California Burrito Express

Love it. Food is fresh, salsa bar is awesome, staff is friendly. Eat here, at least twice a month.

Stopped in for a breakfast burrito. I ordered the breakfast burrito with bacon and chorizo. Wow. This was a legit burrito. I spent $ 7.00 and got a yuge flippin burrito that tasted better than some places in southern california. Im glad i stopped by. You will be too.
Open 24/​7, free salsa and nachos.

You don’t stumble upon, find or even hear about this place. It’s in plain site. You’ve just driven past it a million times and never gave it a chance. You snob. At least that was the case with me.
I’m glad I decided to stop in. First off, this is not a restaurant. It’s a fast food place. Albeit a privately owned fast food place (I think). There’s like 30 different combos to choose from. Nachos and salsa? Free. Yes, free. There’s a tub of hot nachos next to a salsa bar for you to help yourself to.
I ordered a combo with shredded pork, refried beans, rice, guac, lettuce and tomatoes. The combo came with a big burrito wrap on the side. Also a drink. Coke products, if that matters to you. The meal came in a paper plate, which took absolutely nothing away from its deliciousness. All of this, the meal, the drink, bottomless nachos and salsa, for less than $ 9.
Pretty awesome.
The place might not look great inside, it definitely needs updating, but for the most part I felt it had character. Definitely added authenticity to the operation. I felt like I got real Mexican food (the workers were all Mexican too, so there’s that) at a real good price.
I was satisfied. And anyone who reviews this place and compares it to Mexican restaurants is just being unfair. This is simply good fast food, many grades above Taco Bell.

Love this place! Food is cheap and good! Always satisfies my cravings for Mexican food!

I’m giving this place 5 stars because the food was delicious and cheap, and because I feel a little sorry for whoever owns it. As I ate one of the best burritos I’ve had in Orlando, spending 45 minutes or so there. During that period, no one else patronized the place, while 30 or so people went to Burger King next door. Why would anyone buy microwaved faux hamburgers when you could get a freshly made burrito for the same price, from a local business?
I think the place could use some sprucing up inside, with broken railings and unfinished corners, but I’ll take a good burrito for cheap anyday, rather than have all ceiling panels equally smooth.
The thought crossed my mind that maybe this is a front business. I kind of hope so, thinking that perhaps the very-​nice owners are making a million bucks a week selling meth a la Walter White.

This is Cali style Mexican Food, This is the type of food you get on the west coast at taco places that look like our NY style chinease food restuarants, small picture menus and to the point, and open 24 hours.
Def not the best ive ever had, but its legit and for Orlando, its the best ive found.

Nasty… food was disgusting. Service was horrible. Never going back again.
Ordered carne Asada tacos. Came with mushy tasteless rice and refrained beans. The taco itself was microwaved and soggy. Fiancé had the burrito, biggest pile of mush. All the ingredients inside tasted the same.
Never again.

Watered down salsas. Watered down guacamole which of course costs extra. Dry, bland meats that the watered down salsas and guacamole cannot save.
Consistently let down by this place every time I visit, a little more each time.
On my most recent, and final visit, I ordered a shrimp burrito and asked for no tortilla and no rice. just put the stuff in a bowl with extra beans instead of rice and i’ll smother it with the salsas and guacamole. simple. This is a $ 6 item. When I rolled up to the window, the gentleman acted like he did me a favor by upgrading my meal to the «Shrimp Ranchero» («It’s grill shrimp!) which was not listed on the menu. $ 10 item. $ 1 extra for guacamole. I find out the prices after he runs my card and hands me the receipt to sign. «Do you want extra veggies instead of the rice?» How kind, I thought, even though I already asked for extra beans but apparently that was a non-​option. I said yes, expecting an extra scoop of pico or some more onions and peppers in the ranchero. What I got was an extra scoop of iceberg lettuce (SURPRISE!) disproportionate to the rest of the small-​portioned meal. The shrimp portion was dismal (12 pre-​cooked frozen baby shrimp sauteed, not grilled, in a light mass of tomato, pepper and onion sauce). I am glad I didn’t add the salsas and guac before trying them because they were extremely watered down and would’ve just made things less enjoyable than they already were.
To say I was offended is an understatement. I felt robbed over the whole meal. $ 13 after tax, I wish I had a picture to show you what I got.
I’ve had other menu items like the tacos and a burrito. There’s not much real value here other than late night availability, as far as product goes they just want to take your money in return for the minimum possible product. There’s no reason why they can’t be putting up quality food other than incompetence or indifference because they know they’re only late night express option in the general area and don’t have to compete. Tacos and mexican food in general is not difficult to execute properly; this can be witnessed at taco trucks, stands and much less-​equipped joints across Florida and the rest of the US. Here this place has a whole restaurant and puts out comparable garbage, because people somehow continue to eat it
For those of you that think the food here is good, please do yourself a favor and try some other Mexican restaurants so you can reset your baseline and understand that the food here is sub-​par and not worth supporting. I’m not from Orlando so I can’t ramble off a list of great spots to try like I can in Tampa, but I have heard good things about Azteca D’Oro and Tienda Mexicana Jalisco.

