLO RICO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - El Pollo Rico

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    Reviews With Photos

    Inside
    Xavier I.

    Tuesday 1/21/25 Came across this spot on an Instagram post that regarded this restaurant as having the best Peruvian chicken in Maryland, so today I tried it. I ordered in person to try and avoid the dumb family meal ordering process that, for some odd reason, included all sides EXCEPT for plantains & yuca, but I was unsuccessful. I ordered the family meal $27 and a chicken empanada $4. - The family meal: a whole chicken, white rice, beans, and fries. The chicken, although smaller, was good and is what you'd expect from a Peruvian chicken spot. The rice & beans were average. The fries were alright: very potato-forward but didn't have any seasoning. - The chicken empanada was unique: it had a crossiant-type of dough texture, but the chicken was DRY. The empanada would've benefitted if they had a special sauce specifically for it. All in all, the food was okay, but the family meal problem was very off-putting. The only way to get plantains or yuca is by ordering a side of it, and that's just a horrible business practice. I have never (until now) gone to a Peruvian chicken spot where they operate with these business practices, and that automatically makes me not want to return, as there are better options elsewhere, like Sardis.

    Parking is very limit.
    Ketsanee P.

    Over all their Rotisserie chicken was OK. The meat texture seem a little dry, it was all well done but I might like a little bit less cooked. The flavor was so-so. Parking is quite limit and tiny. Anyway the restaurant hour it is good choice for people who want to get late dinner, night time. (Wheaton, MD Location- open 10 am and close 10 pm)

    Fried Yucca
    Armistead J.

    It's not the original but it will get you through. Nice relax chill vibe in this place and the customer service was absolutely outstanding. Also you can't go wrong with a half of chicken from the Rico its one of my favorites.

    Electronic menu
    Alisha D.

    I no longer live in Maryland so I to stop by every time I'm in town. I was recently there and had a great experience. You know what to expect with this spot and I loved how the menu was easy to read. The food was delicious and I thought the chicken was incredibly tender and juicy. It was an amazing lunch and I'll be back again when I'm in town.

    Sunday Line
    Montu M.

    Review: El Pollo Rico - Wheaton, MD (Sunday, March 9, 2:00 PM) If you're looking for the best Pollo a la Brasa in the DMV, El Pollo Rico in Wheaton, MD continues to reign supreme. We visited on Sunday at 2:00 PM, and despite the weekend rush, the service was efficient, the food was fresh, and the flavors were absolutely on point. The Chicken - Perfection on a Plate The charcoal-broiled chicken is the undeniable star. The skin is crispy and well-seasoned, with just the right balance of smoky, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. Every bite of the meat is juicy and tender, infused with the deep flavors of the marinade and the slow rotisserie-style cooking over charcoal. The Sides - The Perfect Compliment We went with French fries and a house salad, and both delivered. The fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, with a golden-brown crunch that paired perfectly with the chicken. The salad added a refreshing contrast, bringing a crisp, fresh bite to the meal. Other sides like fried yucca, rice, and plantains are also popular choices, and judging by what we saw around the restaurant, they don't disappoint. Fast, No-Frills Service El Pollo Rico has always been a no-nonsense, get-your-food-and-enjoy-it kind of place, and this visit was no different. Despite a packed house, the staff kept the line moving, and we got our order in minutes. They're focused on efficiency, and they deliver--hot food, quickly, with no compromise on quality. Atmosphere - Classic & Functional The restaurant is simple and functional, built for quick service and high turnover. There's no fancy décor, but the focus here is clear: serve the best charcoal chicken in the area, and keep it moving. The place was bustling, filled with families and regulars who know where to find real flavor. Great Value for What You Get For the portion sizes and high-quality, authentic Peruvian flavor, the prices at El Pollo Rico remain very reasonable. Whether you're getting a quarter, half, or whole chicken, you're getting a meal that fills you up and keeps you coming back. Final Verdict: 5/5 El Pollo Rico in Wheaton is still the gold standard for Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken. Whether you're a longtime fan or a first-time visitor, expect consistently amazing chicken, crispy sides, and fast service. If you haven't been yet, you're missing out on one of the best bites in the DMV. Highly Recommended - and we'll definitely be back!

