How does Chipotle compare to Rubio's or Baja Fresh?
 

While we've driven by several Chipotles, the closest one is about six miles away and we just haven't tried them yet. Have been a fan of Baja Fresh for YEARS and recently started getting tacos at Rubio's for an occasional lunch. Is Chipotle any different? Just a newer fresh fast Mexican restaurant? Thanks :)

Baja Fresh has a wider of range of offerings on their menu. Chipotle is mainly a build-your-own (gigantic) burrito place. You can also get tacos and salads there, but it's known for its customization. You pick out the type of salsa, veggies, meat, beans, rice, etc., that you want in your burrito/taco/salad/whatever.

Chipotle is VERY simple but really really really bad for you..Check out their nutrition counter on the website and just build a typical burrito and see how many calories and all that it has. That being said, it's so delicious. Compared to Rubios, it doesn't have anywhere near the variety that Rubios has and no fish tacos at all. Compared to Baja Fresh, basically same story. IMHO, I rank Chipotle 3rd out of those choices.

Since you're So Cal based, here's a few of my tips for places to try:

Chipotle is not one of my favorites, some people rave about it. It's under the parent company of McDonald's. I'd rate it at the bottom of my list, everything seems seasoned improperly.

Baja Fresh is good mostly because I like the salsa bar. It's parent company used to be the same as Wendy's. I'd rate it in the middle of my list.

FINS is good, but used to be better and they closed many locations. I'd say they have one of the better fish tacos. K-38 is my choice of meal. I'd rate them closer to the top of my list.

Wahoo's is good, but big on piling on the beans and rice-less, small on the entree. To me everything besides the fish taco is good here. I'd rate it closer to the top of my list as well.

La Salsa is very good, but seems to be on the pricey side. Their salsa bar is good and menu selections are decent. I'd rate it near the top of my list.

Taco Mesa is excellent. They have creative menu items that taste authentic and the only thing I don't like is they are only in Orange County. Probably #1 on my list, worth the effort to go to this place!! (Plus they serve beer!!)

Rubio's is good, fairly consistent, better are the fish tacos compared to most of the rest of the menu. I'd rate it somewhere above the middle, but below the top of the list.

Sharky's is my current pick. They serve Organic food and it tastes good (especially the brown rice if you can believe that). Limited locations, but they're fairly new.

Speaking of favorites, there's a place on the web to visit that I like to check now and then for restaurant picks. Give it a try: Chowhound

Didn't McDonalds sell off Chipotle? I agree with your list for the most part, especially about Fins.

THAT is why we stopped going to Baja Fresh. We didn't go very often, but like everything we've had. When DH read how many calories are really in the burritos, he decided to skip them for awhile. Partly that we are trying to lose weight.... I doubt Baja Fresh is really any worse than any other, it's just that we liked several things and took the time to read the nutritional online info.Interesting list. These are two I am unfamiliar with. Also, part of it is proximity. Baja Fresh and Rubio's are VERY close and Sharky's is a mile farther.

WOW, even skipping the rice puts a Chipotle burrito up over 1,000 calories if you include sour cream and guacamole.

I don't like Wahoos...the contents are often dry and I hate the mound of cabbage they layer on the tacos.

I finally got around to trying a Chipolte, and I thought it was pretty good. It was way too much food. I can't eat that much anymore. If they had a smaller size I might eat there more often.

I don't particularly care for Baja Fresh. Maybe it was just the one I ate at, but it was a lot of money for very little food. I'd much prefer eating at Rubio's, where I never felt ripped off!

Miss Fins, though. They were a part of Mileage Plus Dining :)

Wahoo's piles on the cabbage. I'd scoop some of it out so I could taste what I was eating.

Chipotle's good if you're really, really hungry (or not watching weight) as their portions are enormous.

Not to mention that a chipolte burrito will often weigh more than barbell... my colleague brought one back for lunch that felt like 2 lbs.

I would say Chipolte is great for a family, because 1 item on the menu would feed 4.

I've never been to FINS, but Taco Mesa is first rate. I was introduced to it a few months ago. Taco Mesa has a location in Costa Mesa off 19th St. a few blocks somewhere west of the DMW. They have another location in Orange off Chapman and Prospect in the same mall as the In-N-Out. I love their Cream Cheese flan....ooh...that'll kill your diet:p

I'm not a big fan of Chipotle, although they've been opening them around here like weeds grow.

I grew up on Chipotle in DEN, the original store is at the University of Denver. It is one of my favorites when I am starving, but you are right about the mass of the burritos and the calories.

Yes. The transaction was completed in 2006.

I guess I'll throw in a minority vote for Chipotle. But I tend to keep things simple - my typical burrito @ Chipotle has black beans, barbacoa or chicken, green salsa, and cheese. Definitely not one of those monsters full of rice, guac, sour cream & lettuce. I'd rate Chipotle's guac way ahead of Baja Fresh. OTOH, you can get taquitos at Baja Fresh...

All of the calories are in the tortilla. Get a burrito bol if you're trying to lose weight.

