Okay there are several things wrong at this location: 1. No trash can outside by their patio tables 2. The one trash can outside was full and overflowing 3. Employees need to be trained... or delegated duties better by their supervisor - why so many employees and yet so dirty? The tables outside were filthy we had to find wipes to clean the table 4. Customer service could be better, the employees seemed annoyed I love Chipotle so this was disappointing though the food was decent. This is a sad Chipotle, corporate should get involved *I will say though their bathrooms were stocked* read more

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Mark was the man starting and finishing my order. He insisted on getting my order all upfront instead of as we went along. So I told him. Then, at each step he had to ask me again what I wanted because he forgot and got it wrong. I lightheartedly said that's why I prefer to tell you as I go. He gave me a funny look. At the end, I asked for a lime wedge, just like I always get. He got rude and said no. The woman started ringing me up , he was helping the next customer and I asked her if they had lemon wedges for the iced tea. Mark raised his voice, interrupted my conversation with her, and said No! I asked her if I could buy a wedge, a half a whole or any part of a lemon or lime the way I normally do. Again, he awkwardly stopped helping his customer who looked at me with a look of what I can only describe as , cringe, and then started scolding me for asking about a lemon or lime wedge. I asked the girl if I was conversing with her or him, again he aggressively inserted himself saying, you don't have to talk to me. ( I was not talking to him to begin with). She then asked him to confirm my order so she could finish ringing me up, he was rude to her and refused to speak. I said, sir, hello, she's asking you my order. He gave me a dirty look and with a rude tone told me my order, instead of her. She stood there silent looking very uncomfortable. Then I tried to ease the tension by making a joke saying, I didn't know limes were so controversial. She gave me a dirty look and repeated they don't offer limes. I said, I know, I'm not asking for a lime, I was responding to his attitude and the general uncomfortable atmosphere. She decided it would be a good idea to make it worse by saying a sarcastic rude comment. Horrible customer service. read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

It's chipotle! Employees are friendly, but you can tell they are so understaffed. If corporate reads these reviews, please staff this location better. Your employees deserve it. read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Interior - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This has happened to me before and my friends have also complained about it. When they run out of cheese or meat they up charge by forcing you to buy there steak or queso when them not being stocked is there fault . I don't understand why they don't comp that charge as people just leave and they end up throwing the half built bowl away. Not good customer service. I know it's not the local chipotles fault as this is a corporate rule which reflects on how they see their customers. Small meat portions, higher prices , and up sales when they can. read more

Just ate from here and it will be my last time: the rice is ALWAYS undercooked! I kept going in hopes it was a fluke, and this is my nearest chipotle, but 3 times in a row? The crunchy, undercooked rice just ruins the whole meal. Pass read more

This place is an absolute disgrace to the name. The employees look like they wouldn't much rather be someplace else if they pay attention to you at all. The food looks always like it's running out like there's hardly anything left or something. probably the one you wanted. Good luck plowing your way through this food. It's all clapped together in the bowl. They put far too much sour cream or whatever else you want on there. it's a big mashup of crap. Not to mention the fact that the white race and the brown rice were seriously undercooked and crunchy. Yes. Crunchy rice. Had a tough time making my way through the meal. If you manage to go somewhere else, please do. the zombies who work behind the counter Don't do much to help this reputation either. And I didn't even mention how filthy the place is. there's food all over all over the tables all over the floor wrappers, paper , shreds of lettuce, rice everything kind of like the food exploded and the zombies that work here don't seem very interested in cleaning it up. I know they're underpaid and overworked, but someone's gotta be in charge of this place who gives a shit. And apparently right now there is no one. read more

I just feel bad because the workers were talking about how bad the management is and how they never have any food and there's clearly no chain of order in the restaurant and the workers themselves are loathing the experience of working in the chipotle. Also, 20 bucks for a bowl of food that looked like slop?? I want a refund. Also, get new management, food isn't this miserable. read more

Worst chipotle ever. I paid over $18 for a carne asada bowl and there was so little in there and I was still hungry. I would not come here willingly. Avoid as all other reviews have mentioned read more

I have visited this location several times and it is the worst. The line is insanely long. You get to the front and they are out of all the meat. If you know you are a busy location wouldn't you be better prepared. Every time I visit I have to wait an extra 20 minutes for them to cook meat. Get it together! read more

