Since that particular day in 1999, I've become quite the connoisseur of Mexican food... in particular burritos (aka American Mexican food). Therefore, I thought I would share my knowledge with others. Below is a list of restaurants I've visited and an accompanying ranking. The ranking is associated only with the burrito quality at each place (not taking other foods into account with this ranking).
Restaurants are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 (1=worst, 10=best)... and are listed in alphabetical order.
Acapulco Restaurant
Rating: 4.0
Comments: Uninspiring Mexican chain restaurant located in California that I would compare to any other "chain" restaurant out there... the food is OK, but there's no reason to go here with all of the other choices around you. The margaritas are much better than the burritos.
Alerto's
Rating: 7.5
Comments: Legit Mexican place in Westminster, CA. The "food quality" might not be the cleanest or super fresh... but the taste makes up for all those issues. I predominantly visited this restaurant after 2am (got a little dangerous at that time). However, it was good at any time of the day. My favorite burritos are carne asada and breakfast.
Comments: Boston burrito chain. Quick and Cheap. However, meats and salsa have very mediocre flavors. This was one of my only options before Chipotle invaded the New England. I celebrated that day.
Baja Fish Tacos
Rating: -100
Comments: This place tries really hard to be Wahoo's Fish Tacos... and they fail miserably. I used to eat here on occasion (if I didn't have other options close by). However, I got an awful case of food poisoning and never went back. I didn't even want to put a link to this restaurants website.
Baja Fresh
Rating: 4.5
Comments: National chain. My favorite menu item there is the chicken quesadilla. However, I wouldn't recommend that anyone ever go there for a burrito. The food is relatively bland.
Baja Fish Tacos
Rating: -100
Comments: This place tries really hard to be Wahoo's Fish Tacos... and they fail miserably. I used to eat here on occasion (if I didn't have other options close by). However, I got an awful case of food poisoning and never went back. I didn't even want to put a link to this restaurants website.
Baja Fresh
Rating: 4.5
Comments: National chain. My favorite menu item there is the chicken quesadilla. However, I wouldn't recommend that anyone ever go there for a burrito. The food is relatively bland.
Boloco
Rating: 5.5
Comments: Offer "unique" burritos, but are lacking in the "staples" and overall quality. Apparently, they have pretty good smoothies
Border Cafe
Rating: 4.5
Comments: Cheap, strong margaritas!... that's what this Cajun/Mexican restaurant in Harvard Square is known for. There are some decent items on the menu (my favorite are the corn and black bean empanadas). However, this is not the place to go for burritos.
Cafe Azteca
Rating: 3.0
Comments: This is a little restaurant in Lawrence, MA. I was taken here for my first lunch after starting at New Balance. In order to be relatively nice, the best thing about this restaurant is their margaritas. Also, the chips and salsa are decent.
Rating: 7
Comments: National chain. Fresh/organic food options on menu. Meats are flavored very well. Service is usually good. This is pretty much my only burrito option in the New England. On a negative note, they do not offer re-fried beans, spanish rice, or grilled fish.
Chronic Tacos
Rating: 9.5
Comments: By far, the best burrito I've ever had. My favorite is the grilled fish. However, you can't wrong with any of the following: pollo asado, carne asada, shrimp, carnitas, or al pastor. With such a large variety of options, I could eat there over 7 times a week (and sometimes I did). They also offer a pretty epic breakfast burrito. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is because they have turned into somewhat of a chain with over 20 locations (used to be only 1)... and I'm not sure if the quality has been maintained. Also, an emo kid used to work there that wasn't very nice. Luckily, I think he was fired... A few of their locations serve beer.
Rating: 9.5
Comments: By far, the best burrito I've ever had. My favorite is the grilled fish. However, you can't wrong with any of the following: pollo asado, carne asada, shrimp, carnitas, or al pastor. With such a large variety of options, I could eat there over 7 times a week (and sometimes I did). They also offer a pretty epic breakfast burrito. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is because they have turned into somewhat of a chain with over 20 locations (used to be only 1)... and I'm not sure if the quality has been maintained. Also, an emo kid used to work there that wasn't very nice. Luckily, I think he was fired... A few of their locations serve beer.
