El Pollo Loco

Honestly, we were a little sus about getting BBQ in Salinas initially but thankfully Yelp didn't…read moredisappoint. The BBQ here is excellent! We got the brisket, pork ribs, Mac and cheese, beans and potato salad. My favorites were the pork ribs (tender, fall of the bone) and the Mac and cheese (surprisingly garlicky). The meats were cooked well and the seasoning was tasty. They offer bbq sauce on the side but honestly, I dont think it was needed. Oh and dont skip out on the garlic bread, its better than the corn bread imo.

This BBQ spot is just outside the downtown center of Salinas, but it's worth the drive if you're…read morecraving barbecue. They have brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, tri-tip, burnt ends, chicken, pretty much everything! All the meat was a bit on the dry side for my taste, but with the addition of their barbecue sauce, everything was quite good. What stands out here is the service. Eliza, in particular, is tremendous. She's incredibly friendly and makes you feel like you're family.

Celebrating the PIG

Port Rib and Half Garden Salad with Tri Tip steak. Half size s Good size salad for lunch. I liked BBQ pork rib is not too much bbq sauce .

See all

Berry cobbler outstanding

El Charrito

4.4(1.7k reviews)

0.8 mi

Locally owned & operated

Grab-and-go

The flavors here are genuinely good -- you can tell there's real care in the seasoning and the…read moreoverall taste. That said, the portion sizes need serious attention, especially with the burritos. I ordered one expecting a proper amount of meat, but it came with barely any -- mostly rice and beans with just a sprinkle of protein. For the price, that's a tough sell. I'd love to come back and give this place a higher rating, but the portions really need to match the quality of the flavor. Hoping this gets addressed soon because the food itself has real potential

9.75/10 Hands down…read morethe best burritos in the area, and honestly, some of the best I've ever had! I've tried the Breakfast Burrito, Asada, Carnitas, and Chile Verde, and they've all been worth coming back for. First off, the tortillas are absolutely to die for. They're easily the best tortillas I've ever had, soft, fresh, and packed with flavor. They honestly make the burritos stand out from anywhere else. Every burrito comes with the same traditional rice and beans, and they taste homemade. The beans, especially, are delicious. The Breakfast Burrito is a great way to start your day. It's simple with eggs, potatoes, and your choice of meat, but it's filling, comforting, and exactly what you'd want from a breakfast burrito. The Carnitas Burrito has great flavor, although the meat can be a little on the dry side and tends to stick to your teeth. I'd definitely recommend adding their salsa, which helps bring everything together and adds some extra moisture. The Asada Burrito is a classic and doesn't disappoint. The steak is flavorful, and it's a solid go-to option. I'd also recommend grabbing some salsa to take it up another notch. The real winner, though, is the Chile Verde Burrito. If you're only ordering one, make it this one. The pork is juicy, tender, and full of flavor, and the chile verde sauce is absolutely incredible. It's easily my favorite and the one I'd recommend to anyone visiting for the first time. My only critique is the size, I just wish the burritos were a little bigger because they're so good! Overall, this is one of those places I keep coming back to whenever I'm craving an authentic, flavorful burrito.

Burritos made with tortillas right off the grill

See all

In-N-Out Burger

3.9(351 reviews)

0.2 mi

Get this - absolutely *no line - walked directly up to the counter and ordered! Per norm, we…read moreexperienced, the epitome of friendly customer service. Clean, well lit establishment. All three of us ordered a single cheeseburger with grilled onions, fries and a fountain drink. Everything was outstanding, as it should be. The only negative? It seems as if they cater to their drive-through customers. Several cars were served before we were, while waiting inside of the restaurant.

The best burger company always. This location does a great job. Food soooo good. Thank you everyone…read morefor your hard work. God bless you all!

Inside the restaurant

Double Double Cheeseburger with Grilled Onions

See all

Image

Angry Chickz

3.4(68 reviews)

