Salads from fast-food Tex Mex joints like Chipotle, Qdoba and TJ Flats make me happy. They're incredibly flavorful (why yes, I would love some cumin-dusted fajita veggies), relatively healthy (if you discount the fact that you're probably devouring two days worth of sodium) and if you smile winningly and ask politely, they will totally hook you up with extra salsa rojo. And a life without extra salsa rojo is not a life worth living. I walked into California Tortilla excited for my salad. That excitement waned after the first bite and by bite 15, I was downright cranky. Pre-bagged salad mix (you know what I mean - iceberg, red cabbage, carrots) topped with anemic tortilla strips, tomato quarters, shredded cheese, plain black beans, cilantro, a dollop of bland guacamole and "Spicy Sunset" sauce - a thick, rust-colored dip which was more salty than spicy. Add chips (possibly pre-bagged. They didn't seem like they were made in-house) and a flat soda (also no ice in the fancy Coca-Cola Freestyle machine) and you just spend $10 on a meal you could have made at home for way less money. One teeny saving grace? The hot sauce bar...but let's face it, that's just a pale facsimile of the Hot Sauce Bar at TJ Flats. If you're looking for tasty, fresh, Mexican-inspired fast food -- skip California Tortilla and head a little further down to the road to El Gran Rodeo. It's not fast food but $10 gets you a much better meal.
(1)
V D.
Not a fan of mexican food but not a bad place.. got chips and salsa... They have a ton of different hot sauces which would be good if I like mexican food but I'm not a fan at all so if you are... Def check this place out.. SODA machine kicks a$$
(3)
Lacey A.
With a name like California Tortilla you wouldn't expect it to be that great, but think again.. IT IS! Although it's probably nowhere near close to the quality of mexican food you would find in the Southwest states, it does the trick if you haven't experienced those places yet! They are the best chain that I have been to in the area, they have WAY more selections in burritos, tacos, and salads then their competition (Chipotle, Qdoba). I chose the honey-lime burrito, and that was absolutely delicious! For another $2 something, you can get a soda and chips and queso, and honestly that tasted just like the stuff you get in the jar, but I'm not complaining at all for the price! They also have a million and one sauces to try and buy, so that's pretty cool, too. And they have this wheel that you spin (I think Wednesdays at 5pm) for a discounted or free item, and honestly, who doesn't like the sound of that? I definitely will be back again, and SOON. It's quick, it's easy and they have a super variety! The only downfall is that it's not by my house, but it's worth the trip if I'm craving it!
(5)
Derek N.
Lovely burritos, nice and big, good flavor.
(4)
Zsiberian N.
To the point, lot's of sauces, interesting theme, but I've had better food.
(3)
Julie S.
Fresh food. Ingredients are great. Not very greasy. Would definitely go back. They have a very large eating space.
(4)
Danan R.
I really like the options here but the execution is smewhat lacking. My chicken fajita burrito was okay but I felt that the chicken itself could have been seasoned just a little more. It was good, though, overall and decently sized. Personally, I would take Qdoba's over it but it comes pretty close. The guacamole is nicely creamy. The chicken tortilla soup is okay but the turkey chili is quite good - nicely seasoned and full of meat. They have a huge selection of hot sauces for you to add so if that's your cup of tea, go for it. If you're in the area and want to grab a quick, cheap bite, this is a good option. And I think that they might have some specials now too.
(3)
Beth B.
I love California Tortilla! Everything is fresh- with interesting menu choices. Hot sauce wall is where it's at!
(4)
Captain K.
Phenomenal...... best burritos in the tri state area! Puts chipolte and moes to shame. Every person I've sent here has said the same.. and many were die hard fans of moes and chipolte grill... but not any more!
(5)
Bruiser H.
I managed to find this place while out on a shopping trip with my daughter. We like the Tex-Mex style burritos, so we decided to give it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike the previous poster, I found the food to be much better than either Chipotle or Qdoba, and the regular size burrito was huge, weighing well over a pound. Mine was the BBQ Chicken Crunchy Burrito and my daughter had the Blackened Chicken Ceaser Burrito. Both of us opted for the combo (a drink and chips with either salsa or queso) as it was priced about the same as the drink, alone. My Burrito was stuffed full of BBQ chicken, beans, rice, and some tortilla strips (for the crunch). The chips were fairly thin and freshly made. Better than I've had in a while. The queso was a nice dipping cheese, not too spicy. It was more pricey than some, both of our meals came to about $16.50 but the food was good and plentiful. I'd go again.
(4)
Hubert L.
Moe's, Chipotle, Qdoba...these places are all respectable as far as burrito joints go (which deserve their own category, as they are NOT mexican nor tex-mex). California Tortilla....how do i say....SUCKS. they overload on rice and beans, minimal meat, and the chips or super salty. not just a little salty. like, chips taken out of the fryer and breaded in salt, salty. the only cool thing is they have like 100 different hot sauces for you to choose from. too bad most of them are that artificial crap and not real hot sauce. most arent even that good. North on 202 is Red Sombrero which has big burritos, and South on 202 you have Moe's. Save yourself the agony and sodium and go to one of them instead.
(1)
Jeannine K.
I love California Tortilla!!! I first tried them in Arlington, and was so excited when they opened a Pennsylvania location. The number of menu options that they have are ridiculous. They have a wide variety of tacos, burritos, fajitas, etc. So you can easily keep your menu choices interesting. Plus, every month they have a special menu item, which are always interesting (Korean Beef was a recent one). I have tried several of the Burritos and overall, they were all really good. My favorite is definitely the Fajita Burrito. There was one or two I didn't care for, but I think they just weren't for me. The grilled chicken salad is probably my fave thing to get though. It's gigantic, although sometimes some of the meat is questionable. My favorite part is the Wall of Flame. It's a whole wall of hot sauces that you can use to spruce up your food. This is probably the reason that the salad is my favorite item here, because I choose a few sauces as my dressing and enjoy!
(4)
BettyAnn A.
I've tried half the menu, love it all. Honey Lime & Chicken Caesar burritos are good & not hot...no beans either. Large is VERY large, be prepared to share or bring half home. Wall of hot sauces, pick your poison. They have kids meal combos and do a great job with group orders to for those working lunches.
(5)
Ruth Y.
