El Pollo Fino801 Whittier Blvd
Montebello
323-887-9908
El Pollo Fino is an interesting combination of chicken place and taco stand. The chicken is a copy of El Pollo Loco but at better prices. The half chicken, $4.78, is marinated in plenty of lime and Mexican spices. The chicken is flamed broiled earlier, kept warm and when you order it is put back on the grill. The skin has a very nice flavor from the marinate. But the chicken is on the dry side and not exactly the biggest chicken around either. Is it better than El Pollo Loco? Yes but that's not saying too much.
The carne asada burritto has beans, rice and onions for $3.91. There isn't as much carne asada as other Mexican places that I have reviewed. The carne asada was also very tough and not tender, very chewy. The beans and rice are nothing special or outstanding. Overall the burrito is nothing special.
Service is OK. It's not great and it's not bad. But I ordered a bottle of Coke and asked if the Coke was made in Mexico. Here's a tip, Coke made in Mexico is much better than the Coke made in the US. In Mexico they use real sugar, not that crap sweetener they use in the US. He said he wasn't sure. I asked him to go check the bottle to make sure. He just stood there. I asked him again. Again he just stood there. I asked him a third time and he finally went to the cooler to see if the Coke was made in Mexican. Now it's only a $1.55 item but that's $1.55 they wouldn't have had. I normally do not drink soda but if I do I'll drink Coke and not that second rate cola. And I prefer Coke made with real sugar!!! Though I still do hold a grudge against Coke for making that New Coke crap back in 1985.
I would go back to El Pollo Fino if I'm in the area but I wouldn't make any special trips.
