My family and I had dinner at Pontu tonight and loved it. On a hot evening in Santa Monica, their cute breezeway tables were a welcome cool space. We've ordered take-out several times: the Pollo a la brasa with the house salad and the arroz a la jardinera. Tonight, we tried the french fries instead of the turmeric rice, and our teenage daughter loved that they were perfectly salted, crispy on the outside and tender. The salad dressing is delicious, as are all of the sauces. My husband noted that they didn't put out any sharp knives with the chicken because they knew that their chicken is so tender and perfectly cooked that we only needed a fork and butter knife. read more

Absolutely incredible! PONTU CHICKEN is without a doubt my new favorite spot. The owner and chef Richie were very friendly and welcoming. We got the full chicken with a chopped salad, French fries, and turmeric rice, and everything was so flavorful and tasted homemade. You can tell the food at Pontu Chicken is made from scratch and made to order. Even the sides felt like they had real care put into them. The space is cute, low-key, and intimate. They've only been around for a couple of months, and I'm genuinely excited to welcome Pontu Chicken to the neighborhood. I'm already planning on coming back to try the lomo saltado and the wrap because I've heard great things from other guests. Honestly, the whole menu looks good. Highly recommended. This feels like one of those neighborhood spots that's still under the radar, but I have a feeling it's going to make a lot of noise once people and food influencers start finding out about it. 10/10 experience Will absolutely be coming back with my family and friends read more

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This is such a small, unassuming place that I've walked past it a bunch of times before deciding to give it a whirl. Ordered the Arroz Chaufa and Chicha Morada drink and had a late lunch in their shady little courtyard in the back. It's such a cozy and comfortable setup there! The food and drink came out quickly and both were delicious. The arroz chaufa was so flavorful and well seasoned, and the chicha morada was perfectly refreshing on a hot day - the flavor is a bit like mulled apple juice, SO good. Very excited to come back and try their chicken soon. read more

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Absolute hidden gem in Santa Monica. The chicken wrap was everything I want in a wrap -- incredibly fresh, packed with flavorful chicken and veggies, and the sauces were SO good. The chopped salad was just as great: fresh, substantial, and clearly made with really high-quality ingredients. The patio might be my favorite part. It's tucked away, charming and relaxed, with Peruvian music playing -- it genuinely felt like I had escaped LA for an hour. Everyone was incredibly warm and the service was wonderful. Such a great find if you want something healthy and casual that still feels special. I will absolutely be back. read more

Pontu Chicken - Chicken Wrap House Salad - Peruvian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Pollo a la Brasa on the Westside! Can this place satisfy your Pollo a la Brasa cravings, or will you still need to head to DTLA? I feel bad saying this, as I don't want to be mean, but I want to be honest about the food. I don't want to hurt their business, but I've developed a craving for Pollo a la Brasa in the past year and have tried many places in LA. Pontu Chicken doesn't quite measure up in terms of flavor, quantity, or price. Respectfully, I would place Pontu Chicken in Tier 3 for overall chicken flavor, side quality, sauce flavor, and price. My Tier 1 spots feature very moist and flavorful chicken with smoky wood notes, and at least one exemplary side dish. Pontu just doesn't have that "it" factor to compete with LA's Pollo a la Brasa heavyweights. I ordered the 1/4 Chicken with 2 Sides and Salcitas ($17.00). The side options were french fries, quinoa tricolor, arroz a la jardinera, market veggies, and house salad. I chose the french fries and arroz a la jardinera. The chicken was moist and well-cooked, but lacked the flavor I was hoping for; it was a bit oily and not seasoned well, bordering on bland. The fries looked promising, but they were hard and overcooked, with an inconsistent texture. The Arroz A La Jardinera, a turmeric garden rice with choclo and veggies, was a standout. The rice was good, the choclo (Peruvian large-kernel corn) was tasty, and it had a nice blend of vegetables, including carrots. It was a healthy portion size, and quite different from other Pollo A La Brasa spots I've tried. This is a hipster take on Pollo a la Brasa, which suits the Ocean Park area well. However, regarding authenticity, I wonder if it would thrive in a traditional Hispanic neighborhood where most Pollo a la Brasa restaurants are located, and I don't think it would. I hope they can work through some initial growing pains and wish them success. The staff were very kind and attentive, and the chef checked on me a few times, even providing extra red and green sauces. Regarding the sauces, I enjoyed both the red and green ones. The chef mentioned the red sauce was the spiciest, but I found it had only a subtle hint of spice with a slightly floral flavor. While it was good, I preferred the aji verde (the green one) more, although it wasn't as spicy as I expected. Note: You order at the walk-up window, and they will bring your food from the kitchen to your table on the patio. They play some Spanish-speaking music and have newspaper clippings of Peruvian news stories. They are clearly trying to create an authentic experience, but, as someone who is neither Peruvian nor has been to Peru, I can't attest to the authenticity of the restaurant's aesthetic. I'm glad I got to try a new Pollo a la Brasa spot, but it's not somewhere I would travel to. If you're a local with a Pollo a la Brasa craving, this isn't the place to satisfy it, but I do recommend trying it for yourself. read more

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Great lunch, got the half chicken and an extra side between the two of us. The salad and fries were our favorite and we liked them better than the chicken, the rice was ok. The chicken was a bit cold when served, not quite as tender as we hoped for, but good flavor. I wish they gave us a steak knife. The butter knife needed sharpening. read more

Pontu is fantastic, and a welcome addition to the Ocean Park strip. Within walking distance of the airport and Snapchat, they took over the old OP location and deserve your business. Chicken is fantastic, as are the sides and the sauces. They'll be expanding their menu to include Peruvian Crudo. Check this place out. The service is great and everyone is super friendly. read more

Pontu Chicken - Delicious 1/2 Chicken with Turmeric Rice - Peruvian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Really tasty, authentic, and reasonably priced. Very friendly. The sauces served with the chicken are particularly good.

