People are starting to flock to El Pollo Loco on the East Hill in Kent.
The California-based Mexican restaurant opened this week at 10120 SE 256th St., just east of Kent-Meridian High School. It’s a soft opening for now, with a grand opening date to be announced soon. The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days per week.
Vehicles were lined up along the right lane of westbound SE 256th Street on Tuesday, Dec. 30 waiting to access the restaurant.
El Pollo Loco (which in English means the crazy chicken) considers itself L.A. Mex, Southern Cal lifestyle meets Mexican heritage. The menu includes burritos, tostadas, salads, chicken meals, fire-grilled combos, tacos, bowls and other items.
The Costa Mesa-based company, which began in 1975 in Mexico and came in 1980 to California, has about 500 restaurants, either company owned or franchised, in seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Louisiana, according to the company website. Washington is now the eighth state.
The restaurant has nearly 500 locations in eight states. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
In 2022, El Pollo Loco announced in a press release plans for four new locations in Washington, with potential sites in Kent, Federal Way, Tacoma and Puyallup. The release also announced a franchise agreement with Jean-Paul Pirio to operate the restaurants.
Pirio already operates JP’s Taproom and Grill in Kent, JP’s Tavern in Federal Way, JP’s Barroom in Renton, Time Out Ale House and Grill in Federal Way and Hy Iu Hee Hee in Gig Harbor, according to jpsbars.com. El Pollo Loco announced in December 2024 that Pirio would be opening the Kent location, but didn’t have an opening date at that time.
“We’re dedicated to serving authentic fire-grilled chicken and Mexican food to the Kent community,” according to the El Pollo Loco Kent website. “Throughout every day we slowly marinate and fire-grill whole chickens in a special recipe of herbs, spices, fruit juices and garlic to create a tender, juicy and flavorful chicken that we hand chop and serve in our chicken meals, burritos, salads, tostadas, tacos and quesadillas. And if that’s not enough, we apply that same passion to our handmade guacamole, salsas and dressings every day.”
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The Kent location will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days per week. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
