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"For not being in the Mission this place has great Asada burritos (super w/ no rice is the way to go) Friendly service not too pricey quick…" read more »
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I've found myself struggling to finish off their super burritos multiple times and I have a pretty big appetite. You get a ton of food for a decent price. Though I haven't tried everything, they seem to have a good menu selection.
The service has always been fast and pleasant for me. I've heard other people complain about service but I just walk in with a smile and say hello...that's all it really takes.
The only drawback is that it's cash only. But it's also in the financial district so if you can't find a cash machine nearby, there's something wrong with you.
While the ingredients were good and the service friendly, I was completely miffed by the fact that they would not make my co-workers burrito wet as he had not ordered the Super Burrito. At fist she said it was "only 40 cents extra" whihc seemed ridiculous just for some sauce and as she went to and the sauce she realized that it was a regular burrito and gave the burrito back to him saying she could on make a super burrito wet.
My burrito was tasty but I still prefer the taco truck or the SoMa El Faro.
these are some good burritos. i was expecting shabby burritos but there is a lot of prep work that goes into all the ingredients, most notably the chicken mole which is very very good and made fresh every day. the burritos themselves are well made and their array of beans are all very good as are their salsas.
the breakfast burritos are pretty darn good too and are big enough to tide you over from the morning til late afternoon. i've tried both the veg and non-veg versions and both are quite excellent.
i was concerned about not getting some good mex in this area of the FiDi when my company's office moved but am happy to see that alex is providing some good stuff.
Love this place. Everything is prepared fresh daily, which is why its so fresh and tasty. The owner is very friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere is casual and quiet. Chicken verde super burrito, fish tacos, enchiladas, rotisserie chicken... all excellent and well-priced. With this just down the block from Tlaloc and Mercedes, I don't why one would ever goe anywhere else. Best burritos downtown by far!!
Unlike the close by and ultra popular Tlaloc...at Alex's for $8 - you actually get a Mission Burrito sized Burrito with all the goodies you want....not the half-pint baby burrito served at Tlaloc down the street.
Cash only here...with ample seating inside and a park with benches just around the corner under the Transamerica Pyramid.
I recommend and totally I heart the Chile Relleno Burrito...so delicious.
A perfect little lunch in the Transamerica Pyramid shade - under a redwood tree. A true FiDi experience.
No way, are these canned beans!? That's the first time I've had anyone try that in a $7 burrito. +1 for originality.
Hey, I made souffle and it ROCKED! You're next, Beef Welly!
And no, I never ate here again.
Far from gourmet--kinda like me taking a stab at Beef Wellington or souffle.
I beat the lunch rush…
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I had the fish tacos. It took long to make and it taste like it frozen tv dinner. It was yuck!!!
Not recommended at all! I haven't tried the burritos but for sure NO, on the fish taco!
OK - so I really enjoyed my vegetarian burrito this morning...the woman is still quite dour, and $5.10 is a bit pricey for a burrito, but it was a tasty and satisfying alternative now that my beloved Firehouse Cafe has closed its doors.
Yummy breakfast burrittos, but the service there is sometimes a hit or a miss. I loyaly went there… Read more »
For the FiDi this place makes a decent and quick burrito. Simpler than the type of burrito you'll get at a taqueria in the Mission, but solid ingredients and I'm always satisfied for a quick lunch to take to the office. But the main reason I always come here is that the staff is extremely friendly and attentive. Not too long after starting to come to this place, they'd memorized my usual so that my order is now a smile and a nod.
I can't say there's anything super special about the lunch burritos that they make. But they're just simply delicious.
I usually get the super burrito with beef. It's super huge, with all the fixings. Meat, rice, beans, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, etc. It's so big that I usually split it for two different meals. And when all those ingredients marinade together..... it creates this yummy sauce! It's not super pricey either. A super burrito is about 8 bucks.
My only complaint is that the burrito I got today was not hot enough (I like my food steaming hot).
Oh, and beware... they only take cash.