My sister picked this restaurant to meet at and eat at because it was close to her new place. The shopping center where it was located is beautiful, unfortunately that might be the high point of this review. The food was okay. It was not amazing; it did not blow me away. I ordered a classic burrito so that I could compare it judiciously with the burritos at Chipotle and Qdoba. It was huge as well, although I would say fatter, and shorter, and a little less overall than both of the aforementioned places. You could not really pick the toppings nor see the person making your burrito, which made me instantly a little nervous. I guess I am spoiled on that front now by both Chipotle and Qdoba. There was too much beans, not enough sour cream and not nearly enough steak in my burrito. The price was the highest out of the three places to the best of my recollection, and by a good margin, if I remember correctly. Two things does make it stand out against Chipotle and Qdoba, however. The first was a whole wall of hot sauces for one to try. These were also available for purchase. There was easily 30+ varieties of hot sauce, and they were rated from 0 - 9 in spiciness (2 sauces rated 9, for those dare devils reading this). Being the spice wuss that I am, this does not sway my opinion one bit. The second thing that did figure into my opinion was that we visited on a Monday, which is their "Monday Night Wheel" night. If you buy a regular sized burrito, you are allowed to spin a wheel on the wall for discounts and food prizes. These ranged from $1.25 off, to a free taco, to chips and queso. The grand prizes were a free burrito or salad on your next visit. My sister, always being the luckier one, spun a free taco, and I got a free chips and queso. You were able to get these right away, or you could opt for a coupon for these items on your next visit. Okay, I know it is not like this was a million dollar giveaway, but spinning that wheel did appeal to the kid in me hahaha.
(3)
Marcie L.
This place is da bomb!! It's my secret addiction......and I've been to the Chipotle, Mesa Fresh, Baja Fresh, and Qdoba's of the world. They have better quality meats that are succulent and juicy, and they rule with their queso sauce. They have these deliciously thin crispy chips that melt in your mouth, and for the hot sauce lovers, the largest selection of hot sauces to rifle through and taste test. They have a Burrito Elito card that seems to give me $5.00 off my meal almost too often. Don't listen to the so-so reviews about this place, they are obviously not Mexican appreciators such as I.
(5)
Chris C.
Hands-down the best fast-casual mexican grill. Delicious food with a fun "new wave" atmosphere - bright colors, 80s music. Makes other similar establishments (e.g. Chipotle) seem bland by comparison.
(5)
doreen B.
I like the 80's music they play on Saturdays. The food is inexpensive and the location is nice.
(4)
Scott L.
caltor is great. what can you say about this place - well, yes, it's another one of those burrito places that seem to have taken over america. i've been to pretty much all of them (all the "good" ones at least), and caltor is definitely my favorite. no you can't customize exactly what goes in your burrito like the other places, but they have enough options on the menu to pick and choose what you want, and they are DELICIOUS. their huge wall of hot sauces is also something you won't find at another one of these type of joints. they gotta have like 100 of em. some are good, some aren't, but then fun is in trying them! you can even take em all home in little sample cups if you want, or buy the bottle if you like it...so cool. i've heard a lot about how good people think their queso is - to me? meh. i like their salsa a lot better. it's actually really good salsa to be honest. my favorite two burritos on the menu are the carnitas verde (shredded pork based), and the california screamin (containing their signature hot sauce - which is my FAVORITE one they have there). burritos are USUALLY huge, but the last time i went, they seemed to have been a lot less packed. i don't know if it was just the day i went on (maybe a new person making them, i didn't pay attention - yes i do recognize the regulars, lol). i'll have to follow up another time to see if they go back to normal huge size. anyways, flavor is off the charts at this place. burritos are AMAZING. go there, now - if you like burritos. DO IT
(4)
Shreekant P.
A 5-star for the customer service. I have had enquiries from both the national as well as the local store level on my experience. I have been very impressed with the follow up and sincerity in maintaining highest customer satisfaction.
(5)
Mike M.
Similar feedback as Hubert L, this place is not very good. Have tried it 2 times and each time regret it. Have tried the nachos, salad and tacos. Each time the flavor is lacking, the chips are really greasy, and the cheese is like watered down cheese wiz. So many better places in that area - Red Sombrero is less than 10 min away, Kennett Square is 15 min south has several real Mexican places. I wouldn't even compare this one to Qdoba for Mexican food. I wouldn't go back if the food was free.
(1)
Sara C.
Low prices-FAB FOOD!! sooo fresh. Perfect for a quick bite. Go there all the time.
(5)
Michele M.
Go there everytime I have to go to Kay Jewelers....wish I had a location closer to where I live...Awesome food and great service! Love that there are soooo many options...I dont like real spicey foods and they had variety so people like me could also enjoy!
(5)
Joyce Y.
of all the "fast food" mexican restaurants of this type (baja grill, chipotle, qdoba..) this is the best in my opinion. seems like they have better quality ingredients. i pick up food here 2-3 times a month and it's consistently good. i tried their korean bbq burrito and liked it a lot!
(5)
Mike M.
Expected more after reading the reviews. Lived in SoCal for a long time and never experienced such a "wet" burrito in my life. Should have called it soup. When I asked what type of fish was on the fish taco I was told, "blackened." Silly me!
(1)
Anupma S.
I love this place! I used to come here at least once every two weeks with my sister when I lived at home and miss it so much now that I'm in Philadelphia. I always stop by when I'm home and even pick up a few extra burritos for my friends to try since I talk about this place so much! CalTort is unique because of its variety. It's not like Chipotle, Qdoba, Moe's, etc. with the same ingredients for the same handful of options. There are so many interesting burritos here that you can never get bored! And they all taste incredible! My favorites are the blackened chicken, honey lime, and regular burritos, however they are always coming up with new options that are delicious! Paired with your amazing burrito will be any sort of hot sauce you wish; their wall of hot sauces is a sight to see. And true to that is that crazy soda machine with hundreds of options. You can literally come here everyday for a year and have a unique meal. Oh, I almost forgot, but CalTort's special California Screamin' sauce is legit the best hot sauce ever! Pairs incredibly with their burritos! Please open one in Philadelphia!!!!
(5)
Mindy K.
I was seriously disappointed with my order. I was in a pinch for time and ordered a burrito bowl to go. When I arrived at my destination and opened the container there was barely any food in it at all! A coating of rice covered the bottom and a small handful of salad spread over it. There was a dollop of salsa and a line of dressing. I usually love California Tortilla but this experience was really a poor serving for my $8!
(1)
Sarah W.
Good not great but I would definitely come again. Being a SoCal native and resident my time here in the PA area has taught me that Mexican food isn't all that great here, I get it though since there really isn't a large Mexican population like in CA. California Tortilla gets the job done though and I really do like the street Tacos (even though they're overpriced for what they are) The hot sauce wall alone though (and soda machine) is probably what will keep me coming back till I get to head back home to SoCal.
