I can't believe this place has been in business for 8 years and I'm only finding it out now. Definitely coming back. Had the tacos and a whole chicken to go. Ended up eating chicken there. Couldn't wait. Kinda hidden spot. Chicken was juicy and flavorful. read more

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Seriously not good. We've had it a few times over the past couple of years and it was decent! Fresh salad ingredients and good chicken and portions. This time the chicken was so smokey and dry it was inedible. The steak was one of the saltiest things I've ever tasted. The pastor was not disgusting but certainly nothing special. The salsas are not good. The chips are from the big bag at Costco. With all of the great Mexican food in Petaluma I do not know why anyone would come here. Definitely gone down hill and suck a bummer! read more

One of our neighbors turned us on to this place and so we had to stop by and try it ourselves. Although it was VERY tasty, the white meat portions were most definitely overdone, although the dark meat portions were absolutely perfect! The family dinners are the way to go, much better value over individual plates, so buy for a crowd or take home enough for leftovers. The tacos looked really good, although we just had the pollo asado. Kudos for the salsa bar; four tasty and tangy salsas - verde, house, avocado, smoky... all fresh. We'll be back to give it another try, stick with the dark meat next time. read more

What A Chicken - Menu as of Dec 2025 - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Chicken is good, still quality and big portions. Prices have increased but as expected, like everything else. Love the salsa but small salsa bar, free chips. Lots of seating but small parking lot. Right off a busy street but close to the freeway. read more

What A Chicken - Steak burrito - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

This is special, because they have both grilled pork ribs and chicken pieces. Both are delicious! I get the combo plate, with two big ribs, two pieces of chicken, and choice of two sides. It's a lot of food and so good. The people working there are super nice also. Highly recommended! read more

What A Chicken - Combo plate with ribs, chicken, beans and Cole slaw. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

Stopped by here for a quick bite last week, I ordered a al pastor taco, which was a bit salty and a chicken taco which was really good. My husband got a shrimp taco, asada, and asked for a chicken taco but was mistakenly given a al pastor taco. Service was fast and friendly. Ambiance was calm, it was a Thursday night so not much happening. read more

What A Chicken - Shrimp, asada, al pastor taco. - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Ordered some tacos and ate them at what a chicken. There was a salsa bar with three different sauces. We had the green and red both which were really good. The agua Fresca we tried was the cucumber and lemon which was a bit on the sweeter side for my liking but tasted good. I just wish they put ice in the cup. The tacos were single tortillas which didn't hold up very well with the lemon juice making them fall apart. The asada had a nice crunch to the meat. The Al pastor was a little too salty. And the shrimp tacos had a lot of shrimp to it which was good. read more

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Yummy place! Finally tried it and I see why it's always so busy. The chicken was perfect and so flavorful. I got a 2 piece with 2 sides (beans and rice with veggies). The total was around $13, totally worth it. I added some pickled veggies and pico de gallo from the sauce area. The staff were friendly and worked really fast. I had my food in less than 10 minutes. The inside was clean and organized, I took my food to-go but would definitely have dined in if I had time. I will definitely be coming back! read more

What A Chicken - 2 piece chicken with beans and rice with veggies salad - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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What A Ridiculous Rating. Chicken was dry. Aqua Fresca...not sure what I was drinking. For the price point this was sheer disappointment. Hard pass for me. read more

What happened to What a Chicken? I got a whole chicken and sides and the whole dinner was bad! The chicken was dry as could be and tasteless. The black beans were under cooked and tasteless. The coleslaw was dry but tasted ok. The potato salad was ok. The guacamole was runny but tasted fine . It just wasn't enjoyable, especially the main dish a dry overcooked chicken. Blah! I loved picking up dinner from this local spot but never again. The service person was very nice and the place remains clean and tidy but the food is the reason you stop here and it's not good. read more

I had a very disappointing experience during my recent visit. The cashier was noticeably rude, which immediately made the interaction uncomfortable. In addition, the chicken was overpriced for the overall quality and service provided. The most concerning issue was that I was given the wrong order. I didn't realize it until I got to my car and opened the bag. After confirming the mistake, I returned to the store to let the cashier know. Instead of handling the situation professionally, she turned around and gave the same order to another customer -- even though I had already opened it and taken it to my car. I told the Latino man that was given my order not to accept the food and ask for new order. read more

