El Charrito Express

Wanted to like this place more. Tried a Chile Verde burrito and chips and guacamole. The stand out was their guacamole, it's really good. The rest was just okay. Burrito tortilla was great but the Chile Verde lacked flavor and was about a medium heat wise. Chips were thick kind and very oily. Service was very good though they only offer take out.

The good old case of one great product and nothing much else. Hand made fresh flour tortillas! Great! Meats are ok. Salsas are pretty decent. Burritos are on the smaller size for the price. Super stingy with onions and cilantro which makes absolutely zero sense. One and done kinda place.

Not as good as the Salinas location! Chile relleno only after 1030am. Burritos were good, but asked for the spiciest sals plus pico but could not taste. Very mild flavors.

Great and CHEAP burritos. Their tortillas are really good, as are all of their fillings. Plus, they're perfect size for a single meal...none of these 2-meal giant burritos that everyone else has for $15. My favorite is the chile verde.

Ordered a bowl, and server smears a spoon full of beans to cover bottom of bowl, I asked for a little more, have to charge you more, dump some rice and smeared it over the beans, puts a tong full of carnitas, cheese was extra a table spoon of sour cream, table spoon of guacamole. It didn't even come with lettuce, had to pay more for salsa. It didn't even come half way up the container that was 3 inches high 7 to 8 inches long oval shaped. It tasted great but to not give a little extra beans which hardly cost anything and no salsa or cheese have to pay extra. I didn't tip her and wouldn't recommend to go there. And the lose of business just because she was selfish. It would have cost Penny's to make me happy, and their business will suffer lose of dollars. And she didn't get a tip and I'm a good tipper cause I've been a server for more years than she's been alive.

BREAKFAST-Food is delicious. Tasty, homemade BUT you must watch ladies because they sometimes handle the food and handle the cash register touch the dollar bills and coins, and do not change their gloves & go back to handling the food. Breakfast is take out only

The burritos are small but reasonably priced. The tortilla was great but the burrito interior was just fine. Unfortunately they don’t offer anywhere to sit or any complimentary water, which are both major drawbacks.

The best thing about this place is the tortillas. The meat is okay and the sides are okay. The burritos are so small for what you pay (around $8.50). I'm talking like a little bigger than a can of soup! It's difficult to support an establishment that gives so little but asks for the same amount as other options nearby.

These guys do an amazing job... every burrito we have had there are super solid. They are a bit tight on the green salsa.

Same goodness that you get at El Charrito in Salinas, but a lot faster! I will be stoping by to get my fix when in Monterey. The parking lot seemed a little small, so on a busy day it may be difficult to find parking. Same-ish service as the Charrito in Salinas, their staff in Monterey seemed not the friendliest.

The food is good but not unbelievable or anything exciting. The location is not off Alvarado Street so you have to go around. There is no service you walk up to a counter and you order your food and you select your ingredients and they make it into a bowl or a burrito. There is no seatings inside so you cannot counting on enjoying your meal. It's to go only and the portions are pretty small considering what you pay for it.

The burritos were so good! We went back the next day for round two. Excellent meat choices and authentice flavors all around. I will definately be back when I visit the area. Thanks!

As a San Francisco resident for the past 30+ years I have high standards when it comes to burritos however El Charrito stood up to the test. I had heard they were good so my family and I tried 6 different kinds. We got carnitas, chile verde, carne asada, barbacoa, pollo chipotle pollo and pollo asado with just beans, rice and mild salsa. All were delicious with their fresh tortillas, especially the chile verde and pollo chipotle. Simple to go spot with quick service despite a long long but no spot to sit so be prepared to have a place in mind to eat them. I'll be back when I'm in Monterey again.

The food here is very solid. I was delighted to taste a fresh tortilla with this food. It's not too often you come across that with a burrito. The prices are very affordable especially for the area. The flavor was good but not amazing. My favorite part of the entire lunch was the horchata.

