From reading the other reviews it appears that more people either love it or hate it. My vote is LOVE IT! So, I went with a friend of mine who hyped it up. Suffice it to say I was impressed. We split a 1/2 chicken with 2 sides for ROCK-BOTTOM prices!! ($7.99 + tax) You tell me where else you going to find a deal like that...KFC (no !), Popeye's (hell no !), Nando's (f-no !). Its official I'm a fan. Is this gourmet? No, but stack it up with other fast food-ish chicken spots and its a clear winner. Everyone pretty much said it in their review...staff was friendly, decor could use some up grading, good sides to compliment the chicken, tv's were only on spanish channels, etc. I will say if you choose to dine in byob (beverage) b/c their drinks are budget-busters! I spent $2.39 on a large size drink out of the frig and it nearly put me in the $11 range. :) but that's my only suggestion. read more

Not too excited about the Chop Chop or the fact that it was poured over and smothered the rice and beans. It was edible, but nothing great. I thought it was going to be more like a fairly plain pulled chicken dish (or chicken pulled off bone) instead of chicken stew with carrots and celery and saucy sauce. Must stick with white or dark meat chicken pieces. read more

Everything here was good: Dark Chicken Mashed Potatoes Mac & Cheese However, nothing really distinguished itself. Satisfying, but hard to rationalize a trip that far out. Don Pollo could do better. read more

Great food at a great price, particularly for the area. Kids particularly liked the kids platters which was enough to feed a 11 and 13 year old. Will be back. read more

I usually go to El pollo rico and was not expecting much. It was a quick lunch. Ordered half of chicken, rice and beans, yucca (fried) and some corn pico de gallo. It was very tasty!! The line was pretty long but they were pretty fast. I will be back read more

This is my go-to place for Peruvian chicken; I prefer this to Crisp & Juicy in Tenley, which is about equidistant to my place. The chicken is moist and flavorful. The sauces are delicious. Even though it's "boring" the sauteed vegetables are not just an afterthought for the healthiest side option. I am also a big fan of the black bean salad. read more

I don't know why I gave the place four stars. It deserves 10 stars. Out of five. That is how much I love Don Pollo. (Their mild sauce is the best!) read more

This place serves delicious inexpensive chicken seasoned very well. Service is great the staff is very pleasant. I love the quarter chicken with a side salad and sweet plantains for 10 bucks you can't go wrong. I always buy food here, the green sauce is awesome. I also like the corn pico. I would say this is a good quick cheap eat read more

The service was horrible. The employee that took our order could not have been ruder or less helpful. While taking our order he was in a conversation with a coworker talking about what idiots we were. We asked for salad dressing and they gave us hot sauce while laughing and mocking us in Spanish. read more

Don Pollo's has become my "go to" cheap eats spot. Don't get confused when I say "cheap" it's not $1-2 per serving but this hidden gem is in Bethesda. The food is cooked fresh, served hot and if you happen to visit this spot on the right night, you can cash in on the Manager's special of 1/2 dark chicken and 2 sides for less than $15 just like we did. They've been written up in the Best of Bethesda and it only took 1 visit to understand why. Service is bare bones, the restaurant is tidy but sparsely decorated. The star of the show is their chicken and sides. So much so that I have been here 3 times with my BFF in the past 6 weeks. Every single time we've visited the Peruvian chicken has been on point! - well seasoned, served hot, fresh and delicious. Just consistently yummy and easy on your monthly budget if you are on one. As far as the sides we've tried the fried plantains and the rice and beans both were delicious and fairly priced at $5.00 each. Just a gentle and friendly reminder: MoCo parking enforcement is serious in this area, so be careful and mindful about where you park and don't forget to pay your parking meter! read more

Went there for lunch today (carryout). Got 1/2 dark with 2 sides for $6.10!! I expected just a leg & thigh, but got 2 legs and a thigh! Can't beat that for lunch. The chicken was good, as were the plaintains. The black beans & rice were not as flavorful as I'm used to, but it was a good lunch at a good price, overall. I'll go there again. Drinks ARE expensive - so I had water back at the office (better for me anyway). read more

The chicken is tasty (love the skin :)) We usually share a 1/2 a chicken w/plantains and fried yucca. This is plenty of food for 2 adults. The main reason we like Don Pollo more than some of the other pollo ala brasa spots in the area is that we like their yellow and green sauce the best - this is key. Their black beans and rice is pretty tasty, the mac & cheese is a tad oily (I don't need to be eating that anyway) I like the flavor of Peruvian style chicken better than Boston Market and at around $10 for 2 people, it's a better value and better quality food than say McDonalds, BK and Wendy's. We usually come in at least once a week for our pollo fix. read more

We love going to Don Pollo for their grilled chicken and side items. We look forward to going back for dinner soon. read more

Love their chicken is simply the best.I'm stopping by every time I pass by and never get tired of this amazing chicken. Hard to find parking but it totally worthed!!! read more

