Pollo Tropical is another place on my list of places to eat where I can eat relatively healthy but still feel like I'm eating fast food. If you order the small tropichop with chicken, half brown rice/half lettuce, grilled peppers and onions, and tomatoes, it's less than 350 calories for a super filling meal. While at the Town Center and in a very weirdly set up parking lot, this location isn't terrible to navigate (this may be in large part because I usually visit later in the evening and not at peak times of the day). I can't say I find the service very friendly but I've also not had an issue with employees being outwardly rude so I guess that's a positive? The prices are also very good for the amount of food you get. If I get the above mentioned tropichop it costs around $6 and fills me up, even right after working out. If I'm looking for a drive thru with good food at a great price, Pollo Tropical tops the list.
(4)
Daisy D.
Lesson Learned: Don't opt for Waffle Fries when placing an order online. I can't fault Pollo Tropical for filling my order way before I planned to be there; I was scheduling pick-up for the height of their busy time. But I do fault the company website for leading me to believe there is Curb-Side pickup at this location when there in fact is not. I've been here a couple times and have always enjoyed my meal, but never been overly impressed enough to hurry back. This location is ALWAYS busy and the parking lot doesn't seem to sustain the amount of regular diners they have. The staff has always been friendly & helpful and if I still worked in the area this would definitely been a regular stop on my rotating dining options.
(3)
Alper T.
We traveled so far to get here. The food is fantastic, chicken, rice, yuca and their sauces amazing.
(5)
Jimmy P.
I always order Pollo Tropical's 1/2 chicken dinner with sides of brown rice and balsamic tomatoes. For dessert, sweet plantains. Their chicken is full of flavor, tender, and juicy. I've had their wings, riblets, and pulled pork. The yellow rice is good too. Their service is free since tipping is not required. After ordering at the front counter, they bring the food to your table. After eating, just leave everything on the table and they will take care of the rest.
(4)
Kelly M.
PT is one of our "go-to" fast food decisions. The food tastes fresh, and it's always clean. My issues have been charging extra for a side that was supposed to be included (almost 3.00 for corn), and we've had 2-3 instances where we were the only people in line and the cashier would interrupt us to turn and talk to people, and we would have to repeat our order several times. All in all, it's still yummy food.
(4)
Abdul Wahab H.
I think this place is healthier than others. Reasonably priced too. Try the wings with the Cilantro sauce. Very good.
(4)
R G.
For a fast food place it is quite good. I had the chicken, ribs, and pork. The chicken was good, the ribs were very good, and the pork was OK. I did not like the beans that was part of the beans and rice. The yucca was interesting, the texture was kind of like a pear.
(3)
Lina M.
I'm from Miami and I was ecstatic when this opened. The customer service is way better than Miami and cleaner than the ones down there. Today they had the pineapple rum sauce. Not a keeper, guys. Bring back my curry sauce!!! I've has everything on the menu. They are all wins! Love the mojo pork.
(3)
M D.
This is probably the closest type of Peruvian rotisserie restaurant that one can go to and enjoy chicken several different ways. Their version of BBQ riblets are very good, yucca is decent, plantains is delish as well! Plenty of various sauces, try mixing them. Fast food that's quick and almost a full table service that's friendly? Stop in and give any location a try...
(4)
Don R.
Overall this is a great quick serve restaurant with healthy food options. The coupons can make an especially good value and the food is usually fresh and flavorful. My only complaints would be that the rolls are always firm as if they are not fresh and sometimes they can be overly rigid about substitutions (for eample, my daughter wanted 2 legs instead of a leg and thigh and they insisted this could not be done). In fact, had this not happened we would go more often, but I forever have this negative experience associated with Pollo Tropical. I've also had my order served wrong on numerous occassions and would appreciate a little more attention to getting it right the first time. The food is good, service is average and for a quick serve that makes me a fan! Free WIFI when working.
(4)
Kristine N.
Decent quick food. Created my own bowl with chicken, yellow rice, and all the veggies. It was a big bowl of food, skimpy on the chicken though. The black and red beans made the whole thing kinda soggy. There's a salsa bar with about ten different options, that was kinda cool. The spicy orange salsa is really spicy but my favorite is the green salsa.
(3)
Carlos C.
Love this place. Been eating here (Pollo Tropical) since I lived in Miami. Never had a bad meal here and the food is cheap In my opinion. This location is an "Elevated" Pollo Tropical meaning that its a little fancier than the typical Pollo Tropicals that I am used to back in Miami where you order your food and wait for it at the pick up end of the counter. This one has servers that bring your food to your table and other things like wine n such. The food comes out pretty quick also. I'm a big fan of the curry mustard and guava BBQ sauce too!
(4)
Danielle R.
Food is always good, the drive through is always amazingly fast and they don't mess up my order often. Staff is friendly and helpful and the salsa bar is awesome. I love the grilled chicken, I get it on everything. To skip carbs I usually get a tropichop with extra beans and no rice.
(4)
Christopher R.
Highly Recommended! This is the go-to place for freshly prepared chicken and beef that is not dried out, and have flavor. I always order the 1/2 chicken which is 2 chicken breast with sides of yellow rice and black beans. I always say do not order a extra side of plantains, or corn souffle but I always do and can't even finish the meal. By the way just that order comes in under 15 dollars with excellent portions. Can't go wrong! The reason for the 3 stars is because they are always out of either the spicy poypo or pineapple rum sauce (which the self serve sauce bar is also used for drive through) so whenever I catch them with some, I make it a habit to grab extra.
(3)
Mike N.
I like this chain a lot. I prefer the locations in Miami. The chicken is better in Miami but this location was good in its own way. It's more upscale than the locations down South and the menu has many more items. However, they have the same wonderful garlic sauce. I ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich (actually two of them) and they were huge. Only order one! I drowned them in that wonderful white garlic sauce. Love it! FYI, at lunch this location is a freakin nightmare to get in or out of. I would avoid this entire business park. It is a complete cluster! However, this has nothing to do with Pollo Tropical and more to do with extremely poorly designed entrances and exits and traffic flow in the entire park...
(3)
April A.
Pollo Tropical's service was great when they first arrived in Jacksonville, I will admit that. However, it has steadily decreased since then. Out of the last six times I've been to the drive thru, they have messed up my order six times - I either get the wrong sized bowl, too little sauce when I ask for extra (after they drastically cut the amount of sauce you normally received), not the sauce I asked for, or no sauce at all. As the sauce is my favorite part of the TropiChops, it's hard not to be irritated with their consistent ability to screw my orders up. I understand that I should check my orders before I drive off, but after the first two times, I was curious to see if it would happen again. It did. Four times. I continue to go to Pollo Tropical as the food is relatively good and the price is hard to beat, but I'm very disappointed with their drive thru service. I've also found hair in my food twice, but as I was already 3/4th of the way through my meal both times, said screw it.
(3)
Abby V.
Living in south Florida before making the move to here in Jacksonville, Pollo Tropical is one of our favorite place to eat. I loved seeing them grill the chickens as you wait for your orders. So imagine my surprise when they opened this Pollo Tropical on Gate Parkway-definitely very different from the Pollo Tropical of south Florida. I normally like eating here. But the last time we ate here, my kids and I got sick. I think we got sick due to the ice machine/soda machine not functioning well: it wasn't draining the water or soda that would spill as customers filled or refilled their drinks. I noticed it when I was waiting for my turn to get my drink. One of the employees kept wiping the counter down and I couldn't figure out why she was doing that. As I stood there, waiting, and watching, I saw that there was also standing water way in the back -she was wiping the water in the front but she wasn't getting the water that had found it's way towards the back of the unit-behind the machines. Suffice to say I didn't refill my drink. I bought a bottle water as soon as we were done eating, and hoped that no one would get sick. I hate to give it two stars. Because the food is good. Don't get me wrong. But I think management needs to maintain the cleanliness of this location. Especially since it is in the Town Center area, where consumers expect better. If it wants to continue to bring in repeat customers, keep the dining area clean, and the machines if perfect working order.