This location is a great take out place and attached to the back of Alejandro's. I ordered the egg and bacon burrito and this was great... a fresh homemade tortilla too which made it extra good. I only wish they would allow you to add more stuff inside the burrito as I also wanted potatoes, but they said no... could also be because the tortilla isn't that big and if you add more stuff it would rip. I also ordered the chips a guac and that was delish. Overall this place is good and reasonably priced... the burrito was only $5.99! Service was quick and efficient and parking is plenty with a lot.

Literally the best burritos in town! My to go order is a burrito de asada, with rice green salsa & cheese. I also tend to order a side of chips and guacamole and of course a horchata. May I also add that they make their burrito tortillas in House, which to me are the best ones I've ever had. Additionally, their burrito bar is very efficient and everyone here has always been kind and helpful to serve. At first, it was a little hard to come across this place as it is located behind a well-known restaurant on Alvarado Street, (Alejandro's.) However, they do have a parking lot right in the back, which makes it easy and convenient it to just pick up and go. And even though it is a very small hole in the wall establishment, it is very clean with a modern twist of aesthetic. Highly recommend!

In a super small location but easy to find. Just gotta keep an eye out. Food is AWESOME! They're quick on the assembly line and the tortillas are fresh and delicious. Staff is friendly and efficient. PARKING: its a shared parking lot but you shouldn't have any problems finding a spot. This is definitely a grab-and-go type of restaurant but no drive through. They also sell their tortillas in a pack of 10 and I would recommend them. We bought some and love them! We would definitely come back and possibly make a trip to their other location.

Received gift 20 sandwiches also and they were really good even by Mexican standards of my colleagues. It was delivery and it was good. Not heavy after no discomfort. The right size. Much better than chipotle..

Super fast for lunch. I ordered the barbacoa but have also had the relleno with carnitas. Note these burritos are delicious but MESSY because they kinda suck at folding them. Do not eat these when wearing white!!!

Don't understand what's all the hype is. Maybe restaurants staff is still in training at the Monterey location. If you are a first time customer and you don't know what you want, not the place to come. Whatever the staff recommended I would have purchased. Nada. Just ok.

4 stars because the food bowls are great very tasty full of flavor, I live a couple of hours away so I had to stop by when I heard of this place. I ordered 1 chile relleno burrito, 1 asada burrito with everything, 1 bowl de asada with everything. Horchata & a Jamaica, all very delicious with the exception of "la tortillas de harina " it's too rubbery, raw tasting, thick for my party. I think the food as a bowl is better. The servers were great when making them but not too helpful since it was my first time I think they didn't like me asking too many questions but a girl had to ask what you have or to specify the menu! It's not really clear. They had low music I think Spanish/mexican music would have been better giving the kind of place but it's alright, I don't like the fact that you can't sit there but I guess that's their style. The people In the kitchen by the tables were nice and courteous. "If I come by here on my way back I'll give them a second try. Also please add tacos to the menu!

Just sitting here writing this as I eat my cold burritos, Food is cold , 3rd time I have been here and the meat and beans in the burrito is barley warm , seems like a food safety issue . Huge bummer because the Salinas location is decent. Will take my business elsewhere in Monterey

Done with this location! I'm white, but this place is TOO white for me! I will always only go to the original Salinas location again. Monterey express blows in every way! Went for a couple of breakfast burritos this morning and they put about two tablespoons each of egg chorizo and an egg bacon in the tortilla, so basically it was mostly tortilla! Their hottest hot salsa/sauce might as well be Pace salsa! I'll gladly pay more to drive to Seaside or Salinas and get a seriously Mexican burrito with some heat and flavor.

They never have enough flour Torres's. Every time there sold out.so frustrating....there good but don't make enough

Huge fan of El Charrito in Salinas and I am so happy we got to visit their new location. After a day at the aquarium I placed a mobile order. Everything went smoothly. My food was ready on time, all correct and delicious. The prices are a bit higher than the market location but they're still very affordable, especially given the tourist location. There was plenty of parking too which I appreciated since I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get street parking. We got one of almost everything, no complaints. Food was delicious as always.

