This place has the best Peruvian charbroiled chicken I have every had. They have great combination plates which includes their chicken, grilled sausage and steaks. Their combination plates are great, although they do cost considerably more. El Pollo Sabroso serves incredible sub sandwiches as well. I have had the charbroiled chicken sub and it is fantastic. For their sides, I recommend the plantains or the yucca. They are both so delicious and tasty. If you really want to have an even better experience with their chicken, buy a whole one uncut and take it with you. If it sits for 10 minutes, the juices pull back into the bird, and man, what a juicy delicious experience you will have. 5.0 stars:-)!! read more

Ahhh, El Pollo Sabroso, affectionately known as "The Chicken Place in Mt. Pleasant." And by God is it a chicken place. So delicious and moist and flavorful. In my youth, I made the mistake of ordering a burger here. That was wrong of me, and I have learned. Now, I only order the quarter chicken. I recommend taking a friend. One of you should get the quarter chicken with rice. The other should get the chicken with plantains. Then you share your rice and plantains. So perfect and so cheap. Only $5.28! And it's so much food. And the people who work there are really nice. read more

Gods, the chicken here is good. I almost never cook or consume chicken anymore, for a variety of reasons - all the sanitation and ethical issues in mass production, the mealy flavor as compared to beef or lamb which are heartier. But all that flies straight out the window with Pollo Sabroso. This stuff is tasty, so tasty that I've not been able to force myself to order anything else in the little fast food joint - subs, grilled beef steak, chorizo - for 4 years. Just Peruvian roast chicken. Good grief you say, that's pathetic. It really is. But I just keep coming back to this place with the gritty pale cobalt blue decor - for the chicken. It's served with a salsa verde (you can order a tub of it for $3 and slather it on everything else in your guilty culinary closet) and a side. I used to love the plantains but have been finally converted over to yucca. The horchata and tamarind juice is just OK; I haven't acquired a taste for either yet and would recommend the Del Fructa guava juice. This particular brand hasn't quite been seized by capitalism yet and serves serious guava juice with 450% of the daily recommended serving of vitamin C. Awesome. For a while, I tried to have Peruvian chicken whenever I could get access; a lot of restaurants are in the suburbs and not metro accessible, so this became a serious research project. Out of 3 other places, this has still got the best FLAVOR. They've opened another store about 3 blocks away from the original one, closer to the Columbia Heights metro. Time to celebrate! Three stars bec/ they serve consistently fabulous chicken that makes me abandon all my principles, but also bec/ I haven't been able to move past the chicken (too much of a good thing, maybe I can revise upward later). Three stars bec/ if they still need to clean up; if they branded the stuff and franchised the business, Chicken Out, Boston Chicken, and the like would be dead in the water. read more

What is there to say about Pollo Sabroso that hasn't been said already? The chicken is solid, much more flavorful than your average Costco/supermarket roast chicken, and incredibly cheap to boot (but I'm partial to Nando's spices myself). But it's not the chicken that keeps me visiting this place on a bi-weekly basis (increase this to an every-other-day basis if I actually lived in Mt. Pleasant), it's the incredible yellow rice and the spicy green sauce. I don't know what it is, but the rice is always perfectly fluffy and is cooked with slivers of carrots and peas. At less than $2 for a huge side, I could eat the rice and the complimentary sauce as a meal in itself. Okay, apart from these staples I've also tried the fries (steak, yuck) and the yucca (not terrible...but not good) and have learn to stick with what I love. But at these prices, there's really no reason *not* to give other menu items a go (these range from sandwiches to gyros to...other American stuff I can't remember). There's also quite the expansive drink selection in the fridge (Mexican sodas too). Bonus points for nice guy who is always behind the counter. read more

I took the trip over to Sabroso and I was not disappointed. The Yucca was a little on the dry side, but as reported by many here, the Yellow Rice was fluffy and aromatic, but lets not beat around the bush here, you go to a Peruvian Chicken spot for the CHICKEN. The yard bird was crispy, nicely seasoned and DELICIOUS. I took a trip from L'Enfant Plaza to the Columbia Hghts stop. The service was quick and friendly. I got back to the office and everyone wanted to know where I got the great smelling chicken. Needless to say, I'll be going back with my co-workers. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a fast, delicious, cheap lunch! read more