For all you Californians out there, Pollo Tropical is El Pollo Loco with a Florida spin. It was ok, but I can't say it was the best thing I've ever had.
(3)
Brad P.
The food's good, but if you want the food you actually ordered correctly, then I suggest you go somewhere else. Almost everytime I've visited this location, they've left something out from my order.
(2)
Sara L.
Great price for the quality of food. Build your own tropichop is amazing, and I love their spicy poyo and curry sauce. They also have really good plantains :)
(4)
Elizabeth M.
I have been eating at pollo tropical since the days that it could only be found in south florida. i would even bring to go packages all the way back from orlando. This location even since the day it opened has been pretty on point with their service. the service is usually pretty quick and if you dont like something they will just get you a new one. and for somereason they always offer me and my boyfriend free icecream. but hey i aint complaining. who doesnt like free icecream? Their food consists of grilled chicken with the usual fare of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, broccoli and such and their sweet plantains are sooo good. although sometimes they bring them burnt but that usually gets fixed. def worth a try if you have never been.
(4)
Julie A.
Love the choice of cuisine. However, being called Pollo, you would think the spotlight dish would be a knight in shining armor. More like a barely starry night. The chicken was a bit dry for my liking. Awww On a good note, the sidekick corn casserole was moist and bursting with flavor. And the peach green tea was a refreshing ending to the meal. Yes, I'd go back. How many other options for quick Latin-Caribbean-inspired fast food are there? Plus there were so many different choices on the menu. And I got my meal for about $5 something. Btw, there was no line at the drive through. I ordered my food around 3:30pm on a weekday.
(3)
Joe C.
You spoiled southerners! First time trying Pollo Tropical. Met a friend here after church. The place was slammed with people. The food was fresh, authentic tasting, delicious and extremely affordable! Restaurant quality at fast food prices. So good!
(5)
Kathy C.
We passed by Pollo Tropical many times before finally stepping in to give it a try because there have always been a long line. Finally, on a week day late afternoon, we found ourselves seeing no line out the door. We took the chance to try this place. We were not disappointed. We ordered the chicken combo and pull pork combo. The chicken was really tender and yummy. The pulled pork was good too, but the portion a bit small, surprisingly. We both loved the curly fries and corn souffle. I especially love dipping them in the curry mustard or the garlic cilentro sauces. A few days after we tried it the first time, we found ourselve back at Pollo Tropical's drive thru line... this time, ordering a full family meal of a whole chicken, ribs, wings, and several sides to share with family and friends. And all for less than $30! Yeah, we'll be back for more... soon.
(4)
Bob S.
I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. This is basically a casual / fast-ish food Caribbean restaurant. Place your order at the counter, pay, and they'll bring it out to you. My meal was delivered pretty quickly, and the server stopped by a couple of times to see if I needed anything. I might have been more impressed if I'd gone with the namesake Pollo, but I opted for the roast pork, instead. It wasn't bad, in fact, it was quite acceptable, but... it wasn't really flavorful. I noticed the same with the yucca -- just kinda there. I was hoping for a more, um, "Tropical" flavor spectrum. There -is- a salsa bar, so it's easy enough to season your food to taste. I guess when your business model is to get food out to the masses quickly, you need to aim for the lowest common denominator. The brown (not yellow?) rice was pretty good, and I enjoyed the red beans, too, along with the mango iced tea. I'll probably stop in again, but as this location is at the dreaded SJTC, it may be a while. I got lucky today, no traffic at 5pm (Sunday.) I did enjoy the bespectacled chicken art. Free WiFi advertised, I didn't test it.
(3)
Andie T.
Finally made it to Pollo Tropical with the husband on a Sunday afternoon. We must have come in at the end of a huge rush and were followed by another one (we arrived around 4pm) because the dining area was a disaster...food and spilled drinks all over the floor, trays and empty plates on the tables, and the sauce bar and items next to the drink machine were completely unstocked. But I'm glad I didn't let this dissuade me from eating there because the food was terrific. I had the mojo pork platter w/two sides (Caesar salad and broccoli and carrots) and my husband had the three meat platter (chicken breast, mojo pork and grilled wings) with Caesar salad and coleslaw. We also shared a large order of sweet plantains. And all of that was right at 20 bucks. Can't beat that! The pork was really flavorful and juicy. The chicken breast was also tasty and surprisingly juicy. Husband said the wings were equally good. Caesar salad dressing was pretty mild, but lettuce was crisp and fresh. Broccoli and carrots were quite tasty and husband said the coleslaw was good. And the sweet plantains were DELICIOUS! Although the large order was pretty huge - will probably get the small next time. All in all, very happy with the quality and quantity of the food - especially for the price. Hopefully they were having a bad day as far as keeping the dining area clean and stocked 'cause I have to say...it was pretty gross. But when I saw the manager running food (they bring it to the table after you order and pay at the counter) I figured they must be short-handed. Will definitely go back again - in fact, this will likely go on our regular rotation.
(4)
Mike D.
I love Pollo. For the price, you can't get better value on good food. The tropichops are the way to go. My only knock is I wish they had tostones year round.
(4)
Hecate D.
Still chewing my food as I type and all I can think is "Wow!". My love affair with Chick-fil-a may have a new contender. Went through the drive-thru on this fine Saturday, around 2pm. St. John's Town Center was packed as usual, and I was third in line for the drive thru. I could tell most people hadn't ordered previously and it seemed that the lady working the drive thru was very helpful and patient walking people through the menu, and quickly. When it was my turn, I had to ask for a few seconds to look the menu over and quickly decided on the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich combo with yellow rice on the side. As I pulled around, all the other cars but one were totally gone along their way and the person in front of me was being handed their food. It was very nice, quick service to me as well. Pretty shocking for a fast food place that offers so many unique to fast-food items. Went home, and started eating and I am most pleased. A grilled chicken sandwich that wasn't dry and bland! Very tasty and juicy. The yellow rice is not the most flavorful yellow rice I've ever had, but it beats the hell out of the usual potato-based sides. Next time I am totally going for the mac-n-cheese. Best thing of the whole experience? A combo meal, with fresh tasty food for $5.34. How can you beat that? I will definitely be returning often.
(4)
Jorge P.
What a chaotic place! Avoid lunch times, lines are long. My take out order took at least 30 minutes. I got the shrimp quesadilla (way too small) with tostones (soaked in oil, stale and hard). The whole place is so inefficient with waiters looking at the monitors asking each other who's, what order is this. This is my third time here and my last!
(2)
Mario A.
surprising good food Clean establishment. Inactive management. For someone looking just to grab something on the go but, not looking to spend a lot, I would recommend -Pollo Tropical-
(4)
Chas B.
To understand this review, you will have had the original Pollo, where, when you walked in, you saw and SMELLED the aroma of flavorful chicken being cooked on the grille. Everything was flavorful. Here in the Jax, and soon to be all over, they're using a convection oven after a short marination of the chicken and then "lay" it on a grille for a few minutes or so. I guess to keep from being sued for false advertising that the chicken is not cooked on a grill. I hear they're even changing the Pollo Tropical colors. Well, here's my final review, I have had better chicken at the Winn Dixie deli counter. I have gone back for the last time. Good bye!
(1)
Debbie F.
I love chicken! I really love chicken with curry mustard on it! I love their black beans and rice but it adds to my girlish figure so I try* to opt out with a nice boring salad. The chicken is grilled and spiced perfectly. They have great tropichop bowls and the plantains are awesome. Next to mexican food Caribbean food is next in line for me!
(4)
Greg F.
Slightly above average. I like their chicken quesadilla, though they often don't cook it enough to melt the cheese and it could use a higher meat/cheese to bread ratio. Their tres leches dessert is usually outstanding (if you like sweet things). Their other desserts are above average too.
