Discover El Pollo Rico, a popular Chicken Restaurant serving guests across Arlington, VA with crispy favorites and satisfying meals. Backed by a 4.50-star average from 3583 reviews, our team focuses on quality food, friendly service, and welcoming accessible facilities.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at El Pollo Rico
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Thigh & leg. Comes with two sides and two sauces.
Comes with two sides and two sauces.
Breast & wing. Comes with two sides and four sauces.
Thigh & leg. Comes with two sides and two sauces.
Breast & wing. Comes with two sides and two sauces.
Comes with two sides and six sauces.
16oz bottle of our yellow sauce.
8oz cup of our green sauce.
8oz cup of our yellow sauce.
6oz individual cup of Firenzes Artisanal Gelato.
16oz bottle of all-natural Everfresh juice.
Hear from our valued guests
Fantastic hidden gem for Peruvian spiced chicken that is rotisserie spit roasted over charcoal! The chicken was crispy and flavorful. Make sure to grab some green sauce for some spice!!
Would I recommend?: Yes Great chicken for a decent price, friendly staff and quick service. Half chicken (white meat) was juicy and spiced well, sides of coleslaw and plantains hit the spot. Would definitely come back!
Their chicken is delicious, but the flan is some of the best I’ve ever had! Ordering is quick and food comes out before you’re even done paying. Lots of seating and the chicken was so tender and flavorful. Their rice and beans are amazing and the sauces that come with it are great. The green sauce is very spicy and the white sauce was great with the fries. Out of everything we still thought the flan was seriously out of this world. Perfect consistency and truly amazing. We will definitely be back!
Best peruvian chicken in Arlington. You will wait in line for like 20-30 minutes but it is all worth it. There are many people and not enough tables so might have to take the chicken home.
We visited this place a month ago and tried the chicken. It was really tasty juicy. I definitely recommend it!
My favourite pollo in Arlington! Food is delicious, I love the chicken and it's impressive how either white or dark meat is always available. They make the best thick cut fries far n wide! Delicious coleslaw, yucca fries and plaintains, too! The speed of the service is unparalleled - even if the line is to the door, I'm always in&out in less than 5 minutes as they are very fast&efficient.
Food: the 1/4 chicken dark meat with fries was just as good as I remember it being. The chicken and skin is very flavorful and the fries were great Service: very quick service Atmosphere: very no frills inside, just a quick grab and eat
When I said I was coming down to DC for a weekend, my comments were flooded with El Pollo Rico requests. What really got me was one person said Anthony Bourdain shot an episode here back in 2007. Done. Sold. That guy is on my Mount Rushmore. I stepped out of my uber onto a freshly paved parking lot in what felt like the back of a strip center. I opened the door and nearly fell to my knees when the unmistakable smell of Peruvian Chicken blessed my nostrils. Chemical warfare in the best way possible. This is my happy place. The interior is the definition of no frills. It's what I imagine a classic chicken spot would look like in Peru: Chickens rotating over a fire breathing charcoal, brightly colored metal chairs and tables, a run down white tile floor straight out of the 90s, and a handful of pictures lining the walls that show love to the home land. These types of places hold a special place in my heart, as you will see people from all walks of life. You will see some fresh off a job site and others fresh out of Capitol Hill. Everyone is just here for some S-Tier Bird. Some good chicken can truly unite the world. I went with the half chicken, a side of rice & beans, and plantains which ran $14.99 all in. For the chicken, they use a proprietary marinade with spices from Peru, and it shows. This chicken had a ridiculous amount of motion, we may need a new word for how much motion this had. It may have caused all ring cameras within a 3 mile radius to go off. A top 5 bird I’ve ever had. The sides were also operating at a high level, but if we are being honest that portion of rice and beans were light. Maybe the Bourdain episode got to them a bit, idk. The sweet plantains were just as life changing as the bird. Sweet plantains have to be the most underrated side in the world. The more data I collect, the more I am starting to see that no one does chicken better than the Peruvians. It’s like the Dagestanis in MMA right now. They just have the game on lock. El Po
Just back from Peru, I’ve been craving Peruvian food—and I never expected to find something this good. Tucked away in an alley, the spot has a surprisingly spacious parking lot and dine-in area. The aroma was divine, and with a long line forming for the chicken, I knew I was in for the right kind of experience. The menu is small and focused, offering chicken with sides in generous portions. The seasoning was perfectly balanced and bursting with flavor. The fries were crisp and spot-on. To top it off, they even had Inca Kola! In Peru, I learned it’s actually more popular than Coca-Cola—which is why Coca-Cola ended up buying the brand.
Highly recommend! My favorite Peruvian chicken spot. I think best in the area. I always get the quarter white with yucca, white rice, a side of plantains, and an Inca cola. Parking is easy. They have a free lot.
Common questions about El Pollo Rico
El Pollo Rico is located at 932 N Kenmore St, Arlington, VA 22201, United States, Arlington, VA, United States.
You can reach El Pollo Rico by calling +1 703-522-3220.
El Pollo Rico has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 based on 3583 customer reviews.
El Pollo Rico features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
El Pollo Rico features the following from the business: Identifies as Latino-owned.
El Pollo Rico features the following service options: Delivery, On-site services, Takeaway, Dine-in.
El Pollo Rico features the following highlights: Serves local specialty.
El Pollo Rico features the following popular for: Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
El Pollo Rico features the following offerings: Comfort food, Quick bite.
El Pollo Rico features the following dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Catering, Counter service, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
El Pollo Rico features the following amenities: Restroom, Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi.
El Pollo Rico features the following atmosphere: Casual, Trendy.
El Pollo Rico features the following crowd: Family friendly, Groups, Tourists, University students.
El Pollo Rico features the following planning: Usually a wait, Accepts reservations.
El Pollo Rico features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments.
El Pollo Rico features the following children: Good for kids, High chairs.
El Pollo Rico features the following parking: Free parking lot, On-site parking, Paid parking lot, Plenty of parking.
Business Features
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