Ocho Mexican Grill

Definitely a step above Chipotle. If you’re looking for vegetarian options, they’ve got you covered. And they don’t charge for guacamole… need I say more?

Really impressed. I stopped eating Chipotle because of that ecoli scare. But lately Ive been craving it so I Unilocal «mexican» and find this place. People said it was better than chipotle. And they were right! It is the same exact set up, pretty much everything looks the same but the bread they use is so much better. The chicken actually tastes real… so much tastier. Everything just more flavorful here. About the same price. They have a lot of outdoor seating but it was raining and the seating inside is sparse. Plus the employees there were bored unlike Chipotle were they are constantly busy so they were acting kind of childish and obonxious. You’re on the job act professional at all times even if there isn’t something to do. Customer service wasnt the greatest but Ill be back! So glad I found this place. So good

I love grabbing lunch at Ocho Grill. There is a variety of options to build salads or burritos and more. I especially enjoy interacting with the staff. They’re all always super friendly. I go so often they already know what I’m likely to order and prepare as such. Great food and great service.

Wasn’t impressed with their chicken bowl. I will admit it serves well, paper box full of vegetables but not enough chicken.
I have enjoyed their breakfast burritos more then there bowls.
Check them out for yourself, feels like that other place but it’s not.

I ordered my lunch online through their website. The workflow was easy to follow. Although the webform confirmed my order, I wish I could have received a confirmation via email. After calling and then having to dial an extension number to get to the local restaurant the cashier seemed to have a difficult time finding my order. By the time she found my order I was already walking inside the place. Thankfully once I got inside there were no issues grabbing my lunch and heading out. But I was definitely nervous that my payment got lost in the sauce on my way there.
Food was great, got a tasty burrito and chips & guac. If you want chiptole’s alternative this is the place. They even have the classic chipotle line down to T.

I came during lunch time. Luckily I came when there wasn’t a crowd. The lady there who served me had pretty horrible service. The food was delicious! Due to the bad service I got. I don’t think I want to come back. :(

I always come here for their ceviche and wheat chips! I find the wheat chips to be crispier and tastier to eat with. Their ceviche also comes with half an avocado which is very generous of them! Their ceviche has a lot of shellfish too.

Think of Ocho as your upgrade to Chipotle. Same set up, almost same options, but with better product. For me personally they don’t pile on the condiments which can give anyone a high sodium level at Chipotle. Their seasoning is much better and tastier.
This location is small, not very large but it does have outside and inside seating for anyone dinning in. The interior has high and short tables and limited space. The line during lunch hour is out the door usually so come early.
The staff here has always been helpful and friendly. Prices here are fair, again, similar to Chipotle. I just enjoy coming here knowing its a healthier option.
It is conveniently close to work so it comes in handy very often. I could eat Ocho every week but try staying away to avoid getting tired of it, but its always tasty and filling.
I would definitely recommend for those looking for a quick meal, even if it is on the go.

Pretty good place. Burrito was giant. They had so many condiments and extras it was mind boggling. It was like chipotle on steroids.

Simply put, this is a Chipotle copy. A blander, arguably more healthy, Chipotle. I had the tofu burrito and it just wasn’t seasoned very well and felt a little dry. (I missed the perfectly seasoned sofritas…). It’s also a little bit more expensive than Chipotle.
Why go to a fake when the original is so close by…

Horrible service… Did not enjoy the food!
Music to damn loud. Waited for 20 minutes to get a lousy burrito.
Bad service just horrible smh!

I absolutely love this place! It always makes me wonder why anyone stands in the ridiculous lines at Chipotle on the corner in downtown. This place blows them out of the water! Between the freshness of the selections: Mahi Mahi, chicken, tofu, veggies, steak, etc., and their fresh dressings/​salsas, it is definitely a favorite.

All you fools that think this is better than Chiptole are trippin!
None of the food here has any flavor! Chicken, bland, rice, bland, salsa, bland. I mean seriously what the fuck, healthy food isn’t allowed to have seasoning? Now they do have some chunky mango goodness and some cilantro lime sauce that’s off the chain, but you need to drench your food in that shit so it has some taste.
The only thing this place has on chipotle is how short the line is. It’s obvious why.

Really great Mexican food located in downtown. Our office always caters lunch with Ocho and everyone is always happy!
I’m a pescetarian so I love that I can get bowls with mahi mahi. At other restaurants like chipotle I typically just get vegetables since I’m not a fan of their tofu.
They also have amazing sauces that they serve with their bowls and meals!

Ocho is similar to Chipotle Grill but with fresher ingredients and better selection. At Ocho, you can get either organic white OR brown rice, and the rice actually tastes really good. The habanero sauce also is EXTREMELY spicy. So, get it on the side.
I’ve gone here for lunch several times, and the food and service consistently are very good.

If you like Chipotle, you’ll love Ocho Mexico! This place is walking distance from the office and had a deal so I decided to check it out. I’m so glad I did.
The ingredients are fresh. The food to price ratio is super reasonable. The staff is fast and friendly.
I’ll be back!

The chicken was good but my friend had the fish and he said it was dry not as usual.
Overall the place was clean and the service was nice they respect the coupon from Unilocal

All these implications of modelling this venue after Chipotle is making me feel pretty damn old. I remember when La Salsa was accused of stealing the idea from Mrs. Garcias. More on that later.
I’ve been here a couple of times and like it. Burritos are slightly on the pricy side, but they have some nice options. I like the shrimp and the carnitas. Both have a nice marinade, but that can get buried with all of their toppings. Not going to get into the toppings/​fillings of the burrito other than their jicama pineapple, which is my favorite. It’s different than what you’ll get at other spots and is pretty tasty.
Now I’m inspired to look into the history of made-​to-​order main-​stream burrito joints in Los Angeles. I tried to go back to the various Mexican joints I remember when growing up, checked out their websites and found the following history. Couldn’t find Mrs. Garcia’s though, they’re long gone and I can’t believe La Salsa survived as long as they did, they used to serve processed American cheese on their tacos for crying out loud.
La Salsa — 1979
Rubios — 1983 (but that’s San Diego and they were focused on the baja taco, totally different)
Poquito Mas — 1986 (still the best salsa bar of the bunch)
Freebirds — 1986 (SB, but a classic growing up right)
Eduardo’s — 1987 (I think he was a partner in Mrs. Garcia’s)
Baja Fresh — 1990 (at the time, who wanted a «healthy» burrito)
Sharky’s — 1992 (veggies in a burrito including broccoli sounded gross)
Chipotle — 1999 (that’s when they first expanded out of Colorado, not sure when they made it here to LaLa Land)
Am I forgetting any of the chain style made to order Mexican places? Nod to Tarasco I guess, but they were less chain-​like for lack of a better description, but frankly, I think these burritos at El Ocho are more comparable to el Tarasco than Chipotle.

This clone of Chipotle does do a few things differently. But in the end the food didn’t taste as good in my opinion. I got the bowl with shrimp, brown rice, all the trimmings and extra guacamole $ 2 extra. It was good but in the back of my mind I was comparing to Chipotle.

Mmmmmm burrito. This is like a chipotle, but even better. Lots of options and the guy seriously loaded my burrito up. Not expensive and their salsa is pretty yummy. Seems like a generic place, but it was definitely worth it. Very filling!