If you are from the Midwest, particularly more rural areas, you will think it's great. If you are from the Southwest, you might cry, hot, bitter tears of disappointment. You start off with chips and salsa. The salsa is good, and fresh tasting, but it's definitely gringo salsa. Almost no cilantro. No spice. It's lovely and fresh and tomatoey, but it's not what I call salsa. I asked for a hotter salsa. That one was salsa. I didn't want to burn my husband so I dipped my chips in the hot salsa first and then a nice scoop of the mild stuff. Perfect. If I had my son with me I would have made a ratio 2/3 mild to 1/3 hot and it would have been perfect. That and some more cilantro. I also sprinkled the bean dip liberally with the hot salsa. That was lovely. I ordered the taquitos plate and a pork tamale. The tamale was good, not Los Angeles good, but it made me much less homesick. It was served with a bowl of what tasted like enchilada sauce, which wasn't terribly spicy. The taquitos were not what Angelenos think of as taquitos, we would call them flautas. Taquitos means "little taco" and should be a corn tortilla. But the meat was good and flavorful, they were served as I am used to, and the rice is nice. More perplexingly, my husband ordered chicken enchiladas suizas. What he was served seemed like tiny Jack cheese burritos (again with the flour tortillas instead of corn) covered in the white goo from the beans and cheese dip that is so ubiquitous here, and topped with pork. It seemed like a very mild chile verde made from what I suspect is the carnitas. My husband graciously declared it a new interpretation on chicken enchiladas suizas, but I'm pretty sure I had those for lunch one time and other than being chicken cooked in red sauce, they were a kissing cousin to actual chicken enchiladas suizas. It was late, perhaps they were out of chicken. The pork was tasty, my husband enjoyed that part, we were fed, and I didn't have to cook after a nightmarish day. That's what really matters. The margaritas are mix, no surprise there, I suspect you can't find a hand made margarita in a 40 mile radius of here, but they were strong and pleasant. Don't get me wrong, there is much to like here, especially if you are a local. There is much care that goes into the preparation here, it's honest food if a little heavy of the GFS goods. I think next time I'll get the carnitas plate and I'll probably be ecstatic. The service is quite good, they are nice and attentive. The flan however is a no. It's not the creamy, eggy, dense kind, it's the quivery, gelatinous from a mix kind with too many bubbles that comes from mixing in a blender/mixer and not letting the custard rest or tapping the pan on a counter. It also has an unusual spice note that reminded me of New England baked custard, not of flan. I'm not sure how much flan they could possibly sell in Big Rapids and it spoils so easily so I can't blame them, but oh, I wanted to cry.... Given the other dining options in town I usually default to a Wendy's double when I don't want to cook. This was definitely a wonderful break from that. This place has earned their spot here. But as someone from Los Angeles who is a pretty adept cook, it's not the Mexican food I grew up with or raise my kids on. If you're looking for authentic, there are some great options in Grand Rapids, but if you need comfort food close to home, this is a great option we are lucky to have in a town this size. read more

Food may have been ok but couldn't tell over the disgusting stench of cleaning supplies. You know, like the way a cheap hotel smells like to much cleaning supply to cover up who knows what, except this is a restaurant. Pretty unclean place. Then service sucked and we watched them pretty much just stand around. Someone should teach them to clean in the spare time. Oh yeah, there was 2 different musics playing at same time, that's pretty obnoxious as well. read more

I ordered the Hot n Spicy Burrito. It wasn't spicy at all. It was suppose to have ground beef. It had ground beef, chicken, and roast beef. Either they scraped together whatever was left in the kitchen from the night before, or gave me something different from what I ordered. If I had more time, I would have sent it back. Very disappointed. On top of that, prices are about 20% higher than they normally would be for the same exact food somewhere else. read more

We are regulars and the staff do a great job. It's not fine dining but its good Mexican food at reasonable prices with their lunch specials. The prices are a little high otherwise. read more

El Burrito Loco - Front of building. - Mexican Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

Fun atmosphere, delicious food, and good service. Our waiter did mumble regularly and didn't seem to mind, but he made up for it with his diligence. And the chips and salsa never stop coming! read more

El Burrito Loco - La Superior - Mexican Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

We ate here and found 2 dead flies mixed in my rice. When I spoke with staff they just shrugged it off like it's a common thing. Obviously they don't do enough business to turn food over. Won't stop there again. read more

This chain does a pretty decent job at most of the food and they are fast and friendly! We are regulars here. I have had better Mexican but for a small town they really do have a good product. I have tried many other small town Mexican restaurants and am often disappointed. Guac and cheese dip are great. Good lunch specials. This is also convenient to the highway exit. read more

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Such delicious food. I absolutely love coming here with my family for dinner. Very comfy and cozy feeling restaurant