I LOOOVE their Salinas location (they get one of my rare 5 star reviews), so I was thrilled to see they opened up a Monterey location. This location is a little different. They operate out of the kitchen of an upscale-ish restaurant, but only offer to go food, so there isn't a place to sit and eat. This is technically how it works in Salinas, but it just looks different because there are tables all around, but they are roped off. The food itself was very good, albeit not quite as flavorful. Also, the menu is much more limited than Salinas. I would definitely eat here again, but it's not quite up to the ultra high standards I have for their other location.

Placed an order online 2 days in advance to pick up 7 burritos at 8am. I get there at 8:15 and they haven't even started on the order. 2 people get in line and instead of finishing my order they stop and take their order and ring them up. There was a reason the order was placed in advance for a specified time, so I would not be late for work! Unacceptable.

I was very fortunate to be working in the area and already knew I was willing to drive on a side mission to eat at this place. I've never been to this location but I am well acquainted with the el charrito business.. this location has a small parking lot but it's take out only so you should be able to find a spot easily. I have a small complaint I need to mention is that there is no menu on the wall or anywhere to be seen. Maybe they're taking the express name too literally.. aside from that you can talk to one of the friendly and wonderful workers behind the counter. My thing was only that I hate being that guy to ask questions and holding up the line. Fortunately this wasn't my first rodeo and there wasn't a long line. Anyway, I went with the popular for a reason salsa Verde burrito and I tried out the barbacoa. These burritos are relatively small on purpose and most people buy 2 in order to get full.. It can be problematic for some but I've found it to be in my favor. You can get 2 different meats to test out what you like. Did I mention the price? 2 super delicious burritos for under $15 bones that would be a single burrito anywhere else. These guys have it figured out! If I were to compare the taste to anything, it would be the el Monterey frozen burritos mostly from the tortillas. The HUGE difference is these are handmade, soft and as fresh as it gets. The ingredients are fresh and probably don't sit too long. I asked the lady if this location was connected to the other charrito inside of a market in Watsonville or Salinas. I went to one of those a couple times but I work all over so I can't be too sure which one it was. I can tell you that it gets busy so again that helps with freshness because they gotta keep the wheels turning nonstop to match the demand. It seems like the business is expanding and I'm a huge supporter of it. If they build one closer up north I would take a decent drive to eat here and bring my friends. It's literally that good.

Food was fine but service was subpar. There's usually a line at lunch hour and for some reason the workers don't like to help people in the order of the line. Or allow people they know to cut in line.

This is one of those total hit & miss experiences. After several tries I've decided to not patronize this business anymore. My problem is the complete inconsistencies in their food. Depending on who helps you, you will either get a very nice fat burrito or an extremely skimpy one. My last order was 2 Chile Verde burritos. Both of them literally had 0 meat in them. More like green soup burritos. So disappointing. I switched to the Super Chile Verde burrito at La Casa Del Sazon. SO MUCH BETTER!!

El Charrito Express is amazing. The quality of every ingredient is fresh and flavorful. The burritos aren't huge but just the right size and the price is great. The place is very clean and wish they had seating area, but you just get your food and have a picnic by the bay. I can't wait to go back and try a different burrito. We tried carnitas and barbacoa and they were both amazing. Glad we finally can get some great quality burritos in Monterey!

It's that good. Excellent tortillas and burritos. Taquitos were very good too. Go early for the chile rellenos.

Only reason we went cause the one in Salinas never fails. This place needs lil help. Food we got served was old ,thankfully they gave us less then spoonful of rice and meat , we didn't get that sick. They need to cover the food better. Other than that the place was ok.

I've been wanting to check this place out for a while. I came on a Saturday and there was quite a line but it moved fast. About 15 to 20 minutes. This location has pretty scaled back options compared to the main location in Salinas but they have all the main staples. The burritos are what I would consider "human size" and you can comfortably eat one without feeling too bloated. They have burrito bowls, which are larger and if you're really that hungry just order two burritos. I ordered the Pollo and it's a bit too "wet" for my liking. I ate the burrito right away and the tortilla was getting pretty soggy already. I'd give a rating of 3.5 if I could but I'll round up to 4 based on the value.

