barBURRITO — Restaurant in Nanaimo

After several terrible experiences with BarBurrito in Ottawa a couple of years ago, I had sworn never to give another dime to the franchise.

I've been in Nanaimo for a couple of months now and have been craving this style of burrito but it wasn't until my gf told me it's night and day from the Ottawa locations that I decided to give it one more try. And I'm glad I did.

Whereas my previous experience was a dry, rice filled, Burrito with hardly any meat and wilted, soggy veggies, this place is the exact opposite. The generous serving of pulled pork and fresh veggies topped with their delicious house jalapeno hot sauce was simply fantastic.

UPDATE

Under the new management, this place has taken a dive. The staff is no longer the friendly faces we used to know and the new faces are cold and miserable.

The portion sizes for the meat have shrunk and it's like pulling teeth trying to get them to put a decent amount of veggies.

No longer a regular. Would not recommend.

2025 UPDATE

After posting my last update about a year ago, I spoke with someone at barBURRITO head office about my latest terrible experience and they gave me a $100 gift card for my troubles and promised me it would be addressed.

I recently returned to give this location one more try, and again, they reminded me why I don't give these people my money.

A new employee prepared my burrito and the portion was decent this time but when I got to the cash, I was served by one of the same familiar miserable old faces that was here during my last visit and I was greeted with a smug remark and more than a little bit of hostility. That was...

I was on my way back to the mainland and was early for my Duke Point ferry reservation. Usually when I’m on the island, I drive down to Ladysmith for some cinnamon buns and a bite to eat. However, I didn’t realize that nearly everything there is closed on Mondays, so I opened Google Maps to see what was open near the ferry terminal. I wasn’t feeling like a burger or sandwich, so barBurrito stood out.

The restaurant is very similar to a Chipotles or Taco del Mar. They offer big burritos, tacos, burrito bowls and quesadillas with a few side options and Jarritos sofa to cool things off. It’s clean with lots of seating, but it’s also designed to be quick to take it and go. As usual, you can choose your own veg and certain add-ons (ie. guacamole) cost extra. They also offer a range of sauces from mild to extra hot.

I ordered the chicken burrito bowl and my wife got the pulled pork tacos. For about $11 the bowl could have got me through two lunches if I had any discipline. It was big and they didn’t skimp on the meat. The jalapeños were spicy and the burrito sauce was tasty. None of this was authentically Mexican, but it’s a tasty, filling and healthy-ish lunch or dinner option.

The staff were friendly and efficient and the location is great. I’d you’re hopping on the Gabriola Island ferry or going to/from departure bay, this is a good option and alternative to a lot of the other fast food around. The price point is also cheaper than getting White Spot on the ferry and you’ll...

I hate to rain pico de gallo on Nanaimo's parade for its only burrito vendor. But hotly precipitate I must if popularity of this place amounts to anymore than Day of the Dead celebrations honoring massacred burritos. This spot should be called How to Whitewash a Mexican Favourite. While barBURRITO is a catchier name to be sure, my suggestion is a more accurate description of this tortilla-bloating factory in Port Place where bland is the motto and flavour a foreign language.

To be fair, bB isn't really targetting the likes of me. I don't wear a ballcap or sport braces, and I'm known for venturing beyond city limits on special occasions. Yet even were I raised on Wonderbread in the North End by Frank Ney would I know for certain that flour and water do not a sauce make.

I have to say the first few of my five dollar fries were delicious. Halfway through them, however, I bit into one that tasted distinctly of rotting fish. It was as if a couple had fallen into a batch of spoiled deep-frier oil before they were promptly rescued and returned to my order. Cheers for that. Needless to say I lost my appetite for the last three quarters of my twenty-two dollar sack of stew. I guess that can happen when you eat fries with a burrito. Maybe it's some sort of Mayan curse. Or maybe its...