Freebirds World Burrito

Customer experience was horrible. Manager was no where to be found and the associate were using profanity on the line. When going through the line there was almost no food to choose from. Talked with the girl at the register and she was completely energetic. I asked her who was in charge and she just shrugged her shoulders. I ended us sitting down to eat my burrito and eventually saw a manager pop up. The food was good, although the place was dirty, the staff was not helpful –and the manager need to get on his staff on point. the manager needs to be able to get his people doing things for him so he’s not the only person doing everything so when he steps out the place doesn’t crumble. I might come back I might not but if I do I hope it’s different. And please wipe down the walls. They are gross.

The food here is really good! I usually either get a kids burrito, or the hybrid (small) burrito with a cayenne tortilla for a little kick! Their Spanish rice is great and I usually go for chicken, and instead of regular shredded cheer I get the melted queso that they use for nachos instead! The guacamole they make is really good, too! A kids burrito also comes with a side of chips or rice & beans for around $ 4! Fills me up, too!
Had to take off 1 star because the wait is ridiculous here, even if there’s only one person in front of me. They seem to not have enough people on the line and at register. One time I came 15 minutes after opening and all they had was steak and cilantro lime rice! And the employees seemed to lack communication because I was charged for something almost ten dollars more than what I ordered! However, the manager did help me out and apologized for all the inconvenience!

I went for lunch twice on Fridays around 11:45 — 12:15. On both occasions they were woefully understaffed with only 2 people making burritos and handling money. There was one person working in the back. The line backed up, out the door as it took 5 minutes to handle each customer. The food is good, but I won’t be going back unless it’s at some «off-​peak» hour. No more lunches at Freebirds.

Gaucho class of 2005 reporting here. If you went to UCSB anytime between 2000 – 2008, do yourself a favor and pass on this location. The meat tends to look/​taste ancient, the prices aren’t cheap, and the ingredients are very cheap. End result is tasteless food.

This place was a huge disappointment! I went in for dinner with my boyfriend and his daughter 2 weeks ago on a Saturday night, they were completely out of everything and it was only 6:40pm. If we wanted to wait for the pork or steak it would have been a 30 minute wait.
Not only that but the rice and beans didn’t look appetizing at all, the seldom salsas they did have looked like bottled salsa. They had run out of the other 2 that they carry. How does this happen? At chipotle they run out of things but it’s like a 2 – 5 minute wait which isn’t bad at all.
I really wanted to like this place since we often go to color me mine and it would have been a perfect place to have dinner before.
Never again!

I’m actually a Chipotle fanboy. a diehard fan that eats Chipotle at least three times a week and spends the entire week trying to poop it out.
I was in the area craving some not-​so-​authentic-​burritos and I figured that maybe I should try something new and I should expand my options and try freebirds.
upon walking in, I notice that the décor was like… it was edgy, but the tables made it feel like some local hipster café? they even had chalkboards that told you some really empowering way to eat a burrito that was pretty local café-​esque. I mean, I thought it was cute. the lady liberty crashing through the ceiling with very noticeable boobs made me uncomfortable, though. also there was foil on various places and that kind of turned me off, too. I noticed that some of it was supposed to be artistic display (there was an impressive Baymax from Big Hero 6) but most of it looked like trash left by careless customers.
then I noticed the employees and they were all so attractive? something happened and I got nervous, my heart started to race and I’m sure my eyes were dilated and I looked like a deer in headlights. I was stumbling when asked what I wanted on my order. was this their desired effect? is that why they hired all these really attractive people? if so, then it’s working.
I normally order a bowl with chips at chipotle, so I opted for a bowl here at freebirds — but no chips. I didn’t ask if they had chips, but then again they didn’t ask me… but I was also thinking I should’ve opted for the nachos, assuming it was like a bowl… with chips. I was also debating on getting a monster burrito, but I was already getting full with the bowl.
so my bowl consisted of a half-​and-​half mix of the Spanish rice and a cilantro-​lime variation of rice, refried beans, carnitas, Monterey Jack cheese, corn, sour cream, and lettuce. I thought it was good, I’m a fan, but certainly not a convert.
also, thank you Michael (the really adorable employee that seems to wear really geek-​centric apparel) for getting my little brother a bag for his burrito when he was complaining that he couldn’t finish it, even when you were already off and ready to go home! it’s probably not a big deal, but you could’ve been in the parking lot going home by then. that was really sweet of you!