Came back at 8:37pm on a Sunday night and they decided to close early -- no explanation given. When your stated closing time is 9pm, you can't do that! This is how you lose customers. read more

This place opened recently and replaced Chesapeake Chicken & Rockin' Ribs. They had a lot to live up to based on that and my love of El Pollo Rico and my newly found Chicken on the Run. They did not disappoint! While I still prefer EPR and COTR, this place was very good. The atmosphere here is nicer than at either of the other two, with nice tables/chairs, a couple of flat screen TVs and just an overall good look. The chicken was pretty good, with a good amount of seasoning. The yuca and cole slaw were good too. I will be eating again here real soon! 11/05/08 Update: I've been back here a few times since my initial review. I'm sad to say that the sides have not been good. My favorites are yucca and coleslaw and I have to agree with Dee B...I didn't finish either side on my last visit because it just wasn't good. I've dropped my rating from 4 stars to 3 stars. read more

I'm a regular here. My roommate and I go for the fiesta for 4 which is an entire chicken and 4 sides for an amazing price, enough for a couple meals. The best sides are the plantains, which always come out perfect, the rice and beans and the fried yucca. read more

Worse than the horrible service, I observed the Saturday night manager insult with expletive and berate a customer when customer said was waiting over 15 minutes for order in a virtually empty restaurant. Manager also said order ticket said "5 minutos," then refused to show customer the ticket. So on top of being extremely abusive the manager obviously lied. Manager was extremely abusive and dishonest. It was outrageous and shocking. I couldn't believe it and left. Won't go back. Manager should be reprimanded and taught how to handle customers or worse. read more

LOVE this place. Rotisserie chicken is absolutely amazing and (gasp) affordable. I order the fiesta dinner for 4 on my way home from work and take home. Order extra tortillas, and get the pico de gallo. Also had the bread pudding once -- fabulous. read more

I love Don Pollo. It's right down the street from my job and the chicken and sauces are good. My favorite is the Black Bean Pico. That stuff is yummy, yummy in my tummy. I always order that as a side and the plaintains. They are always sweet and very tasty. Wanna try other things on the menu too cause I love chicken. Chicken is just as good as one of my other favorite places, Crispy Juicy. Enjoy. read more

I am always on the look out for some yummy fried yucca and I was happy when I noticed that Don Pollo arrived! I decided to see if it could stack up to Chicken on the Run or Crisp and Juicy and I'm happy to report that it does. Chicken on the Run is still the best but Don Pollo is pretty tasty and closer to the office! YAY for another great lunch option! read more

My coworker and I stopped by for an afternoon snack, since we had a meeting that dragged on for a really long time. We split a half chicken and two apps: salad and mac n' cheese. The chicken half was solid but really really small, and I prefer Nando's Peri Peri more. The sides were mediocre, since the salad was bland and uninteresting, and the mac was cold and chewy. Overall, just okay, although I wouldn't return. read more

I think this is one of the most delicious and best value meals in the DC Metro area. The chicken is fantastic and I love the black bean pico de gallo. Everything is fresh and fast and it all seems pretty healthy to me. If I didn't live so far away I'd go many nights during the week. There is another Don Pollo in Arlington and I think they are owned by the same company, but the last time I was there the only sides they served were fries and cole slaw. Big ole plate of beige. Don't get me wrong, I love carbs, especially fries, but I need some more selection. read more

Good prices and they give you a nice serving of chicken. The chicken itself wasn't bad, but I wasn't super impressed with it--or maybe my taste buds aren't refined enough. I did get the fried plantains though and they were excellent. read more

I love family size meals to bring home. We all are crazy for the chicken and sides are wonderful. When in the area always stop by for a meal or bring home and make the family happy read more

Lived in Bethesda 2008-2011, and regularly frequented Don Pollo. Delicious! Crispy, flavorful chicken and wonderful sides and sauces.

Don Pollo is a very welcome addition to Bethesda. My mouth is still watering from the tasty chicken that easily competes with the more established Peruvian chicken places in Arlington. The sides are much better than the other places and are plentiful, and the steak fries deserve a special mention. Staff is pleasant and the restaurant itself is clean, atmospheric, and tastefully decorated. The plates come with three types of sauces, but the chicken is tasty enough throughout that the sauces are quite unnecessary. I'm guessing that after taking a taste of Don Pollo, rostisserie chicken anywhere else (ie, chicken out) will be blah and overpriced in comparison. And it's very cheap too at $5.99 for 1/4 chicken, $8.99 for 1/2 chicken - and that's including the sides. read more

