I love Freebirds. Avoid the noon zerg rush though.

Is it called Freebird because the burritos take 13 minutes to eat?

Lets see if I have that brief review of Freebirds in my Evernote....

Steak was both chewy and bland
Mexican rice had no flavor
Queso is skinned in 30 seconds
Chips are industrial quality
Pepsi


And now you know why I won't go back. Pepsi is a sign of a crap establishment.
And Fuzzy's needs to find something other than crap canned chicken.

I'm writing a screenplay titled: "Human Centipede vs. Burrito Chain", so I'm really getting a kick out of this thread.

The venture capitalists who bought out Freebirds several years ago, not the hippies, are behind the big expansion. It was a small TX chain with locations near colleges before that.

♫ I must be travelin' on now ♫
♫ There's too many burritos i got to eat ♫

Used to live right around the corner from the Freebirds in Isla Vista when I was going to UCSB. We'd always get the "combo" nachos that came with beef, chicken and pork on top. Not the greatest food, but since this was a time in my life spent dunk on most nights, it was solid gold, man!

Freebirds is the breakfast of champions.

/Gaucho

Reading the article (shocking, here on fark) and seeing that they have burritos the size of a small baby makes me want to go down to Gordito's at 85th & Greenwood...

But if I'm going to be in that neighborhood, I'd be awfully tempted to go an extra mile or so to Beth's Cafe.

Gluttony - my second favorite sin!

happy butcher: Freebirds is the breakfast of champions.

/Gaucho

*fistbumps*

i second this statement.

SBHS '92
UCSB '97

Mad Canadian: Reading the article (shocking, here on fark) and seeing that they have burritos the size of a small baby makes me want to go down to Gordito's at 85th & Greenwood...

But if I'm going to be in that neighborhood, I'd be awfully tempted to go an extra mile or so to Beth's Cafe.

Gluttony - my second favorite sin!

after sodomy?

Is that freedom rock?



/Well turn it up man!

I used to be a hippie, so I know better than to eat a burrito made by hippies.

Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

I always go there when I have to travel to College Station....though I usually try to avoid chains. It's got a nice friendly feel, and the burrito choices (dark meat chicken and rice that isn't simply white) are well in excess of what's available at home....well, unless mom cooks. As she's from Mexico, her Mexican food is always better....

/best of what's around

Oh man, I remember going there quite often when I lived in Austin. Usually chose the monster size to get 2 meals out of it - Best farking burritos ever!!!

Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

It's not "real" Mexican food, but it's still a pretty good burrito.

/chicken on cayan ftw

gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Chipotle doesn't steam their tortillas OR have Qdoba's sweet, sweet queso sauce. I live ~2 blocks from a Chipotle in Chicago and willingly walk 5 to go get Qdoba. In fact, I think I might get it today.

gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

Did you know that a 40 pound bag of beans contains over 200,000 calories?! And people say beans are healthy. Pfft.

The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

its the flour tortilla.

get the burrito bowl and no chips and its calorically sensible.

Rapmaster2000: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

Did you know that a 40 pound bag of beans contains over 200,000 calories?! And people say beans are healthy. Pfft.


Yes because comparing a burrito that was way more carbs in it than beans is the same thing. Chipotle can be healthy if you get a salad style burrito, but by default it is pretty bad for you.

Did you know that simply eating white rice more than twice per week has significant health effects (mainly development of type 2 diabetis)? It is pretty terrible for you. Might as well be eating sugar.

The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

yes, but Chipotle ingredients are natural, not made in a lab and frozen for months and contain some vitamins and what not. eating 1000 cal at chipotle vs 1000cal at mcds and with chipotle youll be able to digest it, not get diarhea and at least some decent vitamins.

Nicholas Urfe: The venture capitalists who bought out Freebirds several years ago, not the hippies, are behind the big expansion. It was a small TX CAchain with locations near colleges before that.

Freebirds started in California. I love to tell this to my idiot Aggie friends who insist the first location was in College Station.

Father_Jack: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

its the flour tortilla.

get the burrito bowl and no chips and its calorically sensible.


I know that, most people don't though or just don't care (based on what I see others ordering). Usually though, because I'm cheap, I just split one burrito with the wife. I figure then its a reasonably calorie sized meal.

Father_Jack: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

yes, but Chipotle ingredients are natural, not made in a lab and frozen for months and contain some vitamins and what not. eating 1000 cal at chipotle vs 1000cal at mcds and with chipotle youll be able to digest it, not get diarhea and at least some decent vitamins.

This. I'll take carbs and healthy fats (avocado) over processed mystery meat any day. I can deal with calories via exercise, but I look at many of the alternatives as way worse for my body.

The_Homeless_Guy: Rapmaster2000: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

Did you know that a 40 pound bag of beans contains over 200,000 calories?! And people say beans are healthy. Pfft.

Yes because comparing a burrito that was way more carbs in it than beans is the same thing. Chipotle can be healthy if you get a salad style burrito, but by default it is pretty bad for you.

That's what you just did. You compared a Big Mac meal which is smaller and has less food to a burrito which is larger. No one is surprised that a burrito has more calories. It's bigger.

Father_Jack: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

its the flour tortilla.

get the burrito bowl and no chips and its calorically sensible.

Except that most people ask for a huge spoonful of sour cream, a lot of cheese and guacamole on top of the bowl. Then it's the - "But I eat at Chipotle and get a bowl, why am I still fat?"

Chipotle and Freebirds is fast food, not mexican food. Is it great? no. Is it decent? probably. My wife wanted to eat better, as she grew up in a family where fast food was the norm, and hitting 30 (Shhhh, don't tell her I said she's old!), she can't stay slim with big jugs and eat whatever she wants.

