El Pollo Loco — Restaurant in Los Angeles

There are some places whether mainstream or not that I want to keep to myself. I am constantly reminded of this movie where Sean Penn does not take a picture of a majestic cat high up in some mountains. The person with him is stunned by Sean’s action, but Sean explains some camera shots are best taken with your mind. Those are the priceless ones. This hidden gem is one of them. The inside might have changed throughout the years but the memories last a lifetime. So why write a review about them? Well some this place is not a secret and many people eat here and just enjoy the food. Others want to read that you are not wasting your money at some mismanaged place.

This is just a snapshot of when I went. I am sure the upkeep is above and pollo loco’s standard of cleanliness. Since sometime during Covid this pollo loco had a small salsa bar cart. That is no longer in use but it is left in the dining area as a grave reminder of how it used to be pre Covid. So post Covid you have to go up and ask at the counter for fresh Chile Serrano or a.k.a Serrano peppers. Which whoever was there supplier those peppers could not be messed with just by anybody. You needed to make sure you had a gut of steel to endure the fifty shades of green your stomach went through. They still do practice Covid guidelines. There is plastic dividing you and the cashier.

At the time of ordering. The scene was a mixed of good burger, colors and blood in blood out. Only with hats and not bandanas. The only color they were representing is black. As I’m placing order the cook is looking through a small order window while another employee is standing seven feet away, near the window. All these employees starring at you as if making sure you are just ordering and not some bad scene of a drug deal going bad. Still the feeling was more of a movie. I order two chipotle avocado burritos and a 2 pc leg and thigh meal. Now I broke my own protocol or tradition. I ordered the meal as an extra. Did not know that this meal did not have a drink included. By this time the guys for description purposes I will call the cook and the bouncer, are having a casual conversation after assessing I was just ordering and not there to cause trouble. So I’m looking at the menu and see that the meal that have drinks with them are described as having a drink those that don’t are replaced with some side entree of rice, beans, and Mac n cheese. So I go back and ask the cashier to assure what I ordered did in fact with a drink…. Or not. By this time the cook and the bouncer stop having a conversation to look at me as if to see if they needed to step in. I could see this through the corner of my eye. The cashier girl with a soft spoken voice tells it does not. So I ask if I could get charged for a drink. I pay I walk away.

Now the lobby has some customers or if it is preferred, guests. The guests are far apart in dining in tables as a reminder of post COVID’s unconscious mind set. Hey, when in Rome. We see a table that is not cleanest but it giving space to those other guests. There was food on the ground as if the guest turned zombie while eating what they ordered. Enough to know some thing happened but not enough to telll what this possible zombie feasted on. I get to sit down and a minute later my order is ready they call out the number. I get my order from the bouncer and walk back to my seat.

Now the food for the most part is what keeps us coming back. Some franchise don’t cook the chicken all the way, and I have seen actual blood and chicken juice drip out from one bite. We all know the light pink color thereafter exposing near the bone of the chicken. At the time I did not know about reviews. So yes this was years ago and that is mild ptsd. Still it is there where we have found throughout years that there has been consistency…. Until now. Not really on food quality but the making of the burrito. Seems like there is a special skill obtained to do this. A well wrapped burrito can go through about all the bites with out unwrapping. I know photos would have...

Would not recommending order catering from this restaurant. They do not plan according with large orders. I called 3 days in advanced to order 75 loco lunch boxes , ensured by the manager they could do it And would be ready at requested time , let her know it was for teachers appreciation luncheon and need to have it ready on time , again she said yes. Pickup time was for 10:45 got there at 10:50am and they hadn’t started the order because they booked another large order at the same time. The food was already paid for in advanced and I kept getting told 10 more minutes: I didn’t get the food until 12:15pm!!! By the time I got the order the teacher’s lunch was over! Not to Mention half the order was wrong , and none of the lunches has the churros that come with the meal. Paid for food we didn’t get , food that was wrong and was so late it couldn’t be enjoyed at designated lunchtime. Called the manager later to discuss what could be done to rectify , was told they couldn’t credit back any amount , she could probably give me the churros and all the side salads they messed up on (what we paid for) on Monday , but she wouldn’t be working that day and would leave a note for the other manager. I asked her to please discuss with the other manager what can be done (because I wouldn’t want to go back to pick up these items and end up waiting over an hour again )and to call Me back and what was decided. Never received...

This restaurant is by far the best El Pollo Loco location that I have visited. I always order ahead and take it to go. It's a little further away than some other locations l could go to, but it is worth the drive. The orders are almost always ready when I get there. They are also correct. I have been to other locations, and the order has always been wrong. The staff are very friendly and ask if there is anything that I need. This seems very rare compared to the other locations that I have visited. Today, when I arrived, the order was ready, and the gentleman behind the counter asked me to check it before he sealed the bag. He was very nice. Staff definitely have customer service skills, which is definitely a plus. I have not been disappointed any time I have visited this location. I have never actually eaten inside the restaurant, but it always seems clean. It's is always a great ...