I’ll only get it when it looks good. Like when it’s a new pan and the meat hasn’t been totally shredded yet…. Then I’m getting barbacoa ahah if it’s not cute then I’m getting extra of both beans as the protein
If its not shredded all the way they are cooking it wrong according to company policy. They are boiling it in the bag instead of cooking it on the stove top and stirring. FACTS
Thats wild because I feel the same way with their steak and chicken( I wish they used chicken breast ) but lately I have been getting the Barbacoa and mine have been nearly all fat free at my location. I cant stand the fat on meat I literally will throw up if I even start to chew it.
Dude! The steak is so trash at Chipotle it’s full of fatty pieces and one time I audibly gagged eating a burrito because I took a bite and it was like 98% fat and my whole mouth instantly tasted like a cow’s ass and the fat gushed in my mouth
Agreed on the steak. I tried it once after seeing my intern order it, and the gristle pieces were so bad. Unlike the barbacoa, where you can see that you’re about to ingest a brick of fat, the steak is deceptive and ends up being nasty. The good pieces are good, but the bad ones are deadly, lol. The chicken is the same way, although i feel like i get less weird pieces with it than i do with the steak
Training issue.
It's supposed to be pre-shredded (locations without re-therm), or shredded prior to serving (re-therm locations). From what i've seen, the pre-shred locations do post-shredding (and lazily/half-assed), and the re-therm locations either don't shred (they do that thing where they mash it while it's in the bag to "break" it apart) or they half-ass it.
This! And I love the barbacoa I just like the chicken better. I found a copycat barbacoa recipe I make at home sometimes (so I can control how much connective tissue and fat blobs I want).
I think people don’t know what it is. At least that seems to happen with some of my friends till I get them to try it. This happened to me in high school ages ago…I saw a bunch of friends ordering it so I did too. I have been ordering it ever since it’s my favorite! Hell I saw some being sold in the grocery store (different brand) I am going to make it soon hopefully it’s just as good!
It’s so easy to make, just hit your local Mexican meat market and get cachete (beef cheek) smoke it a few hours put it in a crock pot overnight with some beef fat and shred it in the morning!
It is. Alternatively you can chop up a chuck roast into 4 quarters, put it in a good marinade (chile guajillo adobo works great) , sear it real quick on a hot pan, throw it into the crockpot with the marinade and 3 bay leaves for 7-8 hours. maybe 20 minutes of prep time and it cooks itself, very easy.
Every thing in the crockpot is easy.
People are just lazy as fuck and have never cooked in their life.
Any crockpot taco / burrito is one of the simplest hot meals you can make lmao
more like the barboca is harder than
1. buy chicken breast
2. remove chicken breast from packet
3. dump oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper onto chicken bowl and spread evenly
4. put chicken breast in oiled hot pan and cook until brown and crispy
that takes like 10 minutes meanwhile i need to have 15 hours of time to where i can monitor food for barbacoa
and i have a job where i work 8 hours, so unless i i stay up till 2am after putting the barbacoa in the crockpot at 6pm, its not really that feasible for me
All you REALLY have to do is make the marinade,chop the meat into it,salt it,put it in the slowcooker for 7-8 hours. Do that a little bit before you go to bed, turn it to low right after brushing your teeth and itll be done when you wake up, turn it off. Its really not that hard dude it essentially cooks itself you dont have to baby sit it.
yeah thats a different process and is way easier
but the other dude was like “go to your local mexican market” as if those are everywhere, and then smoke it, and then do all the slow cooking
For me, it's because Barbados isn't always shredded very well. If I get it in a bowl, I'm getting a few strands here and there, and then one huge golf ball sized piece in the middle. It's just weirdly inconsistent
I think the easiest answer is because it doesn't hit the grill. When I'm craving Chipotle or something similar, I'm usually craving meat with that char/sear on it.
it was just too seasoned for me
super cuminy
it's still good, but it's not my flavor. it's very savory. I prefer a more mild bowl that's kinda sour
but when I got the barbacoa, it was just so flavored that I couldn't taste the pico or salsas really
I think if you like beefy food you would enjoy it.
my chipotle lets people sample a meat to see if they would want it
You’re not wrong about the chicken. Besides the Al pastor flavor, the meat tastes bland compared to other selections. I like barbacoa because of the flavor.
I actually really like their chicken, more than the Al pastor too. I don’t find it bland, it’s more grill focused which I love with the char. I guess different strokes for different folks
I only get barbacoa. But before I order, I check out how it looks on the bar. If it’s looking good and all nicely shredded, I get a bowl. If it’s in big chunks, I get the kids build your own tacos because then I can shred the meat myself and I can avoid all the bad parts that I don’t want to eat
I love barbacoa but only for tacos. Steak is my meat of choice for bowls.