(3)
Cora B.
I had the screamin burrito. It was good, but I still like chipotle better!!!! Doesn't seem that fresh. All the various sauces are OK...woop dee doo, how many does one need?
(2)
Valerie S.
Years later, I still love California Tortilla... Stopped in the other day and had the Korean BBQ Spicy Burrito Bowl with grilled Mesquite chicken, rice, fajita veggies, sweet and spicy Korean BBQ sauce, crisp slaw, Sriracha chili sauce and cilantro. Damn it was HOT but sooo good!!!
(5)
Robert Earl R.
Everyone here is super nice, food is always prepared well and always delicious!!! I Really recommend this restaurant!!!
(5)
Robert K.
Wonderful place with happy people. Food very tasty and appealing. Found place clean and welcoming. Other reviews are correct so to add here they must have over 50 different hot sauces to put on your food. Take one off of rack by soda dispenser and take to your table.
(4)
Jim H.
A somewhat underwhelming experience. $12 for a steak quesedilla, drink , chips and guac. Overall not bad and comparable to Chipotle or Qudoba (it's main competition). But the execution wasn't so great. The drink was cool. One of those fancy drink fountains you see popping up. I like the wall of sauce, to put on your food. The quesedilla was good but I like to see some brown or some grill marks on a quesedilla. Otherwise it almost looks microwaved. It tasted fine, with the guac, salsa and hot sauce I put on it. The guac- it tasted fine. Very fresh but there was just a large chunk of avocado at the bottom, the size of the ramekin. It was a little tough and broke every chip that hit it and even was hard to pull apart with a fork. Those chips- TERRIBLE! I rarely throw any food away but I could not get through the small order they gave me (actually, that I paid for). They tasted a little rancid and had a very fishy taste. Almost like they were fried along with shrimp. I didn't see shrimp or fried fish on the menu so I'm pretty skeptical about them. They gave me a frequent diner card but between the mediocre experience and the fact that it's pretty far from where I live , I doubt I will frequent this place. Oh well.
(3)
Gene R.
Our Department at work gets CalTor delivered at least twice a year. We are never disappointed. The salsa and chips are always fresh. The fried onions and peppers go great with the mouth watering grilled chicken. The rice and beans are amazing as well. I wish we had one in South Philadelphia because I would be there at least once a week.
(4)
Damian D.
Good everything. Very friendly. Very clean. Try the fish tacos. Staff could not be nicer if they tried.
(4)
David E.
S L O W service, meh food and a bit pricey. It seems no matter what time I go the service is slow. And not because they are super busy either. It was especially bad a week ago when I stood in line for 15 minutes behind 5 other individuals placing orders only to be told that my order would take 25 more minutes. Really? at 1:30PM in a "fast food" joint? You expect me to wait a total of 40 minutes? Um, no. I left. It's not like they were short-handed as they had no less than 5 people making the food and many more back in the kitchen. I could see if the food was really good but the meat is chewy and overcooked and you're lucky if you get a teaspoon-sized portion in your burrito. The salsa is really bland and flavorless and the queso should be called salto. And then expect to pay over $10 if you want a drink and chips. Being from California I can only laugh at this place. They have no clue what constitutes a real burrito.
(2)
Lindsay V.
I wasn't expecting a whole lot coming here. Silly me! First of all, they have a huge wall of hot sauce to choose from. The options are endless. I opted for a habanero mango sauce to accompany my California Sunset bowl (grilled chicken, rice, black beans, salsa and cilantro on a bed of spinach). The food came out quickly and the ingredients tasted fresh. I would absolutely go back for this. I also checked the nutrition facts for my meal and it's pretty good health-wise (minus the sodium)!
(4)
Josh M.
Very cheap; the burrito bowls are quite good and healthy. Steer well clear of the cheese.
(2)
Diane M.
Been to this place a few times, and each time it's been very good. The tacos are good, very flavorful, nachos are good, and the guacamole is very good. The place is clean, well organized, the staff is friendly - what more can you ask for? They do a nice job and I'll definitely be returning for more
(4)
Joseph P.
I've been coming here since the restaurant opened and I have to say it's taken a nose dive in the last three or four months. The bathrooms are always filthy (with finger smudges around all the door handles). I've been noticing an increasing number of badly ripped benches in the restaurant (they are now up to six and counting). The food? It is starting to taste more and more processed. Fresh food had always been a good reason to come here in the beginning. It almost seems as if the are hurting for cash flow and don't bother to keep up the standards that are important to make CalTort an enjoyable eating experience. I hope they wake up soon or the place could end up as a passing fad that won't stand the test of time.
(1)
Matt M.
Best of the bunch of the Mexican/calexican fast food. Consistent and affordable. Plus alot of fun
(4)
Ec L.
We go here about every other Saturday afternoon. The food is fresh and really good! We most certainly appreciate Jennifer that works here!!! She is the most friendly, inviting person. This establishment is lucky to have her!! The portions are generous and you never feel rushed. Good place to try out!
(5)
Amanda O.
I am California Tortilla loyal, so much so that my husband thinks I have a problem because wherever our travels take us, I always want to stop. That being said, I was super excited when I noticed a CalTort setting up shop. I've frequented this particular location and at first, the food was fab(as expected). Now, I'm super sad to give this location a three because it seems the franchisee is either not paying attention or just doesn't care. 1. The last few times my hubby and I visited, the hot sauce wall/counter was an absolute mess..hot sauce everywhere, scrunched up napkins on the counter, etc. 2. My queso was not hot or even warm had a nasty film on it like it had been sitting on the counter for awhile. And 3. My husband about had a fit when they not only gave us the wrong burrito flavors but the burritos were barely even wrapped. I love CalTort, but I think I will stick to the Newark, DE or Lancaster, PA locations even if they are a bit of a hike.
(3)
Kelley L.