(3)
Rory D.
Always great, a favorite chain of mine. Cuban fusion for all. Had an avocado chicken tropichop. Excellent. Their grilled chicken, rice options, salads, wraps, soups are all good. Favorite part is their sauces. Try the Po Po or curry sauce, great salsa, & the cilantro garlic sauce goes perfectly with the boiled yucca. Also a full range of family meals, desserts, & don't miss their mango iced tea!
(4)
Lindsay L.
Pollo Tropical is the new trend in restaurant providing a "fast-casual" dining experience. I was pretty shocked when there was a hostess at the door, but she explained that she would activate our table number and to look for it in the dining area. The menu was a little overwhelming but the cashier helped us decided on the "bowl" option. It came with rice, chicken, beans, tomatoes, corn, and sauteed onions/peppers. It didn't take too long for the food to arrive. I didn't know if you were supposed to put sauce on my meal, but there was a big variety of sauces available. The bowl wasn't dry, but it needed some flavor. So I added the guave bbq sauce and it was delicious! The best part of my experience was the plantains. I think I would go back just to eat those again. It's certainly not a bad option for dining in the SJTC. It's also close to Mochi for dessert!
(3)
Jeanne S.
We had some errands to run near the SJTC and thought we'd give this new place a try. Parking was okay although the big U-haul trucks were taking up quite a few spots. Hopefully that will be resolved soon. Parking @ SJTC is a nightmare as it is... It was about 11:15am and the place was already busy. We ordered our food. I got the Grilled Wings (chipolte) and hubby got the chicken breast with 2 sides. Food came out shortly after we found our table number. Had to duck around people to see. (Not sure I like that system) My wings were ice cold. I was shocked a little. They tasted okay but I'm sure they would have been better hot, heck...even warm. Hubby's chicken looked good. 2 breasts, brocolli and red beans and rice. He said the red beans/rice were really good. His chicken tasted a little odd to me when I tasted it but it might be that I was already a little put off by our experience. I doubt we'll go out of our way to go back there.
(2)
Marjie C.
I need to come eat here again to give a really good review. It's been awhile since I went here but I do remember getting the bowl and it was plentiful for the price I paid.
(3)
Marcel R.
yeah yeah sometimes it gets really busy but this place has the best grilled chicken YOU HAVE EVER HAD. It is really out of this world trust me do yourself a favor. go and order a half chicken or 1/4 chicken and DONT FORGET to get the CILANTRO GARLIC sauce from the sauce bar. For desert get some sweet plantains and pretty soon you will be in HEAVEN. especially if your latino or middle eastern. it has flavors that remind of those heritages. the chicken has a lot of flavor thats is just delicious. ENJOY i sure did the Tony Montana of food
(5)
Natalie E.
Great food with an island atmosphere. Staff is friendly and attentive. Sunday after church lunch crowd is busy but handled well for fast food with hostesses helping with seating. I always get the mojo roast pork bowl with rice and black beans! Top with salsa and cilantro garlic sauce! :)
(4)
Jenni T.
We finally tried this place on Saturday, we were curious because of all the adoration it seems to have. Luckily we got there before the dinner rush, because it does seem to get a bit crazy. I like the system of someone giving you a table number when you walk in, I can see how it would help the problem of people claiming tables when they haven't even ordered yet. Even still, we saw some instances of some who were apparently trying to bypass the system. But on to the food, I had the bowl and my daughter had the half chicken. The bowl came with your choice of pork or chicken (I had chicken), rice, beans, and various veggies. It was good, you do need salsa or some sauce from the condiment bar though to give it more flavor. My daughter's half chicken was tasty, very tender. The mashed potatoes were way yummy. All in all, we'll go back. It was super cheap, our family of three ate for about $20. The portion sizes are more than adequate. But in the end, it's...just chicken. I don't see the cause for all the fuss, but it's definitely worth going if you're in that area and want something tasty and cheaper than the usual Town Center fare. Only a couple of minor points, they say on the menu if you need anything or want to get dessert, don't worry, they'll get it. Nope. Not one person stopped by our table to see if we needed anything. I assume they're supposed to, what with all the "no tipping" signs posted. Plus when we did brave the line and go order some flan, it never came out, my husband had to go back up to the counter to inquire about it. Turns out it just needed to be taken out of the fridge. But they were super busy by then and it probably just got overlooked, so I don't hold a grudge.
(3)
Randy K.
This is a wonderful, tasty, affordable place. I love the selection of Latin American dishes and desserts, the price, and the casual, quick-service setup. If only we had this chain in the Midwest!
(4)
Daveeed R.
I'm a first timer to Pollo Tropical. I was put off by the gauntlet of lines you had to wait in at first, but during my first trip I had the Chipotle chicken sandwich and an order of 5 wings. I was pleasantly surprised. During my second visit I tried the trios platter. Ribs, pulled pork & chicken. I couldn't believe how good the ribs were, especially for the price. They weren't fall off the bone tender, but I've paid twice as much for worse at other places. The chicken was good, it had those 'floribbean" spices that I've read so much about when it comes to reviews of this place, yet it still had that fast food grease that we all know and love. The pulled pork might have stood well on its own but it paled in comparison to the flavor of the ribs & chicken. The mac n' cheese side item was great, and the curly fries were standard. The best part is the price. You can't beat it. 4 star flavor at a 2 star price. Bring the kids! (no screaming babies though)
(5)
Erin K.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for opening a Pollo Tropical in Jacksonville! I am a native of South Florida and have been a fan for years. The marinated Cuban style grilled chicken is flavorful and moist. The Tropichop, with choice of meat, rice, beans and veggies, is an excellent deal. The curry mustard sauce is too die for - as are the plantains. The Family Meal has been a family favorite for years. This is actually the nicest Pollo location I've ever been in. It is well worth the battle for a parking spot. Muy Bueno!
(5)
Paul G.
Decided to give them another chance... I just got off the phone with them (at 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon--after the lunch rush, and before dinner..this is a special time when restaurants are supposed to be getting things like catering orders done without a hassle.). I asked the less than cordial person who answered if now was a good time for them to take a catering order, at which point, she said, "hold on," and placed me on hold for another person to pick up, who had no idea why I had called. I repeated my question, and got an "uh, yeah." Folks, I'm trying really hard to meet your needs, and if it's not a good time, just say so. Then I ask if she can take a catering order a week in advance (because the 2 day warning we gave them last time did not seem to work out). She says, well it would be better if you just call the day before, and we can do it then. So I tell her that this plan backfired for them last time, and she begrudgingly tells me: "Let me get a sheet of paper," and I hear the kitchen in the background (someone yelling at someone not to touch her hair--hope they washed their hands) and a bunch of papers being shuffled around. I'm wondering, "Why is this lady 'ready to take my order,' but has to go looking for a piece of paper?" She asks how many, and I tell her we'd like to order from the menu a la carte, so it's not important how many. I proceed with my order, and she keeps interrupting me with questions instead of listening to me, and then asks me again how many, (at this point, I've ordered TWO batches of Fajitas for ten, so she knows about how many people we have...), and when I roll my eyes and tell her that it's about twenty, she goes into professional robot mode and directs me to call the 800 number for catering, and then the catering line folks will fax my order to the restaurant, and it will be better (for whom, I'm thinking?). So I call the 1-866 number she gives me, and, awesomeness fail, I get a "leave your number and let us call you right back" voicemail. I'd rather have food thrown in my face than deal with this company's customer service. It's less insulting. UPDATE: After I finally got my order placed, I called the customer service line and was shunted yet again into a voice mail. I told them in my message that handling customer service via voice mail was a horrible idea, and that I really was hoping that the customer service issues at the local place don't go all the way to the top of the company, and left my name and number for them to respond. A WEEK LATER (not lying, it was at least 7 full days later), I get this message: Hello Mr. Gambon, this is ___ from Pollo Tropical. Someone informed us that you had left a message on the customer service line, and we are returning your call. Please call us back if you would like to talk more about your message.
