Chipotle
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
50 reviews
San Jose, CA
"Love carne asada super tacos! I ordered 2, but could not finish (just because they are filling). Very good."
32 Reviews for Chipotle
Mr. Arthur G. pretty much hit it. It's not that Chipotle is bad, its just that its so far removed from what Mexican food is to me that I don't know what to make of it. A gustatory yawn for the palate. In fact, it's so bland I can't even remember what I ordered or what it tasted like. I think I had a taco, or a burrito, or .... Oh well. My impression is that Chipotle is what Taco Bell wants to be when it grows up. A Chic and trendy bastardized anglo version of ethnic cuisine. It's the taste of the moment that I'm sure will fade once the fad dies down. If your hungry its sthuper!!
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I love Chipotle expeditions. This is the 5th location I been to. There's still another local one I need to try. Located next to downtown, or you can consider it downtown... on the Almeda, you have Chipotle. The parking lot is big so no worries looking for parking. The service is nice. The food... eh? It was ok. I found it better than another location, but it wasn't as tasty as others. Also the bag of chips was barely filled.
Getting better each week. For some reason, the assembling of the burrito seems to be this restaurant's primary challenge. They have all the ingredients correct: tasty seasoned meat, spicy salsa, white rice for empty calories, but why does this damned burrito keep disintegrating in my hands?
I don't know why, maybe it's my anxiety over the fact that the majority of my food ends up falling onto my plate instead of reaching my mouth, but this food totally gives me heartburn. It's a little less greasy (and less unique and more corporate) than Las Palmas down the street, but I haven't given up on it yet. Maybe they sprinkle crack in the guacamole.
If you go here, don't get a burrito. This location has been open for several months now, and I think the staff is still learning to assemble them. The family and I came here, it's only a block or two from home one quiet evening, and well... the whole concept of having organic sour cream, organically grown meats, etc. etc. is wonderful, but seriously where was half the burrito? It was like half a subway sandwich....is that normal for chipotle? it was our first time so I don't know!
Everyone was very disappointed on the size. Sometimes size IS everything, especially if you're starving!
I, however, had a chicken bowl, and at first glance thought "hmmm...is this the small?" visualizing what was in the fridge back home....because that's not going to be enough. Turns out it was. But they didn't have brown rice... Now that i think of it, they didn't even have Spanish rice for the burritos...hmmmm... I'm think I'm taking another star off. Definitely recommend the chicken bowl...and not much else... I'd go again, but I'd probably be eating alone.
Chipotle rules and my hubby and I are more than excited that we can walk to this one now (well our jean sizes aren't happy!) One time we went there they were out of rice and were so sorry that they gave us our meal for free and it was ready in about 10 min - AWESOME! We are obsessed but try to limit ourselves to 1-2x a month!!
Ever wonder what a taco or burrito would look/taste like if it were made by some sheltered white lady from a small town in Nebraska? Welcome to Chipotle: your local Anglo- Mexican fast food restaurant.
If for some reason you're still compelled to eat here, skip the chips, they are loaded with salt.
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Don't get me wrong; i love Chipotle--the rice is good, yummy guac, and usually deliver a good American-style Burrito. I just don't love this particular branch of Chipotle. I should be more forgiving because it has only just recently opened up, but these people can't role a burrito worth a darn (the one thing their entire business is based off of and pride themselves on). The hired help is a little rude (some are nice), and last time i was there either the manager or owner or someone had their entire back office set up at one of the dining tables. I thought that was a little unprofessional, but maybe it's just cause the office was still being worked on. Who knows! I just didn't get good vibes from this place, and my burrito was falling apart all over the place.
You guys get five starts just for being open late(r). My husband and I work odd hours compared to most in this city, and we are constantly frustrated with the uniform closing of restaurants around 9pm. But Chipotle, you are open till 10, and trust me, that one hour makes all of the difference.
I liked Chipotle so much that I went twice in one day. The staff was very nice and was eager to help me figure out their ordering process. The process can be difficult to newbies but I have been to many places where you customize your order that it was simple. I had a few items here, the salad and the burrito which both were good and healthy because I designed them. I would recommend the chicken over the steak though because I found the steak to be alright. The chicken was tender and juicy. Portions are huge here and I love the free parking in back and the decor and atmosphere as well.
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Four stars: Having heard so much about this chain, yesterday I decided to check out this new one on The Alameda.