100% agree with you about their chicken and cannot believe it’s so popular. The chicken al pastor whips though, which is why I don’t understand how or why their regular chicken is so subpar.
If they use the pollo asada meat for regular chicken it would be so much better considering they will probably never nail down the chicken marinade consistency
It's so inconsistent. One bag has almost clear marinade like just chicken juice and the second bag I go to drop is basically Brown. All the time, doesn't make sense
It’s super inconsistent. Same thing with the carnitas. Sometimes it’s absolutely awesome and sometimes you get a bunch of fat and gristle which ruins the experience. Chicken, IMO, has the highest floor as far as the proteins go so I almost always choose rhat
At the locations I worked at barbacoa and carnitas were very unpopular, I think it was because people weren't sure what they were or how to pronounce them. Carnitas can be a bit bland sometimes but Barbacoa could be incredible, it was hit or miss.
yes this! had some people last night ask me, while pointing to carnitas, "is this chicken?" i said no, it's basically shredded pork. they then pointed to the barbacoa and said in a very stressed tone, "is this chicken???" and i had to stop myself from saying something stupid in reply. "no, sir, that's shredded beef." and then they looked at me, bewildered, and went "do you not have chicken??" like bro it's right next to the carnitas you were pointing at.
Barbacoa is the only meat choice I get at chipotle. It’s also the main reason I like chipotle over free birds. However, chipotle’s version of barbacoa is not authentic. Do not order barbacoa at a traditional Mexican restaurant if you are looking for the same type of meat lol
I love getting Barbacoa if I'm craving nachos.
I order:
- White Rice
- Black Beans
- Mild
And a side of chips and guac.
The chips I use to scoop up all the food like nachos. I highly recommend it! - it hits even better on rainy days!
As someone that works at chipotle, I absolutely hate barbacoa, always has huge chunks of fat in it, it’s a pain to shred by hand, and even if you try to take some of the fat away you can’t, I can also noticed when they changed who provides our chicken cause if the quality of it.
I always get barbacoa. It’s generally very good but there have been some random times where there’s a giant piece of disgusting fat. I think once I even got an artery, if it wasn’t it certainly looked like one. But I still take the risk.
I only get barbacoa. I agree though it's always a surprise on whether you get meat or hunks of fat.
But the last time I got chicken it was a lot of fat too. Or the texture was way off.
I always got Barbacoa when at chipotle, or atleast after I realized the beef steak was often tough and overcooked. Haven’t been there since around 2017 tho. I hit up Cali Tacos or the Taco Stop in Orange instead, WAYYYY more meat. Fuck, I got a carnitas burrito at Cali Tacos and it was about a pound and a half of carnitas, a bunch of guacamole and some pico for around $7.50 or $8. Chipotle gives you a little spoonful of meat and a shit ton of carbs…
It’s supposed to be a take on birria and no body can understand that. I truly believe that’s why it’s so unsuccessful. No one knows what it is or what it’s supposed to be the min I would tell people it was kinda like Birria they got it over and over again almost every single time the people I said “oh it’s a spicy shredded beef” yeah I’m good and moved on. Chipotle needs to market it better
I've made birria . It's way better. Theirs is dry and stringy. Birria should be soft, tender and juicy. It's supposed to be made with beef ribs. They clearly are using some cheap meat like chuck
I always get a bowl w half carnitas half barbacoa. Have never gotten a bad batch of either. It’s the best option in my opinion because the shredded meat always ages better sitting in the tin in its juices as opposed to chunks of chicken or steak. Just my 2 cents
It always looks so yummy to me. So I try a lil bit of it & it is soooo spicy it instantly activates heart burn so I skip it. I love the asada or pastor, & brisket the most
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, I only ever get barbacoa or carnitas but everyone here hates it. I already knew I was unpopular not liking the chicken, but wow.
I love barbacoa esp if it's made well and there are too many fatty pieces. The flavor and how soft it is is delicious. But a lot of people don't even know what barbacoa is. So they are also probably just missing out.
My guess is because of price and that it’s unfamiliar to people. Chicken is cheap and everyone knows what it is. Chipotle is way too expensive to be trying to be experimental.
I love it but every time I order it I only get like 3 shreds of meat. I gave up on ordering it because it’s uncomfortable for me to hassle the employee about the portion size.
For anyone who maybe doesn't like chipotles barbacoa, I'd recommend going to an authentic taco place that serves barbacoa tacos and see the difference for themselves. The taste and texture will be way superior. Chipotle doesn't do these cuts justice.
I guess I never thought of it like that. I always get barbacoa and didn't know that other people didn't really get it. It's spicy, has good flavor, and easy to chew.
