I went for a late dinner, about 9pm and coud tell that the condiments reflected this. I've been to many El Pollo Locos and all had very full salsa bars until I encountered this branch. Much to my dismay, there was so little in the pot, that even scraping the spoon could not even fill half of it. There were also chunks of stale tomatoes all over the counter. The floors hadn't been swept in awhile. Looking around, it wasn't busy and the garbage actually had a faint rotten odor emanating. I asked for more salsa, but wasn't surprised it never came. Also, we usually get 3 tortillas per person, but this time it was only 2, not sure if this is a new thing, but 2 certainly wasn't enough. Overall, it wasn't up to the standards that I've experienced at other branches.
(2)
Ashley J.
Well they just got my entire order wrong (all 5 items in the5-item order) soooo that's not good. The manager fixed it, but no discount or free drink or side or anything. You'd think when literally the entire order was wrong that they'd throw in a little something extra for the time and hassle.
(3)
Cynthia D.
This is the absolute WORST pollo loco I've been to, and I've been to many in Phoenix. It is always understaffed, wait times are crazy, the dining area is filthy. What really upsets me is that they will reserve most of their chicken coming off the grill for drive-thru and the last time I went they told me they couldn't sell me a leg and thigh (even though they had some) because it was for drive thru. Who does that?!? If you go at night time the chicken will be cold because the employees make a bunch so that they can start cleaning and leave early, and it just sits there until they close. You won't see any salsa in the salsa bar either because they also put that away like 2 hours before they actually close (you have to ask them for salsa every time you want some..embarrassing right?) My point is..don't go here...you'll save yourself some frustration.
(1)
Bill M.
Great food and friendly, efficient staff! I have the chopped chicken salad with added avocado instead of cheese, a couple of the small Chicken Tacos al Carbon with an iced tea. Great food and good value for the money! Can't wait for the new mid-Tucson location to open.
(4)
Ron B.
The food is usually pretty good but the completely disorganized service is really testing my patience. Also, don't count on the place being very clean. The whole time we were there (which was waaay to long) we never saw anyone come out and clean.
(2)
Jayson E.
This place was filthy. Simply put we stopped in as we traveled thru and I was shocked at the state of the store. Every table was dirty , bathrooms were damaged an covered in filth. The employees failed to wash their hands after wiping sweat away, as they put our order together. The register employees kept grabbing cups by putting fingers in the cups. Just disgusting. This place should be closed down.
(1)
Kathy N.
Aaallllmost feels like I'm not eating fast food. Almost. Feels a bit healthier than KFC and actually tastier. Fed my family today after they helped me out with a major job at home and we picked up a Spicy Chipotle burrito for the son-in-law, a cheese quesadilla and guac for the littles to share and L & I split a 3 piece combo (2 breasts, a wing and two sides) which was more than enough for us. T devoured his burro and the kids loved their quesadilla but then again, what's not to love about a quesadilla. L & I chose the corn and pinto beans as our sides. Both were really good and the corn is lightly spiced. The littles split an order of churros and they were actually quite good (snuck a bite). My favorite, quick item to get at El Pollo Loco is on the value menu - chicken tacos al carbon. Little tacos with delicious grilled chicken and super cheap!
(3)
Brianna T.
See I don't know why this place doesn't have 5 stars, it's simple. The chicken is great even served with flour tortillas and salsa. I've tried multiple items on the menu including carne asada street tacos, chicken tortilla soup, chicken avocado tostada salad, chicken avocado quesadilla wrap (I think it's a wrap) and el pollo bowl. The bowl is always a little dry. The soup is great with the cheese on the side, the salad is my fav with the cilantro dressing, the quesadilla is good too. Everything simple, sometimes the way to keep it.
(5)
Michael G.
One great place. A bit salty but that goes with the seasoning; and I'm sure the chicken comes in heavily marinated. They finish it off on the open grill. The result is great Mexican style grilled chicken. Churros were wonderful to finish off our meal. The place is very clean and the manager is really a friendly guy. I think this is the only one in Tucson,
(4)
Kristy N.
For a fast food place, this is pretty darn good! I love the salsa bar with 6-7 types of salsa and whole fresh serranos! The chicken is juicy and very tasty. They just added beef to their menu so I will try a beef dish next time. I had the pollo bowl and loved it! Other half had 2 piece chicken with beans and roasted corn and those sides were delish! I want to go back and try the corn cake as I saw a lot of the diners had ordered that as their side dish.
(4)
steve j.
Wow I'd be very interested in how they were able to get by the health inspection! Overpriced undersized non-caring employees this place should be avoided at all cost!
(1)
B P.
