4. Restaurants

Pollo Loko Peruvian Cuisine

5335 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC, 29418
  • (843) 552-0015
  • Store is closed

Pollo Loko Peruvian Cuisine Menu

  • Salads & Starters
  • Create Your Own Tropichop
  • Platters
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pollo Loko Peruvian Cuisine

  • Salads & Starters
  • Create Your Own Tropichop
  • Platters
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts

  • Dariel S.

    The grilled chicken is really good cooked on real wood coals so I really enjoyed it. Very delicious.

    (5)

  • Eric Y.

    Delicious! Reminds me of backyard or camping basic BBQ! Simple rubs with no extra sauce - by far the best way to do real BBQ . The beans are authentic and the blend of peppers for their hot sauce was great! A little bit goes a long way - I asked and the owner said they used some Mexican peppers in the sauce tonight...which tasted similar to my mother-in-law's enchiladas. I will definitely make this a stop each time in charleston. I could not make my mind up so I did the combo plate of chicken and pork ribs.....nice choice for an undecided eater.

    (5)

  • Trey W.

    Probably the best Peruvian chicken place I've been to. Definitely not an upscale environment, but just consider that part of the authenticity. We got one of the sampler platters and everything was excellent.

    (5)

  • Liz L.

    I think a lot of the other reviews cover the details so I'll be brief: the chicken is OUT OF CONTROL delicious. Excellent service, all the sides have been good too. Sure, it's divey looking, but the food is top-notch. Well worth the trek off the peninsula.

    (5)

  • Sky M.

    This is easily one of the worst meals I've ever had. I was really disappointed because there aren't many Latin restaurants in the area, other than the occasional Mexican chain restaurant. But this place gives a bad rep to Latin food, especially for people who may be trying out Latin food for the first time. I ordered a Cuban sandwich, empanadas, flan, and tres leche cake for me and my wife. The Cuban wasn't even a Cuban! The bread wasn't pressed down, there was no pickles. What is this? For some reason it had eggs in it? It doesn't even say it has eggs in the menu so I don't know what that was about. The empanadas lacked flavor and tasted like they were frozen for a couple days. The tres leche had fruit in it, yet again this isn't mentioned anywhere in the menu or by anyone. They just have the fruit hidden in the middle as if the buyer wants to be surprised in the middle of biting into it. With all that being said, I won't even get into the consistency of the flan. At the end of the meal, my stomach was growling at me practically asking me why am I eating this. Never coming back. Stay away...for your own good

    (1)

  • Michael T.

    Delicious roasted chicken, plantains, yuca fries, etc...!

    (4)

  • Becky T.

    Best chicken of my life! Highly recommend this place. Sure it's not in the best spot nor is the inside great but your just going for the chicken so it's ok. I'm guessing and grilled meat from here is probably good. Thinking this place will become a habit for us. Yum!

    (4)

  • Harold W.

    Give it a chance. The outside and inside may not be the prettiest thing to look at but the food is so worth the visit. We had the empanadas appetizers which are not the traditional empanadas that I've had before. It is beef but the beef is more of a past then ground. Plus the pick /vegetables you add as you bite into the empanada. Now I originally ordered the 1/4 slab of ribs but they were out which I was glad because I really wanted the "Bandeja Paisana (a traditional dish resembling a meat party from heaven"- Nicole P (ROTD 09/16/2013) as my meal instead after I saw it on the menu. I was so glad that I did. It was a lot of food and everything was delicious. It even had the dark meat chicken so I was able to taste what everyone was raving about. Do not judge this place by the scenery. It is Dorchester Rd and you don't want to miss this delicious treat and experience.

    (5)

  • Chris H.

