Now I have to say that I have passed this place up many times and i am kicking myself for taking so long to stop in. I actually was here a few days ago to order a tray of rice for my son's Christening. The rice was excellent, people at the party thought it was homemade, lol.. of course, I did point out it was the only thing we DIDN'T cook for this event. Fast forward a few days... Back at Pollo Locuas to try some more food and to take advantage of the half pice margaritas, $5 for a large margarita.. Can't beat that!! (Tuesdays and Thursdays are half price margarita night) I must say that for $5, the mango margarita was worth it, but I am dissapointed to say that the MANGO flavor was NON existent. Another tiny detail, we ordered the drinks "frozen" but they came to us frothy and with no ice. Now this is my first time trying their drinks, so I am not sure if they had an off night, or were short a bartender, but I would be extremely unhappy if I was brought this drink on a regular price night. But like i said previously it was $5 so I gulped down a few, which I must say were pretty strong and not cheap on the tequilla. Maybe that is why i spyed about five "paisa" looking Mexican guys downing strawberry margaritas.. i guess i was not the only guy willing to man up and drink the girly drinks, lol.. Finally, the food was really good, the my carne asada tacos were on the small side but the meat was flavorful and not fatty, and the enchiladas my wife ordered were very good and very filling. The prices were great, cheaper than other Mexican restaurants in the area and the service was good. Three stars.. I am really affected by the frothy, flavor challenged mango margaritas.. I will be back for the food but am going to be sticking to beer next time.
(3)
Jimmy B.
Guess I got here to late because I was the only person here. Ordered a burrito to go and I am still burping it up. Tasted like the meat was cooked on a pan with cheap vegetable oil. Just plain nasty. Wish I had something better to say.
(2)
Gilberto R.
2nd time here and not the last! I can't believe I've been missing out on this. A life long resident of Blue Island and had never been to this restaurant. My wife and daughter had the "Bistec a la Mexicana", my son breaded shrimp, and I had a "Torta de Milanesa de Pollo" and we all loved it! I can't believe no one had written a review on this joint! I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Chris V.
Moving from the Lakeview neighborhood down to Beverly about a year ago with my wife, I thought we were never going to find a mexican diner that would even come close to my favorite place, Las Mananitas. It took awhile, but we found this gem hidden away in a strip mall in Blue Island. It's definitely taqueria style, so don't expect an extravagant multi-course meal. However, the food is great, the ambiance is pretty authentic, and the margaritas are killer (careful - they are POTENT)! This is my go-to place in the winter, while we normally head to Tenochtitlan in the summer, just because of outdoor seating. Don't pass this place up despite the odd location . . . it's a winner every time.
(4)
David N.
Stay away! I was served raw chicken! I fear the worst. See my pictures please! Do not come here!!! I'm calling the health department on this one!
(1)
Susan H.
Update: 5:21.14 What is going on? Raw chicken? I know the ladies are kind, but food poisoning is serious business. So sad...so very sad. Update: 12.27.13 I regretfully need to remove a star as my last few visits here did not hold up to my previous experiences.. While the ladies are still sweet as ever and the drinks remain gloriously-crazy strong, I feel like my food has been hit or miss when I order anything other than tacos. They still do great taco dinners here and the fresh juice is a win. Incredibly fond of their desserts as well. I'm hoping I can bump them up to four stars again in the New Year, but I find myself visiting here less and less as time progresses. I hope to remove this update one day and stand by my original review. Here's to second chances, Pollo Locuas. Don't let me down! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I LOVE to cook, but I also enjoy getting out for a great meal so when I want tasty, affordable Mexican food Pollo Locuas is currently my go-to spot. The staff makes you feel so welcome and they are as generous with their portions as they are with their hospitality. The ladies here are SO sweet and attentive. :) Fresh, quality ingredients, diverse menu choices including more traditional fare on weekends such as umm menudo and goat, for those far more adventurous than myself. Yes, I know..I'm a big baby. You are greeted with warm chips and a complimentary selection of tongue-tingling sauces. They have a stainless juicer for a refreshing glass of in-house carrot, beet or orange juice. Even if one chooses to take the burrito route, they are the size of your head. (Not my head, but definitely yours.) It's so easy to skimp with fatty meats in such a dish, but not here. The late Saturday hours are perfect for a Burrito run. A bonus is that they offer a variety of seafood dishes. Chicken is lean and meat is generous in each dish. There is no shortage of veggies or cheese if you so please. Vegetarians, I highly recommend the avocado torta. Delish! I know this sounds goofy, but I used to frequent another Mexican joint that was SO greedy with the d*mn paper napkins that they gave you three at a pop. I felt all Oliver Twist..forever flagging down the wait staff. "Please Sir, I want some more." Ugh! Here, I could sit at the table and yank those babies to wipe juicy flavor from my shameless, feasting lips like they were endless, magic hankies and they couldn't care less. I'd like to note that there is something else at this restaurant you don't see often enough in business: Thoughtfulness. I notified the waitress that my friend and I would be splitting a burrito (a waist is a terrible thing to mind) and the big-ole burrito was brought out sliced perfectly in half on two plates with a full side of rice and beans with cheese for each of us. No teeny cups of sour cream that leave everyone at the table clamoring for a dollop and they're large guac follows this unique concept of actually being large. I know..crazy!!! (They offer both spicy and mild guac as well) Nice and casual, festive atmosphere with take-out and delivery available. Prices will leave you pleasantly surprised and coming back for more. My only regret is that it took this long to discover them.
