A Burrito Guide to Mexican Food in Redlands

We’ve never met a burrito we didn’t like. Big ones, small ones, grilled, smothered, stuffed to the brim, or deep fried. With everything from classic carnitas to creative vegan blends—you name it, someone’s wrapping it in a warm tortilla and serving it up with a side of local love. 

Here in Redlands, we’ve got plenty of places to choose from when we’re craving a burrito. From longtime neighborhood staples to newer spots shaking things up with bold flavors, our town has it all. Over the past few weeks, we set out to sample some of the best burritos around, chatting with local owners, soaking up the atmosphere, and of course, taste-testing every bite. Whether you're a breakfast burrito devotee or a fan of spicy steak and salsa, there's something here for everyone.

Order: Original Garbage Burrito, and The Veggie Grande 

Host: Jenna

Celebrating 50 years in Redlands, this bright red restaurant is a fan favorite for burritos. (It’s literally in their name.) Their original location was in Colton, established in 1957 by R.L. Meister. 

Over the years, the family opened additional locations in San Bernardino, Calimesa, and Redlands — each thriving for four to five decades. Today, the Redlands location stands as the sole remaining El Burrito. It’s still family-owned and operated, now going strong into its fourth generation! 

Ian and I frequent this local spot when craving their hand-rolled tortillas. Ian's go-to order is the Veggie Grande, and I LOVE the garbage burrito with ground beef. Ian can eat his weight in their guacamole, as it’s his favorite. His order of the Veggie Grande was a favorite of the original owner, who made it for himself through the years and eventually decided to share it with the rest of the world. The Veggie Grande is filled with the classic foundation of bean, rice, and cheese, and is then topped with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and, of course, the unique and signature creamy guacamole.

The Garbage Burrito is my favorite burrito. I get it the original way with ground beef, but you can also get it with chile verde pork or chile Colorado steak. Regardless of your meat choice, it comes with beans, rice, lettuce, cheese, and onion. All my favorite things wrapped up in a soft but durable handmade tortilla.

Despite our favorites, their number one seller is the  “BRC,” their bean, rice, and cheese burrito. It’s a fan favorite and a timeless classic!

Fun Fact: You can order any of their locally loved burritos “wet” to add more flavor to your already delicious experience. 

Cheers to 50 Years in Redlands and 50 more filled with delicious burritos. 

Find them:

• Website: elburritoredlands.com
• Phone: (909) 224-7810
• Address: 1095 W Colton Ave, Redlands, CA 92374

Order: Chile Relleno Burrito, and a Garbage Burrito.
Host: Ramon

This hole-in-the-wall gem has been in business for over 50 years in the Inland Empire and 21 years in Redlands. Plus, it’s home to “The Original Garbage Burrito.”

Their menu may look simple, but it is filled with everything made from scratch, in-house, and, of course, with some love.

You can order your favorite burrito for yourself, or if you’re looking to feed/impress a crowd, may we suggest the unapologetically large 18-inch burrito to feed you and 10-12 friends, depending on how hungry you are.

When it comes to topping off those delicious burritos, you can choose from their two salsa staples, chunky or hot, that you can also order to go to enjoy with just about anything. Ian loves the classic and reliable BRC burrito when at Rosa Maria’s, and I, of course, will take any opportunity to order a garbage burrito.

We went with the suggestion of our host for these next brilliant burritos and have zero regrets. 

Calling all cheese lovers, the chile relleno burrito has tender meat, gooey cheese, and spice that packs a little punch in each bite. A garbage burrito is one way to my heart. 

I was so excited to have more than one garbage burrito on our roster, and this one was amazing. Although a “Garbage Burrito” might not sound super appetizing, the kitchen manages to balance the overload of flavors without becoming a mushy mess. It’s not elegant, but it is undeniably satisfying after a long day or night.

Fun Fact: About 15 years ago, Ian’s mom used to order Rosa Maria's lunches all the time when she worked in San Bernardino.

Whether chasing nostalgia with the chile relleno burrito or giving in to a guilty pleasure with the Garbage Burrito, you’ll walk away full, happy, and maybe surprised at how a hidden gem joint rocked your tastebuds. It's the place that makes you proud to live in a town with real-deal, authentic flavor.

We’re not the only fans of Rosa’s, see an earlier review on the Local Slice.

Find them:

• Website: rosamarias.com
• Phone: (909) 307-9077
• Address:1154 Brookside Ave AA, Redlands, CA 92373

Order: Chicken Fiesta Burrito & Wet Carne Asada Burrito
Host: Raquel

With five locations in the area, Redlands is lucky enough to call two of Cuca’s home. Each offers a distinct experience:

• Redlands Boulevard location: Perfect when you're in a hurry and looking to quickly order some delicious Mexican food
• Redlands/Mentone border location: Ideal for dining in while enjoying live sports and a full bar

Ian’s favorite revolutionary burrito is the taquito burrito with two taquitos in a burrito! My go-to order is the classic shredded chicken burrito, which is nothing too fancy. We were pleased to venture out a bit for this, and the owner suggested that we try the Fiesta Burrito and the Wet Carne Asada Burrito.