2.8 mi

usually, my comments here about the food being really good in the service severely lacking- today…read morewas quite the contrary in every sense To be honest, if the young man at the register, Giovanni was not so friendly and genuinely helpful and caring then I would've wrote a very different review. We like to come get some food from here on a Friday night when I absolutely don't feel like cooking after working a 10/11 hour shift we always get the same thing usually on Friday nights the wait is pretty long so if I remember, I'll order ahead but most the time I just order in person... I had went a week ago or so and the food wait was about 35 minutes It was about 25 minutes last night. I went into this location yesterday June Friday the 19th at about 8:45 to 915 I was greeted with a genuine smile from the young men at the front counter Giovanni. He had a super good personality. He was super friendly, and you could tell he was actually doing his job according to his training. What compelled me to write this review o this young man (Giovanni )definitely wet behind the ears as he seemed a little shy, but not shy as in lacking customer service just shy about providing such good customer service ... it made sense because while I was waiting for my food, I asked him if it was super busy and he said yes well actually this is my second day so it seems very busy. The fact that it was his second day and he was the friendliest person in the establishment is saying something about the team. But I'm not even gonna get too much into that besides just giving this young man his flowers . Because the young man that was calling people's names around that same time was horribly rude. He slammed my food on the counter at me and then when I asked for the pickles I had ordered he said they were in the bag when I got home, they were not. He looks super upset that I had asked for honey and ketchup . Usually they just put it in the bag so I don't know why he was upset that I asked, I was super frustrated and if the management cares, they should definitely research who is working as the food color yesterday and talk to him because I know I'm not the only one who noticed his attitude I would like to add -I do you think if you are going to prompt your credit card machine, to give a tip you should also have a tip jar for people that are paying cash that would like to tip the employees that way. I'm a tip in cash type of girly. The food was super lacking This experience. The noodles from the mac & cheese were very overdone and it just wasn't the normal stuff that you usually get here - there was about five french fries in my bowl and (surprisingly )overloaded with chicken. However, I ordered a rice plate that comes with two chicken tenders, and those were the saddest little tenders I ever seen shriveled up in that box. I wish I would've took pictures, but to be honest I was just over it by the time I got home. They should've put some of that chicken that was overflowing to compensate for the lack of french fries into that plate where those sad little strips were located. It wasn't horrible, but it just definitely wasn't the same and I know you can't hit it out of the park every time. I know we will be back ...I really wanted to write this review for that young man Giovanni, I know reviews matter and I hope someone says something to him that he was mentioned or he sees it himself.

Well, the honeymoon phase is over, but the food is still bangin. No more big backs lined up down…read morethe sidewalk, so the food comes faster. The restaurant itself is eating down quickly. The outside seating area was dirty and looked like the place has been there a decade. The service was surprisingly troubling... employees were calling names of people that had already been called and picked up their food, and looked frustrated and lost. I guess it gets confusing when all your food looks the same. The LED sign is blinking out. The general cleanliness and maintenance is falling behind quickly. Food is , but service is ‍. Maintenance is , but yeah - I'm going back

So yummy in my tummy

See all

The 31st Grill

4.3(183 reviews)

0.7 mi

Best pastrami sandwich outside of New York. my wife said her corn muffin which was huge was the…read morebest she ever had. Service was outstanding. Excellent parking. Cant wait to go back.

Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. I ordered the meatloaf, and the sauce was so salty…read morethat it overwhelmed the dish. My wife and son were also disappointed with their main dishes, the hanger steak wrap and grilled cheese sandwich, although both the regular fries and sweet potato fries were good. The floor was noticeably dirty and sticky during our visit, which made the overall experience less than pleasant.

Our view for breakfast

Yummy baked goods will entice you!

See all

Storefront

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

3.5(38 reviews)

2.5 mi

I have been waiting for Raising Cane's to open in the Salinas area, and happy to say that on…read moreopening day it did not disappoint! I knew that there was a loong line during the day so my brother and I decided to go during the later evening. Drive thru was busy- but if you go inside.. we didn't have to wait at all and food came out faast! (That's why it's called fast food lol) Anyone who knows me, knows that I recently discovered and am a big fan of Raising Canes. My top picks? Obviously the chicken tenders, fries and sauce.. but don't skip out on that toast! The toast is A1. The chicken tenders were juicy and plump! Omg- and dipped in sauce.. get in there! Lol Customer service was 100% . The workers quickly attended to us and even spelled my name right haha. Overall, I'm giving Salinas' Raising Canes my extra 5 star optimistic review!

Was ignored at the drive they speaker for 5 minutes while the car who pulled up after me to the…read morespeaker next to me placed a giant order. Said "hello" into the speaker 3 times and finally had to yell at the speaker to get helped. Still finished before the car next to me, but still had to wait for them to make that giant order before I got mine )I could see it on the counter when mine was handed to me). I order 2 fingers, a side of fries, and a large drink. The side of fries is literally a kids size anywhere else. This was $13 worth of food. Wildly overpriced for the quality. I've ordered a side of fries alone before and it wasn't whatever this travesty is.

3 finger meal, 3 chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast, and a drink

See all

Arby’s

3.0(26 reviews)

2.0 mi

Food: the ham and cheese sandwich was good. The curly…read morefries were not edible, they were cold and hard as driftwood. The mozzarella sticks are slightly warm. The little dessert thing could have been really good if it were fresh, even though there was very little filling in it. The staff was very nice but considering the food, they obviously don't take pride in serving good food. When you're traveling and getting fuel and grabbing a bite to eat on the road, it's very frustrating when you get good you can't enjoy much less eat. The place was very clean. But considering the overall experience, I could not, in good conscience, recommend anyone to eat there. Unless you just want a sandwich then go for it.

