3rd visit here proved disappointing. I felt a bit disappointed after visit #2 but wanted to give it another shot. I ordered a double fisted Vegan Socialist to share with my husband on our long ride home to Ironwood, MI. If you know Ironwood, you know it's the capitol of disappointing dining experiences, so usually it doesn't take much to make us happy. Anyways, we also ordered a kids burrito and some guacamole. The double fisted burrito seemed smaller than usual and was very sloppy in both flavor and presentation. The BIG downer...the guacamole. It was either more than a couple  days old or not made in house. It tasted like prepackaged Sysco something. Considering the price and the way this place sells itself, the guac should be a star. I actually didn't even eat my $4.50 of it. I'd rather go without than eat bad guacamole.  Anyways.... one burrito, one kids burrito (rice and beans only) and guacamole....$23. And not even organic or local as far as I could tell. I never mind the price of food if it's good. The service is so-so. Not bad, but not notable in any way.
I'm bummed. I wanted to like this place.
I wanted to like Burrito Union more than I did. I'll give them props for a great location (Chester Bowl), atmosphere (kitschy Commie), and service (friendly, accomodating to families). But, I wasn't super thrilled with the food. To be fair, my husband liked his quite a bit and LOVED that he could pair his burrito with a local beer. I had a margarita that was fine. We started our meal with chips, guac, and medium salsa. The chips were thick and rather bland (unsalted?) and the salsa was watery and flavorless--more like a blended pico de gallo. The guac was smooth, but had a good taste. I tend to like flavor that assaults my tongue, as do a couple of our kids, so we ordered the hot pineapple habanero salsa next, which was better but not spectacular.
For our entrees, I tried the Empire Builder, while my husband tried the Imperial Chicken--both were two-fisted. The kids had small bean burritos and liked them well enough. Mine was again somewhat bland, with tough steak strips, a cold tortilla, and the red chipotle sauce inside had an odd spaghetti sauce flavor to it--almost no heat whatsoever. My husband enjoyed his burrito (I liked it better than mine) and said he'd return. I'd be happy to go back and try something else; but, I'm glad I know what to expect from our past experience.
0 for 2 so far on the Burrito Union. Â I want to like it, I want to have a steady and meaningful relationship with you Burrito Union. Â Maybe it is me or maybe it is the fact I couldn't even finish a chicken burrito when I first visited...horrible, or that second time my steak taco was cold....ummm. Â At least they have tasty beer.....
Review Source:Burrito Union, I have this problem where I constantly want to call it "Union Burrito". I don't know why.
I love the Soviet kitsch (as someone else said-it's totally accurate), especially in the menu. "Fat Capitalist"? Yes please.
The food can be compared to Chipotle, but it's easily much much better. The option of "one fisted" or "two fisted" burrito size is great. The flavors and ratios of burrito contents are right on the money. I was impressed by the beer selection (even though I'm not a beer drinker).
I'm surprised to see mentions that the service was slow or bad in other reviews, because that was not remotely our experience. I am always impressed when I go somewhere while on the clock for my PCA job and the staff make it a point to make sure we know they are doing their best to go above and beyond for us. This was the case at Burrito Union-one of the staff saw us coming and held the doors for us, which was really nice as we were navigating a wheelchair through the snow. Our waitress gave us plenty of time to sort out everyone's orders and showed up to check on us right when we needed more napkins or a refill-it made lunch go very smoothly and we were able to get back on the road on our way further north right on time. I really can't think of a thing to complain about, which is fantastic.
Oh and one last mention: unisex bathrooms. The wave of the future! Nice work Burrito Union.
This a drinking review. They have great beer from local and microbrews on tap. I can't comment on the food.
The bartender we had was awesome and really helped us out. He had hair like a fireball and a goatee to match. The overall experience with him was what put our experience over the top.
