I suppose this is Chicago's chain alternative to Chipotle, but honestly it's not even close. We came in early in the morning, that meant they had a breakfast menu in effect. Can't argue against having breakfast burritos and bowls. So breakfast seemed promising given the options on the menu. I Ordered the chorizo breakfast burrito and my girlfriend chose the veggie breakfast burrito. Immediately after I ordered the breakfast burrito a man had came in and asked about that, and the lady that first took my order tells him that the veggies aren't that fresh. Where's the heads up for me? Also noticed the guacamole and the chorizo were sort of discolored. So as you could imagine, my girlfriend wasn't that satisfied with her burrito and my chorizo burrito was just ok. The spicy salsas they have made it taste better, but I've had better. I'd recommend looking for something else and if your search produces nothing, then give Burrito Beach a go. read more

Burrito Beach - Veggie breakfast burrito - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I don't understand why there are so many mediocre reviews--maybe it's because it's a small/local/relatively unknown chain. But I was recently convinced by a friend to stop by and finally try a burrito, and now all I can think about is the mouth-watering cabo shrimp! Seriously, it has a really distinct taste--tangy/robust with fresh vegetables and salsa and sour cream to balance out all the flavors. Lots of shrimp, too. No other local burrito place has that kind of flavor and quality for that low of a price (~$6)! Competitive Analysis: Qdoba: similar in terms of "unusual" flavors, but the closest location to Burrito Beach closed down recently. Burrito Beach burritos tend to be a little larger and more robust than sweet/zesty like the Qdoba burritos I've tried. Disclaimer: I don't eat really meat/chicken at these places so I can't compare those types of options. Chipotle: always delicious but no shrimp/flavor like this! But Chipotle burritos do tend to be bigger bang for your buck, because the burritos are often stuffed to the max. Bottom-line: Add a Northwestern or University of Chicago 10% discount (show your student ID) and you can get a really great deal for lunch. Plus, it's owned by a UChicago grad (sign posted by register about the restaurant's history), and I like supporting entrepreneurial initiatives! Try your burrito with a mango juice or horchata drink on the side to get the whole Burrito Beach experience. Confession: I've had the cabo shrimp burrito 3x the past week... #noshame read more

So I was in Burrito Beach last night ordering up a trio of tacos and a side of guac (fyi, their guac is delicious), when this jerk strolls in and starts harassing the counter staff. Seriously, why do people think they can be rude to people who work in customer service for no good reason? In my distraction by this freak of nature, I left my wallet on the counter. Lo and behold, the staff found it and held onto it intact until I came back looking for it today. That is amazing. Especially in this city. I love you BB staff! Also, I was obviously ordering food there because I am a big fan. I recommend the Cabo shrimp. Take that Chipotle, you don't have anything like that on your menu! Also, Northwestern staff gets a 10% discount, which is always handy. I have to say their regular prices are a good deal to begin with, seeing as they are like a full buck cheaper than Chipotle for a burrito that tastes better. BB, you will always have my business. read more

Sick and disgusting food. I had the ground beef tacos and they were horrible. This is mainly a tex mex spot, not authentic but you can make it authentic style. Either way, the quality of ingredients is awful. Also, they don't even have lime. Giving 2 stars instead of one because the place was clean and the workers were nice. read more

Burrito Beach website: "Why not take the authentic neighborhood Tacquieria that seemed to be on hundreds of Chicago street corners, and combine it with a super-fresh, gourmet approach that would redefine Mexican cuisine for today's tastes?" Reality: "Why not copy Chipotle and Qdoba's craptacular menu almost exactly and put a different name on the door?" read more

This was ....ok. It's a Chipotle-style fast casual restaurant, but with confusing menu options. The chorizo chicken meat was extremely oily and I felt like I was going to get heartburn later. It's food, but it's no fun. I don't think the quality of the food is even worth the price. read more

Burrito Beach - chicken&chorizo salad - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think their food is tasty that is when they actually give you more than a puny 1/2 scoop full of beef or carne asada meat. GEESH, this location is stingy. I know they are a chain but come on. I am 5'3 and 110 pds but I can throw down some food. I used to go here for lunch occasionally but would always no fail be hungry an hour after eating here. They also lack in the customer service department. Being friendly does not consist of ignoring your customers requests nor does throwing the customers sack of food at them! read more