(1)
Mike F.
I can't believe this place opened in Jax!!! We have been there many times on trips to Miami and love it. This one is just as good and brand new. They have a very extensive menu, but i go for the chicken--ON THE BONE. The flavor is fantastic. It's moist, hot and delicious! (If you order the breast instead of the chicken on the bone by which these guys made their reputation, don't complain if it's dry.) The most difficult thing is figuring out which side orders to get. Too many are great and it's hard to decide. The plain 'ol black beans and white rice are awesome. And i usually get some sweet plantains too (think fried bananas). But the yellow rice, kernel corn, mac and cheese and caesar salad are great too. If Boston Market had FAR BETTER TASTING FOOD, it would be Pollo Tropical. . .
(5)
M W.
Casual dining with a drive though window and booze... Not bad. Could have used more sauce with my regular bowl.
(3)
Matt L.
Awesome. Cheap unique fast food.
(4)
E F.
Great food. I went to Pollo Tropical all the time when I lived in So FL. They have more items on the menu now. My favorite is grilled chicken, rice, beans and plantains. Very reasonably priced. Glad they came to Jacksonville.
(5)
Jax F.
Let me just say this upfront, I wasn't thrilled when the wife suggested I try this place out. I was in need of a place to review but I didn't have a lot of time (I was headed to a poker game, I have to make money some how right?) but everyone says how addictive it is so I thought "Why not? Let me shut them up". Check out my other reviews at jaxfoodcritic.com Location: It's off of Gateway right in the complex in front of Costco and Best Buy area. Food: Like I said above, I wasn't really looking forward to doing a Pollo Tropical review. I constantly hear my friends talking about it and I just couldn't imagine it being anything special. I mean, it's just chicken right? Anyways, I thought, fine, let me go and see that it isn't good and then I can argue with them. When I pulled up, I was surprised at how busy it was. While there wasn't a line to order, there was a constant flow of people coming in. The staff was keeping up with the flow. Honestly, when I walked up to the counter to order, I was overwhelmed. If you look at the picture of the menu board you will see it is pretty busy with options but once you order once, you will see how easy it actually is. I went with the TropiChop because it looked like the easiest thing to order. Basically what you do is pick your meat: Chicken, Mojo Roast Pork or Vegetarian. Once you pick that out, then you move on to your preference of type of rice, mashed potato or a lettuce. Next step: "Top it off" where you add any combination of Black Beans, Red Beans, Kernel Corn, Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions or Sauteed Onions. All this was $5.99 plus another $1.00 for a drink. Once you place your order, head to your table, they bring the food to you fresh from the kitchen. While I was waiting, I filled up the drink and then wandered over to the Salsa Bar and picked out a couple. My favorite: Garlic and Cilantro sauce. The food arrived promptly and let me just say that after a couple bites I WAS PISSED! You know why? Because it was freaking good! Yeah you heard me right, it was good lol. The chicken was grilled perfectly and the rice was addictive. I scarfed it down like a kid at home the first day after attending fat camp. P.S. I'm fat, so I can make fat jokes....if you aren't fat...stop laughing Extra Info: This place was hopping. A constantly flow of people coming in and out. The staff is all over the place cleaning and asking if you need anything. I wonder if this restaurant has any connection to Tijuana Flats with their great floor presence and level of interaction with the customers. This is one of those places where you just get up and leave your stuff on the table, they clean up after you. Who doesn't like that? Overall Rating 1-10: I'm not doing this category anymore. What is my rating worth anyways. I will be doing a new thing, see next topic below. The Good -Very Clean -Fresh Food -Great pricing The Bad -Menu can be intimidating -Not a lot of locations
(4)
K N.
I love this place!! I am from Virginia and we don't have anything like this up there. The prices are great, the chicken is always very flavorful, and the white sauce (garlic cream or something like that) is to die for!! I always enjoy eating here when I want something quick and inexpensive. It's way better than the regular McDonalds or Wendy's. The soup... you have to try it if you haven't already!!
(5)
Sarah G.
Great price, delicious chicken, and the best spicy poyo poyo sauce.
(5)
ashley t.
We went through the drive though shortly after this place opened. It always looks so busy, so we thought it would be good. Nope. First, when we returned home, we had been charged for items we didn't receive and we were missing food we did order. The food was completely disgusting. My daughter wouldn't eat hers, I didn't eat mine and my husband didn't eat his. It was a complete waste of money. We tried to call and complain, but the phone was off the hook- we tried for two hours with nothing but a busy signal. I will NEVER eat there again.
(1)
Lisa G.
Not all it is cracked up to be. I will only order the red beans and rice again. Everything else was disappointing.
(1)
Tim P.
While visiting Miami, I had the pleasure of dining at Pollo Tropical. I found myself wondering when this chain would make its way to JAX. Lo and behold, a few months later, construction began. Pollo Tropical is in its own class as far as quick service restaurants go. It's not really like KFC, nor is it anything like Bojangles. It's its own unique type of restaurant. Its popularity is such that it necessitates a hostess, which is not typical. The one I visited in Miami did not require you to have a seating pager. After speaking with the hostess, I came to find out they will be adding another location soon somewhere in Jacksonville. Hopefully that will help with the crowd. Pollo Tropical primarily serves Cuban and Caribbean dishes (hence the name). For the hungry, the best thing on the menu is the Trio. You get your choice of three items. All are well-prepared and tasty. There's a condiment bar that has different kinds of sauces. Overall, the service is quick, and the food is worth the wait. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to try something different.
(4)
Travis K.
Bland, bland, bland! The "salsa fuego" was more mild than the salsa which was pretty much like water with texture. My quesadilla was tasteless and my wife's yellow rice wasn't cooked through. The fajitas left quite a bit to be desired. Two thumbs down.
(1)
J W.
Okay, after seeing one of my facebook friends comments then immediately seeing what Charlene had to say on Yelp I was interested. Then today an errand takes me right by there. It was a late lunch but there was a good crowd and scarce parking. The menu looked great. My favorite cuisine, Carribean/Cuban. I could eat black beans and yellow rice daily. I ordered the small size, chicken and the beans and rice (large portions) are ONE side. The yellow rice has vegetables, english peas, carrots, corn(?) and broccoli. All niblet sized. The chicken was tasty. I removed the skin from the back/thigh portion and ate the drumstick as nature intended. For under $5 I felt full and my brain approved of the feedback from the tastebuds. I got a glass of sangria to accompany and it was good. I'm not a sangria officiando but I've had it from the Columbia several times as well as Sangria's in old St. Augustine. I will go back but hope it spreads to the beach. The do offer a drive through though so it may be am easy drive over to pick some ip.
(4)
Latoya S.
Not like Miami but aye... I"m sure eventually it will get there. :) At least for now its a closer location.
(3)
Gert E.
First visit was definitely the best! I should have quite while I was ahead. The last time we went there was definitely the last time for us. The experience was horrible. The dining room was in disarray and the management was careful to avoid getting involved. They were out of our favorite items. Then, after waiting 20 minutes for the items we had settled for when they didn't have what we really wanted, we found out our order had been skipped. THEN we were told we would have to wait a little while longer because they had just handed out the last of the chicken to someone else. We requested a refund, but not one person offered an apology. The management didn't even acknowledge us while they were processing our refund (which took about 5 minutes). So, after spending more than an hour in line and waiting for our food, we left feeling very unsatisfied. We went right over to Chipotle where we had delicious food without any hassles. There are so many good/enjoyable places to eat within a stone's throw, we won't ever settle for this place again! Can I give it zero stars?
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : Yes Caters : Yes
Kristina K.