I really like Burrito Union. Â I would give it five stars if the service was a little better. Â Working in the service industry and feeling passionately about it, it's important to me to have prompt and genuine service, but at BU I feel that sometimes the service is TOO casual, catering to friends of employees and not other customers. Â One time, I saw the bartender shout something like, "SUCKERS!!" to some potential customers trying to get in after the doors had been locked at bar close... Â I was shocked by that and would never allow it at my restaurant. Â The service is far from bad, however... Â Just too casual for my taste.
All that said, the environment is cool (even though the music kinda sucks sometimes), and the food is AWESOME! Â I usually build my own burrito, but I am a frequent order-er of the nachos (either the Union Nachos or the Ding Nachos, which come with a unique ding sauce). Â My boyfriend loves the pineapple habanero salsa, which is a nice combo of fruity, sweet, and spicy. Â Food is always delivered promptly after ordering. Â I also appreciate that BU carries Positively Third Street Bakery cookies that I often buy to satisfy my need for organic sweetness.
My favorite special at BU is Late Night Tacos, a deal that costs $5 for two tacos (chicken, steak, or carnitas) and a pint of Brewhouse Beer. Â I think that deal starts at 9:00 PM, and what a deal it is! Â The date I go on most often with my boyfriend is to BU for two tacos and a pint (or maybe four tacos and two pints) to consume while playing cribbage. Â On that note, BU hosts a cribbage tournament (no entry fee) every Sunday at 9:00 PM with a $25 gift card for the winner.
Stopped here on the way to lutsen, overall the food and drinks were good. Â Service was slow to be honest...I mean can a brother get a drink up in here! Â We are not picky but one meal did come out cold so we had to get a new one. Â Wish we could have been there late night for the live music, looked like a blast! Â Overall good spot to eat and drink!
Review Source:I'd go back... if I was stranded in Duluth and craving "Mexican" food. It was, what I expected. Cool atmosphere, nice decor, "Mexican" food. It was nice that they had corn tortilla's, but not so nice that they came out cold. For all my corn tortilla lovers out there, you CAN'T EAT A CORN TORTILLA'S COLD, that just ain't right. They were kind enough to heat it up for me. I liked that they had black beans (always good to get that fiber). I'm not mad at the experience, however if there was a chipotle down the street, I'd go there anyday. Unless I was trying to get my buzz on and listen to a concernt, which signs around the joing say they have once in awhile.
Service was super slow, which wasn't shocking. It's a freaking college bar, yo. Â
-M
As vegans, my husband and I always like going to Burrito Union. Â The food is great and reasonably priced. Â The beer is outstanding. Â It's just a nice place to hang out. Â Over the years they've added salsa choices, tacos, etc. Â I'm really impressed with how they took a simple burrito concept and turned it into a great restaurant. Â We really like their salads with lots of "Ding" sauce!
Review Source:I came here once probably five years ago, and I finally decided to start coming again. There are a lot of mixed reviews here, and I have personally heard mixed experiences from friends who more often patron Burrito Union, but I was optimistic.
Service can be a little slow at times, but the food is actually very excellent. I've tried many burritos but my favorite regular is the Baltic. This thing is packed with flavor especially paired with the pineapple habanero salsa. It is spicy, sweet (from the pineapple), and robust from the loads of beans and rice. Very filling, even as a one-fisted size.
The seasonal Turkey Burrito is amazing; you must try one of these if you have the chance. It has turkey, yams, stuffing, corn, and cranberry sauce all packed into this Thanksgiving burrito. I think it's available only during November, so get it while you can.
Beers on tap include Fitger's beer and their seasonal brews. Some of the best beer around, and happy hour prices are decent so you can sample a few different ones. Try the seasonal taps if you can, but the wildfire and apricot wheat are both very good regulars
Decently priced if you get a one-fisted burrito (again, plenty big), the service is a little lack-luster, but it's good for lunch or a late-night dinner. It's a trendy atmosphere, it can get kind of loud, but the food is good, they have free parking (no meters to mess with), the beer is local, and they have specials throughout the week to keep you coming back. If you come expecting a burrito similar to another big burrito chain, then you might be let down; but the food here is different and really good in its own way!
