A half chicken "Special C" from El Pollo Grill, with rice, beans, and warm flour tortillas for $15.99.

Chargrilled chicken with warm flour tortillas, rice, and pinto beans. A simple, sustaining meal that efficiently feeds a family, best made after an old family recipe. And for those who haven’t got such a recipe, the Lopez family can give us a taste.

Per its web site, El Pollo Grill (sometimes called EPG for short) has a backstory that started sometime prior to 1987. But that was the year Rafael and Constanza Lopez bought an existing “hole in the wall” Mexican grill in Lemon Grove, which they would refashion with their own familial recipes, behind the prowess of “Queen of the Kitchen” Constanza. The decades since have seen the family restaurant and catering enterprise expand incrementally as additional family members have joined the fold.

First came a larger restaurant in busier downtown Lemon Grove about 20 years back, then a second location in Bonita 7 years ago, and Otay Ranch just before the pandemic.

I only recently happened upon the Lemon Grove location, and quickly became a repeat customer of that grilled chicken. Though it offers a pleasant little dining patio and cafeteria-like booth seating, it’s strikes me as an operation streamlined for take-out. For people taking one of EPG’s several combo meal options home to their families (ranging from $33 to $165 for chicken and sides). Once I realized the concept had branched out, I decided to drive south to pay each newer location a visit.

A colorful take out shop and small dining room in Bonita

In Bonita I found another small counter restaurant, part of a freeway adjacent shopping strip. Though its tiny dining room is livened up by a vibrant mural of a mariachi serenading an amorous couple on a boat weaving though mangrove trees, It’s likewise well-situated for grab and go.

It’s also where I spotted a sign advertising the 619 Cali Quake Burrito: a 6.19 pound behemoth made with your choice of meat or meats for $59.99. It’s not so much grab and go as it is grab and haul away. I take it the burrito has been subject to one of those eat in 30 minutes or less challenges. I can’t hang.

Big burritos do feature heavily at all three locations. While plenty of San Diego taco shops are happy to add ingredients to your burrito, EPG may be the first I’ve seen to promote a Build Your Own Burrito option, allowing you to mix and match proteins, with beans, rice, French fries, guacamole, salsa, sour cream ($12.99 Lemon Grove), $13.99 Bonita and Otay Ranch). You may even add a couple of rolled tacos for another $3.

You can go nuts, but you probably won’t come up with anything crazier than you’ll find on EPG menus. As Ed Bedford explored a couple years ago, their specialty burritos include Philly Cheesesteak inspired burrito ($12.99). There’s also the overloaded San Diego Burrito ($16.19) which doesn’t come anywhere close to 6 pounds, but does get stuffed with carne asada, shrimp, bacon, fries, rice, guacamoles, cheese, and tartar sauce.

A fun dining patio in Otay Ranch

The Otay Ranch location takes the idea a bit further, offering a mysterious burrito listing called the SY Mikey ($16.19). According to the server I asked, this thing gets packed with carne, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, rice, beans, fries, guacamole, and two types of cheese. And I may be leaving a few things out.

Though also set up for brisk takeout service, the Otay location is more colorful still, loaded with murals and décor celebrating Mexican culture; homegrown chefs, musicians, and sports figures; and the San Diego Padres. It also boasts a shaded patio, with plenty of seating. I’d definitely call it the best of the three locations for hanging out.

A California burrito from El Polo Grill

But whichever location I visit, I’m more than content to stick to the crazy-enough-for-me California burrito ($12.99 Lemon Grove/$13.99 Bonita and Otay). Sticking to the conventional combination of carne asade, fries, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, EPG makes one of the best California burritos in greater San Diego.