Chipotle caters to the clientele that would like to claim they eat taqueria tacos but are too afraid to go to one of the actual authentic taquerias in town. Getting good tacos often requires going to the less affluent neighborhoods and I don't think the traditional Chipotle customer is down with that. Chipotle has a certain demographic. I saw lots of Cadillacs, Lexus and BMWs followed by yoga pants, Dooney bags and Ugh boots. You get my drift.
On this particular day, I visited the location at Hulen and Bellaire. It is always thick with TCU students at lunch as was the case today. I ordered tacos on flour tortillas. The tortillas were nothing extraordinary. I chose the steak and the barbacoa. The meat is always good here, juicy and full of flavor. The steak can handle a salsa, but honestly the barbacoa has enough kick on its own.
Chipotle has a choose your own toppings policy. I chose the corn relish, so I wouldn't overpower the meat flavors. I also added cheese, lettuce, and sour cream with a side of guacamole. They could offer more topping choices but I think that might slow down the line. These people all have somewhere to be and need those tacos fast.
The toppings are all very fresh and the guacamole is some of the best around. Always order some guacamole and chips with your tacos. You won't regret it. The soda bar is standard. You won't find Mexican Coke here.
So, if you are afraid of going to the "real" taquerias because of their less than desirable locations or because you may need to order in Spanish and you took French, stop into your local Chipotle. Don't expect it to give you any street cred though.