Better yet, if you're trying to lose weight, eat at home. :)

Chipotle's is a one-trick pony, but they do a good job on letting you put together a decent burrito. All of their ingredients are top-notch. As others have indicated, they also are made for sharing. I'd also just note that I don't think burritos are supposed to be lo-cal food anyway!

Used to love Rubio's fish tacos!

Similarly, if DH gets a breakfast burrito somewhere, or even a burrito at a Mexican restaurant, he often eats the contents and leaves the tortilla ^Which is what we primarily do ;)
Good to know :)They aren't. But we were just being informed diners by looking at the calories of our occasional take out meals....Used to? :confused: I like them for lunch sometimes....maybe have them twice a month.

Rubio's used to be better..better quality fish, shrimp, etc. It's definitely lost its luster a bit. I remember 10-15 years ago it was so awesome but now it's just above average.

The burrito I get at Chipotle doesn't contain any meat, cheese or sour cream and is still over 1000 calories. I don't even like it enough to justify it most of the time!

La Salsa is my favorite. The salsa bar is the best, they actually have some hot salsas.

Baja Fresh has good nachos, but also, horrible for you.

What do you put in it?? :)

The tortilla itself is well over 300 calories (I was too scared to check the carb and sodium count). For a company that touts the happiness of its sourced meat, and the healthy benefits of free-range/drug free animals, one would expect they might invest some cash into developing tasty low-cal/low-carb tortillas, or at least offer them as an option. I can buy such items at the supermarket, so I know they exist...

Rice, black beans, corn salsa, regular salsa, lettuce, guac and hot sauce! Oh yeah and the sodium content is way into the thousands as well.

Wow, I'm a little surprised at those calorie counts without meat, cheese or sour cream. Guacamole can be a calorie killer...I'm also surprised those tortillas have that much calories. One way to shave calories at Subway is to switch from bread to the tortilla wrap, which makes me wonder why the Chipotle tortillas have so many calories.

I've only eaten once at a Chipotle and thought it was okay. Liked that you could customize it, though I remember it being kind of a large portion. I probably liked Baja Fresh better, and I think both are a significant step forward over Taco Bell.

I like Chipolte. The portions are huge, so my DH & I usually split a burrito. We always have the carnitas with rice & black beans, no sour cream. Just to make sure to hit the top mark, calorie wise, we usually order a couple of Negra Modelos!! Yumm.....now I'm hungry and thirsty!

Of the three places mentioned I would have to put Chipoltes at the bottom of the list. But I would hit your local taquerias before any of the three. There has to be at least 100 of them in the Lagina niguel,Mission viejo area.

I personally love chipotle, it always depends on what you like as well. Chipotle does a great job with something simple and if you want lo cal, do something atkins-eque with it and strip out the tortilla and rice. I love Wahoo's as someone had mentioned but had no idea they were anywhere but DEN. Baja Fresh and Rubios are also good, but I usually only like their fajitas.

As others have said, the big obvious difference between Chipotle and Baja fresh is a much narrower menu at Chipotle.

That said, I find the quality of the food at Chipotle to be head and shoulders above the bland, greasy fare at my local Baja Fresh. The soft tacos aren't very authentic, but the steak is good quality (if a bit over-spiced) and the chicken is really good.

Portion sizes are too large at both, and a down side with tacos is they don't keep very well - burritos don't get soggy in the same way, and my wife generally gets two meals out of her burrito there.

Portions sizes too big? You people kidding me? I can down two of those Chipotle burritos!

I LOVE Wahoo's fish enchilada's w/ red sauce. The tacos are good.

Chipotle is always tasty but it's so disappointing that it's so bad for you. I try to eat it sparingly these days.

You Aren't Missing Anything
 

Chipotle is just another overhyped wannabe for folks who really don't know what Mexican food should be. Stick with Baja.

I'm with you 100% on the Chipotle's not being authentic Mexican food, but I don't think most people go there for that reason. But I would say the exact same thing about Baja Fresh; no way that is authentic.

Re: my comment that I "used to love Rubio's fish tacos" -- I wasn't making an editorial comment on the quality of the food there, LOL. It's just that I used to live in California but unfortunately there are no Rubio's where I live now!

Never had Rubio's, but IMO, Chipotle > > > > Baja Fresh. However, as others have noted, the calorie count of Chipotle's products leaves something to be desired. I had no idea until about a year after I started eating Chipotle that a Cinnabon had less calories!!! :eek: I pretty much stopped eating there after that. :p

A Chipotle burrito is like eating a baby...its HUGE! however it is very delicious, and better than Baja and Qdoba ^^^

I like the burrito bowl at Chipotle. I like to be able to stir everything up together (and then cover it in HOT sauce). :)

LOL, Chipotle isn't real but Baja is? Hahahahahahaah!

Hahahaha. You put words in my mouth! Impressive. :rolleyes:

Chipotle is good stuff but for the calories in the amount of burrito(s) it takes to fill me up I must resist the temptation.

Going to Chipotle in California is like going to Pizza Hut in Napoli.

California-welcome to the home of the burrito
I've gone to Chipotle in California.

Yeah...I'm totally switching from Chipotle to Cinnabon now.

:D