El Pollo Loco

I know I should write more reviews when I have a great meal here, because I really do love their chicken. I’m not reviewing anything but the chicken I received today. The employees were all fine. I ordered 2 chicken thighs to go (as I usually do) and when I got home I was so disappointed to see how flat & dry they were. Even before this, once in a while I would get a runty thigh, but the other one would balance it out. Quality control anyone? Now, the price has gone up lately & I definitely didn’t get my money’s worth today. The only excuse I will accept for tiny pieces of chicken is that they are organic free range– which I doubt these were. Overall– not happy.

Just had a horrible experience! First off it took them forever to come to the window, and when they did we realized they forgot one of our orders. Then when we got home we realized our order was wrong and had no green sauce which I asked for several times. The worst part is when my friend found s piece of plastic in one of her tacos. Stay away, this place is the worst and will never be coming back to this location and I would of gave this place zero stars if I could!

Keep giving them chances cause its close to house. But time to move on … Chicken is too dry!!!

Overall, it’s a nice Pollo Loco. Well maintained. 4 stars because I ordered an Avocado Bacon Tostada Salad to go. I’m eating my salad and there’s no avocado. My co-​worker got the ultimate double chicken bowl which did come with avocado. She told me I was lucky that I didn’t get my avocado because hers was super hard.

Used to come here frequently but this is first visit in a while. Did not miss anything. Prices are higher and portions are smaller. The breast that came with my two piece meal was scrawny — more skin, bone, & fat than meat. Not enough rice or beans to make one decent burrito. Very disappointed. Last time here!

One question:
Management? Why not ask your employees to check the orders before handing them to the customers. The location is lovely, and business would FLOURISH if employees were trained accordingly. Being dismissive, forgetting items, badgering guests does not a successful business make. I plan on calling corporate. Five time times we repeated our
order, five times I was assured all items would be inside (as they notoriously do not include the things requested). Of course, my order was wrong, no avocado on shrimp avocado tacos, no cheese and tortilla strips for chicken soup, etc, etc, etc. this happens so often that other people make the drive elsewhere if el pollo loco sounds appeasing. It’s too bad for the cypress community. I wish they would simply close this store.
I never ever ever complain unless service is bad. And this is bad.

My husband’s 3 piece combo was fine
The chicken was nicely grilled, the loco salad was fresh, and the corn tasty. My classic chicken burrito, on the other hand, was dry with very little chicken or flavor. It was mostly rice, then pinto beans, and maybe about 2 tablespoons of chicken. It sure wasn’t worth $ 5. I expected a chicken burrito to be at least half chicken.

This was drive thru number two bad experience.
The drive trough experience at this location is painful. Started order twice only to be told twice to hold for a minute. Finally ordered and upon returning home discovered most of my or was incorrect, no tortillas, no salsa even though i was asked twice if I wanted it and replied yes both times. Really bummed, miss my old El Pollo Loco in Huntington Beach, they were awesome! Won’t be returning to this one.

Came to El Pollo Loco for Lunch… I went through the drive thru for this visit.
As soon as I got to the speaker I was greeted and asked what I wanted to order perfect! They repeated my order and it was confirmed correct. At the same time I was asked what kind of salsa I wanted for my order, I said I wanted the green guacamole salsa.
Once I pulled up to the window the manager I believe greeted me at the window with a smile.
She repeated my amount due and I paid for my lunch.
Soon she hands me my drink and food. She never asked me how many Salsa’s I wanted as many other El Pollo Loco locations do. I checked my bag for how many salsas I had as I love 3 salsas with my pollo bowl. I was given two salsas so I did politely asked for one more. I thanked the lady at the window and drove home.
I arrived home to eat my lunch and I noticed No napkins were in my bag. Thank goodness I didnt pull over to eat somewhere.
Overall great visit… Please pay attention to the small details. How many Salsa’s for your meals? Napkins for everyones meal included in the bag.
Thank you…

We recently found that El Pollo Loco offers a pretty healthy menu with a relatively low price tag making it a good value meal. We have tried out two other El Pollo Loco restaurants (Los Al and Buena Park) within a very short driving distance from our home but concluded that this location is the best in terms of food preparation, service, and ambience/​environment. We always do walk-​in dining. The clean interior of the restaurant feels inviting especially with a table next to a window. My wife likes the Chicken Avocado Tostada bowl and I prefer the 500 Calorie Black Bean Bowl (with chicken, avocado and broccoli). I typically ask them to give me more black beans in place of rice to make it a healthier meal. We also order a large tortilla soup to share. The soup is always hot, well-​seasoned, and brimming with strips of chicken — we then add cilantro and freshly cut tomato from condiment station to further enhance the taste. I have never had a bad experience eating at an El Pollo including at one in Lincoln Park. The only criticism I have is that the menu seems to change often (which to others may be a bad thing). We realize this is casual fast food not some fancy epicurean adventure so we set expectations accordingly and it’s well worth it.