Parking was easy, the restaurant was clean and smelled good. The line was long, which was worrying at first, but it moved fast. I love how you can see all the ingredients right there and let them know exactly what you want in your burrito too! I had a grilled chicken one. I was a bit apprehensive about the rice (I'm not keen on cilantro at all), and was amazed at how big the burritos are (packed full of stuff!). I didn't get chips and salsa when I saw how big the burrito was! Well that and another $1.25 for chips and salsa would make for an expensive lunch on top of the burrito and soda cost (when eating out, I aim for lunches that are under $10)
After paying, I grabbed a soda and a fork, and headed for a table. Yay for messy goodness! Seriously, I found the chicken yummy, and the burrito was messy to eat but really good. (I make overfull burritos at home too, so that's sort of my favourite kind - hee!)
I was confused by the garbage cans though - they all say "Recycle!" on them, which made me think they were for recycling so I wandered the store looking for a garbage can, but finally after seeing a couple of people dump their trash in those cans I did the same.
Extra star: Chipotle has a great Green business plan - they used humanely raised animals for the meat, non growth-hormone sour cream, and are working on increasing each year the amount of organically grown beans they use. I'm all for supporting businesses that are thinking long-term when it comes to the foods we consume!
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I love all Chipotles =D
I'm glad they opened another one up and now before the Sharks game I just stop here. It's a lot better then those nasty Una Mas Burritos @ The Tank.
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Finally a place to get a burrito in San Jose!!!!
Seriously?
Since it opened I have seen a decent amount of patrons and I cannot imagine why when there are dozens of great burrito places in the area.
To fulfill a desire for uniformity?
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I don't know how many times I've written "free" in my posts in general but um, here's another one! This location is giving free food out just for coming by. It's their last day of official training and tomorrow will be their grand opening. Yea!! Free food for us.
Don't tell anyone, but I'm going back there for din din. This food frenzy will end tonight at 8pm sharp.
Be there or be square. In fact, don't come at all because then I wouldn't have to wait so long to indulge in a huge free yummo burrito. + free drink. ..and trust me, their lines do get long, but they move fast enough that by the time you get up to order, your mouth is only half full with drooling saliva.
Oh yeah, the food is by the way alright according to my burrito standards. Honestly, I'd give it a 3 star. But it's always cool when it's what.. FREE. The location is neat. Nice cozy area with inside and outside sitting. It's next to Longs Drug store so if it's the right week, you can get what.. FREEBIES at Longs.
Again, I am a sucker for free stuff. Muhahahahhah..
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The power of Yelp.
I found out about the free burritos via Yelp. Somala A and I got our free burritos and tacos and chips and salsa and drinks!! And then 99% of our office ended up getting their free grub from Chipotle also.
YA, it was sorta hot. The line was long but it moved fast. The steak was sorta chewy but I got a huge serving of guacamole, so that more than made up for it. Super friendly staff and those poor food assembly staff.... gotta give props to them. Man, did they move fast!
The place is pretty spacious. Plenty of parking behind the store and all around the Alameda.
Thanks Chipotle! My coworkers and I will definitely be coming back more often.
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This place is just as authentic as Taco Bell or any mexican food place you see in the food court of your favorite mall.
I heard that when this place opened there was a long ass line of people waiting to get some food. Uh... am I missing something here? Are Santa Clara University students fiendin' that much for Mexican food?
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I couldnt wait for this place to open since im in walking distance.
I have now tried the food twice. and both times i was so disappointed.
this is not good mexican food.
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It's cheap, fast food. Don't expect good service (although the service I got was good). Their menu is not extensive, in fact, it's the simplicity that I like about this restaurant. The ingredients are healthy, and you can see how they make everything right in front of you. Parking in the lot is easy. Free soda refills at the fountain. The seating area isn't that big, and I would imagine the place gets pretty full during prime time. But it's nice to be able to sit at a restaurant on The Alameda ... the neighborhood is certainly improving, and Chipotle is a big part of that.
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Went to the pre-gand opening today and got in line. It moved surprisingly fast, which was a pleasant surprise!
I got the barbacoa burrito with black beans and green tomatillo salsa. I was disappointed with the black beans. They were more liquid than whole bean style, which I prefer.
But for a free burrito, I really can't complain.
These guys were moving fast today, so my burrito was kinda all guac the first couple of bites.
But I will be returning. The prices are really reasonable and you get a lot of food. And I'm curious about 3.50 margaritas.
So thanks for the free food. I like it when a place will treat it's customers well. You've got a new customer in me.
