This is my picky 5 and 1/2-year-old's review "can I have more chicken? It's too good!"

The food was really good. My chicken had that really nice flavor you would expect at a Peruvian restaurant. I really enjoyed it but my rice serving was very small. The plantains were also sweet and mushy which is the best kind. I'll be back for sure read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

Tgis place is such a good find. Fast and friendly service and food is amazing. Plantains are to die for so there a must have! Only suggestion is the mix veg is kinda bland and tastes frozen, other than that its great. You also get alot of food for the pice read more

El Gran Pollo - Fried Plantains - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

I didn't have a taste for chicken or lamb chops today. So I Took a chance. I choose the shrimp Alfredo from a Peruvian restaurant. I'm so glad that I did !To my surprise the shrimp Alfredo was amazing. The sauce was nice and creamy and the ten large shrimp were fresh and good. read more

El Gran Pollo - Shrimp alfredo delicious! I ate half before I remembered to take a picture - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

I was in the area craving Peruvian chicken so my girlfriend told me to stop by El Gran. With her being Peruvian I completely trusted her judgement. I was not let down. All of the food was amazing and the chicken was extremely juicy. I may have just found my Peruvian chicken spot for whenever Im around Towson. read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

TERRIBLE! Don't eat here! Me and my boyfriend started to feel tingly and loose feeling in our bodies! I caught goosebumps and sweaty palms

Pretty decent food. I ordered the 1/2 chicken, mixed vegetables and potatoes w/ carrots. The portions were plentiful as with most Peruvian food joints. The chicken wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked (Chicken RICO and Sardi's have better flavor). The veggies were great, full of flavor and perfectly cooked. The potatoes were decently seasoned not great but good enough. Check it out if it's close to your location. read more

El Gran is a go to for a hot meal on a cold night. I love their chicken. It is amazing. I usually do a half chicken and two sides. Plantains, rice and beans. Their chicken is always perfect. I have tried their steak as well really good. The only issue I see right now with covid is occasionally their masks are below their noses. It is mostly the folks working in the back that I have noticed this issue. Great place though. Very cheap meal too. read more

Always good food and fast service. The charbroiled chicken, plantains and the black beans are definite favorites.

I have been going there for years and I cant believe they haven't figure it out a way not to burn the plantains. Let's begin that authentic Peruvian chicken doesn't come with plantains ever .., we eat with French fries and salad... but ok if you want to add plantains then please don't burn them. I took my kids for dinner yesterday and I ordered to go , paid for the special chicken almost 30 bucks and my side of two plantains were black. My daughter didn't want to even try it. I want to contact the owner to make him aware... other than that chicken is very good. read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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This is my first time coming to this place but have eaten their food before and it is delicious! I wish it was bigger inside because it was kinda crowded (hence great food! ) read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

The lamb chops are amazing. They raised the price twice within the year which is a bit much but very good

I am literally in love with this place. The chicken is super duper tasty and so moist (even the white meat!). And I absolutely love plantains and they have them here for an extra $.50. The prices are reasonable and seeing how they make the food and chicken in the back, you are really getting some authentic food. I always get the 1/2 chicken, green beans and plantains and let me tell you, it taste like home cooked Spanish food straight from grandma's kitchen! I highly recommend this place. I had this for dinner today about 3 hours ago and I'm still so full! read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

I order 1/2chicken with rice and they give me undercook chicken, That got me sick for couple days. Won't go back again cause when they run out of cook chicken they start serving people under cook chicken. read more

I saw this place as I was walking out of Grande Buffet Grill and decided to get something here. I got their 1/4 Chicken, dark meat, with the huge corn and rice & beans. Went to work, tried it and it was good! The meat was very tender and flavorful and the sides complemented the chicken well. It's a small place that's located right next to Grande Buffet Grill and have some friendly people working there. Good food! read more

