Pollo Campero now open at Lawrence/Pulaski

According to their website, they open on July 13 at 4830 N. Pulaski. Judging from appearances (I drove by), I'm guessing they will indeed be open then or shortly thereafter. I can't wait!

This looks promising. I will check it out when it opens. Thanks!

I live in the neighborhood and they put post cards in car windshields last week advertising the opening on July 13.

According to the card, the "celebration begins at 11am and continues through the weekend!" "Win tickets to event, soccer balls, t-shirts, radio station prizes y mucho mas!"

BR wrote:According to their website, they open on July 13 at 4830 N. Pulaski. Judging from appearances (I drove by), I'm guessing they will indeed be open then or shortly thereafter. I can't wait!

BR,

I drove by around 9pm tonight (Sunday), the lights were on and there appeared to be some type of construction going on.

I ate at the Brickyard Pollo Campero a couple of times, ~shrug~, not that I won't go to the Pulaski store, just that maybe it's one of those things you need to grow up with to be so enamored. Not unlike me getting misty eyed at the thought of Solly's in Milwaukee.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:I ate at the Brickyard Pollo Campero a couple of times, ~shrug~, not that I won't go to the Pulaski store, just that maybe it's one of those things you need to grow up with to be so enamored. Not unlike me getting misty eyed at the thought of Solly's in Milwaukee.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't love PC. But overall, they make a pretty decent fried bird . . . very moist . . . and I really like their beans. Also, I really enjoy fried chicken and when I'm too lazy to make it on my own and have to purchase it, PC offers a version that's less similar to the standard options (especially considering their sides and salsas). Best of all, I can't think of a better fried chicken option for those in Lincoln Square.

As far as fast food goes I put Campero at the top. They have an above average fried bird that is always juicy as well as some above average sides (the beans are amazing) They also serve one of the best chicken tacos in the city. Take a piece of your bird, rip it off with a little skin and throw it in the tortilla and top it with onions, cilantro, pico de gallo and whatever salsa you enjoy (I like the verde) For fast food this is damn good. Im happy to hear I now have a shorter drive when craving these tacos.

What a coincidence. Our band "RICO" will playing there this Friday, July 13ht for the Grand Opening. We'll be playing from 12:00 PM till 1:00 PM. Come check out the band and say hello. I'll be playing bass.

http://www.ricojams.com/pages/gigcalendar.html

Jesse T.

Although I never made it to the outpost at the Brickyard Mall, the scene at Lawrence and Pulaski at the lunch hour was reminiscent of what I remember from the original Pollo Campero thread. A packed house, lines out the door, live music, inflatable games for the kids, etc.

I didn't have the time for the wait, so I headed to the other side of Pulaski to Restaurant Jerez, a typical taqueria with all the usual suspects.

Leave some extra time for yourself if you are going to check out Campero anytime soon.

G Wiv wrote:
I ate at the Brickyard Pollo Campero a couple of times, ~shrug~, not that I won't go to the Pulaski store, just that maybe it's one of those things you need to grow up with to be so enamored....
Gary

I couldn't agree more. I was so unimpressed by the chicken from the brickyard store, I actually went back again figuring I must have had a bad batch. No better the second time. Talk about your sheeple award. I don't get the fuss about this stuff at all.

kuhdo wrote:

G Wiv wrote:
I ate at the Brickyard Pollo Campero a couple of times, ~shrug~, not that I won't go to the Pulaski store, just that maybe it's one of those things you need to grow up with to be so enamored....
Gary

I couldn't agree more. I was so unimpressed by the chicken from the brickyard store, I actually went back again figuring I must have had a bad batch. No better the second time. Talk about your sheeple award. I don't get the fuss about this stuff at all.

This product did not impress me either...give me Harold's any day over this stuff. This is all hype and no crunch in reality had this been some big deal it would not have taken so long for them to open another store.

LTH,

Out and about this sunny Sunday morning I pass the Pulaski Pollo Campero around 10:30 and, low and behold, it appears to be open, not only open, but busy. Moth to flame, sailor to siren , LTHer to fried chicken, my car swings directly into the Pollo C parking lot.

Pollo Campero (Pulaski)


I still don't quite get the fevered passion with which Guatemalans regard Pollo Campero, but this mornings Pulaski Rd fried chicken was markedly tastier, crisper, juicer, more aggressively spiced, than my past experience with Pollo Campero on Narragansett.

Pollo Campero (Pulaski)


Sides were fine, my wife liked the sweet plantains, condiment bar, including 3-types of salsa and hot pickled jalapeno/carrot, really adds to the mix. Service, atmosphere, efficiency, friendliness is almost Disneyesque, and I mean that by way of a compliment.

Enjoy,
Gary

Pollo Campero
4830 N. Pulaski
Chicago, IL 60625
10am - 11pm

Headed down to PC today late morning before the big lunch rush. There are actually two tailgate-like tents perched outside the storefront with line gates for those wishing to stand in line to eat there. Never seen that before. Thankfully, I was early enough to beat the lunch crowd. Very pleasent service inside. I must have been asked 15 times how I was doing. Ordinarily, I would have found this act a bit tired by the 5th greeting.

However, today, after I placed my order and stood aside to await my carryout I came ever-so-close to suffering a Tony Soprano-panic attack brought on no doubt by my all too enthusiastic adherence to Cotes de Rhone's patron-friendly BYOB policy last night...ouch! Thus, what would normally be a slightly irritating Blockbuster-esque greetings policy was more like suffering through a used car salesman's aggressive pitch.

Nonetheless, I was the only gringo at PC this morning. And, though I am proficient in the language most prevalent in this domain, I didn't have the requisite energy or interest in communicating in PC's native tongue today.

