About seven years ago, I posted a very negative review of this location after a 2019 Sacramento County health inspection resulted in a temporary closure for a cockroach infestation. At the time, I based my comments on the Citrus Heights Sentinel published news report and the county health inspection information available. Seven years later, I don't believe a business should be punished forever for a problem it appears to have corrected. I recently went back and reviewed the health department records again, and this location appears to have maintained good inspection results in recent years without the problems I wrote about back then. I have not returned to eat here, so I'm not reviewing the food or service today. I'm simply removing my old negative review and updating the record to be fair. As far as I'm concerned, the 2019 issue is old history, they appear to have corrected it, and I'm neutral on the restaurant today. read more

The food is always good at most locations. Haven't had bad food so far. The service tends to be good. I was surprised... when I asked if they have any coupons. Since the ones in the app have been far, few and In between. Supposedly they mail them out? Not that there is one on my location. The middle of no where! LOL!!! Yet, the gal said they only give them out... after a purchases is made. Which to me is pretty lame! I will spend more money and order more! If I am already saving a few bucks. The one in Concord doesn't do this. I would think the idea is to incentivize people to spend more. At least the food was good. Oh, and make sure to always ask for their pico de gallo and their creamy avocado salsa. It's really good!!! Yum!!! read more

Paid 50$ for 12 pieces of chicken jerky. I remember when these just opened the chicken was fresh and juicy lots of flavor. Save yourself some money don't buy this dehydrated chicken jerky. I can't imagine how long the chicken has to be warmed to get this dry. Can't be good and I know it's not healthy. Paid for a mixed meat meal it's extra, got home it's all thigh and drumsticks. Make sure you get a receipt if you do want some jerky they'll try to not print you one in drive thru. read more

I came in today to try the street corn quesadilla. It was good, not great. It was a little bit too salty for me. Having said that it was a tremendous amount of food for the price. My order was ready for pick up when I arrived. The people are always very nice. read more

This is my favorite fast food restaurant, hands down. You get great flavorful food, and you don't feel guilty eating it at the same time. I come to this location mostly, and the service is always good. I order on the mobile app, and by the time I get there, my food is bagged and ready to go. read more

El Pollo Loco - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

So happy with how nice and amazing the service was here! Both the man at the drive thru and the girl who brought out my food (cause I had to pull forward since I ordered a lot) were friendly. It's nice to get such good service (and food!) through a drive thru in 2026 lol read more

I bought chicken legs and thigh meal 8 pieces. After eating it, I want to puke. Chicken, rice, beans everything tasted horrible today. I have had it many times before and it tasted fine but who ever cooked it today didn't think it was for humans. Chucken tasted so unfresh. Please make sure to check the quality of food before you box it for drive through read more

So many thoughts are running through my head, and trying to figure out where to start. Sadly, it's not about the food. However, it's in regards to the awesome service we (family) encountered in the drive-thru. Eric, hands down, El Pollo Loco needs to consider you as a trainer. Your thoughtfulness and determination to keep a customer engaged while at the drive-thru was outstanding and a change from the mundane cashiers other businesses keep. You can always come work for me if you ever want to stop serving chicken! read more

The save money el Pollo loco changed the containers for salsas and beans, I had an order to go and when I got home all the liquids for the beans where everywhere, all the plastic bag the chips, the tortillas and the chicken was wet, this is ridiculous you can't not mix some liquid food with dry food because is going to lose the consistency. This is retard!! read more

El Pollo Loco - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

Service and food is great, but the place needs a little bit of Cleaning.. definitely will come back again.

Great service the chicken was juicy and flavorful I recommend to try el pollo loco definitely I will return to this location

If I could give 0 stars I would. Disgusting. Ordered the meal, they forgot l the chips. Ok fine whatever. The soup clearly looks old and funky.. the chicken was so dark it looked like pork or meat. It was clearly reheated over and over, which can cause food poisoning! So unsanitary! Took one bite and tasted the old. I'm top of it ALL pulled a long hair out of the soup. Wtf!!!! I don't understand the level of ignorance and carelessness at this location. Never coming back. I'm disgusted. read more

El Pollo Loco - Hair in tortilla soup - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

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Got burritos buy 1 get 1 free for National Burrito Day- tried the Chk Avocado and Chk Tinga for $8.49 + tax. Idk if I'd pay $8.49 for them, but a great deal to get 2 for that price. Good size, taste was 4/5. The staff messed up the order but made me new orders and were apologetic. I'd also gotten the family chk meal from them- 12 pieces of chk and 3 sides. We got mashed potatoes, blk beans, red beans. The chk was good, beans were ok (a bit bland) and the mashed potato was also just ok (tasted like instant but that's not surprising since this is fast food). Overall, would come again when in the area when there's a sale, but not worth the original prices. read more