The most delicious ,healthy ,fast food I have eaten in a long time! I mean really, how can those words actually describe a Mexican fast food joint! Try the Flamed Grill Mexican Chicken and sweet potato fries, light and crispy. Plus, they cater starting at $5.83 per person! I would highly recommend this place, for inexpensive and delicious food if you are hungry and in the area of Thornydale and Ina ( SE corner).
(5)
Ana T.
El pollo's crazy, but I like it (loco, loco, loco). I feel like I need to justify my writing a review on a fast-food chain restaurant. See, back in the Midwest we didn't have El Pollo Loco, and it is loco good. Thus, I feel it deserves a review. Besides, I believe this is the only location in Tucson. Did you buy my rationale? Well, buy it. And while you're at it, buy yourself a Poblano Burrito from Pollo Loco. So there I was, chomping away on their just-okay Spicy Chipotle Burrito. I had taken approximately four bites, which meant I was finally used to the distinct aftertaste. And THEN, I took a bite of the Poblano Burrito. Holy mother of flavor! It was the most refreshing mouthful of avocado, chicken, rice, onions, jack cheese, corn, cilantro, and poblano chile salsa... *salivating* love, this, burrito. Five stars for ze burrito! And five stars for ze chicken! The two-piece leg and thigh were juicy good-ness. Unfortunately, the place is a fast-food joint, so there was a woman with one of those headsets, talking to people in the drive-through while she gave us our cups, and again while she delivered the food to our table. Like an idiot, I kept responding to her questions and wondering why the hell she kept asking the same ones over and over again. Whoops... why must they confuse me so by talking to the drive-through while serving me?! Eh, that's fast-food service for you. Let's just forget the service though. I'm all about those pieces of chicken and the Poblano Burrito.
(4)
Nick B.
Great grilled chicken!!! I usually don't care for grilled chicken at a fast food place, but Loco has came through for 15 yrs. I grew up on this in California and once I moved to Arizona the only other place I could find it was in Tucson! How convenient. The chicken always has the best and most tasty skin on it and is never dry. The rice and beans are always the best sides to order if you ever wonder what to get. Don't fret people this is a great fast place for quality chicken. It is not some grimy establishment.
(4)
Buck B.
We decided to use a Groupon to experience El Pollo Loco for the first time. I decided to go into the restaurant to order - knowing that coupons and a drive-thru rarely mix well. The restaurant was not very busy even at the dinner rush hour. The young lady taking my order seemed to have some trouble with the cash register and getting things to ring up. She finally manged to get my order in the system and I sat down to wait. I had ordered a Classic Chicken Burrito, a large chicken tortilla soup, a small side of rice, and two large fries. This was to be a takeout order. It took about 10 minutes for my food to be ready. The young lady kept asking what appeared to be a manager about the fries and I heard the manager say more than once "Tell them we're out of fries!" I kept expecting the young lady to tell me this information but eventually my order was readied. I wondered if my fries would be in the bag and sure enough they were. I don't know whether the manager simply didn't want to have to cook fresh fries or whether she was just out of touch with the kitchen. When I got home with the food it was still fairly warm and we dug in. The Burrito was decent but a bit pricey for the quality and quantity at over $5. The rest of the food was mediocre and on a par with Taco Bell - although much pricier. I was shocked at the $3+ price for fries that were about the same amount as $1.50 orders at most other places. All in all the food was mediocre, but nothing to brag about. In addition for mediocre food it was priced very high. If I had not had my coupon our total order would have been over $20! This is outrageous when you can get hot and fresh food at authentic Mexican restaurants in town for less than that! It was an interesting experience but I seriously doubt we'll be back due to the quality, small quantity and high prices.
(2)
Bleep S.
Drove an hour round trip for this chicken and it was worth it. Used a Groupon. LOVE the salsas on the salsa bar. Ordered 8 legs and thighs. The Groupon covered it all ($9.99). The people working at this particular El Pollo Loco are very nice...especially the manager. He offers you a beverage, chips and salsa while you wait. The chicken...juicy with just the right seasonings...YUM!!
(4)
Erica R.
it's okay. their little value menu is all I go for.. that & maybe a bowl. I like the little chips & salsa while you wait
(3)
Jack T.
Went through the drive thru tonight at El Pollo Loco wanting to order one of the Family Meals that they have to offer. When the lady on the speaker asked what I wanted to order I asked her for a minute while I looked at the menu. In the background she proceeded to call me a st**id white boy in Spanish. With this my wife and I drove to the front of the store and went in to speak with her manager. When they realized that we had heard what she said on the speaker she proceeded to hide in the rear of the store and the manager couldn't shrug us off fast enough. Very inappropriate response for him and his employee. I will never eat at this place again!!!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Olivia N.
