Barbacoa

This place blows. It’s like Chipotle, but more expensive, with lower quality food, and worse service. It’s a shame they take up such prime real estate at 9^th & 9^th. Don’t eat here.

Awful customer service! I will never go back to this place again. Taste is extremely average, and their is no excuse for how bad the workers at this establishment are.

This place is disgusting. They steam their tortillas, and their meat is watery and disgusting. This place is priced similar to chipotle, but does not taste good at all. It is not authentic, and not even good American food

Service is a little off… Ordered 2 kids meal quesadillas with 2 sides of pinto beans, and adult nachos. Sat down and the pinto beans were not in our order. Plus the nachos (this is my first time here) were pretty gross so I only ate 2 bites. I brought them up for a refund because I just wanted a tortilla instead. They wouldn’t refund (just gave me a bag of chips and some meat to replace and then said about the pinto beans «Well ma’am they’re not free.» I replied that I wasn’t implying that they were free, just that we had ordered them and they weren’t there. So anyway, okay food (excluding the nachos) but poor service. The kids quesadillas were great for the kids and the meal includes good stuff for them. But the adult food is like a bland version of Chipotle or Café Rio.

Ate lunch today here with my boss after we landed from Colorado. We are used to Chipotle. We both had the salad. He had the Barbaccoa and I had the chicken. We both thought it was disgusting and totally bland and we were starving. I ate ¼ of mine and my boss ate ¹⁄₃. We threw the rest in the trash. It had zero spice or flavor. The corn salsa was watery. The chicken was totally dried out. We couldn’t find a bathroom. It was so HOT in there. Why anyone would eat here is beyond me.

There is much more to a good meal than just the food tasting good. The whole atmosphere of the restaurant and the customer service contribute to the overall quality of meals. And let’s just say, Barbacoa was far from successful.
I read the reviews and was so excited to try the restaurant that was «better that Chipotle, Café Rio, and Costa Vida combined», come on people, get your facts straight. This was my experience in a nutshell, take it as you please.
I parked in a small lot to the right of the building, that was nice because parking was free; however, I also got lucky because someone left right as we went in – I don’t know where I would’ve parked if that spot wasn’t free.
I then meandered into the fun looking dining area but had no idea what to order, I knew I wanted a burrito though. I proceeded to make my way up to the counter and begin a conversation with the employee. It went a little something like this:
«Hello! This is my first time here! I’m wondering what your favorite thing on the menu is?»
The fellow looked blankly at me, then at his buddy, and asked, «What is my favorite thing on the menu?»
Hmm, that wasn’t a good answer, bub.
The other young man didn’t answer my question either, but he did let me sample their supposed ‘best spicy beef’. I decided on that and made my way through; however, basically everything GOOD is EXTRA.
«Would you like any guacamole? Would you like sour cream?» The employee asked as he began scooping it into my tortilla – I could see the dollars being wrapped into my extra toppings.
«Sure.» I replied, knowing he wouldn’t have known how to fix my burrito since he had already plopped the expensive stuff on there already.
I got ONE burrito. And it ended up being more than $ 10. Ugh, and it really wasn’t the best thing every. I will tell you that they do not skimp on the meat, which is something I appreciate because I need my «brotien». However, I figured I’d warn you before you get fooled by the high reviews. You’re welcome in advance.
TIPS & TRICKS:
* The kids meal really is a decent size taco if you aren’t too hungry. A juice box and graham crackers help to wash it down as well.
* Sit in the right corner when you go, it’s less noisy and cold – which is always a pleasant addition.

I love Barbacoa! Their sauces ate really good. I’ve only gotten the chicken from there, but it’s seasoned really well and is not overcooked or dry.

This is our favorite quick, healthy-​ish meal spot. There are so many things I love about Barbacoa!
1– it’s a locally owned establishment
2– they have lots of healthy, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options
3– they always have the best music playing
4– lots of outdoor seating
5– super friendly and attentive staff who are willing to accommodate any requests
6– great location (9^th & 9^th)
7– GARLIC CHOLULA!
Some of my top pics are the veggie burrito with brown rice, pico, on a whole wheat tortilla– the burrito soup plus guac– and if I’m feeling naughty, the *wrapped* taco with corn salsa, guac, and smothered with cholula (garlic, of course).
YUMYUMYUM. NOMNOMNOM.
!!Buen provecho!

Love this place. Fresh ingredients, super friendly staff, lots of light, outdoor sitting. Reasonably priced. Great location opposite Broadway, Coffee Garden. My favorite there — tacos.

I’ve been going to Barbacoa for years and years now. I used to go to the Barbacoa in Holladay (like by Great Harvest), and I’ve always preferred Barbacoa to Café Rio, Costa Vida, and Chipotle.
First off: I used to go here before I was diagnosed with a number of food allergies, and their burrito bowls and burritos were awesome. The burritos are massive and the tortillas are warm, soft pieces of angel wings. Seriously, I cannot say enough about their tortillas.
Their burrito bowls are still great, but I can’t eat the rice anymore (it’s cooked in vegetable oil), so a lot of times I end up getting the salad or the burrito soup. The soup is awesome, and you can get it vegan/​vegetarian. Also, I don’t know why people never get the chips and salsa, but get the chips and salsa! The 9^th and 9^th location has consistently good chips and salsa, but the Wasatch Blvd. location can be a hit or miss.
I’ve never had them, but my husband always loves their nachos (they pile those babies high with rice, beans, meat, any salsa or toppings, and the queso; I think my husband has only finished the order once, it’s a really big portion).
I love this place — when it’s good; lack of consistency is the reason I didn’t give this place a 5-​star review. That, and the fact that they don’t list the fact that they use vegetable oil (for people with a soy allergy, that’s extremely dangerous).