Del Taco
Rating: 2.5
Comments: Fast food "Mexican" chain located primarily in Southern California. In college, this was one of the only places open "late night" (A friend of mine actually got robbed at one of their locations). The food here is cheap, fast, and not very good. I don't recommend ever going here... unless it's 2AM and your only other choice is Dominos. I actually used to get their cheeseburger (college kids do stupid things)
El Callejon
Rating: NA
Comments: Fantasitic al pastor, camarones, carne asada, and carnitas tacos at this little Mexican place in Encinitas. However, this place served more authentic "Mexican food"... and I don't think they even served burritos. I never ordered one at least.
El Tarasco
Rating: NA
Comments: Insane taco stand in Manhattan Beach (right across the street from Sharkeez). Amazing tacos and amazing chips and salsa. What makes this place even better is that they're open late! They have bar style seating inside. However, I don't think I ever ordered a burrito. This is a taco place... get tacos!!
El Torito
Rating: 4.0
Comments: Uninspiring Mexican chain restaurant located in California that I would compare to any other "chain" restaurant out there... the food is OK, but there's no reason to go here with all of the other choices around you. The margaritas are much better than the burritos.
Freebirds World Burrito- Santa Barbara
Rating: 7.1
Comments: Fantastic burrito place in Santa Barbara (not to be confused with the Freebirds in Texas)... open 24 hours a day. Some people claim that this place is only good when you're wasted at 3am... however, that is not true. I've been there at all hours of the day and it is equally good. Get BBQ sauce on your burrito!!
Las Olas
Rating: 6.9
Comments: Probably one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego (I used to frequent the restaurant in Cardiff). I actually surfed with the owner while in Baja. Very good food... ingredients are made fresh daily. However, like any "true" Mexican restaurant, the stars of the menu are not burritos. I recommend the Baja style fish tacos.
Margarita's
Rating: 4.9
Comments: As the name would suggest, they have phenomenal margaritas. Margaritas has several locations throughout "the New England" (I've only been to the one in Exeter) and the food is decent. However, after several margaritas, anything is going to taste decent. I ate there once completely sober and was not super impressed. Like any New England Mexican place, the burritos are lacking in flavor and ingredients.
Pancho's Restaurant
Rating: 6.5
Comments: A South Bay landmark. This has to be one of the oldest restaurants in Manhattan Beach. The food is quite good... however, I do not recommend ordering a burrito. There are far too many items on the menu that are much better. Get the Birria Chef Ramon or Chile Verde instead.
Pedro's
Rating: 2.5
Comments: Fast food "Mexican" chain located primarily in Southern California. In college, this was one of the only places open "late night" (A friend of mine actually got robbed at one of their locations). The food here is cheap, fast, and not very good. I don't recommend ever going here... unless it's 2AM and your only other choice is Dominos. I actually used to get their cheeseburger (college kids do stupid things)
El Callejon
Rating: NA
Comments: Fantasitic al pastor, camarones, carne asada, and carnitas tacos at this little Mexican place in Encinitas. However, this place served more authentic "Mexican food"... and I don't think they even served burritos. I never ordered one at least.
El Tarasco
Rating: NA
Comments: Insane taco stand in Manhattan Beach (right across the street from Sharkeez). Amazing tacos and amazing chips and salsa. What makes this place even better is that they're open late! They have bar style seating inside. However, I don't think I ever ordered a burrito. This is a taco place... get tacos!!
El Torito
Rating: 4.0
Comments: Uninspiring Mexican chain restaurant located in California that I would compare to any other "chain" restaurant out there... the food is OK, but there's no reason to go here with all of the other choices around you. The margaritas are much better than the burritos.