Pollo Tropical is another place on my list of places to eat where I can eat relatively healthy but still feel like I'm eating fast food. If you order the small tropichop with chicken, half brown rice/half lettuce, grilled peppers and onions, and tomatoes, it's less than 350 calories for a super filling meal. While at the Town Center and in a very weirdly set up parking lot, this location isn't terrible to navigate (this may be in large part because I usually visit later in the evening and not at peak times of the day). I can't say I find the service very friendly but I've also not had an issue with employees being outwardly rude so I guess that's a positive? The prices are also very good for the amount of food you get. If I get the above mentioned tropichop it costs around $6 and fills me up, even right after working out. If I'm looking for a drive thru with good food at a great price, Pollo Tropical tops the list.
(4)Daisy D.
Lesson Learned: Don't opt for Waffle Fries when placing an order online. I can't fault Pollo Tropical for filling my order way before I planned to be there; I was scheduling pick-up for the height of their busy time. But I do fault the company website for leading me to believe there is Curb-Side pickup at this location when there in fact is not. I've been here a couple times and have always enjoyed my meal, but never been overly impressed enough to hurry back. This location is ALWAYS busy and the parking lot doesn't seem to sustain the amount of regular diners they have. The staff has always been friendly & helpful and if I still worked in the area this would definitely been a regular stop on my rotating dining options.
(3)Alper T.
We traveled so far to get here. The food is fantastic, chicken, rice, yuca and their sauces amazing.
(5)Jimmy P.
I always order Pollo Tropical's 1/2 chicken dinner with sides of brown rice and balsamic tomatoes. For dessert, sweet plantains. Their chicken is full of flavor, tender, and juicy. I've had their wings, riblets, and pulled pork. The yellow rice is good too. Their service is free since tipping is not required. After ordering at the front counter, they bring the food to your table. After eating, just leave everything on the table and they will take care of the rest.
(4)Kelly M.
PT is one of our "go-to" fast food decisions. The food tastes fresh, and it's always clean. My issues have been charging extra for a side that was supposed to be included (almost 3.00 for corn), and we've had 2-3 instances where we were the only people in line and the cashier would interrupt us to turn and talk to people, and we would have to repeat our order several times. All in all, it's still yummy food.
(4)Abdul Wahab H.
I think this place is healthier than others. Reasonably priced too. Try the wings with the Cilantro sauce. Very good.
(4)R G.
For a fast food place it is quite good. I had the chicken, ribs, and pork. The chicken was good, the ribs were very good, and the pork was OK. I did not like the beans that was part of the beans and rice. The yucca was interesting, the texture was kind of like a pear.
(3)Lina M.
I'm from Miami and I was ecstatic when this opened. The customer service is way better than Miami and cleaner than the ones down there. Today they had the pineapple rum sauce. Not a keeper, guys. Bring back my curry sauce!!! I've has everything on the menu. They are all wins! Love the mojo pork.
(3)M D.
This is probably the closest type of Peruvian rotisserie restaurant that one can go to and enjoy chicken several different ways. Their version of BBQ riblets are very good, yucca is decent, plantains is delish as well! Plenty of various sauces, try mixing them. Fast food that's quick and almost a full table service that's friendly? Stop in and give any location a try...
(4)Don R.
Overall this is a great quick serve restaurant with healthy food options. The coupons can make an especially good value and the food is usually fresh and flavorful. My only complaints would be that the rolls are always firm as if they are not fresh and sometimes they can be overly rigid about substitutions (for eample, my daughter wanted 2 legs instead of a leg and thigh and they insisted this could not be done). In fact, had this not happened we would go more often, but I forever have this negative experience associated with Pollo Tropical. I've also had my order served wrong on numerous occassions and would appreciate a little more attention to getting it right the first time. The food is good, service is average and for a quick serve that makes me a fan! Free WIFI when working.
(4)Kristine N.
Decent quick food. Created my own bowl with chicken, yellow rice, and all the veggies. It was a big bowl of food, skimpy on the chicken though. The black and red beans made the whole thing kinda soggy. There's a salsa bar with about ten different options, that was kinda cool. The spicy orange salsa is really spicy but my favorite is the green salsa.
(3)Carlos C.
Love this place. Been eating here (Pollo Tropical) since I lived in Miami. Never had a bad meal here and the food is cheap In my opinion. This location is an "Elevated" Pollo Tropical meaning that its a little fancier than the typical Pollo Tropicals that I am used to back in Miami where you order your food and wait for it at the pick up end of the counter. This one has servers that bring your food to your table and other things like wine n such. The food comes out pretty quick also. I'm a big fan of the curry mustard and guava BBQ sauce too!
(4)Danielle R.
Food is always good, the drive through is always amazingly fast and they don't mess up my order often. Staff is friendly and helpful and the salsa bar is awesome. I love the grilled chicken, I get it on everything. To skip carbs I usually get a tropichop with extra beans and no rice.
(4)Christopher R.
Highly Recommended! This is the go-to place for freshly prepared chicken and beef that is not dried out, and have flavor. I always order the 1/2 chicken which is 2 chicken breast with sides of yellow rice and black beans. I always say do not order a extra side of plantains, or corn souffle but I always do and can't even finish the meal. By the way just that order comes in under 15 dollars with excellent portions. Can't go wrong! The reason for the 3 stars is because they are always out of either the spicy poypo or pineapple rum sauce (which the self serve sauce bar is also used for drive through) so whenever I catch them with some, I make it a habit to grab extra.
(3)Mike N.
I like this chain a lot. I prefer the locations in Miami. The chicken is better in Miami but this location was good in its own way. It's more upscale than the locations down South and the menu has many more items. However, they have the same wonderful garlic sauce. I ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich (actually two of them) and they were huge. Only order one! I drowned them in that wonderful white garlic sauce. Love it! FYI, at lunch this location is a freakin nightmare to get in or out of. I would avoid this entire business park. It is a complete cluster! However, this has nothing to do with Pollo Tropical and more to do with extremely poorly designed entrances and exits and traffic flow in the entire park...
(3)April A.
Pollo Tropical's service was great when they first arrived in Jacksonville, I will admit that. However, it has steadily decreased since then. Out of the last six times I've been to the drive thru, they have messed up my order six times - I either get the wrong sized bowl, too little sauce when I ask for extra (after they drastically cut the amount of sauce you normally received), not the sauce I asked for, or no sauce at all. As the sauce is my favorite part of the TropiChops, it's hard not to be irritated with their consistent ability to screw my orders up. I understand that I should check my orders before I drive off, but after the first two times, I was curious to see if it would happen again. It did. Four times. I continue to go to Pollo Tropical as the food is relatively good and the price is hard to beat, but I'm very disappointed with their drive thru service. I've also found hair in my food twice, but as I was already 3/4th of the way through my meal both times, said screw it.
(3)Abby V.
Living in south Florida before making the move to here in Jacksonville, Pollo Tropical is one of our favorite place to eat. I loved seeing them grill the chickens as you wait for your orders. So imagine my surprise when they opened this Pollo Tropical on Gate Parkway-definitely very different from the Pollo Tropical of south Florida. I normally like eating here. But the last time we ate here, my kids and I got sick. I think we got sick due to the ice machine/soda machine not functioning well: it wasn't draining the water or soda that would spill as customers filled or refilled their drinks. I noticed it when I was waiting for my turn to get my drink. One of the employees kept wiping the counter down and I couldn't figure out why she was doing that. As I stood there, waiting, and watching, I saw that there was also standing water way in the back -she was wiping the water in the front but she wasn't getting the water that had found it's way towards the back of the unit-behind the machines. Suffice to say I didn't refill my drink. I bought a bottle water as soon as we were done eating, and hoped that no one would get sick. I hate to give it two stars. Because the food is good. Don't get me wrong. But I think management needs to maintain the cleanliness of this location. Especially since it is in the Town Center area, where consumers expect better. If it wants to continue to bring in repeat customers, keep the dining area clean, and the machines if perfect working order.
(2)Monica B.
