El Pollo Loco

A California favorite makes it way to Texas, ah HAaaa!
When I lived in LA I ate El Pollo Loco 2 – 5 times a week. It is fresh grilled chicken with tortillas and salsa. Emmm.
They have a drive trough so this is a great meal to pick up when your about to have a TV party or just want to eat at your own table.
The chicken deserves 4.5 stars for the genre, but the tortilla and salsa are flavorless and get 2.0 stars. Therefore the rating is 3 point something. I give it a four for sentimental value. Oh and I eat here still 2 – 4 times a month still!
The location in Katy is unfortunate because it’s on Mason Road. I will do almost anything to not drive on Mason Road. There is an evil spirit or something under that road that clouds drivers good behavior. Even folks who go to church try to cut me off. Still the food at this and a couple of other restaurants on Mason force me to brave that avenue … oh but I digress.
Try the half chicken with Mac and cheese. If you’re wondering about calories? Go to the gym for 2 hours. You need to eat.

I will give them one star for customer service only. Food is very, very bad. We got coupons in the mail for combos and family meals and they are soo not worth it. Two pieces of chicken were more like dehydrated chicken, horrible charro beans and sad mac and cheese. The tostada bowl is nothing amazing and tasteless. Would never return.

Ok service. Not too big on The greasy food. I’ll give them another chance in 6 month.

Chips were stale and salsa had almost no taste. Burrito I got was the Chicken Avocado and it was good. For what I got, it’s a little pricey but place was clean. Workers park in spaces close to building and I’m not a fan of that.

El Pollo Loco is where Colonel Sanders might eat after a triple bypass. Or maybe it is the love child of «The Colonel» and Billie Jo Stehling. Either way this is your typical chicken place, but with a little bit of Taco Cabana.
Just as with most chicken places you choose the number of pieces and your allowed number of sides. Most of the sides are your typical mashed potatoes type of fair, but there is also some spanish rice and black beans on the menu. You also choose between flour or corn tortillas and visit their salsa bar for various add-​ons.
The major difference is definitely the size of the chicken here compared to your typical chicken establishments. The wing was tiny (good thing I don’t care for wings) and the breast was small, but that could mean it is not pumped full of hormones. The chicken was also pretty dry. Yes, it is grilled, but that doesn’t mean it has to be leathery. The black beans were good as was the mac and cheese.
There is also a selection of items under 500 calories here which appears to be mainly salads, «bowls», and an enchilada plate that look decent. I would probably try that next time.

Had a great experience with the shift manager Mario. I just wanted to stop by and see what this California brand was doing in Houston while going to fitness connect up the street.
I recommend this Latin style of food. The chicken is awesome here to be honest. It is cooked in my face to where I could actually see it being made by the chef. I had the citrus marinated chicken because it was on the middle of the menu. But it didn’t let me down

Can’t say enough about this place. The chicken is so fresh and seasoned to perfection. The sides we’ve ordered have been the charro beans, mashed potatoes, and corn (which is prepared with Mexican spices) all really good. I love the condiment bar, they have everything needed to dress your tacos or dinner plate. Prices were reasonable. All in all a great place that we’ll happily return to.

They are hear finally from California
I’ve been waiting for them to finally come to town !!! They are a healthy alternative to fast food. you must try the chicken avocado taco Edible bowl !!!

I am an EPL fan, but since venturing out to other locations, I have started to notice that the Grand Opening Charm has worn off. I get it that some customers believe dining out gives them the right to leave their area dirty, and due to the high traffic that EPL receives, the demand cannot supplement the supply of crew members to man the register, maintain the cleanliness of the dining area clean, and keep the kitchen running on time all at the same time, BUT to see this one particular crew member running around from behind the register to clean tables, wipe down the fountain drink area, empty the trash, then helping the kitchen was ridiculous to me. He did it with a smile on his face, but he was clearly being given the bulk of the work when two other crew members and a manager were around. Plus this was Sunday afternoon – it was not very busy. What really got me was that while the young man tried to wait on me, the manager stood there for a few minutes and told him he needed to clean down tables when he finished ringing up my order. The two minutes she stood there while he was trying to give polite and through customer service, she could have cleaned those tables #ijs.
Additionally, I ordered a Ranchero Pollo Bowl, which sounded great, but was displeasing visually once received. Just one look at it, and I knew I would need to pray over my food TWICE if I attempted to at least taste it, but I also noticed that this particular bowl used thigh meat, which I do not eat, so I explained the issue to my original crew member who apologized for not informing me of the contents of the bowl. He even fixed the bowl himself – made pipe and hot. However, the pizazz that I normally receive from eating a pollo bowl was missing something. I think the rice was a little mushy… I was hungry by this time, so I kept the entrée. I’ve ate at El Pollo Loco numerous times, so 1 out 20 times I’ve ate a bowl with mushy rice is acceptable – especially since my rice usually comes out mushy too!
However, I cannot get over how this one employee was being bombarded with the responsibility of keeping the restaurant up to par on his lonesome. With the subpar food, that lends itself to a not so stellar star rating.

