Let me start with the negative first. This place is very old and dirty. There is like one fly per sq ft. Table and chairs are sticky and moldy looking. I don't know how it pass health code. So do not dine in. Lets talk about the food. Chicken and tacos are great. Tacos are fully loaded for $3. Good size too, not the little ones from taco trucks. I know they smoke their chicken outside because you can see the smoke. Chicken is flavorful and marinated well. If white meat is too dry for you then you can dip it in the salsa. Sides like rice and beans are great too. Better than a lot of restaurants out there. Next time I just get it to go and eat at the park. It is too dirty to sit there with flies and mold. read more

See all

As I drove up to Pollos Los Gallos I saw a column of smoking rising from the grills on the side of the building. I was a bit confused since this was my first time visiting and the building was completely bereft of any signage. But as the other reviews say, just follow your nose! I walked into to the grill area, where the cook, who was busy slathering chicken on the grill with a red sauce, directed me inside through the nondescript door on the front of the building. Ordering is really quick here. They take pre-packaged food out of a hot box, bag it up, and hand it to you. It was a little disappointing since I was expecting to get chicken fresh off the grill. Maybe during busier hours they continuously refill as customers file through? Unfortunately, I figured the earlier I went the fresher the chicken would be, but I guess I was wrong. The place was completely empty after all and I didn't see any other customer the entire time I was there. Whole Chicken Meal ($17) - Pollos Los Gallos isn't really a place you eat in so I got the bag to bring home with the delicious smell of smoked chicken and fresh corn tortillas filling the car as I drove. My first impression as I opened the box and looked at the chicken - woah, super nice char and coloring on each piece. The chicken was chopped up into smaller pieces, making things easier to eat but also increasing the number of small bones to pick through. As expected, that smoky char flavor mixed with the spice glaze on the exterior was phenomenal, but the interior even on the dark meat was dry. Again, I'm wondering if this was because it had been sitting in the hot box for a while. The meal comes with a choice of beans or rice. I got both for $1 extra. The beans were tender pinto charro beans with nice flavor and appropriately seasoned. The Mexican rice was as good as anywhere else in the area, light and fluffy and was only an extra dollar. Also included are some pickled jalapenos and red onions in a small cup. These added a good acidity from vinegar and lime juice and some spiciness from the jalapenos. Two small containers of decently spicy salsa are served on the side. I recommend moistening the chicken up by dousing it in the salsa. Finally, ten fresh hand made corn tortillas complete the meal. Put a bit of everything inside to make a delicious taco! Pollos Los Gallos is cash only, but the food is outstanding value for only $17. I'll have to revisit during the dinner rush and see if I can get fresher chicken next time. read more

See all

Oh man. If you have a tough time finding the place just look for the smoke. The delicious smells will lead you to the promised land. 20 bucks and it could have fed 3 easily or even stretched to four. We got a whole chicken dinner with rice, steamed corn tortillas, pickled onions, fresh pickled jalapeños, and plenty of house made salsa. Wow. The chicken is addictive. Grilled on the bone and chopped into handy pieces. Its good on its own or made into little self created tacos. My husband added on a chicken quesadilla and was very happy with it. You can't go wrong, they have other meats but the chicken is just so hard to resist Grab cold beverages from the cooler and eat in at one of approximately six tables. We did and were happy. We loved it so much we got some to go for my parents too. People were friendly despite my limited Spanish and it would have been torture to smell this all the way home without eating some first. We will be back read more

See all

My kind of place! Flew in from San Antonio for a Handball tournament, passed my original designated spot and smelled the mesquite bbq charcoal burning! My head snapped back and boom! Stopped immidiatley! Mom and pops shop service was great, the tacos are bomb! I spoke with the father, very nice man they have been here for 20 years.. I highly recommend this spot! Lucky find for me! read more

I DO NOT GET IT! this place has such good reviews and it fucking sucked like nothing has ever sucked before .We ordered the whole chicken dinner. They hand it to you in a Styrofoam container out of a warmer which makes the skin taste like you're eating a condom and it's supposed to be a whole chicken yet there's no breast. I don't know what they were giving us chicken assholes? And then when we mentioned it to the guy and said there's no breast here how are you saying this is a whole chicken? He just said oh sorry.... it's filthy as fuck inside and I would never go back. I can't believe people think this is good ... this food, place and service is complete SHIT read more