Fresh Food & good service, always on point! The corn soufflé is the bomb diggity, the place is always clean. My veggie tropi chop was full of onions, tomatoes & green peppers (they used to put other veggies but I'm sure they didn't sell them as much since its POLLO, I mean not the best veg place! Lol) Love the salsa's too & that they use real utensils & plates which makes me really happy it's a lot greener than miami. Will be back when in town, hubby loves eating here too.
(5)Chelle R.
For all you Californians out there, Pollo Tropical is El Pollo Loco with a Florida spin. It was ok, but I can't say it was the best thing I've ever had.
(3)Brad P.
The food's good, but if you want the food you actually ordered correctly, then I suggest you go somewhere else. Almost everytime I've visited this location, they've left something out from my order.
(2)Sara L.
Great price for the quality of food. Build your own tropichop is amazing, and I love their spicy poyo and curry sauce. They also have really good plantains :)
(4)Elizabeth M.
I have been eating at pollo tropical since the days that it could only be found in south florida. i would even bring to go packages all the way back from orlando. This location even since the day it opened has been pretty on point with their service. the service is usually pretty quick and if you dont like something they will just get you a new one. and for somereason they always offer me and my boyfriend free icecream. but hey i aint complaining. who doesnt like free icecream? Their food consists of grilled chicken with the usual fare of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, broccoli and such and their sweet plantains are sooo good. although sometimes they bring them burnt but that usually gets fixed. def worth a try if you have never been.
(4)Julie A.
Love the choice of cuisine. However, being called Pollo, you would think the spotlight dish would be a knight in shining armor. More like a barely starry night. The chicken was a bit dry for my liking. Awww On a good note, the sidekick corn casserole was moist and bursting with flavor. And the peach green tea was a refreshing ending to the meal. Yes, I'd go back. How many other options for quick Latin-Caribbean-inspired fast food are there? Plus there were so many different choices on the menu. And I got my meal for about $5 something. Btw, there was no line at the drive through. I ordered my food around 3:30pm on a weekday.
(3)Joe C.
You spoiled southerners! First time trying Pollo Tropical. Met a friend here after church. The place was slammed with people. The food was fresh, authentic tasting, delicious and extremely affordable! Restaurant quality at fast food prices. So good!
(5)Kathy C.
We passed by Pollo Tropical many times before finally stepping in to give it a try because there have always been a long line. Finally, on a week day late afternoon, we found ourselves seeing no line out the door. We took the chance to try this place. We were not disappointed. We ordered the chicken combo and pull pork combo. The chicken was really tender and yummy. The pulled pork was good too, but the portion a bit small, surprisingly. We both loved the curly fries and corn souffle. I especially love dipping them in the curry mustard or the garlic cilentro sauces. A few days after we tried it the first time, we found ourselve back at Pollo Tropical's drive thru line... this time, ordering a full family meal of a whole chicken, ribs, wings, and several sides to share with family and friends. And all for less than $30! Yeah, we'll be back for more... soon.
(4)Bob S.
I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. This is basically a casual / fast-ish food Caribbean restaurant. Place your order at the counter, pay, and they'll bring it out to you. My meal was delivered pretty quickly, and the server stopped by a couple of times to see if I needed anything. I might have been more impressed if I'd gone with the namesake Pollo, but I opted for the roast pork, instead. It wasn't bad, in fact, it was quite acceptable, but... it wasn't really flavorful. I noticed the same with the yucca -- just kinda there. I was hoping for a more, um, "Tropical" flavor spectrum. There -is- a salsa bar, so it's easy enough to season your food to taste. I guess when your business model is to get food out to the masses quickly, you need to aim for the lowest common denominator. The brown (not yellow?) rice was pretty good, and I enjoyed the red beans, too, along with the mango iced tea. I'll probably stop in again, but as this location is at the dreaded SJTC, it may be a while. I got lucky today, no traffic at 5pm (Sunday.) I did enjoy the bespectacled chicken art. Free WiFi advertised, I didn't test it.
(3)Andie T.
Finally made it to Pollo Tropical with the husband on a Sunday afternoon. We must have come in at the end of a huge rush and were followed by another one (we arrived around 4pm) because the dining area was a disaster...food and spilled drinks all over the floor, trays and empty plates on the tables, and the sauce bar and items next to the drink machine were completely unstocked. But I'm glad I didn't let this dissuade me from eating there because the food was terrific. I had the mojo pork platter w/two sides (Caesar salad and broccoli and carrots) and my husband had the three meat platter (chicken breast, mojo pork and grilled wings) with Caesar salad and coleslaw. We also shared a large order of sweet plantains. And all of that was right at 20 bucks. Can't beat that! The pork was really flavorful and juicy. The chicken breast was also tasty and surprisingly juicy. Husband said the wings were equally good. Caesar salad dressing was pretty mild, but lettuce was crisp and fresh. Broccoli and carrots were quite tasty and husband said the coleslaw was good. And the sweet plantains were DELICIOUS! Although the large order was pretty huge - will probably get the small next time. All in all, very happy with the quality and quantity of the food - especially for the price. Hopefully they were having a bad day as far as keeping the dining area clean and stocked 'cause I have to say...it was pretty gross. But when I saw the manager running food (they bring it to the table after you order and pay at the counter) I figured they must be short-handed. Will definitely go back again - in fact, this will likely go on our regular rotation.
(4)Mike D.
I love Pollo. For the price, you can't get better value on good food. The tropichops are the way to go. My only knock is I wish they had tostones year round.
(4)Hecate D.
Still chewing my food as I type and all I can think is "Wow!". My love affair with Chick-fil-a may have a new contender. Went through the drive-thru on this fine Saturday, around 2pm. St. John's Town Center was packed as usual, and I was third in line for the drive thru. I could tell most people hadn't ordered previously and it seemed that the lady working the drive thru was very helpful and patient walking people through the menu, and quickly. When it was my turn, I had to ask for a few seconds to look the menu over and quickly decided on the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich combo with yellow rice on the side. As I pulled around, all the other cars but one were totally gone along their way and the person in front of me was being handed their food. It was very nice, quick service to me as well. Pretty shocking for a fast food place that offers so many unique to fast-food items. Went home, and started eating and I am most pleased. A grilled chicken sandwich that wasn't dry and bland! Very tasty and juicy. The yellow rice is not the most flavorful yellow rice I've ever had, but it beats the hell out of the usual potato-based sides. Next time I am totally going for the mac-n-cheese. Best thing of the whole experience? A combo meal, with fresh tasty food for $5.34. How can you beat that? I will definitely be returning often.
(4)Jorge P.
What a chaotic place! Avoid lunch times, lines are long. My take out order took at least 30 minutes. I got the shrimp quesadilla (way too small) with tostones (soaked in oil, stale and hard). The whole place is so inefficient with waiters looking at the monitors asking each other who's, what order is this. This is my third time here and my last!
(2)Mario A.
surprising good food Clean establishment. Inactive management. For someone looking just to grab something on the go but, not looking to spend a lot, I would recommend -Pollo Tropical-
(4)Chas B.
To understand this review, you will have had the original Pollo, where, when you walked in, you saw and SMELLED the aroma of flavorful chicken being cooked on the grille. Everything was flavorful. Here in the Jax, and soon to be all over, they're using a convection oven after a short marination of the chicken and then "lay" it on a grille for a few minutes or so. I guess to keep from being sued for false advertising that the chicken is not cooked on a grill. I hear they're even changing the Pollo Tropical colors. Well, here's my final review, I have had better chicken at the Winn Dixie deli counter. I have gone back for the last time. Good bye!
(1)Debbie F.
I love chicken! I really love chicken with curry mustard on it! I love their black beans and rice but it adds to my girlish figure so I try* to opt out with a nice boring salad. The chicken is grilled and spiced perfectly. They have great tropichop bowls and the plantains are awesome. Next to mexican food Caribbean food is next in line for me!
