Freebirds

Yum. And dangerous, considering I will be living close by shortly. I do love burritos, and Freebirds has a quesadilla burrito… soooo effin good. Basically every burrito should be a quesadilla burrito, it really just makes sense! I ordered the second to smallest size and it was way more than enough food. It really was more than I could eat, so next time I will order the smallest one.
I really like the options for toppings here, and that they have whole wheat tortillas. The burrito «makers» are also super friendly and helpful, always a nice perk! The best part is the way they wrap it… since that generally makes eating a burrito difficult… but here it’s an easy process.
I really didn’t realize Freebirds was a chain. The last couple of times I consumed a Freebirds burrito was during my college days in Santa Barbara… and the memories are very fuzzy. I always remember it being really good… but that doesn’t say much, Lol.
But now trying this one years later? I can conclude that their food is good, and pretty cheap.

Think of it as Chipotle. You get to choose your tortilla — regular flour, spinach, spicy and wheat, get to choose your meat and all the veggies. You can pick a bowl, a burrito or a taco, etc. It’s the same drill as Chipotle. Their ingredients were fresh and the burrito tasted quite good, not impressive though. If you’re up for some American Mexican food, this is a good choice in the area given its convenient location.
But honestly… the area is FULL of local eats and nice restaurants… unless you’re in a hurry for a movie across the street… (that’s exactly my scenario!) I don’t see why I would grab a burrito here. This place isn’t bad at all, but it’s hard to attract customers when there are so many other choices around in the neighborhood. Come on, it’s Hillcrest!!!
Probably won’t be back again unless I’m late again for another movie… haha!

Great staff, ok food. The Queso dip is great, and it makes the nachos pretty good. The burritos could use a little work. Advice: ask for about ²⁄₃ the normal serving of rice and beans unless you want the burrito to be overwhelmed with them. Also, be sure to get something — sour cream, hot sauce, lime juice, etc– that will add some moisture to your burrito. My biggest complaint with their burritos is the dryness. The meat (I always get steak) is generally of good quality (beats Chipotle for sure) but I have sometimes gotten stuck at the end of the batch, which tends to be underwhelming. Also, as great as the staff is, they will sometimes forget an ordered ingredient that they had to wait on for whatever reason, so keep an eye on your order to make sure you get what you want. All in all, it’s a decent spot for a quick lunch, and the prices are fair. Just don’t expect to be blown away.
Update: went there today and was served several pieces of meat strung together by fat. I’m posting a picture of the biggest piece. Gross

WE love FREEBIRDS in Hillcrest. My son is offically addicted to the burritos and we have had nothing but good experiences when we’ve gone. The food is fresh, the staff is really nice and helpful, choices galore and the pot brownie is sinfully good.
Read reviews that didn’t like it and just don’t get it. But as with anything, people have different opinions. I definatley recommend trying it out to anyone. We are now making it our place to take anyone visiting us. Recently took family that love Chipotle and they liked it much better. I think that they are better than Chiptole too. Their cilantro lime rice is tastier for sure.
Oh, also love that they have a «free kids meal» on Monday and Tuesday (but reasonable w/​o it too). Enjoy!
P. S. The music was too loud to take a call but good mix and fine for chatting while eating.

It’s fresh
It’s tasty
Good value

My husband prefers Freebirds to Chipotle. He feels that Freebirds seasons their meat better and never overcooks/​under-​cooks. I like Freebirds because of the variety of burrito sizes, tortillas, and burrito fillings. The staff is always friendly. Additionally, they are open till 2:30am this past weekend when it was really late and we were starving.

Get the burrito bowl… it’s so worth it… and be sure to get all your favorite toppings, because here the options are diverse and tasty. I’ve been here once before and decided to revisit to review the place on Unilocal.
The staff were friendly as soon as we walked in the door… the service was perfect, and even as we were walking out the door the staff were schmoozing with us. Love that! 5 stars for customer service.
They even helped me with toppings for my bowl… I hope I can remember them all:
Base: chips, refried beans, all three cheeses
Meat: Carnitas (my personal fave)
Toppings: Corn Salsa, Pico de gallo, sour cream, habanero sauce, tomato salsa, cilantro, roasted limes, and the hot salsa (that isn’t really that hot)
The only critique is that I wanted it to be spicier… the Chipotle hot sauce is the only thing missing on this dish… some real heat!
I’d go back again… and try another combo or maybe a burrito because i still haven’t had one yet and they have flavored tortillas!

