This is a serious question: Does anyone not like a Mexican restaurant filled with old-timey favorites, spicy and adventurous dishes, and bold new spins on traditional fare? We all know the answer is no, which is why Pollo Loco Authentic Mexican Restaurant is a Smoky Mountains area favorite.
With fresh Mexican food served daily, it’s the perfect place to hit up for lunch or dinner. The food is delicious and filling, giving you the fuel needed for hikes in the hills or fun at Dollywood, or helping you recharge after a big day in the sun. The menu includes lots of vegetarian options, so you don’t have to worry about leaving the non-meat eaters out. Plus, the restaurant has a 4.5 on TripAdvisor, indicating it can please a crowd.
The homey cantina uses traditional ingredients in all their dishes, and you won’t go hungry for long. The drinks, chips, and appetizers all come with alacrity, enabling you to take the edge off your appetite while you wait for the mains to arrive. Most online reviews rate the service as very friendly. If you’re going to bring a big group, though, you might want to call ahead and see if you need a reservation. This is an especially good idea during the busy summer and holiday months, because the area is such a tourist mecca.
Also, if you’re looking for a specific dish that you’ve read about in reviews, make sure to call ahead to the restaurant and check that they still have it. Specials may change quickly and they aren’t always reflected in online menus, so save yourself the heartache by checking beforehand.
A few of our menu favorite at Pollo Loco Authentic Mexican Restaurant include:
Pollo Con Queso
Chicken smothered in cheese sauce? That’s a hard yes. Add some Spanish rice to the mix and it’s pure heaven from south of the border.
Homemade Tamales
Delicious meat or veggie mixtures wrapped in corn are an old-fashioned Mexican staple, and they’re never better than when handmade freshly that day. They are topped with a super generous serving of cheese sauce and served with rice, beans, and lettuce.
Fajitas Nachos
Yep, you read that right. It’s not fajitas or nachos, it’s both at the same time. Marinated chicken or steak is served on a crunchy chip foundation and topped with cheese, bell peppers, and other fixings.
Traditional Huarache
This time-honored dish is made with a thick oval-shaped flatbread, made with masa and cooked to resemble a very thick tortilla. To this they add steak, avocado, lettuce, and more, then wrap it up in a kind of Mexican sandwich.
Pina Loca
A boozy affair served inside a hollowed-out pineapple with an upside down beer or cooler stuffed into it is the perfect way to end a long day. It’s pretty filling with all the pineapple piled on top, so order it as an appetizer before your food arrives.
Insider Tips:
-Pollo Loco loves to tag restaurant-goers on their social media pages. If you’re a reviewer or would like to get started as an influencer, they’ll do their part to help you out! Just use the hashtag #PolloLocoRST on your post.
-While the restaurant is wheelchair-accessible and baby-friendly, sometimes you just don’t want to sit down. Call ahead for takeout and pull into the lot to grab your food; there’s plenty of parking so you don’t have to worry about that.
-Thursday is a good day to go to Pollo Loco, when they serve Pollo Con Queso all day long for just $9.99.
-The tip system can be a little confusing. Although their point of sale automatically adds a tip, you can change it to a different amount to reflect the service you got.