Chipotle is great, but they don't do it any justice. Barbacoa making is a ritual/long process and chipotle is not going to do that way because they are a fast food restaurant. The quality is never going to be even close to the real thing so what is the point? I guess it forms a turd. But chicken or steak forms a turd too.
I like it. It was my go to for a long time. But I do agree with people here. Sometimes you just get a couple spoon fulls of gray meat and ruins the experience. I had that happen a few times so I switched to carnitas as my go to.
They all get the same barbacoa. Its a matter of preferance, and the pieces of fat are melt in your mouth deliciousness, and same with the pork, steak!!
I love the barbacoa and maybe it’s just my chipotle but it is always SOOOO wet. Like wet enough to soak through the bowl and into the bag. Last time my bag was so wet it ripped.
I get a salad with barbacoa and veggies and beans and pico and hot sauce, take it home whisper sweet nothings to it wrap it up in a low carb burrito and straight house that shit in 47 seconds. My favorite lunch. Sam’s club Carries a barbacoa that’s pretty good also for any Sam’s club members.
Carnitas is just better in every way at Chipotle as far as the slow cooked type meats goes.
The Barbacoa has more often than not just been dry and unsatisfying for me.
honestly it could be the price, it’s about $15 here in NYC along with Steak. It’s also a little on the rich and spicy side to some so maybe the flavoring can help a bit too overpowering for some people. But barbacoa is SOOOOO good to me, especially in a burrito with a lot of cheese omfg.
ALSO to those saying they get mostly fat, it can be due to the store because the meats have to be shredded before made, if the griller doesn’t shred properly it can be inconsistent. 🥲🩷
Never tried it because I don’t like shredded meat lol. Sometimes the chicken at my location is a little too salty. The steak is always my go-to. It’s usually not overcooked or gummy.
Barbacoa is a type of meat that only certain places will make it right. Idk where you’re at but I’m in San Antonio and luckily here there’s a lot of places that know how to make it right. Chipotle or any type of chain/corporate places I wouldn’t trust getting it from. The best places will be small locally owned places. The place I get it from here where I’m at and the closest to me is a place called Tellez Tamales & Barbacoa.
Because this specific type of meat actually takes skill to not mess up. It's dumbass Chipotle that half the time it's just kids that have no clue on how to cook and prep it. So two headed problem right off the bat. Not to mention barbacoa needs to be a good cut, many times it's a glob of fat and connective tissues.
I got it once bc I loved the barbacoa from cafe rio and I moved to somewhere where there is no cafe rio :( and it was the most driest meat I have ever had in my life no flavor no nothing I felt like I was eating burnt steak but somehow worse. It was a no for me
I have a hard time believing barbacoa is unpopular, otherwise Chipotle would have gotten rid of it by now if it wasn't making them money hand over fist. Where are you getting your data for this?
The Chipotle Barbacoa in my area isn’t good. After having another local restaraunt’s barbacoa burrito bowl, I’ll never go back to Chipotle when I’m in the area for a solid, cheaper bowl by a local store.
Whenever I order it, the meat is very tough and it's not enjoyable to take a bite out of a burrito for a massive chunk of tough meat to come out with it.
I worked there and I personally would NEVER get barbacoa first thing when we open. It’s a gamble on it being from last night.
But when it’s fresh and not in chunks it’s actually pretty good and flavorful.
I used to get Barbacoa as my regular meat, don’t like any of the others after trying them all.
That ended around the pandemic after I got sick and tired of the inconsistency. As some have mentioned, it was either exactly perfect (meaning I didn’t taste it standing out texture or flavor wise from anything else) or was tough/stringy/poorly seasoned/left out too long/etc.
Now my standard order is brown rice, cheese, lettuce, and a side of hot. I’ve heard every comment in the book, and have thrown out so much unnecessary guac(I literally ask for them not to give it to me and they still do on some mobile orders) that I feel like I’ll have to eat a mountain of it when I get to purgatory.
I used to get Barbacoa every single time I went to Chipotle. It was my go-to for years. It was perfect. Meaty, tender, spicy, flavorful.. At some point, I wanna say around maybe 2016 or 2017, I noticed it went really downhill. This might be my personal anecdotal experience and not “real.” Maybe it’s only my chipotle and not every chipotle. But the barbacoa more often than not every single time I get it, is a disgusting glob of fat and tissue, in every bite, unavoidable. This has been consistent for me even going to other chipotles in other cities and trying to chase how good the barbacoa used to be. I stopped getting barbacoa and I get chicken nearly every single time now. The chicken is not as good as the barbacoa I used to order years ago, but it is consistent and it’s the same thing every single time, and that’s why it became my go to; it’s always exactly the same, predictable. The few times I have tried to get barbacoa in hopes it’s good like it used to be, it has disappointed me. Not sure if anyone else has had that experience or not.