Unlike the taco truck in front of my office, Alex's offers tofu burritos and fish tacos. That's probably the only reason I ever go here, since I don't eat meat products.
My tofu burrito-in-a-box (burrito in a bowl without the wrap) was $5.99 (same price as the regular burrito.) It tasted ultra bland. I know a tofu anything sounds pretty gross to the carnivores out there, but I've had way better tofu burritos at a couple Mexican restaurants near North Beach.
I judge most Mexican restaurants on their chips and salsa. Their chips were like the Mission Tortilla chips you buy from Safeway and were crumbs in a tiny 4x4 paper sleeve. Also they didn't have a Salsa bar like most of the fast food Mexican restaurants in the area
I'd skip this place unless you're in a rush to get back to the office. There was hardly a line at 12:00 pm.
Had a breakfast burrito craving after finishing a photo shoot of some scientists today and stopped by Alex for one. They make a great breakfast burrito here - decent size (not too large or drippy), good meat (had the sausage one) and the price is fabulous ($4 includes tax!).
I am not down in the Financial District that much but this is a nice little spot for a quick burrito!
I live in the Mission, and I work in FiDi, so I'm on the hunt for good burritos down here in the canyons with the mouth-breather broker-jock types. I went to Alex's last week for the first time, and although the burrito was on par with any respectable Mission-based taqueria, the price was not. I was ashamed to be paying $7 for what I got, and it was smaller than what I expected.
Went here for the first time today, and it was my last time. I ordered a regular chicken burrito and asked the cook to add a very small amount of cheese. When I went to the cashier/owner to pay, a $4.61 burrito somehow turned into a $5.82 burrito. I asked her why, and said it was because I asked for cheese. I reminded her that the cook put about a 1/4 tsp of cheese on the burrito. She told me that she'd let it go this time, but next time she would have to charge me.
I DON'T THINK SO!
And the burrito was stone dry.
Had one of the best southwestern salads ever here today. Loads of chicken, salsa, black beans and corn. Appreciated the little extra of everything since I asked for no avocado, but the extra $2 for meat seemed a bit excessive. Either way, it was huge, and leftovers are sitting in the fridge.
Service was great, especially when I asked for barbecue sauce and was told it not an option, they offered green sauce instead. Brilliant compromise.
I get the breakfast burrito here.. I like it. I wish it were spicier or had a touch more salt.. But otherwise, I think it's pretty good. It's certainly priced reasonably well. The lady here in the morning is always very nice to me.
Not much in terms of seating and it can get very busy. I'd give this place 5-stars if the food was a touch better. You gotta be really top-notch for me to give someone 5-stars... But Alex Gourmet Burrito isn't far off the mark!
It's hard to find a decent burrito in the Financial District. So hard in fact that I had almost given up on eating burrito's while at work.
Then came Alex's.
It's not the best burrito in the world, but it beats the hell out of El Faro. The Super Burrito is massive. The Nacho's are more "ballpark" nacho's than your typical mexican restaurant nacho's...Your standard chips covered in the Nacho cheese that you would get from 7-11.
The owner(?) (Boss Lady) is always very nice and while they do charge more for every little extra, I haven't had a hard time getting her to waive the extra fee.
All in all, it's a 3-star shop. It gets an extra star for being one of the very few decent places to get a burrito in the Financial District.
Fridays=breakfast burrito from Alex's.
Awesome.
Worth it.
Enjoy.
EDIT 06/2007: For a more simple (and smaller) breakfast burrito, opt for the one at Fire House Cafe a few steps away. I didn't find Alex's as appealing.
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Located right next to Thai Corner Express off Sansome, Alex serves up pretty decent burritos. Although I don't usually opt for tofu in my burrito if it's available, I wanted something heartier than rice and beans that day. I left happy, but it looks like the breakfast burrito is getting all the rave reviews; I'll have to try that out one of these days.
