Pollo Campero — Restaurant in Ontario

As longtime fans of Pollo Campero, with experience ranging from their origins in Guatemala to various US locations, including this Ontario spot, my recent experience was a significant disappointment. We made the drive specifically to pick up a large 20-piece order to enjoy at home, craving that signature Campero flavor. Unfortunately, this was the second consecutive time that this Ontario location has severely overcooked and essentially burnt the chicken. While we gave them a pass the first time, this repeated issue is unacceptable. The chicken pieces were a dark brown, tasted distinctly burnt, and were consequently very dry—a far cry from the moist, flavorful chicken we know and love. We realized the extent of the issue only after getting home, making for a frustrating reveal for the whole family, especially after spending \bm{\$86.78}. To add to the disappointment, the rice was also noticeably undercooked. We ended up eating some of the chicken simply because we were already home and had no immediate alternative, but the experience left a genuinely bad taste in our mouths. I appreciate that when we reached out to the location, they offered to replace the order. However, given this was the second time we received substandard, burnt food from this specific kitchen, we declined the replacement—we frankly had no confidence in the preparation quality and didn't want to make the drive again. They did offer a refund, and we are waiting to see if they honor that commitment. For now, based on two consecutive and very poor experiences, this specific Pollo Campero location has unfortunately lost a loyal customer. The consistent failure to properly cook the chicken and sides has made the drive and cost not worthwhile. We will be taking our Campero...

I was excited to try the new Guatemalan-based chicken restaurant that recently opened in Ontario, especially since it promised a unique take on grilled chicken similar to El Pollo Loco. Unfortunately, my experience was less than stellar.

What We Ordered:

• Grilled Chicken • Rice and Beans • Tortillas

The Positives: The grilled chicken had a decent flavor, which was promising at first. The meat was cooked well, and the seasoning hinted at potential, but it was overshadowed by one major flaw – the saltiness. It was just too salty, making it hard to enjoy the natural flavors of the chicken.

The Negatives: The rice and beans were very lackluster. They didn’t have the vibrant, savory taste I was hoping for and felt quite bland. As for the tortillas, they were average and didn’t add much to the meal.

Another significant downside was the communication barrier. Most of the staff only spoke Spanish, which made it difficult to place our order correctly and ask questions about the menu. While I appreciate the authenticity, it did make the experience a bit frustrating.

Overall Experience: This new spot falls into the category of average fast food for me. The flavor profile needs improvement, particularly in balancing the salt levels, and the side dishes could use a boost in flavor. If you’re in the area and curious, it might be worth a try, but manage your expectations. Personally, I don’t think I’ll...

The chicken is the best I've had from any restaurant in a long time. We picked our order in the drive through and took it home so some parts of the skin got a little soggy but otherwise it was very good. You'd probably be better off dining in but even though there were a few soggy spots the chicken was way better than the fried chicken I've had from any other chicken place. I really enjoyed the macaroni and cheese but I like my pasta noodles very soft, most people like them al dente. That said, I loved it. The sauce was nice and creamy with good flavor. Most places make their macaroni and cheese too dry or too soupy but in my opinion Pollo Campero's macaroni is just right. I liked the beans, although they're different than any other beans I've had, they're similar in flavor to the red beans Popeye's serves. The roll is good but nothing special, the rice was inedible to me. Very dry, bland an odd flavor combination.

Over all, I'd recommend every fried chicken lover try it. I know my taste and preferences are different to what's usually popular with others but I think everyone will enjoy the chicken and the macaroni and cheese.

I'd have given higher points if it were easier to customize my order. I haven't dined in so I can't really give an opinion on the atmosphere. My points given for the atmosphere are solely based on the drive through service which...