The food here is horrible. They took 35 minutes to serve me a simple bowl. There is multiple workers and not one was able to jump in and help the line with over 10 customers. read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Small scoops of just rice, chicken, and shredded cheese. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I am absolutely horrified and disgusted by the chipotle at this location. After a long day, waiting for my delicious bowl of barbacoa and asada, I was shocked to find out how cheap chipotle is. With a grain of rice in my bowl I had to ask for a second scoop just for the bowl to have what should've been one scoop. I asked for double protein, and extra green sauce to complete what should have been the best bowl to ever exist. I also asked for red chimichurri, but they discontinued it, only adding to salt to my wound. I go home to eat what I thought was the best bowl on this planet, and as I had wrapped up my meal, I noticed an odd little shape in my LETTUCE. Round, dark, it couldn't be a bug, it has to be a burnt bean, right? Wrong. It was a damn BUG. A BUG. In my BOWL!? Ridiculous. It almost ended like the nasty patty episode from SpongeBob, only worse because I ate half my bowl before noticing the bug. I'm super disappointed and disgusted with this location. Never coming back again. read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - A BUG in my bowl. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This place sucks got no food and there is mold my meat was rock solid with bones employees are horrible read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

They made my order wrong twice after I asked them to remake it, they're clearly over worked and under staffed.

Worst Chipotle I've been too. Super slow, weird, and mean workers, didn't have chicken, most sodas, and ice. Also waited in the slow line for 15 minutes. read more

DON'T. EAT. HERE. Believe the numerous 1 star reviews. I made the mistake of coming here on the afternoon 10/22/2025. Food preparer "jasmain" makes s bowl for the guy in front of me, then rings him up on the cash register, then starts to make my meal. I asked her to put on new gloves since she was just working the cash register. She gave me a look like I just ran over her dog. When it came time to add the meat to my bowl - you guessed it - gave me 1/3 the amount of meat that she gave to the guy in front of me. Seriously? Change your gloves after handling money. California law actually requires that you wash your hands after being on a cash register before returning to touch the food that you're making for the next customer. Oh, inter retaliate against customers for asking you to comply with the California code. You're touching grated cheese and other items after handling money! C'mon! This place is in desperate need of an unannounced visit from corporate or, better still, the Santa Cruz county health department. read more

This location is gross. I fully blame the manager on duty on the morning of July August 8. (Look them up in the log book.) I went in relatively early, at 11 AM, and found the place was absolutely disgusting. Nothing was wiped down. Old Food and chicken were on the tables, floors, and seats! There was brown nasty lettuce on the floor. The soda station was absolutely disgusting. It wasn't stocked. There was no ice, and when I asked a couple of the staff members for help, they gave me attitude, and walked excruciatingly slow to get what I asked for. Then, when they eventually returned from the back room, they didn't even have the right size lids for my drink, yet still felt obliged to cop an attitude with me, even though I'd been waiting for over 15 minutes for ice, napkins, straws, a fork, and a lid for my drink, as my food grew cold. The manager and two other greasy female employees hid in the back and delegated the work to a kind young guy. I should mention that the young man who made my burrito was excellent. He did a fine job. And was obviously aware of the incompetence that surrounds. The manager (red hair?), a bulky trans type, and a young brunette woman are the ones that need to go. They're driving this business into the ground. Whoever owns this location should know that they now hire the most disgraceful manager and staff in the Santa Cruz area. Even the 41st/Capitola location is a better experience, and that's saying a lot. read more

Visited the location on River st in Santa Cruz on 2/19/25 around 3:40. My bowl was made well but I always eat it with chips. Got my order to go and headed home. My chips were stale and there was a bit more than a handful in the bag for $5.20. I was so upset I attempted to call customer service. By the time I finished with them it had been almost 30 mins on the phone. Total waste of time all! Explained to them the circumstances and how my food is now cold. All they will offer is the $5.20 back for my stale chips. You would think a meal on them would be nice and still barely feel like they made it right at that. Nope just a refund for the chips. Haha should have known since they have 2 star rating. My mistake thinking they would care .... Guess I will avoid from now on and it really has never been great anyway. read more

I love chipotle, but this location is actually some sort of sick joke, I swear it's psychological torture. Every time I go in I kid you not the bowl is a quarter filled. I have gone with multiple people and have watched as each of their bowls get a beyond generous portion. Then it's my turn, and I watch my dreams be crushed as I get a half scoop of basically everything. I have attached a video. please. help. P.S. the fajita veggies weren't even cooked. read more

Wow!!! I stopped eating here because of the portion size was next to nothing. But today I was pleasantly surprised! Both my veggie bowl and my wife's chicken bowl was really full, like 1996 full! Looked like it was double meat! read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Veggie bowl - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Consistently the worst dining experience I've ever had. I don't know why I keep trying. From finding dirt in my lettuce, unripe avocado guacamole, to multiple occasions of food poisoning... Avoid at all costs. read more

This place was terrible. All of the tables were dirty. The beans were so over spiced they were inedible. The ice machine was broken. so fountain drinks were un drinkable, and the tangerines that came with the kid's meal were literally rotten inside. When we complained, the staff did nothing except say ok. We have eaten at Chipotle's all over the state and never have encountered such an awful one as this. read more

Ordered a vegetarian bowl and got home to find chopped up bits of dead animals inside of it.