So, Chipotle burrito bowl it is, sans cheese, sour cream and guacamole. She keeps it simple, black beans, veggies and chicken. I'm sure that's very reasonable in calories. It's the little extras that kill you.

This is WAY off topic, but just popped in my head thinking about "fast food" Does anyone remember during the whole Adkins fad that KFC tried to promote their fried chicken as healthy? Good times.

/Is hungry now...Chipotle for lunch

The_Homeless_Guy: Rapmaster2000: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

Did you know that a 40 pound bag of beans contains over 200,000 calories?! And people say beans are healthy. Pfft.


Yes because comparing a burrito that was way more carbs in it than beans is the same thing. Chipotle can be healthy if you get a salad style burrito, but by default it is pretty bad for you.

Did you know that simply eating white rice more than twice per week has significant health effects (mainly development of type 2 diabetis)? It is pretty terrible for you. Might as well be eating sugar.

You can cut out several hundred calories just by getting a burrito bowl and it tastes just as good.

max_pooper: Freebirds started in California. I love to tell this to my idiot Aggie friends who insist the first location was in College Station.

The first Freebirds was in CA. The partners went their separate ways: one retained the store in CA and the rights to use the name, the other opened up a store in TX. It was the TX company that made it what it is. All of the expansion was in TX until very recently. The company that sold out to the venture capitalists was the TX partner's TX-headquartered company.

So, yeah, TX chain.

/not an Aggie.

For those in Austin, the best burrito IMO is Chango's, calories be damned. Unfortunately they closed the South Lamar location, but the original on Guadalupe is still there. They toast the tortilla on the comal first instead of steaming it, makes a nice difference in taste.

Freebirds is pretty good, I think. Better than Chipotle, anyway.

The_Homeless_Guy: Rapmaster2000: The_Homeless_Guy: gutterman: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Lowest common denominator crap, same as Chipotle. If you ever go out to eat with some one and you reccommend mexican food and they say, I know this really great mexican place and it's called Freebirds or Chipotle, kill them and get new friends.

Chipotle is the healthiest fast food option IMO. It's not Mexican food, it's fast food. But I think the Chipotle quality is better than any of their counterparts.

Not exactly healthy with the tortilla and rice. It's telling that Chipotle doesn't have the nutritional information for an "average" burrito up on their website. Instead they list it by ingredient and make you do the math. If you actually do the math you'll discover that a burrito is 1,000 calories. Which is fine is that is your only large meal of the day, but by no means is it super healthy. For comparison, a big mac value meal (with diet drink) has fewer calories.

Did you know that a 40 pound bag of beans contains over 200,000 calories?! And people say beans are healthy. Pfft.


Yes because comparing a burrito that was way more carbs in it than beans is the same thing. Chipotle can be healthy if you get a salad style burrito, but by default it is pretty bad for you.

Did you know that simply eating white rice more than twice per week has significant health effects (mainly development of type 2 diabetis)? It is pretty terrible for you. Might as well be eating sugar.

Yes, Chinese and Japanese people have been dying in the streets for hundreds of years due to eating too much rice. I hear China has a severe underpopulation problem because of this.

Burrito bowls at either Chipotle or Freebirds, without dairy or guac, are about 500 calories and are a pretty healthful, balanced meal. They have a lot of sodium, but that doesn't really matter unless you've got high blood pressure. Unless you're making your own meal, you're not going to find much healthier meal options.

The Chipotle near me recently started offering brown rice too, if you're really worried about white rice.

Not a fan of Chipotle or Moes for what it's worth. Can't stand Baja Fresh or some other chain I've forgotten the name of. I do love some California Tortilla though. I've only seen them in the DC area and a quick perusal of their website says I need to visit my parents to go find one. Pretty good stuff. Seems my favorite burrito chain and favorite fast food chain (Roy Rogers) are both confided to a small area not near my house.

If I'm at my parents house, we go to Tortilla Factory in Herndon VA. Been going there since 1979. One location and a Herndon institution. Way better than Anitas.

Dangit...I'm stuck in south florida and it's almost lunchtime and the best i can get around my work is taco bell. looks like I'm going to go hungry for lunch today.

Hey Subby. Thank you for the clarification on the "ex-" part of the headline.

These idiots are f'n stupid with their "too much burrito for one man to eat yet it's cool because we are vegan" burritos. Wasteful idiots.

/U.S. wastes 98 billion pounds of food a year
//Large portions play a huge part in this.
///Not a hippie, just a concerned citizen

President Raygun: You can cut out several hundred calories just by getting a burrito bowl and it tastes just as good.

Ding.

My standard Chipotle order comes out to just under 600 calories, and I still need to be pretty hungry to finish it off.

brown rice, veggies, carnitas, tomato salsa, green tomatillo salsa, corn salsa, cheese and lettuce.

/yes, i know it'd be even lower w/o the corn or cheese

Freebirds wasn't even the best burrito in IV.

wildcardjack: Lets see if I have that brief review of Freebirds in my Evernote....

Steak was both chewy and bland
Mexican rice had no flavor
Queso is skinned in 30 seconds
Chips are industrial quality
Pepsi


And now you know why I won't go back. Pepsi is a sign of a crap establishment.
And Fuzzy's needs to find something other than crap canned chicken.

You're doing it wrong. The way to really enjoy Freebirds is drunk and/or stoned after midnight. THEN it tastes GREAT.

Er. So I have heard. I wouldn't know, myself.

*innocent whistle*