I just moved out to Baltimore, and was craving some Peruvian chicken. I searched and found this gem on Yelp, and decided to give it a try. I was a little worried that I wouldn't find quality Peruvian food in Baltimore. I come from San Francisco, and have had a good share of delicious Peruvian cuisine, whether it's rotisserie chicken from Limon, or tapas-style cuisine from La Mar or Piqueos. That's why I am ecstatic in having found El Gran Pollo. The place has many positives working in its favor. First, is its LOCATION. It's conveniently located in a strip mall with plentiful parking and little traffic on the corner of Loch Raven and Taylor. This works very well for me since I live in the area. Most important is the FOOD. They have a fine offering of traditional Peruvian eats (e.g. rotisserie chicken, yuca, platanos, black beans), and some non-traditional foods that I would expect to find in a Mexican taqueria (burritos). I have always gone for the rotisserie chicken, and boy is it delicious. The chicken is moist and comes marinated in what I can only describe as Peruvian goodness (probably a mix of lemon or lime, herbs, spices). You have several options to order chicken (1/4 dark or white, 1/2 dark or white, or whole). Chicken orders include 2 sides, and you have an assortment to choose from (fried yuca, green beans, mixed vegetables, black beans, potatoes, pinto beans). Platanos are also available for 50 cents more. The last 2 times I've gone there, I ordered a half chicken with 2 sides, and that was enough to last me 2 meals. That leads to my second positive about the food here, and that's PORTION SIZE. The portions of chicken are hefty. They sure don't skimp on the chicken, and like I said, a 1/2 order is enough to last you 2 meals unless you're very hungry. My final positive about this place is COST. A 1/4 order of chicken with 2 sides runs you about $6.95 plus tax. A 1/2 order is $9.95 plus tax. That is very reasonable in my opinion, and gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The staff there are also very friendly, and I even met the owner in my first time there. He was very outgoing and excited that I moved here from California. This will definitely be a regular eating spot for me. read more

For my money, this is the best pollo a la brasa place in Baltimore - and that's due to it being consistently good rather than inconsistently great. Positives: the chicken is always hot, moist, and tasty. If you get your order "to go," even if you're eating here, the portions for sides can be enormous. Neutrals: The sides are just pretty good. I generally go with yucca, plantain, or chaufa (Peruvian fried rice). All are better than okay, but not great. The sauce is above average, but they charge you an extra 25 cents for every additional container beyond the 2 you get with a quarter chicken. Also, they have a good selection of drinks - last time I had a pina colada Everfresh, and enjoyed it. A typical drink to accompany this meal would be an Inca Kola, which looks gold but tastes like bubble gum. The televisions (always on Spanish language channels) can be a little loud, but that's normal. Negatives: No recycling, and they use styrofoam for everything. Doesn't compare particularly well to places around the Wheaton area. read more

The food here is very good, borderline great...HOWEVER, customer service REALLY needs improvement. Over the last four weeks, I've arrived at the restaurant well before the posted closing time, only to find then closed. After the last occasion, I decided to call them in order to express my concerns about them closing before the posted closing time. During my conversation with the owner, he stated, "I'm the owner and I can whatever I want!" Very true statement...however, if you want to build a clientele, I would STRONGLY suggest you are more considerate of your patrons and honor your posted hours. read more

I studied abroad in Arequipa, Peru for a year, and this chicken almost touches the pollo a la brasa y papas fritas that I had while I was there. I recommend ordering the dark meat half chicken, with plantain and arroz chaufa. The chicken is seasoned to perfection and the skin is perfectly crisp. The arroz chaufa is the best that I have had since I was in Arequipa. Obviously this place cannot beat authentic Peruvian pollo a la brasa, but if you're looking for something close to home that will more than satisfy your cravings, then this is your place. read more

El Gran Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

The chicken was very moist, and seasoned well. It was very good, and you get a good portion. I got the chicken, and rice and black beans. The rice, and beans I could eat by themselves. I crave the chicken and rice all the time. Definitely worth every penny. read more

Never disappointed when I come here! I've only ever had the chicken and it is always moist, juicy, tender,and seasoned to perfection. I usually get plantains and black beans; simple but delicious meal and for less than $10 for half a chicken and two generous sides you can't beat it. I'll eventually try other things on the menu but the chicken is just so good! read more