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On their opening day, I tried to come here for lunch, but once I saw the line, I decided to go else where. I'm not going to waste my 1hr lunch waiting in line.
So I decided to come here directly after work. The line was just as long, and it took us about 45 minutes to get into the joint and get our food. You know what, 45 minutes hanging out with friends to get a free burrito is worth it. The folks working it, were just blazing through the orders.
My usual order is : Fajita burrito with barbacoa, fresh and hot salsa, followed by lettuce. Because everything was free, they did skimp on the meat a bit, but I'm not mad. The burrito wasn't up to my standard Chipotle quality, but I enjoyed it none the less.
After eating, we jumped back in line to get one for the road. They've got table in the back side as well and also outdoor seating which is nice, that way, I can enjoy the weather while stuffing my mouth with this yummy burrito.
I'm happy to see Chipotle so much closer to DT San Jose, and near my work.
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Ma belly is happy. I went to the pre-grand opening and that line was super long. It wasn't that bad though, about a 20 minute wait. That assembly line was crazy. My chicken burrito bowl was delish and the best part of this visit, my entire meal was free!
So glad they opened a branch on The Alameda. This area is moving on up with tons of places to eat.
Chipotle is literally on the corner of The Alameda and Morrison. The layout is a lot nicer than the one on 1st street in San Jose. A lot of tables and outside seating as well. It's located near Mustards and FedEx Kinkos. There's plenty of parking in the back and on on the street. Go check it out.
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Just went to their pre-grand opening! Everything on their menu is FREE until 8pm!!! Your free meal also comes with a free soda!
I got their crunchy taco. It was good until it got soggy. I think they can fix this if they individually wrap the tacos. I highly recommend the chicken. Their hot sauce is just the right amount of spicy for me.
I didn't know this before, but, the meats they use are from animals that have been vegetarian fed and never given hormones or antibiotics.
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I ate at one of these about a year ago and thought it was just so-so -- but decided to try it once again since this one opened up in the neighborhood. It was one of those nights where I tried to cook dinner and messed it up, so we had to go out to eat after the fact, so it was a late dinner at like 8:30 or so. After we ordered and the burritos were made, we waited for like 15 minutes for someone to come let us pay. The guy who was the cashier was busy doing something else or on break. We were a little annoyed, but didn't think much of it. But when the manager finally checked us out, the comped our meal for having to wait so long. I was pleasantly surprised that they would do that to make up for the bad service. I also got a chicken burrito with all the goodies and it was quite good. I actually really liked the rice, even if it is anglo.
Love Chipotle! Clean,friendly service,good food! For the negative Yelpsters to Jeff G. -This place is not like Taco Bell! No where in comparison,and what a low blow.Negative Yelpster #2 Wendy W. DUH! This place is an Americanized Mexican food menu. Research next time before you go eat. If you want authentic Mexican food go to the East Side of San Jose they'll serve you up real good. Chipotle is good and this is a great location. Recommend!
Hey, it's a Chipotle! It's exactly like all the other Chipotles, so in other words, it's GOOD. The one thing that let me down just a little bit is the chips. The chips are usually like CRACK they are coated with sea salt and a little bit of limey goodness. The chips didn't seem to have as much of that salty-lime stuff on it as I've had elsewhere.
The rest of the food was great, on par with other Chipotles. I'm a big fan of the salads (because if I'm going to expand my butt with Mexican food, the least I can do is avoid the tortillas). But I think they shorted me on the dressing. The dressing they provided consisted of about 2 tablespoons in a plastic ramikin. I'm pretty sure that is good for my ass, but it wasn't good for my salad. I had to ask for another dressing.
The location is GREAT! Tons of parking, tons of seating both inside and out. It's a great place to take my doggie because we could sit in the sun outside and watch her beg for chips. Which of course she didn't get because I reserve the salty-limey goodness for myself.
I'd give the perfect Chipotle experience only 4 stars (itis only fast food after all), and this got one star knocked off for the chips and the salad dressing incident. But hey, I'm still going back. It's CHIPOTLE. Duh.
Most chipotle's are pretty decent with friendly service, fresh anglo-mexican food (the pico de gallo is called fresh tomato), cleanliness and competitive prices. In this branch however, getting a normal sized burito is almost impossible. The owner was so stingy with everything that my burito was almost half the size of a normal one. I realize that food prices are hurting everyone but bitch please make me a proper friggin burito. I would recommend going to the one on first street where the staff is much more liberal with the servings.
I have very mixed emotions on Chipotle.