The fiesta burrito had colorful tortilla chips with rice, chicken, and this zesty chipotle sauce. This was so yummy and spicy. I can see myself switching up my simple chicken burrito next time we are in.

The wet Carne Asada Burrito was smothered in enchilada sauce and melted cheese, loaded with carne asada, rice, beans, cheese, cabbage, cilantro, onions, red sauce, and right up Ian’s alley. This was a fork and knife burrito experience that did not disappoint.

Just when we thought we were getting filled up, our gracious host surprised us with a dessert burrito! I know! We were served a cheesecake wrapped in a cinnamon-sugar-coated tortilla. It was deep-fried and served with whipped cream and a chocolate sauce, and it may be my new favorite burrito.

You can come to Cucas to enjoy a burrito for lunch, dinner, or dessert, and feel as stuffed as one of their decadent burritos!

Find them:

• Website: cucas.com/redlands
• Phone: (909) 335-9557
• Address:527 E State St, Redlands, CA 92373

Order: Glaze Burrito & 3 Skippers
Host: LIZ

This family-owned restaurant has been a Redland’s Classic for almost a century. Located in the heart of Downtown Redlands (down the street from its original location) lies Oscar's Mexican Restaurant. We can usually be found at Oscars on Friday nights after work. However, we both rarely order the infamous burritos.

My go-to is usually a fish taco, and Ian rotates through all of the enchilada options. We were so excited to have an excuse to try something new. With a fully loaded menu of all of your classic Mexican dishes, there is definitely something for everyone.

Oscar's also has plenty of vegan and vegetarian options for all of your favorite dishes. Our host, Liz, had us try our first vegan burrito ever, and it did not disappoint.

The Glaze Burrito has incredible flavors and an even better backstory. Named after a friendly-faced regular who used to dine at Oscars four days a week, this burrito was packed with zest. This vegan burrito was stuffed with beans, rice, and guacamole, smothered with a vegan enchilada sauce, and topped with lettuce, tomato, and olives. It was extremely filling, to say the least.

If you’re not quite ready to skip the cheese, you can always order The Glaze vegetarian style. Mr. Glaze was a fixture at the Oscars throughout the years and a devoted Vegan. Even though he recently passed, his memory remains strong at Oscar’s.

Our next burrito journey also has a heartfelt background story. Back at the beginning of Oscar’s, the then-owner had a good friend named Skipper. Skipper could usually be found eating a small burrito filled with whatever sounded good. Today, you can order “Skipper” burritos with just about anything inside them. They might be small, but their flavor combinations are huge! We tried three different types and loved every single bite.

We tried a classic bean and cheese, a pork chile verde, and a chicken and rice skipper burrito. If you're looking for catering, buy them by the dozen.

Come experience these traditional family-style flavors for yourself. Lastly, besides the delicious burritos, we also highly recommend the margaritas!

Find them:

• Website: oscarsmex.com
• Phone: (909) 792-8211
• Address: 256 E Citrus Ave, Redlands, CA 92373

Order: Pork Belly Breakfast Burrito & Beef Brisket Breakfast Burrito
Host: Anthony

This BBQ joint may be the newest kid on the block, but it is no stranger to good-quality food. 

With three locations, Cornerstone Barbecue is bringing smoky barbecue classics right to our backyard. Neither of us had ever had BBQ for breakfast, let alone thought of a BBQ spot for breakfast items, and we were pleasantly surprised after this experience.

The owner has loved barbecue food since he was 13 years old! After moving back from Texas, he still craved those classically traditional BBQ flavors. Since he couldn’t find what he was looking for, he decided to perfect his craft, and Cornerstone BBQ was born.

They have their first location in Beaumont, we went to the one in Downtown Redlands by The Fox Theater, and they just recently opened up a spot at The Redlands Public Market. 

Cornerstone wanted to bring some traditional barbecue to the breakfast table. They open at 7 AM and have a complete brunch and breakfast menu.

For our breakfast, we tried the Pork Belly Breakfast burrito and the Beef Brisket burrito which were stuffed with seasoned French fries (California style), real eggs, bell peppers, and cheese. 

They were also served with a flavorful green sauce made with tomatillos and ‘ghost sauce,’ which is a secret spicy must-try! I wanted to put that sauce on everything! Heads up, it definitely sneaks up on you!

Regardless of what time of day you pop into a Cornerstone BBQ, you will always be greeted by the friendly faces and the familiar aroma of backyard barbecue. And if you’re in the market for a breakfast burrito in Redlands, their menu doesn’t disappoint. 

Find them:

• Website: cornerstonebarbeque.com
• Phone: (909) 806-5861
• Address: 22 E Vine St, Redlands, CA 92373

Support Your Favorite Redlands Burrito Restaurants

Want to ensure your favorite Redlands burrito spots keep slinging the best hand-held bites? In addition to being a regular patron, give them a shoutout on social media. Tag them in your post and leave a positive review. Plus, you can make your review go even further by tagging About Redlands and we’ll re-share it!

The restaurants and businesses featured here generously offered complimentary food and beverages to our guest contributors. At About Redlands, we’re dedicated to supporting local businesses. If you own a business and would like to be featured, contact us via social media or email. We’d love to showcase you on our blog!