FB Isla Vista

Super tasty burrito, simple service and decor :). All the toppings/fillings were fresh, including the savory shredded beef, tomatoes, and guacamole. A nice place for a full meal in Santa Barbara.

Quasadilla Nachos and burito.. that too veg.. what else you need.. this place is perfect for veg options and in the middle of the student area.. easily accessible and you can eat your fav dish sitting outside the restaurant.. I liked the overall ambience..

The woman that took my order had the nastiest attitude. For no reason. I am always very conscious of how to treat someone who is providing me a service. The food looked really good and fresh but she made the experience so uncomfortable. When I asked for a side of chicken that I would Obviously pay for, I just wanted a small side. She rolled her eyes and said they only do a large size. When I said no, she spoke to another employee asking about a smaller size even though she INSISTED they only have the large. I declined and thanked them anyway. They didn’t want to give me a bag even when the bowl was dripping with sour cream… I understand they deal with drunk college kids but this was not the case for us. I really didn’t even want my food after being treated that way. Most definitely will not return until they can fix The way they treat paying customers.

This place was highly recommended to me by a friend and it was really good! When I walked up the line was out the door so I knew it wouldn’t disappoint. I got the steak nachos everything on it including guacamole. It’s a huge portion, probably enough to feed three people! No seating inside but plenty outside.

I've come here for years and their horchata used to be the best in the world - I recommended many friends to visit Freebirds if only to try the horchata! Unfortunately they recently changed the recipe substantially and it's just not even close to the same thing. I think the milk is now almond milk or something, not really sure what they did exactly. Honestly I hope they change it back lol. But I still love the monster burrito and the nachos, and the staff are always very nice and fast.

Top tier burrito. Service was super fast, staff was friendly and all the ingredients were super fresh. The flavors were really vibrant, and well balanced. Their bathrooms are accessed via the parking lot side of the building- with a code from the staff.

We were excited to try, because the reviews are through the roof! Unfortunately one employee was making food without gloves, so we left! He was touching his face without a care in the world. No thank you!!!!!!! Gross!!!!!!

I heard this is one of the oldest restaurants in IV, but it didn’t live up to the hype. The food wasn’t great—lacking flavor and variety. I even asked the person at the counter for some suggestions, but they weren’t able to help. Hummus Republic Wrap is a much better alternative for burritos in IV, with lots of options.

Best burritos in SB IMHO! BBQ sauce is a must but get hot sauce on the side. For a big group--I brought 30 last weekend--you can order ahead and they will box everything up and have it so well organized. Fantastic people work there - very kind - love them and their food back!

Referred here by a local. My skepticism kicked in as soon as I realized this place was in the middle of a college neighborhood and when I saw they offer BBQ sauce on the side. It doesn't get any further from authentic Mexican food than this. The only Mexicans here were the workers, let's just say that. And that says a lot. I ordered the monster steak burrito with chicken nachos. Didn't finish either of them because everytime I bit into it, I was less excited for my next bite. No burst of flavors. Mouth full of rice and beans and no taste from the actual meat. Heck, you probably get more flavors at a Chipotle for half the cost. Also, the cheese was hard and stuck together on the chips. Waste of a meal for me. If anyone reading this is ever in the LA or Orange County area, come get some real Mexican food at Tacos Los Cholos or King Taco. Otherwise, stay away from this bland joint.

Haven't been back in 7 years since I graduated. Still a solid spot but the nachos didn't have enough meat and they were stingy with the salsas. It's the type of place to go to when you're drunk lol

I've given this place a try a few times now but my experience has been the same every time. The food is good, but nothing special. People compare it to Chipotle, but the flavors are not as good in my opinion. I built my own regular chicken burrito, and you can customize it with rice, beans, salsas, veggies, etc. It's honestly pretty pricey at $12.95 a pop, and the portions are decent. Guac is an extra $3.20, which wasn't worth it to me so I skipped on it. The chicken was on the drier side and doesn't have much flavoring. Maybe I only go on off days, but it's been the same every time. The service is quick and I've never had to wait too long. There's a few tables inside and more tables outside. They have a small parking lot behind, but it's pretty small and gets full quick. There is street parking that's easy to find nearby. Overall, the food is decent but I can't say it's worth the price.

