The ultimate Chicago burrito guide: 15 standouts, from overloaded West Coast options to spare northern Mexico bites

You can learn a lot about a person by how he or she orders a burrito. Is he a maximalist, demanding every possible ingredient in the kitchen wrapped up inside, or a minimalist, preferring to stay laser-focused on the freshly made flour tortilla? Does she eschew lettuce, yet demand french fries? The answers to these questions not only unveil certain preferences but can clue you into where someone was born or even briefly lived.

But more than anything, I’ve learned that burrito perfection lies in the eye of the beholder.

I figured this out the hard way. The last time I counted down my favorite burritos in 2017, I was stunned to find dozens of restaurants serving the spare burrito style favored in northern Mexican states like Durango and Sonora. And I mean spare — no lettuce, tomato, rice, cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro or avocado. The best versions just featured a flaky, handmade flour tortilla, maybe a smear of refried beans and stewed filling.

I thought that if there was any justice in this life, these would soon take over the city. Yet, when my burrito ranking went up, I heard countless commenters complain that those burritos sounded nice and all, but what about the burritos stuffed to the breaking point with every conceivable filling? (To be fair, I did include a few of those, though apparently not enough.)

Since then, I’ve learned more about the burrito than I imagined. My research led me to catalog the most popular fillings both in Chicago and around the country, which showcased that there are multiple different styles. While differences abound, I believe I have a better understanding of what makes a great burrito, regardless of what you like inside.

[ We looked up 100 Chicago burritos to find the most popular fillings. This contentious green vegetable showed up the most. ]

While I’ve learned to appreciate all the styles, I do have a couple of burrito preferences that helped me evaluate them all.

Regardless of size, burritos should be rolled up tight, so all the fillings are evenly dispersed. I also believe that creaminess is crucial. There needs to be something to bind the components to the flour tortilla. Fortunately, that can come from any number of ingredients, including beans, cheese, sour cream (or crema), scrambled eggs, guacamole or even mayonnaise. (Trust me, that last one appears in many northern Mexican burritos.)

Because of these standards, I had to leave some big names behind, like La Pasadita and Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill, which both serve carne asada burritos with only steak, onion and cilantro. You also won’t find Taqueria El Asadero’s burrito, which only contains lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro. That one hurt, but I think its steak works better in a taco anyway.

Wanting to finish this feature sometime in 2023, I punted on breakfast burritos, along with burrito-esque objects like sushi burritos and burrito bowls. We’re OK with that, right?

In the end, I tried at least 50 burritos over the course of a month. This time I’m breaking down the results into three categories, so just like Goldilocks, you’ll be able to casually wander through this article and find the burrito style best suited to you. That sounds far more exciting than sampling porridge.

The Chicago Burrito

I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard anyone refer to a Chicago-style burrito before. But after cataloging all the standard fillings from 100 local burrito spots, I realized our city does have a specific style. Along with your choice of protein, a Chicago burrito usually includes refried pinto beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese, with sour cream around more often than not.

Notice that this style lacks both rice and salsa. Instead, most come with salsa on the side, requiring you to squirt on salsa with each bite. Or you can just saturate the top of the burrito and hope enough drips down to the bottom. As for the lettuce, I’ve already written a whole post about the most contentious burrito filling in the country. While I used to be 100% against its inclusion, I’ve eaten enough Chicago burritos to appreciate what crisp lettuce can do.

5. L’ Patron

This Logan Square mainstay adds avocado to the standard four Chicago burrito fillings, an addition that works wonders. But the real reason to visit L’ Patron is for the carne asada. When grilled fresh, the beef is astonishingly tender and juicy, even though it’s sliced into large chunks. If you really want to go crazy, ask for some rajas (grilled strips of poblano chiles) to be added in.

3749 W. Fullerton Ave.; 773-799-8066; lpatrontacos.com

4. Las Asadas

If you’re still not sold on lettuce in a burrito, I still have an option for you. Las Asadas keeps things basic, with just onion, cilantro and some much-needed refried beans. This allows you to focus most of your attention on the freshly grilled steak, which picks up great smokiness from the grill. I’m also a big fan of the seriously spicy salsa verde served on the side.

