El Pollo Loco

This place is good. Great fast food, not greasy. I would love to have one of these in Oregon.

it’s one if my fav places for grill chicken, but today I came and I usually get the same things & same side orders and I was very disappointed with the Mac & cheese it seems like the chance recipe and it’s not the same! so I guess no more of that for me!

This was our first, and last, trip to El Pollo Loco. The person taking the order did’t understand that I wanted 5 Chicken Avocado Tacos. These are advertised on their website and they are advertised on their commercials. I got to the drive up window and showed the employee a picture of the taco from their website that included a description of the taco. She had to call over the manager and they both looked at it like it was something from outer space. They seemed to finally understand and filled my order. When I got home, the tacos were all ice cold (5 minutes to my home) the chicken was filled with tendons and even pieces of bone. There was no avocado in three of the tacos and the two that had avocado was just a small amount hidden at the bottom of the tortilla. There were 3 containers of cilantro sauce and 2 containers of pico de gallo, keep in mind this is for 5 tacos. They charged me an outrageous amount of money for 5 Chicken Avocado Tacos (which only 2 of them really were). Needless to say, there are better fast food restaurants that serve what you order and especially know what is on their menus! Save your money and don’t go here for a Chicken Avocado Taco or you will be Loco for sure!

SHRIMP MARKETING ALERT. In order to add shrimp to the menu (i’ve been told by staff at different branches) they have DISCONTINUED THEIR EPIC CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS… this is like IN-​N-​Out discontinuing Fries… the Crispy Chicken Tacos have been ranked among the best fast food items in the United States, and yet… they have suddenly DISCONTINUED CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS… in fact one cashier told me they were «only a promotion anyway»…a promotion for 10 years says i… NEW COKE MOMENT. CORPORATE BRILLIANCE? They’ve lost an enthusiastic lifetime customer.

Update: I was so angry last night that I also emailed El Pollo Loco and today one of their associates called me and (finally) apologized about the situation and that they would have a meeting with the people involved and comp me a free meal (at a different location). I don’t have anything against the El Pollo Loco chain as a whole and I’m glad they at least have some people who understand how business works and how you’re supposed to apologize instead of stare at and ignore an angry customer.
I updated it to 2 stars because I really do like their chicken and appreciate their call, but I won’t be heading back to this location any time soon.
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Looking at my review history, I should write more good reviews (there are many great places to eat), but I’m more inclined to write a bad review when my experience has been so bad that I shake while writing the review.
This is a 1 star review «Eek! Methinks not» because a 2 star review is «Meh. I’ve experienced better» and I have experienced WAY better it’s not even close.
For privacy reasons I won’t reveal the name of the elderly female cashier employee that I’ve had multiple bad experiences with. She has always been very rude taking my order and has messed up one of my catering orders that resulted in me not getting reimbursed the full amount.
Here was today’s experience that pushed me off the edge:
Cashier: One minute please.
Me: Ok.
Cashier: Here or to go?
Me: (misheard her) I’d like the two piece meal please.
Cashier: FOR HERE OR TO GO?
Me: (Already angry) Here. I’d like the two piece meal.
Cashier: Leg and thigh or breast and wing?
Me: Two thighs please.
Cashier: (Sigh) THAT WILL BE EXTRA.
Me: That’s fine
Cashier: What sides?
Me: Corn and…
Cashier: CORN ON THE COB OR CUT CORN?
Me: Cut corn.
Cashier: WHAT OTHER SIDE?
Me: Fries. And just a water cup.
Cashier: UGH
And then guess what? SHE MESSED UP MY ORDER ANYWAY GIVING ME A LEG AND THIGH. I told her that I asked for two thighs. She sighed again, grabbed another thigh, slapped it down on my tray, and said «enjoy» in a sarcastic tone. I was so angry that I barely started eating before going back up to the counter and asking to speak to the manager. Now the manager was a younger female and I told her that I was very unhappy with how rude the cashier has been to me on multiple occasions. I told her this right in front of the cashier. Now I’m not even sure if the young lady was even the manager, because she just stared at me and didn’t say anything. No apology, no offer to make it better. As I walk away, the cashier mumbles something along the lines of «Yeah I’m so rude that I gave him a free piece of chicken.» First of all, I didn’t care about getting 3 pieces of chicken, which is why I ordered a 2 piece meal. Second, OF COURSE YOU GAVE ME ANOTHER PIECE OF CHICKEN BECAUSE YOU MESSED UP MY ORDER.
I’ve been to this location so many times that one of the previous workers would recognize me and give me a discount. I’m extremely angry at this experience, the cashier, and how the manager handled the situation. I will not be going back again, will not be getting catering from them, and next time I’m in the area looking for food with anybody, I will suggest Qdoba, Subway, Little Caesars, or any of the other places in the area before this El Pollo Loco.

The customer service is amazing. The lady (Laura) in the drive through is sweet and very on top of it!!! I LOVE to eat at the CRAZY CHICKEN!