I work about 5 minutes from this location. Got the munchies for a burrito at lunch one day. My local joint at home (El Diablo WIlmington, DE) was too far away for me to make it there and back in my alloted lunch time, so I figured I would give California Tortilla a try. I looked up the menu to get an idea of what I was getting into. The first thing that didn't mesh well with me was the additional price for add-ons. Now I understand add ons for things like bacon, guac, extra meats, etc... but extra money for a different type of salsa? Kind of weird to me, coming from a joint I usually go to where I can pile on the toppings and make a burrito the size of a newborn baby at a reasonable cost. Regardless I drove to the location, entered the premises with the idea that I was going to be able to do a create-my-own burrito and take a look at the toppings and decide if I wanted to include them. When I walked in though the first stop is the cashier. No real chance to take a look at what was going into my burrito. I stopped to try and browse the menu to get a good idea of what I wanted, and the cashier was very flustered by this (Mind you, there were no people behind me.) So I felt rushed and just ordered a pre-conceived creation of theirs, the honey-lime chicken burrito. I paid for my creation, filled up my drink at the create your own coke product machine they have. I was pleasantly suprised they had one of these, as I always have to enjoy a vanilla coke when I can. My order came up very fast. I grabbed my bag and headed back to work, about a five minute drive. As I ate at my burrito, I do have to say it was a less than stellar experience. Very little meat, too much rice that was undercooked. I had quite a few rice kernals that were just hard. The sauce was good, although a little thicker than what I expected. The thing that bothered me most though was the tortilla. This tortilla was entirely way too chewy and really distracting from the burrito. It wasn't a terrible burrito, but it wasn't great either. None of the items in the burrito really popped so to speak, everything just blended together to make a less-than-steller experience. It could be my fault for not knowing what to order from there, but I don't think I'll be making a trip back any time soon. I'd rather stick it out and get a burrito near my place where I know I'm going to be getting something tasty and delicious.
(2)
Dan L.
An excellent spot for meeting your mexican/tex-mex expectations. They have a nice variety of burritos, tacos, salads, etc. Quality is there as well as selection. I got the street-style tacos, one of each of the three they offer. At first glance I thought 'man these are tiny...they're not gonna fill me up'. But the combo came with rice and beans (you can also pick chips and salsa OR queso) and a drink, and i was plenty satisfied. The tacos tasted fresh and were packed with goodness. It's making my mouth water thinking about them now. They also have an immense variety of hot sauces for you to choose from, free of charge. Each has the price if you want to take one home and the heat level on a scale of 1 to 10. If you like Chipotle but have become bored with it...try this place and rejuvenate your love of fast Mexican food.
(4)
Suzee Q.
We've never been to this chain before and came out fans! We ordered the chips and queso and a bunch of tacos: steak, chicken, fish, and the street taco trio. The tacos were great! Flavorful and fresh. The chip order was a good size for two. The best part is the wall of hot sauces to try! Also, the soda machine is very interesting - once you figure out how to use it. Very casual atmosphere, almost fast food. Quick service. Decent price.
(4)
Karen F.
I do not like this chain at all! This one is marginally better than the hellish one in Doylestown. The Gyro is a joke. The tortilla I had was cold. Not good. Chipotle and Qdoba are better for "fast food Mex". Uck! Cool things: Cheap prices, wall of hot sauces and "mix your own" soda flavors. Otherwise - I'll pass.
(2)
Ken H.
I've been going to CalTort since the first location opened in Bethesda, MD back in the '90's. While their empire continues to grow, the quality and spirit has not been sacrificed at all. What is the spirit of CalTort? Spunky cashiers... 80's tunes.. pop tart day... wacky contests... "burrito elito" frequent eater card... newsletters... kid-friendly... and somehow not cheesy (although their queso is great!). All of their burritos are excellent (and HUGE) - and they're all better if you smother them in their house brand chipotle hot sauce (although you may prefer one of the 100+ other hot sauces... all are for sale, too). My favorite is the blackened chicken burrito. Reading through the menu featuring the "No Meato" Burrito, Buffalo Chicken Burrito, etc. will let you know they're not going for SoCal authentic, but they're not pretending either.
(5)
Joe P.
Yes, it's a chain. Yes, you can be in and out of there quickly. But what makes California Tortilla one of the best? Try what you're getting for your money. So first off, this place is not meant to be a first class restaurant, not even a classic sort of sit down environment. However, I would hesitate to call this fast food... merely because of its quality. The employees here are spunky (as the ads suggest), the energy in this place is great, and the flavors are phenomenal. The first thing you notice when you walk in to California Tortilla for dinner is the number of people that are in there. This place is by no means big, and they're squishing about 100 people in at a time (which can sometimes get a tad uncomfortable; but don't get me wrong, it just shows how popular this place is). You walk up, and you have an elaborate menu to pick and choose off of. I've been in here many, many, many times and I rarely get different items, because there is one thing that is so unbelievably good here that you don't ever need to get anything else: The Blackened Chicken Caesar Burrito. Everyone should have this burrito before they die. That's about how good it is. So, after you order, you get your soda/water/lemonade/etc. from the super-duper touch screen soda machines that most of us know and we all love. Next, you explore the labyrinth of hot sauces featured on the "Wall of Flame." And finally, you stand and wait about 3-5 minutes for your food - and oh yeah, a table. Once you sit down, though, and take your time eating as you laugh at the people who are standing across the room waiting for you to leave, it's a very enjoyable experience. And one that you will be rushing back again and again for... Food: 9/10 -Blackened Chicken Caesar Burrito (10/10) - Amazing. -Crunchy BBQ Ranch Burrito (8.5/10) - Man these things are huge. -Southwestern Salad (9.5/10) - And the salads are huge too. -Chips and Salsa/Queso (8/10) - Not the best, but pretty darn good. Service: 8.7/10 -Helpfulness (9/10) -Knowledge (8/10) -Efficiency (9/10) - Can be slow. Depends on crowd size. Ambiance: 6/10 I mean really can't ask for too much, but it's pleasant enough... Value: 9/10 Once came here on Monday Night to spin the magical wheel of free stuff; got a free burrito and $5 off with our Burrito Elito Card, and spent $6 total on dinner for 3. Get excited. OVERALL: 8.2/10 (4.1/5) - Very Good
(4)
Sophisticated Food Connoisseur V.
Great food, great service, great price. Food Is overall delicious. Not so many healthy options but food is delicious. Love the hot sauce selection
(4)
Sharon H.
honey lime burrito combo with chips & queso. get it. eat it. love it. about once every couple of months, i make a point of driving out to glen mills so that i can have my honey lime burrito/queso fix. then i make a day out of it by going to terrain at styers to look at pretty things that i can't afford. and then i go home happy. i'm from southern california, too, so mexican food is something i can get snobby about. while this stuff isn't "authentic" mexican, it's definitely good. and i think the california in the name is fitting. it's not crappy mexican fast food nor is it the amazing carne asada from an authentic taqueria in east LA, but somehow it captures the best of both worlds while including fresh, quality ingredients.