I went for a late dinner, about 9pm and coud tell that the condiments reflected this. I've been to many El Pollo Locos and all had very full salsa bars until I encountered this branch. Much to my dismay, there was so little in the pot, that even scraping the spoon could not even fill half of it. There were also chunks of stale tomatoes all over the counter. The floors hadn't been swept in awhile. Looking around, it wasn't busy and the garbage actually had a faint rotten odor emanating. I asked for more salsa, but wasn't surprised it never came. Also, we usually get 3 tortillas per person, but this time it was only 2, not sure if this is a new thing, but 2 certainly wasn't enough. Overall, it wasn't up to the standards that I've experienced at other branches.
(2)Ashley J.
Well they just got my entire order wrong (all 5 items in the5-item order) soooo that's not good. The manager fixed it, but no discount or free drink or side or anything. You'd think when literally the entire order was wrong that they'd throw in a little something extra for the time and hassle.
(3)Cynthia D.
This is the absolute WORST pollo loco I've been to, and I've been to many in Phoenix. It is always understaffed, wait times are crazy, the dining area is filthy. What really upsets me is that they will reserve most of their chicken coming off the grill for drive-thru and the last time I went they told me they couldn't sell me a leg and thigh (even though they had some) because it was for drive thru. Who does that?!? If you go at night time the chicken will be cold because the employees make a bunch so that they can start cleaning and leave early, and it just sits there until they close. You won't see any salsa in the salsa bar either because they also put that away like 2 hours before they actually close (you have to ask them for salsa every time you want some..embarrassing right?) My point is..don't go here...you'll save yourself some frustration.
(1)Bill M.
Great food and friendly, efficient staff! I have the chopped chicken salad with added avocado instead of cheese, a couple of the small Chicken Tacos al Carbon with an iced tea. Great food and good value for the money! Can't wait for the new mid-Tucson location to open.
(4)Ron B.
The food is usually pretty good but the completely disorganized service is really testing my patience. Also, don't count on the place being very clean. The whole time we were there (which was waaay to long) we never saw anyone come out and clean.
(2)Jayson E.
This place was filthy. Simply put we stopped in as we traveled thru and I was shocked at the state of the store. Every table was dirty , bathrooms were damaged an covered in filth. The employees failed to wash their hands after wiping sweat away, as they put our order together. The register employees kept grabbing cups by putting fingers in the cups. Just disgusting. This place should be closed down.
(1)Kathy N.
Aaallllmost feels like I'm not eating fast food. Almost. Feels a bit healthier than KFC and actually tastier. Fed my family today after they helped me out with a major job at home and we picked up a Spicy Chipotle burrito for the son-in-law, a cheese quesadilla and guac for the littles to share and L & I split a 3 piece combo (2 breasts, a wing and two sides) which was more than enough for us. T devoured his burro and the kids loved their quesadilla but then again, what's not to love about a quesadilla. L & I chose the corn and pinto beans as our sides. Both were really good and the corn is lightly spiced. The littles split an order of churros and they were actually quite good (snuck a bite). My favorite, quick item to get at El Pollo Loco is on the value menu - chicken tacos al carbon. Little tacos with delicious grilled chicken and super cheap!
(3)Brianna T.
See I don't know why this place doesn't have 5 stars, it's simple. The chicken is great even served with flour tortillas and salsa. I've tried multiple items on the menu including carne asada street tacos, chicken tortilla soup, chicken avocado tostada salad, chicken avocado quesadilla wrap (I think it's a wrap) and el pollo bowl. The bowl is always a little dry. The soup is great with the cheese on the side, the salad is my fav with the cilantro dressing, the quesadilla is good too. Everything simple, sometimes the way to keep it.
(5)Michael G.
One great place. A bit salty but that goes with the seasoning; and I'm sure the chicken comes in heavily marinated. They finish it off on the open grill. The result is great Mexican style grilled chicken. Churros were wonderful to finish off our meal. The place is very clean and the manager is really a friendly guy. I think this is the only one in Tucson,
(4)Kristy N.
For a fast food place, this is pretty darn good! I love the salsa bar with 6-7 types of salsa and whole fresh serranos! The chicken is juicy and very tasty. They just added beef to their menu so I will try a beef dish next time. I had the pollo bowl and loved it! Other half had 2 piece chicken with beans and roasted corn and those sides were delish! I want to go back and try the corn cake as I saw a lot of the diners had ordered that as their side dish.
(4)steve j.
Wow I'd be very interested in how they were able to get by the health inspection! Overpriced undersized non-caring employees this place should be avoided at all cost!
(1)B P.
