Family-owned in Memphis for 20+ years

Built on fire.Served like family.

Authentic Mexican cooking at Summer & Graham. Come for pollo al carbón, tacos, tortas, fresh tortillas, and plates made to share.

Order now Get directions

Whole chickens cooking over the charcoal grill at Los Picosos — From the charcoal grillGuajillo, smoke, and time

3937 Summer Ave

Call ahead for pollo al carbón

Breakfast, lunch & early dinner

Memphis has noticed

Memphis Flyer 15 Best Latin Restaurants We Are Memphis I Love Memphis

The fire comes first

Pollo al carbón is where you start.

Whole chickens are split, marinated for hours in a deep red guajillo sauce, then slowly smoked over lump charcoal brought from Mexico.

It’s the dish we’re known for. The skin picks up smoke and char while the meat stays juicy, then we serve it with rice, beans, tortillas, salsa, and all the fixings.

Call ahead to check today’s availability →

The house method

Guajillo

Hoursin the marinade

≈ 2hours in the smoker

Carbónlump charcoal from Mexico

Made in batches. Call ahead for today’s pollo al carbón.

What to order

Start with the fire. Explore from there.

Our menu comes from the neighborhood stands and family restaurants of Mexico, with familiar favorites alongside the dishes regulars know to ask for.

See online menu Prefer pickup? Call us →

Straight from the kitchen

Real plates. Real smoke. No studio tricks.

Steak, chicken, peppers, and onions cooking on the flat-top at Los Picosos — 01The flat-top at full speed.

Plates of tacos with cilantro, onion, and lime on the Los Picosos kitchen line — 02Tacos lined up for the table.

Golden folded corn masa pockets on a red checked tray — 03Golden, griddled, made to order.

Family at the grill

Our family, our kitchen, our fire.

Hands tending the charcoal

A tradition tended by hand.

The people behind the fire

A Memphis family story that began in Mexico.

Long before we opened on Summer Avenue, Oscar Rivera was smoking chickens in his hometown of Querétaro. Our family brought that knowledge to Memphis and built this restaurant one meal at a time.

Before Memphis
Querétaro, Mexico
Oscar Rivera perfects the charcoal-smoked chicken that becomes our family specialty.
2005
A new home
Oscar and Martha bring our family to Memphis to build a better life for their children.
2006
The first restaurant
Our family opens Chilitos inside a Macon Road gas station, then creates Los Picosos on Summer Avenue.
Family
The next generation
Our hands-on family tradition continues at 3937 Summer Avenue.

Francisco grew up in our kitchen, learning the grill beside his father. That same hands-on family spirit still shapes everything we do today.

Hand-painted Los Picosos chile mascot playing guitar — Painted by hand

Memphis, in its own words

The parking lot smells like your next favorite meal.

Our customers keep talking about the same things: smoke in the air, big portions, tacos worth another trip, and a family that makes people feel welcome.

From local diners
“The whole parking lot smells delicious.”
Maureen F. Google

From local diners
“Amazing tacos ... the best I’ve ever had!”
Faith R. Google

From local diners
“Large portions. Food was delicious.”
Bruce J. Google

These comments were originally shared by our customers on Google.

Diners sharing a meal together inside Los Picosos — A neighborhood table

Memphis has a seat here

Two decades of lunches, birthdays, and regulars.

The food comes out hot, the portions fill the table, and by the next visit it already feels like a tradition.

Feed the whole table

Bring our cooking to your next gathering.

Team lunch, birthday, church gathering, or a full-scale event? Ask about family trays, parrilladas, and catering built around food people actually get excited to eat.

Call about catering