I ordered the 4-piece fried chicken dinner which came with a breast (decent), a wing (ehh), a thigh (alright) and a leg (yummy) and two sides: rice and mashed potatoes for me. I also tacked-on a grilled chicken bowl entree.

Slight tangent: I then wandered next door to Starbucks for one of the absolute worst Venti Iced Lattes I've ever had. Horrible. I like Starbucks, especially this one. I don't love SB, but I like it and this drink was really bad. Never again - the drink that is...at least here.

So, in the blinding sunlight devoid of my shades, close to a TS-panic attack with a moldy, dirt-like fungi taste in my mouth starving from the overwhemingly potent fresh fried chicken scent emanating inside my vehicle, I broke about 40 state laws and local ordinances on my drive back to the pad.

The fried chicken was pretty good considering the category of restaurant from whence it came. Nice crisp not too much batter used and good, if somewhat subtle, spicing. The chicken bowl was nice with grilled white chicken chunks on a bed of beans and rice with cubed tomato/onion/cilantro relish. I also brought back a couple of their salsa which were again pretty good. The sides were OK - actually come to think of it the mashed taters were pretty good. The chicken bowl was accompanied by three of the most tasteless, cold and thin corn soft tacos I've ever seen - bad.

All in all, I'm not a huge fried chicken fan in general - I like it and that's about it. PC matched my expectations almost to a tee as a decent place for fried chicken one notch up from the Colonel's empire but nothing more.

For just under $14, I though the price was reasonable enough if not a steal. I probably would rarely come back unless it was out of convenience after my 2 or 3 times a month stop at the next door Starbucks (but no more for an iced Latte - man was it bad).

PC gets an "OK" grade from me. Maybe a 4 or 5 out of 10.

Bster

It was a surprise to me when a downstairs neighbor telephoned at 4:45 this afternoon asking what I planned to do for dinner; she quickly suggested Pollo Campero, the new location.



I'd not eaten at Pollo Campero before, though I've been following the discussions (of the first store at the Brickyard Mall, and now this new one at Lawrence/Pulaski).

I'm not a big fan of fried chicken - franchise restaurant style - but I wanted to test the menu myself. We arrived at the restaurant at about 5:30 p.m. and there wasn't a person in line in front of us. Given all of the reports of long lines, I was thankful we'd timed this visit just right.



I ordered the 3-piece meal (with white meat), with sides of Campero Beans, Campero Rice and an additional side of sweet plantains. To wash it all down I chose a large agua de tamarindo. I wanted a desert but, oddly, the gracious/attentive counter staff informed me "no deserts today." How, I thought, does such a place run out of deserts, completely?



We placed our order(s) and were given a number and the efficient staff brought our meals to the table less than 5 minutes after we ordered. I was impressed with the cordiality and efficiency of the staff who, multiple times, stopped by the table to ask if we needed something further, if the meal was okay, etc. The experience thus far was exceptional for a fast food restaurant, in my experience.



The batter on the chicken was very thin/light - and I didn't detect any strong seasonings. The meat was moist, and the breast and leg were meaty. The wing was a wing - not much on it. The beans were flavorful, with bits of bacon and other seaoning - and I added some pico de gallo salsa to kick them up a notch. I could have done without the rice; it was nothing special, or very flavorful.



The plantains, however, were delightfully sweet.



I've already said I'm not a big fan of fried chicken; if it eat it four times a year that would be a lot. Though it was a clean place (ought to be, it's new) and the staff is energetic, cordial and efficient, I don't expect I'll be eating at Pollo Campero any time soon in the future - I didn't find it all that special or attractive/alluring. The restaurant chain knows it's market - Central Americans - and it'll do just fine without my patronage.







The restaurant company website contains a lot of information, including other store locations, nutritional data (don't look!), etc. You can access the website here:

http://www.campero.com/menu.php

Thanks to my neighbor Arlene for getting me out of the house and into a new (for me) place.

I visited the new location for the first time the other day. I still would describe the chicken as merely good. It's very moist and the flavor is decent but I'll leave it at that.

On the other hand, the beans are still very good -- lots of bacon and very good flavor. And I'm very grateful for the condiment bar which allows me to spice up the beans a little with jalapeno and add a lot of cilantro.

I tried their rice pudding for the first time and I liked that a lot -- definitely the best of their desserts. As far as fast food goes, it's surprisingly good.

But perhaps the one thing that really sets Pollo Campero apart from all other fast food places is their outstanding service.

At least in this opening month, you could eat off the floor in this immaculately maintained space. Service is completely bilingual and very friendly. I've had the chicken strips meal twice, which makes excellent tacos (order with tortillas, rice, and beans), especially when drenched in fresh lime, cilantro, and the smoky chipotle salsa. A pretty darn good (/Jerry Lundegaard ) meal for $5. I wish the tortillas were more consistently fresh (they come nuked in a little wax paper bag, some perfectly tender and others far overdried).

I should also mention the beverages - jamaica, horchata, mango, tamarindo, all quite refreshing and nice to see on a chain menu.

Pollo Campero launched a carryout and delivery-only location this week on the West Side - 3103 W. Lake St.

Dave148 wrote:Pollo Campero launched a carryout and delivery-only location this week on the West Side - 3103 W. Lake St.

I remember going with the much missed Steve Z (RIP) to Pollo Campero in the Brickyard the first week they opened. Huge lines, flash forward a couple of years to the Lawrence/Pulaski location, where I occasional go, and, while not quite crickets, the days of lines seem a distant memory. I'm talking pre-pandemic.

I like Pollo Campero well enough though with Brasa Roja and D'Candela close by PC doesn't seem the wise choice.