Burritos are good but not as good as the Salinas location. They overload them with rice and skimp on the meat. Carnitas was dry as well. Staff is also kind of rude and not very friendly. If you want El Charrito stick with the OG location.

This is my second review of El Charrito Express. Recently I discovered the chile relleno burrito which is not on the take out menu online. You have to order it in person and it's really good.

3.5 STARS I skimmed through all the glowing reviews for El Charrito (Salinas) with people saying, their burritos are the "best ever" and some even saying, the housemade tortillas are "life-changing". Even though we have some bomb burritos in The Mission and The Excelsior in SF (and bomb tortillas from La Palma)... Y'all got me hyped with those fighting words! I know I'm going to have dagger eyes shooting at me through the screen but I'm not really understanding the hype and was a bit disappointed with El Charrito. Granted, this is their new express location so it may be opening kinks. I had El Charrito (Salinas) on my list to go to but found out they just opened a new location in DT Monterey. I thought the lines wouldn't be as crazy as their old location since it's the new new and not everyone may have heard about their new location so decided to check it out. El Charrito Express is open for takeout and delivery only for breakfast and lunch (closes at 3 pm). No dine-in and no outdoor seating. They're located inside Alejandro's (new hip Mexican resto opening on 9/23); entrance is at the back parking lot. There was only 3-4 people in line during prime-time lunch on a Thursday, and I was in/out in less than 5 minutes. Online orders are accepted. M E N U * Burritos ($4.99-$5.99) and Bowls. ($8.99-$10.99). Chips & Salsa ($3.49). Protein choices: Barbacoa, carne asada, carnitas, chili verde, and pollo. Unlike their Salinas location, no al pastor, bistec ranchero, chili colorado, chili relleno, or costillos (at least not when I visited). For drinks, they have horchata, agua fresca, and bottled drinks. F O O D * Chile Verde Burrito ($4.99): https://bit.ly/3BiPbRb *** Requested no rice and light beans. *** Requested salsa verde on the side (if ordering chile verde, they recommend no salsa in the burrito). *** Add avocado (+99 cents). For a $4.99 burrito, there was decent amount of meat. The chile verde is what they're supposedly known for, was meaty and tender (lean pork) in a mildly spicy and tangy verde sauce. When they say, "light beans"...they mean light...I couldn't taste the refried beans and the slivers of avocado were too thin to detect. The salsa verde wasn't really needed but it did add extra punch and heat. My disappointment came with the housemade flour tortillas. Despite eating the burrito right outside the shop while it was still hot, the flour tortilla was dry and on the tough side with no satisfying chew. I saw them pull the tortillas straight from the griddle so it's not like they've been sitting. BTW, these are small burritos, not mission-style ones so you may need two burritos if you're hangry. * Extra tortilla (99 cents): https://bit.ly/3Bk5aOT This was drier and harder than the burrito since the saucy contents of the burrito gave it some moisture. S E R V I C E All business and efficient. A M B I A N C E Alejandro's is modern and hip; dining area is roped off. P A R K I N G Shared parking lot in back. Overall, great price points. If I worked in DT Monterey, I can see myself visiting for cheap eats on the regular. Even though, I was a disappointed given the hype, rounding up for value and possibly opening kinks.

Not to disparage Taco Bell, (there is a time and a place for it sometimes) but a burrito supreme is currently $4.49 in the app. For that you get a processed tortilla full of processed ingredients that are rehydrated by an underpaid person working for the corporate machine. Alternatively you could visit El Charrito right down the street and for less than a buck more get an amazing tortilla filled with any number of housemade items and support a local business. My favorite part of the El Charrito experience (as noted in my Salinas review) is the size. Some people might think they're too small but to me it just provides options. If you're not that hungry, one is sufficient to hold you over. Two gives you the ability to have a couple different protein options for the price of your typical carne asada overstuffed burrito somewhere else. For less than $15 you can have three and feel like a king! I affectionately refer to this as the burrito flight. I was worried the efficiency and taste wouldn't carry over to Monterey, but that isn't the case here. The line moved along quickly with about 10 people in line when I got there. I went for breakfast and was stoked to see they had captain and stoker coffee available too. Will be back for sure.

