Pollo Campero

I’m still pondering how to best evaluate this chicken chain. I guess it can be somewhat compared to Popeyes or KFC, but with a Latino influence. I think it compares very favorably with both of those, possibly surpassing them with the fried offerings.
I came with a groupon for $ 20 and was able to sample almost all of their menu items, my favorites were the fried and to a lesser extent the grilled. Both were moist inside and the grilled had a nice citrus flavor. My only critique of it would be that it needs slightly more contact with the grill surface area, maybe a brick or weight to help cook the skin a bit more. The fried version was nice and crispy without being oily, and the inside had a seasoned taste probably from a brine or marinade. The chicken bowl was ok, fried or pulled chicken atop rice and black beans, a bit over salted. Camperitos are their version of tenders, pretty good and I think kids would enjoy these. My last items were the empanadas, I should have asked what flavors they had, my 4 pack seemed to contain at least 3 different types, only one of which I liked. The dough is flakier than I was expecting, I guess I’ve never had a chain version of them before. Of the various fillings, a red chicken one suited me, the others not so much.
There is a small condiment bar where you can help yourself to pico de gallo, onion and cilantro, red salsa and jalapeños. Along with the usual soft drink choices you can even get horchata, Jamaica or tamarindo. Unilocalers take note, free flan with checkin, it was ok, for free totally worth it. Service was friendly but a bit slow and a few items were not added to my bag. Missing were the tortillas and also fries that should have come with the tenders.
I’m kind of undecided if I will return. Groupons still seem to be available so that would be an incentive. But it’s location is such that I would pass by better Mexican choices to get there. I’m also not a huge fried chicken fan. If you are, get a deal and give them a try.

So I’m on a quest to find good friend chicken and empanadas for my daughters graduation party in June. I came across this place here on Unilocal.Since it’s not that far from my job and my best friends new town home we decided to hop on over and check it out.
I went specifically for chicken and empanadas. Didn’t order anything additional. The chicken was fried nice and crisp. The first piece I tried was a wing. It tasted very good, had a nice citrusy undertone to it. The second piece I tried was a leg. What happened here? Was this piece absent when the seasonings were added? It was lacking the same flavor of the wing piece. My daughter, the future graduate tried the same pieces. She thought the chicken was good but contends she likes Shoprite fried chicken better. Shoprite is not bad but tends to be very greasy and not as crisp. The decision rests with her. But we’re still looking.
On to the chicken empanadas. I got the regular. It had a strange limey taste to it that just didn’t resonate well with me. Maybe I’ll try another kind but that one was a no no for me. She on the other hand actually like it.
So all in all Pollo Campero is a decent enough chicken spot. The restaurant itself was spacious and appeared to be clean. I got my food to go. The staff and manager were all guide friendly
Oh I had an offer for a free flan or tres leches cake. Ended up with the flan as they were out of cake. I’ve never had flan before. Or at least I don’t remember ever having it. This was just meh

The food was nice, the service was great, and the restaurant was clean. For being in a run-​down area of Trenton, this actually surprised me. Their fried chicken was good, and so was their citrus grilled chicken. Their cilantro lime sour cream was good, and the salsa bar was a nice touch. Would go back again if I was in the mood for chicken!

The chicken was awesome sides were good unfortunately they ran a chicken while we were there but worth going to again

When you find yourself in Trenton, you will find that the food options are fairly bleak. We headed straight to Pollo Campero from the train station and ordered a couple pieces of chicken and the chicken bites meal. The service is remarkably friendly, and no matter what you ask for (can I get two thighs instead of a thigh and drumstick, or can I get a tres leches from the Unilocal checkin?), they will nod and smile most agreeably, but when your order comes out, nothing will resemble anything you wanted, but you’ll eat it anyway, because it’s Pollo Campero. The chicken is slightly more flavorful than your standard Popeye’s, with a limey, salty kick, but it’s nothing particularly extraordinary, but no one should expect extraordinary for a $ 12 meal for two people. So cheap !

