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Are Weekday Grilled Meat Lunch Specials Worth the Trip?
Last Updated: October 25, 2026
Quick Summary
Weekday grilled meat lunch specials at El Gordo's Grill are worth the trip because they pair live-fire cuts with Nicaraguan gallo pinto and natural drinks, not a cold desk sandwich. We are open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., so call ahead and pick a time for fast pickup.
- Grilled chicken is the lightest plate and the fastest to eat on a weekday.
- Pork chops and roast beef suit days when the afternoon looks long.
- Ribs take the longest to eat, so save them for a sit-down lunch.
- Gallo pinto and a natural drink come with every grilled meat lunch.
- We cater office lunches and family gatherings, and a second chicken rotisserie is nearly ready.
Table of Contents
- Why Weekday Grilled Meat Lunch Specials Beat a Desk Sandwich
- What Makes Weekday Lunch Specials at El Gordo's Grill Different
- Grilled Chicken Lunch and Other Cuts, Compared by Portion
- Lunch Specials With Rice and Beans: Gallo Pinto and Natural Drinks
- Quick Grilled Lunch Ideas for Busy Workdays and Family Pickups
- Order Your Weekday Grilled Meat Lunch at El Gordo's Grill
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Weekday Grilled Meat Lunch Specials Beat a Desk Sandwich
More than 60% of consumers say grilled food is among their favorite things to eat, according to Beef Research's Summer Grilling Outlook.
We think that's a fixable problem. For the deeper case for grilled meat at midday, read why grilled meat is better for lunch.
Here's what most guides get wrong about the weekday lunch run. They treat it as a speed problem when it's really a quality problem.
What Makes Weekday Lunch Specials at El Gordo's Grill Different
Copycats are everywhere now. What they don't have is the original recipe and the years of doing it the same way, every single day.
Our lunch specials start with locally sourced ingredients and a signature marinade we don't hand out. That combination is the whole point.
We also run a takeout-focused kitchen, which means your order is packed to travel. If you want the full rundown of what's on the plate, see our lunch special before you head over.
Grilled Chicken Lunch and Other Cuts, Compared by Portion
Portion size is where lunch spots quietly cheat you. A "grilled chicken lunch" can mean anything from a skimpy thigh to a full plate.
- Grilled chicken: the everyday workhorse and the plate most weekday regulars start with. We grill it over live fire so the skin crisps and the meat stays juicy, then rest it before it hits the container so it travels without drying out. Order it when you want lean protein and a faster finish, it is the lightest of our grilled plates and the easiest to eat at a desk or in a car.
- Pork chops: a heavier plate for the days you skipped breakfast. The chop is thicker than the chicken, so it eats like a real meal rather than a snack, and the char on the edge is the point. Best on a Thursday or Friday when you need the fuel to carry you through the afternoon.
- Roast beef and smoked meat: deeper flavor, better when you want something that eats like dinner at noon. The smoke is low and slow, so the meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork, and the flavor carries even after the container is opened. This is the cut to order when the morning was long and the afternoon looks longer.
If you are feeding a group, mix two or three cuts and let everyone grab what they want. That is how a family meal turns into a real spread instead of five separate orders. A common pattern we see: one chicken plate for the lighter eater, one ribs plate to share, and a pork chop or roast beef plate for whoever is hungriest.
A note on the market: copycats are everywhere now. What they do not have is the original recipe and the years of doing it the same way, every single day.
Want the full rundown of what comes on each plate? See our lunch special before you head over.
Here is how our grilled cuts compare by portion and who each one fits.
| Cut | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled chicken | Everyday workhorse, grilled over live fire, rested before packing | Lean protein, fastest finish, lightest plate |
| Pork chops | Thicker chop, char on the edge | Days you skipped breakfast, Thursday or Friday fuel |
| Roast beef and smoked meat | Low and slow smoke, tender enough to pull with a fork | When you want something that eats like dinner at noon |
| Ribs | Full-commitment option, takes longest to eat | Sit-down lunch, sharing, turning a weekday into an event |
Lunch Specials With Rice and Beans: Gallo Pinto and Natural Drinks
Gallo pinto is the backbone of the plate. It is Nicaraguan rice and beans, cooked down so the beans stain the rice and every forkful carries that savory base.
