So glad we stopped by for lunch this week! What a pleasant surprise! Nestled in the back of a shopping complex in Poway, is this fresh take on Mexican cuisine. The menu includes tacos, bowls, salads, soups, plates, and more! Seating inside is limited (maybe 6-7 tables) but it's clean. Service was excellent from the young gentleman taking orders (who also brings your food to the table). He was so warm and welcoming. The food was delicious. The chips were perfectly crispy. The quesadilla was nice and gooey. The salad was fresh with a generous portion of chicken. Prices are fair. There's a shared parking lot with plenty of spaces. Would definitely return! read more

See all

The service is great. I'm not sure the mans name that helped us but he is so nice and friendly. We see him there every time we go. Although I'm not a Mexican food connoisseur, the food is tasty, and it seems clean and healthy, and what I imagine would be a good recipe in a Mexican household. I also like that they have soccer games on, it's nice to relax and catch part of a game while we have a nice lunch. Looking forward to going back read more

This place is cute with great helpful service and good prices. I've been here twice recently. The first time was better that the second time. I ordered the 4 piece chicken with a salad the first time and everything was very yummy. We also got some of their amazing chicken soup and other than DZAkin's soup, this one is the best I've found in San Diego. The chicken cones with yummy cooked onions and there is a nice salad bar there. The only disappointment was that in my second visit I ordered the two piece chicken with salad and the chicken was super dried out. It could be because it was white meat but I did not love it nearly as much as I had on my first visit. If you are looking for healthy mexican in Poway this is a good option. read more

See all

First time visiting Don Pollo and I was impressed! This is a no-frills taco shop style Mexican restaurant tucked away in the far reaches of a strip mall. I had no idea the place was here. Service seemed friendly and welcoming. I ordered three street tacos and they were outstanding! One each carne asada, pollo asado and al pastor. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I appreciated that eating in I was served real plates and silverware. I look forward to visiting again soon. read more

See all

The best chicken soup ever! And the salsa! And tacos! Every single time. Mario (and everybody else) is always super welcoming and nice. read more

Don Pollo - The Best Chicken Soup indeed. Already half eaten x) Very generous portion size. Simply Delicious! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

I discovered this restaurant by chance after being told that it would take more than 35 minutes to get a seat at another restaurant. This family owned business is slightly hidden, it's in the same plaza with Wings top and Ding Tea. It was near closing time, and I asked if the kitchen had already closed. The cashier replied that they had prepared the closing procedure earlier but could still take on customers even in the last few minutes. The restaurant has special combos, including a family meal. Overall, I am very impressed with the layout of the store; it's cozy and has a full menu of Mexican foods. Finally, the moment I had been waiting for arrived. The taco I ordered was amazing. It didn't take me long to inhale these tacos. They were so delicious that I didn't want the last bite to end. I will definitely be back to try other items. read more

See all

Came on a Thursday afternoon at 5:30 and had the place to myself. It's nice and clean inside with 8 tables. The street tacos looked good from previous reviews so ordered the 6 Street Taco Plate for $15.99. I got 2 of each, carne asada, chicken, and al pastor. I think the carne was the best. It came nice and hot. Ala carte each is $2.89. If you're hungry you can take one down with 2 bites. Next time only carne asada and when it gets cold the soup. read more

See all

Best chicken soup and enchiladas--hands down. This is home cooking, authentic food at its best. I can't say enough good things about this place. Chicken soup is so good--and very healthy! Green enchiladas and rice is amazing too. read more

