Burritos Fast

I’ve lived in DC for a decade and am of European descent, so I’m not the authority on whether a burrito is authentic or not, but this is my go-​to burrito place. Chipotle’s Chipotle, Pica Taco underwhelms me, so this is the place! It’s solid and consistent.
They’re friendly, a good value, take cards, and are rarely crowded. If you like burritos, this place sells them, in a prompt fashion.

Quick and cheap. I was disappointed that my «steak» burrito wasn’t carne asada style meat, but everything was good. Would return for a quick dinner option.

BEST BURRITO IN DC. As a California transplant, I spent last fall looking for a good burrito in DC. I don’t know what I was doing when the best burrito was right in my backyard. This is as good as it gets in DC. The rice and beans have their own flavor, but otherwise comparable to a California burrito in every way. Huge, wrapped in foil, cheese, quac, sour cream and spicy salsa. And $ 6.55 for a vegetarian burrito can’t be beat.

Best Burrito in DC. Why wait for 20 – 30 minutes at Chipotle when you can get a delicious burrito here?

Window advertised a picture of Sopa de Gallina – no Sopa de Gallina. Horchata also advertised – no horchata, just tamarindo. Shrimp burritos listed-​none available. Finally we decided on chicken fajita burritos– what we got had none of the items the menu listed a fajita burrito as having and I’m pretty sure it was pork. We also asked for chips and salsa– they charged us $ 3.50 for stale bag chips and cut up tomatoes and onions. When we inquired nicely about why the fajita burrito didn’t seem what we thought we ordered– the person behind the counter really did not care– any attempt to show that they wanted us to enjoy our meal would have been appreciated but it was very clear they couldn’t care less and that’s what hurts.

Just went here for a quick burrito during the so-​called snowquester. I ordered the Chicken Fajita Burrito w/​Guacamole which was $ 8.15 before tax. The burrito was good and certainly large enough for a meal and then some.
It looks like the outside of the restaurant has changed a couple times. It’s no longer green and doesn’t have the «Burritos-​Fast» sign as the uploaded photo indicates. The Google Street view showing a red paint job is a bit more accurate though they seem to have removed the «Tex Mex Burrito» sign from the front. Now it appears not to have a name which explains why the friend who recommended it couldn’t remember what it was called.
«Hole-​in-​the-​wall» certainly describes the place well (i.e. they seem to be using the front drink refrigerator for storing all kinds of bulk food items used for cooking and the lack of a restaurant name). That being said, it seemed clean enough. Their last health inspection only had minor issues (like lack of handwashing signage near the sink).
To sum it up: if I’m in the mood for a burrito and don’t want to travel far, I’ll certainly come by again.

Great place to grab a burrito. If you’re 3 blocks away in Columbia Heights and even dare to think about going into Chipotle, I beg you to walk over to Mt. Pleasant and try this place.

I know that DC peeps hate to hear comparisons to other cities but I got to do it. First, burritos are one of the greatest foods ever invented… so simple, so delicious. Second, SF has some of the best Taquerias… low key but with delicious fresh ingredients and tons of meat options (chicken, beef, pork even brains and tongue). There are even the trendy places with tofu, chicken mole and wheat/​spinach tortillas. If Chiptole is your reference point, you have never had a good burrito.
I actual had high hopes for Burrito Fast… Not that this little place would be as good as my favorite place in SF but a solid place around the corner. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
I wondered in here on a weekday afternoon. The place is a little neighborhood shop… Clean with a few tables. I ordered a chicken burrito with guacamole from the women at the counter. My burrito was done quickly and came out nice and warm.
The problem was that it was pretty bland. The rice was just plain, white rice without any seasoning… Why not use Mexican rice? The fresh salsa was also tasteless. No kick at all. I don’t really want super spicy salsa but even mild salsa is usually a bit spicy. It might have been better with some pico de gallo.
Anyway, it wasn’t the worst burrito that I have had and I might be back since it is a convenient place for a quick lunch but it was pretty disappointing.

This is what I imagine Chipotle would taste like if it weren’t a standardized national chain with more than 1,000 locations. I was hungry around lunch time and found myself in Mount Pleasant, so I dipped in here for a quick burrito that I could eat and then get right back to what I was doing. However $ 9, a drink, one giant sized burrito later, and I was in a food coma, and really wanted an afternoon nap.
My friend and I agreed: «It’s better than Chipotle, for sure.» Nice spice and flavor to the beef burrito (although I asked for pinto and got black beans). This place is simply a one woman burrito stand. Maria Zuniga is the owner/​operator and she caters.
It’s authentic Tex-​Mex and it’s a local small business. What more could you ask for?

If you take a good look at the menu, you will find that Burritos Fast offers more than just burritos. I stopped in and ordered the Costillas Asadas. What a dish!
For $ 8.80 you receive a platter of two well-​seasoned (lot’s of garlic and cilantro) beef short ribs, salad, white rice, black beans, and two thick handmade corn tortillas. Oh so good! The black beans could have been a bit better, but still were good.
My host, chef, waitress, and cashier Keiri was a delight to chat with. It was funny — a Salvadorean cooking and serving Mexican food in a place that has a Guatemalan ruin on the sign.
I’ll be back.