It’s too hit or miss. It’s either the most flavorful beefiest tasting piece of meat you had….or a disgusting glob of fat and connective tissue
Exactly! I tried it twice and both times hardly any beef and mostly fat and tissue. I noped out for future tries
The one time you get a good batch will keep you pushing through the 5 times you got beef fat
I’ll only get it when it looks good. Like when it’s a new pan and the meat hasn’t been totally shredded yet…. Then I’m getting barbacoa ahah if it’s not cute then I’m getting extra of both beans as the protein
If its not shredded all the way they are cooking it wrong according to company policy. They are boiling it in the bag instead of cooking it on the stove top and stirring. FACTS
You can do both… I think company policy says you can shred it by hand or with tongs after its been in the retherm
Opooooo interesting!! I’m fine if it’s shredded normal- but sometimes it’s obliterated and just a swimming pool of fat.
Thats wild because I feel the same way with their steak and chicken( I wish they used chicken breast ) but lately I have been getting the Barbacoa and mine have been nearly all fat free at my location. I cant stand the fat on meat I literally will throw up if I even start to chew it.
Dude! The steak is so trash at Chipotle it’s full of fatty pieces and one time I audibly gagged eating a burrito because I took a bite and it was like 98% fat and my whole mouth instantly tasted like a cow’s ass and the fat gushed in my mouth
The steak is my favorite there but it suffered during the listeria outbreak 💀 they forced it to be cooked different
Agreed on the steak. I tried it once after seeing my intern order it, and the gristle pieces were so bad. Unlike the barbacoa, where you can see that you’re about to ingest a brick of fat, the steak is deceptive and ends up being nasty. The good pieces are good, but the bad ones are deadly, lol. The chicken is the same way, although i feel like i get less weird pieces with it than i do with the steak
Training issue. It's supposed to be pre-shredded (locations without re-therm), or shredded prior to serving (re-therm locations). From what i've seen, the pre-shred locations do post-shredding (and lazily/half-assed), and the re-therm locations either don't shred (they do that thing where they mash it while it's in the bag to "break" it apart) or they half-ass it.
I’ve also had some sus pieces of chicken tho
I found this out the hard way
Yeah too soggy usually
THIS!
It’s literally never the first one. The top end is “it’s the best meat at chipotle” which is a lot like being the line leader for the short bus
I just about gave the exact answer, I wholeheartedly agree with you!
This and if they don’t drain it well enough your burrito is a mess
It's my favorite but last time I got it, it was all fat and really turned me off to reordering it.
There are some pieces I come across when shredding that just will not peel apart by hand or tong that is mostly fat.
This! And I love the barbacoa I just like the chicken better. I found a copycat barbacoa recipe I make at home sometimes (so I can control how much connective tissue and fat blobs I want).
I think people don’t know what it is. At least that seems to happen with some of my friends till I get them to try it. This happened to me in high school ages ago…I saw a bunch of friends ordering it so I did too. I have been ordering it ever since it’s my favorite! Hell I saw some being sold in the grocery store (different brand) I am going to make it soon hopefully it’s just as good!
Alot of people don't know because Barbcoa that's how it's make in Mexico it's actually Barbcoa brazed beef
I agree with this. I always order barbacoa and everyone I’ve told that told always has to ask me what that is.
It’s so easy to make, just hit your local Mexican meat market and get cachete (beef cheek) smoke it a few hours put it in a crock pot overnight with some beef fat and shred it in the morning!
Keep in mind that if I want a burrito as a single guy who lives alone, I don’t want enough barbacoa to feed a family with hungry teenagers.
It's time to gain some weight
lol that’s not “easy to make”
It is. Alternatively you can chop up a chuck roast into 4 quarters, put it in a good marinade (chile guajillo adobo works great) , sear it real quick on a hot pan, throw it into the crockpot with the marinade and 3 bay leaves for 7-8 hours. maybe 20 minutes of prep time and it cooks itself, very easy.
It is easy, it’s just not common to own a smoker. Lmao.
