Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken

100000% recommend for some delicious, comforting food! Their portion sizes are incredible, definitely fills you up. Their proteins are super juicy and tender, really fresh and delicious. I got the pollo saltado and also had sides of yellow and green sauce (you can get them at their sauce station), and as a sauce girly, I appreciate it. Even though it doesn't need the sauce to be good, either way it's super delish! Great service, everyone there is super friendly and really makes sure you get what you need and more. It's great for a sit-down, whether with friends, family, date, etc. definitely take a pic with the Alpaca at the door if you're here ;) I crave Alpaca (the restaurant) from time to time, glad I was introduced to here!

1/4 chicken (white) with rice, beans, and yuca fries. Delicious as always! Always a must go!

Pretty good food! Hopping on here to make sure my Gluten-free Gang knows that (sadly) the beans have gluten. They thicken them with flour, so beware!Nice outdoor seating. Indoors is cacophonous when it's busy so plan to eat outside during busier times for folks who are hard of hearing or wear hearing aids. Cheers!

Alpaca is hands down one of the best food options in the triangle area. Peruvian style chicken has always been a favorite of mine, but this chain is hands down the best I have ever tried. The chicken itself is SO juicy and flavorful. I always get the dark meat because it is what I prefer, but my friends say that the white meat is also pretty tender and juicy! As far as sides go, my go to order is usual the plantains and the rice topped with black beans. Lately I've been changing it up and getting the green beans. The plantains here are never dry and are always sweet and flavorful. The green beans also have this creamy sauce on them with onions that is incredible. Do NOT forget to get the 2 sauces (spicy green sauce, and creamy mustard/mayo tasting yellow sauce) and put them on your chicken or rice! You will NOT regret. The 1/4 dark comes with leg and thigh and 2 sides for $9.75. Some of the sides can be upgraded for a cost but overall is incredibly reasonable for not only the amount of food you're getting, but the quality. The location in Chapel Hill is relatively new and is very spacious with lots of seating inside. The location in Durham towards Li Mings is also beautiful because of their outdoor seating patio with beautiful string lights. Hands down, this is a MUST go.

as a californian who never experiences sub 40 degree weather, i greatly appreciated their outdoor seating area equipped with heaters. the quantity of food given for the price is incredibly substantial, and i have recently learned about the 10% off duke student discount. how fun. overall, 9/10 would come again featuring:1. 1/4 white chicken combo w/ green beans & fries2. 1/2 chicken combo w/ green beans & yuca fries

The chicken was good. We tried the chaufa rice, which we usually love, but it was quite disappointing as it was very bland. We didn't love the fries either. Would go again but just for the chicken.

We enjoyed the food at this Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken location at South Square in Durham. This is a relatively new Alpaca Chicken location. It opened in September 2020 and is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. Congratulations to the business for opening during and making it through the unvaccinated phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. I can't say I'm surprised because Alpaca's food and business model are takeout-friendly.This is a fast-casual restaurant chain with currently nine locations throughout the Triangle. At the time of writing this review, Alpaca Chicken goes as far north as Durham and as far south as Sanford. I believe the chain's first location opened on the north side of Durham in 2007: https://www.yelp.com/biz/alpaca-peruvian-charcoal-chicken-durham-2. It was originally known as Mami Nora's. I found this new location at South Square when searching Yelp. It's the closest Alpaca Chicken location to my wife and me.We visited for dinner on a Tuesday night around 7:00pm. We dined in. From the time we got there to the time we left, the restaurant had a steady stream of both dine-in and takeout customers. Based on our visit, this place seems to be well-established and popular.Here's what we got:* 1/2 Chicken ($11.99) - 100% all-natural Peruvian rotisserie chicken - white and dark meat, includes two regular sides; I chose maduros (sweet plantains, +$0.50) and tostones (green plantains, +$0.50); these sides cost extra because they were "premium" sides* Lomo Saltado ($12.99) - tender strips of steak, Roma tomatoes, and red onions sauteed and served over French fries with a side of white rice* Rice topped with beans (a.k.a. rice and beans) - a la carte regular size side ($3.99)* Caramel Flan ($2.99) - caramel custard topped with a layer of soft caramelMy wife and I were both impressed with the quality and taste of the chicken. Simply put, it was delicious. Both the white and dark meat were tender and flavorful. I can see why this place was busy and why this brand has grown to nine locations in 14 years. There were self-serve dipping sauces for the chicken, a yellow sauce (mustardy, mayo-y) and a green sauce (definitely spicy). The chicken was so good, in my opinion, that it didn't need any sauce - even the white meat. The sauces made the chicken that much more delicious. The rotisserie chicken skin was delectable and overall, the smoky flavor, excellent texture, and great meat quality made this some of the best chicken we've had in the Triangle to date.The menu is fairly streamlined in terms of selection. Along with chicken and Latin American sides, there are a handful "made-to-order" entrees such as the Lomo Saltado we got. They make the made-to-order distinction because the chicken is already cooked in batches. When you order, it's cut and sides on the ordering line are added to your plate. I would say Alpaca is like Boston Market in this sense. Some sides, like the tostones, are made-to-order and aren't sitting on the line for immediate serving. Alpaca looks like a great catering option too.The sides were pretty good. I liked the maduros the best, but that's generally the case at any restaurant that serves maduros. Alpaca's maduros were just as sweet and yummy as I've come to expect of maduros. My wife decided to get an a la carte regular-size order of the rice and beans and I'm glad she did because it was addictive and gratifying. Rice and beans is a simple dish that's both healthy and comforting. I think they might season and/or butter the white rice here because it tastes too good to be plain. The tostones were fine. There was nothing wrong with them, but I'm not sure I'd order them again. I'd probably go for the yuca fries or green beans next time. The tostones were tasty and had good texture.The Lomo Saltado was savory and satisfying. It hit our table hot out the kitchen. I believe the steak they used for this dish was sirloin steak. If I had to nitpick, it was a little too well-done and salty for me. The steak could have been more tender, but it was seasoned and flavored well. The tomatoes and onions tasted fresh. The white rice was the same as described above in the rice and beans side dish - simple yet addictive. The portion size was large and filling, though I think they could have added a bit more meat.As for the Caramel Flan dessert, I can't say I recommend it. It wasn't bad. It was just very... average.Service wasn't bad either, but it could've been better. Our cashier was Jennyfer and she was nice/polite. Our orders came out quick. The manager fellow was nice and got my takeout containers and bag as soon as he could. The restaurant appeared to be fully staffed. However, tables and seats in the dining room were neglected and needed to be cleaned. My wife and I had to wipe down our booth. I didn't notice any tables being cleaned while we were there. That was really my only gripe with this place. It just didn't feel completely clean.

When I discovered this place feel in love with the juicy chicken but it's the maduros that keep me coming back. Service is always fast in and out perfect for when I come late from work. They offer many sizes (1/4, 1/2 and whole chicken and their new dos pollos options) for their food so you can share or eat as much or as little as you want. And the sides are very well portioned. They come with a yellow or green sauce, but believe me when I tell you you're gonna want extra of that yellow sauce it is delicious!!

La verdad es sensacional la atencion que nos sirvan en el restaurante Alpaca una joven tan humilde y alegre me atendio su nombre es Jocabed Aleman. fue una muchacha con todas sus honestidades me impresiono el trabajo asi para todos sean muy bien venidos vengan a disfrutar ese Rico Pollo que cocinan gracias por todo att Cresencio Diaz .

It was my first time visiting and they have good food. The food wasn't too bad either. But the jamaica drink could've been a lot better, if they use the powder instead of the actual plant that would explain what's missing. The same with the Horchata