(5)
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Address :200 Town Center Dr,Ste 3
Glen Mills, PA, 19342
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Jaime J.
Salads from fast-food Tex Mex joints like Chipotle, Qdoba and TJ Flats make me happy. They're incredibly flavorful (why yes, I would love some cumin-dusted fajita veggies), relatively healthy (if you discount the fact that you're probably devouring two days worth of sodium) and if you smile winningly and ask politely, they will totally hook you up with extra salsa rojo. And a life without extra salsa rojo is not a life worth living. I walked into California Tortilla excited for my salad. That excitement waned after the first bite and by bite 15, I was downright cranky. Pre-bagged salad mix (you know what I mean - iceberg, red cabbage, carrots) topped with anemic tortilla strips, tomato quarters, shredded cheese, plain black beans, cilantro, a dollop of bland guacamole and "Spicy Sunset" sauce - a thick, rust-colored dip which was more salty than spicy. Add chips (possibly pre-bagged. They didn't seem like they were made in-house) and a flat soda (also no ice in the fancy Coca-Cola Freestyle machine) and you just spend $10 on a meal you could have made at home for way less money. One teeny saving grace? The hot sauce bar...but let's face it, that's just a pale facsimile of the Hot Sauce Bar at TJ Flats. If you're looking for tasty, fresh, Mexican-inspired fast food -- skip California Tortilla and head a little further down to the road to El Gran Rodeo. It's not fast food but $10 gets you a much better meal.
(1)V D.
Not a fan of mexican food but not a bad place.. got chips and salsa... They have a ton of different hot sauces which would be good if I like mexican food but I'm not a fan at all so if you are... Def check this place out.. SODA machine kicks a$$
(3)Lacey A.
With a name like California Tortilla you wouldn't expect it to be that great, but think again.. IT IS! Although it's probably nowhere near close to the quality of mexican food you would find in the Southwest states, it does the trick if you haven't experienced those places yet! They are the best chain that I have been to in the area, they have WAY more selections in burritos, tacos, and salads then their competition (Chipotle, Qdoba). I chose the honey-lime burrito, and that was absolutely delicious! For another $2 something, you can get a soda and chips and queso, and honestly that tasted just like the stuff you get in the jar, but I'm not complaining at all for the price! They also have a million and one sauces to try and buy, so that's pretty cool, too. And they have this wheel that you spin (I think Wednesdays at 5pm) for a discounted or free item, and honestly, who doesn't like the sound of that? I definitely will be back again, and SOON. It's quick, it's easy and they have a super variety! The only downfall is that it's not by my house, but it's worth the trip if I'm craving it!
(5)Derek N.
Lovely burritos, nice and big, good flavor.
(4)Zsiberian N.
To the point, lot's of sauces, interesting theme, but I've had better food.
(3)Julie S.
Fresh food. Ingredients are great. Not very greasy. Would definitely go back. They have a very large eating space.
(4)Danan R.
I really like the options here but the execution is smewhat lacking. My chicken fajita burrito was okay but I felt that the chicken itself could have been seasoned just a little more. It was good, though, overall and decently sized. Personally, I would take Qdoba's over it but it comes pretty close. The guacamole is nicely creamy. The chicken tortilla soup is okay but the turkey chili is quite good - nicely seasoned and full of meat. They have a huge selection of hot sauces for you to add so if that's your cup of tea, go for it. If you're in the area and want to grab a quick, cheap bite, this is a good option. And I think that they might have some specials now too.
(3)Beth B.
I love California Tortilla! Everything is fresh- with interesting menu choices. Hot sauce wall is where it's at!
(4)Captain K.
Phenomenal...... best burritos in the tri state area! Puts chipolte and moes to shame. Every person I've sent here has said the same.. and many were die hard fans of moes and chipolte grill... but not any more!
(5)Bruiser H.
I managed to find this place while out on a shopping trip with my daughter. We like the Tex-Mex style burritos, so we decided to give it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike the previous poster, I found the food to be much better than either Chipotle or Qdoba, and the regular size burrito was huge, weighing well over a pound. Mine was the BBQ Chicken Crunchy Burrito and my daughter had the Blackened Chicken Ceaser Burrito. Both of us opted for the combo (a drink and chips with either salsa or queso) as it was priced about the same as the drink, alone. My Burrito was stuffed full of BBQ chicken, beans, rice, and some tortilla strips (for the crunch). The chips were fairly thin and freshly made. Better than I've had in a while. The queso was a nice dipping cheese, not too spicy. It was more pricey than some, both of our meals came to about $16.50 but the food was good and plentiful. I'd go again.
(4)Hubert L.
Moe's, Chipotle, Qdoba...these places are all respectable as far as burrito joints go (which deserve their own category, as they are NOT mexican nor tex-mex). California Tortilla....how do i say....SUCKS. they overload on rice and beans, minimal meat, and the chips or super salty. not just a little salty. like, chips taken out of the fryer and breaded in salt, salty. the only cool thing is they have like 100 different hot sauces for you to choose from. too bad most of them are that artificial crap and not real hot sauce. most arent even that good. North on 202 is Red Sombrero which has big burritos, and South on 202 you have Moe's. Save yourself the agony and sodium and go to one of them instead.
(1)Jeannine K.
I love California Tortilla!!! I first tried them in Arlington, and was so excited when they opened a Pennsylvania location. The number of menu options that they have are ridiculous. They have a wide variety of tacos, burritos, fajitas, etc. So you can easily keep your menu choices interesting. Plus, every month they have a special menu item, which are always interesting (Korean Beef was a recent one). I have tried several of the Burritos and overall, they were all really good. My favorite is definitely the Fajita Burrito. There was one or two I didn't care for, but I think they just weren't for me. The grilled chicken salad is probably my fave thing to get though. It's gigantic, although sometimes some of the meat is questionable. My favorite part is the Wall of Flame. It's a whole wall of hot sauces that you can use to spruce up your food. This is probably the reason that the salad is my favorite item here, because I choose a few sauces as my dressing and enjoy!
(4)BettyAnn A.
I've tried half the menu, love it all. Honey Lime & Chicken Caesar burritos are good & not hot...no beans either. Large is VERY large, be prepared to share or bring half home. Wall of hot sauces, pick your poison. They have kids meal combos and do a great job with group orders to for those working lunches.
(5)Ruth Y.
