El Pollo Tote Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Omaha

Wow, just wow. El Pollo Tote is one of those hidden treasures of Omaha. The city has its fried and grilled chicken joints all around, but this place is different, this food is something special.

I ordered out and got the standard chicken platter with two sides. The succulent chicken was savory and blanketed in flavorful spices. The aroma was smoky and the adobo penetrated the meat well, so every bite was delightful. The slight smokiness elevated the flavor of the meat. The chicken was juicy and tender. Quite honestly, nothing compares to the flavor here, its so good it should be illegal.

The refried beans had so much delicious flavor that paired well with the rice, which was also perfectly seasoned. Additionally, I ordered the cucumber water and was very impressed with how refreshing it was. It paired well with the dish. This meal was fit for anyone venturing for new flavors.

What keeps me from rating this joint a 5 is the ambiance and slightly disfunctional service. I was slightly confused as to the restaurant's identity. I come in expecting a full on chicken joint but walk in and see what feels like a half night club, half bar, half restaurant. I think this place is still trying to find its identity, but it should quite honestly focus on the food because that's what is going to keep me coming back. I highly recommend this restaurant to all you foodies out there, it was well...

I saw a 1 star review that said the food was good but no one spoke English, it was loud, and the service was lacking. I headed to El Pollo Tote immediately after such a rave review. Finally a good truly authentic Mexican place in the Midwest?? Could it be? Say it isn't so, cowboy!!

And indeed it was as good as promised. Most Mexican places in the Midwest aren't the real deal. People think that Tex Mex is Mexican. They think that burritos, fajitas, and Nachos with "queso" are Mexican. Which is why I knew immediately that that was the rave review that I'd been looking for.

Bad English? Bad service? Bad atmosphere? Great tacos? Sign me up! Who cares about the rest, that means they're the real deal. You're there for the food, cowboy. Plus it's not entirely true: it's welcoming, you just have to be understanding.

And indeed OH MY goodness the carnitas were moist and delectable. They tasted a lot like really good suadero, in fact. And the chicken was better than most. That's all I had for now, will have to be back to try...

The food is usually good but kind of overpriced to me. I always have to wait a pretty long time in the drive thru for a couple items. Had to wait about 30 minutes the last time I went for one torta and two milkshakes. They didn't hear me order the second milkshake I guess so I had to wait another 5 minutes for that once I got my order the first time. You'd think they would have automatically compensated me or something for the wait & having to wait again for the milkshake I ordered in the first place. Like I said, the food is usually good. My mom ordered 2 tortas the other day as well & a fry. She was told 25 mins till its ready. She walked up there (we live close by) once 25 mins had gone by & it still wasn't ready. The wait & prices to me isn't worth it...