    Charleston is know for a lot of things: five centuries of history, Rhett Butler, stifling humidity, and of course it's low country cuisine. Peruvian food? Not so much. Pollo Loko when properly spelled (loco) means crazy chicken. I think they changed the name because they are not affiliated with the well known Pollo Loco chain. Whether you call it "Loco" or "Loko"; this food is "crazy good"! I love low country food, don't get me wrong, but I wanted to mix things up so I decided to get some "real Southern food" SOUTH AMERICAN that is. I punched up my trusty Yelp App and proceeded to read the consistently outstanding reviews. Make no doubt, this neighborhood isn't like the Battery or historic Charleston; this is in a rundown "seen better days" mostly Latin strip mall. For the life of me, I couldn't find the Pollo Loko sign but instead found a sign that had "Pollo" and the word "tropical" which looked like the letters had been removed. It was after lunch so the place was empty and I was convinced that Yelp had let me down and this place was actually closed down for good. I closed my eyes and thought WWABD. (What Would Anthony Bourdain Do?) You damned right, I marched in that friggin Pollo Loko/Pollo Tropical or whatever the hell it was called and bravely grabbed a menu. A sweet Peruvian lady came out and confirmed I was in the right place. I ordered the quarter charcoal grilled chicken with yellow rice, cabbage salad, and beans. They had an assortment of Peruvian colas but my eyes widened as I spotted a Mexican Coke. I try to only have one "overly sweetened/battery acid" Cokes a year and I just had a feeling that this cold cola sweetened with good old fashioned sugar would go perfectly with my Peruvian feast. The restaurant was clean as were the bathrooms. The place looked like it could handle 50 people at a time but I was the only person in the place. I wiped the beads of sweat from my brow and said a prayer. When I opened my eyes a feast fit for an Inca King lay in front of me. I took a giant swig of my cola and devoured the moist smoky tender grilled chicken. Not normally a fan of cabbage, I scarfed it up. The rice and beans were simple yet delicious. The lady brought me some hot sauce which was probably Peruvian in origin. The food was mild but didn't really need the hot sauce. I brought my native Charlestonian GF here later that day and she ordered the ribs. The ribs were tender, a little crispy on the outside, and weren't swimming in BBQ sauce. In fact, they had only Peruvian spices with zero of the sweet stuff. We both agreed they were fantastic. I ordered the empanadas but they were prepared "Colombian style". They tasted like they were made with masa harina instead of flour and were stuffed with a mostly bean filling. It was accompanied by homemade pico de gallo. Really recommend the empanadas! If you come to visit this majestic city and you want to be adventurous, give my new friends at Pollo Loko a visit. After you finish that meal, neader on over to the boiled peanuts stand just feet away from Loko. They have three different flavors of boiled peanuts: regular, cajun, and ham. Great snacks for your ride home.

    (4)

  • Dan N.

    Definitely worth a stop. The authentic food is very good and the staff is very friendly. I had the Cuban sandwich which was very good. Service was very fast even with a party of ten.

    (4)

  • Crystal W.

    Awesome Peruvian chicken. Hole in the wall ambiance didn't bother me a bit. Good service, authentic food.

    (5)

  • Eric D.

    I found this place using Yelp while I was in N Charleston. I am glad it was listed, as I doubt I would venture over this way without reason. Atmosphere - Mom and Pop establishment, unassuming, friendly employees, slightly sketchy area Food - I had the 1/2 Chicken w/ black beans, yellow rice and cabbage salad (see pic). This was a lot of food. But the chicken I had, prepared Peruvian style, was phenomenal! It pulled away from the bone so easily and had such great flavor. Two sauce containers accompanied the chicken. They held a spicy and creamy red sauce that gave the already flavorful chicken a little kick. I enjoyed the side of cabbage salad once I added the sauce to the chicken, as it was a nice lite contrast to the spiciness of the sauce. The black beans and rice were present and served well with the meal. Service - Friendly, helpful, quick Overall - This was a great change of pace. I have never had Peruvian chicken before this and wow what an introduction. I will be back.

    (4)

  • Jeremy P.

    Don't be confused - I think the sign read's "El Pollo Tropical" but it's AKA Pollo Loko. But dont' be scurrd. Just go. Go to there and order the 1/2 chicken and you'll understand. You're not looking for atmosphere here, you weenie. Though it does have a cool hole in the wall Central American charm, but you're not there for the parking lot view. Arepas are great, plantains are great, horchata is great, but their in-house hot sauce is slap ya' mama wonderful on some grilled chicken. I stole some of my grilfriend's sausage once and I had to restrain myself from not eating it all, real sneaky like. Servers are always sweet and attentive, too. You go there now.

    (5)

  • Red B.

    The 4 stars are for the food. Charcoal grilled chicken with Peruvian spices was outstanding. Sides were ok. A little honesty here. The place is shabby to the point of being 3 rd world depressing. In the future if I am in the area, I will order takeout.

    (4)

  • Me B.

    I read the reviews...so I decided to try! When I pulled up, I thought OMG....the outside or inside decor is not the best. I came in and I am so happy I did. The food was AMAZING! I am very picky...the chicken was the best, the cabbage salad was out of this world, the rice and beans delicious so delicious I ordered another serving of rice. Lastly the plantains were perfect. They had a small crunch on the outside ends and the inside was creamy goodness! This will be my come to spot when visiting Charleston in the future. You have to try it!!!! I love charcoal grilled chicken and this was one of the best I have ever tasted....

    (5)

  • Ryan B.

    The chicken, rice, beans and cabbage were great. I would go back. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. The building is very worn out and in need of some serious work. The tables could use some cleaning.

    (4)

  • Clark G.