Not blown away by the best Mexican I’ve ever had but it wasnt bad either. Would definitly do it CBK of TB but it’d be a tough choice between it and a nearby downtown mexican joint.

I grew up in Orlando, and Mexican food equaled Taco Bell at 1:00 am when I was cruisin’ the streets during my teenage rebellion (which lasted until well into my 20’s). San Diego really brought me to my knees when I discovered true Mexican food. I remember giving tearful thanks to the food gods outside of what would become my favorite local joint out in the wild west.
But now that I’m back in Orlando, I figured I’d have to find something else that might awe or inspire me. California Burrito Express is coming close to hitting that mark.
I slid over to the spot in my ’98 Geo Metro, Kris Kross blaring from my tape deck, and brought my kid brother and his fiancé with me. We strolled up in there and were greeted by the gigantic yellow board menu complete with pictures. The horchata machine was bubbling delightfully. The salsa bar behind us beckoned to come hither. Oh yes, this was going to be good.
My kid brother, not having the same rogue experience that I have of sampling west coast delights, needed some guidance. I steered him toward a massive combo plate of carne asada tacos with refried beans and rice, which he later sang copious praise for. His lovely lady needed no help being Mexican herself, nor did I, and we both went for an old-​school favorite: Rolled tacos.
I’d like to take a moment of silence for those of you out there who have not yet tried rolled tacos.
…
Ok, now that that’s over with, I’ll bless you with the knowledge of this culinary delight of which dreams are made. Seasoned, shredded beef, chicken, or potatoes (if you’re into that vegetarian thing) are nestled neatly in a hard, rolled shell. Atop these tasty treats is heaped guacamole, shredded lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion, and sour cream. Oh, the glory! Before receiving your rolled tacos, you would have paid a visit to the salsa bar and selected your favorite — in my case the verde — and you then dip your rolled taco into the salsa and proceed to max it.
California Burrito Express’s rolled tacos were solid. I would have liked fresh guacamole and not pre-​made powder form, and that is the only fault I could find with them. The beef was fantastic, the salsa was excellent, and the beans and rice did their job as sidekicks. I washed my tasty meal down with a large horchata, which was very sweet and very cinnamon-​y — fine by me, a southern girl with many sweet teeth.
Price for my ¹⁄₃ of this venture? A little under $ 10. Not too shabby, but there were other options to get something for $ 6 — my preferred price point for a place like this.
So even if you’re not pimpin’ a sweet Geo Metro like me, but still want some good Mexican food, you should give California Burrito Express a try. You could even go mentally ball at the Library right down the street afterwards like I did. Bonus.

Viva la taco!
Or in this case it was the best pasole soup I have ever had on speacial today for 4.99 It was just. bursting with flavor, and it reminded me a little of phở where they had the broth, loads of diced up chicken and pasole in the bowl, and then sides of jalapeño, sliced onion, cilantro, and lettuce.
They also have a chips bar where you can get as many tortilla chips as you want with different sauces and pickled veggies. The sauce at first seemed a little watery to me but man, also just bursting with incredible flavors, I crumbled up the tortillas and put them in my soup.
I can’t believe I haven’t been here before! I highly recommend this place if you want really good authentic Mexican, I know it doesn’t look like you’d get authentic here, but trust me; you do.

