Freshwest Grill

One of my favorite lunch places in financial district. Although not always the friendliest service, they’re very quick. The lines move very quickly even if there is a bit of a line. I always get the inside out burrito, which has never disappointed.

Food: 3.5÷5
Service: ³⁄₅
Location: ³⁄₅
I got an inside out veggie burrito bowl for a speedy Mexi-​meal during my lunch break. It was prepared lightning quick and delivered to me with free guac (for the veggie option, otherwise its only $ 0.75 extra) and some low-​fat sour cream (and yes, I’m trying to fool myself into thinking this was a «healthy» choice).The cilantro lime rice was a little dry and therefore not as good in comparison to Chipotle. However the sautéed onions, hot sauce, and salsas added the right mix of flavour and kick.
FreshWest is nestled in the Richmond Adelaide food court, which is a very busy hub during lunch hours. It is one of my favourite food courts in the area due to its abundant seating and natural skylight type lighting. It was $ 8.50 for the meal which is on par with other fast casual burrito places, but I would rather make the trek to the nearest Chipotle the next time I am craving some guacamole and spicy salsa.

I really don’t like this place because I wasted about 10 bucks for lunch that I barely ate. I got the chicken inside out, and only ate the chicken and some brown rice. The staff were quick, but like other reviewers said, they rush you through and expect you to know their menu by heart. They also try to sell you extras (can’t blame them); but 75 cents for a few pieces of grilled onions and peppers?! Give me a break.
The chicken was grilled, but it was so bland. They threw a bunch of other ingredients in, and even though they separated some sauces, I felt like the food was made for dogs the way it was assembled together, and it wasn’t even delicious! In this case, quantity doesn’t equal quality.
I’ll stick with Chipotle. Thanks.

Went to the Bay and Gerrard location in the Sick Kids research tower. Got food poisoning and been on the can continuously for the past 3 days… in fact I’m writing this review from there!
Eaten here a few times but this last time was a doozie!

I only ever get the standard burrito here (not a fan of the salads or inside-​out option personally). It’s a decent burrito. Good size, fair value. Not the best tasting however — it lacks a bit when it comes to satisfaction. I come here because it’s closer, but I would take Chipotle, Burrito Boyz, or z-​teca over this any day. The first two of those are about 10-​minute walks away outdoors, while z-​teca can be found in a neighbouring food court in the PATH.

A fast, convenient and tasty lunch venue that serves good quality food at reasonable prices. I had the inside-​out burrito with steak and it was very good. The line moves very fast and they now take cards, so no longer cash only.

I get take-​out 3x a week as I work close by — it’s so fresh and healthy (they even offer low fat sour cream). I’ve tried every burrito place in the downtown core and this is my favorite as it’s always fresh and fast. Line ups are long but move fast… longer wait for the burritos but super fast if you get an inside-​out burrito (no fajita) or a salad (same but with more lettuce and dressing on side)

veggie burrito, extra corn yum!

My favourite burrito bowl in the city, portions are big and the price is good. The line is long but the staff gets through it pretty quick so you’re not waiting long. My only beef is they need a hotter hot sauce.

This is my favourite, guilty-​pleasure non-​Mexican, Mexican by way of USA, fast food burrito. I have gone to this location at the TD Tower multiple times and have never been disappointed by the execution of the burrito or the taste. The assembly line workers have been very well indoctrinated in making the perfect, fast food burrito.
I have tasted the steak burrito, the chicken burrito, as well as the inside out burrito (no tortilla wrap). I have had it simple; I have added the sauteed peppers (trust me, needed); I have added the guacamole. No disappointments ever. I ask for the hot sauce, and then the mild and hot sauce again right before they add the cheese. To me, that is the perfect balance of flavour and taste.
Never once complained. But the one time I check-​in, the lady wrapping the burritos before putting them on the griddle (I hope that’s what you call it), did a sloppy job that when I unwrapped the foil and started eating, I noticed the burrito was starting to tear and it became a mess — agh! FIrst time that happens.
Tip: always grab a fork. You never know when it will come in handy!