Had late night munchies so I came back to Freebirds. Food here is pretty expensive tbh but I thought my burrito was pretty fire. They have good topping selections but their guacamole is $3.25 extra which to me is insane unless a scoop of that guac has like 5 avocados in it. I was happy with the burrito I got but it was a bit pricy. You could get a similar burrito at Chipotle for like $6 cheaper and it would be nearly the same size if not bigger. The service was good nothing more to say. Although I think the dude making my burrito was a little annoyed with me because I was probably lowkey not 100% sober when ordering. The restaurant is in downtown IV which is pretty cool. A lot going on nearby and the place it pretty clean and nice. Try it out

Freebirds is a go to in Santa Barbara. They have large portions, delicious food and lots of seating. They have several types of salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole (costs extra to add, unless you order something veggie). They have several types of meats to choose from- all yummy. If you're feeling daring you can order a quessarrito which is a burrito wrapped in a quesadilla. The monster burrito is even larger than a regular burrito. It gets busy but the staff is usually great about keeping the line moving.

Visiting my kid at School and it seems like a popular place for the UCSB kids. It is a Chipotle style restaurant. We ordered the burrito, steak bowl and nachos. The burrito is pretty decent, but steak bowl's portion is skimpy and tastes just ok , Nachos' portion is decent but nothing special. The price is not cheap for a collegiate hangout place.

Estan subiendo sus precios cada mes. Hace un mes costaba un quesarito alrededor de $19 dólares ahora cuesta alrededor de 21 y feria solo el burrito sin bebida. "No more freebirds" no more.

This place is a great Mexican spot in Isla Vista. It's my go to spot for some quick, affordable, good food. Service is pretty fast, however they don't have much parking. They also don't have any seating inside but they do outside. The food here is always consistent and very good. I'm always left satisfied with food for later because there portions are so big.

Best nachos I've ever, ever had. Such a great value too. You can build your own nachos or bowl or burrito and it is amazing! Have been coming here for years and try to visit every time I'm in the area. So good!

I went to undergrad at UCSB, and this was the go to spot after a night out. I remember it being SO GOOD. Definitely a favorite. When we came back into town, my family and I were excited to try it again after all that time. It is chipotle style, order at the counter. Service was good. Ambiance is fast casual Mexican. - Shredded beef nachos (4/5): Good portion size, lots of toppings, really yummy. Chips were the perfect crunch to go with the rice and beans, sour cream, tomatoes. The beef is juicy and savory. - Carne asada burrito (4/5): We made it a quesarito, so lots of cheese. It was a lot going on but delicious overall.

One of my favorite places to eat at in IV! Their vegetarian burrito and bowl are awesome. Quick service, decent outdoor seating options.

In the heart of Isla Vista, this place knows how to supply the college crowd with a banging Mexican meal and professionals from around town flock in to get some of the goodness too. It's right on a corner with some outside seating and a pleasant vibe. Our work team stopped in to order out in celebration of completing one of our projects. This place has their assembly line down to a science. Our large group was in and out within minutes. They keep the assembly line very clean and are generous with the fresh ingredients. Majority of the group got burritos, some got bowls and 2 of us got nachos. Everyone ended up being jealous of the nachos since they come in such a massive box. It looks like a meal for a little village. It was so delicious! My nachos were epic and even good a day later as was the burrito. This place is THE BURRITO stop in Santa Barbara area. Do not miss it.

A friend of ours insisted we must try this place when we are in Santa Barbara so we did. As avid Chipotle fans, this was really really good. It's kind of like Chipotle but not. The food is really really good but kind of expensive but the portion size was ok, I can see why there were lines lol I think I'd be back.