See all

Pollos Los Gallos is an amazing spot to grab up some delicious chicken & tacos. The restaurant is located right at the Vernor/Dix split, on Dix. Don't blink, or you will miss it! There is a pink awning with their name across it. We did street parking and ate our deliciousness inside. We chose a whole chicken, aka Pollo al Carbon. It was the most amazing thing I have ever tasted. Nice char, perfect flavor, super tender. They nailed it!! The best chicken I had so far in Southwest Detroit, thanks to my Yelp friend, Al P.! He knows all the spots off the beaten path. I rely on his recommendations, and he knocked this one out of the ballpark! Thanks, Al! :) The pollo al carbon came with homemade corn tortillas- yummy- with a large side of beans, and a large side the of BEST rice ever. I usually skip the sides, but this rice was so good I found myself eating it the next day. It was so flavorful! The tacos are stuffed to the max with the most delicious, flavorful meat cooked to perfection. I got two asada, I had to take one home! The staff is very friendly, the prices were right, and we left with smiles on our faces & full bellies ready to come back! This is the best pollo al carbon in Michigan. I guarantee! read more

See all

Tough critic/biased review incoming... I LOVE Taqueria El Rey. I almost cried when it burned down, and I've been an avid supporter of them at Batch, waiting patiently for rebuild etc etc. Batch was too busy with the SW Detroit Restaurant Week Food Truck, so we called an audible and stopped here. Very much doubting they would have a high chair for our lil Yelper, and somehow appearing even more of a dive than original El Rey, I left the fam in the car and ventured in for takeout. Chicken- came out of a hotbox, unfortunately not right off the grill and likewise was a pretty big letdown. Even old El Rey chicken is always juicier after days in the fridge even. For the price I would maybe give it one more shot but cautiously. Saving graces- steak and also El pastor tacos. Cooked very promptly, ate a few in the car before crossing back to Canada, and all of them extremely good. The pickled onions with just the right amount of habaneros are a really nice touch. Frijoles (beans) were pretty good. I like El Rey's just a bit better, but you get more here at Los Gallos. Their rice is amazingly light and fluffy, and the lil guy was doing his best Pac-Man with the stuff! I'd like to like this place more, but it's going to play second fiddle to The King! read more

See all

No frills, just good meals. Grilled/smoked/blacken chicken, beans, rice, and corn tortillas. Cash only, carry out and limited parking. Very affordable and tasty. read more

Because this is a place you need to go to and needs to stay around. Do you want chicken? Good chargrill bbq chicken? Rice? Beans? Tortillas? Then go here, for $13 dollars you get a whole chicken and all that. Its a little hole in the wall where you smell the chicken before you see it. They cook the chicken outside and you go in and order at the counter. Small menu. Most go for chicken meal. The meal is $12 add a side for $1. It has THE BEST chargrill and fresh taste. I love that they chop up a whole chicken and put it in a container. Its definitely easier to eat. Tear up and eat with tortillas. Try the carnitas that are available on the weekends. OMG. So flavorfull and tender. Served with tortillas too. Small eating area. read more

See all

I stopped today and it was so phenomenal that I knew it was time to update my review. I want to start off my saying that chicken is my least favorite meat in general but not this chicken! This chicken is always on point. They do not have "off" days. It was so charred, juicy and delicious as always! Even my husband loved it and he rarely eats meat! read more

Pollos Los Gallos - Whole chicken minus some that I ate already - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

My father works here for 11 years Best food in town ask for Jeff personally he's a great guy. Food is great. Very clean Mask and gloves in forced read more

The place ain't much to look at but the chicken is great and cheap There is a steady stream of locals coming in and out read more

It's not quite a taco cart since it's a brick and mortar establishment, and its bare bones interior makes it fall short of an actual restaurant... Let's add a new category: Taco Shack. Los Gallos is a taco shack. They make... chicken (surprise!). Barbecued whole birds and come with warmed up tortillas to take home and make tacos with. But to order chicken tacos sans the chicken to take it apart from, they make it on the griddle. So no delicious smoked flavor. But it does have an awesome smoked, sour seasoning on their tacos. They also use the yellower corn tortillas which according to El Rey, come from the local tortilla company on Bagley street. I find these tortillas to be the best. I am no chicken taco expert, but I found these very satisfying. Worth checking out. I think I will have to do a whole chicken experiment from El Rey and Los Gallos soon to determine who really is el rey de gallo. The 'hood ain't sketchy, maybe because there's less places to hang around near by. You'll miss it for sure if you are looking for it. Look for the smoke and follow your nose. If you are coming from Livernois and reached Taqueria Mi Pueblo, you went too far, turn around. ****CASH ONLY**** Tacos are I think $1.25 a piece. Open 10am-9pm every day of the week. My kinda people. read more