2.5 stars.
Comparable to Chipotle.
Cayenne flavored tortilla was a dud.
They have «pot brownies.»
Stingy with the guacamole.
Hippy vibe.

Like many of the other reviewers, I had high hopes for the this place but was disappointed for the most part. Hopefully the owners read this so they can make improvements and save their business. I noticed it was not too busy when I went on Friday at 12:30PM. Not a good sign. These are the biggest reasons Freebirds kinda pretty much isn’t worth it:
1) They do not have enough people to service the few customers they had when we were there. We waited about 10 minutes for someone to take our order. There were only 2 other groups in the place. Imagine if they were even semi-​busy. The manager was very nice, but that is no excuse. We never wait that long at Chipotle!
2) The food was just okay. The other reviewers were right – the place is an over-​priced version of Chipotle. I had the carnitas soft tacos on corn tortillas. We had to get it to go because we waited so long in line and had an appointment. My tacos fell apart and the meat was just so so. Nothing to write home about. The boyfriend had a chicken burrito. It was good, nothing crazy.
My suggestion? The line up for all the ingredients for your tacos/​burritos/​salads is so long. They should shorten it, that alone would save them some much needed time that could be used to get to customers faster. They also need another person to help customers as they get in line. They should call the people on that TV show that come in and help people save their failing restaurants. I can’t see how they are going to make it without making some serious changes.
The idea and the vibe is great, but their execution basically proves that whoever owns the place doesn’t really know what they are doing.
BUT…Their pot brownie is super good! If you decide to give the place a shot, get one. They are at the front. BTW, they are not real pot brownies… I’m sure some of you are bummed about that… but they are tastilicious.
Oh yeah, one more thing. They close so early. They should stay open late for all the drunko’s who crave mexican after the bars.

Freebirds not even worth it when free. Got a buy one get one and after everyone had heartburn for the rest of the night.
this place has nuthin on Chipotle!
Stay Away!!! Check out Snooze (if you want bfast) or Smashburger for a far better meal than the quality of food freebirds has.

This is the 3^rd ‘Birds I’ve visited since the early 90s. First one in Isla Vista (‘IV’ to the Santa Barbara locals), second one in Austin, TX. Really glad they’ve started opening stores in SoCal – FINALLY!
First things first – they are NOT trying to compete with the more ‘authentic’ Mexican restaurants in San Diego. This is more Tex-​Mex. Keep that in mind, and the visit and food will be all the more enjoyable.
I split a Monster burrito with my boyfriend… was pretty good, though not as big as the wall display you see when you first enter the restaurant.
The employees were really cool and helpful at suggesting ingredients for our burrito. Spinach tortilla with carnitas, white rice, pico de gallo, corn salsa, garlic, onion, refried beans, cheese blend, cilantro and I’m sure I’m forgetting something. TONS of options to cram into this bad boy and it was dern tasty. The refried beans look disgusting, but taste great… don’t worry. Chips were thin, crispy and salty… just the way I like em.
Our Monster burrito, bottle of water, fountain drink and chips came to about $ 12. Not great, but not horrible either.
Note that their Death Sauce is not. It’s like a spicy BBQ sauce, so don’t compare it to the hot sauces at traditional Mexican restaurants. It’s tasty, but frankly, I think it would be better used for dipping chicken strips.
Ambiance is cool… lots of ‘hippie’ décor throughout, including a green person on a motorcycle right over your head at the cash register. Seeing a big green foot hanging down from there was a bit odd, but funny.
They also sell ‘pot’ brownies, which aren’t what you think. They’re just round brownies that sit in a metal pot at the cash register. Didn’t buy one, but will at some point in the future.
All in all, great place for a slightly different type of burrito than you’re used to from a ‘Bertos (Albertos, Aibertos, Roybertos, Umbertos, [fill in the blank]Bertos), Los Panchos or similar place in the San Diego area.
Keep an open mind, and enjoy!

