Don Pollo of Gaithersburg — Restaurant in Maryland

I've always had subpar experiences when it came to Don Pollo & I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt but still just lets me down.

Came in today & wasn't greeted very well, wasn't so busy but didn't bother me, I've had the chicken here & I'm not a much of a fan but today it was the only place around I could go to eat. Decided to try the Lomo Saltado here & for $17 plus a can coke totaling all together $20.45, I felt slighted as soon as I got my food.

First impressions it looked great however when it came to finally taste it it wasn't what I was expecting, maybe I was expecting too much? but I continued. I was only given around 8-9 little pieces of cut steak which was slightly a bit chewy, the flavor wasn't as bold either. There was definitely a overkill on onions, peppers, & veggies. It was served with some white rice which let me be honest wasn't as great as it should've been for plain white rice.

Paying $17 for a lomo saltado for the quantity I was given wasn't worth it. Taste wasn't worth it as well, I've had Lomo Saltado from different places who have actually done way better. You could say I set myself up expecting some good steak from a place known for mostly its chicken but there should at least be some balance between the foods, as I said before the chicken here isn't all that as well. I'm giving them a 3 star because of the short wait time & the soda. Place I spacious & clean as well but the food is where they fall short.

Would I recommend this place? sure if you're hungry enough to eat some semi decent chicken. Would I recommend the steak? No I would not. Save your money & buy yourself something...

I have been to several Don Pollo locations. I think, this is is the best one by far. First, speaking of flavor, I think this is the closest you can find in our area to the original Peruvian roasted chicken flavor. The seasoning, not too much, not too little. The seasoning will not overwhelmed you. You can actually enjoy the flavor of the chicken meat and it is cooked in a way that is not dry at all, and juicy enough for you to enjoy a good meal. The french fries and the yucca are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. They are very careful with the way they cook the yucca and fries. If by any chance you have your fries or yucca too dark/dry, don't hesitate to share that with the servers or manager, they will change your side in a jiffy. That happened to me only once after all my visits to Don Pollo. What I have never had is my yuca or french fries soaking in oil or in a way were I bite one of those two and oil is dripping from my yucca or fries. I had that experience, sadly, in another location and also at the competition. That never happened to me at the Gaithersburg location. I also like that they use real silverware and not plastic. That is a plus for me. They use real plates, as well. The location is always clean and their music volume is not high (despite if you like the music or not) like once happened to my family when we visited the location that is next to Montgomery Mall. It was a very uncomfortable meal time. In overall, I think this Don Pollo location has the roasted Peruvian chicken that resembles more the...

I've visited this establishment about 4 times. My first two visits were Amazing. The service is fast, the place is clean, the worker are courteous and the food WAS on point. However, my third vist I got the Steak Rice Bowl. The rice was over cooked, it was more like grits. I decided a few weeks later to give them another try while on my lunch break. This time I decided to go back to the chicken quarter dark meat with fries. I got back to work, bit into the chicken and it was NOT cook all the way through, it was slimy and blood in the center. I didn't have time to go back, I was so disappointed. I just threw it in the garbage. After speaking with other co-workers they've have had similar experiences and refuse to go back there due to the chicken not being properly cooked. This notice just popped up on my phone to write a review several days after my visit. Had I known I would have taken pictures because you know what they say "A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words". I won't say that I will NEVER go back but, I will definitely check my Chicken BEFORE walking...