Chipotle Mexican Grill

This sole downtown outpost of the US burrito chain meets expectations. The food is fresh and good value.
Queues to the door, or beyond are pretty common but usually move well. The supply of seats seems just about right.

Where are you getting a better burrito in Vancouver? Nowhere. Fast, good, and decently priced. What more can you ask for.

fresh good food in huge portions.
Very simple ordering process, fast, efficient– don’t let the long lineups fool you into thinking that you’ll be kept waiting.
Downsides– for those sensitive to onions, there’s not a lot of options.
Also, the burritos are usually not wrapped correctly (wouldn’t really matter if they were– there’s just too much weight); I recommend ordering a bowl.

What can I say that hadn’t already been said. Love this place even though it’s one giant conga line production. It’s always packed and the lineup often turns me away because of the plethora of choices in the downtown core. Sometimes I’d be at another restaurant by the time I got to order, so if the line is out the door I tap out and mine on. The line does move fast but mentally some days I just can’t. When lucky enough to get in, I always enjoy the experience and the food is pretty good for what you pay for.
The verdict:
The good: pricing is affordable and quality is about right for a fast-​food joint.
The bad: though I call it fast-​food, it does not have fast-​food pricing (it’s middle of the road).
The ugly: line-​ups are brutal and sometimes I just don’t have the patience to wait for fast-​food.

Of course, this is in direct comparison to the other locations south of the border. Differences must be noted, such as available work force, the fluctuation of demand, and city requirements (restrictions) such as health codes. These are what make it so difficult for large chain stores to deliver a consistent product across various zones, and maintaining a brand image.
The line prep chef broke my soft tortilla shell and rather than replacing it, he added another one. The oNline nutritional information is not accounting for two shells.
The speed of service does not accommodate the demand, the line was huge. Staffing is an issue here.
Cleanliness is fare, however, while in line i did see that staff were wiping tables and missing at least half of the mess left by the previous person to be seated there. Also, food that was left on the table was simply pushed off, onto the floor.
On a cold rainy Vancouver night, the line is out the door, where is the manager to reroute the line through some of the unused space? Down a star, I’m cold.
Food was good, so four stars are given, and the next time i come in i will update my review. I hope for a perfect five starts then.

I just came to the chipotle of Howe st, we were the first clients in the morning and the girl serving the food who’s name is Selena was a bitch that hates her job. very bad humor and manners and she was putting almost nothing of every toping inside!!! I’m not going back as long as she is working there!

Tried this for lunch it’s pretty good. You can customize your options it’s similar to UGrill you can pick a bowl, a burrito, or a salad and just choose your toppings. The process is quick and easy you line up order and move through the assembly line
The ingredients are varied and fresh, if there’s something you really don’t like you’re not stuck with it. There wasn’t a lot of space to sit and eat in around lunch time they were pretty busy. Overall the place was clean and people were wiping down counters etc.

People from CA may be surprised at how slowly the staff here moves. They regularly let the line get to the door (30 feet) or extend outside of the door. Food is the same, but I never thought I’d wait in a fifteen minute line for Chipotle.

I first experienced Chipotle Mexican Grill in Toronto over 8 years ago and I enjoyed the flavour and freshness of the food.
I came to the Vancouver 8 years and started to go to this location when they first opened.
Over the years I must say that the consistency of quality of the food has gone up and done. Not to mention the cleanliness of the restaurant. Most people will say that it’s expected because it’s so busy. A well managed restaurant will know how much labour to have on to ensure service, cleanliness and production is at its prime.
For the price the food is good, but it’s not what you call authentic Mexican food.
(Thinking to myself)
Why am I spending money buying a beverage cup when many other people are using «water cups» for their pop.
Am I buying other people’s drinks!!!

I’ve heard a lot about Chipotle. Guess I first heard of this restaurant from the stock market. Chipotle’s stock has been going gangbusters so I wanted to come and try it out.
I got here about 130 and the line up was out the door. Still the line up moved pretty fast. Chipotle employs an assembly line to serve it’s customers. They have about 6 people behind the counter all performing 1 step in the taco/​burrito building process. The menu is very limited but service is pretty fast.
It’s tough to find a seat at this place! I guess next time I come and it’s busy I’ll look for seating outside.
I ordered a steak burrito… hmmm… I would say it was ok… certainly nothing spectacular. The meat was a bit tough. I guess the ingredients are pretty fresh. I would say eating fast food here is probably healthier than eating a McDonald’s meal deal, but I have to say I think a McDonald’s meal tastes better!!!

I honestly just don’t understand the hype of this place. I came here once with my youngest sister who is all about Chipotle, but I feel like you could literally go to any Mexican restaurant and pay half of the price for much better food.
I might be slightly biased because when I went the lines were long, and it was so loud that I had to shout out my order several times before it was heard. I also find that they don’t cater to food sensitivities as well as other similar places I’ve been to have.
That being said, the food was definitely tasty, but I don’t think it was justified by the price. I think from now on I’ll just stick to non fast-​food Mexican places if I want the experience I’m looking for.

Would definitely not come back here. The servers here were incredibly pushy and kept trying to argue with me that when I said I would cover my friend’s tacos, that I was also going to cover somebody else’s burrito as well… When we did eventually get our food, I found everything to be stone cold, from the meat to the rice, beans, everything.
Did enjoy the mildly spicy yet sweet corn salsa though.

