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Red Burrito
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
1700 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5N 4A3
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 707-0877
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
32 reviews for Red Burrito
Review Highlights
"I had the Spicy Beef, on Tomato tortilla and guacamole."
(in 4 reviews)
"...would find at a typical fast food joint while still being..."
(in 4 reviews)
"Man, I miss that hot sauce."
(in 3 reviews)
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32 reviews in English
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Review from Mike M.
Edmonton, AB
12/23/2011
I really wish I could give this place more than five stars. I stopped in here before heading off to some bars along the drive a few days ago.
Full disclosure: I was riding high on mdma when I went there and I'm not feeling too bad myself right now. ;)
I got the beef burrito and it was amazing. The guacamole is incredible, I don't know what they put in that stuff, but it might be some of the best I've ever had. Everything was packed with flavour, even the limes tasted amazing. I think they might be locally sourced. It was a big burrito too!
The water was nice and cold, but not so cold that it would freeze your gums if you drank a lot of it. I know that's a small detail but what makes or breaks a restaurant is the small details. The service was great as far as order at the till restaurants go, the guy working there was smiling as much as I was! Especially after I told him how amazing a burrito maker he was.
Definitely going to hit this place up again! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone else on mdma, see you there! -
Review from Kas D.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2012
3.5
Good burritos - medium on the flavour, large on the size. Certainly would not call it "authentic" Mexican food. But it's A-ok and I'd go again. Kind of wish there were more veggies/spice/sauce. -
Review from Daniel B.
Vancouver, BC
1/21/2012
I'd liken this place to the Mexican equivalent of Subway. You go in, choose what type of burrito you'd like, then choose what other stuff you'd like thrown into it. The usual suspects are all there: beans, rice, sour cream, guacamole, cheese and salsa.
Unfortunately, just like Subway, you're not getting a quality product, you are getting something fresh that has been thrown together quickly. It's fast food, so has all the pros and cons of any other fast food place.
The major con being that the burrito, while fresh, is still pretty bland, and likewise the atmosphere is the same. People are there to get a quick meal and keep hunger at bay, not to have a dining experience.
Red Burrito does its job amicably - if you're wanting a fresh burrito in a matter of minutes, you could probably do a lot worse. But if you're wanting some good food, you could definitely do a lot better. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2011
In the words of Teddy KGB, "I feel so unsatisfied".
Better than Steamrollers flavour-wise (if you can consider Steamrollers 'Mexican) - but that's not saying much. Shows me to be lazy and want a quick meal to go (again, like KGB -- "... like a young man coming in for a quickie."). Grabbed a fully-loaded pork burrito for ~$7 after tax. Not a lot of meat, beans or rice added - but loaded with veggies. I'm not sure if this is a cost-saving measure or it's popular with the usual, earthy type of people that hang out on the Drive. You know who I'm talking about...
The burrito was big - it was more like a salad wrap than a burrito.
It wasn't cheap, good or filling - people that like this place seem to *LOVE* this place. Why?Listed in: East Van Eateries, Shots Fired
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Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2011
Its a cute little place that can get quite crowded.
I've been there to witness a lineup and that was not as smooth sailing as it should have been. There was one girl making it, when there should have been 2, 3 including the girl at the till, but you could tell that as people lined up, she was getting more and more flustered and concerned with the line.
The price isn't too bad for what you get, but sometimes the meat can be a bit oily after stewing in that hot meaty bath for a while.
Its always delicious and warm, so I can't see why not. :) -
Review from Erin U.
10/13/2011
I think its good, a bit pricey but good. I mean...we arent in mexico people and they dont have a huge menu, its just a burrito shop. If you want anything other than a good burrito...go elsewhere.
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Review from Cody S.
2/16/2011
I can't say that this was a very delicious or memorable experience. Yeah, I can definitely agree that you will be full when you walk out the door. The food is ok, it could taste more like Mexican food...but we are in Vancouver and there isn't much competition. So I will consider it what it mostly is, a fast food restaurant.
The service is kind of weird...we walked in the door and they looked at us like they were in the 'twilight zone'....maybe they were just having an off day. As for the speed....very quick. You can be in and out in no time. I figure we will be back if we are in a hurry and in need of carne asada and rice in a tortilla! -
Review from josh j.