    Half chicken with yuca and white rice
    Thomas T.

    Very unassuming spot. But the chicken here is so flavorful and juicy. Don't even need sauce really. Idk what seasoning they use but it's great. The perfect combo would be Sardis sauce and arroz chaufa with Pollo Rico chicken. Staff were friendly and quick. Definitely would go back.

    Kimy P.

    El Pollo Rico was my guilty pleasure when visiting family (It was close by so I ordered ubereats a second time! ) Location is nice, inviting, smelling of delicious rotisserie chicken. You order the size of chicken you want, sides, and drinks. It's great for families! Peruvian rotisserie chicken reminds me a lot of Bolivian flavors and it was delicious! Their picante was delicious, yuca frita is my weakness, and Inca Cola was refreshing. I was most definitely a happy customer and would most definitely be ordering again when back in town! :)

    1/4 Chicken WHITE w/ beans rice

    2/27/25: 2nd visit was ok. The 1/4 breast was dried out BUT, the rice & beans. Yes yes yes perfectly made: moist rice and beans w/ a delectable taste. Definitely worth the trip. Services: great! My first visit was EXCELLENT, same selection BUT the breast & wing, super moist!!! Do yourself a favor drop by IF you need a quick tasty lunch or takeout for dinner!

    My plate for tonight!
    Nichelle D.

    If you are looking for something yummy and cost effective, please stop by this spot! You will eat well and feel completely satisfied with the taste! I ALWAYS GET FOOD FROM HERE WHEN I HAVE OUT OF TOWN GUESTS. They live this local business and I LOVE TO SUPPORT THEM!

    1/4 chicken with double fries. The green sauce is very hot (love it)

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    7 years ago

    Great food. Good prices. Ordered food for party just estimated a bit too much chicken for my crowd but maybe not big eaters

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    15 years ago

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    10 years ago

    The OG of Peruvian chicken. I like getting the half chicken with yuca and rice rice and beans with an Inka Kola to wash it down.

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    7 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Disappointed only because I had high expectations with the great reviews .If you prefer dry chicken this is the place to go.

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    16 years ago

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    11 years ago

    AMAZING! Love this place i go here with my boyfriend all the time. Try the plantains and the flan!

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Love their chicken. Been going here for the longest time. From the old spot to the new one. Best Peruvian chicken in the area.

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

    It's yummy but I like Crisp and Juicy better. Just a matter of taste.

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

    This is not a chicken restaurant. It is chicken-lovers' heaven. Unequalled! Best pollo a la brasa I've ever had.

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    12 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Great food and fast service. Not a large place but good enough. Family deal is worth getting: enough for 2 with lunch the next day.

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Hands down, Best chicken on earth. Yellow sauce is Amazing!

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    13 years ago

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    Page 8 of 12

    El Pollo Rico Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Pollo Rico

    Lime & Cilantro

    Lime & Cilantro

    4.5
    (107 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Oh, I can't believe I didn't leave a review for the spot, even though I've been a few times though!…read moreIt's been a while, but man are they delicious. I would describe them as a combination of classic and elevated Latin food. The vibe of the restaurant is very casual, but the presentation of many of the dishes takes it to another level. They also have a wide selection of beer and wine. I have had tacos, octopus, breakfast tacos, and tamales. Everything was flavorful and quite tasty. I will admit service was a little slow the last time I went, but given the weather and the fact that we weren't in a rush it wasn't a big deal. If you haven't been yet, you should go. The colorful presentation reminds me of Palette 22, and rumor has it they are expanding to the Ethiopian restaurant that closed next door. I hope that's true!

