(May 2006)

By Warren Rojas

What’s not to like about a no-nonsense establishment that continues to crank out some of the tastiest char-broiled birds in the area? El Pollo Rico has been delighting native Northern Virginians and pollo a la brasa enthusiasts from all over the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area for over a decade with spice-rubbed chicken cooked to perfection over smoldering piles of pure lump charcoal. The always crowded Ballston shop has four rotisserie ovens going at all times—and it’s a good thing too, considering there are typically lines stretching from the main counter out the door each day from open to close.

The bare bones menu is simple: Customers can get their fill of rotisserie goodness by ordering a ¼ chicken (chicken plus fries and slaw; $3.90), a ½ chicken ($6.30) or a whole chicken ($11.70) meal. While the spices are similar to the seasoning blend used at any number of copycat establishments, the golden brown birds at El Pollo Rico are absolutely soaked through with flavor—a taste you are unlikely to forget whether it’s your first or your umpteenth visit to this famous chicken hut. Meanwhile, each chicken order comes with a container of homemade hot sauce (naughty) and a mustard-mayonnaise concoction (nice).

The rest of the menu encompasses just two sides, nifty homemade coleslaw and your run-of-the-mill steak fries. The restaurant also features a handful of desserts, including a traditional alfajor (a jumbo cookie filled with caramelized condensed milk; $1), assorted cakes ($2), milhojas (a nutty, multi-layered treat; $2), flan ($2), or exotic Latin American ice creams ($2.50). Standard sodas and fruit drinks are offered, as is the bubble gum-like Inca Cola.