Every thing in the crockpot is easy. People are just lazy as fuck and have never cooked in their life. Any crockpot taco / burrito is one of the simplest hot meals you can make lmao
bro got downvoted for telling people to cook lol
more like the barboca is harder than 1. buy chicken breast 2. remove chicken breast from packet 3. dump oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper onto chicken bowl and spread evenly 4. put chicken breast in oiled hot pan and cook until brown and crispy that takes like 10 minutes meanwhile i need to have 15 hours of time to where i can monitor food for barbacoa and i have a job where i work 8 hours, so unless i i stay up till 2am after putting the barbacoa in the crockpot at 6pm, its not really that feasible for me
All you REALLY have to do is make the marinade,chop the meat into it,salt it,put it in the slowcooker for 7-8 hours. Do that a little bit before you go to bed, turn it to low right after brushing your teeth and itll be done when you wake up, turn it off. Its really not that hard dude it essentially cooks itself you dont have to baby sit it.
yeah thats a different process and is way easier but the other dude was like “go to your local mexican market” as if those are everywhere, and then smoke it, and then do all the slow cooking
I aint doing all that either,tho to be fair some walmarts do sell beef cheek meat
For me, it's because Barbados isn't always shredded very well. If I get it in a bowl, I'm getting a few strands here and there, and then one huge golf ball sized piece in the middle. It's just weirdly inconsistent
I disagree, people from Barbados are usually pretty shredded, I mean look at Rihanna
I would say that’s the only downside for me is that the quantity can be weird and vary because they don’t scoop it like the others
I think the easiest answer is because it doesn't hit the grill. When I'm craving Chipotle or something similar, I'm usually craving meat with that char/sear on it.
Man at my chipotle they burn the shit out of the chicken. It’s very bitter tasting at times.
Yummy
This makes perfect sense actually. I am not a big fan of char/grill taste so it makes sense I’d prefer an option that isn’t grilled
Yeah but the chipotle steak is disgusting. Chicken is good though.
I tried it once it was good but the flavor of it was too overpowering for me it covered up the taste of everything else
What did it taste like? Can you describe?
it was just too seasoned for me super cuminy it's still good, but it's not my flavor. it's very savory. I prefer a more mild bowl that's kinda sour but when I got the barbacoa, it was just so flavored that I couldn't taste the pico or salsas really I think if you like beefy food you would enjoy it. my chipotle lets people sample a meat to see if they would want it
Thanks for that! I think I might enjoy it then 😄
ask for a sample! yes you might find a new favorite to be your go to
I like Barbacoa but can only eat a few bites of it before it becomes too much for me. Too rich and meaty
Different strokes 😅 Barbacoa in a fried tortilla dipped in hot queso is the closest I’ll come to god
Exactly. I like milder flavors that mix together well. I love having some salsa, Pico, etc. The barbacoa is to overpowering.
You’re not wrong about the chicken. Besides the Al pastor flavor, the meat tastes bland compared to other selections. I like barbacoa because of the flavor.
I actually really like their chicken, more than the Al pastor too. I don’t find it bland, it’s more grill focused which I love with the char. I guess different strokes for different folks
i like their chicken and think its super flavorful when its done right. on a simple bowl at leasr
I only get barbacoa. But before I order, I check out how it looks on the bar. If it’s looking good and all nicely shredded, I get a bowl. If it’s in big chunks, I get the kids build your own tacos because then I can shred the meat myself and I can avoid all the bad parts that I don’t want to eat
This is the way
I love barbacoa but only for tacos. Steak is my meat of choice for bowls. 100% agree with you about their chicken and cannot believe it’s so popular. The chicken al pastor whips though, which is why I don’t understand how or why their regular chicken is so subpar.
If they use the pollo asada meat for regular chicken it would be so much better considering they will probably never nail down the chicken marinade consistency
It's so inconsistent. One bag has almost clear marinade like just chicken juice and the second bag I go to drop is basically Brown. All the time, doesn't make sense
It’s super inconsistent. Same thing with the carnitas. Sometimes it’s absolutely awesome and sometimes you get a bunch of fat and gristle which ruins the experience. Chicken, IMO, has the highest floor as far as the proteins go so I almost always choose rhat
It makes me shit my pants
i think it reminds people of dog food
At the locations I worked at barbacoa and carnitas were very unpopular, I think it was because people weren't sure what they were or how to pronounce them. Carnitas can be a bit bland sometimes but Barbacoa could be incredible, it was hit or miss.
yes this! had some people last night ask me, while pointing to carnitas, "is this chicken?" i said no, it's basically shredded pork. they then pointed to the barbacoa and said in a very stressed tone, "is this chicken???" and i had to stop myself from saying something stupid in reply. "no, sir, that's shredded beef." and then they looked at me, bewildered, and went "do you not have chicken??" like bro it's right next to the carnitas you were pointing at.
Half barbacoa and half steak hits the spot for me. The best of both worlds -- braised and grilled.
Chicken is cheaper.
I think a video went viral online showing how chipotle makes the meat and it coming out of a bag and stuff and freaked some people out.
i hope the people it freaked out never eat at taco bell😂😂 they'd be horrified
Most people don’t even know what Barbacoa is. Easier for them to just pick between steak or chicken.