What comes with a grilled meat lunch:
- A generous scoop of gallo pinto, Nicaraguan rice and beans, the same recipe every day.
- Your choice of grilled cut (chicken, pork chop, roast beef or smoked meat, or ribs).
- A natural drink instead of a fountain soda, something that tastes fresh and cuts through the smoke and char of the meat.
Customizing the plate:
- Want more protein and less rice? Ask for a lighter rice portion and we will load the plate toward the meat.
- Watching what you eat? The beans bring fiber and the grilled meat brings protein without a heavy fried coating, so the plate works for commuters who want a real meal without the crash.
- Feeding a group? Order extra gallo pinto and extra natural drinks on the side so the spread stretches.
- Allergies or substitutions? Tell us when you order and we will tell you what we can and cannot swap. We would rather answer the question up front than have you find out at the table.
A weekday-by-weekday way to use the plate:
- Thursday: start the week with grilled chicken and gallo pinto, the lightest plate and the fastest to eat.
- Friday: go heavier with pork chops or roast beef when the afternoon looks long.
- Saturday: ribs and a natural drink, eaten slowly, with the family meal spread on the table.
- Sunday: mix two or three cuts, extra gallo pinto, and enough natural drinks for everyone.
We are open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., so the weekday crowd and the weekend crowd both get the same plate.
If healthy weekday lunch options for commuters is your angle, healthy weekday lunch options for commuters covers more of the details.
Quick Grilled Lunch Ideas for Busy Workdays and Family Pickups
Speed matters at midday. Our kitchen is built for pickup, so you're not waiting 45 minutes for food to come off the grill while your lunch break evaporates.
A few ways to make it work:
- Call ahead and pick a time, then walk in and walk out.
- Order a family meal on a Saturday and skip cooking entirely.
- Grab a single plate on the commute home when you don't want to cook at 7 p.m.
We're open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., so both the workweek crowd and the weekend crowd get covered. Planning a fast pickup? Our quick lunch pickup guide for professionals walks through it, and if you're scouting the area, the best quick lunch spots guide has you covered.
Order Your Weekday Grilled Meat Lunch at El Gordo's Grill
Customer service is the thing we protect hardest. Keeping clients first is how we've grown, and it's how we plan to keep growing.
We also cater, so birthdays, office lunches, and backyard gatherings can get the same grilled plates without anyone standing over a fire.
Ordering is simple: check the menu, call ahead, and pick a time. Current pricing depends on the cut and the portion, so check our site or ask when you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What usually comes with a grilled meat lunch special?
A grilled meat lunch special typically pairs a portion of grilled or smoked meat with a starch, a side, and a drink. At El Gordo's Grill, the plate is built around the grilled meat plus Nicaraguan rice and beans (gallo pinto) and a natural drink. Ask what the current weekday lunch specials include before you order, since sides and portions can change by day. Ordering the combo rather than separate items usually gets you a fuller midday meal for a better value.
Are grilled meat lunch specials available on weekdays?
Yes. El Gordo's Grill serves weekday lunch specials Thursday through Sunday, open 9 am to 10 pm. That window covers both an early lunch and a later midday meal, which helps if your schedule runs behind. If you are commuting home after work, call ahead or order online so your grilled meat lunch is ready when you arrive instead of waiting for it to come off the grill.
What natural drinks pair well with grilled meat?
Fruity, lightly sweet natural drinks cut through the smoke and char of grilled meat better than a heavy soda. Look for drinks made with real fruit rather than syrup, since the acidity balances richer cuts like ribs or roast beef. El Gordo's Grill offers natural drinks alongside its weekday lunch specials, so you can build a plate of grilled meat, gallo pinto, and a fruit drink without adding a sugary soda to the meal.
Can a grilled meat lunch be ordered for takeout or catering?
Yes. El Gordo's Grill is takeout-focused, so grilled meat lunch orders are packed to travel and stay hot on the way back to your desk or home. For larger groups, the restaurant also caters, which suits family meals and office lunches. Call ahead for big orders so the kitchen can time the grill, and confirm pickup details when you place the order.
The midday meal is the one break most people get. Make it count. Get started with El Gordo's Grill and taste the original grilled meat, gallo pinto, and natural drinks that started it all.