    This place looks like a total hole in the wall but let me tell you their food is anything but. Tons and tons of flavor and everything cooked perfectly!

    (5)

  • Nicole P.

    Okay, living in Charleston is cool and all, but finding a place that serves authentic coastal Central/South American food just doesn't happen easily. Finally I found a fantastic place that serves the most badass Guatemalan chicken. ALSO- they have arepas???? THIS CAN'T BE REAL LIFE. Perhaps its because I have unfulfilled goals of visiting my homeland, but I ordered strictly off the Colombian offerings. Also, their Bandeja Paisana (a traditional dish resembling a meat party from heaven) was perfect for someone who is indecisive and wants a little of everything. It had: sausage, chicken, steak, eggs, avocado, arepas (albeit a polly pocket sized one), plantains, rice, and beans. It was about $12, and made for fantastic leftovers (my boyfriend and I split the leftovers the next day for lunch and were left full again). Their horchata was perfect, and OH MY GOD their hot sauce was actually hot. Their hot sauce probably deserves its very own review, because it is basically the best sauce ever. I actually asked the server if they would sell me a bottle, but since they don't do that (it was a long shot, I know), she just gave me like 4 little containers full of it. She now owns my soul. On the ambience: pretty bare-bones. The place is sort of in an obscure location in North Charleston, far away from the typical downtown tourist/College of Charleston locales. The place is extremely unpretentious, which is actually quite nice. You know you are paying for the awesome food, not for the atmosphere, and it is totally worth it.

    (5)

  • Jamie P.

    This place doesn't look like much from the inside or outside, but the food is delicious. You're not going to find queso or salsa on their menu, but they do have quite a few familiar entrees if you're not feeling adventurous. I was not feeling adventurous the day we went and ordered the flautas. They were excellent. My husband got the half chicken with rice, pinto beans, and slaw. I tasted a bit of his and it was even better than mine! This place is definitely worth a try!

    (4)

  • Samuel I.

    This is the place with the best chicken in town Don't let the appearance of this place fool you. It may be a total hole in the wall with three different types of flooring. Its sign might not reflect its current name. It may be located in a sketchy neighborhood. Ignore all of that and just come here to eat. Inside you will find the most delicious chicken in town. It is seasoned perfectly and cooked over a charcoal fire. There are a wide selection of Peruvian and other South American beverages in the refrigerator by the door. The rest of the menu is excellent too. The ceviche is wonderful, the sandwiches are filling and delicious, and the bandeja paisa will fill you up and leave you with leftovers for the next day. I really can't say anything more that hasn't been said by others. This place is not to be missed.

    (5)

  • Ariana U.

    I ordered the flautas with a side of rice & beans, & they were all delicious! The waiter was really nice & very attentive to us.. Food came in a timely manner & fresh. We'll definitely be going back soon! FYI: I agree with some of the other commenters on here, don't judge this place from the location, the food is great & the employees are very nice!

    (5)

  • Kelly C.

    This place has the best grilled chicken I've ever had. It's fall-off-the-bone delicious, with TONS of flavor. Service was great, and the food came out very quickly. The atmosphere leaves much to be desired, and it's definitely in a sketchy part of town, but don't let that deter you from stopping in. The food is definitely worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Josh A.

    My love for food has taken me some random and sometimes shady places. This place was no different. If you know this part of Dorchester Rd, you've seen the bums, trash along the road, barbed wire, "fancy" cars, etc... Not exactly a place you'd think a Peruvian place would exist, Redbank Rd in Goose Creek, would be more appropriate. Anyways, we got there and my wife brings up a screamingly obvious point, it's between 6 and 7, but we are the only people there. I told her, they probably get a lot of lunch traffic. We were greeted by a super nice waitress, who took great care of us. After all, we were the only ones there. Drinks and food arrived VERY quickly, which was fine by us. We both had the 1/4 chicken and 1/4 ribs dinner, along with a Mexican Coke. We started off with water, but it had a strange sweet taste to it. Ribs were kind of meh, a bit greasy, but fall off the bone tender. Chicken was fantastic. It was not greasy, grilled perfectly, with Peruvian (I'm guessing) spices, and juicy. I know to get just chicken next time. Beans and rice were good, but nothing crazy special. The salad that came with the meal, was more like a light slaw of some sort, with no mayo base, but extremely crispy, very good. To top it off, they came out with handmade tortillas, we went with flour. They were grilled and were perfect, probably could have eaten 20 more. Overall, I was very happy with my dinner, as was my wife. I really want to come back for more chicken sometime, it was honestly some of the best grilled chicken I have had. I hope they stay open or maybe relocate to a better spot for business. Give 'em a try, it's worth the stop.

    (4)

  • Greg K.