This joint. An atypical 3 – 4 star review
Is it delicious? How much have you had to drink?
Is it a place you’d take a date? How much has she had to drink?
How’s the atmosphere? Well, between last call and breakfast you are never alone in your inebriation.
You like giant-​ass burritos?
Meals the size of Thanksgiving dinners?
Rice & beans with everything?
How about chorizo?
You like bacon? Hahah I know, I know. Who-​the-​pants doesn’t?!
Well, this place has all of those things, plus fries… fries with cheese & steak & chicken & cheese & salsa & yeah.
I can’t reaaaally recall, but I’m nearly 90% sure that I’ve tried 90% of the menu, it was consistently yummy, and I never once died.
Once felt like I might, but it passed.
My usual at CBX is the Steak Ranchero, with an extra egg & a whole lotta hot sause[sic].
Yes, Ranchero, just like the mightiest SUV ever known… only this time, with more steak!
And lastly, on a more serious note, I have eaten there sober. It was still good, the deciding factor in bumping the 3 I contemplated straight to a 3.67, which rounded my rating up to a 4.

Maybe it was one of those experiences that a person comes in at the wrong time so I will consider trying them again.
I ordered a chimichanga during a super hungry moment in my life. but had to end up feeding it to the birds instead. =(
It’s not that it was bad but all the ingredients tasted like salt galore. Even the pico de gallo was salty so the refried beans, cheedar cheese, chicken was too much. Alot of people seem to like this place so it could of just been one bad burrito out of a delicious bunch so I’m not knocking them. Just talking about one experience so that could change.
Besides any place that sells horchata at $ 1.59 deserves a second chance.

I love this place! It’s the best fast food Mexican food I’ve had. (But then again, I don’t have anything to compare it with besides Taco Bell and Del Taco)
Okay, the negative first– The staff usually is short with you and they probably don’t care to have a conversation… But it’s whatever. It’s fast food. I don’t really care either. I want to get my food and leave.
Okay, positives! One of my favorite things to get is the Lengua Burrito. Yes… it means… Tongue Burrito. I know you’re thinking EWWWW! (because that’s what I thought in the beginning) but if you’re open to trying new things, TRY IT. You won’t be disappointed. I tried it and have been ordering it since! The meat is so tender but tasty. It has onions and other burrito’ish stuff in it also.
Everything is made to order, so everything is fresh. The steak in the nacho’s, burritos, or whatever else you order steak in… is very good.
I love the Horchata drink they have too. It’s a mixture of condensed milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Yummm. Another thing to try is the Steak Ranchero… eggs over-​easy on stop of steak, burrito stuff, on top of a tortilla.
Another big plus… it’s open ²⁴⁄₇! So after your crazy night out on the town, stop by for your late night munchies. It’s perfect for that.
I stop by before work often and get my meal to-​go. Ask for hot sauce to go with your meal.
I’ve only had one thing at Cali Burrito Express that I wasn’t impressed with are the Chimichangas. They’re okay. Kinda dry.

The name is embarassing to say whenever I tell my friends about it– it sounds fake and Americanized not NorthMexican-​Deliciousness…
#13 is my personal favorite– Vegetarian Chile Relenos.
If your splurging on calories with friends I suggest Super Fries. Typical multi topping nachos except on french fries add chicken or steak if you want.
Did I forget to mention 24hrs!!!
— They cut from the taco bar my favorite marinated jalapenos and carrots option… disappointing.

Sorry, I just wasn’t impressed. Ordered 3 different meals, (no I didn’t eat them all). Chicken Tacos, the shells tasted like oil. Rolled tacos, again the shells tasted like oil and the ends were hard as a rock. Nacho’s, were made with real chunks of meat, not ground beef by products. The portions were good sized, but in my opinion the quality just wasn’t there.
I’ve read a few reviews that this is a good late-​night place. I’m guessing you’d have be drunk to really enjoy this place.

4 Stars for bad customer service and swiping my debit card more than 1x!
Anyways, The free chips and salsa is GOOD! love the pico de gallo one dip the best!
I ordered the enchilada and burrito combo. Also a white cream stuffed churro.
The rice and beans were seasoned well compared to Beto’s on OBT. The enchilada tasted like it was just a simple cheese enchilada but quite tasty.
I didn’t touch the burrito as yet because i was getting full frm the chips and pico de gallo. LOL
I would def come back and try some other stuff most of the combo’s are $ 6.99 with a drink and FREE chips and salsa!