This place was great! I got the baha chicken salad. I liked the food a lot better than chipotle, although they are similar in set up. My friend got a chicken burrito and I took a bite of it and it was also delicious.. The guacamole and chips didn't disappoint. Overall, I was impressed with the setup, taste and freshness of the ingredients. read more

I have been craving the goat cheese black bean burrito bowl for days... but alas I looked at the nutrition info on the web site and was shocked and appalled.... I didn't go for 3 days because of it .... but today I gave in. It was delish Just the right amount of cheese... But the calories are sooooooo high and so is the fat.... grrr. I don't know what beach I would want to go to after eating these bad boys... sigh... extra laps for me today! all and all good food, but not healthy ( I know duh). If you want to have your lunch with out a side of guilt stay away from the web site :( read more

I have to admit I was a bit nervous visiting Burrito Beach due to the mixed reviews. Even so, I decided to give them a chance. Burrito beach is certainly a chip of of the Qdoba/Chipotle block......you know the chain American-Mex Burrito block. The Good: - Decent variety of proteins for the burritos. - The buffalo chicken was very good. - Goat cheese and black beans sounded great. - Diet Dr. Pepper on fountain The Bad: - My burrito was not wrapped property and fell apart in my hands - The service and overall demeanor of the staff is horrible! Based on food alone, I would probably give BB 3.5 stars, however the bad attitude, mumbling, and non-responsive staff forced a 2 star review. You can really tell that the workers hate what they do. For example, I asked for onion on my burrito... I received a mumbled response and second helping of lettuce. I may return only because of one reason..I have two coupons for free burritos. One this is for sure...they will not receive another penny from me. read more

I'm reviewing this on what I've eaten there the past two times: First, the cabo shrimp burrito -- really excellent and gets 5 stars. However, I've also tried the tomato tortilla soup. Though tasty, it was like eating tomato sludge. They had thickened it with too many ground tortillas (I'm guessing that's what the carbs were) that it was more like a soupy porridge slude. Would have liked it better as it was advertised at, which was a soup. I also had the chicken lime soup. First of all, they didn't even fill my cup up all the way; more like 3/4 full. Then, it seemed like they took leftover chicken and rice and threw it into a soup with leftover tortilla pieces. It was very disappointing. Last, the worst was the chips and salsa. The chips were stale and the salsa needed more salt and seasoning to it. It didn't have a kick (not that I was looking for hot), nor a burst of flavor enough to mask the staleness of the chips. + read more

Yeah, I'm as unimpressed as the rest of the reviewers are. BUT! It was the patio that brought me in, and that did not disappoint. They have Nantucket nectars, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I ordered the Baja Shrimp burrito. I don't know what came over me. I was very wary of ordering fast food with shrimp, but I had this inexplicable craving and had to give it a try. I was modestly surprised. The spices on the shrimp were good and the quality of it was good. It wasn't over cooked, it didn't taste fishy (sure sign of being less than fresh), and it I didn't get sick later on. Hoopla! The burrito was poorly made though. The people asked me what I wanted in my burrito which for some reason really annoyed me yesterday. There's a menu, it states the ingredients in this *New* creation, and those are the ingredients I want. That's why I ordered the damn thing. Now stop giving me choices and wrap the bitch up, I'm hungry!! Anyway. Thank god I got to eat outside because the whole "beach" motif is taken atrociously too far here. It doesn't taste as good as Chipotle, but the portions are smaller, which is good. It's also cheaper (because the portions are smaller). The ingredients are fresh, and grilled right before your eyes which is also good. Of course it's not Mexican. But DUH! Did you really think a chain? Called Burrito Beach? would be authentic? C'mon people! What you see IS what you get. I'll go back, if only to try the (Entirely american) goat cheese and and black bean burrito. read more