Before the burrito craze hit downtown core, this place existed for some time in the basement of the TD Centre. The food court itself is pretty amazing as it has a lot of marble and looks nothing like the food court of most PATH places. Freshwest is a popular spot. Line up is the norm here and my co-​workers join the herd here on a weekly basis. The reason for their love… the apparent ‘healthy’ factor and it’s cheaper than Z-​teca and other places for similar foods. My personal take, when you have oily vegetables, heavy dressing, rice, AND the burrito wrap… it ain’t healthy. But I’ll admit it’s more on the affordable side for Financial district.
The portions are large for this place but it’s all filler. Lots of rice… possibly more than what a normal person should eat for lunch. Add the wrap on top of that and you have a carby heaven. The protein toppings are salted but that’s as far as it goes for flavour. You really need a dressing on it to give it a taste of any kind. The vegetables are dressed in some sort herbed oil and those I see the herbs… I don’t taste it but I feel the oil. Ick.
The operations here is very quick and they’re quite efficient considering there’s a huge line up at noon. It’s not unusual to see at least 10 people in line. They do have their devoted followers. I just prefer real food and flavour so I can’t follow their love for this place.

Inside-​out burrito is VERY GOOD. Huge lineup moves quickly. Stay on your toes!

–Low cost
–Large portions
–Healthy Options
–Low on YUMM factor, but tasty enough.
I can’t say I’m a fan because there are just way too many truly delicious burritos in this city, but I can reccomend it for the following reason: at Freshwest, the potential for easing the load on your waistline and your wallet is great. Here’s how:
KEEPIN IT REAL LIGHT — $ 7.50 including tax
1. INSIDE-​OUT: Tortillas don’t add much flavour to your meal, but they do add almost 200 cals, so leave em and reep the healthy benefits.
2. VEGGIE: Cheapest option, healthiest option, free guac. Easy.
3. FILL IT OUT: Half portion of brown rice, extra black beans. Ask for extra of all the veggies — at no extra cost, you can add flavour and low-​cal bulk to your meal.
4. REALITY CHECK: Nothing that has enough cheese on it is good for you. Tell ‘em to go light on the chedda.
5. HEAT IT UP: Skip the burrito sauce and mango dressing – the mango dressing they put on the burrito salad is probably the least healthy topping option– and go for hot sauce instead. It packs heat and flavour without the added fat those oily dressings have.
6. COOL IT DOWN: Low fat sour cream OR guacomole, not both– a creamy, cool hit of one of these toppings will balance your warm spicy dish. I’d reccomend the guac; less processed, more flavour, makes up for lack of cheese.

Great, dependable lunch option in the underground.
When working in the financial district, I find that this burrito hits the mark on all dimensions I’m looking for:
–cheap
–quick
–healthy
–filling
Try to read the menu before you get to the front of the line. It’s really not that complicated though.
They have a good numbering system for getting you your burrito after it’s done its time on the grill.

— all references to the «soup nazi» are accurate.
— even the other customers behind you in line while get pissed off at you, if you dont know how to order.
— get the inside out burrito. who needs the tortilla.
— i wish i still worked downtown.

Met up with a friend for lunch today and decided to give Freshwest Grill a try.
Located in the Canadian Pacific Tower food court, the lineups are always long as the white-​collared workers ooze out of elevators everywhere during the mad lunchtime rush in the financial district.
However, the employees at Freshwest Grill move the line along pretty darn fast — which for an impatient gal like me deserves some bonus points.
I opted for the Inside-​Out burrito which is basically just burrito filling. It consisted of lime-​cilantro rice, fried beans, lettuce, tomato, vegetables (which were slathered in oil), guacamole, corn salsa, cheese and a bit of burrito sauce. It filled a large takeout box.
I like that the rice itself is grain-​by-​grain. I’ve been to some burrito places that have a pile of rice mushed together and it just isn’t very good from a textural perspective.
At $ 8.75 you really do get stuffed. The ingredients are fresh, and for the most part healthy. I did notice however that the grilled vegetables were drenched with oil.
Post-​Freshwest Grill I am suddenly feeling very thirsty. But that may also be because I always take the stairs up 8 flights and avoid elevators whenever possible. Hmm…