Food is really good. Service is okay. There is one SPECTACULAR server. I think her name is Kara. I've had her a few times and cannot say anything but she is amazing and gives amazing service. There are a couple other female servers that are terrible. Always have a chip on their shoulder and attitude. One is an older lady who typically checks people out, the other is a younger girl who has serious ATTITUDE. If you want a good dining experience AVOID THOSE TWO WAITRESSES AT ALL COSTS. There is another gentleman server I've had who is great also. Food is good though. Very authentic and consistent. Depending on the server, we will be back. read more

Great food, service, and Margaritas. They remember their regulars and my first experience was good as well. I'm still trying to talk them into making crispy flour tortilla taco shells. They are delishious. I guess for now I make them at home. read more

My favorite spot in Big Rapids! The Quesadilla Fajita with extra white cheese is by far the best! The only reason I give this rating a 4/5 instead of 5/5 is because I've noticed the salsa has been watered down and not as chunky the last few visits. read more

Nice change from the ho hum. Authentic Mexican food, reasonable prices and friendly staff. If your looking for a change from the ordinary in Big Rapids, give this place a try. Burritos are very tasty. Dessert is delicious! read more

We love El Burrito! The food is authentic and the staff fantastic. They have great margaritas, too.

Great food, fair prices. The cheese enchiladas and margaritas are my most favorite things here. The service is always great too. I can't think of one thing I don't life about the restaurant/atmosphere. read more

I have been to many Mexican restaurants, however, this place is the best. I went back several times to make certain I could say this. They are consistently great! I've had their signature burrito as well as two other dishes that were superb. I learned from the staff that they don't buy pre-made but make mostly from scratch. Even their salsa.. wow... love this place read more

Excellent service, wonderful atmosphere. Margaritas are great here and the portions are perfect.

Reasonably priced, good service, easy on and off the highway, great tasting Mexican. We got the lunch special, a taco, burrito and enchilada for $6.99. Happy, full bellies! And the chips and salsa were excellent! read more

There is something to be said about dicey strip mall Mexican joints. The food here is delicious and the service is so friendly. We had the ultimate margaritas, which you can order by the pitcher . The chips and salsa are complimentary, homemade and wonderful. With a hint of cilantro and spice. My husband had the mucho burrito which he loved. Very generous with great flavor. He was bummed it didn't come with a side of rice and beans though. I had the steak and cheese burrito which I really liked. And it did come with rice and beans so I shared with my husband, it also came with their homemade guacamole, so good.! Next time we are in the area we will be backs the menu is so large I had a hard time deciding what to get!! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Big Rapids. The service is great and so is the food. I love the house margaritas and all the quesadillas. I am a regular at this restaurant and enjoy interacting with all of the employees here. read more

This place is related to El Rancho in Holland, MI. We enjoy El Rancho and happen to pass by Burrito loco while camping in Big Rapids. To take a break from cooking over the fire we got some food to go. It was very good and we will remember this location for future trips. read more

I have eaten here a few times and it was so - so neither bad nor good. Good place to go to give someone and idea of what Mexican cuisine is all about. read more

Very good Mexican cuisine. Favorite is the chile relleno. The service is so fast, I wish they would slow down a bit because the food deserves to be savored, especially during dinners. Waitstaff is very friendly and the atmosphere is family casual. Nice lunch menu with limitless combinations. read more

There is a double listing for this place at the Big Rapids address which has been reported to Yelp. The food is okay but not great. Service was good. Since there's not much Mexican restaurant competition in the area prices are a little on the high side. I guess you got to go to Grand Rapids for great Mexican food? read more

Food is good and service is fast and very polite. I had the burrito loco smothered in queso cheese and it was amazing. This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to. read more

This little strip center restaurant is easy to miss but you will be doing yourself a favor to find it! It's great to find a Mexican restaurant this good when you're "up north". My favorite: chile rellenos!! read more

Not sure what Good Mexican place this is different from. Great Mayson's margaritas, great chips and salsa, and great food. Will definitely come back here, if in the area. read more

El Burrito Loco - Great place to eat! - Mexican Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

Unlimited chips and salsa is always made fresh!! Fast service and friendly staff!! Great food and drinks specials daily!!! Try the chimi cheesecake for dessert!! read more

This place is fantastic. Favorite place to eat in Big Rapids. Huge portions, amazing food, and a very nice staff. Even though I enjoy the restaurant, my favorite thing to do is order take out! read more

Had been in BR to visit a friend and had that hankering for a burrito or such. Did a quick look and found this place near the highway. This is part of a larger chain but I don't believe a mega-chain which we steer away from: want to encourage our creative chefs and small businesses. Restaurant was clean and I was greeted & seated within about 30 secs of entering. Provided chips & salsa (chips are under-seasoned in my opinion but I also believe salt & seasonings are the 8th wonder of the world). Student-aged server approached and took my drink order and answered some questions on the menu & the night's special for $8.69 which was their 2 chimichanga meal with rice and sour cream. Went with it. Arrived super fast & hot. Tasty. Respectable Mexican food in a clean environment with efficient service: A-OK in my book. Worth a try if you're in the area and craving a taco, burrito.....you get the picture. read more