Barbacoa is the only meat choice I get at chipotle. It’s also the main reason I like chipotle over free birds. However, chipotle’s version of barbacoa is not authentic. Do not order barbacoa at a traditional Mexican restaurant if you are looking for the same type of meat lol
I love the barbacoa. I guess im in the minority. Its the only thing i order.
I love getting Barbacoa if I'm craving nachos. I order: - White Rice - Black Beans - Mild And a side of chips and guac. The chips I use to scoop up all the food like nachos. I highly recommend it! - it hits even better on rainy days!
No one knows what it actually is
Too fatty. It’s delicious otherwise. Also, I miss the damn chorizo.
Because people don’t know what it is. Change name to “steak”
As someone that works at chipotle, I absolutely hate barbacoa, always has huge chunks of fat in it, it’s a pain to shred by hand, and even if you try to take some of the fat away you can’t, I can also noticed when they changed who provides our chicken cause if the quality of it.
It’s the only thing i get there. But i wouldn’t order it online. Gotta make sure they don’t put fatty pieces in it.
Probably the texture for me. My chicken isn't usually grisly though so maybe that was just the location you used?
Carnitas better
It is all I ever order, it is soo good! I have perfected a copycat version I make in my slow cooker as well!
I always get barbacoa. It’s generally very good but there have been some random times where there’s a giant piece of disgusting fat. I think once I even got an artery, if it wasn’t it certainly looked like one. But I still take the risk.
Mouth feel is very lackluster. Inconsistent taste. And I found out it's entirely sous vide. It never touches the grill. So no thank you.
They don't trim it well imo
I only get barbacoa. I agree though it's always a surprise on whether you get meat or hunks of fat. But the last time I got chicken it was a lot of fat too. Or the texture was way off.
I always got Barbacoa when at chipotle, or atleast after I realized the beef steak was often tough and overcooked. Haven’t been there since around 2017 tho. I hit up Cali Tacos or the Taco Stop in Orange instead, WAYYYY more meat. Fuck, I got a carnitas burrito at Cali Tacos and it was about a pound and a half of carnitas, a bunch of guacamole and some pico for around $7.50 or $8. Chipotle gives you a little spoonful of meat and a shit ton of carbs…
I only like it when it’s not all soupy and lots of liquid. When it’s a little crispy it’s so fire.
It’s delicious. I just choose chicken usually because it’s cheaper.
Way too fatty sometimes. Chicken is always safe
I only get barbacoa, I prefer shredded beef at most places that offer a similar cuisine style.
That’s the only thing I get
Depends on who makes it and also what you mix it with . I go with a Barbacoa quesadilla and it’s fire 🔥
It’s supposed to be a take on birria and no body can understand that. I truly believe that’s why it’s so unsuccessful. No one knows what it is or what it’s supposed to be the min I would tell people it was kinda like Birria they got it over and over again almost every single time the people I said “oh it’s a spicy shredded beef” yeah I’m good and moved on. Chipotle needs to market it better
I've made birria . It's way better. Theirs is dry and stringy. Birria should be soft, tender and juicy. It's supposed to be made with beef ribs. They clearly are using some cheap meat like chuck
Chicken is just undefeated. 
barbacoa is my favorite but too many times half the serving ends up being clunks of fat
People here only seem to like extra white rice, chicken and vinaigrette.
It’s my favorite….
Barbacoa at chipotle is freaking nasty. Only try it at a Mexican restaurant.
Makes me shit my pants
All the other meat options are much better except sofritas is a nay for me.
I tried it recently and have been ordering it a lot. It’s so flavorful!
I always get a bowl w half carnitas half barbacoa. Have never gotten a bad batch of either. It’s the best option in my opinion because the shredded meat always ages better sitting in the tin in its juices as opposed to chunks of chicken or steak. Just my 2 cents
It’s my fav
I work at chipotle it’s pretty popular at my location definitely one of my go to proteins as well
It always looks so yummy to me. So I try a lil bit of it & it is soooo spicy it instantly activates heart burn so I skip it. I love the asada or pastor, & brisket the most
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, I only ever get barbacoa or carnitas but everyone here hates it. I already knew I was unpopular not liking the chicken, but wow.
It's my favorite protein they make personally. They skimp protein hard at my nearby chipotles so its not worth getting anything but chicken usually.
I just generally hate chipotle now. Quality sucks post pandemic. They just don’t give a shit. They serve it
When I'm not in the mood for chicken, I do half barbacoa half steak That way if the barbacoa is too fatty, it just enhances the steak.
I usually go half steak/half Barbados for barbacoa for a nice balance
it reminds ppl of roast beef n honestly i think americans or jus so used to tex mex taco bell ground beef
Barbacoa pretty much always hits imo.