Ok, so you're thinking Isla Vista & college town, can't be good? Wrong! On quite a few occasions, I'd have assigned work in the IV area and my go-to for lunch, or dinner was ALWAYS Freebirds. Quesadilla, burrito, giant burrito, nachos, bowls are just some of the options. Sauces, meats, essential ingredients of beans, fresh-cut veggies, yummy tortillas and YOU get to hand pick all of your own ingredients, make this a spectacular meal. Whenever we're in the Santa Barbara area, because I exposed them to this, the Family often wants to come to IV to grab food at Freebirds and eat on-site, or we take it home and grub-down. If you like fresh-Mex, then you will love Freebirds!

Completely satisfied!!! It's been a while since I've been in an Spanish American restaurant and walked out completely satisfied. A friend told me about this location and she couldn't stop bragging about it. She would always say it's a must stop if she find herself in Santa Barbara. Well we finally stopped by and I was very much impressed. You start off at the beginning of the line relating to the team member what type of burrito you want. I went with monster, seeing that's what my friend went for. No regrets here! Never felt a burrito so heavy in my entire life. I asked for rice, refried beans, chicken, red sauce, jalapeno, pico de Gallo, and cilantro. That turned out to be the most fulfilling burrito I've ever had. What impressed me even more is that they supplied line wedges which is always the best on an authentic burrito. This location bleft me breathless. I would definitely stop by the next time I'm in the area and will promote it to others to give it a try.

Got lunch in Santa Barbara on short roadtrip. I got bowl which was super yummy. Service was fast and efficient. My boyfriend got the nachos and was HUGE portion, we could've split it. This is a better chipotle. The seating was nice inside and outside as well as the parking situation. Very easy to find.

I asked for beef on my burrito and instead they gave me steak which upped the price of my burrito to $18. Didn't listen to me when I said I ordered beef

Stopped by after touring UCSB, pleasantly surprised! It's run Chipotle-style, you're able to choose anything you want. I noticed pretty quickly that everyone else was ordering nachos- they look divine and were piled high. Will have to get next time! Very limited indoor seating but there's a bit out outdoor seating. Everything was delish.

Simply my favorite restaurant in the whole world. It is absolutely fabulous. Every single time I have eaten at Freebirds the food is so incredibly delicious. I have been going there for more than 30 years. I am so thankful to live close to Freebirds. My whole family loves it and we go there at least once a week. It is always so fresh and such good quality food. Everyone I know who lives in Santa Barbara loves freebirds!

Highly recommend the steak quesarito! Everything is so fresh and quick. I love the option for refried beans and the steak is really well-seasoned. Not fatty or too chewy.

Favorite burrito I have ever had. Literally so good I am obsessed!! They are fast and easy too.

Delicious! We ordered steak and chicken monster sized burritos, which nearly put us in a food coma (totally worth it though). Service was nothing special. Very fast paced ordering, which can be stressful if you don't have your order in mind ahead of time. There are a few tables to eat at outside.

The food is so good! Great customer service, the nachos are so good! I definitely recommend freebirds.

I too use to be a loyal fan of this "late night" spot. These hours there is no reason to go here.... That is unless you like to donate an extra $5 to their establishment. After seeing everyone else mentioning how angry they seem, I too do not feel comfortable supporting a business that seems like they are doing you a favor for working a job. A day without a burrito here will be fine. My advice to the people who work there: try imagining how your neighbors would receive your welcome. They would probably be as concerned as these rich kids, jaja;)

Always amazing tasting, refreshing, and giant portions. Hell of a lot better than Chipotle. It's BYO so you get to decide, so it's even better. Delicious. I always get the monster veggie as it's only a little over a dollar more than the regular and a lot more (plus it comes free with quac). Not authentic Mexican food but it doesn't try to be. It's just delicious. If people rate this place low, it's probably bc their choosing wasn't great when building it. Definitely recommend, always delicious. One of my favs for sure

While the ingredients are okay, this place seems to always mess up the order. They either put beans on it, when you say no beans, or guacamole when you say on a side, or your order gets picked up by another customer. Not to mention that to make one burrito, 5 different people have to touch it. I hope they can be more attentive to each customer's requests, instead of rushing your order and getting it wrong.