    Nice ambiance and good brunch menu offerings. I didn't know that they only offered brunch during…read morethe weekend so I was a little disappointed as I wanted to try something more complex but we enjoyed what we ate. Could work on those fried plantains as they were a little soggy. The quinoa salad was good, a bigger portion would have been nice for the price paid and maybe if it would be easier to eat if served in a bowl. The chorizo sandwich was okay. Presentation and bread could be better. We left curious about their regular menu so we may give it a try some other time. Their staff were nice but not very knowledgeable about their menu items. They didn't really know how to answer my question about their vegan tres leches and told me it was not actually vegan after indicating it had condensed milk and heavy cream.

    Photos
    Lime & Cilantro
    Empanada
    Empanada
    Cilantro rice.  A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.

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    Cilantro rice. A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.
    El Sabor Latino Bakery & Catering

    El Sabor Latino Bakery & Catering

    4.3
    (60 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $

    I stopped by El Sabor Latino Bakery & Catering because another breakfast option fell through on an…read moreearly Saturday morning. I went with a breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee. I forget the name of the sandwich, but it had eggs, chorizo, plantains, and something else that I cannot remember. Although I was a bit surprised the sandwich was around 8 bucks, I understood why when the sandwich came out because it was HUGE. Put it like this, the sandwich kept me full for a good 4-5 hours, so it definitely was worth the eight dollars. While waiting for my sandwich, curiosity got the best of me, and I ended up buying a few pastries for later. The sandwich, coffee, and four large pastries were about $16. Overall, I thought my sandwich was absolutely delicious...especially the bread/roll that it was served on/with. Like I said earlier, the sandwich was jammed packed with eggs, chorizo and plantains. Throughout the weekend, I tasted the pastries, and I thought all of the were pretty delicious. Unfortunately, I do not know which pastries I purchased because many were not labeled. To be honestly, I completely picked the pastries at random. One of the things that I enjoyed about the pastries: none of them were overly sweet. For me, they had just the right amount of sweetness, which might be considered bland for others. The bakery is kind of small, in terms of dining in, because it has about 2-3 small tables. However, the bakery seems more like a place to grab food (or pick up orders) and go. While eating, I was the only one who actually ate their food inside of the restaurant. I thought the two women behind the counter were exceptionally nice. Also, interacting with them gave me a chance to practice my Spanish. Overall, I thought this was a great random find, and I'm looking forward to returning and trying some more of their delicious pastries and other platos fuertes.

    Tuesday 1/21/25 I…read morerandomly found out about this spot a few months ago while on TikTok. I heard A LOT of high praise for it, so now I'm trying it. The service experience was quite memorable and funny. There were differences in language barriers, but we still made it work out in the end. I was overwhelmed, to say the least, as I was completely new to the experience of a Spanish bakery, so I got suggestions from the workers, Yelp & Google, and what caught my eye. I ended up spending $43.20 total and got: Brazo gitanos $2.75, torta $3, pan de pina $1, steak egg and cheese sandwich $10.75, tipico platter $14, flan $5.50, pork & cheese pupusa $2.75, and chicken & cheese pupusa $3.50. Also, I was excited to try the tres leches, but they didn't have any at the time. - The brazo gitanos is like a pound cake with a cherry/strawberry swirl, and it was alright. - The torta was my favorite bakery item as it tasted the best, and was elevated further when I warmed it up. - The pan de pina is a Spanish pastry with pineapple "jam" in the center, and it was alright. - The steak egg and cheese sandwich was my favorite item. The Spanish bread paired well with the ingredients to create a great flavor with every bite. - The tipico platter was decent, but I wish I had gotten more portions of the chorizo because the portion I got was limited. One thing that makes it truly amazing is combining all of the platter items on their homemade tortillas to create a sensational taco of taste and flavor. - I'm not a fan of flan (it's alright), but theirs was pretty decent. - The pupusas (pork & cheese and chicken & cheese) were great, and they might just be the best pupusas I've had. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at El Sabor. I would recommend it and be open to returning (maybe next time they will have tres leches available).

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    El Sabor Latino Bakery & Catering
    (4) steak egg n cheese sandwich $10.75 (instagram: @issa.cheatday)

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    (4) steak egg n cheese sandwich $10.75 (instagram: @issa.cheatday)

    El Pollo Rico - latin - Updated June 2026

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