DELICIOUS. Granted, I was annoyed that they didn't include my $2 worth of extra spicy verde sauce; however, I can't hold it against the 8-year old kid for trying to get my order straight! Because it was cash-only I was a bit limited on what I could order. But the prices were incredibly reasonable and the portions were large. I came here during a break in the Giants/Packers game and needless to say was in a huge rush. Parking was a bit of a pain, however once we got in we placed our order and within 10 minutes we were presented with our neatly packaged pile of styrofoam containers. Once parked back in front of my TV I was pleasantly surprised by spicy green sauce, the juicy chicken, and perfectly sweet plantains. The side of avocados we ordered were ripe and soft, while the rice was dense and chewy. Aside from the salad (I do not like iceberg lettuce or thousand island dressing), I was in heaven. In all I couldn't eat this kind of food every day for every meal, but man I will be coming back on the 42 bus, quite frequently. read more

Pollo Sabroso: IT MAY BE CHEAPER THAN RAW CHICKEN. And it's reallllly good chicken. So good I am considering buying a whole chicken every monday and then eating it in various dishes for the rest of the week. The chicken gets 5 stars. So do the sauces that come with it. The yucca, however, kinda sucks. read more

There is a reason why I'm the Duke of this place...because no one else is Checking-In, this is the worst chicken I've ever had. First of all the place is dirty, when I arrived there the clerk/owner or whatever was on his phone and I had to wait, mind you I'm on my lunch break now. So I order my food and I think to myself, "Hey where is the salad, it said, it comes with" and the guy goes, "oh yeah, your salad" and reaches under the counter and pulls out a little styrofoam cup with salad in it. Um, why the hell is salad under the counter??? I know there isn't a fridge under there needless to say I threw away the salad & barely ate the cold, dry chicken and to make it even worst their "white sauce" belongs in a biohazard bag. And to the people that say this place is great, go to El Pollo Rico & then rewrite your review, you'll see! read more

Solid chicken option that you can feel at least somewhat good about eating (it's no bucket of Popeye's artery clogger) that's really tasty to boot. For $15, we got a full chicken, 1 side, and 2 salads, which was enough for 3-4 meals total if you don't pull a Cartman and just eat the skin. Service was fast as well. Sabroso! read more

It definitely the best chicken in the Columbia Heights area. It cheap and delicious. It traditional Salvadorian and Peruvian food. Love it!

I am so fortunate to have a place like this close by...Peruvian chicken is like fast food, but for cool people. It's cheap, but oh so tasty, and you don't feel like death after indulging. I've been to a few Peruvian chicken places around here, and this one is my favorite. I predict many after-work stops here on the way home to my apartment. As others have noted, this place is unique for their large menu, but the roasted chicken is definitely the reason you should come here. The best thing to do is find another Peruvian chicken fan to bring with you, and then split a whole chicken. With that, you also get a side, and 2 salads, and it only costs about $13. They have a number of sides to choose from, but you must get yucca. Peruvian chicken without yucca to me seems like a burger without French fries. You can do it, but it just doesn't feel right. Make sure you get them to give you lots of sauce on the side. Both the green (spicy) and white (sweet) are perfect for pouring on the chicken, and for dipping your yucca. You can even get larger containers of them if you spend a little more, which I might definitely do next time I go there. They have a decent sit-down area to eat, but it's the perfect food to take home, and revel in the messiness without any cares. I'll have to go back and try some of their other offerings, but it's going to take some strength to resist the temptation and just order the chicken every time... read more

The burrito was decent, but small for $6.50. On a second trip I got the chicken tacos per DCist's recommendation. Big mistake. It's meh chicken with pre-shredded cheese and iceberg lettuce. The sides were gummy white rice and kidney beans straight from the can. What would cost $3 in California and not be served for sheer embarrassment was $11 here. The actresses on the TV and the green sauce served in a teaspoon plastic cup are the only things that redeem this place. Save yourself and go a couple doors down to Super Taco and get the lengua tacos. read more

EMERGENCY I had an urgent need for a 1/4 chicken after a long run one day. I could have waited until arriving home to prepare something, but nourishment was preferred immediately. I began stalking the street for something quick, inexpensive, and healthy. Something to take the edge off and begin rewarding my muscles. Chicken muscles! I was in&out of El Pollo Sabroso in 10 minutes with a tasty, affordable 1/4 bird. The skin was crisp all around--devoured whole. Bird came with two excellent dipping sauces: a mustard and some spicy thing. Doubling up on the proteins and a minor carb, I added beans (plain, nondescript) and tortillas (very bland and boring, almost bitter). These items brought me down from the 4-stars I wanted to give. But $3 for a 1/4 chicken, YES! read more

I am SERIOUSLY considering returning to a vegetarian diet and this place may sabotage me. I have only ever had their peruvian chicken and yucca and its SO delicious. The yucca is always crispy and perfectly fried and the chicken, oh the chicken...its amazing. The chicken is perfectly seasoned and always super moist. It is truly fall off othe bone tasty goodness. Now, I have no idea what their hours are or how everything else is but go on in, get yourself some yucca and chicken, some green and white sauce and get your grub on! read more