Metal piece found in my salsa!
I went in today for a burrito and ordered some chips & salsa on the side. As I scoop my salsa with a chip, I find a long piece of metal. I inform one of the staff of this and their offer is to give me a new cup of the same batch. I ask for a refund and the waiter Noe looks surprised as if it were so ridiculous to refund my money because a freakin metal piece was in it. They call the manager Raul who says absolutely nothing to me as he comes out and goes to the register to refund me the chips and salsa. Mind you they also put the same salsa on my burrito but did not refund that. He hands me the receipt and I tell him that they should look into their salsa and he says he will (still no apology) but I still see the same tub of salsa being served to patrons. They didn’t even bother to remove the tainted salsa! I am completely disgusted with the quality of food safety and handling here not to mention the poor customer service. Scrolling through the Unilocal photos, it seems that some guy found a screw in his burrito so it seems like finding metal objects in your food at this place is a common occurrence. Gross!!!

Slow service, 10 people waiting while everyone behind the counter milled aimlessly around, not even acknowledging anybody.
Next time I’m going to Chipotle. … At least they know what they’re doing.
** free birds responded, but they don’t get it!
Waiting is normal and sometimes expected. Ignoring customers and not acknowledging them makes you wonder if a) if they want you as a customer and b) if they are trying to to you as soon as they can.
Add more staff and train the staff you have; don’t huddle down at the far end or hide in the kitchen area when your line is going out the door! These are people who *want* to give you their money! Don’t make it hard for them.

I am obsessed with the queso here! This is a huge reason why I drive across town just to go here. Their burritos are really good and their customer service is usually good, even when they are busy. They are similar to chipotle but with more options on the size of the burrito, type of tortilla, and some of the toppings. The also have a rewards card and you can get free burritos!

First timer here and was surprised they did not label at the very least, the tortilla options. I felt bad having to ask what each was and their respective ingredients when they could have this typed out in front. Perhaps they change daily or ???
I ordered the Freedb! rd Grass Fed Beef burrito. Sounds healthy and I guess as far as fast food goes it prolly is. It tasted so salty and I rarely eat fast food so imagine this fare is for the typical eater with limited discerning taste. I cook alot so am quite spoiled with fresh natural unprocessed food.
However, the ingredient options were plentiful and the service was supremely kind and fast. I doubt I will return but if you like tailor made burritos guess you can’t go wrong here.

Every time I come here they are out of the corn salsa… Seriously every time but it’s only been less than 5 times. But really… Is corn that rare or is it that good but if so up your supply for your demand.
There is a lot of options here. From size of your burrito, type of tortilla (wheat, flour, spinach, and whatever the orange red colored one is), rice (spinach or cilantro lime), meat (chicken, steak, carnitas, and newly dark meat chicken) and all the other fixings.
They are very helpful and friendly.
Taste… Okay… I felt my steak burrito was salty. And I can’t pin point what it is but it’s either the pico De gallo or fajitas veggies. I’m sensitive to salt but really worth each bite every time I got a steak burrito made me want to drink water with it.
Not bad for your money but didn’t leave a lasting impression especially never having the corn salsa.

Hubby and I shared a Freebird veggie burrito and chips and queso today and I wasn’t all that impressed with the food or the service. Value wise, it was a lot of food for $ 12 because we were able to share our meal and we were both stuffed. However, the whole «massive burrito that falls apart» part of the meal makes me want to stop eating. The cilantro lime rice is overpowering and I felt like that was all I could taste in the burrito. The chips and queso were the best part of the meal.
The service was slow (but friendly) and seemed a bit unorganized. Luckily, we got there right before noon so we beat the lunch crowd. There was a line with a least 8 people waiting when we left.
They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and there’s plenty of parking in their shared lot.
Chances are, I’ll be back since we don’t have all that many options in the area. Next time I’ll try the smaller size with the Spanish rice. Maybe I’ll have better luck!

I was a little hesitant about eating here because of the name; I thought this was a chicken restaurant. I do not eat chicken or any other meat that is not fish. But my boyfriend explained that it is a chipotle/​café Rio type of place, and that they served vegetarian options as well. I walked in to scope out the selection of food and one look at the rice and beans options had me getting in line to order myself a vegetarian burrito! You get your choices of rice and beans (I chose cilantro rice and refried beans), and it comes w/​salsa, pico De gallo, guacamole, and grilled vegetables (onions and bell peppers) on your choice of tortilla (flour, wheat, chipotle and what I’m assuming is spinach because it was green). The combination was excellent!
I paired my burrito w a Pacifico cerveza for an excellent meal. I’m a bigger fan of Free Birds now than I am of chipotle or Café Rio. The fact that all of the ingredients are fresh and organic is definitely a big plus for free birds, and worth the extra buck you pay. And the atmosphere is way cool. Don’t forget to leave your ALUMINUM ART by the wall!!!