So I got some card in my mailbox offering buy 1 burrito, get 1 burrito free from this place. I had looked them up when I saw they were coming to the neighborhood and figured it would be come cheesy-​ass faux hippy Chipotle ripoff… but buy 1 get 1 free? That’s worth a shot. Their website says that the super monster is «ALMOST 7 POUNDS» whoop whoop etc. so I figured I’d order 2 of those and see what they’re all about, have leftovers, the whole 9.
So I place the order online and get a call from them within 5 minutes verifying my order. At this point they tell me I need to make one burrito a combo meal for the deal to apply, which of course isn’t mentioned on their flyer, but whatever, I’m still getting over like a high jumper so fine, I made one a combo by adding a drink and «pot brownie» (HOLY SHIT THEY MADE A MARIJUANA JOKE THAT’S SO RAD). The kids and I walked over and got our food and came back home.
The place is pretty noisy and the staff is hired for maximum hipster value. They played Operation Ivy and Black Sabbath over the system while we were there, which was kind of an odd pairing. Super cheesy décor, all motorcycles and fake colored chalkboards and prefab foil burrito wrapper origami. Pretty lame.
But enough already, how was the food? I call bullshit on the super monster thing for one. There is NO WAY the two burritos combined were 7 pounds. Pancho Villa up in the Mission rolls pinners bigger than these. Totally absurd. Either they bullshitted me out of properly sized burritos because I used a damn coupon or they’re little bitty burritos in the first place. The insides are okay, not all the same heat, but nothing terrible. The hot sauces (habanero and death) are not hot. The hot tomatillo sauce isn’t bad. Best of all, they had Spanish rice instead of cilantro rice, which if you hate cilantro as much as I do you know will keep me from ever eating a burrito at Chipotle.
To sum up, this place is bullshit. I’d rather spend $ 8 on carne asada chips at La Posta then $ 14 on some ZOMFG SUPER MONSTER burrito that wouldn’t fill my tooth.

Two words: Super Monster.
On a warm December afternoon I strolled in here to enjoy a delicious burrito. I did not however expect to be put to the challenge of eating a burrito the size of a newborn baby. Not to let a good challenge go to waste I stepped up to the plate and ordered a carnitas super monster burrito.
The super monster is two 14″ tortillas overlapped to make one giant tortilla. I went with the cyanne pepper tortillas. I filled my monster with cilantro lime rice, black beans, carnitas, onion, cheese, sour cream, guac, house made salsa, and hot sauce. The girl had a little bit of trouble wrapping it up and making sure it was tight enough so that it didn’t fall apart on me when I attempted to eat it.
I thought about going for a combo with a pot brownie but decide to just grab a Pepsi. I was surprised at the price. My order came to around $ 16. Not much more than I would pay at Chiptole (in Canada) but I had a burrito the size of 4 chipotle burritos.
Time to eat. While my friends chatted away I chomped down. I set a good even pace. It didn’t try to got to fast, nor did I pych myself out by going slow and over thinking it. In less that 20 minutes the entire thing was in my belly. It was much easier than I thought it would be. My friends couldn’t believe that I finished it, along with a drink and a refill and wasn’t about to puke. Stomach of a champion I guess.
So the next time you come in here look for my picture on the wall. Also, I’ve got the t-​shirt to prove it.
The service was excellent. While my friend and I were waiting for another to join us we had two different staff members come chat us up, talk about how things work and make some suggestions. The line staff all cheered on as my super monster was being made.
Finally, since everyone else is comparing Freebirds to Chipotle, I will too. Freebirds is a very close second. While their carnitas aren’t as good and I find a Chipotle burrito to be more flavourful, they do do some things better. I like the fact that there is a choice of size and a choice of tortilla type. I also like that there are a few more options for cheese and other toppings.
I’ll be back, but probably not for a super monster.