Freebirds World Burrito- Santa Barbara
Rating: 7.1
Comments: Fantastic burrito place in Santa Barbara (not to be confused with the Freebirds in Texas)... open 24 hours a day. Some people claim that this place is only good when you're wasted at 3am... however, that is not true. I've been there at all hours of the day and it is equally good. Get BBQ sauce on your burrito!!
Las Olas
Rating: 6.9
Comments: Probably one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego (I used to frequent the restaurant in Cardiff). I actually surfed with the owner while in Baja. Very good food... ingredients are made fresh daily. However, like any "true" Mexican restaurant, the stars of the menu are not burritos. I recommend the Baja style fish tacos.
Margarita's
Rating: 4.9
Comments: As the name would suggest, they have phenomenal margaritas. Margaritas has several locations throughout "the New England" (I've only been to the one in Exeter) and the food is decent. However, after several margaritas, anything is going to taste decent. I ate there once completely sober and was not super impressed. Like any New England Mexican place, the burritos are lacking in flavor and ingredients.
Pancho's Restaurant
Rating: 6.5
Comments: A South Bay landmark. This has to be one of the oldest restaurants in Manhattan Beach. The food is quite good... however, I do not recommend ordering a burrito. There are far too many items on the menu that are much better. Get the Birria Chef Ramon or Chile Verde instead.
Pedro's
Rating: 7.5
Comments: Nice little burrito shop in San Clemente. Located right down the street from Trestles... and is a great place to go for an after-surf meal. Fantastic carne asada and fried fish. However, I'm not so sure how "fresh" the ingredients are.
Comments: Nice little burrito shop in San Clemente. Located right down the street from Trestles... and is a great place to go for an after-surf meal. Fantastic carne asada and fried fish. However, I'm not so sure how "fresh" the ingredients are.
Rating: 5.7
Comments: Decent Mexican spot in Encinitas (right across the street from a Chipotle). The burritos at Chipotle are better... however, if you're looking for some breakfast or a non-burrito meal, this was the place to go. They had a killer soup.
Rubio's
Rating: 4
Comments: National chain. Offers "lobster" tacos (that aren't actually made with real lobster).The place tastes like you would expect a fast food establishment to taste... consistent, but bland. At least they have beer!
Sharkeez
Rating: 6.9
Comments: Better known as a bar that people get sloppy drunk at (Shark bowls!!)... this place actually has some pretty decent food. I thoroughly enjoyed the burritos I used to get-- Lobster, Fish, Fajitas. They have locations in many of the SoCal beach towns: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach (which got burnt down once), Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, etc..
Taco Bell
Rating: 0
Comments: Taco Bell made me think that I didn't like Mexican food... need I say more?
Taco's Lupita
Rating: 5.5
Comments: Little "hole in the wall" place in Lawrence, MA. This is the best burrito option around the New Balance office facilities. It has decent carne asada and chorizo (order double meat if you're "man enough"). However, the ingredients are not very fresh... and I don't recommend adding lettuce to your burrito. Also, the meats are relatively bland (need to add hot sauce for more flavor).
Viva Fresh
Rating: 7.5
Comments: This was the place that made me realize I liked Mexican food (and burritos). It's a little taco/burrito restaurant right down the street from Loyola Marymount University... I think that they have since added a few additional locations. My only issue with this place is that they did not offer a wide variety of quality meats to choose from. I mainly just stuck with the chicken.
Rating: 6.9
Comments: West coast chain (predominantly in SoCal). Wahoo's has some of the best tacos outside of Mexico... blackened fish tacos are phenomenal. I love the Maui bowl as well. However, they're not known for their burritos (and this rating is based on their burritos). Food is made fresh and service is good.
Comments: West coast chain (predominantly in SoCal). Wahoo's has some of the best tacos outside of Mexico... blackened fish tacos are phenomenal. I love the Maui bowl as well. However, they're not known for their burritos (and this rating is based on their burritos). Food is made fresh and service is good.
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