Back in my Chicago traveling days I would always breeze through security, head to burrito beach and order the exact same chicken burrito and belly up at the Admirals club. This week I happened to be staying at the Doubletree downtown and noticed the Burrito Beach a few blocks from the hotel. I wandered down for a late lunch and the place was relatively dead. The staff was clearly cleaning up from their lunch rush. When I unwrapped the foil I quickly remembered that glorious smell and dug in quickly. In any other Burrito shop I go for the hottest salsa, but the first time I had BB I accidentally ordered the mild salsa......and never looked back. Although not spicy at all, the flavors are incredible! I would highly recommend a visit to BB if your anywhere nearby! read more

Cabo shrimp burrito so tasty. I love when a fast food type Mexican place has a shrimp option because I'm not a chicken fan. The guac and salsa are delicious too - wayyyy better than Chipotle. I will never understand why all of Chicagoland is obsessed with that place. Go to Qdoba or burrito beach for superior fake Mexican food! read more

Not bad tacos for the price. Quick and convenient. Asada chicken, if you are going with a chicken option, is the way to go. A nice grilled taste with the right amount of flavor. Their other options, especially the buffalo chicken were over spiced. The buffalo was to much vinegar for me and was not cooked, but rather just chicken drenched in sauce. It's really one of the only options for tacos around Northwestern Hospital. read more

I don't eat meat, so I cannot speak for the quality of their meat products, but their veggie tacos, black bean and goat cheese burrito, and bean and rice burritos are delicious. This place is FAST FAST FAST and efficient; even with a huge line I am out of there in under 10. Also, with three tacos with a side of rice at under $6 very affordable for the area. This place is always super nice to me about substitutions (Beans for rice, corn instead of salsa on my tacos) and depending on my demands will not charge me for extra cheese. Eating here is certainly nothing about which to be ashamed. They beat the pants off Chipotle (also down the block from my office) for speed and quality of food and service if not quantity. It's not four star dining or anything, but for fast food I am always happy. read more

I'm stuck between Meh & A-OK, I'd like to go 3 stars but I just can't. Burrito Beach is down the street from my office, and there's a reason I've only been here 3 times in almost 3 years for lunch. The guacamole is good, chips are decent but not as good as Chipotle's. I just have a problem with the main entrees, I'm not a huge fan of any of their options. I think the chicken is kinda dry and wayyyyyy too spicy. I've finally learned my lesson, after eating lunch here I normally have to go get something somewhere else to satisfy whatever it was I was wanting to eat. I'm curious about the breakfast burritos, maybe one of these days I'll have to give those a shot & update. Otherwise, I'm gonna continue to skip this beach unless I have a mid-afternoon craving for chips & guacamole or something simple like a cheese quesadilla. read more

I have to admit I WAS a Chip fan but the guys at Burrito Beach put on a great spread at a Resident Event for McClurg the other night and if it wasn't just the great food...I would give them mad props for the presentation and attention to detail. Greg took time to meet us and give us a few free passes that we will be abusing in the VERY near future! I say thanks and see ya soon! The Guac, Chicken, Beef were all seasoned perfect and the mixed veggies are something NEW, Different and just down right AMAZING! Try it, love it and frequent the places all over Chicago! read more

I first had the goat cheese and black bean burrito at Lollapalooza and loved it. Had it again last year and loved it. Stayed across the street from this Burrito Beach a few days ago, and got the same burrito. It was not as good. I dunno, perhaps I got the wrong ingredients or it wasn't sitting out in the sun marinating like at Lollapalooza, but it just wasn't as magically delicious. Perhaps they were just having an off day. Will try again next time. read more

OK. My nephew loves this place because he can get a bean, rice and cheese burrito like he did when he lived in California. Other burrito places in Chicago generally don't do rice and beans from what I gather. This place reminded me of a slightly better Chipotle (not a fan). The service was very nice and efficient. read more

Definitely sub-par compared to Qdoba or Chipotle. Meat is drier Salsas are just ok.... It's fine if you don't have an alternate nearby but for this location with Qdoba right around the corner there's little reason to come here.... read more