See all

I had some difficulty finding the building since it was dark when I got to the area. After a few missteps, I pulled up and saw smoke billowing from the grill. I ordered the half chicken dinner for $7. It comes with several tortillas, bean soup, salsa, and a pickled onion relish. The chicken dinner is ready immediately. They are kept off to the side just waiting for their many customers to come in. This has to be some of the best smoked/grilled chicken I've ever had. Cooked perfectly and seasoned just as perfectly. You will not be disappointed with this order. read more

I just ordered a whole chicken and the chicken was damn dry...That I couldn't eat it...So, I'm feeding it to the seagull...This was my first visit...As well as my lasr... Btw, I didn't recieve chicken off the grill...What I was given, came prepackaged, from a warmer...Very, very disappointed... read more

Hey you suburban Gringos what you know about POLLO, ,, yeah I thought so it's CHICKEN a most popular authentic Mexican food smoked over real wood. The number one place for a decade be this family MA n Pa and 2 kids working hard 7 days per week. We been a few dozen times never ever seen a Gringo inside. Only hundreds of Mexican families picking up dinner and a few eating inside, room for a couple dozen customers and clean restroom. Place looks like a total dive outside so what it's all about the food, hey it's very clean. Smoke rolls heavy onto the street all day long from the Royal Oak Lump Charcoal which provides a magnificent flavor unlike any Chicken you ever ate. So damn delicious and cheap a Whole Smoked Bird with either Rice or Charro Bean's that be whole Bean's we so enjoy. Also a foil package with hot Corn Tortilla and Salsa n Hot Sauce that MA makes fresh daily. Just a mile away from the heart of Mexican Town you gotta search out the real Mexican Families eating spots to fully enjoy the culture. Find them on Facebook, Yelp n Google a SW DETROIT Institution also fabulous Tacos, Tamales, Quesadilla and Flan. #polloslosgallos #pollo #smokedchicken #lumpcharcoal #detroit #letsguide #motorcitymunchers read more

See all

"I stood in the smoke for a few seconds. I still smell it on my cotton duck jacket." *** UPDATE - THE BEAN SOUP IS TO DIE FOR *** Every time I have driven by this place I have made a mental note to stop. See, when a homemade smoker/grill is billowing out smoke, especially in a Mexican neighborhood, it indicates something delicious is being prepared. Normally I am heading to Los Altos with the lunch posse and they are focused on the Los Altos lunch special, and given that this place looks sketchy we always pass by it. Today I was out and about and hungry and decided to give it a try. First thing you notice is the smells from the smoker. The specialty of the "shack" is Jalisco style mesquite smoked grilled whole chickens cut butterfly style, I wandered around to the side yard to see what was going on and here they had an interesting operation. The chickens were being cooked over a mesquite charcoal fire using a coals out of a bag from Mexico. One of Dea A's photos shows the bags stacked inside. On another grill the coals were being prepared for another batch. They had a large electric fan blowing on the burning coals to get them really hot before putting the birds on. The birds are then put on and the cook paints them with a red spice mixture and then they are covered and smoked. When they are done, prepare for bliss. I had a half chicken that was $6. With it came a stack of yellow corn tortillas, a smoky salsa not unlike the smoky salsa from Los Altos, a marinated onion and pepper relish, and a large cup of rice. $6. This is the best food value in the city. I also tried the chicken taco ($1.25). It was very similar to the Mi Pueblo tinga taco, only much larger. 3 of these and a hearty lunch is served for $3.75 The chicken was perfectly cooked. The spices formed a crust that sealed in the flavors and juices, almost tandoori like. The white meat was still moist, and the dark meat fell off the bone as you picked at it. This may well be the best grilled chicken I have ever tasted. Los Gallos is to grilled chicken as Hamido is to roasted chicken, and Pollo Chapin is to fried chicken. Its that great people. The cook says he goes through 200 chickens on a busy day. Today there were a handful of guys watching soccer and several families in their Sunday best having a meal after church. Given the quality food options within spitting distance of here, that is really saying something. read more

Holy taco! The next time you are driving through Mexicantown and you happen upon a group of Mexican men in cowboy hats standing around an embankment of grills you probably found Los Gallos. It sure isn't the prettiest place but I can't imagine you will leave disappointed. Sure the atmosphere is more akin to that of a brake shop but its the food. The food is superb. When I first found this I was practically flying down Dix road and was hit by a wave of smells. Being lunch time I would have been a dolt to not turn around and get some grub. $3.75 and three tacos later I was a very happy man, and you can be too. read more