There's not much seating inside. You're better off ordering take-out and eating it elsewhere, like outside in the courtyard area. Regardless of where you feast, Alex is one of the better burrito joints in the Financial District. But given the lack of options, it also isn't saying much.
*2.5 stars*
I went here for lunch last week for the first time. When I was in the midst of ordering I spied the nacho cheese canister and my heart skipped a beat. I then proceeded to order a super burrito (beef). [I promised myself that I would return soon for my nachos.] It was as huge as previous Yelpers proclaimed.
When I got back to the office lunch room (to eat... and hide) I told myself that I would only eat half and save the rest of it for the next day. Half a burrito... then a 'slice' of about an inch's worth of burrito... I unwrapped the rest and polished off what was remaining of the burrito... then lapsed into a food induced coma. My fault. Entirely.
Fast forward to today.
I got my nachos today - the super nachos with the refried beans and spicy salsa. Even though the chick behind the counter heaved the huge bag of chips over my take out container, she only put about a layer and a half of chips then proceeded to DROWN my chips in beans and then the nacho cheese sauce (after stirring it for like, ages), then topped w/ the salsa, a smidgen of guacamole and a dollop or two of sour cream.
I practically ran to the office in giddy anticipation to eat... also to fend off soggy chips syndrome (never order nachos 'to go').
Well, the chips were indeed soggy. My bad. [I should have eaten my lunch outside the restaurant (it was just a nice day).] And completely hiding from me! I had to fish out my chips with a fork (I hate having to do that). The nacho cheese were a HUGE disappointment. Totally lacked flavor. I know, I know. What can I expect when sauce like that comes from a can... well, I've had many a canned nacho cheese that I did like! Even the one from Costco is addictingly yummy.
Not sure when I'll be back - maybe for their burritos. But for the next time I'm craving fake cheese nachos for lunch, I'll 'head for the border.'
P.S. I think their prices have gone up from last week. Damn!
I had hankering for a breakfast burrito this morning and since I didn't feel like doing my work quite yet, I browsed yelp for a new place to try out. Alas, I'm currently eating a sausage breakfast burrito from Alex's.
So let's start with the good. No rice, no beans, no potatoes! Awesome. I hate cheap fillers in my burritos. When you already have a flour tortilla why do you need to add more starches of rice and beans or potatoes to it? I hate biting into something and feeling like I've just consumed enough carbs for a month. And at $3.80 tax included, it's a pretty good deal.
The bad. So apparently I made a mistake when I ordered the sausage because this stuff ain't normal sausage. It's some sort of overcooked crumbly bacon bits or something. Kind of gross in my opinion. I would opt for the bacon one, though if they call this "sausage" I would hate to see what it is that they call bacon.
The neutral. Everyone is raving about the size, and while I agree it's a good size, it's not that huge. Honestly, I would be a little disappointed if it were any smaller. And I've definitely seen bigger (i.e. breakfast burritos from Le Regency). That said, I'm a guy with a fairly big appetite and this burrito will in no way keep me from eating a nice lunch.
I've only had the breakfast burritos here whenever I've been hung over or really hungry in the morning. I have to say It's not great. I have to say it's mediocre.
Like I said I've been here a couple times and it's not like I'm a repeat customer because it's quality food. More like I was craving a breakfast burrito and there aren't too many options around the FiDi. Sure some people might give this place high marks even recommend it (that's why I came here in the first place) but I guess when your options are so limited at 8am you give the only place that's available high marks.... simply because of that, because it's the only option.
Love the breakfast burritos, egg w/ bacon & spicy to be specific. Not so much a fan of the regular lunch/dinner burrito. Service is great; very nice and appreciative of your patronage. Also helps this place is literally a half a block from where I work.
I had the beef super burrito and it was really good. The only slight downer was that is wasn't super hot - so near the end it was getting a bit chilly. But the taste was great.
I reckon the ladies working in there read the reviews that they were hard arses (that is Australian spelling btw) - they were really friendly.