Hot new spot in Monterey!! So stocked that they finally opened one in Monterey. I ordered what I usually get which is the chile verde burrito, I add cream and salsa roja... For breakfast a breakfast burrito Eggs,Potatoes and chorizo I add crema and salsa roja.. Let's not forget their tortillas. I'm not a fan of flower Tortillas but of course there's are homemade so the taste and the texture on those are amazing they're also so soft. Im also picky with my burritos, the way their burrito's are made are a decent size simple but they have so much FLAVOR. that you don't really need to be adding so much stuff to a burrito.. ALSO the food quality is the same as the salinas restaurant. The consistency is on point. They also have a different menu (less items) Easier way to order its download the app you can choose the time you would like to pick up your food, or you can also order inside. Open from 8-3:00pm the Salinas one it's always busy. And I'm sure they'll also be busy here. love the way they turned that building also gives it a Tulum, Mexico decor vibe

I should have listened to my gut instinct when I saw the three girls behind the counter, making the burritos, being condescending to the customers in front of me; those ladies need to be retrained on customer service.

5 stars for El Charrito but 3 stars for their late night menu at Alejandro's. El charrito is amazing! Monterey needed to be blessed by their burritos and aguas frescas. The burritos are small enough to be able to get multiple. Their guacamole and chips are fiiiire! Alejandro's is a little more upscale. The ambiance was nice and the service was great! Their cocktails had an interesting twist to them. The menu was interesting. I wouldn't go for a meal, more for an appetizer. The carne asada was juicy and paired well with the nopales on the side. I'd go back for the Definitely check them both out!

This place is delicious. Always super fresh, made right in front of you. My whole family enjoys their food. One of the family favorites is the chili verde burritos.

The food at El Charrito is really excellent, after nearly four years of looking for a great burrito in Monterey, this is the best bar none. It is sharing a kitchen with Alejandro on Alvarado (so it's a breakfast and lunch only place), but you have to access it from the back street, there's plenty of parking, when thought it's Saturday. It's important to note that this is a to-go only place, there's no seating.

Delicious Chile Verde burrito, $5.99 Added crema and queso for 98 cents each extra and salsa. Great flavor with soft flour tortilla. Hubby enjoyed his carne asada with additional Jack cheese, avocado charge. I liked the local coffee, poured for you with oatmilk that you self serve on the side table. Hubby's fruity hibiscus tea was really good. I had a bite of his carnitas burrito which was rather cold and not as flavorful as the Chile Verde. We usually get burritos at El Farolito in the Mish but the Chile Verde burrito is much better. We didn't find the size as small as others have commented. We thought it was an adequate size for lunch. We sat our car in the parking lot as it wasn't busy and wolfed down our burritos. Hope to be back to try the chicken and beef burritos too.

This place is kinda crazy, but in the best way. No seating in the restaurant, which caught us off guard, but was not an issue. There was a turnstyle type of line, which speaks volumes. The workers were really friendly and ALL the food was amazing! Y'all have got to try this place!!!!

solid burrito place, went here for a post run breakfast burrito before heading out and wasn't disappointed. Nothing mind blowing but pretty solid

I am an El Charrito fan. I've been eating at the Salinas location for over decade. Anytime I'm in Salinas, I make it a point to go get burritos. Their app makes it super to order and pick it up and eliminate the anxiety of ordering in line. This is true for the Salinas location which is always busy. So, I was ecstatic to learn they opened this location so much closer to me. I've been ordering so much! So, why is it so great? Well their tortillas are so amazing and handmade. There was an article about a year ago in the Monterey weekly that explained how they use a process that is rarely if at all ever used outside of Mexico and it's the real deal. People buy these tortillas from overseas that's how good they are! I could probably just eat a warm tortilla with butter and be satisfied. Some things to note. Their burritos are small and not massive. The real star is the tortilla and their cooked meats so you really don't need a ton of stuff in the burrito. You can add on some things like crema, guacamole, avocado, and salsa but again the size will be smaller than you're used to. I love their carnitas burrito which I get with jack cheese, guacamole, and crema. I also am a die hard bean rice and cheese burrito. If a place is any good, you can tell in the beans and they have good beans and salsa. Lastly I like the pollo guisado and their chorizo and papas breakfast burrito. I will say if you order from their app while it's nice to beat the line, at this location sometimes the burrito isn't as warm or the cheese hasn't melted as much as I would have liked but it's still amazing.