2045 N. Western Ave.; 773-235-5538; lasasadas.com

3. Del Toro

Best known as a bar where you can sample dozens of varieties of tequila, this East Pilsen stop also serves a flawlessly constructed Chicago burrito. Go with the carne asada, and you’ll get freshly grilled beef, along with just the right amount of crisp lettuce.

2133 S. Halsted St.; 312-733-7144; deltorochicago.com

2. El Habanero

Burritos taste better when rolled up tightly because it allows you to experience all the components in every bite. That’s what you’ll find at El Habanero, a Logan Square taqueria beloved for both its food and friendly atmosphere. All the steak is juicy and extra savory, and there’s enough cheese to add a creamy tang to each bite without getting in the way. There’s also the ideal amount of lettuce — enough to provide a counterpoint of crunch without overwhelming the beef.

3300 W. Fullerton Ave.; 773-227-9225

1. Mi Tocaya Antojeria

If anyone doubts whether lettuce should ever appear inside a burrito, first try the best Chicago burrito in the city. Diana Davila, the chef and owner of Mi Tocaya, grew up working at her parents’ suburban taqueria, where she rolled up thousands of burritos loaded with steak, beans, tomatoes and, yes, lettuce. To make her ultimate version, she lavished attention on the meat, developing a beer marinade and concocting her own umami-packed seasoning. While she left out the tomatoes, she made sure to use loads of crisp lettuce.

This is the most expensive burrito on the list (by a substantial amount) but it’s also massive, with twice the amount of meat as a regular burrito. You can easily split this with a friend.

2800 W. Logan Blvd.; 872-315-3947; mitocaya.com

Other great Chicago burrito options: Carniceria Maribel, Martinez Supermercado

West Coast Burritos

When people complain about burritos in Chicago, nine times out of 10 they want burritos like those on the West Coast. Often it’s the overloaded Mission burrito, named for the Mission District in San Francisco, which usually contains rice and beans, along with a plethora of other options, like salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. But growing in popularity is the so-called California burrito, a specialty of San Diego that discards the rice and beans, replacing them with french fries, cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

What unites the state is a lack of lettuce and the fact that the salsa is usually added to the burrito before folding. These burritos can be exquisite, explaining why they are popping up around town.

5. Jarabe

Now located in Little Italy, Jarabe offers a range of burrito options, but it’s the California burrito that’s been getting the most attention. It’s loaded with carne asada, along with creamy guacamole, gooey Chihuahua cheese and lots of crispy fries.

1104 W. Taylor St.; 312-725-0507; jarabechicago.com

4. Cruz Blanca

This West Loop brewery has changed significantly since its opening in 2016, expanding the menu beyond the strict focus on Oaxacan street food. This helps to explain why you can score an excellent California burrito now, one stuffed with grilled steak, fries, avocado, crema and Chihuahua cheese. It’s enormous, so come hungry or share with a friend.

904 W. Randolph St.; 312-733-1975; cruzblanca.com/brewpub

3. Tacotlán

Best known for its quesabirria tacos, Tacotlán also serves some excellent burritos. While you can order a satisfying Chicago-style one, what you want is the Lalo’s On the Beach burrito, a surf and turf meal in burrito form. While there’s still lettuce and tomato, this feels closer to a California burrito, albeit without the fries. You won’t find any beans here, just a thick scoop of guacamole, chipotles and heaping portions of both skirt steak and shrimp.

4312 W. Fullerton Ave.; 773-666-5259; tacotlan.com

2. El Tragon Taqueria

I don’t usually dig rice in burritos, but El Tragon’s Mission-style burrito is so impeccably proportioned that I had to change my mind. Instead of being stupidly huge, this burrito is moderately sized, so you can appreciate all the components without needing to unlock your jaw to take a bite. You can go with any protein you’d like, but I’d go with the supremely juicy bistec.