I am not a huge fan of burritos in general, but the Vegan Socialist was great! Â I had them grill the burrito so it had a little bit of crunch. Â It was packed with grilled peppers and onions. Â Nice charred, smokey flavor which was enhanced by the chipolte salsa I chose to go in it. Â I got the "one-fist" size which was plenty big. Â A great deal for $6.49!
Review Source:As I was enjoying my most recent meal at Burrito Union today, I was pondering how it was that I became aware of Burrito Union. Â As a non-resident of Duluth, I really only pass through Duluth while I'm on my way to WI for steelhead fishing, so it took my a bit to recall how I found out about Burrito Union. Â It finally came to me, it was actually my parents that told me about this place a few years back. Â Considering that my parents don't really like anything, the fact that they recommended this place as something they liked and thought I liked, I figured I needed to check it out. Â And check it out I did. Â I now make it a point to stop at Burrito Union after every fishing trip. Â I've probably been there a dozen or so times and so far it hasn't let me down.
First, they've got a number of great Fitgers beers on tap. Â I'm not a fruit beer kind of guy but I can't get enough of the apricot wheat. Â I've sampled a few others as well and have found them to be pretty solid.
Now for the food. Â It's kind of like Chipotle insomuch as they serve mexican food, some of which includes burritos, tacos and bowls. Â However, unlike Chipotle, I really like Burrito Union. Â They've got a handful of preconfigured menu options that can be had as burritos or bowls, all with witty communist themed names. Â I've tried the pork, steak and chicken and have found them all to be varying degrees of delicious. Â I seem to recall they have a vegan option on the menu too, so if that's what floats your boat, you should probably check out Burrito Union.
If I ever needed a reason to relocate from Minneapolis to Duluth besides better access to great fishing, Burrito Union would probably be that reason.
This communist burrito joint is a great option if you are looking for some tasty and filling Mexican food in Duluth. Â It is probably one of my Top 10 favorite restaurants in Duluth.
Great atmosphere and good food. Â Some of the seating is a bit uncomfortable, so that can be annoying at times.
Chips and salsa are pretty good. Â The burritos are great! Â
My favorite burritos there are:
1. The Rasputin (free sticker when you eat one!)
2. Fat Capitalist
3. Empire Builder
4. Imperial Chicken
5. Happy Worker
Wow! This was a knockoff of Chipotle. The flavor of the food was whatev. The chicken was bland. Trust me, I tried it by itself, plain. I actually had to use hot sauce on it add some flavor to it. Oh I would've added 1 more star except they make you pay extra for chips and salsa. My hubster hates that. I agree with him. How expensive could chips and salsa be? I would choose somewhere else to eat.
Review Source:Just an average experience. My boyfriend sampled a couple of their beers and ended up with a Lake Erie Belgium that he was pretty happy with. We both ordered burritos, but I honestly can't say they were anything special. He ordered the burrito bowl over rice and I ordered the burrito over lettuce. However, both of them had the same amount of lettuce and rice, even though they were two separate options on the menu. It still tasted pretty good, but it needed waaaay more meat in it. We eat a lot of meat, and the 3 or so chunks that I had wasn't very satisfying. The decor and atmosphere was funky and cool, but they need to fine-tune the food.
Review Source:I had such high hopes in the beginning. Comfortable booth and cool atmosphere, but that is the about the only positives I can say. Â The Fat Capitalist one fisted burrito was mostly flavorless, mushy rice and black beans. Â There was only one small cube of the carnitas pork! Â I think they forgot the seasonings and spices too. Â My friend got guacamole. Â I did not order or eat any of her one bowl they brought, but both of us were charged for it paying full price on our separate checks. Â I do not recall ever going to a Mexican restaurant where you must ask for chips and they charge you separately for them as well as the salsa brought to your table in this tiny little container. Â We were never offered another beverage or asked if we wanted dessert. Â Our server was within view when we were readying to pay, but she ignored us and another gal dashed up and took our credit cards. Â I wanted to ask about the guacamole, but never got the chance. The only reason I left a tip was because we sat in the booth for a long time talking. Â It was the most disappointing restaurant experience I have ever had in Duluth.