My sister picked this restaurant to meet at and eat at because it was close to her new place. The shopping center where it was located is beautiful, unfortunately that might be the high point of this review. The food was okay. It was not amazing; it did not blow me away. I ordered a classic burrito so that I could compare it judiciously with the burritos at Chipotle and Qdoba. It was huge as well, although I would say fatter, and shorter, and a little less overall than both of the aforementioned places. You could not really pick the toppings nor see the person making your burrito, which made me instantly a little nervous. I guess I am spoiled on that front now by both Chipotle and Qdoba. There was too much beans, not enough sour cream and not nearly enough steak in my burrito. The price was the highest out of the three places to the best of my recollection, and by a good margin, if I remember correctly. Two things does make it stand out against Chipotle and Qdoba, however. The first was a whole wall of hot sauces for one to try. These were also available for purchase. There was easily 30+ varieties of hot sauce, and they were rated from 0 - 9 in spiciness (2 sauces rated 9, for those dare devils reading this). Being the spice wuss that I am, this does not sway my opinion one bit. The second thing that did figure into my opinion was that we visited on a Monday, which is their "Monday Night Wheel" night. If you buy a regular sized burrito, you are allowed to spin a wheel on the wall for discounts and food prizes. These ranged from $1.25 off, to a free taco, to chips and queso. The grand prizes were a free burrito or salad on your next visit. My sister, always being the luckier one, spun a free taco, and I got a free chips and queso. You were able to get these right away, or you could opt for a coupon for these items on your next visit. Okay, I know it is not like this was a million dollar giveaway, but spinning that wheel did appeal to the kid in me hahaha.
(3)Marcie L.
This place is da bomb!! It's my secret addiction......and I've been to the Chipotle, Mesa Fresh, Baja Fresh, and Qdoba's of the world. They have better quality meats that are succulent and juicy, and they rule with their queso sauce. They have these deliciously thin crispy chips that melt in your mouth, and for the hot sauce lovers, the largest selection of hot sauces to rifle through and taste test. They have a Burrito Elito card that seems to give me $5.00 off my meal almost too often. Don't listen to the so-so reviews about this place, they are obviously not Mexican appreciators such as I.
(5)Chris C.
Hands-down the best fast-casual mexican grill. Delicious food with a fun "new wave" atmosphere - bright colors, 80s music. Makes other similar establishments (e.g. Chipotle) seem bland by comparison.
(5)doreen B.
I like the 80's music they play on Saturdays. The food is inexpensive and the location is nice.
(4)Scott L.
caltor is great. what can you say about this place - well, yes, it's another one of those burrito places that seem to have taken over america. i've been to pretty much all of them (all the "good" ones at least), and caltor is definitely my favorite. no you can't customize exactly what goes in your burrito like the other places, but they have enough options on the menu to pick and choose what you want, and they are DELICIOUS. their huge wall of hot sauces is also something you won't find at another one of these type of joints. they gotta have like 100 of em. some are good, some aren't, but then fun is in trying them! you can even take em all home in little sample cups if you want, or buy the bottle if you like it...so cool. i've heard a lot about how good people think their queso is - to me? meh. i like their salsa a lot better. it's actually really good salsa to be honest. my favorite two burritos on the menu are the carnitas verde (shredded pork based), and the california screamin (containing their signature hot sauce - which is my FAVORITE one they have there). burritos are USUALLY huge, but the last time i went, they seemed to have been a lot less packed. i don't know if it was just the day i went on (maybe a new person making them, i didn't pay attention - yes i do recognize the regulars, lol). i'll have to follow up another time to see if they go back to normal huge size. anyways, flavor is off the charts at this place. burritos are AMAZING. go there, now - if you like burritos. DO IT
(4)Shreekant P.
A 5-star for the customer service. I have had enquiries from both the national as well as the local store level on my experience. I have been very impressed with the follow up and sincerity in maintaining highest customer satisfaction.
(5)Mike M.
Similar feedback as Hubert L, this place is not very good. Have tried it 2 times and each time regret it. Have tried the nachos, salad and tacos. Each time the flavor is lacking, the chips are really greasy, and the cheese is like watered down cheese wiz. So many better places in that area - Red Sombrero is less than 10 min away, Kennett Square is 15 min south has several real Mexican places. I wouldn't even compare this one to Qdoba for Mexican food. I wouldn't go back if the food was free.
(1)Sara C.
Low prices-FAB FOOD!! sooo fresh. Perfect for a quick bite. Go there all the time.
(5)Michele M.
Go there everytime I have to go to Kay Jewelers....wish I had a location closer to where I live...Awesome food and great service! Love that there are soooo many options...I dont like real spicey foods and they had variety so people like me could also enjoy!
(5)Joyce Y.
of all the "fast food" mexican restaurants of this type (baja grill, chipotle, qdoba..) this is the best in my opinion. seems like they have better quality ingredients. i pick up food here 2-3 times a month and it's consistently good. i tried their korean bbq burrito and liked it a lot!
(5)Mike M.
Expected more after reading the reviews. Lived in SoCal for a long time and never experienced such a "wet" burrito in my life. Should have called it soup. When I asked what type of fish was on the fish taco I was told, "blackened." Silly me!
(1)Anupma S.
I love this place! I used to come here at least once every two weeks with my sister when I lived at home and miss it so much now that I'm in Philadelphia. I always stop by when I'm home and even pick up a few extra burritos for my friends to try since I talk about this place so much! CalTort is unique because of its variety. It's not like Chipotle, Qdoba, Moe's, etc. with the same ingredients for the same handful of options. There are so many interesting burritos here that you can never get bored! And they all taste incredible! My favorites are the blackened chicken, honey lime, and regular burritos, however they are always coming up with new options that are delicious! Paired with your amazing burrito will be any sort of hot sauce you wish; their wall of hot sauces is a sight to see. And true to that is that crazy soda machine with hundreds of options. You can literally come here everyday for a year and have a unique meal. Oh, I almost forgot, but CalTort's special California Screamin' sauce is legit the best hot sauce ever! Pairs incredibly with their burritos! Please open one in Philadelphia!!!!
(5)Mindy K.
I was seriously disappointed with my order. I was in a pinch for time and ordered a burrito bowl to go. When I arrived at my destination and opened the container there was barely any food in it at all! A coating of rice covered the bottom and a small handful of salad spread over it. There was a dollop of salsa and a line of dressing. I usually love California Tortilla but this experience was really a poor serving for my $8!
(1)Sarah W.