Well let me start by do not do drive thru during peak times because they will forget stuff from your order.
Ok where to begin… Today I went during my lunch at work which is between 6:30 — 6:45 ish. It was somewhat crowded but the line seemed to move quickly until I was the next person up. Person before me had a big order, and they were taking almost 20 minutes to get the order. Ok, instead of having them wait in the drive-​thru, have them pull forward and take the quick orders. My lunch is usually 30 minutes so that gave me 10 minutes to get back to work and eat my food (5 to drive back and 5 to eat literally, and no I will not drive and eat a burrito as my car is stick shift.)
So customer gets their food, 85/​now 7:05 and I’m trying to rush back so that I can eat my food with whatever time I had left. I pull up to the window my total was given to me rudely, then gave the snobby ass clerk my card. He hands my food (which was sitting there waiting and cold already), and card, with no receipt and no drink. When I turned back to ask for my drink he closed the window on my face. If I didn’t have to go back to work they would’ve gotten a piece of my mind.
I got to work finished my burrito in 1 minute or so and ran back inside to make sure I wasn’t late, went outside to call and speak with a manager, but failed. The phone continued to ring for 3 minutes before I decided I hang up.
So moral of the story… Don’t go here to spend money and not get items that you pay for.
/​/​endrant

This is our second ell pollo location. First one had no chicken ready at 11:30am on Sunday. Is that not lunch time?!? This location might be same case, just not as honest… wait in drive through 15 minutes and counting with only two cars in front of us. Maybe they should have some chicken cooked by lunchtime??? Just saying

Came in for brunch and ordered the $ 5 bowl. Really filling for a great price. It comes with 2 tortillas. Don’t eat the chicken too fast though or you’ll end up with a bunch of rice lol

Orders are sloppily put together. I usally order a «Double chicken pollo bowl» literally receive 6 small pieces of chicken. I return to the store and I spoke to the manager, I said this is supposed to be a double chicken bowl where’s the chicken? He said there’s chicken on both sides that’s what makes it a double chicken bowl… really? I have been purchasing this product for the last 2 years and I know what it looks like… it’s marketed as double the chicken that you get in a normal chicken bowl hence the higher price.
This is sad excuse of a restaurant, this place is the worst and management are idiots… save your money, don’t go to this location. It’s overpriced for what you get you’re better off going to the location on beach and ball.

No avocado in my avocado chicken burrito! !! Wtf happened??? On my 30 min lunch break too so no time to go back and complain :(

Went near closing time and that was a mistake. The salad barely has pieces of chicken and far less avocado. Very unhappy for $ 8!

I finally made it to El Pollo Loco determined to try out the salads. Well, it was a royal waste.
I purposely waited until the lunch rush was over since this is a busy location.
I pull into drive thru and I hear static… I thought maybe it was broken. I pull up a little, nothing… I honk, nothing. I say hello and someone finally answers.
I order an Avocado Salad… No combo, just salad with an extra dressing .
I pay for my 8 dollar salad and drive away…
When I get to the office, I open my salad. Salad greens are wilted, brown and discolored. Peppers are soggy but ok. Dressing is tasteless. But the Chicken is fresh and juicy.
Oh, and I was charged for 2 containers of dressing, and only received 1 additional.
El Pollo Loco needs to stick to POLLO!

Not a single piece of chicken in the entire restaurant at 8pm, and they close at 10pm. They tell me they did not order enough. It’s a Saturday night, so I am assuming they are going to be shut down on Sunday because they don’t get deliveries on Sunday.
I think it is poorly managed and they have chicken, but waited too long to cook it.
Very poorly run business.

Went there on 4÷14÷15 for dinner. Went inside to order. Waited over 20 minutes for 2 burritos, 1 taco. There was at least 8 people working. One of the workers stated that they were short handed. Huh? What I seen was a lack of human resource management. Total chaos. Workers bumping into each other.
I usually go to the one on Cerritos and Seal Beach Blvd. They are much better.

You know it is hard to give a «fast» food 4 stars but I have been to this location three times in the last few weeks and each time the service was fast and the food was very good. I have ordered the half chicken with two sides and each piece of chicken was delicious and moist. The tortillas were fresh and the sides were all good.
Yeah, they deserve 4 stars.