Anytime I see a self-declared superlative it's reason to be suspicious. I've been working a few days a week in the FiDi (For all of you who use "acronym" to describe an abbreviation, this is an actual acronym!) and have been looking for a great taqueria. I don't know about their popular breakfast burritos, but the lunchtime versions are far from gourmet. They're smallish with too high a rice to meat/beans ratio and full of mediocre ingredients and bland seasonings. The fact is that at any place in the shadow of the TransPyr (haha), you're paying more for real estate than food. I used to ply these streets in the 80s and remember a place just up the hill on Clay called Mi Burrito with killer delicious, cheap, and huge burritos. They had a heavenly barbequed beef burrito for $3.55 with all the stuffings now considered to be a super burrito, including all you can eat chips and salsa which Alex's sells for extra cost. In today's dollars, that's about $7.60 - roughly the price of Alex's burritos which are much smaller with inferior ingredients and too much rice. And since they only take cash, this almost certainly means they further pad their profits by not paying their fair share of taxes. I guess this is the only way for them to survive, but I'll pass.
I'll make it simple--the best burritos in San Francisco, seriously. Just amazing. A little messy, but you can ask for extra napkins.
You ever jones for an authentic bomb of a burrito? I was having one such craving for lunch, so did my 'Yelpwork' to find any South of the border options in the FiDi I hadn't been to before. As it turns out, this place is in an alley only about six blocks from my office, so off I went. First of all, it's cute as hell, and no-nonsense. I knew I was on the right track. Unlike some of the reviews I'd read, the owner lady didn't assess any extra charges, but did keep calling me "Honey," which was quite endearing. I got the beef super burrito and it was EXACTLY what I had wanted (and gi-normous, especially for just $6.25 after tax), so I'm a fan. Now I have to go back to try one of those breakfast burritos the other Yelpers raved about -- and admittedly, to get called "Honey" again.
What makes this place 5 stars is the simple yet comforting food and the awesome service they give. I go here for breakfast and it's always satisfying. Nothing fancy, nothing special, just a great tasting breakfast burrito to fill me up in the morning. And only $4 :)
This place is tha Bomb!... which unfortunately, is probably what you'll be dropping a few hours after consumption. The people here in the office are gonna hate me. Sorry... back to the review. Their breakfast burritos are friggin' amazing, the Super burritos are gigante AND they have an awesome wet burrito. I have yet to finish any of their burritos in one sitting but it's all good because I end up getting 2 meals out of just one burrito.
The breakfast burritos are huge, I mean possibly too huge if there is such a thing. No, shame on me for even thinking such a thing. They are the perfect 4lb breakfast all neatly wrapped in a moist burrito, all neatly wrapped in foil. Just be prepared to cancel any lunch plans you may have had... and maybe think about hitting the gym you lazy gringos!
as i am writing this i am gorging on one of their infamous breakfast burritos. they are the bomb no doubt about it. i really think this visit should be a 31/2 star because they were "out" of chorizo??? i don't really think they were i just think they didn't really feel like prepping more. i also notice that if you want a breakfast burrito after 10 you're kind of burnt.
all that being said the food TASTES great and that is more important than anybody's attitude or nickel and diming tactics. i only go there for the breakfast burritos that being said they are a favorite here in the office and deservedly so.
This place rocks. It's been in the little alley type courtyard between the TransAmerica building and the Fire Station for about a year. They have totally killer breakfast burritos - really a full-size burrito (just with eggs and bacon/sausage, and goodness) for $4.
delicious. i'm usually not into the whole big fat meaty breakfast thing, but i figured i'd try it once. and oh boy, i'm not really sure what's supposed to go into a breakfast burrito (i've seen some with rice and beans), but theirs is like breakfast in a tortilla: scrambled eggs, sausage, salsa and cheese. nice and simple. and when i say simple, that in no way means small, because this thing was huge!
it definitely filled me up for several hours (even after having only eaten ~80% of it). had to follow it with a light lunch.
the lady there was nice too. she said, eat here for breakfast and cancel all your lunch plans. eat here for lunch and plan to go jogging. i thought it was witty, but not super accurate.