I decided to give this location one last chance, I've had a total 3 bad experiences and was craving chipotle so I decided to give them a chance. Once again my order was messed up. Rice all on the bottom of the bag, my bowl was all bent and crumpled, and it looks like half of the food in my bowl is missing. This place is honestly the worst chipotle. DONT ORDER FROM HERE read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Horrible. It's so dirty inside. Good littered everywhere, trash cans over flowing, drink station is always empty, napkins all over the floor. Smells weird too. Also the food is sus. Very poor service. Poorly managed. Go to the capitola one instead.. trust me. read more

Arrived and the guy taking my order was eating wile making my food. Ordered a veggie burrito and the guy stuffed it so much that he couldn't even wrap it. Iike bro literally had one job. read more

DO NOT ORDER FROM HERE!!!!! Worst Chipotle I have ever been to and I've been to one in Mexico. Out of all the 50+ locations i've been too, I never would've thought they served me cold rice that was still stuck together, as well as putting no CHICKEN ON MY CHICKEN BOWL, also the sour cream they gave was expired. This was a mobile order, but there has been times where I have gone in, and they would fill half the bowl or just have stupid workers that don't know the difference between brown and white rice- honestly they are probably high, I saw a worker smoking in the back of the store. I will do everything in my power to make sure this Chipotle closes, because honesty they are just handing out food poising to people. And if you ever wonder why you got sick, its because of this Chipotle, with their expired, sour food. Don't worry, I'm going to open a Chipotle elsewhere in Santa Cruz with actual responsible workers who fill the customers needs. In this case money isn't a problem but safety and food is, lets all try to get this Chipotle to one star so we can fully close this shithole down. read more

crazy portion control, barely got anything for my bowl. food was fine and service was fine but man I wish I got more food for what I paid for. Much smaller then other Chipotle's i've been to read more

The family room is extremely dirty with tables covered in food, trashes are literally over flowing with trash, no ice in machine, their lemonade machines are empty. It's very sad to see this as such. My meal was just chicken and rice, the charged me for a full bowl. The team members are all just hanging around in the back area not cleaning the establishment. Very disappointed in this location. read more

Keep in mind I've never left a review on any restaurant or fast food place ever but this experience made me download Yelp and leave a review. I honestly can't comprehend how little food he put onto my burrito, it made me think the restaurant was rationing or something. But somehow that doesn't make sense because my order for two people costed $32. I swear to God, prices at chipotle have increased so much. The seating arrangement is whack and they can never have a proper temperature in the restaurant. I gladly took a water cup and filled it with lemonade. read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Food&putside seating - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Always out of CHEESE!!!! What is your problem? Isn't cheese one of your main ingredients ? Get it together Chipotle River Street! How do you run out of cheese consistently two hours before you close ? Geesh!!!!!! read more

Absolutely worst chipotle I've ever been to (and that's a lot). It's hard to mess up a chipotle experience but they managed to. Really poor customer service and lack of training for employees. Will never go back to this location read more

Jackie had a great customer service she recommend me to update my kids crunchy tacos to a kids meal her attitude was excellent am from Monterey bay and if I ever come back to Santa Cruz I definitely coming back hoping I would find the same great customer service great job Jackie keeep up the great work read more

I drove 5 miles just to get a delicious lemonade but ended up paying 3.84 for a crappy root beer. The lack of agua frescas is a consistent problem. You either sell it or you don't . I'm done. read more

ordered online and they gave me an under filled burrito. i ordered a chipotle ranch cup and it was under filled as if done on purpose. not a good place, don't go here. read more

I had an issue with my order and Althea saved the day! Very good manager. Mark deserves a shoutout too. These two deserve a raise! Very good people and the food was delicious :-P read more

This location is lacking flavor. Also made me feel weird. We have gone here a couple of times and it just doesn't hit the same. They're weirdly slow too sometimes. read more

If you order online they won't even half fill your bowl by the way, what a disgusting company and workers. Edit 1: Not Chris linking a URL to the general "contact us page" after like it's gonna do anything... Edit 2: After scrolling down the reviews... Jesus, I'm not the only one who got screwed by Chipotle read more

I love this chipotle !!! The employees are amazing and always greet me with a smile and I'm very happy with the service I was greeted with. I went when it wasn't busy so they respected me and I was greeted with respect. I highly recommend this chipotle! James the manager is a great guy and all the workers here are amazing . Thank You chipotle !!! read more

Horrible location. Supposedly opens at 10:30 and was still closed at 11. Workers just gave a shrug of the shoulders when potential customers knocked on the window asking how much longer. Looking at all the reviews, we were probably saved from an even worse experience with crappy food on top of the lazy service read more

This place sucks so bad. It's hard to believe people spend money here. I purchased a vegetarian bowl and they literally wouldn't give me the guacamole on the side. Said they're only allowed to give it to me if they put it inside so cheap. read more