I don’t understand why the rating for this place is so low! The food has been consistently good and I’m always left feeling full and satisfied. Yea, the customer service could improve, but it’s not a deal breaker for me. Line ups can get a little crazy, but that’s why you should pre-​order your food online and just simply walk in and pick it up! No muss, no fuss — just full of delicousness (plus guac, and yes I know it’s extra)

Finally got to try out this place, because I always pass by it in the evenings and it’s always busy. Small line up Sunday 7pm. Their menu is very simple but not that easy to understand due to lack of punctuation marks. I love Mexican and have gone to over half a dozen venues here and New York in the last two years.
Tonight I was starving but the Barbacoa burrito I got with all the toppings just tasted standard. Nothing stood out, not the meat not the hot sauce (spicy). Both ends of the burrito because of the folds was almost inedible– too tough and dry to tear apart.
The volume was quite filling but I did need to drink tons of water after getting home signifying that there was much MSG somewhere in the food– I suspect either the rice or meat. Anyway I’m no longer curious about this joint and will go elsewhere from now on.

When my coworkers can’t decide what to eat for Free Friday Lunch, we always go to Chipotle. I’ve tried about 5+ times so far. Super fast service, fresh ingredients, generous portions all at good prices for office workers.
I usually get a bowl since it’s easier to eat. I got a half carnitas and a half chicken with white rice, fresh tomato mild salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, corns and lettuce ($ 8.95 + $ 2.21 for guacamole).
This bowl is a bit different from the above. Everything is the same except that I got a half carnitas and a half barbacoa and asked for cilantro on top. So filling! ($ 8.95 + $ 2.21 for guacamole) I tried their chips too but not my favourite.
This one is a carnitas bowl with a tortilla!
PROS
+ Fast service
+ Fresh ingredients
+ Generous portion
CONS
— Sometimes I wish staffs are more friendly
RATING
Food 3.0÷5.0
Ambience 3.0÷5.0
Service 3.0÷5.0
Price $
Chipotle Mexican Grill Official Website
Address: 818 Howe Street, Vancouver
Phone Number: 604−683−6394
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Sunday 11am-​10pm

It seems that the old adage «Haters Gonna Hate» resounds true with the reviews of Chipotle as expressed by my fellow Vancouverites. The truth is that on any given day the line up is out the door because the food is off the hook.
It might actually be the most balanced, delicious, and healthy meal for the money. Every fast food option is going to be sodium full, and is going to compromise on quality in order to achieve a fast/​cost effective result. Chipotle seems to compromise less than other options — especially in the sub $ 10 range.
+1 level up bonus, if you want a bit more protein at no extra cost, go ½ on two orders of meat. End result is typically more meat than if you’d ordered just one, and you get more variety to your meal.
+2 level up bonus, for God’s sake, order ahead. I was in for lunch today and the line up was about 20 minutes long. Those who planned ahead, walked right up to the counter and picked up their meal in less than 2 minutes. Log on to
, create a profile and order online for in-​restaurant pick up.

I went to chipotle to compare it against chronic tacos.
I wasn’t a fan of the taste, it was pretty bland compared to other options. I found it to be expensive for what you get. The burrito wasn’t really wrapped up nice and almost fell apart… and they don’t take Debit cards!!! You made me walk a block to get cash out. Not cool in 2015
I am giving it 2 stars instead of 1 because they move through the long lines with incredible ease.
Overall chronic tacos was better… and you can buy beer at chronic… sorry chipotle

Absolutely terrible experience today. After waiting 15 minutes in the lineup, they were out of Tofu. They told me it would be 3 minutes. They half made my wrap and the person in front of me waited 5 minutes for the steak to be cooked. They started looping people from behind us and the server dropped pulled pork onto my Vegan wrap. Only after I complained about the meat on my waiting wrap did they offer to remake it. About 10 minutes later when they finally brought the Tofu to the front line, they ran out of brown rice! So I had to now wait for the rice to cook!!! A 40 minute experience to go!
For an overpriced wrap that you wait in line for 15 minutes a a place mainly open for a lunch service, this place is completely lost.
Additionally; the first staff member in the line had a bad cold, was bloodshot and sniffling while serving food. Poor «Foodsafe» practices! I should know, I used to run a restaurant with over 60 staff. A 40 minute experience for my to go wrap!

Let’s start this off by saying that Chipotle is nowhere near authentic at all, not even close. It’s basically a really high quality taco bell to be honest, but damn is it delicious! The burritos are extremely overpriced BUT they’re also extremely mouth watering, with choices of brown or white rice, mild or spicy salsa, white or black beans… etc. I’ve loved Chipotle since trying it in the States years ago and would frequent this place if it wasn’t so freaking expensive. $ 8.95 for any kind of Burrito you want and an extra $ 2.20 for Guacamole… HOLY EFF THAT’S $ 12 FOR A FREAKING BURRITO, I digress.
It’s a place worth going to every once in a while but don’t be fooled, these monsters aren’t always «healthy». One time I actually weighed mine and calculated the calories (stupid move) and it came to a whopping 1.4 LBS and 1100 Calories… ugh I feel ashamed now.

I love Mexican food, but unfortunately Vancouver doesn’t offer memorable Mexican food unlike in the neighboring US. (Lily’s Café in Los Angeles is the bomb), But this is as good as you’ll get. So simply put, Chipotle is my favorite place for Mexican quick eat in Vancouver. It’s a food court style no-​frills restaurant, you basically make all the decisions on what you want in your burrito/​bowl. I usually get the chicken brown rice bowl with beans, tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce with guacamole as a side (It is $ 2 extra) total comes to 11.50. The food is fresh, nourishing and really flavorful. The long line ups explain their popularity.
It’s reassuring knowing every time the servers gives me a huge portion. I used to live in America so I hate to admit but I’m used to huge portions.(like eating for two people!) I give two thumbs up for their generous portions.
I deducted one star for not having a wow-​factor. I’ve been spoiled by the much better options in the US.