1234 N. Halsted St., Unit C; 312-374-1458; eltragontaqueria.com

1. Diego

Who better to serve the best California burrito in Chicago than Stephen Sandoval, who grew up devouring the dish in San Diego? Pick either steak or shrimp and it will be wrapped up with crema, avocado and some crisp yet pillowy fries. It arrives with some fierce salsa made with arbol chiles.

459 N. Ogden Ave.; 312-291-8449; diegochicago.com

[ Review: Diego delivers on the promise of Sueños ]

Other great California burrito options: Su Taqueria Thaly’s, Lonesome Rose, Invicto, Angela’s Burrito Style

Durango Burrito or Norteño Burrito

While lettuce-loaded burritos are the norm in Chicago, we have a whole scene of burritos that look to the spare style favored in northern Mexico. Each one starts with a midsize flour tortilla, larger than the ones used for tacos but smaller than the monstrous 12-inch ones used for many burritos. Some restaurants add a smear of creamy refried beans, or even mayonnaise, though neither is completely necessary. Then comes a richly seasoned stewed filling, like chicharron verde (crispy pork rinds in a tomatillo salsa) or carne deshebrada (a shredded beef filling often mixed with potatoes). These are then simply rolled up, leaving the ends open.

I’m infatuated with this style and if there were any justice in the world, the rest of the city would be too. Because there aren’t many ingredients, every detail has to be perfect. That explains why all of these places make the flour tortillas from scratch, and serve them with intensely flavored stews.

5. Taqueria El Duranguito

The house-made flour tortillas here are fluffier and softer than others on this list, making them feel deeply comforting. As will be a common theme in this category, you have almost too many filling options. But it’s also hard to go wrong. I especially liked the guiso rojo, diced pork in a brick-red salsa roja, though the chicharron en salsa verde was a close second.

402 Lake St., Maywood; 708-343-4584; sites.google.com/view/elduranguito/home

4. Gorditas Santiago 2

The original Gorditas Santiago has closed, but fortunately, the second outpost is still kicking out stunning burritos. When crisped up on a griddle, the house-made flour tortillas become golden-hued in spots. Once again, there are too many fillings to try, but I particularly love the chicharrón prensado en salsa roja, made from pressed pork skin.

3710 W. 55th St.; 872-267-5260; gorditassantiagorestaurant.com

3. El Pollo Vagabundo

The first thing you’ll notice about this Northlake shop is the aroma of charcoal-grilled chicken in the air. Yet I’m going to tell you to ignore that siren call, and instead order the beefy arrachera burrito. Along with plenty of juicy skirt steak, the shop’s mastery of the flour tortilla is on full display here. Though on the larger side, each one is astonishingly thin, looking nearly transparent in places.

101 Grand Ave., Northlake; 847-288-0713; elpollovagabundo.com

2. Gorditas La Tia Susy

This cozy shop in McKinley Park serves some of my favorite flour tortillas in town. Not only are they tasty enough to eat on their own, but they are also gorgeous, coming out of the kitchen speckled with golden-brown spots. Once again, I’m going to call out the deshebrada, a beefy northern Mexican specialty that more people should know.

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3500 S. Western Ave.; 872-281-5099; gorditaslatiasusy.com

1. Gordillas

My favorite burrito spot from 2017 hasn’t slipped a bit. The only frustrating part of visiting is trying to figure out which of the 28 fillings to order. Some day I hope to try them all, but I have a hard time not ordering the intricately spiced barbacoa or the comforting deshebrada. Regardless of your pick, all the burritos come out on gorgeous, freshly made flour tortillas.

Multiple locations; gordillas.com

Other great northern Mexican burrito options: Cocina Paulis technically serves breakfast burritos, so I couldn’t include them. But its flour tortillas are so stunning, they deserve as much praise as I can lend. Also try Las Gorditas De Don Angel and Gorditas Loli’s.

Nick Kindelsperger is a former Tribune food critic.