While "Gourmet Burrito" definitely sounds better than "Mediocre Burrito" or "Gringo Burrito," it's way less accurate. I tried this place today for the first and probably last time, and there ain't nothing gourmet about it.
Walking in, the space itself is sort of depressing. There have been some half-hearted attempts at decoration, but it's just a plain, rather cramped room, with an entryway dominated by a fountain drink dispenser and a cooler full of bottled soft drinks (not a single extra-tasty glass-bottled Mexican Coke among them). The dining room consists of a dozen or so teensy-tiny tables, hardly big enough for a single diner. I saw three women push three tables together to try to sit as a group, and it didn't look too comfortable.
You order in front of a standard burrito counter, where they build the burrito as you walk along selecting the ingredients. You can see through the glass to the meats and other burrito fixin's . . . but in this case, that's not really a good thing. I was going to get refried beans, as I usually do, but after seeing how difficult it was for the server to pull the ladle through their dry-looking, congealed mass, I opted for some less questionable-looking pintos. Then I was offered a meat choice of beef, chicken, or pork. "Carnitas?" I asked, wondering if the pork was prepared that way or al pastor or what. The lady behind the counter said "Yes" and I got carnitas; I'm still not sure if they do other preparations. I made my burrito a super, and so they spooned on some runny guacamole, a glob of sour cream, and half a handful of institutional-looking cheese. The salsa looked fresh and homemade, which was nice, but not so nice was their keeping it behind the counter. I guess you have to pay extra if you want a side with your chips. Lame, lame, lame.
The guy ringing up the orders was giving everybody their order to go, regardless of what was requested and despite the dining room being half-empty. Diners kept coming back up to the counter asking for plates, which were provided without any recognition that the cashier, and not the diner, had made the error.
I said "for here" three different times and actually got mine on a plate. I almost wished I hadn't. A fat foil-wrapped slab skittering from one side to the other of a plain white plate does not exactly whet the appetite. I realize it's just a burrito joint and that it's foolish to look for too much in the way of presentation, but should the plate actually look repellent?
A scoop of old chips and eight dollars later, I sat down to eat. I expected the worst, and so I was mildly surprised to find that the burrito was, well, edible. The carnitas was pleasantly textured and plenty salty. Of course, the cheese was also salty, as were the beans, and the guac. Anyway, I like salty just fine, so it was actually pretty tolerable; those with less of a hankering for sodium should be warned, though.
Actually, everyone should be warned. This your ultra-basic, gringo burrito shop, gourmet in name only. The burrito has length and girth . . . but size isn't everything.
Two stars rather than one because it's cheap for this area, and not visibly dirty.
I've only been for breakfast, and well, I'll admit, almost every time's been a hangover morning, but nonetheless, the breakfast burritos have been extremely tasty. They're large, filling, spicy and pretty much make you want to take a nap rather quickly after eating. The atmosphere for sitting to eat is not so good, but they give you the option of taking a plate and utensils to go with you, almost knowing that my office is always out of paper plates. The owner is nice to customers and tells you to "come back again", but the control freak is super rude to her employees, picking at every little move they make. I like the burritos (oh, and they even have whole wheat tortillas which is cool), but hate the awkward, uncomfortable feeling when she's being rude to her employees.
I visit the sweet ladies at Alex twice a week to further elevate my cholesterol to a level only achieved through delicious bacon-y goodness. I am fearless in the face of reason. Their breakfast burritos are that good.
Burritos are good if eaten hot, I liked the Tamales.
Best breakfast burrito ever ever ever! I have a slight addiction to them. The lunch is not wonderful but the breakfast burrito earns them 5 stars in my book.
Though I've never actually BEEN to this establishment, I get the boys from work to bring me their awesome burritos every Friday morning. They are huge and delicious. Lots of eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese. I dare you to actually finish one. Are there any better adjectives than cheap, fast and huge?
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