Ahhh Freebirds. The hype. The anticipation. The sign taunting me for months as I walked to the gym. All wasted.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love a burrito as much as the next San Diegan. I’m always down to find a place within walking distance that can provide me with my favorite meal to go. But Freebirds clearly copied Chipotle, ramped up the price despite the less than stellar ingredients.
At first, I ate my compact «hybird» burrito with no problem. My wok pal and I enjoyed the different wrap choices and even indulged in the chips and gooey brownie. We left thinking, «That wasn’t so bad! Why was everyone complaining?»
Then we got to work the next morning. And felt the … errors of our ways, if you know what I mean. Both of us were taking bathroom breaks every, ah 10 minutes, giving us a rough morning.
SO, I won’t be back anytime soon unless I want my stomach doing somersaults.
Freebirds, I wanted to like you. I really did. I’d just rather pay less for a better burrito down the road at Chipotle.

Freebirds is a burrito place. That being said, I really am not into burritos. I have gone here twice and both times I had myself some hard shell tacos.
Pros:
you choose what’s in your taco/​burrito.
you choose your shell/​wrap.
you choose your salsa
you can get a 2 taco combo with drink for $ 5 plus tax
you get a Freebird frequent card
Cons:
Too many choices
Avocado is extra (not sliced, its shot out of a tube)
Taste is okay.
I would say its fine that it’s there, but if I had a choice I might venture somewhere else cheaper or more menu choices (like carnitas and rice) in the area — Lalos or Porkyland.

I was craving a salad and after seeing a movie across the street, we decided to pop in. Parking around these parts sucks, so the only time I would suggest going here is if you are already shopping in the area or like us, after a movie.
I was actually looking forward to this place opening and heard some good things about their other locations in LA…
For being so new, things looked unorganized and kind of dirty. I’m sure it was just the messiness of the place altogether, but the cafeteria/​assembly line like setting was awkward as the employees were stepping all over each other. The rice looked clumpy and old and I felt like the girl was pretty skimpy with toppings.
Overall the salad was pretty bland and the tamatillo dressing wasn’t all that great. My friend got a burrito in a spinach tortilla (that sounded good) so if I did go back, I would try their burrito, but I’m not in a hurry.

If ya can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em right? Well, in this case it’s more like if you can’t beat ‘em copy their concept entirely, charge more per serving, add more topping options, and theme it to a 70’s rockabilly band.
They’re similar to Chipotle except whoever makes the big boy decisions behind this franchise smokes a hell of a lot more weed. With menu features like a Super Mondo Burrito, Death Sauce, light and dark meat chicken, and even a pot brownie… (don’t get too excited) everything about the place besides the price screams stonerific.
It’s not bad, but in my honest opinion the food just isn’t as good as some of their competitors. I applaud the innovation and will revisit any spot that lets you display your foil art around the restaurant, but if you put a Chipotle next to them I choose that 9 times out of 10 for their recipe.
Definitely a cool experience, but don’t get your taste buds hopes too high.

The fiancé went here today for the first time. He reported back, so I’m writing this while he explains to me what happened. Freebirds is tasty, but its basically just a version of Chipotle with way too many employees.
Apparently there were about 8 people behind the counter, and he felt as though he was being harassed to try the salsa. Its just probably because they are new, and just opened. But there’s no need to continuously talk to customers about the food after they’ve already said they’re enjoying themselves. Or to ask if they’ve tried the salsa 3 times, and when they said they are ok, coming over with samples and waiting until they try them. Its just a little awkward.

After so much build up, I was really excited to try this place. I got to eat part of a carnitas bowl and steak burrito. I simply did not like the taste of the carnitas. It was not good. The steak wasn’t great, either. The chips and salsa were good, though.
The staff was super friendly and nice and the atmosphere is good, but I would not come back here again. I was really surprised by how much I didn’t like it. You can get a much better tasting burrito elsewhere… I even like Chipotle more than this (I can’t believe I’m saying that). Sorry, Freebirds. :(

I got a chance to come in while they’re offering «free» burritos when you donate $ 5 to the veterans I believe.
The people who work here are absolutely great! Being a Chipotle lover, this place buries them. My boyfriend has never been a fan of Chipotle because of their baby burritos, but they still fill me up. Well Freebirds makes theirs three times the size and the stuff they put in them makes your tongue do the salsa! SOOOO yummy! You know it’s a great place when they have no freezers or microwaves *thank you based god*. So glad they’re close by so I can always have lunch here. Nom nomzz