After an initial bad experience here, I gave it one more shot to see if they were just off their game that day. The answer is no. They are always off their game.
The first time I went through the drive through, and ordered a family meal to take back home. I checked the bags and everything seemed in order, but upon unpacking at home found we had some problems. The salsas I had requested were not there, they got two out of three of the sides wrong (wrong kind of beans and corn on the cobb rather than cut) and the food was just, for lack of a better term, gross. The beans were cold, the corn was withered and dry, and the chicken was suffering from all of the above, The skin was actually wrinkled it had been sitting for so long, and my drive home was about five minutes from the store. That was strike one.
I went back during lunch a few weeks later, as I wanted one of their salads I used to like getting from an El Pollo back in LA. Got home with it, and once again, wrong dressing, no extra salsa as requested, and a wilted and watery salad that I couldn’t even finish.
I realize this is fast food but they should have a few standards. This is by far the worst El Pollo I have ever been to, and it’s unfortunate because this would otherwise be a fresher option in the sea of greasy fast food places that is NW Reno.
Tl:dr– El Pollo No No.

THIS is what El Pollo Loco wishes all their Reno-​Sparks restaurants were like. Clean place, great food and a staff that is friendly and helpful. They go out of their way to make you happy here! No arguments over taking their own coupons, and no employees talking trash in Spanish.

This is the BEST El Pollo Loco in town! I have eaten here about 75 times, and it’s consistently delicious.
I enjoy the Chicken Taco Salad w/​Avocado and Bacon. I have a strong appetite and it fills me up.
The Double Chicken Bowl, I save for days when I get my Dragon appetite.
The service is great, the food is fresh made, and comes out in a reasonable amount of time.
TIP 1: Get the churro for desert!
TIP 2: Get the churro for desert, take it home add it ice cream and then add chocolate syrup over the concoction!

The food is always great, it’s a place that my whole family likes and that is a bonus. The staff on the other hand are not so great. Ordering in the drive thru is a joke, they person on the other end can never hear you correctly. It seems as though most of the staff doesn’t speak English very well and they get mad at you when they don’t understand you. My order always has to be corrected at the window and it usually takes more than one person to fix it.

REALLY loved the food. My goodness there was a LOT of it! Great seasoning, and fresh. We had gotten a mail coupon, so thought we would give it a try. The service wasn’t very good, once the server saw my coupon. Maybe she felt inconvenienced by it, but the food itself was spectacular. So, we give it a 3 as the service could have been friendlier.

great food as usually cheap fast fresh …

Reallly good burritos! I have tried the Chicken poblano and Avacado chicken burritos. Fresh and flavorful!

Probably the best fast food in NW.

My favorite «fast food» place! I don’t even think it should be considered fast food – it’s healthy compared to nearby places like McDonalds or Taco Bell. It’s always crowded and the service is good. I like the chicken tacos the best, and can’t get enough of the jalapeño sauce packets!

This is what all fast food places should aspire to be. I generally try to avoid the stuff but El Pollo Loco is exceptionally fresh.
The customer service is efficient and they always make their best effort to make sure your order’s right.
I just went to El Pollo Loco for the first time EVER two weeks ago. I remember biting into the twice-​grilled burrito and thinking, «Where have you been my whole life?» Now I have a substance abuse problem.

I have to say that I really like their chicken. The 2 stars are for service. Today I took my kids and went through the drive through. I got a family meal including the side salad. I had to wait forever while the person taking my order giggled to herself and asked me to hold on. Finally I get to the window and ask for an extra dressing for the salad and she told me I had to pay extra for it. I just spent $ 30 and you are going to charge me $.49 for sauce. I told her it had never been a problem and I had been given extra many times. I left pretty mad and called when I got home. The manager said she was right there when I came and the girl told her I asked for 4 or 5. I did not. I have never asked for more than 1 but I did tell her in the past when I asked for an extra I had been given 4 or 5. The manager said it would be $.25 extra. Is it really worth it to alienate a person who comes on average once a week and spends $ 30 a time over either $.49 or $.25 depending on who you talk to. Doesn’t seem like good business sense to me. The manager offered no solution except to say the girl was confused.
The best part was that when I got home and went through the bag, I was actually shorted on the dressing I did pay for. Good thing there is a very well run Papa Murphy’s in the same shopping center.

As far as fast food goes, it’s pretty healthy. A chicken breast is only around 225 calories and if you get it with the house salsa it is delicious.

When is the last time you went to fast food restaurant and the staff members remembered your name? That’s what makes this place so welcoming and unique. I wont go to ANY other fast food restaurant in Reno. This is the only one. Period.
Oh and btw… the food is good too… stick with the chicken on the bone, if you can. But the Pollo Bowls are a favorite of mine also.
The salsa bar has gotten a little runny in recent months, not sure if that’s due to the recent tomato blight or what. But hopefully they get it back to the quality that it used to be.

As far as fast food chicken goes, this is the best in town. The «plain» chicken is good, and if you’re in the neighborhood and contemplating going to Qdoba for one of their «wet stew» burritos (compliments to Unilocaler Jay C. for so aptly describing Qdoba) I’d recommend you swing by this place for a chicken burrito instead.
The pollo asado is my favorite burrito here, packed with dark meat, guacamole, cilantro, salsa, and nothing else. They don’t have it on their posted menu these days, but they’ll still crank one out if you ask.
For fast food it’s relatively healthy (assuming you don’t have high blood pressure and that you’ll eat some vegetables at your next meal). There’s better Mexican to be had in Reno, but on days when I’m feeling lazy enough to eat fast food I’m usually feeling too lazy to drive across town.