Burrito Loco

 418 13th Av. SE.,  www.burrito-loco.com

Verbal snapshots of Burrito Loco with pictures:

•    Sports-bar feel, very masculine.

•   Only college-age males preparing food.

•    Only server at full bar is a college aged woman.

•    Neon and bright signs.

•    TV’s aren’t too obnoxious, you can’t hear them, but you can see one from any seat in the place.

•    Wood, bricks, and dark paint give a cozy, warm, but masculine feel.

•    Customers looked college aged, some in UofM colors, and Caucasian.  English was the only language spoken.  More customers are male than female, about %60.

•    People are sitting in such a way as to have intimate conversations, talking manly to the people who they came with.

•    Taps are featured prominently near register.

•    Ordering is a process, the food is prepared in front of you, and you have choices about each ingredient.

•    Menu is small and simple, burritos, quesadillas, and beer. 

•    TV’s are showing sports.

•    High percentage of athelic looking customers.

•    Classic rock music mix in background, very enjoyable but innocuous.

Question:  Burrito Loco moved sites.  What does their new location afford?

Burrito Loco was once a hard-to-find burrito stand behind the varsity theater.  Their new location is designed around the evening college student crowd, particularly a male crowd.  They now serve alcohol, beer downstairs and a full bar upstairs, and they have evening events like trivia.  Upstairs they also have pool tables and video games up in the loft.  Even the beer specials are for “Friday after class.”  TVs show sports.

While I was there, I overheard conversations are about classes, sports, and musical events.

Burrito Loco

September 18, 2007

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The décor is brick and wood: brick pillars support the 2nd floor, which is open and “fenced in” with black pipes. You can hear and see (a little) of what’s going on upstairs. Currently, there are a few people eating at small tables.

On the main floor, about a dozen 4-top tables and 2 high top tables sit on the hardwood floor. There are large, tall windows on the far side of the main floor, letting in a substantial amount of light.

There are chili pepper lights strung somewhat tastefully across one wall down and upstairs.

Four TVs playing 2 different programs are mounted on the walls: one is a skateboarding exhibition, and the other is a football game.

People order by standing in line and telling the men behind the counter what they’d like. The menu is posted on one of the brick pillars as you come in.  People wait until the counter guy says, “What can I get you?” or “What would you guys like tonight?” They’re relatively polite. The counter guys say, “guys” a lot. “Do you guys want mild, medium, or hot salsa?” “Do you guys want a beer?” “Thanks, guys.”

People are college-aged and very casually dressed: ponytails, flipflops, jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps. The workers are wearing khakis and black polo shirts with the Burrito Logo slogan.

2 guys walk in and know a guy wiping the counter. The counter guy says, “What are you guys doing here?” and they say, “We’re here to get a couple of beers.” The counter guy, “You were here last week.” The other guys, “Yeah, it’s pretty fun.”

Wednesday nights are trivia nights from 4-10pm. From 11-1am it’s “sexx trivia.” There are drink specials every night—different kinds.

People sitting and eating are slouched forward over their food, which is served in red plastic baskets lined with tin foil. The food is available to eat here or to go.

It’s a very laid-back, beer-swilling, masculine feel. Girls are welcome here, but they must understand that they’ve gotta drink beer and love it.

People who are here are friends. It looks like they’re grabbing a quick bite to eat, rather than making this their destination for the evening.