Oh my taste buds are so happy with this hidden gem! It's tucked behind the main restaurant & only open for a few hours each day in the morning, but it's worth the visit. Parking is not the greatest, but that's not the restaurant's fault. I walk from home, but I've heard other patrons complain. Who cares? Park & walk! There's no seating (restaurant is closed), so pick up & enjoy at one of the adobes or parks nearby. I can't confirm, but I think they only serve burritos & sodas. It's the perfect combo! I love a burrito with LOTS of beans. Tortillas light & made fresh while you wait. Price seems a bit high, but all prices seem a bit high now. High prices mean I can't eat there very often, but I save up for the treat! HMU & we can go together.

Fast, friendly service. Used their online ordering app for a discount for 1st time users. Delicious, dense burritos that were a good size for me. My husband was still hungry after 1, but stuffed after 2. It's in the back of another Mexican restaurant. This takeout area (no tables, no real place to sit and eat) looks clean, except for the flies by the entrance, which...if I were a fly I'd hang out by the tasty smelling food too.

Really delicious! Homemade tortillas, beans were tasty and rich, barbacoa was tender and flavorful. These aren't huge burritos. If you're a big eater, you might need two, but they are priced very fairly from $5.99 to 8.99 depending on what you get. Barbacoa was $6.99. I am really tempted to go get another one lol

This express burrito/bowl shop is in the back of a high end restaurant. Imagine Chipotle without the food poisoning and generally just awesome. This place is to die for good. We order 4 different meat burritos: barbacoa, carnitas, pollo chipotle, and chili verde.

This is possible the best Mexican in Monterey with fast service and bowls to die for. I only wish other Mexican restaurants in the area could hold a candle to El Charrito.

Found this place on a whim and it didn't disappoint. The food was fresh, hot and homemade tortillas were a hit. The service is quick as it's an express - there isn't anywhere to sit and eat. Strictly to go. My partner and I had one burrito and shortly went back in for another as they are small burritos. We got the chile relleno, chile verde, and barbacoa burritos - all delicious and tasted very authentic. A very cute spot as well, clean, efficient, delicious. Highly recommend!

El Charrito is a staple in Salinas! This location just lacks the authenticity! The prices have gone up like everything else in the world. I paid $49 for 6 burritos and chips. The tortillas weren't as fresh as expected. I got the barbacoa which was good lacking flavor and wasn't shredded a little chunky. The asada lacked flavor and the chicken was good. I like the size of the burritos and tortillas. I wish they had more on the menu here like Salinas. I miss the Chile relleno burrito. I hope during lent they do their specials.

Sorry, don't see the hype. I had a breakfast burrito, egg, chorizo, & potato & I asked for spicey salsa. My husband had the same, but w/mild salsa. We both thought they were bland. He also had the bacon burrito & at least w/that one, he could taste the bacon! Sure, the tortillas were fresh & soft, but I wanted the fillings to be tasty as well. It's only $6 ea, but they're not very big & def not tasty, in my opinion.

It was good but I prefer the Salinas location. The food is better, the staff seem happier there too. The energy of the place too lol

I usually come in to order a Burrito, however noticed on the menu board they added Taquitos so I tried them. Taquitos are more like mini beef Tacos. The taste was ok, but Wow...SOOO expensive!!! Minimum order is 2 taquitos but they charge by the piece-$3.50 each. Not realizing this I ordered 4 taquitos it came out to over $14.00!!! I added guacamole and THAT was an extra $4.00. So for lunch for ONE person came out to be OVER $19.00!!! I didn't even order a beverage. I'll never ordered that again...WAY overpriced for 4 mini tacos with guacamole!