    I'll echo that it's not the greatest locale but man is it worth the visit. Go inside and enjoy an honest great meal. Great food for the price and the staff was great. I'm always concerned with restaurant cleanliness and although this place looked a little iffy from outside ended up clean on the inside. Judging a place by the state of the restroom may not be something you consider but I think it gives you a quick impression of how they run the place. My wife and I ordered too much, ended up eating everything and it cost less than $30 with a tip. In the immortal words of a true action star " I'll be back".

    (5)

  • Veena M.

    Excellent food! Their Bandeja Paisa is my favorite! Service is great no complaints! Try their Empanadas too!

    (4)

  • Jessica A.

    Chicken was great, as was the peas and rice. Not in the best part of town, but that doesn't really matter. Prices aren't too bad either. Worth a shot if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • Jason L.

    1/4 peruvian chicken. Delish!!

    (5)

  • Felicia F.

    Coming from NY where I have Colombian ecuadorian and Caribbean food galore I was a little nervous about coming here and not being able to get those foods. I actually found this place on the way to my storage unit. I ordered the bandeja paisa dish (typical Colombian dish) and it was delicious!!!! They also serve tacos which are also delicious .... Now if I can only find some ecuadorian food to make me feel like I am home with my family !

    (5)

  • Scot M.

    A hidden gem on Dorchester Road serving Peruvian Cuisine! Very unassuming place so don't expect much in atmosphere. It's plain, mostly tables and chairs line the place, I don't recall if they even have booths (I think not though). But what this place lacks in decor....it sure makes up for in FOOD! Two visits, I had the beef tacos both times...diced marinated steak served on a warm corn tortilla with onions and cilantro - HEAVEN! Others at our table were all pleasantly surprised with their food as well, huaraches looked great, and the Cuban Sandwich seemed interesting and tasty Service is very good, always attentive and not overbearing. Apparently they are known for their chicken which I will definitely try on my next visit.

    (4)

  • Jose S.

    It's a great restaurant. If you love grilled chicken this is the best place to go. The staff is great. It's a very clean place. I enjoyed every single bite!

    (5)

  • Josh K.

    Amazing authentic food. The atmosphere is very plain but I consider that a good thing. I had a tropical pork quesadilla and it was wonderful. Not super cheap but fair for what you get.

    (5)

  • Sydney G.

    Wow. Harry R. and I went here for dinner last night on a whim, and we were totally blown away. The food was outstanding! We split a 1/2 roasted chicken, which was served with cabbage, beans, and rice, and it was absolutely amazing. The cabbage was out of this world, and the chicken is up there with the best I've ever eaten. I also highly recommend the Yuca fries which were definitely the best I've ever had. Eat them with their house hot sauce and you're all but guaranteed to have a great night. I also recommend the meat empanadas. They were served very warm--straight out of the fryer--with some of the best pico I've ever gotten at a restaurant. Everything was absolutely delicious and fresh tasting. I felt like I was having dinner at a friend's house (assuming that friend is also a world-class Peruvian chef). You can bet your huevos I'll be coming back here again!

    (5)

  • Joseph S.

    The food here is incredible and very different from your typical Latin American fare. This is not your proverbial Mexican restaurant with chips with salsa appetizers. It's Peruvian food which has an altogether special flavor. I really like the spices and how they cook on charcoal. I especially like their ribs. The dining room is very simple and could definitely use a renovation. The staff speaks some English so that's not a problem. They are extremely polite. They also sell Central and South American sodas / juices for those so adventurous. My personal favorite is Chicha Morada (a purplish corn drink from Peru).

    (5)

  • Kevin S.

    The location gets 1 star, the food get 9 stars. Average that out, you get 5 stars. I saw lots of yelpers posting photos of the 1/4 chicken so we figured it was a must try. We were right. You MUST try it. Possibly the best chicken I've had in my life. The sausage and carne asada are really tasty as well and the authentic style beans are lovable if you like latin beans. There was some flattened and fried thing on my plate that I couldn't identify, even after several bites. It was maybe a whopping 2% of the plateful of food that I had so I just left it alone and still was more than happy with the meal. It ended up being slightly over our average price range but we BOTH got lunch out of it the next day. Bring a policeman or pepper spray or whatever it takes to feel comfortable in a sketchy looking neighborhood because you can't miss this food.

    (5)

  • David B.

    We had the chicken burrito and the charcoal made chicken. Both were fantastic. We will definitely be back again. The food was amazing and the service was good. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Robert C.

    Holy ****, go! If you like Latin American food & flavors and wish Charleston had more of an influence of it you will be happy here

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
  • Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Mexican Cuisine

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.

Pollo Loko Peruvian Cuisine

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