My boyfriend and I ate here for dinner the other day and were pleasantly surprised. We heard the chicken was good, but we love chicken and tend to be a little picky about how it’s cooked and how it tastes. This chicken was delicious! My boyfriend ordered the three piece meal and I got the two piece. The cashier let us pick which cuts we wanted. I got a leg and a breast and my boyfriend got two breasts and a wing. The breasts were big and juicy and bursting with flavor. They were served hot and the seasoning was just right. The cashier recommended the charro beans and rice for sides which we were both pleased with as well.
I also really liked the condiment bar. It had cilantro, limes, and salsas. I love cilantro so I got a little cup of it and enjoyed the additional flavor it added when I put some of it in with my chicken in a tortilla. Needless to say, we will definitely be back.

Ordered the skinless chicken breast with salad and charro beans. Only good thing was the price, under $ 6.00.
The «skinless» chicken meant a guy grabbed a breast and ripped off all the skin. Not exactly the same thing. The creamy cilantro dressing was very good but the charro beans… No salt, no jalapenos? I make better charro beans and I’m white! Wont be back.
Oh! And the chicken was so dry i literally poured hot sauce on it to give it flavor and moisture!

El pollo loco in Houston!!! Waiting for it to make its way up to Dfw. I got to the drive thru about 30 min before close. I ordered a 3 piece leg and thighs combo, which came with a drink and two sides. I already had a drink, so I asked if they could deduct the drink from the combo and he did it no problem. I also requested two thighs and one drum, which he did without objection too!
Got home a ot 40 min later, and anxiously opened the box with my dinner. The chicken had a nice shiny color with subtle grill marks. I quickly pulled out one of my tortillas and started pulling some of the chicken off to build my roll. Of course I could t wait until finishing the roll to have a taste, and as expected, it was the trademark el pollo loco flavor I’ve grown up loving! The chicken could have been a little juicier and hotter, but they’re not to blame since I came right before closing and made a pit stop before going home. The cole slaw and Spanish rice complimented the wrap perfectly, adding creaminess and texture, along with the avocado salsa. The only thing that was missing was the pico de gallo and red salsa that I forgot to ask for. I should have ordered more. :/

Stopped in to taste the chicken since I have never been here before. I ordered the 3 piece combo with a side of mash potatoes and Mac n cheese.
The chicken was flavorful and fresh off the grill. The sides however could have been a little bit warmer. Overall experience was ok. I might give it another try if I have the urge for charbroiled chicken.

El Pollo Loco, I’m very disappointed!
I used to go to EPL from time to time when I lived in California. So I knew what to expect going in… like Pollo Tropical but with a Mexican flair. I must say, though, I was not impressed with this EPL. Maybe I caught them on an off night, but still.
Just like at Pollo Tropical, I went for the quarter chicken — white meat. Unlike Pollo Tropical, the chicken I received was too salty and way over-​seasoned. The steamed broccoli, although not overcooked, was cold when I got it. The lettuce in my salad was wilted, and the queso… let’s just say it was bland and less than stellar. On a positive note, my tortilla soup was actually pretty good.
I like the El Pollo Loco brand enough to give them another try, though. Hopefully my next experience at this location will be better.

Healthy Mexican food. Tasty barbecue chicken.
We arrived based on the review from Alexander W. The first thing you notice when you walk in the door is the rows of butterflied chickens cooking on a huge grill.
EPL has many different dishes listed, most are chicken-​based. Calories are listed on the menu. My daughter tried a 2-​piece chicken meal, my wife tried the grilled chicken salad, and I had the regular Pollo Bowl. I was given the choice of tortilla chips or tortillas with my meal and I decided to go with the corn tortillas. They were good.
The Pollo Bowl was tasty, but consisted mostly of rice and pinto beans. Note that there are double meat and ultimate bowl options for bigger appetites. I did prefer the EPL chicken bowl over the bowl offered at Taco Cabana… the chicken tastes better and I believe TC uses refried beans in their bowl.
I tried some of my daughter’s chicken. The thigh meat was juicy and tasty. Good blend of lime juice and spices.
Overall, a great fast food meal at a good price. We will return.

I have frequented EPL in California, and I am a fan. Today’s meal let me down.
The grilled chicken we received was dry and the pieces were tiny. There were lots of over cooked (hard, not burned) spots that had to be picked off.
The Chicken and avocado quesadilla had only very small pieces of dark meat chicken and only a few of them. It tasted fine, but if the highlight of EPL is chicken, this certainly doesn’t show it. It is not a traditional quesadilla, it is more like a wrap that has been grilled.
The Chicken tostada bowl was the same. Only tiny pieces of chicken (looked like scraps), an not very much. The other contents in the bowl were fine.
As a fan of EPL, I will be back to give them another try. I hope with time, they will get the kinks worked out and start serving the juicy grilled chicken that I am used to.

