"There are multiple Pollos A La Brasa Mario locations in the city (and in New Jersey, and on Long Island), but this 24-hour rotisserie chicken spot on Roosevelt Ave. is the original. It’s also a landmark of Little Colombia in Jackson Heights: When it opened in 1990, it was one of the first Colombian restaurants in the then mostly Italian neighborhood. The busy two-story restaurant—which also operates a robust takeout business—is a casual, comfortable, family-friendly place, livened up by bright red benches and columns, plus fake citrus trees and a pair of fake birds inside a real birdcage. (They nearly had us fooled from across the dining room.) photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte There’s also an anthropomorphic chicken giving you an encouraging, please-eat-me thumbs up in the restaurant’s logo. Don’t disappoint the chicken man. You come to Pollos A La Brasa Mario to eat pollo. Food Rundown Pollo A La Brasa The shiny, paprika-red rotisserie chicken is a treat. A whole bird will cost you about $17, and it's what you should be eating—the beef and pork dishes here can be hit or miss. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Arroz Con Pollo We couldn’t imagine a more comforting lunch on a cold day, though we'll happily eat this arroz con pollo in the middle of summer too. The rice is super moist and savory, loaded with a generous amount of shredded chicken, plus peas, carrots, and celery. The portion size, like everything at Pollos A La Brasa Mario, is enormous. Heads up that this dish is only available Monday through Thursday." - Molly Fitzpatrick