Excellent.
After trying this place you will not go back to KFC, Popeyes etc.
Clean location in a challenging part of town … safe enough during the day, but take care at night. Its not the worst part of Trenton, but lets face it, its still Trenton. Wrong turns around the place might place you in not so great area’s. As long as you have GPS though and understand urban settings you’ll be OK.
Parking can be tricky (only two spots on the frontage) but you normally find a spot on the street (metered).
Inside its clean, large, well lit location with awesome product — excellent chicken, crispy and spicy with a lemony hit and its cheaper than KFC/​Popeyes. They got a fixin’s bar. Lots of families and a few cops when I went.

You can’t get better fried chicken or grilled chicken in Trenton than this place.
I have gotten catering from here several times. Fried chicken, grilled chicken, plantains, rice, campero beans, empanadas and salsas. Perfect catered lunch.
I also like to go and eat at Pollo because the chicken is crispy and juicy. The flavor is unique to Pollo Campero and very addictive. Order an extra piece of chicken. Trust me.
I always get the Horchata when I go as well. Tres le he’s cake is also good.
Now I have to go tomorrow because the review has given me a craving for Pollo Campero.

The fried chicken is so delicious. I enjoyed their spicy chicken empanadas as well. The rice is pretty good, although I find it is significantly improved by adding some fresh cilantro and onions to it from their salsa bar. Their Maduro Platano (sweet plantains) are on point and very enjoyable.

ANOTHER FAILED CHAIN.
I was looking for a good fried chicken joint since my favorite place El Pollo Loco closed down. First off, it’s not that cheap. I don’t mind paying money for something good but this place was a total letdown based on all the good reviews on Unilocal regarding this chain. Unless the chicken is training for the olympics, this was one super rubbery, hard piece of meat I had to wash down with some mediocre horchata. Maduros were decent but I didn’t go there cause I was craving sweet plantains. I had better fried chicken bought from Shoprite!
Note to self: I guess I have to go back to eating Popeyes.

Get your fried chicken fix here. A delicious alternative to the generic fast food. Pollo Compero is a Latin American chain, and it is good. The chicken itself is juicy, crispy, and very well seasoned. The sides are good, go for the compero rice and beans. Warm tortillas are a nice complement. Got some good horchata too. The flan is a sugar bomb, intoxicatingly sweet.
It is really hard to get good fried chicken. Fortunately, this place does it right.

This is pretty good for a restaurant in Trenton. Too bad not many good restaurants are around Trenton. Thank God we have this one. Whenever we visit Trenton, we’d have to drive 15 minutes from this city to get something for lunch or dinner. It was crazy, but it’s true. The service here was good and all. I love Pollo Campero. So, this is a nice place to eat in.

We LOVE Pollo Campero! We enjoyed it in Guatemala, Washington DC and Orlando and were thrilled to have one open closer to home. The restaurant was clean, food was fresh and delicious and I felt like the manager was so helpful and friendly. He answered all of my questions (we have some dietary challenges) without issue. We will definitely return.

They don’t deliver & online ordering doesn’t work. Good food but I must admit not good enough to pick-​up on while Eagles vs. giants is on

I guess you have to possess fond memories of Pollo Campero from your childhood or hometown to fully appreciate the specialness of this place. It is a bright and happy place, and the food gets to your table quickly with a smiling face attached. But, after taking a big bite out of their famous Chicken the party comes to an end rather quickly.
True, the chicken is fresh and juicy, and has a citrus and chili flavor going on to tickle the taste buds. But, after that the experience is rather flat. The side dishes are ordinary (beans, coleslaw, taters, etc.), and the drinks are generic except for the Horacha, which was too sweet and tasted like it was from a mix.
As fast chicken goes, this is a reasonable alternative to the Colonel or Popeye’s, but not as good as a Bojangles or Cluck-​U. There are other Guatemalan restaurants in Trenton that make great fried chicken in a much more unique and pleasant atmosphere. If you have the time and sense of adventure, you should try them and compare.

