El Alegre Burrito

El Alegre is probably the 1^st restaurant I patronized when I moved to the Galewood/​Elmwood Park neighborhood in March 2000. I’ve been going regularly every since — at least once a month. I’ve had the majority of the food one the menu. My absolute favorite is the Carne Asada Nachos Supremos (steak nachos supreme). The best I’ve had around. Usually fresh and crunchy chips, VERY meaty and the guacamole is OUTSTANDING! Fresh cut tomatoes, sour cream, chihuahua cheese all melted together in a delicious gooey goodness. Take my word — it’s excellent. I’ve tried the nachos at most of the chain restaurants and a lot of bars around the city. El Alegre’s are my favorite. It’s a complete meal. It’s very filling and that’s with sharing with my wife who normally orders the carne asada torta/​taco dinner. The Melanesa and carne asada Tortas are excellent. The carne asada chimichanga, floutas, burrito, taco dinners all good. My kids like the hot dog special, cheese fries, quesadillas, pizza puffs and the rice and beans. I’ve tried the gyros special which was good. It’s a great place. In 16 years — I’ve never gotten sick from eating here, never. The drive-​thru service is FAST and even more so when you call in your order in advance. I have to admit, some days the food is better than others but consistently, they’re good. This is not a fine dining establishment. It’s a neighborhood Mexican restaurant with speedy service — even when busy. If you’re in the Harlem and Grand area — stop in — you’ll be glad you did. Just today I had the steak taco lunch special — excellent! Was my reason for writing this review.

They don’t take credit/​debit cards for purchases under 10 dollars so I had to change my order to a king sized burrito. The chicken taco I ordered was marinated and delicious. The steak burrito was huge. I have a large appetite and could only finish half of it. The burrito was not quite as good as the taco because the steak was tough and there was too much sour cream which leaked out from the bottom. The red salsa had a nice flavor, but it could have been more spicy. The green salsa was far too watery. I would eat here again but I wouldn’t go out of my way to this restaurant.

Okay. Been here many times and the food is good. However, while on our lunch break from work, my friend and I went inside to order a meal to eat there. We only have 45 minutes for lunch. We stood at the counter for 10 minutes watching the woman behind the counter take 3, THREE phone orders! She smiled at us when we walked in but never said anything like hang on a minute or I’ll be right with you. I get they were busy but, I took the time to drive there. Shouldn’t I at least be acknowledged? If the phone kept ringing, would she have ever taken our order? We walked out and I will not be going back. The food isn’t good enough to be ignored…

Food is great and starts with the service
Horchatas are refreshing and fajita pollo are to die for
Been coming for 1 year now and no dissapointment at all.
All I have to say.

I go here about once a week, since I live really close.
They offer a pretty big menu of great tasting food. I get burritos there often, but have tried the fajitas and enchiladas. Everything tastes authentic and good. They also offer gyros and cheeseburgers and hot dogs/​polish but I’ve never had that there. Decent priced and I always get the XL horchata cup :)

i have been going here for a very looong time. but sad to say i will never go here again. I just received word from a very close friend of the family that was a former employee here that this place has roaches!!! that is disgusting and i hope the owner that reads this takes action! Roaches carry disease, and they go everywhere! and it really urkes me that i ate even the chips there that was out in the open, im horrified to know what else got in the food!

I use to love this place like 2 to 3 years ago but the last 2 time it was just way over salted. The rice and the service improve to my surprise. It use to be maybe they will bring you some chips now they do. People at Alegre step it back up.

This place had five stars from me before. My son is going to be one this month and I haven’t been back here since the day we came home from the hospital. Oh, and this place is 3 blocks from my house and we eat out A LOT. I got horribly sick the last three times I went here. I used to go here multiple times a week so I kept giving them another chance to redeem themselves because I loved them so much. My whole family used to come here. The last time I went I told them I got sick the two previous times. They said «oh, really». Uhh ok. Got sick again. Couldn’t stop throwing up. And it was my first night home with a newborn. So horrible. I don’t know what happened or HOW it could get so terrible, but it did. They lost a HUGE part of their customer base. My family went there multiple times a week. Too bad for them– but for us too. We loved their food :(

I moved into the neighborhood and thought I should check it out. I went through the drive-​thru so I can’t tell you what it looks like on the inside.
They serve American-​ish food too. I ordered the gyro and cheese fries. It was hot and smelled great. The cheese on the fries seemed to not exactly taste that good, but I just thought it was their version of cheese fries. Not sure if it was the cheese, but just a few hours later, not have eaten anything else, I got sick. Unfortunately, I will not be going here again, and driving by it actually makes me kinda queasy. I really wished it wouldn’t have made me sick because it is close to me. Oh well.

El Alegre Burrito is a Mexican restaurant (they do serve «American» foods also) that does the basics very well. The building is an old hot dog/​hamburger joint, and they’ve done almost nothing to change the place in almost 20 years. But don’t let the looks of the place frighten you; they make very good food. It’s simple. It’s basic. It’s delicious. And the service is quick.
Sit and watch Univision and Telemundo programming while you wait for carry-​out, or while you dine-​in; «Sabado Gigante» with Don Francisco on a Saturday night… Nice.
They do have a drive-​thru, and a small parking lot. And metered parking is available on the street.

the flautas plate here is the best flautas i’ve had. the food is always good. the cooks are kind of weird but whatever. I really like their rice and beans too.

I’ve been at this place quite a few times. It’s quick and easy. I don’t know how you like your Mexican food but it seems they put salsa right in burritos.
Pros:
Fast service
Good price
Drive thru
Cons:
I wouldn’t recommend eating in. The place is grimy — shabby at best, but heh, it’s a fast food joint.
Never seem to have avocados

This is truly my go to place for fast Mexican when i’m in no mood to think about what I want for dinner. Staff is consistently efficient, food has been pretty good the last few times I’ve been here.
and seriously the place isn’t cute by any means but I have never seen anything disgusting or any bugs (trust me, I would not continue to go here).
Don’t go out of your way but don’t avoid this place if you’re in the area.

GRYME ASS PLACE… This is the GRYME-​DIZZLE of it all. EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK. Last time I ate here I got mega sick. The food is nasty. Then as I was leaving to drive out of the parking lot I see 2 cocaroaches in the inside window of the drive thru window. The cooks are perverts. The place is very dirty.

Burrito mania continues as today, I jumped the border… of Elmwood Park into the 773. I’ve passed this place many times, and may have actually been here when I was in high school. But my recollection of those days are all so foggy, so I decided to refresh my memory.
The outside of this place looks kind of shotty, but I’m used to that when it comes to taquerias. In fact, I prefer it. For some reason, it usually means the food is good. They have a simple menu which is numbered. Of course, I ordered the #9, a steak burrito dinner. I was not expecting to get free chips and salsa since it has more of a fast food feel to it, but sure enough, the kind lady came from around the counter & gave me a basket of chips and a cup of red salsa. The chips are exactly the kind I like: thin and crispy, with just the right amount of salt. The salsa, however, was the low point of the meal. A bit watery, & not much spice whatsoever. It didn’t taste bad, but was definitely mediocrity in a cup.
The burrito was nice and big. The meat inside was steaming hot, and the cheese was melted nicely. They didn’t over-​do it with the sour cream, which I’m glad about. The rice was pretty flavorful despite there not being any vegetables in it. The beans were pretty good.
All in all, a pretty solid burrito. Probably wont make the burrito hall of fame, but hits the spot when you’re nearby and craving Mexican food.

Huge portions and good food. Neon sign on the window says «We open late». That sign cracks my husband up every time we pass it. After we eat there, we always need a long nap afterwards from food coma.