I, like some other reviewers, saw the smoke trail before I saw this place and from my California roots knew that something good was afoot. I was on my way someplace but I was back in a few days to try it out. This place serves beautiful, intensely smoky chicken in taco or whole form. I took a whole chicken home for $12 with delicious yellow corn soft tortillas, beans, pickled onions and a really nice mild but delicious salsa that went perfectly with the chicken. It fed both of us and we had leftovers for the next day (and we eat a lot, so it'd probably feed a family of 6). You sure can't beat the value. This place is full of good hardworking folks cooking up some crazy delicious chicken. Well worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood. read more

The intoxicating aroma from the smoking grills outside hit our noses so we did a quick U-Turn to find out what was going on. $12 dinner - feeds our family of 3, with leftovers. Insanely tasty whole grilled chicken (cut up), which comes with tortillas, pico de gallo, beans (or rice - I usually pay extra and get both) and an amazing onion/habanero salsa. I've also had their tacos, which are taqueria-stylee and perfect. It's hardcore Mex in a utilitarian storefront. You're a long way from Mexican Village, so if THE REAL scares you, keep driving. I take this home to the family as often as possible. read more

OK... I just had to try this place out since I noticed it on the way to Los Altos today... I just followed the smoke! Craig is correct in his saying that "this place has all the charm of a pole barn in winter". It's easy to drive by...It reminds me of an old lawn mower repair shop. But .... the chicken.... oh the chicken... The Mesquite Grilled 1/2 chicken meal for $6. Not only is it a good deal, but it dances on the tongue long after you take a bite. My meal came with 5 pieces of perfectly spiced chicken, corn tortillas, some pickled onions with jalapenos (dynamite), salsa and rice. The rice was a bit bland, but I doctored it with a bit of the smokey salsa and the pickled onions/jalapenos and it was divine. You really can't go wrong with this meal. I took this meal home to eat later, but I want to go back and check it out hot off the cooker. Yes, it's not pretty, service is nonexistent, but overall the staff was nice. When we left we took a quick look at the outside grilles. The man cooking the chickens quickly grabbed a few pieces hot off the grille, put them in foil and handed them to us as free samples. You can't knock that at all. Next time, I also want to try tacos. The other patrons at the counter were eating tacos and they look fine. Also next time I want to make sure that I try one of their sodas... maybe Pineapple. Anyway, don't be afraid, give this place a try. Although the neighborhood may not look to good, they have a fenced parking lot. As we did... when you're on Dix, heading toward M-Town, just look up. Follow the pillar of white smoke and you'll find Los Gallos. read more

Shared a whole chicken dinner with my friend. $12 gets you a crate of grilled, seasoned chicken, a container of beans, two containers of chipotle salsa, a tiny little thing of pickled onion or something, and a lot of warm tortillas. Will return. Light crowd on a Saturday night, kind of like the cafeteria-style ordering system, and do appreciate one of the last restaurants not yet infected with the virus that causes the establishment to play loud music no one really enjoys. Not that I'm bitter about it! read more

Best chicken I've had anywhere in the northern hemisphere. Really good value. As the other reviews say, they're hidden...so follow the smells. read more

Don't judge a book by its cover! This restaurant definitely appears questionable from the street.... Don't be fooled! The food is really good! I usually get the chicken tacos and they are DELICIOUS! I haven't tried the beef or chorizo tacos but my friends have and they all really liked them! read more

This place looks like as one of my friend says, a place in Mexico. If you are adventurous, do not care about ambiance, you need to try this place. Half a chicken ($6) comes with rice or beans (size of a cup noodle), pickled onions and very nice green salsa. Will highly recommend! Edit: 11/24/2013. Try the tacos. Chicken tacos are awesome -- wonderfully marinated. Asada and pastor are awesome too. And yes, they now accept CREDIT CARD. read more

Had this yesterday. Influenced by the previous reviews. Delicious chargrilled chicken that is perfectly seasoned. Came with beans, corn tortillas, salsa, and pickled onions with peppers. The wait time is short, too. read more

Had really good tacos while waiting for my chicken carry out. Unfortunately my "half chicken" order was missing the breast when I got home & opened the styrofoam. I guess they were probably laughing how they screwed the gringo. BE SURE AND CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE SO THEY DONT CHEAT YOU! read more