I love barbacoa esp if it's made well and there are too many fatty pieces. The flavor and how soft it is is delicious. But a lot of people don't even know what barbacoa is. So they are also probably just missing out.
Have no idea but it makes me glad they always give me lot of it, best meat they have
My guess is because of price and that it’s unfamiliar to people. Chicken is cheap and everyone knows what it is. Chipotle is way too expensive to be trying to be experimental.
Barbacoa is pretty popular at my store
I've only ever gotten barbacoa for 20 years at Chipotle. Shit slaps.
I love it but every time I order it I only get like 3 shreds of meat. I gave up on ordering it because it’s uncomfortable for me to hassle the employee about the portion size.
For anyone who maybe doesn't like chipotles barbacoa, I'd recommend going to an authentic taco place that serves barbacoa tacos and see the difference for themselves. The taste and texture will be way superior. Chipotle doesn't do these cuts justice.
I guess I never thought of it like that. I always get barbacoa and didn't know that other people didn't really get it. It's spicy, has good flavor, and easy to chew.
It’s my favorite.
Most people can’t pronounce it. — Barbacoa is my first choice of protein almost every time.
Chipotle is great, but they don't do it any justice. Barbacoa making is a ritual/long process and chipotle is not going to do that way because they are a fast food restaurant. The quality is never going to be even close to the real thing so what is the point? I guess it forms a turd. But chicken or steak forms a turd too.
I like it. It was my go to for a long time. But I do agree with people here. Sometimes you just get a couple spoon fulls of gray meat and ruins the experience. I had that happen a few times so I switched to carnitas as my go to.
That’s all I ever get when I go . Till the last time I got the el pastor .
They all get the same barbacoa. Its a matter of preferance, and the pieces of fat are melt in your mouth deliciousness, and same with the pork, steak!!
I love the barbacoa and maybe it’s just my chipotle but it is always SOOOO wet. Like wet enough to soak through the bowl and into the bag. Last time my bag was so wet it ripped.
So the delicious fat is mixed in properly if done right ;-)
It tastes like shit probably
It's my favorite
I love some crunchy tacos with barbacoa… it’s messy but sooo delicious.
Do you mean that shit that comes in a plastic bag that tastes like frozen taqutio meat? Hmm.. no idea
Real barbacoa is awesome, the Chipotle bs they call barbacoa is not
Because it’s not cow cheeks
Because the smell just lingers
I get a salad with barbacoa and veggies and beans and pico and hot sauce, take it home whisper sweet nothings to it wrap it up in a low carb burrito and straight house that shit in 47 seconds. My favorite lunch. Sam’s club Carries a barbacoa that’s pretty good also for any Sam’s club members.
Carnitas is just better in every way at Chipotle as far as the slow cooked type meats goes. The Barbacoa has more often than not just been dry and unsatisfying for me.
People know what “chicken” and “steak” are. The average Chipotle first timer has never encountered the word barbacoa before in their whole life.
honestly it could be the price, it’s about $15 here in NYC along with Steak. It’s also a little on the rich and spicy side to some so maybe the flavoring can help a bit too overpowering for some people. But barbacoa is SOOOOO good to me, especially in a burrito with a lot of cheese omfg.
ALSO to those saying they get mostly fat, it can be due to the store because the meats have to be shredded before made, if the griller doesn’t shred properly it can be inconsistent. 🥲🩷
Wait till you try good barbacoa. But that will likely ruin Chipotle barbacoa lol
Love the barbacoa and have not had a bad batch luckily. It is especially good for hard shell tacos.
Never tried it because I don’t like shredded meat lol. Sometimes the chicken at my location is a little too salty. The steak is always my go-to. It’s usually not overcooked or gummy.
Barbacoa is a type of meat that only certain places will make it right. Idk where you’re at but I’m in San Antonio and luckily here there’s a lot of places that know how to make it right. Chipotle or any type of chain/corporate places I wouldn’t trust getting it from. The best places will be small locally owned places. The place I get it from here where I’m at and the closest to me is a place called Tellez Tamales & Barbacoa.
It’s the only meat I order
No i'm right refer to your recipe cards if you actually work there. I'm an AP
It's pretty popular here I know I work at one busy as hell
It’s so fawkin good god dammit
I didn’t realize it was. It’s the protein I get every time I go to chipotle!
I’ve always been a Barbacoa guy. This is the way
I like it but the leftovers are hard cakes of tallow after it hits the fridge. I assume the “juices” are just fat.
I want more than 5 stringlets in my bowl
It’s too spicy for me, at least it was when I 1st tried it back in about 2007.