(1)
Anne R.
Best Mexican Restaurant in Blue Island. The chicken is awesome. Order a whole chicken with rice, beans, tortillas, and salsa. On weekends, come for the pozole (great hangover cure).
(4)
Chicagoan I.
On behalf of our family and everyone at our party, we just want to give you and your staff a huge "THANK YOU"! Your staff was just awesome, friendly and professional! The food could not have been any more delicious! With all the Taco Cart business's that are available in Chicagoland, we are sooo pleased that we selected "Pollo Locuas" to cater our 80th birthday party. Our guests were served from the Taco Cart with additional trays of.... Chiles Rellenos, Cheese Enchiladas, Elotes, Rice, Beans and Margaritas. Our guests all complimented the delicious food and the ambience the Taco Cart added to the party! I am sure you will receive bookings from some of our party guests for their future parties! Best Regards, The Wallace family
(5)
Danielle R.
Terrible. They served us the tortilla chips before the water. Had to ask for water twice. The nachos had concession stand nacho cheese, not melted real cheese. The menudo was lukewarm. The beans were out of a can. Their margarita machine was down. And they didn't have ground beef like the menu stated. Not to mention they paid zero attention to us. Probably the worst Mexican restaurant I have ever been to.
(1)
Kaelyn G.
This restaurant is slowly declining. I come here all the time but this particular time I brought my mother-in law here for her birthday. It's was a group of 5 and we experienced the worst possible service. Drinks were not properly mixed, orders were wrong, the server never checked on us to see if we needed anything. It was beyond horrible. The worst part is that they charged us $4.95 for shots that we normally buy there for $2.00. When we asked why they were so much they said they changed the prices. In my opinion they need to put up a sign or inform the customer before they buy 4 rounds for an entire table. I use to love Pollo, but I'm so disappointed in this business now. I hope it gets better because the owner is great. FYI: If you want a blended drink, they will tell you that the machine is broken if the person who knows how to operate it isn't there. Pollo has no consistency, it is hit or miss.
(1)
MeSean W.
Decided to dine in. Had a chicken and steak burrito dinner (refried beans with cheese and a plain spanish rice, no salad) the steak and chicken were over cooked. Friend of mine had the chicken taco dinner, she said it was ok. The chicken was under seasoned. The service was actually the worst I've ever experienced. No silverware or plates were given for us to eat our appetizer on ( just let some food fall on the table, it's coo). Will not return and would not recommend anyone coming here unless it's for the spicy guacamole. Birrieria the Mexican restaurant next door is a hidden gem. Polite, pleasant,friendly, attentive service with great chicken and steak tacos.
(1)
Talea M.
This used to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants but not anymore! I went in last Thursday and was just myself, a man, and a group of three already sitting at a table. I was taking mine to go and was wondering what to get, seeing that I haven't been here in a while. I ordered the 3 chicken taco dinner and elote (Mexican corn in a cup). This should only take a couple of minutes right? I watched the people leave that was already in there and saw 3 people walk in and get their food before I received mine. While I was still waiting, I forgot I wanted to order some sopes. I asked 2 different people in which they couldn't help me nor understood what I was saying at all! I received my food and asked if I could order something else, she still didn't understand what I was saying. Then I asked if I could order some sopes and her response was, "we don't have any." When I went to eat the tacos, the meat was dry, somewhat flavorful. The best part was the elote! I will not be returning unless I'm in the neighborhood and want some great elote in a cup!