Don pollo is truly is my favorite restaurant all in Poway. My go to order as always is the chicken soup when my family is sick always. My kids even asked for it when they're sick. I refer all my friends and family members here to get the chicken soup it's that magical and healing. I really appreciate that you can customize things at this restaurant. My three kids all love that the employees are friendly here. We really appreciate the young man Alex who takes our order every time for allowing us to have no zucchini and all carrots in the kids soup. Being kids they are always picky. Me as a mom, I am so thankful that they just love the fresh ingredients of the carrots the fresh chicken, their fresh onion, and cilantro and the amazing avocado slices in the soup. So upon picking up my delicious order, I saw that they have some new amazing things I've never tried. So I decided to bring home some things off the menu for our next company meeting. I look forward to trying the amazing salad and the enchiladas. The ambience is place is so warm and refreshing everyone here at the customers employees are always smiling and happy to be here. It is definitely a shop you go to to find warmth and comfort with a group of family or friends. read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

I heard about Don Pollo about two years ago. My friend couldn't remember where it was nor the name. Finally I saw it in Yelp and tried it today! Yum! It was so good and fresh. I was greeted by the cashier who was really nice! I told him I tried ordering on-line but it was too close to the closing. He said next time order and in the notes put pick up tonight. Or call. I got two chicken tostadas. Very fresh and yummy. I also tried a chicken enchilada with green tomatillo sauce. Great flavor. I'll be back! read more

Don Pollo makes the best Mexican style bbq chicken I've ever had. I got the three piece plate and it was excellent. Tender,juicy and very flavorful. The beans and rice were also very good. The people working there were all very nice. Their grilled serrano peppers had a nice kick. Highly recommend read more

Don Pollo - Three piece chicken plate - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

I came in for a second time today to have the chicken soup. It's just as good as I remembered. The ingredients are so fresh and light. It's comforting, warm and healthy. Service was fast and friendly. read more

On a chilly day, there's nothing better than a warm bowl of soup, so I decided to give Don Pollo in Poway a try. It was my first time there, and I'm so glad I stopped in! I ordered their street tacos with beans and rice, plus a hearty chicken soup. The soup hit the spot for me. It was full of tender chicken, rich broth, and yummy onions with avocado on top. My husband is a huge fan of corn tortillas, so I was excited to bring some home for him because they came with the soup. They were still hot when I got home. He loved them, and I have to agree--they were delicious. I called in my order ahead of time, and the staff was super nice and clear on the phone. It's always great when you feel valued as a customer, even during a quick call. It's the little touches of warmth and care that make places like Don Pollo stand out to me. The street tacos were good too. The meat was flavorful and perfectly seasoned, and the beans and rice made it a hearty, satisfying meal. If you're craving comforting food and warm hospitality, Don Pollo is worth checking out. read more

Don Pollo - Taking home the street tacos all mixed together in the to go container but still tasted really good haha - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

See all

All the food is excellent here. Place is clean and service is excellent. Chicken soup will not disappoint.

Wow. The chicken soup is probably the best thing that I've had in a really long time. Delicious broth, shredded chicken, carrots, zucchini, rice, with fresh onions, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a squeeze of lemon. I wish I could have finished the whole bowl because it was so yummy but it was definitely a big portion. I am a fan and will be coming back again. read more

We stopped by while we were in the area because my partner was not feeling well, and I saw that they advertise the best chicken noodle soup in town. The chicken noodle soup was delicious, but I didn't feel like the other dishes stood out quite as much. I enjoyed my chicken enchiladas despite that. The place had plenty of tables open but we went at a strange time (3-4pm) on a weekday. read more

Absolutely love this place, the customer service is great and the food is delicious. Amazing quality and seasoning . Not only that but it's very clean and well maintained too, all the times I came it's been clean and welcomed with great customer service 10/10 recommend to try !! read more

For the area, probably the best Mexican place you can find. Love their chicken soup especially when I am not feeling well. The street tacos are also very good. Wish their salsa bar was a little better but otherwise very good. Would still give it 5 stars for the type of restaurant and food for their class. read more

Absolutely the best soup in Poway... if not all of San Diego. Healthy. Simple. Delicious. Corn tortillas are served warm and add a perfect addition to eating with the soup. Thank you so much!! This was absolutely fantastic! read more