Review Source:A soviet themed burrito joint? Â Why not? Â This is an interesting little place with good food. Â I'm not a big burrito fan, but my boyfriend is and he only lives a few blocks away, so I find myself here a lot. Â I usually get a quasadilla and it tastes fantastic! Â
I would rate higher if I really enjoyed burritos, but for me, it is still good.
I am sad to be changing my review from 4 stars to 1, but I think it is more than warranted. Â I stopped by last night for take-out. Â When you are doing a "build your own" style burrito, they no longer let you walk down the line and tell them what you want (like Chipotle). Â I was dubious that my order would be correct after repeating it to the order taker 3+ times without seeming to break through his confusion. Â I tried to keep an eye on the makings while I was waiting and saw one of the workers put chicken on a burrito, then swear and remove *most* of the chicken. Â I said if that was mine, I didn't want it since I'm vegetarian. Â He snipped and said it wasn't mine and just kept on going - so they delivered a supposedly vegetarian burrito with bits of hidden chicken to some other customer who is likely veggie as well. Â Lovely. Â Once we got our burritos home, 2 of the 4 were incorrect.
I am so disgusted that someone would serve a "vegetarian" item to someone knowing it had meat in it. Â I don't plan to ever go back to Burrito Union, which saddens me since I previously loved this joint. Â :(
The first time I had one of the burritos here I was AMAZED at how fresh and tasty it was - and I've never been let down on subsequent visits. These aren't your normal gloppy, questionable filled tortillas - you can see every ingredient and taste them too - no strange bean/meat paste with what might be some cheese - it's FRESH and delicious, every time. The Ginger margaritas are prett darn good, too.
The atmosphere is pleasant and the decor is super cool, without being in-your-face. The staff is mainly college students, but they're pretty decent for the most part. They also serve beer from the Brewhouse (another Duluth landmark pub/eatery).
I was craving a breakfast burrito on Sunday before a long day of hiking the North Shore. The hope was that a massive breakfast would provide the fuel needed to explore all of the fall colors along the Lake Superior coast. I had the Chorizo burrito and was able to sample the woman's Applewood Bacon one. The flavors were good, but both burritos were served up colder than the way Maddie Hayes treated David Addison in the opening episodes of Moonlighting. Note to the owners (if they read this): a good breakfast burrito should melt the cheese inside of it, as if it doesn't it's a sign the eggs are cold too and if there's one dish that should never be served that way it's eggs. Â It's okay to leave the ingredients out in a container to dish things up, but at least do us the favor of reheating things before you serve them.
Review Source:I have been going here since around 2007, when it first opened, and seldom have I been disappointed. Â I always order to go, and the service is comparable to Subway. Â Just have them put achiote pork, rice and black beans, tomatillo salsa, and a bit of cilantro on your burrito and you'll be fine. Â Can't say I enjoyed the "garlic lime chicken" version the one time I had it, though. Â A one-fisted burrito (about $6) is enough for a meal; with the two-fisted burritos (about $8), either you will have left-overs or you are, admit it, a glutton (which I have been!). Â Don't eat a burrito from them, however, before you are attending a special event, at least not without a change of clothes: they are notoriously sloppy, even in the "one fisted" size.
I have never had their beer (I hate beer anyway) or anything else except burritos, so I can't comment on their drink selection or the other items on their menu. Â But their burritos are excellent!
Stopped here for lunch during a visit to Minnesota because it looked like an interesting and unusual new place to try.
Although the food was less than average, their Bloody Mary's (served with a "snit" (or small glass of beer) are what earned them three stars!
A nice place for drinks, but no so great for eating...
Went to Burrito Union, mainly because they were one of the few places still open after 9 on a Sunday night. Â We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was.
I got the Garlic Lime chicken and roasted tomato salsa. Â Needless to say, it didn't take long for the burrito to disappear. Â
I wish we had one of these in the Twin Cities.
