Sometimes there are restaurants that you always want to try but never get around to trying, Pollo Feliz & Taqueria in Ellicott City off of Route 40, is exactly that. Well it was until I finally got a chance to visit the restaurant a few weeks back. Pollo Feliz has been around for quite some time, but I never had a chance to visit it or I just never thought to visit it.
That all changed when I was jonesing for some Pupusas and authentic tacos on a Friday night and I didn’t feel like driving a far distance to get my fill.
When you pull up to the restaurant you may have some misgivings or second thoughts about whether you’re about to make the right decision, ignore those thoughts. This place is great and a real hidden gem. The parking lot is very tight, packed in a tight little strip of shops it can be hard to find parking, but if you can find a way to make it inside you will be rewarded for your efforts.
When you walk into Pollo Feliz you see a bare bones operation, there’s some decorations and mood lighting but the overall decor to the restaurant is a little blah. If restaurant decor is your thing, you might be disappointed fortunately for me, I could care less about restaurant decor. I just care whether the food is good and if the service was reasonable.
The menu is split between traditional (I think) Peruvian fare and “Mexican” probably a more accurate statement would be Central American fare. Either way, if you love Peruvian chicken or Central American food, this place will do the trick. I was tempted to try their Peruvian chicken or Pollo ala Brasa but I opted to stick their “Mexican” menu. We started off with Yuca con Chicharron and some guacamole.
The yuca con chicharron was a solid starter, the yuca was well prepared as it wasn’t so crispy that it felt like you were eating a rock, rather it was the equivalent to a well-made potato wedge. Meanwhile,the fried pork shoulder chunks were crunchy on the outside and soft on the side. Honestly this can be a meal in itself if you want it to be, but we knew we could take some home so that’s what we did. The guacamole is smooth and fresh, no complaints.
But let’s talk tacos, we ordered the tacos al Pastor and the Carnitas. Both were divine, the al Pastor tacos are based on Lebanese Shwarma which was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. The pork is flavorful and well prepared, you can’t beat these tacos. The carnitas were fresh and everything you want in your carnitas which is that they’re tender and flavorful.
We finished with some pupusas, one revuelta (pork & cheese) and one cheese, they weren’t the BEST I’ve ever had but they were pretty solid. Despite not being amazing, the pupusas are still damn delicious and hit the spot.
Overall, the food at Pollo Feliz is great and it’s worth a visit if authentic Central American food is your thing.
Grade: B+
Parking: Difficult, very tight.
Price: Very Reasonable.
Food: Very Good.
Service: Friendly and easy going.