My new favorite local restaurant. The chicken, the tortillas and the salsa are all so flavorful and delicious. Since I found this place a couple months ago, I probably go at least once or twice a week and they are always consistently amazing, of the roughly ten times I've been I've never had a bad experience. The service is also always great, they greet you with a smile and are kind and friendly people. The restaurant is also always incredibly clean. I can't recommend it enough. read more

Customer service was great . The food was good I had 3 street tacos with the works. Food was hot when I made it home. Next time I will order the flame broiled chicken. It was flavorful and priced right! read more

I super like the chicken soup! It's the clear broth kind and very tasty and hot. Their tortillas are huge (the flour kind), nonetheless I went ALL IN and devoured them. It's giving meant for a burrito but we stan. We also had the pollo asado and the bonus is the have Mexican Coca Cola! Overall, pretty awesome place. read more

Great food and great service. I love their chicken bowl, chicken chipotle tostada, tacos, chicken and chicken tortilla soup. You have to try! read more

I have lived in poway for over 20+ years and have only recently discovered this amazing restaurant! The grilled chicken is so flavorful, delicious and extremely fresh. We have ordered tacos, tostada, beans, rice and the chicken soup and everything is yummy. We have been multiple times since discovering this gem. read more

See all

We just got back from the most friendly, clean, and delicious food restaurant we've had in years. We can't express what a wonderful experience it is to dine at Don Pollos. Mario, his wife, and son all greeted us with a smile and made us feel at home. The food was fresh with generous portions and fast service. Mario even brought us an extra plate and utensils without us asking. The chicken and enchilada plate was hot and tender with melt in your mouth flavor. The street taco and chips with salsa were delicious as well. We'll definitely be back for more. Bring friends and help your locally owned business. read more

Yummy tacos plate with beans and rice. I got the chicken, asada and adobada.. Good salsa's. In the heart of Poway.

This is a burrito worth its cost! Rice, beans, Al pastor, guac, onions, cilantro, cheese!! Amazing flavor and the ambience is clean and nice and simple! Complimentary salsas are great and have an awesome flavor and spice to them. If I lived closer I would be here weekly! read more

See all

Stumbled upon this place after a quick yelp search and WOW was I shocked at how good this place was! They are famous for their chicken soup and they also serve your typical Mexican restaurant menu but what you come here is for the soup! I was surprised at how much you got for only $9 but the amount of soup you got was around 32 oz and you also get your choice of flour or corn tortillas! I took a sip and I was instantly shocked at how delicious it was! It was very comforting and honestly I could drink the soup all day lol. They pack a lot of ingredients into the soup like fresh chicken, veggies, and avocado! The ratio of meat to soup was perfect and I should have ordered another soup to go for the trip back home because it was that good. The soup is perfect for a colder day and if you are sick with a cold, this soup will keep you nice and warm! I also ordered their al pastor tacos and platter and those were also quite good as well with the al pastor have a nice flavor and being cooked perfectly! They give you a lot of food and you are getting what you paid for! Ordering was also quick and the food came out relatively quick as well! If you are in San Diego/Poway, this place is a must try for their soup! You won't regret it! Parking is also easy to find as Don Pollo is in a big plaza! read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Soup & Al Pastor plate - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

The chicken soup is my favorite here! Warm, nicely seasoned chicken soup with onions cilantro veggies and a freshly made tortilla as a side. A soup makes for a nice full meal! They also serve grilled chicken similar to el pollo loco, but better! Usually get the chicken soup though. There is a parking lot out front shared with a few businesses and I haven't had trouble finding parking. You can eat in or get take out. There are a handful of tables inside. read more

Food was amazing!!! Ordered a chicken burrito and some tacos and everything was fresh and absolutely delicious. Only thing keeping them from a 5 star review and a frequent customer is the salsa bar. I imagine a place with this caliber food would have an amazing salsa selection but they offer 3 watered down options that don't do the job. I will definitely be back asap. Might have to get salsa elsewhere. read more

First time I went on lunch food was fresh and not dripping in oil! Second time the chicken soup was so much better than what I was expecting. I was sick and needed a pick me up....that bowl kept me full from breakfast to dinner and was definitely healthy! Great food and seems to be a bit on the healthier side than many mexican restaurants. read more

Great asada plate. The staff was friendly and greeted me immediately. Cozy little space that I could see dining in with friends or family.

