El Pollo Loco — Restaurant in San Diego

El Pollo Loco, undoubtedly the inspiration behind Gus Fring's chicken enterprise in Breaking Bad, is an above average fast food chain specializing in Mexican-style citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken. There are approximately 480 U.S. El Pollo Loco restaurants, mostly in California and the U.S. southwest. El Pollo Loco started as a chain in Mexico in 1974, but the U.S. restaurants split off into its own company in 1983 that has since developed different recipes and menus.

El Pollo Loco's chicken is aggressively salted, but otherwise not bad overall. I have never had a dry piece of chicken here. They claim their recipe involves marinating whole chickens in herbs, spices, fruit juices, and garlic and then grilling them over an open flame in each store before serving the chicken in their chicken meals, burritos, salads, soups, and tacos. I find that the skin picks up flavor of concentrated chicken, a bit of citrus, with a peppery finish. I wouldn't say the chicken here is on the same level as local polloerias "Jose's Pollos" or "Pollos Maria," but those places are, of course, both more expensive and not nearly as fast.

This location's staff is well-trained, as evident by the consistent results this chain gets with its grilled chicken. The people who work here are also friendly and welcoming: I feel they go out of their way to provide good customer service, whether it be forcing a smile while taking an order, or walking over to my table to give my toddler daughter a sheet of stickers.

My recent "Chicken Taco Al Carbon" from this location was a good "fast food" taco. Featuring two small white corn tortillas, the heavily-seasoned chicken is tender and not at all unpleasant, and accompanied by onions and cilantro. I felt it could benefit from some additional "oomph," so I grabbed a bit of the hottest sauce available from El Pollo Loco's self-serve salsa bar, but was disappointed that it was "all heat" without any nuanced flavor. My taco was better without it. At just 160-calories and $1.89, I'm not complaining, as it checked all the boxes of fast, cheap, healthy, and...

Not a good experience at all... my wife went there with our kids a few days ago and the salad with guacamole was really rotten, but only noticed when she got home and we were about to eat. Also, they asked for the large meal we ordered, what type of tortillas we wanted and we said mixed. Those were missing too. Instead of going to eat, my wife and kids had to get back into the car and drive down there again. We will not be going down again. They should look at the order, especially if they tie the top of the bags and say everything is there. Kinda really ruined our time eating together as meal and the food has gone south... chicken tasted a little chewy. If I could give a lower rating I would. On top of that, when I called there customer service, they promised to make it right and have the owner call or the district manager call. That call to me never took place. I thought I will try again, and called, they said they would call again. That also never happened... will no...

Most El Pollo Loco's are very good in the customer service arena and food is pretty consistant. This one on Mission Gorge has what I refer to as an attitude problem. Unless you like being rushed to choose and getting spoken to harshly when you bring up the site rewards or GOD forbid a coupon. I had a birthday reward from the site and manager at the register ignored it. No reason as to why. and this was not the first time i have received that treatment from this location and tonight is definitely the last time i will go to it. I will go the extra two miles from my home or office and get to other locations. One of the best El Pollo's is at 54th and El Cajon. They have great friendly staff and management. ...