Why is it so darn hard to find tasty vegan Mexican food? I had a veggie burrito and it was very bland and not tasty at all. I only ate half of it because I was starving, the rest went in the trash. Also, $ 1.00 for a tablespoon of guacamole is ridiculous. Bleh.

My impression of Barbacoa, prior to actually eating at one, was that it seemed, on the surface, to be a second-​rate Chipotle. From the design of the restaurant to the webpage and so on, it all fit in. After eating there, I’d say this is firmly established. It is Chipotle-​light. A locally based clone is still a clone, after all.
The problem with clones, generally, is that they don’t copy correctly and tend to do things poorly. This is definitely the case with this place, with its stale lime-​sprinkle chips to the selection of meats a small step away from Chipotles, but nowhere near as «clean» in execution (chunks of fat are yum?). The taste of the honey pork, for instance, was fine… just not in a quasi-​Mexican setting. The hottest salsa of Chipotle, while not actually hot, is at least respectable. Here, their hottest is more like a very slight burn, sort of what Taco Bell would consider hot, i.e. not challenging or respectable or especially hot or even very flavorful at all. The entire burrito was the size of a small football and packed full inside the over-​steamed-​to-​the-​point-​of-​doughiness tortilla, yet none of it was actually good.
More than anything, this really deserves a 2.5, but I can’t give that, of course and I’d be ashamed to lower it to a 2, after the very, very friendly and fast service I got. So, for that and for having Coke Zero, they get the bump, but won’t get me returning.

Let’s start with what Barbacoa is not. Barbacoa is not authentic, nor is it innovative. I truly believe that the reason it survives is because, simply, it tastes fresh. This seems like a no brainer, but when you compare it to modern day fast food, having food that doesn’t taste processed is getting increasingly more difficult to come across.
I’m going to vouch for Barbacoa in the debate against Café Rio and say that is markedly better in just about every way. The ordering process is quick and efficient, they have several menus that are available for you to look at while you wait in line. The ordering process is simple, efficient and is USUALLY not time consuming. The food may be a bit overpriced, but I generally I find it to be on par with the quality of food I receive.
I have eaten here as both a meat eater and vegetarian and have never had a problem either way. There is always an option available to me. On the meat side, it’s the honey sweet pork, hands down. The queso is actually quite good, and the burritos consistently satisfy. However when pondering the question of mild, medium or hot, keep in mind that the «hot» option does not deliver whatsoever. If you need that kick, utilize the Cholula they offer. Other than that, Barbacoa usually delivers, and for that I have no problem talking it up.

I’m tired of going to this restaurant and being served a sloppy mess of a meal. The staff is consistently rude and inattentive. There have been multiple occasions when I have to repeat myself several times before the person behind the counter actually processes the information they’re being told. Beware of what you order… if you say «yes» to sour cream your burrito bowl will be swimming in it. The manager of this restaurant is ridiculous. He’s making fun of the customers in Spanish in front of their faces.

Wanted to try a new place and decided on Barbacoa. Like another reviewer wrote, it kind of models chipotle. I tried the burrito salad with steak and my wife got the steak burrito. The food was good! The salad was fresh and so were the tortillas.
My only complaint would be that the steak seemed like it had been in the warmer a little too long, but I will come back and eat here again. I will most likely try the chicken or the need. Hope this helps any of you looking for a decent place to eat. Oh and the prices weren’t that bad either. Two adults and kid ate for $ 20 – 24. And that because we got a large drink to share.

Yep, this place is a Chipotle, essentially. Not a bad thing, fortunately. I think their salsas are a little lacking, but the meat selection and quality is a slight cut above Chipotle. Tried the savory Pork Barbacoa as well as the Sweet Pork and both were excellent. Great place to stop if you want a simple fast food burrito.

Has the large soup here. It was spectacularly flavourless and dull. Price was too high

I love Barbacoa. Their meat and other ingredients always taste great. I like their barbacoa beef or pork best — just a little bit spicy, great flavor, and very tender. The honey sweet pork is also good (haven’t tried anything else). The cooks are always fast and efficient and friendly. The restaurant is always clean and you can sit inside or outside, or take the food to go.
Personally I prefer Barbacoa over Café Rio. I always feel like I have to yell my order at Rio multiple times because it is always SO loud and chaotic there. Barbacoa is much calmer and always ends up being faster. Their pork not at all greasy or wet like Rio’s. The only thing I like better at Café Rio is their salad dressings.

Barbacoa is Utah’s version of Chipotle or Qdoba. However, it was such a surprise to discover that Barbacoa was more authentic than Chipotle and Qdoba. And, in Utah! Now, that’s a surprise!
I had the nachos because there’s less chance of being disappointed. However, Barbacoa delivered and I wished that I had tried something else. The nachos were awesome! Opt for the shredded barbacoa… it’s just good!
The place was simple yet tasteful. The staff were absolutely friendly and helpful.
I’ll definitely come back if I’m in the area again!

Between Café Rio, Chipotle, Bajio and Barbacoa you are never lacking a faux Mexican burrito place to try in Salt Lake and all are pretty popular and you are guaranteed a long line on weekdays.
IMHO Barbacoa is the best of them all and offers a truly local experience in a segment dominated by chains.
The burritos here just seem better to me. The meat and salsa fresher and more flavorful and the staff genuinely happy to be there which goes a long way toward a successful business.
The other nice thing about Barbacoa is that they don’t seem to have the urge to overpopulate the world with the chain in the shortest time possible and this has allowed the quality and taste to be maintained throughout the chain and the locations.
Love the steak and the barbacoa beef!