Pollo Rey - New Ownership, New Experience

Pollo Rey has been around for over 20 years at this point, though I don't recall going before last fall. We went in for a meal and left overall unimpressed. Food wasn't great, prices were high, I don't remember all of the specifics but just not a good time. I was expecting the same this time, however I did recall something about Bittercreek Ale House buying them a while back, which could prove beneficial. Google confirmed when I got home, changed hands in December. Potential.

I should preface this by saying I just came back from 4 days of the best food I've ever had. I'm a bit worried this might sway my ranking, but on we go. Walking in the ambiance hadn't changed much. Open floorplan, fast casual feel, same menu and all that. However the service seemed improved, I recall a fairly grumpy server last time, this one was way more cheerful. Could have just been an off night for the first one, but this was a welcome start.

Presentation - The decor is fine, not fancy but does the job and fits the Mexican restaurant vibe. The menu doesn't explicitly state it, but it seems like everything comes with chips, at least everything that we ordered did, kids meals included. Tacos are sold ala carte, so per the rules I got two of them, skipped the beans and rice because of the aforementioned chips. There's a salsa bar with a couple options and as many limes as you want. Food comes in lined baskets, nothing fancy, but fits the bill. 3/5

Aroma - The chipotle comes through, there's also a bit of citrus. Nothing too strong, fairly balanced. 3/5

Value - $6.90 for two tacos, $1.59 for a drink, $8.49 total. Not a bad price, not a great deal for counter service. 5/10

Fish - Grilled, so starting at a disadvantage. That said, damn, really solid. About the perfect amount, a nice spice/marinade, and the crispiness from the grill worked great. Not quite all the way to blackened, but crunchier than usual grilled fish. Great flavor, my fried preference stands but there's nothing wrong with these. 7/10

Not Fish - The trend follows here, simple but effective. Two corn tortillas that are done as good as I've ever seen. Slightly blackened like the fish and it seems like they grilled both together as they aren't quite aligned but are stuck together. Hard to explain but for some reason it works great. The sauce was on point, the veggies were great, really good on all fronts. 9/10

Overall Taste - These hit the spot. I almost went back and got a third. Very balanced, perfect size. Not much more to say, just really good. 8/10

Bonus Points - If there was a "most improved" category this would get it. Worth a point? Nah, but worth noting. +0

Overall Overall - 35/50

This is another one that I feel is better than the score indicates. 35 is not far from the top, but regardless of the outcome, Pollo Rey is worth a visit. Seems the new ownership is doing things right.