Hungry after some morning adventuring with one of my friends a few years ago, we opted to come to What A Chicken to get warm food. The restaurant was relatively straightforward to find and we were relieved to see there was available indoor seating. Placing our orders, we interacted with an upbeat worker. The wait for our food items was a little longer than we had anticipated though we did get chips, which helped. I went with a two piece barbecue chicken plate with a salad of sorts, black beans, and tortillas. The servings were moderate in size, which was nice if looking to finish one's order without leftovers. The chicken was well cooked and tender, everything had good flavor. read more

I used to come here because the handmade tortillas made the experience worth it, even though they were sold separately and the dining area was often uncomfortably hot. Now they've switched to machine-made tortillas, and the service hasn't improved at all. Without the handmade tortillas, there's nothing that sets this place apart from many other chicken spots. Unfortunately, no reason to come back. read more

LOL my pregnancy bloodhound nose immediately smelled a whiff of someone barbecuing something amazing at Santa Rosa Farmers Market! I ordered the 2pc of Ribs + Coleslaw plate and Pineapple Agua Fresca. The ribs were seasoned to perfection and VERY meaty! I loved the generous coleslaw as well! The agua fresca was ok, light flavor. I would recommend this small business that started in 2018. Santa Rosa Farmers Market runs 8:30AM-1:00PM Wednesdays and Saturdays! We're looking forward to returning to try their famous chicken! SYOY! :-) *Song Credit: Midnight Fever by AI Music read more

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Delicious! Food is fresh and tastes great. I've only eaten their burritos but they have salads, wraps, tacos, chicken plates, and more. Their aqua Fresca is refreshing. Not sure there is anything special about their chips but I absolutely enjoy them. Great salsa options. I think there has been a recent owner change but you certainly cannot tell as the food, the service and the restaurant is still amazing! I do wish they would open another location in Santa Rosa. Feeling hungry, support local and enjoy a great meal from What A Chicken! read more

What A Chicken - Chicken Burrito with melon aqua fresca - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

I love coming to What a Chicken. The food is fresh, and the service is fast. I really like the chicken salad and the pork ribs, they come with two sides of your choice, rice, coleslaw, or salad. The only downside is that they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it's worth the wait. The prices are reasonable. Very recommended read more

Burrito has changed. It used to look nice and chunky. Now, it's soggy and salty. Quite disappointed. read more

What A Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

People had recommended this place to my daughter and since we were driving through Petaluma on our way home, we decided to check it out. It is casual Mexican fare with THE sweetest guy working at the counter. Since this was our first visit, we asked him what his favorite dishes were. He said What a Plate (chicken, shrimp, ribs, tortillas, salad plus two sides), but that was way too much food for the two of us so his second recommendation was the fajitas. My daughter ordered the recommended chicken fajitas with two sides, potato salad and rice. Her dish came with 3 homemade tortillas. I ordered the 2-piece grilled chicken with two sides. I chose whole black beans and their homemade tortillas. Our plates also came with a small salad with tomato, cucumber and red onion. The food definitely is many steps above what I expected. We were pleasantly surprised how deep and rich the flavors were. As we were sitting at our table, the thoughtful and kind person at the counter stopped by to see if we would like cups with ice for our water and later stopped by to see if he could close the blinds for us since he noticed that the sun was shining in my daughter's eyes. How sweet is that?! They have a salsa bar with a nice assortment of robust and delicious salsas to go along with their complimentary tortilla chips. Chips were warm and crispy and one of the best tortilla chips I've had at a restaurant. The combination of the food and the kind attentive service will have us coming back for another visit. As we were leaving, I noticed that almost all the tables were full. Others must know what delicious entrees they serve up! There is a small parking lot right outside their doors shared with a nail salon. It is directly across the street from Jack in the Box. Give them a try! read more