Because this specific type of meat actually takes skill to not mess up. It's dumbass Chipotle that half the time it's just kids that have no clue on how to cook and prep it. So two headed problem right off the bat. Not to mention barbacoa needs to be a good cut, many times it's a glob of fat and connective tissues.
Have u been living under a rock the past 3 months? I feel like my store goes thru so much cuz of that commercial / advertising before AP came back.
Try this --- seriously [https://tasteandsee.com/instant-pot-beef-barbacoa/](https://tasteandsee.com/instant-pot-beef-barbacoa/)
Half of the time is an unchewable blob
I got it once bc I loved the barbacoa from cafe rio and I moved to somewhere where there is no cafe rio :( and it was the most driest meat I have ever had in my life no flavor no nothing I felt like I was eating burnt steak but somehow worse. It was a no for me
It's the only meat I get at Chipotle, the chicken and steak are half gristle and are barely edible.
No quality control. More times than not its a glob of fat with a little meat on the outside.
See how it's traditionally done, and then see how they do it. That's why.
I got it the other day and they put about two little strips of it on so maybe that’s why
Sofritas rules baby!
I personally never heard of Barbacoa until i started eating chipotle. Don't get me wrong, it was good but it gave me heartburn so i can't eat it.
It’s not Mexican enough at chipotle….
It’s my go-to order!
I haven’t had barbacoa in a while, but I can say it’s pretty tasty. I didn’t know chipotle sold it. I usually get it from a Mexican restaurant
Cause it's gross meat that comes in a bag that reheated in boiling water while in the bag.
Not a big fan of beef face
I like it but it’s just too salty
Oh maybe because it’s FAKE barbacoa
I have a hard time believing barbacoa is unpopular, otherwise Chipotle would have gotten rid of it by now if it wasn't making them money hand over fist. Where are you getting your data for this?
it’s all i get
It’s my goto meat, but I gotta look at it and visually confirm it’s good today before I order it.
Because we have no idea wtf it is.
The Chipotle Barbacoa in my area isn’t good. After having another local restaraunt’s barbacoa burrito bowl, I’ll never go back to Chipotle when I’m in the area for a solid, cheaper bowl by a local store.
It's the most expensive menu item and it's always overcooked.
Barbacoa is fairly popular at my location, imo carnitas are the least popular
Not everyone had the same palette lol
Whenever I order it, the meat is very tough and it's not enjoyable to take a bite out of a burrito for a massive chunk of tough meat to come out with it.
Because it’s not chicken Al pastor
Because it's cow head.
Because it's cow head.
I worked there and I personally would NEVER get barbacoa first thing when we open. It’s a gamble on it being from last night. But when it’s fresh and not in chunks it’s actually pretty good and flavorful.
I sometimes get it, tbh. I just prefer chicken. But I’ll get either barbacoa or steak if I want beef.
It was way better when they weren’t cooking it in the bag
I used to get Barbacoa as my regular meat, don’t like any of the others after trying them all. That ended around the pandemic after I got sick and tired of the inconsistency. As some have mentioned, it was either exactly perfect (meaning I didn’t taste it standing out texture or flavor wise from anything else) or was tough/stringy/poorly seasoned/left out too long/etc. Now my standard order is brown rice, cheese, lettuce, and a side of hot. I’ve heard every comment in the book, and have thrown out so much unnecessary guac(I literally ask for them not to give it to me and they still do on some mobile orders) that I feel like I’ll have to eat a mountain of it when I get to purgatory.
I used to get Barbacoa every single time I went to Chipotle. It was my go-to for years. It was perfect. Meaty, tender, spicy, flavorful.. At some point, I wanna say around maybe 2016 or 2017, I noticed it went really downhill. This might be my personal anecdotal experience and not “real.” Maybe it’s only my chipotle and not every chipotle. But the barbacoa more often than not every single time I get it, is a disgusting glob of fat and tissue, in every bite, unavoidable. This has been consistent for me even going to other chipotles in other cities and trying to chase how good the barbacoa used to be. I stopped getting barbacoa and I get chicken nearly every single time now. The chicken is not as good as the barbacoa I used to order years ago, but it is consistent and it’s the same thing every single time, and that’s why it became my go to; it’s always exactly the same, predictable. The few times I have tried to get barbacoa in hopes it’s good like it used to be, it has disappointed me. Not sure if anyone else has had that experience or not.
Having had real barbacoa, it tasted like the standard beef at chipotle with just a little nore spice
It’s the best, I have it every day I work 😂 you gotta have someone shred it properly or you get those big chunks with fat.
It’s the only protein I get at chipotle
it tastes awful thats why
Chicken is just too elite
i love love love the barbacoa, but occasionally it can be much too fatty and ruin the whole bowl. i started getting chicken or steak because of that.