Pollo Tropical - Tampa

This was my first visit to Pollo Tropical, and I had the grilled chicken with yellow rice and black beans. I was pleasantly surprised by how great everything tasted! I'm definitely coming back. My only wish is that they had outdoor seating.

I frequently dine at Pollo, and I have to say: avoid going there around 8:30 PM. Even though the restaurant is supposed to close at 10 PM, the staff starts to wind down early. As a result, the food is often served lukewarm. I really enjoy their cuisine, but it would be great if they could keep the food hot until at least 9:30 PM.

Overall, the food was good, but the wait time was disappointing. I visited during the earlier part of a dinner rush and was told there would be a 20-minute wait for their signature chicken dish. The pricing on the specials wasn't great either. A family meal featuring chicken was priced at $15.99, but adding pork cost an extra $10. Normally, a chicken family meal is $20.99, which felt a bit misleading. However, I do enjoy both chicken and pork; they can be a lot easier to prepare than roasted chicken.

We ordered our dinners using the QR code on the website, and it was a fantastic experience with outstanding customer service! Well done to the franchise. They asked us which sauces we wanted, and when the young woman informed us that they didn't have the crispy Cuban sauce available that day, we were able to make changes without having to wait for our order to be finalized. Truly impressive! Other establishments should take note of this approach. A shout-out to my friend Mauricio!

I’ve thought about trying this place countless times, and I finally decided to give it a go. The chicken was excellent; it had a flavor reminiscent of a Russian dish, but it was grilled. The manager was very accommodating and helped us with our requests, but overall, the food was a bit average. They offered only black beans along with white and yellow rice, which was decent, but I personally prefer red beans. There were plenty of options on the menu, but no one at my table finished their meal!