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Already left my review for this location yesterday.About having a beard hair in my chicken , quesadilla in my chicken quesadilla, I explained that the day before my boyfriend and I had eaten at a Pole loco in Northgate, which was fabulous, fresh hot tasty and was disappointed when getting the same order chicken quesadilla and chicken burrito from the citrus highest location, only to find that it was dry hard old not good at all, not to mention there was a beard hair in my quesadilla. My boy, my boyfriend had been eating most of his burrito already. When I found the hair, he decided to stop eating it. I went to go return the items out of disgust, and when I went in the lobby, there was about 8 or 9 male employees, all with scraggly long, uncapped beards, which immediately grossed me out and confirmed the fact that it was a beard hair in my quesadilla, they told me they could only refund the money for the quesadilla, not also the burrito, which I was disgruntled about, but over the night, I was thinking about it more and more, and how much it disgusted me that looking at those employees. With long unbeared, unkempt, beards. How gross it looked88ķ and how dirty they looked, and I will never eat there ever again. read more

This has got to be the WORST El Pollo Loco location in existence! I am usually a big El Pollo Loco fan, I have been going to El Pollo Loco since they opened the first one in LA in the 80's. First, they got my order wrong, I ordered 12 pc legs and thighs. As I was driving home, I reached in to get a piece to give some to my dog, and realized that they had given me mixed instead of legs and thighs. I returned to exchange it, and the young man behind the counter said something to the effect of "it's a good thing you brought it back, the mixed is more expensive than the legs and thighs". I was curious what he meant by that, but then I realized that he took the box of (opened, and handled!) chicken and put it next to the orders going OUT. This is insane, selling it to another person! Well if that wasn't bad enough, when I did get home and open the package to have some lunch, the quality of the chicken itself was just horrible! The chicken was very dry, as if it had been sitting out, or been re-warmed over and over. Almost like chicken jerky. The pieces of chicken were also TINY, not the delicious, juicy chicken that I love so much. They were so small that I was curious how much they weighed...I weighed a few and there were only between 1.5 and 2 oz each! So disappointing after spending $40 on food that should have lasted me for the next few days. I usually LOVE the mild red salsa, but the flavor at this store was just OFF. It was too spicy and had too much cilantro. It was definitely different than usual. Also, I noticed that the tops of the little salsa containers were bulging, indicating bacterial growth. I didn't notice this on the first one or I wouldn't have eaten it! I ended up throwing everything in the trash, not wanting to risk getting sick. I think they have a definite quality control problem at this store, and possibly an unsafe food storage issue as well. My recommendation is to STEER CLEAR of this store! read more

El Pollo Loco - TINY chicken pieces! - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

Just passing by to get some food. Quick simple and easy. Got food to go and they even brought my food out.

I just stopped at Pollo Loco in Citrus Heights and I'm telling you I've been eating in Pollo Loco for many many years and they have destroyed this place. The bathrooms are the grossest thing. The people that work there they are on the phone or doing whatever they want to.the customers are not important to them. This is the last time I will be stopping here. I hope somebody takes a look at it and sees what's going on with this place it's so sad to see a place that you've been going to for many years that's gone so down hill. It's sad employees don't care or the owners don't care. I will not come back read more

I ordered the Party in a Box for a birthday party I hosted. I wish I could remember the name of the manager that helped me with my order but he was very helpful and accommodating. When I arrived to pick up the food the employees were also helpful and nice. The food was not only hot but very good and fresh. It was a hit with everyone! I will definitely order from them again read more

I am very big on this location ! I've had my first experience of el pollo loco here, years ago and I can't forget ! The food was so good and the customer service was also. I met the owner that day, while I was trying to decide on what to order and he was too nice ! Ugggh I will never forget the day. I've been to plenty location since then, but this is the location I will always return to, when I'm in town. read more

Come get some crazy chicken so crazy some smashed the window to get some of this deliciousness.. read more

El Pollo Loco - The food is delicious - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

Growing up in the area, I had always seen El Pollo Loco when I was driving, and finally decided to stop by one day and try it. I loved it so much that I've been back many times. This location has very friendly staff and great service. I usually get a Queso Blanco burrito when I come through and it's one of my favorite burritos I've ever had. There's not too much to really say on this review, it's fast food after all, but with great food and great service, I definitely recommend everyone give them a try. read more