One of the wife’s co-​workers recently told us about California Burrito Express. Based on the hit/​miss ratio in the past of recommendations from her co-​workers, we were a bit wary. Reviews were pretty positive though — so maybe this would finally break the streak.
Located in the remnants of an old Fazoli’s, the building and dining room look like they were just recently converted but nothing has really been done to personalize the place. This isn’t a bad thing — the place just isn’t fancy. There are no frills anywhere as far as decoration. A few pictures hang on the wall, and that’s it. The building and dining room is clean, but looks and feels like an old tex-​mex restaurant.
The menu is large and varied. Breakfast items are served 24 hours. Yes, the restaurant is open 24 hours — though I’m not sure if the dining room closes late at night like some places with drive throughs.
Prices are more than reasonable for the amount of food you get. For about $ 7, you can get a combo with a large plate of food — including rice & beans, a drink (free refills), and what I assume is unlimited visits to the chips and salsa «bar». They have some fresh chips for you to fill your little chip tray and offer a couple of salsas for you to choose from. The salsas were all good, and the chips tasted fresh.
I ordered the pork carnitas while my wife ordered the fish tacos. To her slight disappointment, the fish was fried instead of grilled. She still enjoyed them thoroughly. My carnitas was great. The pork had a hint of fatty grease that gave it plenty of flavor without being overbearing or sickening. The rice and beans weren’t stellar, but they were solid. The food was cooked fresh and came out reasonably quick.
If I had to complain about anything, it would be the guacamole. It was liquified and slimy. We both took a taste and immediately declared it nasty and inedible. I noticed that some things that may be free at other restaurants are charged for here — like sour cream. Not a huge deal since the prices are so cheap otherwise, but I could see that being a sticking point for some people.
One final half-​complaint. While I’m not saying that a tex-​mex place needs to be playing flamenco music or anything, the loud hip-​hop they were playing felt a little out of place.
The co-​worker who recommended this place said, «this place is dangerous because I live so close.» If we lived closer, I could definitely see it being dangerous — lots of good, cheap food — available 24 hours a day. But it’s not around the corner from us and it’s not quite good enough for us to want to trek over across town just for it — but if you’re in the area — it’s definitely worth a visit.

Burrito Express is a great CHEAP place to grab a quick bite for lunch. I ate there for $ 7 (including drink!) and it was way better than Taco bell (or the Fazolis that use to be there). Great for people on a budget.
I highly recommend their combo #5. The tacos are delish, but their chips do not stack up to Moe’s or even Chipotle for that matter. Chips are self serve and unlimited.
The sauces for the chips are very spicy and watery. They are self serve as well, but I wish they were chunkier.
The place was very clean, but the furniture is very cheap. It was probably bought second hand at a yard sale… Not to mention the bathrooms were clean, but of low quality. I would put them on par with most highway gas stations.
The staff was very friendly and were very excited about their opening. I had a pleasant conversation with the cashier about how business was going, and they say they are extremely happy with the amout of customers.
Another PERK is they placed a bag of garlic next to the entrance (to ward off zombies?). So if you are ever in a pinch and need to get away from a zombie invasion, go there and enjoy a taco.

This brand new place is an old Fazolis on East Colonial next to all of the other closed restaurants. I think it may have opened today. I drive by this place twice a day and today the banners and signs were out. It just so happened that I needed to eat lunch too!
It was somewhat busy considering I haven’t seen any advertising and it was past the noon hour. Of course it was clean, they just opened. Not all of the signage and such was 100% ready, but that’s OK. Ohh, did I mention the extra bonus… open 24 hours! Maybe a new hangover place for those coming from Roxy or the ballet on 50 near Old Cheney?
I tried a combo meal that consisted of a beef burrito, cheese enchilada and rice and beans. With a drink it came to about $ 7. The food came out piping hot. I tried the beans first and they were covered with cheese. The rice was just OK. The enchilada was really good. Since I love enchilada sauce, the ample amount I received was a nice treat. The shredded beef burrito was really good. It was pretty big (large enough for it’s own meal) and had onions peppers and a nice juicy flavor to it. The rest of the menu was pretty big and I felt that the prices were a bit higher than that of others, but not too bad though.
The staff was friendly and kept the dining room fairly clean. Being so new, I’m sure they have kinks to work out. I’d give it 3.5 stars right now and check back in a month or so. I can’t give it 3.5 so 4 will do. I don’t want to round down.