The most delicious ,healthy ,fast food I have eaten in a long time! I mean really, how can those words actually describe a Mexican fast food joint! Try the Flamed Grill Mexican Chicken and sweet potato fries, light and crispy. Plus, they cater starting at $5.83 per person! I would highly recommend this place, for inexpensive and delicious food if you are hungry and in the area of Thornydale and Ina ( SE corner).
(5)Ana T.
El pollo's crazy, but I like it (loco, loco, loco). I feel like I need to justify my writing a review on a fast-food chain restaurant. See, back in the Midwest we didn't have El Pollo Loco, and it is loco good. Thus, I feel it deserves a review. Besides, I believe this is the only location in Tucson. Did you buy my rationale? Well, buy it. And while you're at it, buy yourself a Poblano Burrito from Pollo Loco. So there I was, chomping away on their just-okay Spicy Chipotle Burrito. I had taken approximately four bites, which meant I was finally used to the distinct aftertaste. And THEN, I took a bite of the Poblano Burrito. Holy mother of flavor! It was the most refreshing mouthful of avocado, chicken, rice, onions, jack cheese, corn, cilantro, and poblano chile salsa... *salivating* love, this, burrito. Five stars for ze burrito! And five stars for ze chicken! The two-piece leg and thigh were juicy good-ness. Unfortunately, the place is a fast-food joint, so there was a woman with one of those headsets, talking to people in the drive-through while she gave us our cups, and again while she delivered the food to our table. Like an idiot, I kept responding to her questions and wondering why the hell she kept asking the same ones over and over again. Whoops... why must they confuse me so by talking to the drive-through while serving me?! Eh, that's fast-food service for you. Let's just forget the service though. I'm all about those pieces of chicken and the Poblano Burrito.
(4)Nick B.
Great grilled chicken!!! I usually don't care for grilled chicken at a fast food place, but Loco has came through for 15 yrs. I grew up on this in California and once I moved to Arizona the only other place I could find it was in Tucson! How convenient. The chicken always has the best and most tasty skin on it and is never dry. The rice and beans are always the best sides to order if you ever wonder what to get. Don't fret people this is a great fast place for quality chicken. It is not some grimy establishment.
(4)Buck B.
We decided to use a Groupon to experience El Pollo Loco for the first time. I decided to go into the restaurant to order - knowing that coupons and a drive-thru rarely mix well. The restaurant was not very busy even at the dinner rush hour. The young lady taking my order seemed to have some trouble with the cash register and getting things to ring up. She finally manged to get my order in the system and I sat down to wait. I had ordered a Classic Chicken Burrito, a large chicken tortilla soup, a small side of rice, and two large fries. This was to be a takeout order. It took about 10 minutes for my food to be ready. The young lady kept asking what appeared to be a manager about the fries and I heard the manager say more than once "Tell them we're out of fries!" I kept expecting the young lady to tell me this information but eventually my order was readied. I wondered if my fries would be in the bag and sure enough they were. I don't know whether the manager simply didn't want to have to cook fresh fries or whether she was just out of touch with the kitchen. When I got home with the food it was still fairly warm and we dug in. The Burrito was decent but a bit pricey for the quality and quantity at over $5. The rest of the food was mediocre and on a par with Taco Bell - although much pricier. I was shocked at the $3+ price for fries that were about the same amount as $1.50 orders at most other places. All in all the food was mediocre, but nothing to brag about. In addition for mediocre food it was priced very high. If I had not had my coupon our total order would have been over $20! This is outrageous when you can get hot and fresh food at authentic Mexican restaurants in town for less than that! It was an interesting experience but I seriously doubt we'll be back due to the quality, small quantity and high prices.
(2)Bleep S.
Drove an hour round trip for this chicken and it was worth it. Used a Groupon. LOVE the salsas on the salsa bar. Ordered 8 legs and thighs. The Groupon covered it all ($9.99). The people working at this particular El Pollo Loco are very nice...especially the manager. He offers you a beverage, chips and salsa while you wait. The chicken...juicy with just the right seasonings...YUM!!
(4)Erica R.
it's okay. their little value menu is all I go for.. that & maybe a bowl. I like the little chips & salsa while you wait
(3)Jack T.
Went through the drive thru tonight at El Pollo Loco wanting to order one of the Family Meals that they have to offer. When the lady on the speaker asked what I wanted to order I asked her for a minute while I looked at the menu. In the background she proceeded to call me a st**id white boy in Spanish. With this my wife and I drove to the front of the store and went in to speak with her manager. When they realized that we had heard what she said on the speaker she proceeded to hide in the rear of the store and the manager couldn't shrug us off fast enough. Very inappropriate response for him and his employee. I will never eat at this place again!!!
(1)