El Pollo Loco

3 stars because I’ve had some ok food here, but the last thing I ate was more like 1.5 stars. I like that they let you keep your coupons if you use any, helpful to try to get you to come back.
Their food is decent, as long as you don’t stray from the main offering: chicken. The shrimp bowl I had, had very few shrimp and they were pretty tough to eat, like they’d been sitting for a while after being cooked. They ask if you want corn/​flour tortillas or chips on the side, I went for the flour tortillas. They had a really hard spot on the edge, about a half inch or so, like it had been hanging out of the package and got really dried out.
The salsa bar was ok, just ask for bigger containers if you’re taking food to go. Don’t bother trying to put the lids on the tiny salsa containers at the bar, the lids warp really easily and are hard to put on. Just use them when dining in to save time.

I would totally eat here way more if it was a little bit closer to be, maybe North of Oceanside BLVD, oh yeah and bring the Wendy’s next door with you too. Swap out the 8 McDonalds in Oceanside north of the 78. Yes that’s the highest concentration of McDonalds in San Diego. Smdh
I consider El Pollo Loco healthy, at least in comparison to what I get at basically every other Mexican, Taco, Tex mex place around. Pollo bowl, pico, roja, extra avo salsa. Plenty of carbs in rice and beans, consistent and decent chicken, onions, cilantro, pico. When I say extra avo green salsa I’m talking like 4 scoops, plus an extra on the side for my flour tortillas and a soda. $ 5 and change.
It’s no nonsense, hard to screw up. It has color contrast, texture, flavor, a hint of heat and I can shovel it into my pie hold pretty darn quickly. I mostly come here after night time bike rides when I don’t feel like getting weighed down by a burger, sandwich or my typical burrito. I love the avo salsa so much I’ll literally go to Wendy’s if they are out (and since I go close to close they won’t make a fresh batch). It kind of becomes a soupy mess, but whatever. I like it, a lot, thinking about it now as I type this. Had it lastnight and might get it again today. You have to admit that flame grilled chicken is way better than other fast food.
The service is pretty good, plenty of staff keeping it clean, recently upgraded bathroom fixtures, Reminds me of a Starbucks, but just a little better. The décor has been upgraded with some flair, color and there is plenty of seating. The only real draw back here is the parking lot, it’s small and the drive thru can block the spots. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to put a Wendy’s RIGHT NEXT to it, basically crowding the whole plaza. Now it doesn’t get that busy, but I come near close. Unlike most places that are eager to kick people out, even near close, here they are more welcoming. They have the best lids for sauce and drinks in the fast food industry, unlike Taco bell who has the worst. I know what you are thinking 5 star a fast food place, but I personally have had nothing, but wonderful experiences here and until I do it’s money in my eyes.

I really their chicken but for some strange reason. This place in particular can’t seem to get my order right. Today marks the 4^th time that we went through the drive thru and got short changed. So from now on, I don’t care about the people behind waiting in line but I’m checking my huge orders regardless. Seems like when they are busy they seem to just throw stuff together and make it look like it’s all there in hopes you don’t check your order. Poor employees inside can’t read what’s on the screen and love cheating people. El pollo management needs to test their employees or they need to fire management.

Great service! Can’t say enough about El pollo always great service and great food and prices. The tostada salad is my go to. But Loco Street tacos are good. Thanks El pollo loco!

Amazing service! Everyone was super friendly and the food quality was great. Best Pollo Loco.

ultimate double chicken tostada.

Very professional workers specifically April. She had great customer service and my order was quick and correct! Will definitely be coming back ! Thank you April

Two times in a row I have asked for avocado salsa while ordering from the drive thru and I haven’t gotten them. How hard is it to listen? I guess I’ll just have to drive to the melrose location because they seem to listen better.

Savory salsas, and no extra charge for guacamole? Yes please! Always friendly staff greeting you and saying «welcome» as you enter, my personal favorite is the Double Chicken bowl without cabbage. Hearty portions that are sure to leave you satisfied. I love everything about this place!

I was quite impressed. Had one of the $ 5 bowls. Caesar bowl. Came with a drink and two tortillas. Filled me up, had there chicken, lettuce and rice.

The food is good, the location not great, but the employees are always very nice.

This place is a good place. What we order is so good. The rice is so yummy. I like the chicken burrito. It is so delicious. The people that work there are very nice. This place is not very clean, but it is ok. I will still go back again.

Everything here is always so good. Staff always welcomes you when you walk through the front door. It’s my favorite place to get a fast, delicious bite to eat.

What a wonderful staff! Thank you so much! For making my sons graduation party so successful!