Good not great but I would definitely come again. Being a SoCal native and resident my time here in the PA area has taught me that Mexican food isn't all that great here, I get it though since there really isn't a large Mexican population like in CA. California Tortilla gets the job done though and I really do like the street Tacos (even though they're overpriced for what they are) The hot sauce wall alone though (and soda machine) is probably what will keep me coming back till I get to head back home to SoCal.
(3)Cora B.
I had the screamin burrito. It was good, but I still like chipotle better!!!! Doesn't seem that fresh. All the various sauces are OK...woop dee doo, how many does one need?
(2)Valerie S.
Years later, I still love California Tortilla... Stopped in the other day and had the Korean BBQ Spicy Burrito Bowl with grilled Mesquite chicken, rice, fajita veggies, sweet and spicy Korean BBQ sauce, crisp slaw, Sriracha chili sauce and cilantro. Damn it was HOT but sooo good!!!
(5)Robert Earl R.
Everyone here is super nice, food is always prepared well and always delicious!!! I Really recommend this restaurant!!!
(5)Robert K.
Wonderful place with happy people. Food very tasty and appealing. Found place clean and welcoming. Other reviews are correct so to add here they must have over 50 different hot sauces to put on your food. Take one off of rack by soda dispenser and take to your table.
(4)Jim H.
A somewhat underwhelming experience. $12 for a steak quesedilla, drink , chips and guac. Overall not bad and comparable to Chipotle or Qudoba (it's main competition). But the execution wasn't so great. The drink was cool. One of those fancy drink fountains you see popping up. I like the wall of sauce, to put on your food. The quesedilla was good but I like to see some brown or some grill marks on a quesedilla. Otherwise it almost looks microwaved. It tasted fine, with the guac, salsa and hot sauce I put on it. The guac- it tasted fine. Very fresh but there was just a large chunk of avocado at the bottom, the size of the ramekin. It was a little tough and broke every chip that hit it and even was hard to pull apart with a fork. Those chips- TERRIBLE! I rarely throw any food away but I could not get through the small order they gave me (actually, that I paid for). They tasted a little rancid and had a very fishy taste. Almost like they were fried along with shrimp. I didn't see shrimp or fried fish on the menu so I'm pretty skeptical about them. They gave me a frequent diner card but between the mediocre experience and the fact that it's pretty far from where I live , I doubt I will frequent this place. Oh well.
(3)Gene R.
Our Department at work gets CalTor delivered at least twice a year. We are never disappointed. The salsa and chips are always fresh. The fried onions and peppers go great with the mouth watering grilled chicken. The rice and beans are amazing as well. I wish we had one in South Philadelphia because I would be there at least once a week.
(4)Damian D.
Good everything. Very friendly. Very clean. Try the fish tacos. Staff could not be nicer if they tried.
(4)David E.
S L O W service, meh food and a bit pricey. It seems no matter what time I go the service is slow. And not because they are super busy either. It was especially bad a week ago when I stood in line for 15 minutes behind 5 other individuals placing orders only to be told that my order would take 25 more minutes. Really? at 1:30PM in a "fast food" joint? You expect me to wait a total of 40 minutes? Um, no. I left. It's not like they were short-handed as they had no less than 5 people making the food and many more back in the kitchen. I could see if the food was really good but the meat is chewy and overcooked and you're lucky if you get a teaspoon-sized portion in your burrito. The salsa is really bland and flavorless and the queso should be called salto. And then expect to pay over $10 if you want a drink and chips. Being from California I can only laugh at this place. They have no clue what constitutes a real burrito.
(2)Lindsay V.
I wasn't expecting a whole lot coming here. Silly me! First of all, they have a huge wall of hot sauce to choose from. The options are endless. I opted for a habanero mango sauce to accompany my California Sunset bowl (grilled chicken, rice, black beans, salsa and cilantro on a bed of spinach). The food came out quickly and the ingredients tasted fresh. I would absolutely go back for this. I also checked the nutrition facts for my meal and it's pretty good health-wise (minus the sodium)!
(4)Josh M.
Very cheap; the burrito bowls are quite good and healthy. Steer well clear of the cheese.
(2)Diane M.
Been to this place a few times, and each time it's been very good. The tacos are good, very flavorful, nachos are good, and the guacamole is very good. The place is clean, well organized, the staff is friendly - what more can you ask for? They do a nice job and I'll definitely be returning for more
(4)Joseph P.
I've been coming here since the restaurant opened and I have to say it's taken a nose dive in the last three or four months. The bathrooms are always filthy (with finger smudges around all the door handles). I've been noticing an increasing number of badly ripped benches in the restaurant (they are now up to six and counting). The food? It is starting to taste more and more processed. Fresh food had always been a good reason to come here in the beginning. It almost seems as if the are hurting for cash flow and don't bother to keep up the standards that are important to make CalTort an enjoyable eating experience. I hope they wake up soon or the place could end up as a passing fad that won't stand the test of time.
(1)Matt M.
Best of the bunch of the Mexican/calexican fast food. Consistent and affordable. Plus alot of fun
(4)Ec L.
We go here about every other Saturday afternoon. The food is fresh and really good! We most certainly appreciate Jennifer that works here!!! She is the most friendly, inviting person. This establishment is lucky to have her!! The portions are generous and you never feel rushed. Good place to try out!
(5)Amanda O.
I am California Tortilla loyal, so much so that my husband thinks I have a problem because wherever our travels take us, I always want to stop. That being said, I was super excited when I noticed a CalTort setting up shop. I've frequented this particular location and at first, the food was fab(as expected). Now, I'm super sad to give this location a three because it seems the franchisee is either not paying attention or just doesn't care. 1. The last few times my hubby and I visited, the hot sauce wall/counter was an absolute mess..hot sauce everywhere, scrunched up napkins on the counter, etc. 2. My queso was not hot or even warm had a nasty film on it like it had been sitting on the counter for awhile. And 3. My husband about had a fit when they not only gave us the wrong burrito flavors but the burritos were barely even wrapped. I love CalTort, but I think I will stick to the Newark, DE or Lancaster, PA locations even if they are a bit of a hike.
(3)Kelley L.