I have eaten at Freshwest about twice a week for the last two years, so obviously I like it. The best part, as compared to other burrito establishments, is that the meat is not dripping with sauce and each ingredient is completely separate so you can actually tailor things to suit your taste. I started as a pure burrito guy, then moved to the burrito bowl, but I’m now back to the regular burrito.
As others have mentioned, it is an extremely tense ordering environment when you go for your first time. But once you’ve been a few hundred times you will have no problem answering their demands all while typing on your Blackberry and carrying on a conversation.
A burrito costs $ 7.90 after tax if you don’t get any guacamole or vegetables, which are collectively referred to as «extras» when you go to pay.
I have two complaints about Freshwest though. The first is that I am there constantly, yet every day I have to say «no extras» when I pay. I know it’s busy, but throw me bone, you know me and you know I never get any extras. The second problem is that every few months it seems that there is a directive that comes down from management that less toppings should be used and you end up with this sad little burrito. When these austerity measures are in force I think there is a notable reduction in the size of the line, people are noticing Freshwest.
The beef is not very good (tough and dry), so stick with the chicken.

In my opinion, there’s two things you should know before going here: it’s cash only and will be a completely hectic ordering experience. The other reviewers have all the info you need to know on types of burritos and the ordering experience.
My favorite is the chicken inside-​out burrito without hot sauce. (I once got it and found it too hot, but I’m not normally a hot-​hot sauce person.)
I absolutely love the food but Freshwest loses a point because I don’t like being yelled at to come to the cash to pay or being rushed (to an insane degree) when ordering.

It’s a ‘soup nazi’-ish experience, burrito edition.
Your first task is to decide what kind of burrito to have (and I get the impression they expect you to have this sorted out BEFORE reaching the front of the line). Options include a regular burrito, burrito salad, or an ‘inside out burrito’ which is essentially a bowl of burrito fixin’s. Inside out is a nice option to avoid returning to the office with burrito sauce on your shirt. They have good veggie options including soy. Meat options include chicken, beef or shrimp.
Employee #1 adds your choice of protein, beans and rice before sliding your burrito down to the next employee in an extreme burrito assembly line. After that, step to the side and get ready for the sea of questions that will be coming to you from various employees (pay attention and be prepared to answer pretty quickly):
«corn?»
“grilled vegetables… that’s 0.75 extra”
«Burrito sauce or hot sauce?»
«lettuce?»
“peppers?”
“mild, medium or hot salsa?”
«light or regular sour cream?»
«cheese?»
“Guacamole…that’s 0.75 extra!”
(Ok, so I’ve eaten there once or twice…)
I sometimes ask for both mild (tomatoes) and hot salsa. Other times I ask for less rice more beans. Sometimes this is well received, sometimes I get chastised for slowing down the process…
The burritos are bountiful (you will not have 3pm hunger).
There’s almost invariably a line, but it moves quickly.
Cash only folks.

In high school, I was once made fun of for my love of eating just toppings. I would take all my fav burger toppings, throw it in a bowl, and munch away. Same goes for taco toppings. My mom thought that maybe I was having a weird pregnancy craving. Of course, the not gaining any weight or giving birth after 9 months killed that theory.
X amount of years later, enter Freshwest Grill. They serve burritos. Pretty normal. But my favourite is the option to have an inside-​out burrito – everything but the flour tortilla. That means I can get as many toppings with my rice as I love (and can afford as some are extra) without any judgement. They actually encourage it. They’ll slyly hold the spoon over the salsa and ask, «do you want mild, medium or hot? More cheese? How about tomatoes?» I almost drooled in line at the combination. Mixing it all together reminded me of being young again, when things that looked so disgusting could taste so delicious.
Freshwest is a simple spot. There are 3 styles of burritos: regular, inside-​out and salad. The toppings and meat are all things that you can get at any tex-​mex place. Freshwest does however advertise that all of their food is made fresh daily and it does taste that way. It’s a nice alternative in the sea of underground PATH fast food. At Freshwest Grill, they understand me – at least my love of inside-​out food.
They have regular burritos and veggie options. Cash Only.