Burrito Beach Marks 30 Years With Limited Edition Burritos From a Power-Packed Chef Lineup | Eater Chicago

"Celebrating three decades this summer, this homegrown quick-service chain has grown to seven locations and endures by offering affordable, better-ingredient Mexican grill fare with options for a variety of dietary needs. Launched in 1995 at Lake and Dearborn as an assembly-line wrap concept that intentionally tiptoed around the word “burrito,” it later embraced the Mexican grill identity, with CEO Greg Schulson emphasizing, “We really do cooking at our restaurants.” The team isn’t pretending to be traditional — items like a Buffalo chicken bowl and a fried fish taco inspired by a Chicago dog appear alongside rotating specials such as barbecue beef — but the aim is to do it right and keep prices in check (“No one wants to pay $17 for a burrito”). Marking the anniversary, the brand reprises its early-2000s chef collaborations with limited-time burritos whose proceeds benefit charities: Paul Kahan’s spicy steak (marinated sirloin, Guajillo chile sauce, white rice, black beans, pico de gallo, pickled red onions, whole cilantro) from Monday, August 4, through September; Thattu’s Margaret Pak in October–November with masala Kashmiri chile char-grilled chicken, tamarind-date chutney, garlic confit raita, white rice, cilantro slaw, and pickled red onions; and Beverly Kim in December–January with a bibimbap steak burrito built on thin-sliced bulgogi, kimchi fried rice, chipotle-gochujang, marinated cabbage, and pickled red onions." - Ashok Selvam