This place is my go to joint. I've been to probably every Peruvian chicken joint in the state. I drive around for service calls and whenever I see one I stop. Any one of these places is always guaranteed to be good eats. El Gran Pollo is definitely top tier. The chicken is consistently well seasoned and cooked, they're always prepared and fast, sides are good, good prices, great sauces, can't really ask for anything more. The other food is also really amazing. I pretty rarely get anything but chicken (I probably eat here once or twice a week) but occasionally I've gotten Ceviche, Fish Tacos, there's some kind of crazy Seafood soup that was amazing, chicaron de pollo (like a fried chicken with their rotisserie chicken). Everything is amazing. The Ceviche is great. Ceviche Mixto, comes with sweet potatoes, and the nice, big, Peruvian corn on the cob...now I'm hungry.... read more

The chicken tastes really flavorful and juicy when fresh out of their oven. The sides taste okay; to me, the green beans, although prepared perfectly, could benefit from a little more salt and pepper, and the plantains are sometimes not cooked all the way because they're cut unevenly into large chunks. The prices aren't too bad either. If you're looking for a quick, healthy, well-balanced meal, I definitely say stop by. read more

Just stumbled across this place the other day. I've become a lover of Peruvian chicken so I had to give it a try. Great news is that's it is really good. I put it up there with Chicken Rico. The chicken is done very well. Moist and flavorful. I initially thought I liked chicken rico's better but the more I ate it the more I enjoyed El Gran Pollo's better. Chicken Rico's tends to be a little more greasy and over seasoned. El gran pollo's chicken is a bit milder on the spices which means you can really taste the chicken. As far as sides go, I've had the plantains, black beans, mixed black beans & white rice, and the chicken fried rice. All of them are very good and they give you really large portions which is great. Lastly, I've become an aji verde addict, i.e. the spicy green sauce they give you with the meal. I'm happy to say that El Gran Pollo's version is awesome. Spicy and delicious. Just the right amount of heat with lots of flavor. The perfect sauce for great chicken. Or anything for that matter. I've professed my love of it to them and they now toss a couple of extra in for me which is cool. Prices are very reasonable as well. If you're a fan of Peruvian chicken I highly recommend giving it a try. read more

Best Peruvian Chicken Spot in Baltimore for sure. They give a good amount of sauce. The skin has so much flavor while the sauces are thick and creamy. Best side to get here is the Yuca for sure but that is a consistent side for every Peruvian Chicken Spot. If you are in the Towson area please try this spot out. I recommend getting the 1/2 Chicken with a side of Yuca and Rice. read more

I love the chicken here, succulent and flavorful. Even the white meat is juicy; they cook the chickens on a rottiserie over charcoal. Incredibly flavorful!! The sides are tasty. I love a big pile of green beans and the plantains have s nice finish of sweet. The little containers of verde sauce add a nice, complex heat. I wish the owner would pay more attention to the dining in experience. Eating with plastic forks out of plastic containers isn't pleasant. We did have one bad experience during our last visit Saturday night. When we came in, the TV was blasting -- a loud American sitcom complete with someone going into labor. Yelling. While we tried to eat. I went to the cashier and asked her politely to turn it down. She responded with some serious attitude that I didn't appreciate. She also complained in Spanish to another worker about the fact that I hadn't specified that we were eating there rather than having carry out. That meant she had to go all the way to the other end of the counter for the tray! How terrible for her... read more

We normally go to Chicken Rico, but when a coworker told me there was a Peruvian chicken spot in Towson, I was beyond excited. The chicken was moist and flavorful, the plantains were delicious and so were the beans and rice. All of the sides looked fresh, unlike Chicken Rico. The vegetable medley was excellent, and wasn't too salty. I will definitely visit this place on a weekly basis. read more

El Gran Pollo - 1/4 chicken, plantains, veggies and beans & rice. - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

The lamb chops are amazing! There is very little staff turnover resulting in great consistency. My kids enjoy the chicken. My husband gets a red snapper dish... I think that what it is. Dine in plates food presentation often makes it feel like more than a carryout spot in a strip mall. Someone there knows what they are doing. read more

