La Choza

These are the best burritos on Martha’s Vineyard.
The portions are large, the prices are good. Each ingredient (other than rice and beans) costs money, but not a lot. I typically end up paying a little over $ 8 and getting two meals out of a single burrito. For Martha’s Vineyard, that’s excellent.
I’ve never eaten a burrito outside of New England, but the burritos here beat out every other burrito I’ve had. And as an overweight broke 20-​something, I have eaten a lot of burritos.
I come in here on a regular basis and the owner has always been cool. He’s a bit intense, but definitely the type of guy I would get a beer with.
Some general information that might be helpful:
* It’s a small building, which means no seating. However, Main Street is a short walk from the beach, so finding somewhere nice to sit shouldn’t be hard.
* The only beans they have are black beans, and the only rice they have is yellow rice.
* Every burrito comes with rice and beans by default. If you don’t want them, say so.
* They have a very simple system for ordering burritos. Please follow it to make life easier for everyone. First: say if you want a burrito or a bowl. Second: tell them what type of burrito you want (the options are beef, chicken, chorizo, portabello, or plain rice and beans). Third: order your toppings. Super easy.
Also, some tips:
* The hot sauces are excellent and add a lot to the burrito. If you don’t know which one to pick, just ask for them to suggest one. Smokin’ Habs is my personal favorite.
* When you’re ordering the toppings, order the cheese first. Then it melts against the hot ingredients.
* The beef and portabello are seasoned and taste awesome together.
* If they say a hot sauce is hot, it is.
* Don’t come in here wearing Google glass.
Overall, great place. One of the best deals on good food around.

Not a very good experience. Not many options: just yellow rice or black beans, when I asked about pinto beans, the guy became rude. No carnitas. It was not evenly distributed. They have bagged chips. The two guys working weren’t very friendly. Won’t be going again.

An eatery with character and good modest prices right at the start of Main Street in downtown VH. I love the extra touch of having license plates from many US states on the wall to look at while you wait, and a man I spoke with (the owner?) said that customers have donated additional plates since the restaurant originally opened.
I found my chicken burrito to be flavorful and hearty, but it veered a little too far from what I am used to in other places. For example, watch out for an extra layer of paper wrapping your burrito, and be prepared to pay extra for anything beyond your standard meat topping. The choice of yellow rice also seemed like it would be more appropriate in an Asian restaurant.
But, I can’t deny that there’s good value in this place’s meal offerings, and I’m glad that it is available as a resource! Cash only.

I don’t understand why people are saying La Choza only has below average burritos. I think they’re stellar and I try to get a burrito once a week from them. A delicious, fresh alternative to all the typical fried seafood of the island.
The portions are huge, the ingredients are always fresh, and if they can’t get as fresh as can be, they don’t serve it. I remember a couple weeks ago when my fiancé and I went in, they didn’t have their chorizo, because the supply they normally got hadn’t arrived yet. And while the owner told us he could have just as easily gone to the supermarket to buy some crappy chorizo, he didn’t and would rather tell people he was out than use anything less than the meat shop fresh chorizo he normally had.
I think they’re great. The cheapest eats on the island too.

I had a chorizo burrito with lettuce tomato cheese and guacamole. It already came with chorizo corn and rice and beans loaded into it.
This burrito is a little different from what I’m used to eating in Los Angeles as far as Mexican burritos go, in particular the yellow rice and black beans. But it’s tasty nonetheless. They charge individually for each filling you want to add to your burrito, with a base price for each burrito type.
Chorizo was perfect level of spice. Vegetables were all good. Size of burrito was more than enough. Guy who runs the place was very friendly and quick. Price for two burritos came out to $ 16 without drinks, but they were as I said– very good size.
I would eat here again for lunch.

good food. They say my review isn’t long enough, well what more can you say? I mean, I just moved back here from LA, there is a different standard. Compared to when I was here before and the first burrito place was just opening in OB, Two Brothers, or something like that, this is an improvement. Not that there was anything wrong with Two Bros. and I think they’re closed now anyway. No, this place stands on its own and so will you, stand that is, while you’re eating, which is fine and reminiscent of the hole in the wall taco stands in LA, ‘though, this one is cleaner. I was hoping for some blaring Tex-​Mex ohm-​Pah music, but it was not forthcoming, more like Steely Dan, which made me think I was in Key West, if it weren’t so cold out.
I only had the chicken bowl, which was good, what I said at the beginning. All the ingredients were fresh and flavorful. I’m sure it would have been just as good rolled up as a burrito.
I would suggest going there and eating. Encourage them, they’re doing a good job.

This place is a vineyard gem. A take out burrito spot where you can get dinner for under 10 bucks. It’s a take out burrito restaurant not fine dining. Look past the slightly aggressive attitudes and enjoy a rare cheep meal on the vineyard. Brown rice would be nice though…

Just below average burritos…
Stopped in this past summer hoping to break my island diet of lobsters, clams, oysters, bluefish, etc. with some solid Mexican food. While La Choza takes up a small nook at the beginning of Main St. and has a fun and kitschy interior, I was really hoping for a solid burrito and just got a sloppy mess of rather average ingredients. Plus the guys (one of which I think was the owner) behind the counter weren’t all that friendly.
Also, why do you need to know how many burritos I want first and why do you get pissy when I don’t answer immediately?
I’ll stick to other options on Main St. next time I’m in VH.

