El Pollo Loco

Reviews

• Alaina B.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 24 May 2026

  Ah yes, the chicken salad. A classic staple of the corporate drone lunch hour. Simple, filling, and nutritious. Hard to mess up, right?
  
  Absolutely wrong, apparently.
  
  I didn't think it was possible to get a bad chicken salad but this El Pollo Loco exceeded my wildest expectations. I ordered the double chicken avocado salad and somehow it failed to live up to the name on both counts. I got maybe half a scoop of chicken and one (1) solitary small slice of avocado. The salad was primarily lettuce stems with some corn thrown on it. And they charged me $8.
  
  The place is super busy and a mess, too. I understand the poor employees are overwhelmed on lunch hour but maybe they could hire another worker instead of letting the line build out the door and the establishment get filthy.
  
  Two stars because a chicken salad is never one star unless someone gets food poisoning and dies

• Sasha F.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 24 May 2026

  ZERO STARS- UNPROFESSIONAL , HORRIBLE and RUDE SERVICE.  
  
  ORDER:
  
  No welcome.
  
  Me: Double chicken Tostada Salad, please.
  
  Her response: Rudely, huwhat? 2 tostadas? 14.95!
  
  My response:  No, one double chicken tostada salad.
  
  Her response: Yeah, yeah, you said two, as she SNAPS.
  
  My response: You will not talk to me like that. If you don't like your job, quit!
  
  Her response: Laughs, $7.53 at the window.
  
  I get to the window and speak with a male manager and I let him know what I had just experienced.
  
  His response:
  
  Thank you for letting me know, I will speak with her about that.
  
  My response: Cancel my order! I'm never coming back and I take off.
  
  No apology, nothing. He could care less.
  
  So, I head out to the location on El Camino/Irvine and I get treated with common business class, respect, and kindness.
  
  On my way back, I call him back.
  
  I reinstate my experience this time throughly and calmly. He still does not apologize or have much to say. He just tries to pacify the situation with I will speak to her BS...
  
  No, I'll take care of it because you obviously can't!
  Writing corporate and calling...
  
  Don't buy from this place, you will be sorry!!

• Catiany R.

  star star star star star_border 10 May 2026

  Decided to give Pollo Loco a try at this location on my lunch break despite the really bad reviews. I was very hesitant to try it but it went great. The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 is because of how messy and dirty it was. Luckily I didn't have lunch there. The cashier, Justin, was kind and welcoming. I got the 2 piece combo and had no issues with my order. Tasted like every other Pollo Loco. Overall, would go back, with hopes of still getting the same service as today.

• kristine a.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 10 May 2026

  This place is nasty. Food's fine. But this level of mess is unacceptable.
  Especially since i was the ONLY CUSTOMER IN THE RESTAURANT AT THE TIME.
  Their drive thru was closed too. I asked if they always do that at night. They replied "ummmm yeah sometimes when we aren't ready." What? Ok.
  
  I worked fast food too...I don't get the lazy way this location is run.

• Jackie A.

  star star star star_border star_border 9 May 2026

  I ordered a brc to go. I had asked for cilantro and onions in it, but it came with none. Very disappointing since I can't eat salsa.