Was really excited to give this place a try and finally had a chance. I went through the drive through and had a fast and good experience.
At first glance the menu seemed kinda small, but everything looked goooooood. I got the burrito bowl with corn tortillas. It had fresh ingredients and tasted good, not chipotle good but better than freedbirds good. A quick and happy medium for a good price (like $ 9 bucks for the combo).
It’s close to I-​10 and and pretty convenient. I went after the lunch rush and the parking lot (albeit small) was full.
Overall I’m glad I tried it out and will be back again.

My West Coast friends always drag me to this place when we visit Las Vegas together. When I was informed that they were opening a branch in Katy, I was please to say the least. I always enjoyed the Vegas chain, so was definitely expecting nothing short of that same enjoyment in Katy.
Just a casual glance over the menu I was pleased with two aspects — variety and pricing. I think that them actually having a $ 5 combo meal on the menu was a good touch. If you know you are coming here, make sure to sign up for «My Loco Rewards» to get free chips and guacamole. It is truly free… no purchase necessary, which is another plus for the frugal at heart.
Of course I am going to use my freebie and add it to a good priced combo deal. 3 $ 5 combo deals to choose from and I opted for the «Pollo Bowl.» Every combo comes with either tortilla or chips, and a drink. This bowl has the chicken breast, as they often claim — «…fire-​grilled to perfection, then chopped and joined with a mouthwatering combination of pinto beans, rice, diced onions, fresh cilantro and pico de gallo salsa.» I must admit, I was actually pleased with the flavor and amount of food given for the price.
I knew I had to allow my kids to experience the brand before I actually rated the place. This time I ordered «3 Course Family Meal with New Bacon Avocado Salad.» This came with 8 pieces of chicken, 2 large sides, tortillas, bacon avocado salad and 4 churros. I opted for the mash potatoes and macaroni and cheese for the sides. Got to the window and they let me know that they didn’t have macaroni and cheese and I had to opt for another side… broccoli was chosen… bleh!
Get home, salad did not have a dressing, they forgot to put in the salsa that they asked me if I wanted to go with my meal, and the 4 churros were actually 2 brownies… fail! I have a child with nut allergies… so I can’t give her that without knowing anything about preparation. Time to make one kid feel better than the next!
I want to give the place 2 stars because of this… but my kids enjoyed everything! They REALLY ENJOYED THE CHICKEN (Insert stereotype here)! They asked to finish off the mash potatoes and gravy. They did not even look at the broccoli. They just talked about how good everything was.
Darn you El Pollo Loco making my kids smile! You get 4 stars, but get your act together. The first drive thru experience went through without a hitch, so they just probably had a bad day.
They truly deserve 5 stars for being a place where you can go for fast food speed, but also feed yourself and your family with a mixture of health and taste. There are many healthy and tasty options on the menu. This fire grilled chicken has flavor!

Went here for their soft opening and all four of us were able to get vouchers for a meal up to $ 10.00. Service was very friendly, fast and attentive. The menu is very big. Our group had the chicken avocado burrito, double chicken burrito and the chicken, bacon & guac quesadilla. The burritos were good, perfect size and I like how they put the calorie count next to each item. You can customize any item so would probably get black beans instead of pinto next time. The bag of chips they give with the meal is very small but in reality is probably all you should be eating anyway. The pico and salsa bar is a nice touch. Their pico was absolutely delicious. The quesadilla is wrapped up so it is a very good item to get to go. The food was very fresh. We also ordered churros and chocolate chip brownies. They were good as well.
I will go back as there are several items on their under 500 calories menu that I would like to try — mango grilled tostada, grilled chicken & kale salad and chicken & shrimp grilled tostada — all priced a little over $ 6. They have a drive-​thru. For fast food, the freshness of the food and the pico is what will bring me back!

I am a big fan of this fast food resturant. Enjoyed it when I lived in LA (California). This chain should not to be confused with the Pollo Tropical which are big in FL. Same concept but was explained to me that El Pollo Loco is broader based Latin food theme while their competitor (El Tropical) is specially Cuban.
Visited today for their soft grand opening, where they offered $ 10 value voucher on Facebook, to allow training of the various employees.
Food wise the chicken was excellent, sides were okay– I ended up with a double order of beans as they ran out of corn. Chicken was cooked, moist and seasoned evenly. Lots of condiments choices. Tres Leches cake was very moist. Lighter version not heavily creamed but just right.
Service: Manager swarmed the lobby. Very friendly. Two positive experiences talking to the young lady Anabel who was a host was very friendly and attentive. As well one of the Manager who just relocated from California. Both were very personable.
Only downside I see but not a show stopper is parking. But like other Mason Rd restaurants parking is a challenge so no worries.