Went in Sunday afternoon for dinner, the place was moderately full. They were understaffed and our waitress was totally overwhelmed. We paid for our drinks and left. This is the second time this has happened. The food is good, but about 1 our of 5 times I go there something like this happens; no service, screwed up order, etc. read more

This restaurants sucks. Service sucked! Waited and watched as people who came in after us got drinks and orders taken and we didn't even get water!!! Walked out. Don't go here!! ( the hostess was very nice). Lost out on big tip!!! read more

I really enjoy this restaurant. The food is always good and the decor is so vibrant! It's very welcoming and the wait staff is friendly.

Great food, but horrible service and way over priced! The server was more pre-occupied with the table of regulars next to us than anyone else. We even told him it was our first time being there, obviously a horrible first impression, and it didn't get any better. He walked by our empty glasses sitting at the edge of the table at least 3 times and finally when he came back to the table he asked if he could get us anything else. Who has to ask for the first refill, especially after waiting 15+ minutes from when it was empty? Honestly the food is the only thing keeping this restaurant open. And to top it off they were not busy at all. Most likely would not go back. read more

Service was slow, restaurant was not busy (maybe 6 tables were occupied). We were here for over an hour and we knew what we wanted right away. Salsa was very sweet and tasted like it came out of a can. The chips were good. By the time we placed the order we needed a refill of chips and salsa. The waitress rarely came by. My son had an empty cup for over 20 minutes. The fajita nachos were mainly green peppers with very little chicken. The chicken taco salad also had very little chicken. My son was still hungry when we left. We were disappointed. We felt this was way over priced for the quality and quantity of food we received. read more

Always dependable and tasty. I love their salsa with a little bit of hot sauce (at the table) added. Big variety.

I must start with the fact that I have been here before and loved it, but my last experience was disappointing. It took 10 minutes just to get greeted and to be sat at a table. Our waiter only stopped by when he had to take our order and deliver our food. NOT impressed. The food itself took 25 minutes before we got to eat, and the waiter never apologized for the wait or even acknowledged it. The restaurant was not even that busy. The other part that I was not impressed with is that 3 tables that were next to us were seated, served and left before we even got our meal. The food itself was subpar, and my friend had the shrimp and he said it was not worth the price. I couldn't even get a chance to let our waiter know because he was MIA until we finished eating and he came and collected our plates leaving us with the bill. No thank you for coming or stop by again, he was silent. The man at the front where we paid was very friendly but that was the only time we received any friendly interactions. The walls were dirty, and the bathroom needed to be cleaned, and the carpet was ripping. Not impressed with the service this time, and would only recommend if you ready for disappointment. read more

We had to ask for chips after sitting there for ten minutes. There were only two other tables of people besides me and my friend. Horrible drinks, food and service. My strawberry daiquiri had little to no flavor with a ton of ice and whipped cream. Chicken taquitos weren't very good. They covered the rice with a huge mound of lettuce to make it look like there was more rice. The beans were so puréed they slid right off the chips. The cheese on the chips was white and runny. I have no idea what that was. It definitely was not quest. At the end of the meal the server asked if we wanted water. We told her she had already given us water at the beginning of the meal. The cups were still full. My plate was still over half full. I was never offered a box. I will never go here again!!! read more

Been visiting restaurant over last several years and quality continues to decline. Staff not very friendly. Don't want to honor coupons that they print. Look for every excuse not to honor them. Even after we told them we didn't plan on ever returning, they didn't seen to care. Don't seem concerned about whether or not customers return. read more

My overall experience at El Burrito was mediocre. In the beginning I was disappointed with the fact that I was not greeted by anyone. I saw a waitress folding napkin sets at a table and after 5 minutes she got up and asked if we were dining in. After that we were seated quickly. Our menus were placed on the table instead of handing then and we were not told the name of who would be waiting on us. Once the waitress came over she greeted us informally and asked what we would like to drink. The service from that point was very quick. She brought out salsa with our drinks and took our orders. My food was delicious, I had the chicken quesadillas and rice. However my friends Chicken tacos were a little soggy. We both ordered fried ice cream and I have absolutely no complaints on that. The facility has great decorations that are very authentic to the culture. They could do a better job at cleaning. The tables were sticky and the floors badly needed to be swept. The bathroom had undefinable things on the walls and toilet paper scattered around the room. I did give this review a 4 star because the food was so good and my waitress was very kind. I would definitely go back again. read more

Quick service, good food. Hubby had the steak burrito (#25 lunch special). He was pleasantly surprised at how good it was, as some places the meat isn't as high a quality as this one. We will be back if we are in the area again, as we were passing through on a holiday weekend when we happened upon this gem. read more