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives."~Ralph Waldo Emerson On Tuesday looking for a bite to eat we stopped in and upon placing an order I noticed a bunch of fresh chicken being grilled to perfection right in front of us, it was pretty amazing to see! I went with their Chicken Avocado Quesadilla, these are not your typical quesadillas, they're stuffed full almost like a pocket, of from what I can describe as a chicken salad, but with a kick to it. I had one previously at another location and it's pretty delicious, even with the spice, you can tell they make everything fresh and it's filling! For dessert we shared their new Cinnamon Churros, these came out hot and had a nice cinnamon flavor I quite enjoyed! To drink I ordered a Gold Peak Fresh-Brewed Mango Passionfruit Tea, sweet, but not overly and the flavors balanced well together, so fruity! I would highly recommend trying out this location, the staff are friendly and take time to prepare a nice meal for you, they're more than just fast food! And yes they're crazy about their chicken and so is this happy customer! I'll be returning! read more

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El Pollo Loco is a favorite fast food joint of mine. Has been for several years. Occasionally, as with all fast food joints, food or service can miss the mark. If EPL didn't have a solid long-standing rating in my book, it'd be hard to rate 3 stars. First visit to this location. Nice woman took my order. Inside the restaurant it was pretty well set up for germ-restraints for the bandwagon germiphobes and it was clean. However, my double protein avocado bowl was not worth it at the $6 coupon price and definitely not the full $8.xx price. Many pieces of expired lettuce and some pieces of hard/dry chicken. The avocado dressing was not flavorful. Cauliflower lime "rice" was pretty good - a little bit of pickle flavoring. It'll be a long time before I repeat visit any EPL. I'm sorry, I know we all make mistakes, so 3 stars. Maybe next time it'll be better! read more

I love this location. Very generous with their toppings. I always have enough for all my chips. Cleanly place and customer service was great: fast service. read more

El Pollo Loco - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

April 23, 2024 my wife and I had lunch there. Got double chicken tostadas. Chicken was dry and hard and would have been completely inedible if it wasn't for the dressing provided. They've done away with all the condiments, salsas cilantro. I asked one employee for the key to the bathroom as he was looking down at his phone. He looked up and said yeah, somebody will be there in a minute. That person never came. Horrible customer service in the place except for the young gentleman that took our order. I can only attribute it to poor management. Never going back read more

This place is nasty as f*ck. Hella rip off and they didn't even give me sauce and drink. After I left, I saw a fat worker was carrying a case of beer to the back door. Probably drinking while working. read more

El Pollo Loco - Wayyyy too much bean. - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

I will say that "El Pollo Loco" is in a class all to itself. Its not nearly as Americanized as Chipotle, Moe's Southwest Grill, or even Freebirds World Burrito but for a Mexican fast food establishment, its a decent go-to spot. The location that I am focusing on is their one and only spot in Citrus Heights. Located directly on the corner of Greenback Lane and Mariposa Ave., this El Pollo Loco has been serving up tasty Mexican meals dating back to 2009. The interior to this particular location is fairly spacious as they provide ample seating throughout. There is also a nice salsa bar that offers their unique red & green salsas, onions, cilantro, limes, and other condiments to customize your meal. Additionally, there is a self-serve fountain machine. There is no exterior seating but this location does have a drive-thru. And finally, they do not have Wi-Fi available. I've eaten here at least 3 or 4 times and I have come to the conclusion that (for an El Pollo Loco) its just an average experience every time. The main focus on all of their restaurants is their citrus-marinated fire roasted chicken. Over the years, they have greatly expanded their menu lineup from basic chicken w/beans & rice to more elaborate dishes including overstuffed quesadillas, tostada salads, shrimp bowls, and fajitas. They even offer a lot of "non-Mexican" sides including Macaroni & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli, and Cole Slaw. During my most recent experience, I decided to refrain from eating their chicken and opted for their shrimp. This is where I ordered their "Baja Shrimp Avocado Bowl". In addition to the shrimp, this bowl included sour cream, sweet corn, shredded cheese, cabbage, (house-made) pico de gallo, Mexican rice, and pinto beans. Price was roughly around $9.00; about a dollar more than the chicken bowl since I went with the the shrimp upgrade. I also received two flour tortillas. My lady ended up ordering their "Double Chicken Avocado Salad" with was very similar to my meal minus to rice and beans. Our meals are ready in just under 3 minutes, not a bad turnaround time considering it was quite busy at 6:30pm on a Friday evening. After eating several bites of my bowl, I must say that it was actually quite bland. I don't know if it lacked seasonings but there just wasn't a whole lot of flavor to this. Even the shrimp didn't have that wow factor going on. I've eaten at other El Pollo Loco locations (Northgate Ave. in South Natomas and Auburn Blvd. in Foothill Farms) and this one is just not as good. Overall, the food is decent and you get a lot for your money but it just doesn't have that "wow" factor going on. I think I've been too spoiled by going to one-of-a-kind family owned Mexican places, this place just lacks a lot of that authenticity that I am looking for. With that said and done, El Pollo Loco is good but its just an average experience here. My rating, three stars. read more