(4)Greg F.
Slightly above average. I like their chicken quesadilla, though they often don't cook it enough to melt the cheese and it could use a higher meat/cheese to bread ratio. Their tres leches dessert is usually outstanding (if you like sweet things). Their other desserts are above average too.
(3)Rory D.
Always great, a favorite chain of mine. Cuban fusion for all. Had an avocado chicken tropichop. Excellent. Their grilled chicken, rice options, salads, wraps, soups are all good. Favorite part is their sauces. Try the Po Po or curry sauce, great salsa, & the cilantro garlic sauce goes perfectly with the boiled yucca. Also a full range of family meals, desserts, & don't miss their mango iced tea!
(4)Lindsay L.
Pollo Tropical is the new trend in restaurant providing a "fast-casual" dining experience. I was pretty shocked when there was a hostess at the door, but she explained that she would activate our table number and to look for it in the dining area. The menu was a little overwhelming but the cashier helped us decided on the "bowl" option. It came with rice, chicken, beans, tomatoes, corn, and sauteed onions/peppers. It didn't take too long for the food to arrive. I didn't know if you were supposed to put sauce on my meal, but there was a big variety of sauces available. The bowl wasn't dry, but it needed some flavor. So I added the guave bbq sauce and it was delicious! The best part of my experience was the plantains. I think I would go back just to eat those again. It's certainly not a bad option for dining in the SJTC. It's also close to Mochi for dessert!
(3)Jeanne S.
We had some errands to run near the SJTC and thought we'd give this new place a try. Parking was okay although the big U-haul trucks were taking up quite a few spots. Hopefully that will be resolved soon. Parking @ SJTC is a nightmare as it is... It was about 11:15am and the place was already busy. We ordered our food. I got the Grilled Wings (chipolte) and hubby got the chicken breast with 2 sides. Food came out shortly after we found our table number. Had to duck around people to see. (Not sure I like that system) My wings were ice cold. I was shocked a little. They tasted okay but I'm sure they would have been better hot, heck...even warm. Hubby's chicken looked good. 2 breasts, brocolli and red beans and rice. He said the red beans/rice were really good. His chicken tasted a little odd to me when I tasted it but it might be that I was already a little put off by our experience. I doubt we'll go out of our way to go back there.
(2)Marjie C.
I need to come eat here again to give a really good review. It's been awhile since I went here but I do remember getting the bowl and it was plentiful for the price I paid.
(3)Marcel R.
yeah yeah sometimes it gets really busy but this place has the best grilled chicken YOU HAVE EVER HAD. It is really out of this world trust me do yourself a favor. go and order a half chicken or 1/4 chicken and DONT FORGET to get the CILANTRO GARLIC sauce from the sauce bar. For desert get some sweet plantains and pretty soon you will be in HEAVEN. especially if your latino or middle eastern. it has flavors that remind of those heritages. the chicken has a lot of flavor thats is just delicious. ENJOY i sure did the Tony Montana of food
(5)Natalie E.
Great food with an island atmosphere. Staff is friendly and attentive. Sunday after church lunch crowd is busy but handled well for fast food with hostesses helping with seating. I always get the mojo roast pork bowl with rice and black beans! Top with salsa and cilantro garlic sauce! :)
(4)Jenni T.
We finally tried this place on Saturday, we were curious because of all the adoration it seems to have. Luckily we got there before the dinner rush, because it does seem to get a bit crazy. I like the system of someone giving you a table number when you walk in, I can see how it would help the problem of people claiming tables when they haven't even ordered yet. Even still, we saw some instances of some who were apparently trying to bypass the system. But on to the food, I had the bowl and my daughter had the half chicken. The bowl came with your choice of pork or chicken (I had chicken), rice, beans, and various veggies. It was good, you do need salsa or some sauce from the condiment bar though to give it more flavor. My daughter's half chicken was tasty, very tender. The mashed potatoes were way yummy. All in all, we'll go back. It was super cheap, our family of three ate for about $20. The portion sizes are more than adequate. But in the end, it's...just chicken. I don't see the cause for all the fuss, but it's definitely worth going if you're in that area and want something tasty and cheaper than the usual Town Center fare. Only a couple of minor points, they say on the menu if you need anything or want to get dessert, don't worry, they'll get it. Nope. Not one person stopped by our table to see if we needed anything. I assume they're supposed to, what with all the "no tipping" signs posted. Plus when we did brave the line and go order some flan, it never came out, my husband had to go back up to the counter to inquire about it. Turns out it just needed to be taken out of the fridge. But they were super busy by then and it probably just got overlooked, so I don't hold a grudge.
(3)Randy K.
This is a wonderful, tasty, affordable place. I love the selection of Latin American dishes and desserts, the price, and the casual, quick-service setup. If only we had this chain in the Midwest!
(4)Daveeed R.
I'm a first timer to Pollo Tropical. I was put off by the gauntlet of lines you had to wait in at first, but during my first trip I had the Chipotle chicken sandwich and an order of 5 wings. I was pleasantly surprised. During my second visit I tried the trios platter. Ribs, pulled pork & chicken. I couldn't believe how good the ribs were, especially for the price. They weren't fall off the bone tender, but I've paid twice as much for worse at other places. The chicken was good, it had those 'floribbean" spices that I've read so much about when it comes to reviews of this place, yet it still had that fast food grease that we all know and love. The pulled pork might have stood well on its own but it paled in comparison to the flavor of the ribs & chicken. The mac n' cheese side item was great, and the curly fries were standard. The best part is the price. You can't beat it. 4 star flavor at a 2 star price. Bring the kids! (no screaming babies though)
(5)Erin K.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for opening a Pollo Tropical in Jacksonville! I am a native of South Florida and have been a fan for years. The marinated Cuban style grilled chicken is flavorful and moist. The Tropichop, with choice of meat, rice, beans and veggies, is an excellent deal. The curry mustard sauce is too die for - as are the plantains. The Family Meal has been a family favorite for years. This is actually the nicest Pollo location I've ever been in. It is well worth the battle for a parking spot. Muy Bueno!
(5)Paul G.
Decided to give them another chance... I just got off the phone with them (at 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon--after the lunch rush, and before dinner..this is a special time when restaurants are supposed to be getting things like catering orders done without a hassle.). I asked the less than cordial person who answered if now was a good time for them to take a catering order, at which point, she said, "hold on," and placed me on hold for another person to pick up, who had no idea why I had called. I repeated my question, and got an "uh, yeah." Folks, I'm trying really hard to meet your needs, and if it's not a good time, just say so. Then I ask if she can take a catering order a week in advance (because the 2 day warning we gave them last time did not seem to work out). She says, well it would be better if you just call the day before, and we can do it then. So I tell her that this plan backfired for them last time, and she begrudgingly tells me: "Let me get a sheet of paper," and I hear the kitchen in the background (someone yelling at someone not to touch her hair--hope they washed their hands) and a bunch of papers being shuffled around. I'm wondering, "Why is this lady 'ready to take my order,' but has to go looking for a piece of paper?" She asks how many, and I tell her we'd like to order from the menu a la carte, so it's not important how many. I proceed with my order, and she keeps interrupting me with questions instead of listening to me, and then asks me again how many, (at this point, I've ordered TWO batches of Fajitas for ten, so she knows about how many people we have...), and when I roll my eyes and tell her that it's about twenty, she goes into professional robot mode and directs me to call the 800 number for catering, and then the catering line folks will fax my order to the restaurant, and it will be better (for whom, I'm thinking?). So I call the 1-866 number she gives me, and, awesomeness fail, I get a "leave your number and let us call you right back" voicemail. I'd rather have food thrown in my face than deal with this company's customer service. It's less insulting. UPDATE: After I finally got my order placed, I called the customer service line and was shunted yet again into a voice mail. I told them in my message that handling customer service via voice mail was a horrible idea, and that I really was hoping that the customer service issues at the local place don't go all the way to the top of the company, and left my name and number for them to respond. A WEEK LATER (not lying, it was at least 7 full days later), I get this message: Hello Mr. Gambon, this is ___ from Pollo Tropical. Someone informed us that you had left a message on the customer service line, and we are returning your call. Please call us back if you would like to talk more about your message.