On one hand, I hate it. I seriously hate it. I think it does a disservice to people by passing off white-washed food as Mexican. In fact I feel so strongly about this I made a t-shirt which looks like a Chipotle shirt but instead says under the logo:
Killing the Taqueria business one white-rice filled "burrito" at a time.
I mean, come on, white rice? You've got to be kidding me.
On the other hand, working in downtown SJ I get tired of the choices I have and sometimes although I am a Chipotle hater I find myself there getting some tacos (I refuse to get the white-rice filled "burrito").
Yes I know this makes me a hypocrit but what can I do? SJ can tend to suck when it comes to food choices. As far as Chipotle's go, this one isn't bad. During the lunch rush you can find several cute chicks eating here, which is nice for eye candy. Parking can be a problem as the lot is small and there are other businesses that share the lot.
There is a lot right by it for other businesses, but now those businesses put a guy in a plastic chair to ward off anyone from parking there and going to Chipotle. Sad but true.
If you want good Taqueria Mexican, hit up Taqueria Los Gallos in Newark. If you can't make it out there, please find another good taqueria in the area. If you have to eat chipotle, at least complain about white rice and take tons of napkins.
Chipotle is like a 4th of July parade. You've seen one, you've seen them all. This one is new and generally filled with either Santa Clara or SJSU students during the busy times. They will always be close to my heart after the opening weekend - they did a massive giveaway. Why not 5 stars? Parking in that back lot can sometimes be a challenge. Also, it's a Chipotle - c'mon, people.
Great, just like all Chipotles. This location is nice and big so there's plenty of seating in and out and the parking lot can hold a lot of cars.
The food was great, the staff was friendly, and the location is ideal if you're in San Jose. :)
5/5 the perfect Chipotle
(Ps: whoever said the food was bland must have a mouth of wax.)
So here I was on The Alameda, nearly ready to walk from my car to my favorite coffee house on the street. Having had a headache most of the afternoon even after having a decent lunch, I spied the new Chipotle, and said to myself, Chipotle before studying might just help, not to mention more Yelp-age for me! So even with the wonderful corporate standards around, you might think the consistency would be marvelously high between stores? Well, it's pretty close, but sometimes it takes fine-tuning. Or perhaps things are just not entirely to my taste. For example, the guac that was so mushy with very little texture (the Chipotle.com site claims that they do prepare their ingredients fresh several times a day, cf. http://www.chipotle.co...). But for just having opened on the 11th, it was not too bad. And sometimes I can tolerate the cilantro-almost-everywhere approach to seasoning. Bottom line, that tolerance comes into play when I'm hungry, especially when curing the headache comes into the picture. Or it's too hot out and my kitchen couldn't just be bothered.
Ample seating makes for a top plus over many locations to be had at The Alameda store. At any rate, come get it at this Chipotle while it's clean, shiny, and new.
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Update: Okie so I went to the pregrand opening expecting a long line and well there was a long line but it went pretty fast. I got up to the counter in like 25 mins. Not so bad. Inside was like an assembly line of workers which made the line go fast.
I had the spicy shredded chicken burrito which was sooo good. I wasn't expecting it to be so big (considering the fact that it was free). Also the soda was free. Woo hoo!!!
My friend had the salad bowl which wasn't bad at all. The food look real fresh and it was tasty.
Will be back for more. =)
OMG!! I can't believe their finally opening one near my workplace. Their grand opening is on April 11th. Expecting a long line.
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Wow, wow, wow has this place gone down hill.
I went to the very 'first' Chipotle in Denver back in 1996. It had huge, wonderfully fresh burritoes, and a line out the door.
What it's become is a pathetic place where they serve miniscule amounts of meat 'it's four ounces!" on top of crusty stale tortillas and enough salt to fatten up a herd of cows. They're more concerned abouut copying the wall art and stools than they are making sure that the food is right.
Yuck, yuck, yuck. What a disaster. Take a great idea, mass market it, and dilute it down to nothingness in favor of a profit.
I'm sure some new place will take up where they started and drill the business right out of this souless place.
Sad, very, very sad.
Not impressed. I understand this is "Americanized" mexican food, but that still does not excuse the food. To me this place is like Baja Fresh...but less options. I've tried a burrito and salad here, both times made me feel like I was being ripped off.
The salad I got last time was just a handful of lettuce, few tomatoes, little cheese and a few pieces of chicken.
The employees were rude and felt like cafeteria ladies having a bad day.
The chips we got were stale and had no salt, bland. I have no plans on going back here.
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