(1)
Rachel L.
Tacos are my favorite food and this is the ONLY place in Blue Island that I'll come for a taco plate.
(4)
Tina N.
Well, unfortunately this diamond in the rough has turned into a lump of coal. The first couple visits were pretty good. The last two, not so much. A group of us stopped in after a night out and were truly disappointed. At 1 AM we were one of the only tables (beside the karaoke singers at the bar) in the place. There were 9 of us at the table and none of the food came out together. The last person served was about 25 minutes after the first. When a comment was made to the waitress, she got a bit of an attitude & slammed a plate on the table. That is totally unacceptable to me. I ordered the milenesa taco dinner and was unimpressed. Some of pieces were crunchy and there was more lettuce on the taco than meat. Hopefully they get their act BACK together. They WERE good. Gonna have to read a lot of amazing reviews to get me back in the door.
(2)
Abby T.
This is our spot for late night Mexican food craving. We love their tacos! Margaritas are perfectly made.
(5)
Will V.
I've been here maybe three or four times now, plus had some carry out tacos a few times. I can't believe I haven't written a review before. This is an odd little place in a small strip mall on Western. I think the strip mall also has another Mexican place and a Chinese place in it. The decor is nice and festive if not cozy, and they have a full bar with bar stools, as well as about 12 or so tables. Seating has not been a problem when I've been there. The staff is extremely friendly. They don't all speak or understand English very well, but they do their best to explain the items on the menu. On the weekends they have some more traditional Mexican fare, like birria de chivo (goat meat), pozole, and menudo. The goat meat special is amazing, I haven't tried the pozole or menudo. They also have a house special taco called albañilero that is the best taco I've had anywhere. It's a blend of different meats and special seasonings. The grilled chicken is their special (the pollo in Pollo Locuas) and it's tasty, basic grilled chicken on the bone. with sauces. They also have a great fresh juice bar, and fantastic micheladas. Did I mention the price? Two people can eat here and have a michelada each for around $25. Pollo Locuas is a keeper.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Federico C.
Now I have to say that I have passed this place up many times and i am kicking myself for taking so long to stop in. I actually was here a few days ago to order a tray of rice for my son's Christening. The rice was excellent, people at the party thought it was homemade, lol.. of course, I did point out it was the only thing we DIDN'T cook for this event. Fast forward a few days... Back at Pollo Locuas to try some more food and to take advantage of the half pice margaritas, $5 for a large margarita.. Can't beat that!! (Tuesdays and Thursdays are half price margarita night) I must say that for $5, the mango margarita was worth it, but I am dissapointed to say that the MANGO flavor was NON existent. Another tiny detail, we ordered the drinks "frozen" but they came to us frothy and with no ice. Now this is my first time trying their drinks, so I am not sure if they had an off night, or were short a bartender, but I would be extremely unhappy if I was brought this drink on a regular price night. But like i said previously it was $5 so I gulped down a few, which I must say were pretty strong and not cheap on the tequilla. Maybe that is why i spyed about five "paisa" looking Mexican guys downing strawberry margaritas.. i guess i was not the only guy willing to man up and drink the girly drinks, lol.. Finally, the food was really good, the my carne asada tacos were on the small side but the meat was flavorful and not fatty, and the enchiladas my wife ordered were very good and very filling. The prices were great, cheaper than other Mexican restaurants in the area and the service was good. Three stars.. I am really affected by the frothy, flavor challenged mango margaritas.. I will be back for the food but am going to be sticking to beer next time.
(3)Jimmy B.
Guess I got here to late because I was the only person here. Ordered a burrito to go and I am still burping it up. Tasted like the meat was cooked on a pan with cheap vegetable oil. Just plain nasty. Wish I had something better to say.
(2)Gilberto R.
2nd time here and not the last! I can't believe I've been missing out on this. A life long resident of Blue Island and had never been to this restaurant. My wife and daughter had the "Bistec a la Mexicana", my son breaded shrimp, and I had a "Torta de Milanesa de Pollo" and we all loved it! I can't believe no one had written a review on this joint! I highly recommend this place!
(5)Chris V.
