4571 South Broadway Ave
Tyler, TX 75703
Phone: (903) 534-6266
www.chipotle.com
Chipotle is a burrito place that is relatively new to Tyler. They opened up in the mall parking lot (off of I-69 and just south of the loop). They are a chain restaurant and have a focus on 'food with integrity' - which I think boils down to they are making an effort to make sure their ingredients are high quality and the animals are raised/slaughtered humanely.
The spread: I think Chipotle ascribes to the notion of doing one thing well. They offer burritos, tacos and bowls. You start off with your base (taco shells, burrito tortilla or bowl) then build on it. You have a choice of different meats (chicken, beef fajita, pork carnita, and beef barbacoa). Then you basically can put whatever you want on it. Beans, rice, salsas (4-5 different types), cheese, guacamole (for extra charge), sour cream, grilled onions/peppers, etc. They also serve beer and offer chips and salsa.
The verdict: Chipotle serves solid food. The ingredients are high quality and you can tell in the results. The burritos are also a pretty decent deal, coming in at around 6-7 bucks. and the burritos are big (one is definitely a satisfying meal). I like the idea of choosing your own ingredients and watching your food being prepared. My favorite is the pork carnitas and the barbacoa. The service is usually friendly and fast. The only major point of criticism I have is that the chips tend to be ignored, they are almost always oversalted and I have received stale chips on more than one occasion. I usually don't like chains because the food tends to be generic, however, the carnitas and the barbacoa are very good (not the absolute best) and they are not afraid to bring the heat in their medium and hot salsas. Overall, definitely worth a try!
Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, go stuff your face with a big ole burrito, avoid the chips and salsa.