YUM. That is all. Wait, no, let me expand. So the sides are nothing to write home about (not bad, but not special), but the chicken here makes up for anything the sides lack. Do you like moist, flavorful, juicy chicken at a decent price? Of course you do. Here's your chicken joint. You won't want to walk home by the time you're done, but that's ok. Really. read more

I've heard a lot about this Pollo Sabroso and today tried it for the first time. We got takeout pupusas, a mix grill plate, and some friend plantains. Overall it was good, but with mixed results. Pupusas - We had one pork and one cheese. They were both excellent. Friend plantains - These were a bit greasy Mix grill plate - The chicken was excellent, but everything else was mediocre. The pork was way overcooked and stringy. The steak was okay. The sausage was a bit on the salty side. Overall for the price it was a satisfactory meal, but I'm not sure if it stands up to how good people rate this place. read more

C'mon Pollo Sabroso! I love Peruvian Chicken, and was starving, excited, and would have happily demolished anything. Which I did, only the experience was lacking compared to Crisp & Juicy, Super Pollo, or other area places. Their Green and white sauces were solid, perfect for dipping Yucca (for those not in the know, it's a root that's a starchier french fry). But unlike other places, this yucca was rock hard, and I was chewing on celery-like strands for ages. As for the chicken, the heart of the meal, I was sorely disappointed with the skin. This is why you go to these places! Compared to the usual flavor explosion, this came up way short. The price was good, and it delivered the expected goods, just not with any flavor or spice. I'll probably just go to a different Peruvian Chicken Joint in the future... one where I savor every bite. Nothing special here though. read more

I'm a little surprised at the rave reviews for El Pollo Sabroso, especially this establishment (the one in CH is a bit nicer). First of all, this place is pretty dirty looking. I'm cool with divey looking places but not dirty looking places so I was immediately a little skeptical. I had been to the Columbia Heights El Pollo Sabroso and its much cleaner and nicer so the Mt. Pleasant version loses points here. I've had two meals at El Pollo Sabroso. The Chicken meal (with two sides) and the Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich was really tasty with a sort of shredded chicken, fresh lettuce and other veggies and a spicy sauce on top. I enjoyed it. Similarly, I enjoyed the actual Chicken in the chicken meal; however I had two problems with it. While it was well seasoned and tasted pretty good, overall, it wasn't nearly as good as the many other Peruvian chicken joints surrounding DC (Chicken on the Run and Don Pollo in Bethesda come to mind). Secondly, the sides were awful. The plantains were dry and tasteless and the yucca was similarly supremely dry and nearly inedible. We may have gotten a bad batch but it just screamed careless cooking. At the end of the day, I was disappointed with the staple of Peruvian Chicken places, the Chicken meal and sides, and if that's not going well, El Pollo Sabroso can't get a rave review from me. read more

I first went to this place three years ago when I first came to DC and lived literally next door to this place on Mt. Pleasant Street. This joint offers decent grilled chicken and other grilled meat dishes. The marinade or dry rub for the chicken gives the meat good flavor, and the green picante sauce on the side is a nice complement to the meat. I also like the fried yuca, but they often seem to run out of this. Go here if you're in Mt. Pleasant and looking for an affordable and filling lunch. read more

I love this place. I only come in the spring and summer when the weather is nice grab some food, get some wine and go to the Drum Park. I can always find my peace read more

I am not ashamed to admit I was absolutely a regular when I lived in Mt. Pleasant. Sometimes I find myself missing their amazing pollo and make a stop over after work. I am not lying when I tell you they have some of the best Peruvian chicken I have ever tasted...Iiterally the best in DC for sure. Also, their prices are amazing and they have the best white and green sauce around. I also have tried their soups and they too are full flavor, vegetables and protein. If you are ever in Columbia Heights or Mt. P you should definitely stop by and check them out for yourself! read more

GREAT CHICKEN! This is the best Peruvian chicken I've had in D.C. so far. The chicken is always delicious and I haven't been disappointed in the sides. Even the sauces are delicious! I usually go to Pollo Granjero because it is so close to my house, but if I wasn't so lazy, I'd only go to El Pollo Sabroso. Oh, and I ditto the reviewer that recommended the del frutas drinks! The papaya and pear juices were excellent. read more

We still go here regularly, and their chicken, rice, and beans dish is one of our 2-year-old's favorite dinners. It's delicious and affordable. Strongly recommended! read more