We stopped in on Thanksgiving to use the restroom at Loves on our drive back to the Bay Area…read more Hubby loves Arby's and we don't have one near us, so he always likes to stop and get his favorites when he finds one. We were impressed with how clean the restaurant was, and how friendly everyone was. Hubby had the steak nuggets and the big roast beef sandwich. He was very happy with his order We also thought it was a nice touch that every booth had its own plugs should you need a quick charge. Or want to get some work done while on the road

The dining area was well-maintained

See all

Outside

Sonic Drive-In

1.7(274 reviews)

1.8 mi

I've had sonic numerous times within the last year and i can confidently say that the food has…read morealways been fresh and delicious, never had an issue with the food and have never had an issue with the service, the employees have all been wonderful and are very friendly and polite, No matter how you order through the app, Drive through or parking there's never an issue, The food is great and priced fairly if you compare to other nearby locations, and the choice of drinks is outstanding they're able to compete with fast food places while also serving Various drinks and compete with beverage companies like dutch bros and starbucks, i've gone only eaten at this location and i can say without a doubt it has been perfect for me everytime. Will be going back!

Over 10 years ago Sonic was one of the best burgers…read more I had ever had Now look at this S right here... One bite and I'm done. This is as bad as Wendy's Which is among the worst hamburgers I've ever had in my life. Immediate Is my urge to never eat a sonic hamburger again. GUT BOMB class.

See all

Jack in the Box

1.8(38 reviews)

1.0 mi

Love the food and the service!! Fernando has a really positive attitude love it he made my day!!read more

When You're HANGRY Anything Tastes GOOD..!!!! All I Had Was A Breakfast Jack Combo And Cassandra…read moreHad The #1 Combo I Think It Was A Sourdough Bacon Jack Burger, With Fries And A Drink.

See all

Ike's Love & Sandwiches

3.9(370 reviews)

2.8 mi

Ok I keep forgetting to get a picture of my food! Probably because I am so excited to eat it…read more This has been the best sandwich of my life!!!! I had ordered 3 times now and have never been disappointed!! The Dutch crunch bread just brings it up another level!!!! This is a must try place! I get full from only half and when I go back and finish the e other half it is still just as yummy!

Excellent service and clean store! We ordered the Hot mama that has buffalo chicken and the mobile…read moremama which uses a vegan chicken substitute. Both were made "extra dirty" and a 10/10.

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Isabella M.

0

2

0

2 years ago

I stoped by to try the new shrimp and chicken tostada. I am a big fan of their regular tostada so I thought I would give this one a try. It was delicious!! The shrimp were flavorful and complimented all of the other fillings and toppings. The restaurant was clean as usual with quick service and the staff is friendly. Thank you for my delicious lunch! read more

Ana S.

0

6

0

5 years ago

Went through the drive through and they held on to my credit card for longer than usual and away from where I can see. I didn't think much until I got alerts for unauthorized sales. The woman who took my card was pearla and she was very disrespectful in addition to having copied my card info! No way. Be careful everyone read more

Mario M.

46

66

62

10 months ago

I like Pollo loco. I remember I used to go there sometimes in Salinas used to be at the old big Kmart store. They moved it ever since they moved it. I haven't been there so I go to the one in Gilroy. Please come in. Please eat please have a good time. Don't forget to tip , pick up after yourself. read more

Richard J.

0

2

0

6 years ago

I Pollo Loco cancelled my online order then refuses to refund me. It's been over a week and the only two responses I get referred me to a non-functional link. "404 Page not found." Perfectly exemplifying the customer service I've been receiving. read more

Sarai M.

0

5

3

6 months ago

Muy mala calidad de comida el pollo todo reseco y parecía que estaba de días la atención fue excelente pero su comida dejó mucho qe desear

Loren L.

47

19

9

6 years ago

Love their food! They are very friendly I recommend this place! I love their clean restaurant and friendly.

Devin E.

0

7

2

6 years ago

Messed up my order completely. Give me 3 sauces for 22$ of food. Should have just got subway

El Pollo Loco - mexican - Updated October 2026

People who viewed El Pollo Loco also viewed

Mi Taqueria

3.5

(77 reviews)

Great tacos. Excellent burritos. Lots of food for the money. Good quality. Worth a stop if you're…read morecruising Mission Street. Highly recommended.

Everything on the menu is so so delicious, and especially the shrimp tacos they are amazingread more

El Pollo Dorado

3.5

(49 reviews)