I personally like the burrito in here. I like the other location better honestly but this location is still just literally the same with the other one. When I do not have food in mind for breakfast, brunch and lunch and I do not want burgers or hot dogs I would just go to this place and order their burrito. I eat their burrito for a lot of times that I cannot almost count it and never have I ever had a bad experience or anything. Their burrito and basically or their food is delicious and of course fresh, with fresh ingredients and freshly cooked each time I would order. Prices are fair and reasonable and just your typical price for a food that you could get in a fast food. I also like the fact that their staff is nice, accommodating and friendly. If you haven't been in here then you must visit them! Their menu is not that much but all of their foods are seriously good especially their burritos! read more

Went here to grab a bite to eat since I was starving a little before dinner. There was no one in line so I was able to be served right away. As many people have said, this place is basically exactly like chipotle, but not as polished. That being said, while the quality and flavor was not quite as high as I was hoping, the meal was decent and was a good amount of food for the price. read more

Ugh. Maybe I just have high Chipotle/Qdoba standards. Burrito Beach is a freakin disaster. The food was not fresh, portions were weak sauce and service is so bleh. You can really tell that the workers hate their jobs and just work there to give free food to their friends. (As we were eating our food, some of their friends filed in to make some ginormous burrito bowls.) I got the Baja Chicken Burrito Bowl. There was more lettuce in my bowl than anything. I only got a couple pieces of chicken and they were dried out, crusty and unflavorful. The rice wasn't very good either. I won't be back. Taco Bell serves better food than this joint. Move over Burrito Beach, my beach bod will trek over to the Chipotle on State/Grand next time... read more

Their burritos are pretty good. But what solidifies the four stars is how this place always has AWESOME coupons!! Sometimes you'll get them in the email. But you can even just Google search them. In fact, do it right now (or go here: http://www.moneymailer.com/print-mailed-ad-320-31-1777-order-320-31-135-front.jpg), there's a set of coupons you can find online that are good until June 15th! Either buy one entree get one free, or get free guac and chips, or get a free Refresco drink w/ ur burrito. Hurry!! Their homemade guacomole is also REALLY good. And I like that they offer cool "Refresco" drinks, very unique idea. I've only had the horchata, and that was really good. read more

The chicken and chorizo burrito was amazing; unfortunately, the next time I visited here I found out that was a limited time menu item. The buffalo chicken burrito was good, nothing great. The service was friendly and efficient, and manager was walking around ensuring the soda and condiment bar was clean. read more

I had 3 tacos... One, black Angus ground beef, one steak, one brisket! So good that I ate them before I could take a picture! read more

I almost never eat out anywhere, 'cos I'm too poor. But today I went out for an errand at lunchtime, passed by this Burrito Beach (which I've bypassed many times before) -- with money in my pocket and craving a change from my Ramen noodles. Didn't expect to like it. All the items seemed to have some ingredient I wasn't crazy about (goat cheese, blue cheese, cilantro). Finally chose the veggie burrito, to go. It was fast and very reasonable, with my NU discount. And much better than I expected. The veggies weren't overdone and had a nice firm texture. The other reviewers were right that they go heavy on the onions, but I liked it that way (and you can probably ask them to tone it down, if you're quick enough). Did have cilantro in it, but I didn't seem to mind it. Too much food for a little person like me; made me extra sleepy in the afternoon. Didn't want any dinner, either. Sure, it's not like a burrito from a *real* Mexican joint, but it is what it is, and I thought it was pretty good. read more

TL;DR: The burrito was really good, but I draw the line at being overcharged. I passed this place every day on a temporary assignment downtown and finally stopped in to give it a try. The people who worked there were nice enough, the place looked clean and well-taken care of and the food looked fresh and definitely made me want to eat. I ordered an asada chicken burrito and guac with chips. Both were very good, no complaints about taste, quality or quantity, but the price? I was too distracted at the time, so I didn't realize that my $6 odd dollar burrito magically came out to $8.50. I didn't order any extras, so what gives?! Tax is high, but it ain't *that* high. So needless to say, I'm not a happy camper and probably won't be going back. read more

Burrito Beach has great food. I had the Cabo shrimp and it was fantastic. The place is very quick, too. Some might find elements of Qdoba in the food and atmosphere, but it's more stylized and, frankly, better than Q. They also serve Intelligensia coffee. The best Direct Trade coffee in the world. read more

I had the sirloin steak burrito it was meh. Better off going to chipotle for a quick bite.