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Why didn't I find out about What a Chicken sooner! I have only heard about them for a few weeks from the Santa Rosa Farmers Market. I purchased a 2 piece meal with a side for $10. The chicken was delicious! It has a charcoal grilled taste, large pieces of juicy chicken! The skin was crispy and yummy! I was excited to find out they had an actual location in Petaluma so I made the drive down and ordered a whole chicken this time with 2 sides (Spanish rice & pinto beans). Shared it with my hubby for lunch and had 2 pieces with sides leftover for dinner. You can make two meals out of it. $19 for a whole chicken is a steal! They also serve burritos, tacos, wraps, salads and fajitas. You got something for everyone in the family! Will definitely make this a staple in the area! read more

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The whole menu looked good, but I decided to go with the chicken salad, the avocado sold me. My friend ordered the pastor burrito. It's small inside, and loud with the crowd of people and kitchen sounds, so we chose the quiet outside seating. The portions are large and fair for the price. You get your own chips and salsa, and I'm almost 90% sure the chips are from Costco. (Don't ask me how I'm so familiar with chip brands ) So don't expect house made chips. Food was delicious, salad was crisp and the avocado was gorgeous. (As seen in picture) For me a good salad has balanced ingredients, so that you have enough of everything without having all lettuce or all toppings left. This salad had great proportions! The atmosphere is definitely giving "hole in the wall" vibes, but those are some of my favorite places. read more

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Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when trying out food away from the city but this location surprised me. Food - we ordered the chicken and ribs, amazing, just enough flavor, for the side make sure to get beans ( beans are homemade) very flavorful, tortillas, tons of salsa and if they have queso fresca... perfect combo yum... my personal taco version. Be aware that the ribs aren't the (Memphis style) flavor are a bit off or different so don't get disappointed. Service - they are quick, fast, very personable and friendly to new customers. Ambiance - the inside was clean, organized salsa counter. read more

This place was cool liked the food ambiance & the Agua Frescas.got the grilled chicken burrito was delicious & filled me up.had a melon Agua Fresca which is why I chose to eat there.visiting from out of town got a side of chips for free definitely give this place a try read more

What took a turn in this restaurant? Tacos are much smaller and the meat quality is all fat. Shrimp burrito had no flavor. When we got our order we asked for jalapeños since there weren't any by the sauces and the waitress let us know just for this time we were going to get them free and next time we have to ask for them when placing an order. She seemed uncomfortable letting us know the owner had to let us know the changes. Quality has gone way down. Overpriced and portions are smaller. Trying to support local shops but when they act like this it's hard to continue to show support. read more

I stopped by on December 9 in the late afternoon. I order the family meal of 8 ribs and 2 sides. The ribs were dry and hard that it took long to chew. Especially for my parents that are elderly. I called and they said that I would have to take the ribs back to get a reimbursement. First and last time I will go to the restaurant. read more

Over cooked. Dry meat with greasy coated bbq. 1/2 chicken was back of chicken - hardly any meat and wings. Very very dissatisfied'

I was debating what to get for lunch, when my colleague recommended a salad with chicken on top from What A Chicken! It was only a short walk from where I work, so I thought why not give it a try! The restaurant is small but you can dine in or take your food to go. I was quickly helped & only waited about 5 minutes for my food to be ready. I have to say, this salad was delicious!!! The chicken had so much flavor & the portion was large enough for leftovers! My order also came with chips & salsa which were also very good, I now have another lunch spot in Petaluma read more

What A Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Love What-a-Chicken! The chicken cesar salad is I go to when I want a little bit healthier dinner or lunch option.

First time visit to "What a Chicken, Pollo Asado Restaurant. The staff recommended the "What a Plate" for my wife and I to share, which included ribs, chicken, Shrimp, Salad and a choice of two sides. We included rice and black beans. The staff were very friendly and helpful helping us order. They also checked in on us a couple times to make sure we were enjoying our dinner! read more

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Outstanding chicken! Burritos are also huge and delicious. Great salsa options! Really kind service too. And the restaurant is very clean. We got our food super fast and enjoyed the music and breeze from the open door as we ate. Can't wait to return for a whole chicken! read more

