Hollywood Burrito
248 Allen Street, Buffalo
by Mike Niman & Laura McClusky
Gazette Food Critics

Our search for a good cheap fast food burrito, a long and difficult journey, has finally come to an end on Allen Street. Yep, we’re sitting back, bellies full, after a visit to Hollywood Burger and Burrito, 248 Allen St., Buffalo.

This small hole in the wall shop offers take out only, though in mild weather they line the sidewalk with old school chairs (the ones with the fold out table slabs) for an impromptu sidewalk cafe — or rather sidewalk squat. What they lack in seating, however, they make up for with quality food.

We tried the steak, chicken and shredded pork burritos — each for $3.99. They also offer beef, bean and chorizo burritos. Both the chicken and the steak came out on top. The chicken is well spiced (not too spicy, not too plain), marinated and tasty. It’s cooked fresh and tender. The steak is also juicy, tender and marinated in a complex blend of spices. Very good. Very good indeed. While the chicken and the steak come fresh from the grill, the pork. which starts out a bit fatty, suffers from a bout in the microwave, drying out a few of the smaller pieces.

The hot sauce seems to have Franks’ Hot Sauce as a base, but with a lemony bite. It works with the cheese and tomatoes, and especially highlights the steak . The pico de gallo (30 cents extra - it’s a fresh salsa - uncooked tomatoes, cilantro, onion) is bitchin’ and picks up where the hot sauce leaves off. The guacamole (60 cents) is also good, but the serving is on the small side, almost disappearing between the meat and veggies.

These are good sized burritos — quite generous when compared to the fast food competition. If you are really hungry, or just quite large, you can up size your burrito, adding beans or doubling the meat for just a buck — a best buy. But pack a few extra napkins and be prepared for a mess.

We haven’t tried the sides yet, but they offer an interesting array ranging from fried plantains ($2.99) to stuffed hot peppers ($5.99). Other meal options include veggie burgers, turkey burgers and buffalo (small "b" for the beast, not the city) burgers ($3.99) as well as taco salads ($4.99), grilled chicken breast sandwiches ($3.99) and a host of other sandwiches beginning at $2.99.

Overall, this is good quality food. It’s prepared fresh and that takes time, so be patient and always expect a 15 minute wait. There’s often a game of scrabble or a lively conversation going on out front so relax — this is Allen Street.

UPDATE>>> Hollywood Burrito is Now Closed - And Damn We Miss This Place!
Someone Please Open A Decent Mexican Restaurant in Buffalo.