El Pollo Loco, Inc., the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, recently made its return to West Hollywood with the opening of its newest restaurant in the Trader Joe’s building at 8601 Santa Monica Boulevard.
The owners originally opened an El Pollo Loco at Crescent Heights and Sunset Boulevard 34 years ago, just outside of the West Hollywood limits. That location closed at the end of 2019 due to the property being torn down for a giant redevelopment project.
“The locals used to visit us when we were on Sunset and have been asking when we were opening at this location,” says franchisee Gershon Wajntraub. “We couldn’t be more excited about our return, and once again serving our handcrafted L.A. Mex food, innovative blend of traditional Mexican cuisine and better-for-you eating.”
While the location and look may be different, the vast and diverse menu will remain the same.
At El Pollo Loco restaurants, the chicken is marinated in-house daily with a proprietary recipe of citrus, garlic and spice, fire-grilled over an open flame and hand-cut to order. The freshly grilled chicken serves as the base for an authentic selection of dishes, including individual or family chicken meals, bowls, burritos and salads. The brand is well-known for a range of flavorful menu items that customers feel better about eating because they are healthier than typical fast food and fit into a host of dietary regimes ranging from calorie counting to keto.
“We’re excited about our return to West Hollywood and reconnecting with our loyal and passionate guests. The brand will continue to flourish with a fantastic team of franchisees and our dedicated corporate staff behind it,” says Brian Carmichall, El Pollo Loco’s Chief Development Officer.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the end of October, at which members of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister presented the owners of the new location with a certificate of recognition to welcome El Pollo Loco back to the city.