Awww ... Freebirds you took me back to the days I was a 18 year old loving life at UCSB. Burrito de Asada was good. The Horchata was good. For some reason I remember the burrito being bigger but maybe it was because I was smaller. I definitely reminisced and was taken back to 2000-something .. Those were the days. I love Freebirds !

I really like this establishment. When I am passing by, and am hungry, I go to this place. For its price, it is fine with me. Some other reasons why I come: 1) good quality ingredients 2) wait is not too long 3) service is great (friendly staff) Definitely recommend. I usually get a Quesarito, which is a burrito with melted cheese, plus customized ingredients.

RIP OFF!! $25 for a burrito with a Coke !! $3.20 fo one Is dollap of guacamole! I understand everything in california is through the roof with our ridiculous government and minimum wage but twenty five dollars for a burrito at a fast food restaurant is ridiculous! For twenty five dollars I can go to a nice mexican restaurant. Nope!! Not coming here again!

Hadn't been here in years! Finally had an opportunity to bring my daughter as she just moved to SB. We ordered online which was easy, the parking is horrible to be honest, it's small and people were having ages time getting out. Restroom is outside by the parking lot, it was clean. Our order was ready in 15min as stating when we placed the order. Nachos were bigger than we expected! Very good. Tortillas weren't soggy, good amount of guacamole, the steak could have had a little more flavor. Birria burrito was a good size as well. Meat was tender and seasoned well. Dark red salsa was delicious ! Nachos were about $17 and burrito was a round $15.

Anyone that's been to Freebirds knows how generous the portions are. I haven't been here in awhile since it's in the heart of college town aka Isla Vista. It can be very busy during school hours, but luckily it was like a ghost town on the streets and only a few customers were here during Christmas break. There's a small parking lot on site, otherwise you can park on the street, but they are mostly 15 minute zones. I am obviously a nacho lover, so naturally I come here for the nachos! When ordering, you start with tortilla chips heated up with melted cheese. Then you have endless toppings to add, such as beans, rice, grilled veggies, meat, pico de gallo, guac, sour cream and much more. By the time you pile on the toppings, the nachos weigh about 10 pounds! The serving will feed about 2-3 people, unless you have a big appetite. I remember the nachos used to be $12, but now they are $20! Times sure have changed, but at least they haven't skimped on the portions here. The burritos are just as good and the size is very hefty. I'm glad I could get my nacho fix in here, but it's definitely something I treat myself to occasionally.

The chicken nachos are my favorite. Service was fast & easy. The dining area was clean & seating was nice outside.

I've never had a bad meal at Freebirds. The food is always high quality and huge servings, makes the price hard to beat considering they give you so much at a time. The workers are friendly, and always give generous portions of each topping. The inside of the restaurant can sometimes be busy during the school year since it's right by UCSB, but the line usually moves pretty quick. It's clean indoors, and they are seating options both inside and outside.

Fast, simple and easy-order walk up menu ordering, Mexican food restaurant. Our sons had Nachos & a quesadilla, I had a super burrito and my wife ordered a Chicken bowl... all items were freshly made and plentiful proportioned. We all enjoyed our food choices and would definitely visit again if ever back in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara. If your looking for a fast, easy Mexican food takeout, Chipotle style joint, this is it!! Go for it, you won't be disappointed... . Keep in mind, this is not a place you can enjoy relaxing & dining in... they only have 2-4 small tables inside, not very much or comfortable inside dining... I also believe it wasn't intended for a in-house dining experience... ‍ this is a college town and believe this joint is for a "quick-hit" early day lunch or late night "grab'n-go"...

Been eating here for almost 35 years. Hadn't been there since 2019, still the Isla Vista alternative to chipotle. The self-serve fountain drinks and salsa bar are gone, , you can thank the pandemic for that. Quality still there.