Sorry but nothing special at all. Had default rice and beans and veggie bowl with guacamole. Ingredients only ok.

Good burritos for the island

Surprisingly good mexican food in MV

I got a portabella bowl here yeterday and it was priced at $ 6.00 and with a few extra toppings it should have been $ 7.50, so I was suprised when it came to $ 10.50. The man handed a bag of chips with my order that I did not ask for or want. I ask if it came with it and he just shrugged and said yes. Come to find out I was charged $ 2.50 for a bag of chips I did not order. What a scam, are they that desperate to make a little extra money on every order that they have to resort to scamming patrons? I would have come back today with my children but that left a bad taste in my mouth and I threw the menu away and will never come back to people who are that underhanded and shady.

Really really good Mexican food. I had the chorizo bowl and added cilantro, hot sauce, cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, and onions. I’ve been to many Mexican restaurants across the country and this is one of the better dishes I’ve had.

Over sized malformed «burritos». The roll is a loose bag of poorly distributed ingredients. They are very wide and short earning this place the name of La Choda.
Ingredients are sub par. They have something back there they are calling «guacamole», it isnt guacamole.
Biggest complant: they interigate me instead of taking my order.
The guy yells at me «burrito or bowl» «how many» he cant just take my order he also yells at my boyfriend interchangeably. They are bossy, the system is unclear, and it makes for super awkward ordering.
If you get the bowl its not so bad, if you dont mind paying $ 3 for a hand ful of chips. I go when im in a pinch and get the bowl but i buy my own big old bag of chips somehwere else. The burrito is just blasphemy.

It’s affordable and the meats are delicious. One of the places I take friends for a quick bite on the vineyard.

This review is based on one quick visit in which I had a rice and bean burrito and my dude had chicken. Despite our enthusiasm, the experience was okay but a little lackluster.
So last week while doing errands in VH, we stopped into La Choza looking for a quick bite. I totally appreciate a casual food spot on Main Street — more of them would be nice. Unfortunately, this place didn’t quiiiiiiiite do it for me.
The first thing that was a little weird was the state-​how-​many-​burritos-​you-​want-​first rule for ordering. In trying to look at their menu, I didn’t see the sign saying that, and the guy behind the counter was definitely grumpy when I started to place the order without saying how many we wanted.
Then there was the burrito. It was okay, but nothing to write home about. I had a feeling I should’ve gotten meat, and my boyfriend’s chicken looked good, but I had plans for an early dinner and didn’t want to stuff myself before. Unfortunately, the rice and beans were kind of boring and dry and the guac tasted a little funny (Too much lime? Out for too long? My boyfriend and I debated this after eating our burritos and deciding it was weird.).
One good thing about this place was the portion size. The burrito was huge and a good value for the price. I retain hope that we just came at the wrong time or our experience was out of the ordinary, but for now, La Choza didn’t meet expectations.

It was good!!! Just the right amount of everything. Clean, friendly and quick. Note they only take cash. Less than a 5 minute walk from the Ferry.

Admiss a sea of pretentiously overpriced seafood on Martha’s Vineyard, there is an little mexican oasis by the name of La Choza. Here in this little hole-​in-​the-​wall, you can get your fix on impossibly overstuffed burritos, just the way you like it; owner Seth Gambino even adding a vegan option for those of us who prefer to do it veggie-​style with rice and beans (which, might I add, is just as delicious and my current burrito-​of-​choice). Upon entering the La Choza booth (which can get very crowded in the summer, still worth the wait!), you are greeted by the creative memorabilia lining the walls and shelves, a lineup of ominous-​sounding hot sauces, and a friendly face ready to take your order. As soon as you’re prepared, you follow their 3-​steps-​to-​burrito-​heaven:
Step One: Choose to go old fashioned and wrap it all together in the signature flour tortilla, or be adventurous and grab yourself a biodegradable «bowlrrito» with some gluten free chips.
Step Two: Whats your flavor? Beef, Chorizo (a spicy mexican sausage), Chicken, or the vegan Spicy Portobello or just the base Rice N’ Beans?
Step Three: See how much the poor employees can stuff into your burrito, and if you’re feeling lucky — ask for «the works» and see if you can finish that monster. Toppings range from the usual veggies, lettuce etc, to the guac’, olives, Jalapeños, and you gotta try their special chipolte salsa. Oh, and don’t forget hot sauce: you can even buy some of their «stronger» selections from behind the counter, but be warned!
Owner Seth Gambino originally started La Choza in the Berkshires, where he realized there was a lack of affordable dining without sacrificing quality. His mission with La Choza is to provide honest food at honest prices, and he saw this same opportunity here, on Martha’s Vineyard. Honestly, I think Mr. Gambino has done just this, I’ve never once had a bad experience here: Always friendly, always fresh — I always lose my will to cook at home when I think of dropping by this little spot in downtown Vineyard Haven.
Stop on by La Choza if you haven’t been — I know you won’t regret it. Even if you try it just to see them stuff all those toppings into that tortilla (which I always am shocked they can do it, and not have it fall apart completely while I’m eating it), you’re sure to leave happy, and completely full, without breaking the bank.