A small place with little seating and service takes a while (sometimes only 2 people working at a time so it's understandable). But they have the best chicken and veggie caldo around, hands down, so it's really worth the wait! read more

Great little mom and pop restaurant tucked away in a Poway strip mall. If I'm rating just the chicken soup then it's 5 stars all the way. Everything about it is pure comfort with a delicious base, good chicken, fresh avo rounds it out. The 4 piece chicken with salad makes an excellent dinner. The chicken is grilled and well seasoned and goes well with their fresh salsas. I think it's a half chicken as there was a leg, a thigh, and two pieces of breast. Skin on, well seasoned, just a tad dry but the salsa rescued it. Chipotle dressing for the salad added a good layer of flavor. The nicest people work hard at this place and I'm glad they survived the craziness of the past couple of years. read more

It's getting a little chilly in San Diego and Don Pollo's Chicken Soup is PERFECT for it. Ordered during the first week of December 2020, so only take-out. Online ordering is straight forward on their website. I just had to try their "famous chicken soup" ($8.99) and I'm definitely glad I did. The soup comes with a great amount of chicken, rice, broth, avocado, and cilantro, along with good flavor. Just remember to scoop all the way to the bottom to find it. Also comes with choice of flour or corn tortilla. Broth is not too salty. No complaints whatsoever. It was still nice and hot when I arrived home and it's a big, hearty portion. Perfect comfort food. We also ordered the Taco plate ($8.75), which comes with rice/beans and chicken, pork, and asada street tacos, or you can customize it online and ask for specific ones. Website states online orders take about 30 min to be ready. Mine was ready when I arrived and the lady at the register was friendly. read more

Don Pollo - Taco plate - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

See all

Good place for chicken..but... Perhaps the biggest negative for me is their limited weekend hours. I've wanted to stop by here many times post-hiking but they're not open for dinner on Saturday and they're closed on Sunday.. That makes it tough for people not living in Poway. Fortunately I was in town getting a smog check at my go-to (Poway Smog Station) and decided to grab lunch here.. Chicken burrito - basically their chicken plate (with added cheese) wrapped in a tortilla. From a taste profile this was delicious. The execution had a few issues (a few pieces of chicken cartilage ) and I prefer a tightly wrap tortilla that has been semi-grilled (brown spots). But that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Even better was their green sauce which I highly recommend. While not perfect, the taste will definitely bring me back again.. read more

Don Pollo - Chicken burrito - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Literally, the best chicken soup and great service And the restaurant is really clean read more

Don Pollo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Super nice owners and deliciously fresh food. Got their salad with Al Pastor instead of Carne Asada and it was fresh and delicious. Comes with pico, avocado, feta, dried cranberries, and side of ranch or balsamic vinaigrette, but I prefer just drenching it with their delicious salsas. Yum! read more

Don Pollo - Al Pastor salad 5/5 - Chicken Shop Near Me - Poway, California

Good sick day food. Tasted healthy and fresh. -chicken soup: comes with chicken breast, zucchini, carrots, and rice. Can also get 3 corn tortillas on the side. Unlike a chicken tortilla soup, it's a clear broth without tomatoes. Very flavorful yet light. Not too much oil, so it sat ok with my digestion. I would come back just for this, and I can see why they are well known for it. Price was $11.50 -taco plate: comes with side of rice and beans, or you can just get rice. I prefer just rice, and theirs is flavored nicely. Tacos are carne asada, al pastor, and chicken. read more

Was having a bad day and my bestie brought me some chicken soup from this place. YUMMY! It instantly made me feel better. Quality ingredients, and it tasted like a soup my grandma would have made with lots of love. You must try if you are in need of a chicken soup read more