Yummy in my tummy. Tacos from Freebirds AND a sunset!? Feeling lucky and blessed. This spot is clean, fresh, and tasty. You can choose to indulge with cheesy nachos or go down a healthier route and get a veggie salad. There's something here for everyone! The service is immaculate and helpful. There isn't much seating inside the restaurant so I suggest ordering to-go and eating my the beach. Freebirds is what Chipotle wish it was (no shade).

Freebirds is the best Mexican in SB in my opinion (coming from San Diego). Delicious burritos and nachos are amazing too. Good portion sizes. A little on the expensive side but I guess that's what you get here in SB.

It has been a looooong time since visiting Santa Barbara and the amazing Freebirds! It is just as great as the first three visits I remembered over the past many many years. It is no surprise Freebirds is thriving and still producing fantastic food!

Stopped in based on all the great Yelp reviews, and it did not disappoint, really fresh, good quality ingredients, and everything was delicious. Between the 5 of us, got 2 steak burritos a veggie burrito and chicken tacos, and everything was excellent. You pick your own fillings and tacos, Chipotle style. Totally recommend!

Here's a riddle: how many hungover college kids can you fit inside Freebirds? While you're thinking about that, just imagine that you're gently floating on a pillow with no cares in the world. Someone is fanning you with a palm frond and someone else is hand feeding you grapes. As time goes by you smell the essence of carne asada, beans, rice and some other 4th thing. The smell is getting stronger and you suddenly realize the pillow is actually a carne asada burrito and you were hypnotized by the burrito genie the moment you walked in. WAKEEEEEEE UUUUUUUPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!! And order a burrito already!!!!!!!!

visiting UCSB with my kiddo... his friend (who goes there) gave us a walking tour of campus and surrounding area. this is where her brought us to eat. I'm not mad about his decision at all! it's a build your own burrito place... you tell them what you want in it and they do it most items are included in base price with a few obvious exceptions (avocado for example). burrito was huge and tasty. i saved half of mine for later (which i gave to my boy). I imagine he will be frequenting this spot when he moves here.

decent food that came out fast. not as good as chipotle and nothing mind-blowing, but it's SB.

El lugar es muy rico en sus nachos y burritos. Solo es de acusado ruidoso y es por eso que no me quedo a comerlos en el lugar pero es exquisito de sabor y te atienden muy rápido. Y es algo sano de comer ya que tiene carne, verdura y su delicioso guacamole vale la pena probarlo

I love the chicken burrito I get the regular size I like it with the beans I love how you can select all your own toppings personally add barbecue sauce to my chicken burrito and it's insanely good. service is always 5 star places always totally clean. everybody that works there is great park lot can be tricky but it's iv. I love this place

Tried their loaded chicken nachos during deltopia, really helped bring me back to life. Really big portions and tasty food, service was equally up to par.

The greatest burritos I have ever had. They are very filling. Kind of hard to hear over the counter and you have to be loud for the workers to hear what you want on your food. Only outside seats as of 2023.

Never would I come here again very poor portions and they don't care to listen to you when you ask for more rice or anything extra. They all look like they hate their jobs there. Don't waste your time or money. For two items I spent $40 dollars way more than chipotle and at least chipotle has better portions and that's saying something. Don't bother coming or wasting your money here. Also they had a sign saying if you have questions about why there not wearing gloves please ask the cashier. I think that's a safety violation but I wouldn't risk it if I were you.

The best nachos you will ever have in your life. The first three times i went to Freebirds i was never sober, but i have had them sober many many times now and it never disappoints. The best drunk food & the best sober food! Whenever you come to UCSB or IV you have to try freebirds. I have taken all of my friends who are from out of town here and they all LOVE it. It seems a little pricey at first, but it is welllll worth the money, the portions are HUGE. I recommend sharing nachos since the portions are so big!! 3-4 people is perfect(: their burritos and horchata are also super tasty!!