Calgary, AB
12/1/2011
Nothing beats being on The Drive and stepping in for some Mexican that actually tastes like it should. Simple store front with a simple menu. Tortillas have a nice consistency and portion size is reminiscent of being back in the US. I, however, have heard recently, that prices have gone up considerably. I guess that warrants a visit, any excuse for a burrito!
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Review from Sarah D.
4/19/2011
Man, this place has undergone some harsh criticism. My husband is from Northern California, and yes, the Mexican food that you can get down there is downright amazing. HOWEVER, being in Vancouver we all have to suck it up and accept the fact that we're not going to find the same quality of cheap, homemade Mexican food. Around these parts, we trade the cheap, good, plentiful Mexican food for cheap, good, plentiful sushi. Not a bad trade-off if you ask me.
That all being said, is the food at Red Burrito delicious? Yes. Are the ingredients fresh? Yes. Are the salsas flavourful and tasty? Yes.
I was here the other night, and I ordered a pork burrito. I was really impressed by the food, and the meat definitely had some heat to it (big bonus points for me). The salsas were delish, and the guacamole was very tasty as well. As far as "fast food" goes, this is a great choice, and I'll gladly order food from here again. It's good food, folks! -
Review from John C.
6/15/2010
Suffice it to say, if you're an American living in Canada (but also lived in either Arizona, Nevada or California at some point...not necessarily all three at the same time), you miss good Mexican food and good burritos. Oh sure, there are some hardworking restauranteers out there who try their very best, but the output simply doesn't compare to what you find south of the border (especially closer to the border that gives so many Americans fits...they love their burritos but seem to have problems with the makers of the burritos, but that's an entirely different subject for another day).
Red Burrito on Commercial (which I saw in a flyer advertising Italian day on the Drive) is a Canadian attempt at a Chipotle style of burrito construction. The ingredients look familiar but at no point do they quite seem to match the flavors and awesomeness of a burrito you'd find in San Diego.
I had a burrito in San Diego in 2008 that I still think about in wistful terms.
While the burrito tonight was, well, okay, it's certainly not something I'll remember beyond the end of this sentence. -
Review from L K.
Burnaby, BC
8/4/2011
Worth what you pay for. Can realistically split a burrito between two people.
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Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2010
I gave this 3 stars because, girl, it is what it is.
I mean, you can't go to this place expecting to find fine dining. What I do get out of this place is - FULL.
It's inexpensive, filling and fast. Sure, my burrito could have had more zip to it but to be honest, it's tough to complain for the sheer size of the food you get. I'm telling you that burrito was the size of my head. A bit of an exaggeration but you get my point. It's not bad.
If you want Mexican food on the Drive or actually anywhere in the city, walk a little further down the block. Sit down and have a meal at Tio Pepe's - now that's 5 stars! -
Review from Kristen F.
Vancouver, BC
9/6/2008
All my Canadian friends SWEAR by this place but being from California and almost turning Mexican from all the delicious Mexican food I consumed, I didn't think this place was good at all.
If you've been to Chipotle, you'll recognize the technique. You have a choice as to what kind of meat you want. Do you want that in a burrito, salad, bowl, etc... and choice of toppings to go with it. The foods fresh, the service is friendly and it's in the trendy commercial drive area. So after your meal, go work it off with some shopping.
Canadians love it, Americans not so much. Damn I really miss having good Mexican food. -
Review from Garry C.
Whistler, BC
7/3/2009 16 Check-ins Here
This is as probably as good as it gets for burritos outside of California. I had my first burrito in the Mission district in San Francisco and nothing can compare to burritos there. However, Red Burrito comes close.
The tortillas are fresh as are the ingredients. They've got several hot sauces to choose from also.
If you've never had a burrito in Mission in San Francisco, then you probably don't know, but eat here and it's very similar. It's pretty authentic here.
Nothing in Canada or the Eastern USA is as satisfying.Listed in: Vancouver Eats, Burrito Feast
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Review from Tim L.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2009
I think it was Janis Joplin that said "You only gotta do one thing well to make it in this world, babe." And hoo nelly, Red Burrito does one thing well: you guessed it, they make a killer burrito.
No mexi fries (which I'm pretty sure aren't a real thing in Mexico), quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, empanadas, nachos or whatever. Just burritos.
