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    Pollo Express

    4.7 (25 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Pollo Express

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    Half chicken combo
    N.J. M.

    I love chicken cooked over charcoal, so I was really excited to try this new spot in the neighborhood. I ordered the half chicken combo, which came with four pieces of chicken, tortillas, rice, and beans. Unfortunately, on the day I visited the meal was disappointing. The chicken tasted reheated and overcooked, with a stringy texture, and the rice and beans were bland. For $20+, it felt a little ridiculous for the execution. Truly, you could walk a few blocks, pick up a better grilled whole chicken for $7.99 at Mariano's, grab a pack of tortillas for less than a dollar, and have a much better meal than the one we had on this day. We won't be returning. My husband was also looking forward to trying this place, but it just wasn't good, and definitely not worth the price. The idea of this spot is great, but the execution or perhaps just the consistency in the experience they provide needs work.

    Chicken
    Alice W.

    Phew! So happy to have another location around here. Pollo Express is the real deal and the charcoal chicken with all the balanced seasonings just can't be beat. The amount of food you get on a Monday or Wednesday is incredible. If you order a whole chicken these days, you get another half for free along with two sides and tortillas. There are a great amount of sides to choose from as well. I go with the rice and refried beans. You can feed quite a few people for about $35 before tax and tip. It's always a quick time between placing my order and picking up my food. Everyone I've interacted with has always been incredibly kind and welcoming. Street parking is easy enough right out front and around the adjacent streets. I am looking forward to this location becoming a staple in Ravenswood!

    Veggie burrito
    Steve B.

    Pollo Express is one of those spots you keep coming back to--and for good reason. The service is always friendly and efficient, and they treat you like a regular even if it's your first visit. The food? Absolutely delicious. The quality of the chicken is consistently amazing--juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked every time. You can tell they take pride in what they're serving. The seasoning and char from the grill give it that authentic taste that's hard to find elsewhere. The moment you step in, the aroma hits you--in the best way. It's like a backyard BBQ, with that smoky, savory smell of fresh chicken on the grill. It instantly makes you hungry and adds to the whole experience. If you're craving well-made, flavorful grilled chicken with solid service and a no-frills, authentic vibe, Pollo Express delivers every time.

    Half chicken meal with cilantro lime rice and carro beans.

    I dont understand how this place has so many good reviews. The chicken was stringy and had a overall weird texture. I only had the drumstick and wing then threw away the breast and thigh because it was just so disgusting. The cilantro rice had zero flavor. I dont think it was even salted. I thought maybe it was a bad day but saw other reviews about the stringy chicken and lack of flavor for rice and beans. The carro beans were okay but the way the meat looked made it seemed like the whole thing came from a can. And I dont understand why I was given so many tortillas for a half chicken. Ill stick with Chicken Hut.

    Half Chicken Adobado with side of Mexican rice

    We are thrilled Pollo Express has opened a second location on the North side. We have been driving down to Pilsen from Rogers Park specifically for this chicken for over 10 years. It is our favorite restaurant in the entire city without question. There's nothing like the experience of ripping into a perfectly charbroiled chicken and building the most delicious tacos from a hot stack of tortillas, fresh salsa, and grilled jalapenos and onions. We always pair with fresh guacamole, Mexican rice and Mexican cokes. We can't wait to become regulars at the new location.

    Dre C.

    Best chicken I've had in years. 5 stars, I will be back. Service was great as well, I ordered online and had no wait. Establishment was very clean as well

    Whole Chicken and a half.  Refried beans and Mexican rice as sides.
    Blair R.

    Quick and friendly service. On Monday and Wednesday they offer a takeout special of buy a whole chicken and get a half included. This includes two sides of your choice and about a dozen corn tortillas. The food is incredible! This deal cannot be beat anywhere. Don't walk, run. Seriously.

    Mixed Burrito

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    6 months ago

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    16 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    27 days ago

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    7 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Best Mexican food in the city. I was thrilled when they moved north. Really friendly staff.