Our first experience was very average and didn’t have any intentions on going back until one night we stopped at Total Wine next door and decided to give Free Bird another try. This time our experience was GREAT!
The workers were very friendly and gave great customer service. My husband and I love burritos and they definitely exceeded our expectations since the last visit.
Free Bird is well over the top when it comes to the FULLNESS of the burrito compared to Chipotle; however, I wouldn’t say one taste BETTER than the other, they are both different.
I would definitely recommend this place

I don’t wanna sound like a hipster. ‘I heard of this band before they were cool. I read the Game of Thrones books before the show was cool’
These people can all go to hell.
But let me just mention that I went to UCSB and had Freebirds there. Like many former students I knew that Freebirds in IV was magical because it was a college staple.
Now this place is going the way of chain restaurants and I don’t necessarily like the move.
Mainly because unfortunately. Chipotle does it better. I think comparing Freebirds to Chipotle is like comparing Carl’s Jr. to In-​N-​Out. (Notice I didn’t say McDonald’s or Burger King) the quality is still there but I’d chose In-​N-​Out any day over Carl’s.
The cool thing about this chipotle is that it’s pretty chill. The workers don’t seem to have a dress code and you don’t see drunk college kids anywhere. You guys have no idea how crazy Freebirds is on Thursday-​Saturday around 12 – 2 am back in SB. The best I can describe it is 3 – 4 Jack in the box drive thrus each with a drunk person ordering 4 different burgers and adding 6 tacos.
But the place here is more relaxed. The décor makes it seem like it’s trying a little too hard to be cool with a motorcycle mannequin hanging from the ceiling. But im ok with that.
I think the monster burrito is true to its name. It’s pretty damn size able and intimidating. Probably twice the size of a chipotle burrito. And yeah, I recall me and a bunch of drunk bros wolfing down a monster burrito when drunk and feeling it the next morning in the toilet.
Freebirds is just kinda like an average spot. I think it’s been trying to survive on the myth that college kids have created. I hope they stop building more of these places cause again, to be honest, the food isn’t the best and I’d rather traverse to Chipotle. But that’s just my opinion. That’s the beauty of Unilocal.
*End of hipster communication*

I am not sure what kept me from walking in these doors, I must have passed this location at least 1,000 times since they opened and never stopped.
I am leery of trying a new Mexican food spot that I am not familiar with but due to construction at home I was unable to do my weekly meal prep and found myself searching thru Unilocal for a spot to eat. My normal ‘go to’ spot is LAX Taco in Inglewood but that might have just changed.
I am allergic to jalapenos and therefore despise Chipotle. I cannot stand Chipotle due to the fact that everything they cook (i.e. rice, beans, salsa) all contain minute amounts of jalapeño.
I drove to this location and found parking right away, unlike Chipotle. I walked in and was pleasantly surprised to find no line, unlike Chipotle. I was able to have various options of tortillas (i.e. Flour, Wheat, Cayenne or Spinach), unlike Chipotle. I could even order different sized burrito (i.e. Hybird, Freebird, Monster or Super Monster), unlike Chipotle.
I was immediately greeted by an employee who was extremely helpful. I advised the employee this was my first time visiting their establishment and the employee jokingly said ‘what took you so long.’ The employee broke down in great detail the process of how items are made and when asked knew exactly what contained jalapenos, unlike Chipotle.
I decided I would go with all the options available I would go with the staple and try out their burrito. I was first asked what type of tortilla I wanted and decided to go with the spinach wrap tortilla (shocked to discover later after googling it that the spinach tortilla actually contains a huge amount of sodium
). I had the option of several different types of rice, I went no rice, black beans, pico de gallo, extra cilantro, extra onion, avocado, no cheese & no sauce. I have to hand it to these employees on how to efficiently roll & wrap a burrito, I mean you could use this thing as a weapon it is so tight.
After your burrito is made and wrapped in tinfoil they heat up your burrito on a press which I thought was a nice touch.
Since my original visit I have been back two more times and ended up using the same ingredients but now no tortilla burrito bowl style, so good, so easy, so quick, no lines & literally the healthy burrito version of Subway=)
On a cleanliness factor this spot is top notch. I have not noticed a dirty floor, bathroom or even so much as a dirty countertop. As the saying goes dirty house, dirty kitchen!!!
Freebird you have truly found a fan. I will probably go back to the spinach wrap for smugglefest operations into the Arclight!!!