(1)Mike F.
I can't believe this place opened in Jax!!! We have been there many times on trips to Miami and love it. This one is just as good and brand new. They have a very extensive menu, but i go for the chicken--ON THE BONE. The flavor is fantastic. It's moist, hot and delicious! (If you order the breast instead of the chicken on the bone by which these guys made their reputation, don't complain if it's dry.) The most difficult thing is figuring out which side orders to get. Too many are great and it's hard to decide. The plain 'ol black beans and white rice are awesome. And i usually get some sweet plantains too (think fried bananas). But the yellow rice, kernel corn, mac and cheese and caesar salad are great too. If Boston Market had FAR BETTER TASTING FOOD, it would be Pollo Tropical. . .
(5)M W.
Casual dining with a drive though window and booze... Not bad. Could have used more sauce with my regular bowl.
(3)Matt L.
Awesome. Cheap unique fast food.
(4)E F.
Great food. I went to Pollo Tropical all the time when I lived in So FL. They have more items on the menu now. My favorite is grilled chicken, rice, beans and plantains. Very reasonably priced. Glad they came to Jacksonville.
(5)Jax F.
Let me just say this upfront, I wasn't thrilled when the wife suggested I try this place out. I was in need of a place to review but I didn't have a lot of time (I was headed to a poker game, I have to make money some how right?) but everyone says how addictive it is so I thought "Why not? Let me shut them up". Check out my other reviews at jaxfoodcritic.com Location: It's off of Gateway right in the complex in front of Costco and Best Buy area. Food: Like I said above, I wasn't really looking forward to doing a Pollo Tropical review. I constantly hear my friends talking about it and I just couldn't imagine it being anything special. I mean, it's just chicken right? Anyways, I thought, fine, let me go and see that it isn't good and then I can argue with them. When I pulled up, I was surprised at how busy it was. While there wasn't a line to order, there was a constant flow of people coming in. The staff was keeping up with the flow. Honestly, when I walked up to the counter to order, I was overwhelmed. If you look at the picture of the menu board you will see it is pretty busy with options but once you order once, you will see how easy it actually is. I went with the TropiChop because it looked like the easiest thing to order. Basically what you do is pick your meat: Chicken, Mojo Roast Pork or Vegetarian. Once you pick that out, then you move on to your preference of type of rice, mashed potato or a lettuce. Next step: "Top it off" where you add any combination of Black Beans, Red Beans, Kernel Corn, Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions or Sauteed Onions. All this was $5.99 plus another $1.00 for a drink. Once you place your order, head to your table, they bring the food to you fresh from the kitchen. While I was waiting, I filled up the drink and then wandered over to the Salsa Bar and picked out a couple. My favorite: Garlic and Cilantro sauce. The food arrived promptly and let me just say that after a couple bites I WAS PISSED! You know why? Because it was freaking good! Yeah you heard me right, it was good lol. The chicken was grilled perfectly and the rice was addictive. I scarfed it down like a kid at home the first day after attending fat camp. P.S. I'm fat, so I can make fat jokes....if you aren't fat...stop laughing Extra Info: This place was hopping. A constantly flow of people coming in and out. The staff is all over the place cleaning and asking if you need anything. I wonder if this restaurant has any connection to Tijuana Flats with their great floor presence and level of interaction with the customers. This is one of those places where you just get up and leave your stuff on the table, they clean up after you. Who doesn't like that? Overall Rating 1-10: I'm not doing this category anymore. What is my rating worth anyways. I will be doing a new thing, see next topic below. The Good -Very Clean -Fresh Food -Great pricing The Bad -Menu can be intimidating -Not a lot of locations
(4)K N.
I love this place!! I am from Virginia and we don't have anything like this up there. The prices are great, the chicken is always very flavorful, and the white sauce (garlic cream or something like that) is to die for!! I always enjoy eating here when I want something quick and inexpensive. It's way better than the regular McDonalds or Wendy's. The soup... you have to try it if you haven't already!!
(5)Sarah G.
Great price, delicious chicken, and the best spicy poyo poyo sauce.
(5)ashley t.
We went through the drive though shortly after this place opened. It always looks so busy, so we thought it would be good. Nope. First, when we returned home, we had been charged for items we didn't receive and we were missing food we did order. The food was completely disgusting. My daughter wouldn't eat hers, I didn't eat mine and my husband didn't eat his. It was a complete waste of money. We tried to call and complain, but the phone was off the hook- we tried for two hours with nothing but a busy signal. I will NEVER eat there again.
(1)Lisa G.
Not all it is cracked up to be. I will only order the red beans and rice again. Everything else was disappointing.
(1)Tim P.
While visiting Miami, I had the pleasure of dining at Pollo Tropical. I found myself wondering when this chain would make its way to JAX. Lo and behold, a few months later, construction began. Pollo Tropical is in its own class as far as quick service restaurants go. It's not really like KFC, nor is it anything like Bojangles. It's its own unique type of restaurant. Its popularity is such that it necessitates a hostess, which is not typical. The one I visited in Miami did not require you to have a seating pager. After speaking with the hostess, I came to find out they will be adding another location soon somewhere in Jacksonville. Hopefully that will help with the crowd. Pollo Tropical primarily serves Cuban and Caribbean dishes (hence the name). For the hungry, the best thing on the menu is the Trio. You get your choice of three items. All are well-prepared and tasty. There's a condiment bar that has different kinds of sauces. Overall, the service is quick, and the food is worth the wait. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to try something different.
(4)Travis K.
Bland, bland, bland! The "salsa fuego" was more mild than the salsa which was pretty much like water with texture. My quesadilla was tasteless and my wife's yellow rice wasn't cooked through. The fajitas left quite a bit to be desired. Two thumbs down.
(1)J W.
Okay, after seeing one of my facebook friends comments then immediately seeing what Charlene had to say on Yelp I was interested. Then today an errand takes me right by there. It was a late lunch but there was a good crowd and scarce parking. The menu looked great. My favorite cuisine, Carribean/Cuban. I could eat black beans and yellow rice daily. I ordered the small size, chicken and the beans and rice (large portions) are ONE side. The yellow rice has vegetables, english peas, carrots, corn(?) and broccoli. All niblet sized. The chicken was tasty. I removed the skin from the back/thigh portion and ate the drumstick as nature intended. For under $5 I felt full and my brain approved of the feedback from the tastebuds. I got a glass of sangria to accompany and it was good. I'm not a sangria officiando but I've had it from the Columbia several times as well as Sangria's in old St. Augustine. I will go back but hope it spreads to the beach. The do offer a drive through though so it may be am easy drive over to pick some ip.
(4)Latoya S.
Not like Miami but aye... I"m sure eventually it will get there. :) At least for now its a closer location.
(3)Gert E.
First visit was definitely the best! I should have quite while I was ahead. The last time we went there was definitely the last time for us. The experience was horrible. The dining room was in disarray and the management was careful to avoid getting involved. They were out of our favorite items. Then, after waiting 20 minutes for the items we had settled for when they didn't have what we really wanted, we found out our order had been skipped. THEN we were told we would have to wait a little while longer because they had just handed out the last of the chicken to someone else. We requested a refund, but not one person offered an apology. The management didn't even acknowledge us while they were processing our refund (which took about 5 minutes). So, after spending more than an hour in line and waiting for our food, we left feeling very unsatisfied. We went right over to Chipotle where we had delicious food without any hassles. There are so many good/enjoyable places to eat within a stone's throw, we won't ever settle for this place again! Can I give it zero stars?
(1)