This place is so delicious! We needed a Peruvian chicken spot on the westside and this place hits the spot. The chicken is well seasoned, the market veggies are so fresh, and the salsas are delicious! I love that it's not too salty and the quality of the food is up there! I plan to come here every week for an easy and delicious dinner that does not break the bank! read more

Chef Richi & his lovely team at PonTu are making some of the most flavorful, plentiful Peruvian food on the Westside. You can tell it's cooked with so much love! The rotisserie chicken a la brasa is cooked to perfection, so juicy and tender. The arroz a la jardinera is my fave side, so tasty. Everything, all the salads & veg are super fresh! And the sauces are beyond the beyond amazing! The outdoor patio is quiet, cozy and sweet. The atmosphere is warm and wonderful. Street parking on Ocean Park Blvd is metered and easy. I have been twice already and plan to come often. Please visit! Let's keep our local, beautiful restaurants going! We need little neighborhood places like PonTu where the food, the people and the service are simply delightful! Ok, go! read more

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Fresh food, good price and great service. Really loved the chicken, which was perfectly juicy and flavorful. Fries had a nice crisp (but not overly crisp) and the arroz (rice) as a side was absolutely delicious. Will be back. read more

Yummmyyyy!!!! It was so good, fresh and tasty. Nice people. Sauces was great also. Highly recommend.

Pontu Chicken has become my go-to place to meet old friends for lunch. The Peruvian style pollo a la brasa rotisserie chicken is the star here. Perfectly seasoned, juicy and fresh. Both the spicy and mild sauces complimented the chicken well without overwhelming it. The side orders are also amazing, but the fries are absolutely amazing. Service is friendly and efficient. Order your meal at the street side window, take a seat in the comfortable outdoor patio in the back and expect a hardy, well proportioned and reasonably priced meal. read more

My favorite new restaurant in Los Angeles. Everything is to thoughtfully and perfectly executed - their ceviche special is the best I've had in my life. You have to try this spot out if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Great addition to the neighborhood! Picked up 1/2 chicken with vegetables and fries. Added on a salad. Everything was SO GOOD! The salsas paired perfectly with the chicken. Will be keeping this place on our weekly rotation. read more

I had their chopped salad for lunch and I was impressed with the generous portion and the fact that I received 1/2 avocado sliced on top. It's super colorful and delicious. The service was attentive and kind. I'll be back soon and I'll be sure to take a picture next time! read more

Found this place on Yelp! Looking for a new place to buy a rotisserie chicken. Called and spoke to someone (super friendly) and ordered a whole chicken with two side (market vegetables and salad). They added rice dish on the side and also two fantastic sauces. Anyway, too the point: this place was fantastic. Chicken was juicy and delicious, and the three sides were very nice. For $36, this was more than enough for a family of four. If you see this place and are looking for a healthy take out at a reasonable price, go to Pontu Chicken. It's a small place and not another big box, private equity backed, place. Support small business in your area! And get great food! read more

Absolutely delicious! The food is fresh with phenomenal flavors. Will be back again and again.

Food is VERY fresh. And the salsas are so delicious. Adding this to our rotation for sure.

Brand new adorable place! Order at the front and grab a seat on the sweet covered patio in back. Food was delicious, service was excellent and Ritchie the owner deserves our support! read more

Great neighborhood find! The chicken was tender and juicy and the skin had a nice crisp to it. The fried rice was a HIT with adults and kids alike. We loved the market veggies and dressing - great variety of veggies, locally-sourced, and freshly prepared. The homemade chicha and lemonade were refreshing, not too sweet, and complemented the food perfectly. Currently the to-go chicken concept is open, and it sounds like a wine bar and sit down restaurant will follow soon- can't wait! read more

Pontu Chicken - Whole Chicken French Fries Market Veggies Arroz Chaufa - Peruvian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The spicy garlic fried chicken was very crispy and had the perfect amount of heat. I also really liked the side of pickled radishes because they added a nice refreshing crunch to the meal. read more

I'm hesitant to write my review because it might create lines at this newly opened Peruvian restaurant. The order window is out front with a one-page menu. I ordered the wrap, which was amazing, and my wife had the salad with fantastic ingredients, including lemon cucumbers, fresh beets, large, plump corn kernels, lots of chicken, and radishes cut in the shape of Lamas. While the place is casual, the food was dressed to the 9s and a delight to eat. The only thing I would change is the hours. Presently, they stop serving at 6:30, and it would be great if they could open until 7 or 7:30. read more

We were so excited to have Peruvian Food in the neighborhood! Made it there for lunch today. The menu is limited (for now-they will likely expand it as the business grows) but the chicken is amazing and the fries are, quite literally, the best I have ever had. Amazing salsas also. Love this addition to Sunset Park! read more

Best rotisserie chicken in Santa Monica. Fresh ingredients and very nice people. Easy take out for small or large parties, our friends love it. read more

The Pollo à la brasa is outstanding. So good. Had the market veggies and the rice dish too. Make sure to get the salcitas. As part Peruvian, I confidently give Pontu Chicken 5 stars+. read more