Los Norteños Pollos Asados - San Antonio — Restaurant in San Antonio

Alright, another raw, unbiased, real review coming at your way… and as I said before on some of my other reviews, it comes down to people being used to it, and or just not knowing any better!!

To quote another reviewer, “the chicken was rubbery.” And to quote the restaurant’s response, “it was a harsh review, considering what others have been saying.”

I used to be surprised when I read so many good reviews about a restaurant, then my wife and I would go and be completely confused as to how in the world did the restaurant get so many good reviews?? The food is awful. But now I understand, as mentioned above, people just don’t know any better.

So here we go, The chicken, no taste what so ever!! I mean, chicken is pretty hard to give taste to, most people don’t realize that. But there are ways of doing it. Whatever that red covering/seasoning is they put on it, NOT it!! But if at least it was cooked all the way to the bone, it would not have been a bad chicken. The chicken was indeed rubbery, chewy. The reason being is, once you bite through the outer layer, you expose the meat that is closer to the bone, which 9 times out of 10, no matter what restaurant you go to, is NOT cooked all the way through. I don’t care if you stick a thermometer in it and it gives the so called proper cooked temperature. The proof that is not cooked is very simple, cut the chicken all the way down to the bone, if the meat closest to the bone is a different color from the top layer, meaning the color of uncooked chicken, if there is a redish juice coming out, and the meat is chewy, that means it’s raw. It’s not rocket science, it’s that simple. Both my drum sticks, my wings, my thighs were exactly like that. Once I bit the cooked outer layer, the meat inside was raw. I know the owner will reply in complete shock, based on so many great reviews, but, this is reality!! This is not the only place though. Like I said before, most places that serve chicken on the bone have this problem. People just don’t know any better. On our way out we saw the grill, which is separate from the main building, and there were a couple of stacks of whole chickens that were done waiting to be served. Plus all the ones covering the entire grill, which is pretty big. They are a very busy restaurant, and they move a lot of chicken. I bet if you really started looking into it, by taking a couple of whole chickens out of every batch, and just cut it to the bone, you would see and understand what I am talking about. I had saved all the pieces to take a picture and post it here, but I needed to go to the restroom wash my hands in order to grab my phone. When I came back from the restaurant it was all gone. Waitress should not assume anyone is done, they should always ask before removing anything from the table. We are paying for it!! Don’t touch it until we tell you to!!!

Enough on chicken, let’s talk about the Sirloin. Gee, whata mess of nastiness that was. First, it was served cut very thin, and most every single piece had fat and nerve on it. So about 80% of it, we put in our mouths, Chew a couple of times and spit it out because of the nasty fat and the unchewable nerve. I mean, how this so many great reviews?? People just don’t know any better!!

Now, if you want good rice and beans, you can’t go wrong here.

Another thing, I asked if they had flower tortillas, the lady said only corn. Not sure if they ran out of flower or it’s just not on the menu. If I was to return, which I am not, it be nice to...

In my life, only two restaurant meals have left me with a sense of transcendence -- a near religious experience that I've carried with me long after the food is gone and the bill paid. Foods and flavors that haunt my dreams and intrude upon my waking thoughts with moments of blissful yearning. The first was at the famous Commander's Palace in New Orleans. The second was at Pollos Asados Los Norteños, a humble charcoal-grilled chicken joint in an underdeveloped area of San Antonio. Housed in a modest concrete building and serving up a menu of charcoal-grilled chicken and steak fajitas with simple sides of rice, charro beans, salsa verde, and fresh corn tortillas, Norteños elevates the simple to the sublime. The chicken is juicy and tender and yadda yadda the same could be said for many chicken restaurants. It's the seasoning (a marinade of citrus, spices, and achiote), the char, and the salsa verde that turn grilled chicken in a corn tortilla into a dish I feel compelled to make a regular pilgrimage for. If you're looking for fancy dining, deep wine list and trendy ingredients, you won't find them at Norteños. Instead you'll find plastic forks, styrofoam plates, help-yourself paper napkin dispensers, and the best damn chicken you'll ever put in your mouth.

In so many ways, Norteños couldn't be more different than the famed French Creole restaurant where the likes of Emeril Lagasse got his start, but in the one way that counts? This humble Mexican barbecue joint stands among giants.

And if, like me, you're visiting San Antonio and wondering whether Norteños really is worth the trek out to Rigsby Ave (and the potential wait in the scorching heat) or if you should settle for one of the many other Pollo Asado restaurants in the area, please let me...

Very disappointed. Wanted to enjoy a meal with my friend and unfortunately it was not what I expected. Found a very long blonde hair in my rice as I took a bite. S as I was removing from my mouth the waitress passed by and tried to remedy. The Manager didn’t care, only said he was sorry and wanted to give me another serving of rice etc. while he said he would only charge us for the chicken removing the cost for everything else, the sides, and one drink. When we got the ticket he charged us for a whole chicken plus the side and drink. When we spoke to him once again, denied he had promised to remove other charges etc. Long story short we ended up paying for all the meal. Very disappointed in his none willingness to make this right. I understand they are a very busy restaurant and I am sure this is not the only incident. Informed him his business has been made up of his people supporting the local restaurant. And that he found it so hard to do right for one customer. The discount of a plate due to an awful experience would not have cost him at all compared to all the business. Needless to say we will not return. More then half the staff not wearing hair nets, and as we were leaving several containers were open on the counter ready to be placed for the next order, and possibly how the food served to me had a long blonde hair stuck in the rice. Awful. They really need the kitchen back...