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

    Everything was great. The chicken. Rice. Pineapple juice. And the service was excellent also. Definitely would be back

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

    Very flavorful chicken! Great to add to any recipe, I wish they had some pre-shredded options. The salsa was spicy but so good!

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    9 months ago

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    Ask the Community - Pollo Express

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    Good value compared to other Michelin star menus. Nice portion size, leaving full but not…read moreexploding. Excellent cocktails. Intimate setting with just 7 seats at the chef's counter and 12 in the dining area. 9/13 dishes were great. There's no "smoke and mirrors" at the chef's counter. For an additional $20, we received two extra courses and an intimate look at a high-functioning, high-pressure kitchen. Chef Norman Fenton's exacting expectations are on full display. It's a masterclass in attention to detail, though the transparency comes with a side of tension. I loved the honesty of the experience, but if your goal is a serene conversation over dinner, the main dining room is the play. 5/5 Would be sad to never have again (1) * Chamoyada: Palate cleansers are always refreshing, but this was next level. Fruity and fresh heaven. 4.5/5 Great (8) * Chips and Salsa: Impressive to finish like a true salsa and chip. My wife loved * Chicharron: Rich corn and cheese dip. * Aguachile: Stunning visually. Lovely chile broth. * Quesadilla: Truffle uses well to round the dish. Super rich with black garlic. * Lamb: Super rich glaze. Great accompaniments from the beets and sauces. * Pineapple dessert * Horchata chai: Banana pieces were incredible. Good sweetness level. * Finishing bites: Nice 33% and 66% chocolate. Fun little bites. 3/5: OK (3) * Ravioli: Ravioli inside was rich, but overly so. Nice corn sauce but there was a corn component on the outside of the dish that had an unpleasant chewy flavor. * Tacos Dorados/Bluefin Tuna/Toasta: Love the idea of taco flight, and a great mix of textures. But none of the taco flavors hit for me. * Black Cod: Great components, but a sum that added up to less not more. Ultracrispy kale, but it tasted far better on its on. Nice green sauce and cod. Chayote texture felt out of place for me. 2/5 Not good (1) * Michelada: The Modelo beer foam dominated what I'm sure was lovely oyster.

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    Tango Sur

    4.0(2.8k reviews)
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    We love a BYOB with no corkage fee. Also, warm table bread!! Pretty easy to call in and get a res…read morefor a Sunday night. The warm table bread and butter was pretty good so it was an effort to keep from eating too much and ruining our appetite. We split a chicken empanada to start which was really good, especially with the chimichurri sauce. For mains, we split the parillada para dos - a large meat platter meant for two. It was came with a little house salad and was a super good deal with all the meat they gave you (we ended up with lunch the next day, too!) The best part of the dish was the short ribs. Super soft and sort of fatty tasting, but not in a gross way, in a really yummy way. We also really liked the chorizo sausage. The flap tastes good, but was a little tougher than the other meat. The beef sweetbread and blood sausage were different, a little bit of an odd texture, but still good.

    Came on a Thursday evening with reservations. Its an intimate steakhouse with mostly candle…read morelighting to create a moody atmosphere. For appetizers I got 2 spinach&cheese empanadas and the provoleta. The empanadas were loaded and packed with flavor. The chimichurri sauce they came with was refreshing! The provoleta is roasted cheese so its really hard to go wrong there. The red pepper was a nice touch. I got a ensalada Tango Sur and the ingredients were fresh topped with a tasty vinaigrette. For my entree I got the Vacio. Wow I have not had such tender flap meat! The caper-white win vesuvio sauce really complimented the steak with such a deep flavor. My steak was cooked to my liking well also. The sweet potatoes that came with it melted in my mouth and were loaded with the caper sauce. I will say if you are particular about salt, this dish was on the saltier side but for me it was just right. The staff was friendly and helpful with the different options they offered. This is a great place for a date night, special occasion or just wonderful steak!

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    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.

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