Originated from Santa Barbara, Freebirds is basically Chipotle + 1.5 times more add-​on options + slightly more expensive.
Came here 15 minutes before the closing time and they ran out of chicken dark meat. Service could have been more efficient … I had to wait 5 minutes even though there was absolutely no line at all.
***
Options: Chicken (white or dark), steak, carnitas, veggie, tempeh
Tortilla: Regular, wheat, cayenne, spinach
Rice: Cilantro, Spanish, or extra rice
Cheese: Cheddar, Monterrey, or extra cheese (additional $ 0.55)
Sauce: Bad ass BBQ, mild, hot, death, salsa, habanero, lime juice, ancho, ranch, tomatillo, or no sauce.
Others: Pico de gallo, corn salsa, tomatoes, peppers/​onions, cilantro, sour cream, lettuce, jalapeño, white onion, tortilla strips, roasted garlic
Extra: Extra meat ($ 2.25), queso ($ 1.10), avocado ($ 1.10), bacon ($ 1.10), guacamole ($ 1.85)
***
Freebird Burrito (½ chicken and ½ steak, $ 7.10 + extra $ 1.85 for guacamole): I had spinach tortilla + cilantro rice + Monterrey cheese + salsa + lettuce + guacamole. I wasn’t too satisfied with my own creation … tasted like something was missing (like sour cream /​hot sauce).
I think my burrito will taste better if I actually utilize all of the available ingredients here.

For weeks now, I’ve been driving by Freebirds wondering what it was. Finally, I asked my wife. She recommended that since I tend to eat healthy, I should try it. She added that I would like it.
So one fine day, after a motivated workout at UFC Gym, I headed over to Freebirds to grab a bite. I walked in and was shocked to see what I call, an «earthy» interior. Except for Blank Angus, who has that anymore? I loved it. The colorful wood panels, hippie-​like fonts, and artsy wall paper added a lot of character to the restaurant. Not to mention, the 70’s style custom chopper hanging from the roof. All this place needed was a long hair bearded stoner in the corner wearing a faded Vietnam era Army jacket.
I was greeted by a friendly employee who asked me what I would like. I turned it on her, as I often do and asked what she recommended. She recommended the half chicken/​half beef burrito. SOLD!
While making the burrito, I began to look at all the options Freebirds offered. It resembled Baskin Robbins! I’m kidding. But Freebirds had twice as many options as Chipotle. When my burrito was complete, I headed over the pay counter where I saw a few baked goods. One of which was a fresh chocolate brownie with caramel inside. With a pregnant wife at home, you know I had to grab that.
I took my food home, which is about 5 blocks away. It was still hot and absolutely fantastic! I could taste the freshness of the food and the bold flavor or the chicken. And you know the best part? It wasn’t salted down like Chipotle.
I can’t wait to go back!

Three stars… not a solid 3, but it’s there enough.
This place has a Chipotle like vibe, pretty much the exact same menu, just laid out differently.
It was not crowded, ample parking, and super nice staff. The cashier commented on my tailored shirt (blush), why thank you (big tip). Everyone down the ordering line was nice too.
I just didn’t sense the quality of ingredients… that’s my only knock on the chicken bowl I got. I went with the dark meat, because its flavorful, and face it, everyone likes it dark once in a while.
I tried to make it healthy, held off on the cheese products, and other dairy. Just added guac and had some veggies and black beans… but it was missing something.
Not bad, and I’ll certainly go again.
PROs:
— Healthy menu items.
— Nice people.
— Easy access, lots of parking.
— Decent prices.
CONs:
— Lacked flavor.
— Lotta watery beans… drain them beans yo!
That’s it for now. FREEBIRD!
ENJOY!

I like Freebirds it does rival Chipotle in the world of fresh made to order Mexican chain restaurants. I’d say it’s equal to it’s other traditional peers like Rubio’s, Baja Fresh and Paquito Mas too.
The service is friendly and food is delicious.
Being in LA, it’s easy to find authentic bang for the buck Mexican food, and once you find your place (El Burrito Jr is mine!), you’ll go back often. However, sometimes that «discovery» process has you trying the good, the bad and the ugly of the restaurants.
So, if you don’t feel like experimenting and want a clean and reliable place, and one that seems fresh and healthy, then go to Freebirds. It’s the type of place a young hipster would take an internet first date to. It feels like a safe haven for the mainstream.
This location is near the South Bay Galleria Mall, sort of, and has very easy parking.