I've heard good things about this place from others who eat here often and I think the good reviews on the food are warranted. It seems like everything is freshly prepared. But I feel their customer service is just okay. I ordered over the phone and apparently the person who took my order misheard my order. They kind of made me feel like it was my fault somehow when I corrected them, so I feel that was a bit of a sub-par experience. read more

What a chicken has always been a favorite spot of ours but tonight we got tacos and burritos delivered (by Petaluma food taxi) and I was very disappointed by the portion size of the tacos. They used to be HUGE and today's was hardly big enough to be called a street taco. It would have been fine except that the price reflected what should have been their old portion size. I fully understand that restaurants are trying to get by and need to cut portions but..... with that said when I pay $8 per taco plus an additional $3 per taco for guacamole bringing the price of two tacos up to $22 there was absolutely no value for what I got. The guacamole was like watered down salsa and there was definitely not even close to a decent portion size of the quac. I HATE writing bad reviews because I have worked in restaurants and understand the variables that can happen and I also understand there could be a slight increase in the base price because of the delivery service.... But sadly there are way too many other great Mexican restaurants in Petaluma that can do way better than this. read more

Omg is all I can say! I drove all the way from Fairfield for my chicken Taco. The best ever and well worth the drive. The watermelon drink was so good I went home and made my own. Will be more than willing to take the drive to Petaluma again. Service was impeccable. So friendly and food comes quick and with a smile. read more

Literally have never had a chicken look like this my first time trying this place and the last time ! When I called to let them know the lady was rude then I told her we didn't receive our order of tortillas either and she was very rude about it and said hmm that's weird read more

What A Chicken - Whole chicken - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

The chicken was delicious! Services was good I did ask for no beans in my kids burrito but they put them in so that was unfortunate but my plate which was the 4 pieces of chicken was very good definitely come back for a whole chicken meal ! read more

Me and my bf both ordered a burrito they messed up on the order once we told them about it they refused to make a new one they were gonna have us pay again my bf payed $59 just for two burrito that were messed up on. SHAME on them read more

What A Chicken - Wrong order - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

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4 tacos for $30!!! Wtf The menu board above the cash register is illegible and is dark blue writing on a black background?!deceptive, read more

What A Chicken - Thirty dollars for four tacos! Right down the street is el Roy's two tacos , rice and beans is $7!!! - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!! I have never written a bad review on anyone but the guy who answered the phone when I called to inquire about my UBER EATS order has the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I have ever encountered! I ordered a whole chicken along with a bunch of other stuff for our July 4th dinner and they did not send any sauce. I called to ask why there wasn't any even though I placed a note. He said that they don't pay attention to the notes, we need to pay for the sauce and they don't include sauces with their take out orders. How are we supposed to know this if it's not written anywhere? What really pissed me off was when he said I'm just a worker, I can't help you. I asked for a manager or the owner and he said there's no one there! Extremely POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE! I would give this place a NEGATIVE ZERO if there was that option! read more

Went to the Truck location. We waited for 40 mins while people who were behind us in line got their orders first mind you we didn't order a lot. When we finally got our food i discovered a hair inside the burrito and i pulled it out . The other food was still good however i would not go bal read more

What A Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Petaluma, California

The food was very delicious the tacos I ordered were very flavorful and juicy The customer service was excellent read more

Stopped by for lunch on a Friday just before noon. Busy but not packed. Parking lot is a bit of a nightmare, very thin and hard to navigate. I'd try to find street parking next time. I got trapped by a large delivery truck and had to sit for 10 mins to even get out. Very friendly greeting and staff generally. I ordered two chicken tacos and a ribs and chicken 4 piece combo to go with black beans and corn tortillas. Salsa bar is Amazing. Four kinds of salsa plus pickled jalapeños and habanero pickled veggies with potato and carrots. Loved each one I tried. There are also chips you can self serve near the salsa bar. Place is small and pretty cramped when it gets busy. Noisy too but you don't stay too long or you get food to go. Popular with Spanish speakers who know it's good food. Food was hot and fresh and delicious. Lots of fresh, hot, well spiced chicken on the tacos. Large beef ribs were well smoked and tasty. Black beans were flavorful too. Very good food, for me it's best for takeout vs eat in and would avoid the parking lot. read more