Alex Gourmet Burrito
545 Sansome St
(between Clay St & Merchant St)
San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 362-1384
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
632 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"I am shocked! Shocked, I say, to see any negative reviews of Tres Agaves. This place rocks the authentic mexican cuisine and vast array of…" read more »
28 Reviews for Alex Gourmet Burrito
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 :)
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!
Far from gourmet--kinda like me taking a stab at Beef Wellington or souffle.
I beat the lunch rush and dropped by at about 11:40. All the beef, chicken, and pork was already prepared and sitting on the steam table. I don't know if this is a good thing. I'm not saying I expect my burrito meat to be cooked to order, but this stuff could've been sitting there since 8:00 a.m. for all I know.
The burrito was bland, bland, bland. Not sure what they put in their mild salsa, but it didn't assist the other ingredients--it wouldn't even talk to them.
Here's the scoop on payment terms: they accept cash and ATM debit cards only. You must spend $6.50 to use the debit card and they tack on a $0.50 "service charge." Nothing infuriates me more than this practice. Alex, enjoy that extra $0.50 you squeezed out of me cuz it's the last time I'll be sampling your bland, bleak burrito offerings.
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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!
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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.
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.
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.
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*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!
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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.
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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.
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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Yummy breakfast burrittos, but the service there is sometimes a hit or a miss. I loyaly went there everyday for two weeks to grab my beloved breakfast burittos, and my only beef with this business is the boss lady. She is nice and witty, but tends to nickel and dime her customers charging for every little thing. You'd expect a real establishment to reconnize good patrons and cut them some slack on extra salsa...its salsa for gosh sakes... not gold! Most buritto places give it to you for free and Taloc has an all you care to take salsa bar.
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.
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.
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?
i went to grab lunch at alex gourmet burritos b/c i've never tried it - now i know why.
b4 i even look at menu, BOSS/employee is grilling me on my order (um, back the f... up please)
after a few choice questions about the menu, i settle on a ensalada con pollo (yes, in a burrito shop).
BUT, i want salad & i want it in a tortilla shell.
apparently this is not an option. so the two employees exchange confused looks and a short discussion and state that the tortilla shell is for the soutwestern salad not the ceasar. in order to get the shell i needed to order the southwestern.
my thoughts...'so what, didn't ask that & i want the shell for the ceasar salad.'
i ask if the salads are PRE-prepared and the response is no.
so WHY? WHAT is the major malfunction here then?
i then ask, if it is possible to get the ceasar salad in the tortilla shell EVEN THOUGH the shell is specifically designated for the southwestern salad.
a long pause occurs and then it is decided that my lil request would cost .50 extra.
"OK, well then I want a ceasar salad in a tortilla shell - as orginally stated."
i go to the register to pay and get this - they ONLY TAKE ATM CARDS & there is a .50 charge. WTF?!
the salad is just ok. but the shell is YUMMY. GLAD I STOOD MY GROUND.
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.
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Pretty tasty food. But not worth haggling with the boss. She's crabby. She yells at her staff in front of the clientele. She is constantly hovering over their shoulders. Its just bad bad bad. I've been a pretty loyal customer even as far back as when the restaurant was called Bur-Eat-Os. On my last visit, they were out of most of the breakfast components, so I asked for extra salsa instead--and like always SHE charged me for it. Imagine charging $1 for an extra scoop of salsa (even though they were lacking everything else). In fact, She always nickels-and-dimes me for it. They charge extra if you want a wheat tortilla. They charge you if you want salsa to go. WHAT? This morning I went in for my usual breakfast burrito. It was pretty early in the morning. The place was empty but I was not greeted as I stood there for five minutes two feet away from the boss lady. Their customer service has always been horrible, so I left vowing to never go there again. Their food is good but not worth it.
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Low carb options! Boo-yah!
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