While driving to Valley View Casino (the actual casino, not the venue), Karen and I wanted something fast and Unilocaled this EPL. Its located off the 78 and College Blvd, right next to a Wendy’s.
The configuration of this lot is weird. If you turn into the parking lot too early, you’ll find yourself in a small area of the parking lot, trapped between the 2 drive thrus of EPL and Wendy’s, and there’s no way to get out. Try to skip the first driveway and park adjacent to Wendy’s and walk over. Be cautious of the drive thru patrons, as we found out NONE of them stopped for pedestrians.
The inside of this EPL is clean and has a good set up for groups, if you are lucky enough to get tables adjacent to each other. The bad part is when the sun goes down, there’s not much in terms of hiding the glare of the sunset.
At 6:30 pm, there were plenty of chickens on the grill, and the line at the drive thru was long. I ordered the 2 pc dark meat combo and was given a number for the staff to deliver my meal. What service! I don’t have to get my own food.
You’d think being peak time my chicken would be moist and tender. Granted, it was piping hot, but it was over cooked. The thigh was pressed so hard against the bone, the skin was actually chewy. Thigh meat is usually juicy, and this was a bit on the dry side. Obviously they accounted for the dinner rush and made most of the meat ahead of time, sitting on the fire to keep warm.
Nonetheless, I will still give this place 4 stars. The order came correct, the place was clean, and even the ladies’ room was impressively clean. I even bookmarked this place in case I needed a stop for my next casino road trip, or just needed the coordinates for the Starbucks drive thru located across the parking lot.

This place sucks… as someone who has worked food service and directly with customers, the service here is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. Not the first time I have had a bad experience from this specific location… will never go here again.

Jose’s missed me again because the mean girl is still there. We had a couple of burritos here. The chickens Chipotle is good with lots of flavor. Never an attitude here… like other places. My girl likes it also. We will keep coming back everytime that mean girl is at jose’s

My wife begs to go to this location because is new and clean. I prefer the Mission location because prices are cheaper. But here you pay extra for better service. They usually have a guy that brings you the food. I LOVE THE SALSA BAR! Serano chiles!

Bella es muy formal tuvieron confusion.con.mi pedido y al siguiente dia me lo arreglaron dando la orden que era gracias

I’ve been a long-​time patronizer of El Pollo Loco restaurants. It’s my go-​to place when I need fast, economical, relatively healthy food, on the go. My kids love it, too! This location far exceeds my experiences with this chain. The crew always warmly greets you when you walk in and throughout your visit, the food is consistently great! I am particularly excited by their newest menu item, the Build-​your-​own-​Bowl. I can add only the items I like, and nothing I don’t. And their carnitas rivals any I’ve had from any restaurant anywhere! Always a great experience. They always get a bell ring from me when I leave!

I was visiting San Clemente and like all of my trips I tend to stick with what I know while keeping it cheap & healthy. Of course I could have found closer places to eat while staying in San Clemente but I needed to head to San Diego and decided to look for restaurants along the way and that is when I found this El Pollo Loco.
This El Pollo Loco was located right off of the 78 freeway at College which is only a short distance from the 5 freeway, my main destination.
This El Pollo Loco is located in a large shopping center and offers plenty of parking. During my visit I found the parking lot to empty, I tend to eat during off hours.
I walked into this El Pollo Loco and was stoked to find no line. I walked up to the cashier and ordered my usual 3 piece combo (Breast & Wings) super well done and when I say ‘well done’ I mean really burnt. The sides I tend to always go with the same side salad no dressing, no cheese, pinto or black beans and corn tortillas. I load up my salad with the condiments provided by El Pollo Loco (Tomatoes, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo & creamy cilantro).
At most El Pollo Loco’s when my food is ready it is not burnt enough and I have to send my food back to be cooked even more, not at this location. During all of my visits my food was cooked right the first time and that signals ‘attention to detail.‘
I found the staff here to working as a team, during the down time of my visits not a single employee behind the counter was sitting around with their hands in their pockets. One employee was cooking while the others tended to the condiments section to ensure it was spotless while another employee swept & mopped the floors.
My food was outstanding, had the right crisp to it, the condiment area was spotless and stocked fully, the restaurant looked clean, smelled clean and so did the bathroom. You can guarantee when visiting a restaurant or the home of a friend ‘dirty bathroom’ means ‘dirty kitchen,’ that rule has never failed me.
I only wish I lived closer to this El Pollo Loco location because if I did I would be visiting this spot 5 – 6 times a week, I love me some El Pollo Loco.
Without a doubt I will be stopping by this location again and again and again.