This is not great. In the past I have gotten burritos/burrito bowls with veggies. The veggies are not fresh at all and the meal in its entirety is "bleh." Last night I had a few drinks and stopped by here on my way home thinking this would hit the spot. I ordered veggie nachos with rice and beans. The cheese was the cheap stuff you would get at a basketball game, not the normal queso that should have been available. I got medium salsa, which for some reason practically burned my mouth off. Lastly guac was extra and no sour cream was provided. Literally the nachos had four ingredients, and I also ran out of chips. I wouldn't come back here. read more

I used to eat Burrito Beach all time time way before Chipotle existed--there was one near my job at the time. I hadn't been to one in years but suddenly remembered the delicious Buffalo Chicken burrito, maybe they still have it after all these years. Well, they changed their setup so I experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance when I walked in, it looks so much like Chipotle now. They basically follow the Chipotle format, but they did still have the Buffalo Chicken burrito (though no blue cheese dressing for it) and it as still delicious. Will probably come here again over Chipotle. read more

I have to admit, I'm a Burrito Beach fan. No, it's not authentic by any stretch of the imagination. But guess what... none of the chains are! They have some creative and tasty menu options here. I usually get one of the various chicken burritos, but sometimes opt for the others. They're all pretty good. They aren't good for you, but you have the option of getting your burrito in a bowl (like at Chipotle) and removing the tortilla from the equation makes it much better for you. The prices are reasonable here. This is the Burrito Beach I've been to the most. It's pretty spacious and has plenty of seating inside and outside. There is decent people watching outside or sitting by the windows. Service is speedy, but the people who work aren't particularly friendly or unfriendly. It's not always the cleanest but it's never filthy. Just don't use the bathroom here. Seriously. BB has a loyalty card where you get a free burrito after purchasing 10 (I think) but I never carry my card on me so now I have like 3-4 of them. Doh! read more

Among our firm Fooda delivery options. Without fail, more than half of orders do not receive their chips, guac, or other items paid for. This has been consistent behavior for over a year and does not to change. Unfortunate that either they're over encumbered (but still charging for items not delivered) or know that this practice net gains them more income. read more

I was not a fan of the tortillas, or most of the fillings. I got a real McDonald's-esque feeling in this place. While I was in there, a kid claimed that he got his lap-top stolen and began to scream at the employees, and even a customer. I'm sure he lost it, but his rant was rather entertaining. I will say that the owner contacted me after giving this place a one-star review, and for that kind of attention and concern for his business, I'm awarding them another star. read more

Fool me once-shame on you Fool me three times-what am I, an idiot? The last time I ate here I left wishing I had just bought a day old sandwich across the street at White Hen. I try to remind myself of this as the bright colors and festive music try to tempt me in there. I will not be fooled again...I will wait two blocks and get some tried and true Chipoltle. read more

Burrito Beach was a surprisingly great burrito, Taco, salsa and more. For a quick casual burrito place Burrito Beach surprised as a really really good one read more

Overall an experience but lacks the finesse of other burrito chains. The meat tasted slightly overcooked and decreased my initial experience - i would like to go back and try again! The chips and guacamole were great though! read more

I ordered the shrimp burrito and watched the guy behind the counter sprinkle a few measly shrimp onto a bed of rice and beans and then carelessly toss the partially finished burrito onto the counter where it sat for what seemed like an eternity before someone else picked it up and asked me what sort of salsa i want. Other than that, the service was okay but my burrito was pretty bleh. The shrimp tasted old and was oversalted, the "jack cheese + sour cream" in the menu description was missing and the rest of the filling was relatively bland. It was also disappointingly small for $6.50. But I guess that's what I get for going to a "Mexican" place in Streeterville. Next time I'm there around lunchtime, I think I'll just take the bus home and eat there. read more