All ingredients are fresh and hearty, the guacamole is home-made (extra $1.25 by the way) and the chicken and beef is on the roaster-spinning-thing (that's the official technical term by the way). They never skimp on the fillings which is great too; if anything they put in too much. On several occasions I've struggled to finish my over-filled burrito-beast.
And get this: the folks her serve you are actually Mexican! Or perhaps they're ringers from Nicaragua. Man that's fun to say ... Nicarrrrragua.
Review over. -
Review from Simon R.
BC
11/11/2008 1 photo
Always busy, this food on the go Mexican restaurant serves huge foil wrapped burritos and fajitas that look like enormous bullets to be shot down your throat with as much cilantro as you want.
The food is made in front of the customer, so eaters can line up against the sneeze guard and specify their preference of toppings and degree of spiciness. Servings are hard to finish, in that they are so large you may want to pay the extra 50 cents for another tortilla to wrap around the first tortilla. -
Review from Gabriel C.
Vancouver, BC
5/24/2011
So yes, full disclosure I come from San Francisco so yes I know what the hell incredible mexican food tastes like. That, however is not why I am giving the ol' two stars treatment to the Red Burrito. I (like a number of folks who have reviewed) have noted a distinct lack of quality and quantity as the years have gone by. The portions haven gotten significantly smaller while the price remains the same. And what the heck happened to the Cholula hot sauce at every table? Man, I miss that hot sauce. Now they have one single squeeze bottle of some damn thing. I am not sure what they have done ingredient wise (more cost saving measures I am sure) but this is not the same place I came into two years ago or so.
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Review from Lisa P.
10/29/2009
First of all, let me explain why I'm only giving this place 3 stars. I lived in San Diego for a while and have probably tasted some of the best burritos on the planet. Therefore, it's really hard to find anything that compares. That being said, The Red Burrito was pretty good for a Canadian joint.
I ordered the red burrito with Baja shrimp. They were a little skimpy on the shrimp, 6 to be exact. Should have opted for the chicken as you get much more. I wonder if they used Canadian shrimp would I get more since they must have to import these shrimp from Baja? LOL I got it loaded up with guacamole, sour cream and everything else. Not sure I'd get corn on it again because that's not how they make burritos in San Diego. The flavor was good overall but just lacking in something special to make it really pop.
If you're looking for a solid burrito with nice flavor, give the Red Burrito a try. -
Review from Erin G.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2010
I just can't bring myself to give Red Burrito 3 stars 'cause really "I've experienced better" is accurate. Admittedly I am slightly biased after living in The Mission District of San Francisco for 6 months this past year (you have not experienced a true burrito until you visit The Mission for one). So, maybe it deserves 3 stars for being a half decent burrito place in Vancouver? I'm torn.
I had the vegetarian "Red Burrito" with rice, black beans, guacamole, all the veggies EXCEPT corn, and salsa verde. It was fine. No bad flavours, but it was lacking a certain no lo sé. If a little bottle of Tapatio were available to me for this meal I might not have hesitated to give Red Burrito the 3rd star. Some table top hot sauce would have made me Jarabe Tapatio a little inside! (Google it!)
I will tell you that my tortilla was stuffed so full that the guy making it could barely close the thing, and there was no way I was going to get the entire thing into my belly. I couldn't eat another bite after I hit the 3/4 mark. -
Review from Dave K.
2/2/2010
Nothing wrong with the Red Burrito - a big, wrapped-up heap of meat, rice and veg, your choice of sauce ... what more do you need?
They load you up with coriander, and the onion is oh so very peppery (because too-much pepper means just-enough pepper). -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
9/17/2008
The best thing about this place is that you don't have to get your burrito as a wrap - you can get any burrito on the menu as a "burrito in a bowl"; and this makes this place gluten friendly as well (just make sure you check on the sauces to be gluten friendly as well before you order!).
On the corner of 1st and Commercial, Red Burrito has a line at any given point of the day... but don't dispair because the lines move fast. It's best to pay with cash here, because they charge you an extra service fee if you want to use debit. -
Review from Food Ninja D.
Vancouver, BC
4/4/2011
It's not great. It's not shit. Why oh why is it so poor, when really, that's all there is!?!?
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Review from Vince N.
9/8/2009
Ok Burrito!
Tried it out on the recommendation of others, even the guy on the street. I would say the burritos are average.
The spicy beef is good. The Chicken looked a bit dry.