I love Peruvian Chicken. There seems to be three of that I know in Bethesda. Chicken on the run, Norky's, and Don Pollo. I believe Don Pollo and Chicken on the run are owned by the same owner. The difference is that Don Pollo serves some variations that Chicken-on-the Run doesn't offer. I love their pico de gallo (sp?). mmm. I always get that and some other starch with my 1/4 white. Peruvian chicken is usually hit or miss. I still haven't figured out how to ensure that my experience will be good, but there are times when the chicken comes out hot and juicy, and then there are times when it's dry. I'm not sure if I have to come at the beginning, middle, or tail end of the lunch rush to get hot and juicy chicken, but if somebody knows, do tell. I also recommend the chop chop if you don't like your chicken on the bone. Also be wary of the recycling Nazi at the register. She reminds you to recycle your soda can at the time of purchase and she definitely watches you like a hawk as you throw away your trash to make sure you're recycling. One time my earth hating friend threw away his canned soda and she had a fit. Anyway, I don't think that's right of her to do, but you gotta pick and choose your battles and I'll just shut my mouth and follow the rules as long as I get my chicken. Five stars because it's good for what it is. Cheap and good. A regular in my lunch rotation. read more

INCREDIBLE. You must try their chicken. It's full of flavor, juicy, and fresh. Good portions. I usually get the half chicken with rice and macaroni. Chicken is perfect. LOVE THIS PLACE. read more

It appears that there's inconsistency with their food. Obviously, today was a bad day because I got dry, mangled chicken. They are usually generous with their sides not today! Not sure if I'll go back read more

Is Don Pollo supposed to be a Peruvian restaurant????? If it is... please make Pollo a la Brasa the way is supposed to be cooked, because the one Don Pollo is selling does not taste nothing like the real pollo a la Brasa..... My first and last time visiting this place. I am Peruvian 100% and I know. read more

This, to me, is the best pollo restaurant around DC. The chicken is perfectly spiced and perfectly cooked. The sides are all excellent, especially the black bean salsa fresca. The place is spotless and the staff is friendly. read more

This is the best chicken ever. I love it. Corn pico de hallo makes me happy. Yum. No complaints. Wish they had delivery

The chicken is very flavorful, and the flavors really get locked in the chicken skin-- so good. The best thing at Don Pollo is the green sauce! If you like spicy and delicious, get the green sauce and slather it all over your chicken, rice & beans, or salad. It's that good. I always order extra, and I also always have to check my order because they never give me what I paid for! For example, I ordered 4 extra green sauces, and they gave me 2 yellow and 2 green. It's really frustrating, but a quick bag check and word to the cashier does the trick. They get 3 stars because of this. And because this has happened so many times, it has prompted me to go to other spots that has the green sauce like Chicken on the Run, which is equally good and they don't mess around with my order-- they give me what I pay for! read more

Don Pollo - Chicken w/ salad and GREEN SAUCE!! - Latin American Near Me - Chevy Chase, Maryland

Whole Foods Bistro didn't have a good chicken dish this afternoon so I thought I would try chicken at Don Pollo's - BIGGEST MISTAKE OF THE WEEK! I ordered a 1/4 chicken meal of dark meat and what was put on the plate was burnt and dried out shoe-leather-like meat on a tiny thigh with a chicken-wing sized leg attached to it. I was shocked and said it looked inedible - asking for a 1/4 piece from one of the jucier looking chickens in the roasting rack. The man reluctantly took the plate back and a minute later called and gave me the SAME dried out leathery-covered bones. I said he gave me the SAME piece and didn't change it - at which point he merely gave me an extra thigh-piece of the dried and burnt chicken. I couldn't eat much of it and ended up just wasting my money. The chicken was leathery - not tender or juicy at all. When I went up to buy a coke - I saw that the worker took out a new chicken that was much jucier to give to the next clients. WHY COULDN'T I JUST GET ONE OF THE JUICY PIECES???!!! I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN. THE CHICKEN WAS DISGUSTING, DRIED OUT, EXTREMELY UNDERSIZED - LIKE A CORNISH GAME HEN BUT WITHOUT THE GOOD TASTE - GROSS AND INEDIBLE!!! read more

The service here is horrible. There are so many places in the area that do Peruvian chicken well, Don Pollo is one of many. The big difference is that I have gone twice (the second time because I figure anyone can have an off day) and the service was remarkably LOUSY. Rude and dismissive staff. read more

We live in the neighborhood and used to get their chicken at least once a week. However, in the past few months we've noticed a sharp decline in quality. The chicken used to be delicious, and now is pretty much tasteless and a little dry. We heard that the manager changed. Please, please bring back the old chicken recipe--we miss it. But until we hear that it's changed, we won't be returning. read more

Ok nice try but your chicken is a tad dry and the yucca lacking a certain flavor. Your price is right though and for a quick meal its good value. But you're no El Pollo Rico. Yea i said it! Let the Pollo wars continue. read more

The chicken is a-okay. However, it was a little bland and not as fresh tasting ... I'm writing this after many trips here. The potato salad is good and so are the mashed potatoes but some of the other sides are hit and miss (such as mac & cheese). I would say that if you're in the mood for chicken and need a quick bite to eat, this is your place to go. read more

Their dark meat chicken is so good with a side of mashed potatoes. When the weather is warm, it's nice to sit outdoors and people watch