Big City Wraps

Continuing on my efforts to keep Unilocal updated, this place CLOSED a long, long, long time ago. This was in my regular lunch rotation, along with Fuzio’s, Fujiya (also closed), Holding Co. and Gaylord India, many years ago when my office was located in the EC building.

Despite the fact that Chevy’s serves fake mexican food I still like it. I think I like the chips and salsa more than anything on the menu. I went here on my ½ hour lunch break and was able to get a full meal within the time frame. I couldn’t finish my food since it was a big portion but I did manage to eat all my chips. YUM! Chips and salsa! I love me some chips. I could eat chips everyday if it were my choice. Like every other place, don’t go here when it’s too busy because service is just not that good. But if you go there duing off times, it is great, fast and efficient. I had the flautas that were just okay. I couldn’t waste it so I took it home. Who knows if it will be sitting in my fridge just to be forgotten?

Big City Wraps might have a branding problem (kind of inside Chevy’s, and the receipt says Chevy’s, so who knows), but they don’t have any problems with the food. For $ 6 I had a massive salad, loaded with chicken, plenty of black beans (added at no charge) and dressed with BBQ sauce (a request that always gets a stare, but is exceptionally flavorful and much, much healthier). They also had plenty of wraps, including some with low-​fat tortillas. My friend and I both immensely enjoyed our eats.

It’s been many years since I stopped at Big City Wraps. Now that I am back working at Emb II, it did not take long to stop in to check them out. I find it somewhat disturbing that there is no line for this place. Kinda scary, back when it first opened, it was a humongous line to get your wrap or salad. I’ve been twice, first to test drive a wrap (Coat and Thai Chicken minus the black beans) which tasted just fine as I remembered. The stomach ache I had within an hour of eating was a not too pleasant side effect.
I went back today to re-​try the Chinese Chicken Salad. It tasted exactly as I remembered it to (though, truth be told, the chip slivers on top were a tad on the stale side). That said, I enjoyed the salad, it was yummy, not overly dressed and had the occasional peanut or water chestnut to add a bit more crunch. The chicken was yummy. Yet, here I am, an hour later with a stomach that is mildly complaining.
Don’t get me wrong, everything tasted fine. The place is attached to Chevy’s so the food is fresh made (maybe not the chip slivers). Just something is not agreeing with me.

«Big City Wraps» is not the most appropriate name for this place because it sounds like some cheap wrap place that you’d find on a dirty boardwalk in southern california. This is an extension of Chevy’s next door and has the best burritos I have ever tasted. I have brought 5 different people to this place and they all agree. I always get the número uno with steak. It is a more traditional burrito, with beans, meat, cheese, guacamole, etc. A lot of the burrito choices on the menu have some funky ingredients and I am not adventurous enough to try those. The two people that work there are super nice. There is hardly ever a wait. Once in a blue moon the workers will throw in free chips and salsa with your burrito (it helps if you tip them a dollar or two). I actually like the burritos here better than the food at Chevy’s. Also, I am super picky and I ask for my burrito to not have certain ingredients, and they get it right every time. They take Visa which is nice, because I go here a lot when I run out of cash.

This tiny place next to Chevy’s at Embarcadero Two is open every weekday… for about a minute. OK, maybe more than a minute but only for like three hours, 11AM to 2PM. I swear I have never seen this place open before this past Monday, so I felt a need to go in just once to see if it was worth timing my whole day around when this kiosk is operating.
If you are looking for a fairly humongous wrap, this could be worth pre-​planning a visit if you don’t work at Embarcadero Center. But not if you’re across town or anything. It’s hearty stuff, just not all that exceptional. I tried the $ 5.95 Carnitas Way, which was stuffed with slow-​cooked pulled pork, rice, black beans, guacamole and sour cream. I assume they must use the same ingredients that area available at Chevy’s, and that’s about the quality level to expect.
It does come with a bag of fresh tortilla chips and some salsa, and it’s all decked out in Chevy’s paper so you know where it’s coming from. My favorite part of the menu were the clever names for the wraps… La Bomb-ba…Coat and Thai Chicken… State of Confucius. Mine was named after the Al Pacino movie… though it would have been more appropriate to have ham instead of pork if that’s the case.
FOOD — 3 stars… that’s a wrap… but it ain’t the WRAP!
AMBIANCE — 2.5 stars… it’s a little kiosk with only four stools around a small cement counter… take a hint, they obviously want you to take it to go
SERVICE — 3 stars… certainly quick enough
TOTAL — 3 stars… oh your mark… get so… go…you have a three-​hour window, don’t lolly-​gag, you work drone!

Really, I want to rate it as 3.5 stars.
If you’re in the mood for a fancy big a*s burrito/​wrap, then this is the place. It’s brought to you by Chevy’s so it has the Tex-​Mex flavor to it.
I’ve tried the ‘La Bomba’ (or was it the La Bamba?), which is supposed to be super spicy, but it was pretty mild. Full of flavor though. Pretty decent.
Service is a little slow as there are really only 2 people working at one time… but you eventually get the sustenance you need.