Skip to Content
Cheap Eats

Pollo Campero ~ Long Beach

10:33 AM PST on February 2, 2009


For those of you don't know already, Pollo Campero is a Guatemalan fried chicken chain and for this particular write-up, I'm focusing specifically on the location in Long Beach.


When Pollo Campero opened its first location in Los Angeles, I heard that lines were around the block. When I heard news like that, my curiosity was definitely piqued, but time passed by and I soon forgot about until I started working in Long Beach and found out there was a Pollo Campero location down the street from me. Fate was definitely working on my side, so I decided to check it out for lunch one afternoon.


I walked through the doors, up to the counter and after a quick glance at the menu, I ordered a three piece fried chicken with rice and yucca fries. While I was waiting, I loaded up on some salsas at their salsa bar. When the plate was finally placed in front of me, I have to say that it looked good and it smelled good, but did it taste good? The answer was a resounding YES in big capital letters.


The skin was wonderful and there was just enough batter to form a "cracker crust". What I meant by that is when I pulled the skin from and off the chicken meat, it seemed wafer-thin and crispy like a cracker. The chicken itself was tender and juicy and very well seasoned, which doesn't translate to being spicy, just full of flavor. A little peppery. A little bit of a kick. All of which made me one happy chicken eater.


The chicken was definitely the star of the plate-- the yucca fries would have been a complete thumbs up if they hadn't been overly salty. The rice really didn't really add much to the meal. Overall, I was happy and was looking forward to making Pollo Campero as one of my regular lunch stops.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it back until a few months later, but I was still anticpating a great meal. Too bad, I didn't get it. I wish I could share pictures, but as luck would have it, I didn't have my camera with me. I ended up ordering almost the same thing I ordered the first time, but this time I replaced the rice with black beans, which were a definite improvement over the rice. However, the yucca fries, while wonderfully crispy, were still too salty. I would have been fine with whatever sides I ordered, as long as my chicken had been up to par. Oh my, it wasn't and saying "Oh my" is putting it mildly.

The chicken didn't have enough batter and it didn't seem like it was fried for that long, which made for a skin that was more droopy than crispy. They also cut back on the seasoning. There just wasn't as much of a flavor punch as before. It was just a disappointing looking and tasting piece of chicken. These are the times when a picture speaks a thousand words and if you are able to see what I saw, you'd know exactly what I was talking about. In the end, I left shaking my head, wondering what the heck happened. I felt like they were trying a new recipe and I somehow became their test subject.

Would I go back to Pollo Campero? I would, but this time I'd check out another location, if only to see if that last experience at the Long Beach restaurant was just a fluke. For now, I'll just try to remember that one good meal and hope that it can be repeated elsewhere.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157612910004741/

Pollo Campero
281 E. Willo Street
Long Beach, CA 90806
(562) 981-8938

www.campero.com

If you’re into ethnic food, check out the Pleasure Palate blog for more tasty discoveries!

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

L.A. Spent Over $1.73 Million on These Controversial ‘Anti-Homeless’ Signs. Do They Actually Work?

Earlier this month, a leaked memo from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) suggested that these 41.18 zones rarely led to unhoused people being moved into interim shelter or permanent housing. After being cleared, most 41.18 zones quickly became repopulated.

March 27, 2024

Two New Lowrider-Inspired and Dodger-Blue L.A. TACO Hats Are Now Available!

Wear your L.A. TACO swag and support our inclusive, street-level community journalism!

March 27, 2024

A Morning-Only Taco Pop-Up in Northridge Is Making the Biggest Breakfast Burritos in the San Fernando Valley

What does it take to stand out in Los Angeles's saturated taco climate? Focus on San Fernando Valley-style loaded breakfast tacos, "breakfast quesadillas" with crispy cheese skirts, and the beefiest breakfast burritos Balboa Boulevard has ever seen.

March 26, 2024

The Second Round of TACO MADNESS 2024 Is Now Open for Voting! Meet ‘L.A.’s Sweet 16’ That Advanced

Save the date! Our 15th annual taco tournament is taking place on April 13th at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes near Olvera Street. Pre-sale tickets are now available. Our online tournament starts on Monday. Check out this year's contenders!

March 26, 2024

Meet L.A.’s Queen of Carnitas Succeeding In a Male-Dominated Taco Style

Her Michoacán-style carnitas are so tender, crispy, and sticky, that she's known to sell more than 1,200 pounds on Sundays alone. What sets her apart from other carnitas stars in L.A. is her commitment to making handmade corn tortillas, too. Her story of resilience is the stuff of taquera legends.

March 25, 2024
See all posts