Don't know why they don't take credit cards, but they don't.
The spicy salsa is well real spicy.
The guacamole can be skipped, so can the chips.
The tomato tortilla is good.
Quick bite for those who are in a hurry. -
Review from Joyce D.
Burnaby, BC
9/9/2009
Ok I hate to be a nay-sayer but this place is not at all what I expected. Tried it out a few weeks ago and I guess I got turned off because I ended up with food poisoning. Yup a bad case of food poisoning which was too bad because I tried Red Burrito at a different location and I thought it was ok; I wouldn't say the best Mexican but just ok. This location leaves little to be desired.
Not what you would call true authentic Mexican, after the first bite you can tell it is clearly fast food. What I ended up getting sick on was the chips and salsa with a side of guacamole believe it or not.
Was the only thing I ate all afternoon so I definitely know it was that. Last visit I tried the chicken soft tacos, 3 small tacos but pretty ordinary and one of the other reviewers had said dry and we are talking Las Vegas desert dry. So yeah, turned off and after this second visit I won't go back. There are so many more authentic Mexican restaurants right in the same vicinity if you like the feel of the drive. Red Burrito is a case of you get what you pay for. I have had a better Old El Paso boxed taco dinner that was much tastier and that is saying a lot!Listed in: Chains: The real truth
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Review from Troy S.
Vancouver, BC
6/15/2009
Yesterday, I went to the "car free day "on The Driver. This was the first place I went into. I ordered the Red Burrito with spicy beef and I had all the fixings! Cheese and the guacamole were extra, but who cares! go for it. My Burrito was so huge! the lady could just barely fold it and wrap it. The best burrito I have ever eaten. I also tired a Mexican milk drink with my burrito. I forgot the name of the drink, but it was sweet and I could taste cinnamon and other spices. All good. Cheers!!!!
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Review from Marge H.
Surrey, BC
4/13/2010
Tried for the first time yesterday, really awesome food.
Tried the spicy beef burrito and hibiscus drink of some sort... Yummy.
The burrito was huge and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay lots of flavours stuffed in there and the person couldn't even wrap it properly ... which is my opinion is worth every $5.96 that they were charging.
The place is nice and cosy - there were 3 of us and we fit just nicely on the round tables there.
My other 2 friends had chicken burrito ... which were also yummy. Definitely worth going back whenever I am in town. -
Review from Mina B.
2/8/2010
$6.04 for a giant and delicious veggie burrito. no extra charge for the guac (only veggie burrito)
service is friendly, the place is cute, my burrito always great.
No question, I'll be back -
Review from David L.
1/1/2010
Once again, this place fails to impress me. This place is so not authentic and the prices are so high. They skimp on the ingredients like a few micro strands of chicken, a tiny teeny amount of black beans, a few teaspoons of rice.... the wraps are so small, and the burritos taste funny. You'll spend almost eight dollars for a burrito and you'll still feel hungry. Red Burrito is for suckers. I feel like a sucker tourist in Tijuana Mexico when I eat here.
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Review from Jenna H.
Vancouver, BC
8/4/2009
A great place to grab a quick and tasty bite. Red Burrito offers healthier options than what you would find at a typical fast food joint while still being very satisfying. I had the burrito with baja fish which was fabulous. I like food very spicy (like a party in my mouth!) so I liberally applied hot sauce so it was perfectly warm. The atmosphere is what you would expect from a fast food Mexican joint. Nothing special but you probably won't spend more than 15min there so who really cares. I would definitely go back next time I am in the hood.
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Review from Susanne J.
Hope, BC
7/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
The veggie burrito I had, wrapped in a nice red tortilla and stuffed with rice, beans, corn, guac, tomatoes and salsa verde was very tasty. Definitely hit the spot. $7 was a bit much I think but I'd go back for my burrito fix again. I ate in, on a window bench, sun pouring through. Only thing I'd do different is make them keep the styrofoam plate they gave me. Too wasteful, and you don't really need it if you wrap the burrito in foil properly, keeping all those yummy veggie juices inside.
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Review from Roy A.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2009
Red Burrito is amazing. Friendly staff, great prices. I had the Spicy Beef, on Tomato tortilla and guacamole. Tasty. Best burrito I have had in Canada
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Review from Dick J.
Vancouver, BC
6/17/2009
Not very good at all. Cheap and not filling. . .