El Pollo Loco - Baja shrimp avocado bowl - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

We had a coupon for the $25 meal, (to go). The guy cooking the chicken noticed I had the coupon in my hand. He selected the dry overcooked pieces of chicken for us. The large family salad was suppose to have avacado , but had nothing, and we didn't get a dressing. The potatoes tasted like instant, but with the gravey were ok. The beens were bland. This is the 2 nd time this has happened to us at the store on Greenback in Citrus Heights. I couldn't do the survey, as the website wouldn't accept the survey code. I suspect if you dine in and pay regular price they give you the better chicken, but we got the dry overcooked chicken as our order was "to go" and was a coupon. read more

Awesome quality of food and service was great. Christian, who's one of the managers here was extremely helpful and knowledgeable on any questions i had. Definitely coming back! Thank you Christian! read more

This place is mediocre. The chicken is alright. It has some flavor and isn't entirely dried out. The sides (corn, beans, and red rice) had little to no flavor. My husband liked the flour tortillas. They were hot and held up well. The service was mediocre. The employees were not exactly friendly and did not create a welcoming atmosphere. When I waited in line to place my order, I noticed two ladies behind the counter just talking. It would have been nice for one of them to help take customer orders. When it was my turn to order at the counter, I asked whether salsa was included. He said it was included in the price, but they do salsa during the order pickup. When my order number was called, I stepped up to the counter to collect the bag of food and the employee immediately walked away without a word. She and the other employees were out of earshot. Instead of waiting for someone to notice me, I left. I was wrangling an infant and didn't have a bunch of time to waste. The experience and food weren't good enough for me to consider returning to this location. I'll just take my business elsewhere. read more

Go somewhere else, they are rude and have no time for their customers. I stood at the counter after getting my online order, while three employees kept their heads down and ignored me. Finally thr guy that helped me came around, i said I ordered salsa. He said this is the chips. I said yes, I ordered salsa too. He reaches down then hands me the salsa. I thank him and walk out. Food was okay. Will not be back! read more

Horrible location that I have tried giving a second chance to multiple times. Prior to Covid anytime I went in, this place was dirty; sticky floors, dirty tables, messy salsa bar, etc. the last time I went I ordered two meals that included chips. Arrived home without a single chip. When I contacted them I was advised to complete an online form/survey. I attempted to follow up, not once, not twice, but three times. Zero response. Do yourself a favor and skip going here. The location on Auburn (north of Madison) is a better location. read more

Food is good and staff is friendly. Killer tacos. My only complaint is they don't take more than one coupon. Which is a bummer if you want to order more than item that's in a coupon. read more

Went today for lunch to try the chicken nachos. The staff was very friendly. I enjoyed speaking with the cashier. I ordered the fire grilled lock nachos with cilantro creme. I thought they were good. I wished the chips were warm and the queso was hotter. I really enjoyed the flavor. The chicken was tender and juicy. They have a salsa bar with a few different choices that is pretty good. I have eaten here several times and have enjoyed it. read more

El Pollo Loco - Fire grilled loco nachos - Mexican Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

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We popped by yesterday for a quick bite. First off, the order taker dude did not speak English AT ALL. It was crazy trying to order 3 tacos and 1 cheese quesadilla. Finally, $13.00 later, the quesadilla was super tiny and barely had any cheese. The 3 street tacos were cold. Gross. I'm done with this BS. They used to be my fav fast food. No more. Get your sh!t together. read more

Stopped for dinner to go. I had to request utensils and salt and pepper, they were out of mashed potatoes and when I opened my meal at work there was no dressing for the salad. Place seems to be going downhill each time I go there. Very disappointed read more

A great fast casual restaurant that is figure friendly! I could make a meal from the salsa bar alone! The manager at this location is a really friendly guy. I always seem to get pretty good coupons for this place in the mail and while I usually throw out coupons for fast food..I usually save the ones for EPL because the chicken is thee . I would recommend the family meals. They come with your choice of numerous pieces of chicken, either breasts or legs and thighs. 2 sides such as; corn, rice, beans ect..Also corn or flour tortillas and a salad to share. They even include churros for dessert. Starting at only $20. WHAT! You use that coupon as well and you've got quite a deal. Drive through is a plus with crabby kids. read more

A side order of beans was all soup, hardly any beans! This isn't this first time! What's wrong with these people!

Tried the birria tacos and they were good just over priced for what you get. 2 small tacos and dipping sauce. Almost 15 bucks.! Won't be having these again. read more

They have great food and service. I would recommend this place anytime! Everything on the menu is amazing and generous servings. Friendly service is also a nice bonus. Ambiance is also nice. read more