I still remember the first time I had Pollo Campero. I was at Downtown Disney, and wandered in there almost by accident. The Guatemalan style fried chicken is a revelation, and I’m enthralled to have it close to home.
Whether you get it grilled or fried, the chicken is marinated in garlicky, citrusy goodness. They also have beans, bowls and authentic sides like sweet plantains, yucca fries, and black or red beans. The combos are served with warm soft, tortillas and I always make myself a little fried chicken taco with the Yucca fries and some of the tomatillo salsa.
They have some unique refrescos (sodas) like Horchata (a rice drink with cinnamon), Rosà de Jamaica (hibiscus), and Tamarindo (tamarind) as well as all the usual (Pepsi) fountain drinks.
Yes, it’s not in the best part of town, but it is well worth the trip! Far and away the best fried chicken in the area.

Living in Guatemala, taking the family to Pollo Campero was a Sunday ritual. Whenever we flew home the plane used to smell like paradise from all bags of Pollo Campero people were bringing back to the U.S. for their homesick compatriots.
I was stoked to learn the chain had opened a location in Trenton, because before that we had to go to DC to get it. The juicy, tender chicken with its savory crunchy skin is like crack — you can’t stop eating it. The sides are delicious, authentic Guatemalan dishes like black or red beans, sweet plantains, white or yellow rice, and condiments like pico de gallo and spicy tomatillo sauce. Besides the usual sodas, authentic refrescos (drinks) are available: horchata (a rice drink), rosa de jamaica (hibiscus) and tamarindo (tamarind). You can get corn tortillas on the side, or little white rolls.
I don’t think it’s excessive for us to drive 35 miles for Pollo Campero. We do it whenever we get a chance for this special treat.
Street parking can be tight, but you can also use a small lot a couple of doors down.

Absolutely gross. I visited this place today around 2:30 pm for the first time and became violently ill immediately after eating here. I wouldn’t be surprised if other people became ill today too if they also had what I had. Eat here at your own risk. I had fried chicken, campero rice and beans. I would give it no stars and call the health department if I could.

Amazing food! The chicken is really juicy and flavorful. I had the pleasure of eating here while I was driving back to NYC. I never heard of this place before but took a chance out of sheer hunger and boy was I glad I did. The chicken is great. The staff is really friendly — im one of those that asks hundeds of questions regarding ingredients and food preparation. The manager answered all the questions I had. It also has great sides and desserts. I’ll be back!

Working in the culinary wasteland that is Trenton, my co-​workers and I were so excited when we found out that Pollo Campero had opened. Although it’s a chain, I’ve never been to one before.
The chicken is great-​not too spicy but never dry or bland. The sides (and we’ve tried them all) have all been great. Plantains, beans and rice-​all have been authentic. So far, everything on the menu has been a hit. The prices are all very, very reasonable too.
It’s already entered the weekly rotation into our lunchtime feedings.

I was in Trenton meeting with a vendor the other day and saw a Pollo Campero and immediately thought:
They have these OUT HERE?!
Hell, they’re hard to come by in Cali and Texas. I guess I didn’t expect too much Central American style chicken in Central Jersey. But yea, you locals really need to try it out — this isn’t exactly a type of chicken that you come by everyday. Their staple item is the Guatemalan style fried chicken, although the grilled chicken is delicious as well… really marinated and rubbed well and FULL of flavor! They also have bowls and burritos, though I have not tried them and can’t comment.
Bottom line is this: If you want some really kick ass grilled or fried chicken, then Pollo Campero is the place for you.
The chicken is marinated in a garlicky limey bath before being grilled or deep fried. You just cant resist eating it all. Even the skin. Its just hard to describe how good it is.
Go there. Try it. Don’t worry. They speak English, too.