Moving from the Lakeview neighborhood down to Beverly about a year ago with my wife, I thought we were never going to find a mexican diner that would even come close to my favorite place, Las Mananitas. It took awhile, but we found this gem hidden away in a strip mall in Blue Island. It's definitely taqueria style, so don't expect an extravagant multi-course meal. However, the food is great, the ambiance is pretty authentic, and the margaritas are killer (careful - they are POTENT)! This is my go-to place in the winter, while we normally head to Tenochtitlan in the summer, just because of outdoor seating. Don't pass this place up despite the odd location . . . it's a winner every time.
(4)David N.
Stay away! I was served raw chicken! I fear the worst. See my pictures please! Do not come here!!! I'm calling the health department on this one!
(1)Susan H.
Update: 5:21.14 What is going on? Raw chicken? I know the ladies are kind, but food poisoning is serious business. So sad...so very sad. Update: 12.27.13 I regretfully need to remove a star as my last few visits here did not hold up to my previous experiences.. While the ladies are still sweet as ever and the drinks remain gloriously-crazy strong, I feel like my food has been hit or miss when I order anything other than tacos. They still do great taco dinners here and the fresh juice is a win. Incredibly fond of their desserts as well. I'm hoping I can bump them up to four stars again in the New Year, but I find myself visiting here less and less as time progresses. I hope to remove this update one day and stand by my original review. Here's to second chances, Pollo Locuas. Don't let me down! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I LOVE to cook, but I also enjoy getting out for a great meal so when I want tasty, affordable Mexican food Pollo Locuas is currently my go-to spot. The staff makes you feel so welcome and they are as generous with their portions as they are with their hospitality. The ladies here are SO sweet and attentive. :) Fresh, quality ingredients, diverse menu choices including more traditional fare on weekends such as umm menudo and goat, for those far more adventurous than myself. Yes, I know..I'm a big baby. You are greeted with warm chips and a complimentary selection of tongue-tingling sauces. They have a stainless juicer for a refreshing glass of in-house carrot, beet or orange juice. Even if one chooses to take the burrito route, they are the size of your head. (Not my head, but definitely yours.) It's so easy to skimp with fatty meats in such a dish, but not here. The late Saturday hours are perfect for a Burrito run. A bonus is that they offer a variety of seafood dishes. Chicken is lean and meat is generous in each dish. There is no shortage of veggies or cheese if you so please. Vegetarians, I highly recommend the avocado torta. Delish! I know this sounds goofy, but I used to frequent another Mexican joint that was SO greedy with the d*mn paper napkins that they gave you three at a pop. I felt all Oliver Twist..forever flagging down the wait staff. "Please Sir, I want some more." Ugh! Here, I could sit at the table and yank those babies to wipe juicy flavor from my shameless, feasting lips like they were endless, magic hankies and they couldn't care less. I'd like to note that there is something else at this restaurant you don't see often enough in business: Thoughtfulness. I notified the waitress that my friend and I would be splitting a burrito (a waist is a terrible thing to mind) and the big-ole burrito was brought out sliced perfectly in half on two plates with a full side of rice and beans with cheese for each of us. No teeny cups of sour cream that leave everyone at the table clamoring for a dollop and they're large guac follows this unique concept of actually being large. I know..crazy!!! (They offer both spicy and mild guac as well) Nice and casual, festive atmosphere with take-out and delivery available. Prices will leave you pleasantly surprised and coming back for more. My only regret is that it took this long to discover them.
(1)Anne R.
Best Mexican Restaurant in Blue Island. The chicken is awesome. Order a whole chicken with rice, beans, tortillas, and salsa. On weekends, come for the pozole (great hangover cure).
(4)Chicagoan I.
On behalf of our family and everyone at our party, we just want to give you and your staff a huge "THANK YOU"! Your staff was just awesome, friendly and professional! The food could not have been any more delicious! With all the Taco Cart business's that are available in Chicagoland, we are sooo pleased that we selected "Pollo Locuas" to cater our 80th birthday party. Our guests were served from the Taco Cart with additional trays of.... Chiles Rellenos, Cheese Enchiladas, Elotes, Rice, Beans and Margaritas. Our guests all complimented the delicious food and the ambience the Taco Cart added to the party! I am sure you will receive bookings from some of our party guests for their future parties! Best Regards, The Wallace family
(5)Danielle R.