I work about 5 minutes from this location. Got the munchies for a burrito at lunch one day. My local joint at home (El Diablo WIlmington, DE) was too far away for me to make it there and back in my alloted lunch time, so I figured I would give California Tortilla a try. I looked up the menu to get an idea of what I was getting into. The first thing that didn't mesh well with me was the additional price for add-ons. Now I understand add ons for things like bacon, guac, extra meats, etc... but extra money for a different type of salsa? Kind of weird to me, coming from a joint I usually go to where I can pile on the toppings and make a burrito the size of a newborn baby at a reasonable cost. Regardless I drove to the location, entered the premises with the idea that I was going to be able to do a create-my-own burrito and take a look at the toppings and decide if I wanted to include them. When I walked in though the first stop is the cashier. No real chance to take a look at what was going into my burrito. I stopped to try and browse the menu to get a good idea of what I wanted, and the cashier was very flustered by this (Mind you, there were no people behind me.) So I felt rushed and just ordered a pre-conceived creation of theirs, the honey-lime chicken burrito. I paid for my creation, filled up my drink at the create your own coke product machine they have. I was pleasantly suprised they had one of these, as I always have to enjoy a vanilla coke when I can. My order came up very fast. I grabbed my bag and headed back to work, about a five minute drive. As I ate at my burrito, I do have to say it was a less than stellar experience. Very little meat, too much rice that was undercooked. I had quite a few rice kernals that were just hard. The sauce was good, although a little thicker than what I expected. The thing that bothered me most though was the tortilla. This tortilla was entirely way too chewy and really distracting from the burrito. It wasn't a terrible burrito, but it wasn't great either. None of the items in the burrito really popped so to speak, everything just blended together to make a less-than-steller experience. It could be my fault for not knowing what to order from there, but I don't think I'll be making a trip back any time soon. I'd rather stick it out and get a burrito near my place where I know I'm going to be getting something tasty and delicious.
(2)Dan L.
An excellent spot for meeting your mexican/tex-mex expectations. They have a nice variety of burritos, tacos, salads, etc. Quality is there as well as selection. I got the street-style tacos, one of each of the three they offer. At first glance I thought 'man these are tiny...they're not gonna fill me up'. But the combo came with rice and beans (you can also pick chips and salsa OR queso) and a drink, and i was plenty satisfied. The tacos tasted fresh and were packed with goodness. It's making my mouth water thinking about them now. They also have an immense variety of hot sauces for you to choose from, free of charge. Each has the price if you want to take one home and the heat level on a scale of 1 to 10. If you like Chipotle but have become bored with it...try this place and rejuvenate your love of fast Mexican food.
(4)Suzee Q.
We've never been to this chain before and came out fans! We ordered the chips and queso and a bunch of tacos: steak, chicken, fish, and the street taco trio. The tacos were great! Flavorful and fresh. The chip order was a good size for two. The best part is the wall of hot sauces to try! Also, the soda machine is very interesting - once you figure out how to use it. Very casual atmosphere, almost fast food. Quick service. Decent price.
(4)Karen F.
I do not like this chain at all! This one is marginally better than the hellish one in Doylestown. The Gyro is a joke. The tortilla I had was cold. Not good. Chipotle and Qdoba are better for "fast food Mex". Uck! Cool things: Cheap prices, wall of hot sauces and "mix your own" soda flavors. Otherwise - I'll pass.
(2)Ken H.
I've been going to CalTort since the first location opened in Bethesda, MD back in the '90's. While their empire continues to grow, the quality and spirit has not been sacrificed at all. What is the spirit of CalTort? Spunky cashiers... 80's tunes.. pop tart day... wacky contests... "burrito elito" frequent eater card... newsletters... kid-friendly... and somehow not cheesy (although their queso is great!). All of their burritos are excellent (and HUGE) - and they're all better if you smother them in their house brand chipotle hot sauce (although you may prefer one of the 100+ other hot sauces... all are for sale, too). My favorite is the blackened chicken burrito. Reading through the menu featuring the "No Meato" Burrito, Buffalo Chicken Burrito, etc. will let you know they're not going for SoCal authentic, but they're not pretending either.
(5)Joe P.
Yes, it's a chain. Yes, you can be in and out of there quickly. But what makes California Tortilla one of the best? Try what you're getting for your money. So first off, this place is not meant to be a first class restaurant, not even a classic sort of sit down environment. However, I would hesitate to call this fast food... merely because of its quality. The employees here are spunky (as the ads suggest), the energy in this place is great, and the flavors are phenomenal. The first thing you notice when you walk in to California Tortilla for dinner is the number of people that are in there. This place is by no means big, and they're squishing about 100 people in at a time (which can sometimes get a tad uncomfortable; but don't get me wrong, it just shows how popular this place is). You walk up, and you have an elaborate menu to pick and choose off of. I've been in here many, many, many times and I rarely get different items, because there is one thing that is so unbelievably good here that you don't ever need to get anything else: The Blackened Chicken Caesar Burrito. Everyone should have this burrito before they die. That's about how good it is. So, after you order, you get your soda/water/lemonade/etc. from the super-duper touch screen soda machines that most of us know and we all love. Next, you explore the labyrinth of hot sauces featured on the "Wall of Flame." And finally, you stand and wait about 3-5 minutes for your food - and oh yeah, a table. Once you sit down, though, and take your time eating as you laugh at the people who are standing across the room waiting for you to leave, it's a very enjoyable experience. And one that you will be rushing back again and again for... Food: 9/10 -Blackened Chicken Caesar Burrito (10/10) - Amazing. -Crunchy BBQ Ranch Burrito (8.5/10) - Man these things are huge. -Southwestern Salad (9.5/10) - And the salads are huge too. -Chips and Salsa/Queso (8/10) - Not the best, but pretty darn good. Service: 8.7/10 -Helpfulness (9/10) -Knowledge (8/10) -Efficiency (9/10) - Can be slow. Depends on crowd size. Ambiance: 6/10 I mean really can't ask for too much, but it's pleasant enough... Value: 9/10 Once came here on Monday Night to spin the magical wheel of free stuff; got a free burrito and $5 off with our Burrito Elito Card, and spent $6 total on dinner for 3. Get excited. OVERALL: 8.2/10 (4.1/5) - Very Good
(4)Sophisticated Food Connoisseur V.
Great food, great service, great price. Food Is overall delicious. Not so many healthy options but food is delicious. Love the hot sauce selection
(4)Sharon H.
honey lime burrito combo with chips & queso. get it. eat it. love it. about once every couple of months, i make a point of driving out to glen mills so that i can have my honey lime burrito/queso fix. then i make a day out of it by going to terrain at styers to look at pretty things that i can't afford. and then i go home happy. i'm from southern california, too, so mexican food is something i can get snobby about. while this stuff isn't "authentic" mexican, it's definitely good. and i think the california in the name is fitting. it's not crappy mexican fast food nor is it the amazing carne asada from an authentic taqueria in east LA, but somehow it captures the best of both worlds while including fresh, quality ingredients.
(5)