Customers flock to Pollos Maria for fire-grilled golden brown broiled chicken, a casual neighborhood atmosphere, and reasonable prices. This recipe for success was created by local owners Marie Davies and Carmen Gastelum.
The dynamic duo launched the Mexican restaurant in 1985 after Marie read a news article predicting grilled chicken would take flight as healthy restaurant fare. Once their friend Mary Hickethier designed the Pollos Maria logo and they had a memorable name, they were off and cooking.
The business literally began in Carmen’s kitchen back in 1985. Her Carlsbad house on Harding Street was converted to their first restaurant, where they started grilling their famous birds. The living room was transformed into the indoor dining area and later, they built a patio so customers could also enjoy their pollos under the midday sun or the night sky. For ambiance and warmth, they added fire pits, which customers still rave about almost as much as the food. Meanwhile, Marie expanded the business by adding a catering service, featuring a Mexican Fiesta-type menu served in her beautiful Mexican pottery.
In 2005, Marie and Carmen opened their second location in Oceanside. Situated in a new shopping center off Old Grove Road, with a Lowe's home improvement and a Ralphs grocery store. The restaurant features colorful murals of the Mexican countryside, all painted by Marie’s relative, artist Sean Dominguez. The interior art and the quiet outdoor patio make for a great atmosphere.
About Pollos Maria's Food
Pollos Maria is authentic, home-cooked family-style Mexican food. Much of the produce used is locally sourced, recipes are generations old including the enchilada sauce, tamales (available November and December), rice, and beans (cooked without lard). All of the delicious dishes are prepared today as they were back in 1985. The chickens are prepared in a citrus-based marinade, then flattened so they cook evenly and quickly over the grill. Devoted customers love our chicken (menu item #6) the Family Meal. This feast includes plenty of broiled chicken, mounds of rice, beans, and a stack of tortillas with freshly prepared condiments and salsas to accompany your meal. The taste is consistently tender, juicy, and flavorful. Aside from their house specialty, Marie and Carmen also added a full range of Mexican favorites to the menu, from fish and shrimp tacos to carne asada, chicken soup, and Menudo on weekends. Beer, wine, Jarritos sodas, and desserts like flan, chocolate cake, and N.Y. cheesecake round out their extensive menu.
Celebrating 38+ years in business Marie and Carmen have passed the torch of restaurant management to their adult children who have been successfully running the business for many years. While the Carlsbad Location was not given the opportunity to renew its lease and closed on September 4th 2023, a new Carlsbad location is being researched. Customers of Carlsbad can still enjoy the authentic Mexican food of Pollos Maria at their Oceanside Location.