Reasonably priced and consistent food with delicious choices we love to get regularly. Their roast chicken is the most flavorful in the area. And the pupusas are fresh and delicious. While there are several in the area, this has become our regular kid friendly go to or take-away lunch and dinner option. read more

Disclaimer up front: I didn't get the chicken. This review is simply for the rice & black beans (side order) that I got yesterday as a late lunch. This was my first time visiting El Pollo Sabroso, even though it's right near where I live. I got a large side of rice & 2 sides of black beans, to go. Wait time was about 5-7 minutes & total cost was $6.00. The food was OK; nothing to write home about, but then, I admit I wasn't expecting much. It was decent though - not bad. I would go back if I was starving & needed some place quick to visit in the neighborhood. I felt the price was just right. read more

Been coming here for years. Great customer service. Must try the chicken sandwich I get it with no onion but to each it's own.

One of the stronger Peruvian Charcoal chicken establishments in the DMV. Solid amount of chicken, with delicious spices and savory side sauces. Side dishes were a fair portion, but not as large as expected. After moving from Arlington, Super Pollo still stands as my favorite Peruvian chicken joint, but this is a comparable spot. I'll be back here soon read more

Consistently one of the best Peruvian chicken locations in DC. Always friendly, the family that runs the MtP EPS are incredibly friendly and accommodating when a phone order/pick up call comes in. Their 1/2 Chicken, white meat, yellow rice and a side of fried plantains (with extra green sauces) is the best. read more

We live very close to this place and order from here every now and then. Both my hubs and I are big fans of the torta salvadoreña, which is basically a steak sandwich. The steak is cut up into small pieces and it's served with lettuce, tomatoes, some chopped veggies and a great mayo-like white sauce. Very tasty and pretty big. Their fried plantains are also much better than most of the many other Latin spots in Mt. Pleasant. read more

Good local spot, but the food is a little bland. I got yucca fries which had almost no taste. The chicken was good, but definitely could have used more seasoning! read more

Not sure why this place rates higher than other Peruvian chicken places. They forgot part of my order which is a big problem in takeout. The plantains were mushy and smelled almost fermented. Chicken was good but overall a negative experience. read more

The food was great . I got a steak and cheese sub with fries . & the counter person who works on thursdays at 12:15 pm made my birthday so much better I will definitely be back ! read more

Doesn't stand up to the Peruvian chicken places in Arlington (chicken was overcooked, fries were undercooked and undersalted), but pretty good nonetheless. Hard to complain about getting that much food for 6 bucks, but there's nothing to get excited about here either, at least as far as the chicken is concerned. The menu here is ridiculous for a rotisserie chicken place. They have papusas, gyros, and all kinds of other weird stuff. Seriously doubt I'll try any of it though. read more

Peruvian chicken places continue to just disappoint me in the District. Some more sides to choose from would have been appreciated. Chicken is on the dryer side. Menu is sort of sloppy. I was hoping for something better given the neighborhood is convenient for me. read more

"Mexican torte" is very inexpensive and filling and fantastic.it has lots of fajita meat and avocado. the chicken is delicious.... read more

Sick of burritos? Come get some real food. The chicken is fast and delicious, and the other menu items are also pretty dang good. The prices are fair and you will be stuffed by the end of the meal. I'd recommend getting the yucca over the fries, which tend to be more toward the extremes: either soggy or a crusty baton. (The salad they give you isn't very good, and I've never seen anyone eat it, so I'm just eliminating it from affecting my star-rating because it's almost a non-issue) They take cards now!! read more

Parking is a pain but worth the effort. Nice Peruvian chicken and sides - the black beans were wonderfully tender and the plantains sweet and delightful. The staff is pleasant and very helpful. Will definitely eat here again. read more

Peruvian chicken has a special place in my heart for no other reason than it is DANK. So, you could take my rating with a grain of salt if you like but that's up to you. My rating also does not take into account the sides as I feel all that is necessary to review in these places is the reason you go there. Although i will say the sides we ok. Yucca was cold when i was there so it was hard to judge. The chicken is well spiced, definitely juicy enough to make you wash your hands twice afterwards (a definite good sign). When I finished my quarter dark I went back for another quarter. As a measuring stick, Sabroso was not quite the level of El Pollo Rico out in Arlington which I would put at 5 stars. read more

I got their half chicken plate which came with a salad and yucca. The chicken is fantastic, well seasoned and moist. The yucca was okay, a little too dry, but going back to the chicken...the chicken was good. And the price was right, about $8.00 for the plate. read more

the pupusas were good but undercooked and the carne asada was way too chewy