Place is cheap and pretty damn good. If I’m going to be completely honest with myself, it might not be quite as good as Chipotle, but it’s cheaper, so it’s acceptable.
I wouldn’t drive or metro to come to this place but as a neighborhood restaurant where you can get a filling meal for six bucks, this place more than delivers.
I have no doubt that the vegetarian burrito is pretty shitty, as the meat really makes the burrito. However, if you’re going to a hole in the wall Mexican place with the expectation of getting a great vegetarian meal, and then think it’s appropriate to trash the place based on the fact that they don’t go out and buy a ton of extra ingredients to cater to your tiny little niche market, you deserve a bad meal.

Burrito’s Fast is back and better than ever. I love this place. It reminds me of how Chiptole was when I lived in Denver, before it became a huge corporate operation.
The burrito’s are delicious… and fast, hence their name I suppose.
Best part of all, I really prefer supporting a local business to a super chain. The service is always friendly, the chicken and beef are made on site as is the guacamole. The rice is sticky and delicious and the chicken burrito, for 6.95 is filling and a great value.
I was really afraid that after Chipotle opened in Columbia Heights that we may have lost yet another local establishment, as we did with Burrito Brothers. I’m very happy they are back, still delicious and I will continue to support my local mom & pop burrito joint over a chain… you should too!

Only one word that I can use to describe this tiny burrito shop: Bland.
I was excited about going to this place and had heard good things. Too bad the food had no taste at all

As my first official dining stop in DC, Burritos Fast hit the spot. Upon seeing the menu and my friend’s sumptuous burrito that needed two sheets of foil to wrap around lest it explode, I made the mistake of gasping, «is this like Chipotle?» and was immediately chastised. I humbly apologize — it definitely is not.
The chicken burritos are greasy, as only an authentic Mexican joint could make them, but not overly so. The vegetarian burritos (with spinach) aren’t super healthy, but aren’t brimming with oil or cheese, either.
Also, horchata here has a great kick to it — you can taste the cinnamon bite at the end. A signature Mexican drink that’s done right, but at $ 2 for a cup, a wee bit pricey. What place in DC isn’t though?

Remember «The Cutting Edge»? That’s right, I’m talking about the figure skating movie from 1992. Well, Burritos Fast reminds me of that great film.
On the one hand, you have this little dive of a burrito shop nestled in the pit of Mt. Pleasant. Like Kate Moseley, the staff comes off as rude and impossible. Like Doug Dorsey, the burritos are rough and unrefined. But, like the movie’s unlikely pair, there is more beneath the surface.
If you can find the right tone of voice, the right order combination, or the right question, the tough exterior of the Burrito Fast staff is cracked with a smile. If you can get past the shoddy wrapping of the burritos, you will find that the filling holds much promise.
Is Burritos Fast worthy of the gold medal? Probably not. But, if you need a quick, cheap, meal in the neighborhood, you shouldn’t count this quirky place out.
Just be careful of those toe picks.

Burrito Fast qualifies as a neighborhood gem but not quite a must-​dine destination. It’s definitely a no-​frills type of place. For $ 5.95 ($ 6.55 including tax), you get a very over-​sized burrito filled with all the usuals — rice, cheese, sour cream, pinto/​black beans, and guacamole. Of course, everyone must make the obligatory comparison to Chipotle. Given a choice, the perfect burrito would include the tender, juicy meat from Burrito Fast but the toppings and assembly of Chipotle. I recommend eating it over a bowl with a fork handy. At some point, that burrito will fall apart but you don’t want to lose a single ounce. Also, careful with the hot sauce … it’ll kick you around. Ultimately, I like Burrito Fast for the convenience (there’s aren’t many efficient to-​go places nearby) but I wouldn’t come back if I lived in another neighborhood. [Original Visit: May 6, 2009]

It should be said that anybody giving this place a negative review has no place reviewing a burrito place. Clearly, they do not have the foggiest idea of what a burrito place is supposed to deliver on.
I discovered Burrito Fast (by the way, I’m pretty sure there’s no apostrophe-​s…) last night after a ritual Sunday evening bicycle constitutional. My roommate and I weren’t really on a food-​finding mission, but we figured that we might try a place we’ve never been to before. We’ve lived in Mt. Pleasant for about 6 months, but have never made it North of Tonic’s Taco Tuesday. There is a gaggle of unassuming places up toward the end of the main drag. It was tough to choose. We chose Burrito Fast, and boy oh boy was it the right decision.
This place only makes burritos, as far as I can tell, and I’m here to say that the fajita burrito I got last night was by far the best burrito I’ve had since moving to DC from San Francisco almost a year ago. It was super, super tasty, just the right size, and priced to sell.
The chips (you have to ask for them… Service is not forthcoming at Burrito Fast) are, arguably, the best chips I’ve ever had in my life.
I’d recommend Burrito Fast to anybody who understands how a San Francisco-​style burrito differs from its lesser cousins. I’d recommend whiners, insophisticates, and nerds against Burrito Fast. See Kevin C. (below).