Gentleman at the counter was very friendly and explained to me the ingredients of a couple dishes I was interested in. I went with the ceviche mixto and its soooooo good! It also came with sweet potato and Peruvian corn. The corn I'm not so much a fan of but the sweetness of the sweet potato mixed with the citrus in the ceviche is perfect! I added a side a guac on my own when I got home and my meal was complete. The portion is huge and will last me a couple meals. I will definitely come again and try the many other delicious sounding dishes they have to offer. read more

El Gran Pollo - Ceviche mixto, sweet potato & Peruvian corn. - Peruvian Near Me - Towson, Maryland

YOU have to go! It's the cutest little spot with amazing food. The lamb chops is to die for. IT WAS FIRE!!

I don't understand the high ratings. I ordered the short ribs (because when there's an option to get short ribs, I'm getting short ribs). It was VERY salty. So I took a bite of the beans to counteract teh saltiness. They were far too salty, too. So I thought, "OK, I'll take a bite of rice, that'll help." THE FRIGGIN RICE WAS OVERLY SALTY! If I wanted a salt lick, I didn't need to go here for that. The only reason it didn't get 1 star is because the service was good and while WAY oversalted, the ribs were cooked well and were tender. read more

I had the lomo saltado tonight. It was good, but not great. It was advertised to be filet mignon but it wasn't. But it was still ok. I have had better, especially in Lima, but it was good. I think I would stick with the chicken. read more

One word: YUM! Everything from the chicken down to the sides is just absolutely delicious! Nothing beats their unique charbroiled flavor. The prices are reasonable but still on the higher end. Still, I would highly recommend trying out this place if you haven't already done so! read more

Not as good as Chicken Rico in the city, but it was ok. The sauce was thin and there was no discernible difference between the green and yellow. The chicken was too salty and otherwise lacking flavor. It was less plump and juicy than Chicken Rico, but still tasty. I wouldn't kick it out of bed, but it wasn't my favorite. The fried yucca was exceptional however and the plaintains were just right. read more

A few days after my first review, I bought lunch for my co-workers from EGP and this time made better choices. The chicken was amazing just like before as were the plantains. I swapped out the Yucca for black beans which were delicious, especially with a littlke green sauce dripped in for extra flavor. Now I can't wait to go back and try some other menu items. read more

The food is very yummy. They make good fried yucca, the chicken is delicious, the chicken soup is also delightful, as well as, the chimichuri. It's thicker then I like but nonetheless tasty. The portions are pretty substantial for the price. Very affordable. read more

Amazing!! I stopped in here a few months back only to realize they were closed for renovations and started instead of going to the taco truck in the same parking lot. I ordered a half chicken with rice black beans and cream spinach. I Should've taken a picture before I devoured it. Everything is amazing, hot, fresh, large servings, clean inside the restaurant, and all employees are super friendly.. and the half chicken meal with three sides was less than $13. I will be returning!! read more

The food is good but make sure you check your container. They always mess up, giving you what you did not order.

We live near the Towson store, so finally decided to try it. Ordered a whole roasted chicken (no sides), a small platanos, and skewers of beef heart because I love organ meats. After about an hour, I started to have severe stomach pains, and then SEVERE DIARRHEA throughout the night ! My GI tract didn't recover for almost a week. I have a "cast-iron stomach" and can normally eat anything, even when my wife has trouble. She was fine eating the chicken, but the HEART had to have been tainted!! Maybe too rare, or spoiled from slow turnover! THINK REALLY HARD before ordering heart!! Don't know whether I dare try El Gran Pollo ever again! read more

This has got to be one of the best Peruvian chicken spots I've ever had...especially in the Baltimore area! This place was recommended by a friend and I finally was able to go there but I got there 20 minutes until closing on a Sunday. I was definitely worried that: 1. they would run out of chicken, and 2. the chicken would be dry from sitting out all day. However, I was extremely pleased that I was completely wrong. The chicken was hot, juicy, and full of flavor! Could not have been more pleased. A side of the fried plantains is a must! What I ordered...1/4 white, side of fried plantains, fried yucca, a salad, and an horchata. All less than $12. Cannot be beat!! read more