A burrito joint with a Soviet theme. Definitely an interesting place. Very inexpensive as well. We got two one fisted subs (more than enough unless you really want a huge burrito) two sodas and the salsa sampler all for under $20. The salsa sampler was a great app. You get all 5 of their salsas with two heaping bowls of chips. It was a lot of fun to try them all. Including the burritos we got to taste a lot of unique flavors for a really reasonable price. The special that day was a meatloaf burrito which had meatloaf, mashed potatoes roasted corn, roasted peppers and your choice of extras. I wasn't feeling quite that adventurous but the gentleman sitting at the table next two us ordered a two fisted one and polished it off in mere minutes. It was impressive to say the least. Burrito Union also has a huge selection of beer from Fitger's.
Review Source:There are some foods that are so simple that anybody could make it....and make it taste good. Â Yesterday, I had a craving for a burrito....one of the most simple, yet perfect foods on the planet.
Setting my expectations at a reasonable level, I was looking for something close to Chipotle or something in that neighborhood. Â But living in Duluth, MN my options where somewhat limited, and I found myself on a cold and windy night standing outside of a place called the Burrito Union. Â At first blush, the Burrito Union looked like a harmless urban burrito joint that tries to specialize in burritos, beer and espresso.... One should have been suspicious, but i wanted a burrito and i entered. Â
About two years ago, I reviewed a place called Sushi Sasabune and proclaimed that it was the worst place i had ever eaten. Â Well, the Burrito Union comes in a close second. Â My beef --- first, the Burrito Union only has four types of burritos; second, they take forever to acknowledge that you're standing in line; third, their flavors are bland and messy; and four, and worst of all, they would not allow me to take an order of chicken wings to go. Â WTF! The idiot order taker's excuse - "it would ruin them, dude". Â People really should think before they talk and if you cant come up with a thought before you compose your words, you should keep your mouth shut (and with any luck forget to breathe). Â Chicken wings are one of the most perfect foods because they are nearly indestructible. Â If nuclear winter should ever happen (and in Duluth most winters feel like they could be nuclear), the only thing left would be cockroaches and chicken wings. Â I digress. Â
So let's get to the skinny - i had a pork burrito that had the consistency of cat food and the taste week old Chinese (which is odd because it was a burrito) and the nachos (which i had to have because they would not allow me to take wings to go) were lumpy and runny like over-milked oatmeal. Â At the end, I would give the Burrito Union a half of a star --- right ahead of Sushi Sasabune (which i guess there is some consolation in being the second worst place i have ever dined).
So we were wandering around hungry in Duluth and we just happened to drive past this sunny neighborhood cafe/bar. Â We stopped and I stood in the midst of a fairly busy residential street and gaped. Â There was an inexpensive, soviet-themed restaurant owned by one of the best brew pubs (the Brew House) in the midwest. Â It was as if the universe had reached into my brain and created a restaurant out of my wildest desires. Â You know I love freshly made, fresh ingredient burritos. Â You know I love soviet era kitsch and you know I love beer. Â Wow. Â But how did you know to make a restaurant with all three of those things? Â And even more amazing you put it there in front of me when I was really hungry and somewhat lost. Â I really should give this place a five star review because of the miracle it represents to me, but after all it's just like an awesome chipotle with awesome beer and a burrito named after Rasputin. Â Yeah, just.
Review Source:Great Beer! It's Fitgers and Dave Hoops can BREW. Excellent beer. Fun Communist-esque decor. Great Mexican food, for Duluth, MN. That means it's ok Mexican. As for the service, well it sucked. Nonetheless, if you're looking for food in Duluth, MN it's one of the better places to eat. I will definitely return.
Review Source:We have loved this place until recently. Â We always got the Happy Worker burrito or salad and loved it, even though they somehow always managed to screw up our order in some way.
However, recently, some bad changes.
They now charge around $4 for the chips and salsa they used to bring to your table for free, and you now only get 1 refill.
Last time we went, a near-absence of fillings other than rice and beans, very little of the sauce, AND our burritos were stone-cold. Â Yuck! Â Off of our list of places to go. Â We'll give them another try in a few months. Â We're pretty sad about this, as there just aren't that many restaurants in Duluth to start with.
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