Terrible. They served us the tortilla chips before the water. Had to ask for water twice. The nachos had concession stand nacho cheese, not melted real cheese. The menudo was lukewarm. The beans were out of a can. Their margarita machine was down. And they didn't have ground beef like the menu stated. Not to mention they paid zero attention to us. Probably the worst Mexican restaurant I have ever been to.
(1)Kaelyn G.
This restaurant is slowly declining. I come here all the time but this particular time I brought my mother-in law here for her birthday. It's was a group of 5 and we experienced the worst possible service. Drinks were not properly mixed, orders were wrong, the server never checked on us to see if we needed anything. It was beyond horrible. The worst part is that they charged us $4.95 for shots that we normally buy there for $2.00. When we asked why they were so much they said they changed the prices. In my opinion they need to put up a sign or inform the customer before they buy 4 rounds for an entire table. I use to love Pollo, but I'm so disappointed in this business now. I hope it gets better because the owner is great. FYI: If you want a blended drink, they will tell you that the machine is broken if the person who knows how to operate it isn't there. Pollo has no consistency, it is hit or miss.
(1)MeSean W.
Decided to dine in. Had a chicken and steak burrito dinner (refried beans with cheese and a plain spanish rice, no salad) the steak and chicken were over cooked. Friend of mine had the chicken taco dinner, she said it was ok. The chicken was under seasoned. The service was actually the worst I've ever experienced. No silverware or plates were given for us to eat our appetizer on ( just let some food fall on the table, it's coo). Will not return and would not recommend anyone coming here unless it's for the spicy guacamole. Birrieria the Mexican restaurant next door is a hidden gem. Polite, pleasant,friendly, attentive service with great chicken and steak tacos.
(1)Talea M.
This used to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants but not anymore! I went in last Thursday and was just myself, a man, and a group of three already sitting at a table. I was taking mine to go and was wondering what to get, seeing that I haven't been here in a while. I ordered the 3 chicken taco dinner and elote (Mexican corn in a cup). This should only take a couple of minutes right? I watched the people leave that was already in there and saw 3 people walk in and get their food before I received mine. While I was still waiting, I forgot I wanted to order some sopes. I asked 2 different people in which they couldn't help me nor understood what I was saying at all! I received my food and asked if I could order something else, she still didn't understand what I was saying. Then I asked if I could order some sopes and her response was, "we don't have any." When I went to eat the tacos, the meat was dry, somewhat flavorful. The best part was the elote! I will not be returning unless I'm in the neighborhood and want some great elote in a cup!
(1)Rachel L.
Tacos are my favorite food and this is the ONLY place in Blue Island that I'll come for a taco plate.
(4)Tina N.
Well, unfortunately this diamond in the rough has turned into a lump of coal. The first couple visits were pretty good. The last two, not so much. A group of us stopped in after a night out and were truly disappointed. At 1 AM we were one of the only tables (beside the karaoke singers at the bar) in the place. There were 9 of us at the table and none of the food came out together. The last person served was about 25 minutes after the first. When a comment was made to the waitress, she got a bit of an attitude & slammed a plate on the table. That is totally unacceptable to me. I ordered the milenesa taco dinner and was unimpressed. Some of pieces were crunchy and there was more lettuce on the taco than meat. Hopefully they get their act BACK together. They WERE good. Gonna have to read a lot of amazing reviews to get me back in the door.
(2)Abby T.
This is our spot for late night Mexican food craving. We love their tacos! Margaritas are perfectly made.
(5)Will V.
I've been here maybe three or four times now, plus had some carry out tacos a few times. I can't believe I haven't written a review before. This is an odd little place in a small strip mall on Western. I think the strip mall also has another Mexican place and a Chinese place in it. The decor is nice and festive if not cozy, and they have a full bar with bar stools, as well as about 12 or so tables. Seating has not been a problem when I've been there. The staff is extremely friendly. They don't all speak or understand English very well, but they do their best to explain the items on the menu. On the weekends they have some more traditional Mexican fare, like birria de chivo (goat meat), pozole, and menudo. The goat meat special is amazing, I haven't tried the pozole or menudo. They also have a house special taco called albañilero that is the best taco I've had anywhere. It's a blend of different meats and special seasonings. The grilled chicken is their special (the pollo in Pollo Locuas) and it's tasty, basic grilled chicken on the bone. with sauces. They also have a great fresh juice bar, and fantastic micheladas. Did I mention the price? Two people can eat here and have a michelada each for around $25. Pollo Locuas is a keeper.
(4)