Los Pollos Hermanos Pop-Up Delights ‘Breaking Bad’ Fans at SXSW

Nadia Chaudhury is the editor of Eater Austin covering food and pop culture, as well as a photographer, writer, and frequent panel moderator and podcast guest.

Breaking Bad fans will recognize Los Pollos Hermanos, one of the main settings of the acclaimed television show. Since its spinoff series, Better Call Saul, is coming back to television, network AMC decided to bring the iconic fried chicken chain from Albuquerque, New Mexico to life during SXSW.

Eater took a tour of the Austin outpost, wandering around the bright and bold yellow, blue and red building was erected within the parking lot on Colorado and West 5th streets. Staffers donned red visors and aprons and yellow shirts as they dished out food to guests taking advantage of the tables and red and blue booths.

The entire menu, from rancheros plates, breakfast tacos, burritos, burgers, and other New Mexico dishes, was displayed behind the counter. Although fried chicken wasn’t on the menu, the pop-up served bags of curly fries, a cup of water, and three dipping sauces.

Actors Bob Odenkirk (who plays Saul Goodman nee Jimmy McGill) and Giancarlo Esposito (Los Pollos Hermanos’ founder and eventual drug kingpin Gus Fring) popped by the pop-up to mingle with people.

Alas, Los Pollos Hermanos is now closed, but there’s always other fried chicken joints in Austin.