Zantigo

Man, I paid 2.50 for a regular sized burrito with cheese, rice, and beans. It tasted good and didn’t have any random sauces in it, ya know why because i wanted it that way. (they had chololuulua and stuff but that’s not how i’m feeling: better than taco bell). It’s like you’re a college kid after that one time eating at an authentic restaurant and then you think you can cook mexican food because you are SICKENING and then you’re more ambitious than a quesadilla (they have that too tho) and go straight for cheap, good burritos and then open up a fast food chain. You don’t care about GMO’s you care about quality and that’s what I’m saying.
This place is no frills Americanized mexican food and that’s what i need in my life they know. wish they had horchata but i can’t have it all :(
go on your thirty minute lunch break. PSA: they customize most stuff on the menu. Shelley at the counter was helpful.

I used to frequent the Zapatas on Franklin Ave. back in the early to mid 70’s when I was attending college on the West Bank. It was vastly superior to the offerings of other more well known fast food outlets with «Taco» in their name.
Anyway, Zapatas became Zantigo and then the whole chain seemingly disappeared. Well lo and behold it’s apparently been back for a while in a few scattered Twin Cities locations.
I used to love the Chilitos, the chili (bowl o’ red) and the enchiladas. The Chilitos are exactly as I remembered them. Tip, get the mild which I think has better flavor and then load on the heat as desired. The chili is pretty good for a fast food take-​out place. The enchiladas are tasty and filling. You want a burrito, I suggest you go elsewhere. Prices are reasonalbe.
There are a lot of fine Mexican fast food establishments that have opened since the 70’s (such as El Burrito Mercado, Taqueria Los Ocampo, Burrito Loco Just to name a few) that surpass Zantigo in virtually every facet. Not to mention a host of Mexican fine dining restaurants from which one may choose if so inclined.
Zantigo feels like a comfortable throw back. Better than TB or TJ in my estimation. While I wouldn’t necessarily drive out of my way, if I’m cruising by I may just drop in for a taste of nostalgia with hot sauce.

So it’s like a Taco Bell and a Chipotle had a child… but that child had social anxiety and couldn’t be bothered to finish school…
Poor metaphor, poor quality food… I guess it’s one in the same!
Seriously, I got a burrito, that’s not customizable, with some potato circles, that ended up getting dipped in what they referred to as «hot» sauce. I would refer to it as spiced ketchup. All this for JUST under what it would cost to get what I actually wanted from Chipotle. Add to it that it was tiny. And the beans overpowered the flavor of everything in the burrito annnnnnndd it was less than satisfactory.
My mother got what they call a «Chilito» which is apparently a microwaved quesadilla with a small amount of brown slop they call Chili. I refer to it as a pre-​diarrhea meal, I mean it practically looks like it before you eat it!
All in all this was not an experience I will repeat… nor suggest.

If I had to rate these Mexican places on a scale from one to ten it be as such–
Taco John’s 3.5
Taco Bell 7.0
Zantigo 8.5
I love their chilitos b/​c they use real beef and I agree with the other reviewer that they are excellent compared to TB. The enchiladas are te best but I never had them but my boyfriend orders them everything and they look and smell like heaven. I have tried their tacos, burritos, nacho, etc and for a fast food place the ingredients are always quality. They use real cheese-​fyi. The price for a meal is around $ 4 – 7.00 plus beverage.
I don’t know why the other reviewers were so harsh, this is the best. However, no customizable burritos here. Sorry.