Mission Burritos, St Michael's Street

Carnitas, pinto beans, hot sauce - what more can I say? One of the few Oxford foods I miss. Always eat one when I'm in town :-)

BenS (DI User), 16/05/11

I have to agree with the other poster: The Mission burritos seem to have changed recently (early 2011). They don't seem to stuff as much in or even have the same circumference. I notice they haven't got any cheaper to compensate!

They're still pretty tasty for decent fast food but not quite as good value as before. I hope the food gets back to its old heights (and preferably size!) cos it's a great Oxford option and really filled a Mexican black hole.

Seraphicus (Unverified), 07/03/11

Been a huge fan of the Mission and gone through 2 loyalty cards in the last 3 months. Really enjoyed the delicious value-for-money burritos and faijtas. However the last few visits have been a disappointment. The amount of carnitas and peppers seem drastically reduced since christmas, and there's something different about the superhot salsa.
Hope the Mission we all love will be back after this small spell of neglect, which might be the weather, or something else. Good luck and hope all is well when the students return.

Affi (Unverified), 08/01/10

Dude, it's good. Had a shredded pork burrito, they couldn't get it all in the tortilla, it ended up a delightful mess. Beats a pukka pie any day.

Zues (Unverified), 09/08/09

Special guest menu items for National Vegetarian Week, 18th - 24th May!

Courgette & Sweetcorn
Squash & Paprika (weekend special)
Caponata (ratatouille)

Come and try them all!

Ox Veg (Unverified), 13/05/09

Normally a big fan of The Mission but very disappointed today when presented with a burrito literally half the size of those normally served - all the wraps they were serving out were tiny. I hope this was a one-off blip rather than new policy, if it's the latter then I'm afraid I won't be going again.

70p extra for gaucomole to be given one half spoonful (until I asked him to go back and put more on) was pretty off too.

Usually great though, so I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

Marvin (DI User), 11/05/09

Frustratingly tight portions. Well overpriced. The last time I went I found myself saying extra rice, extra salsa, and gmolie. Who wants to pay 6 bucks for lunch and still be hungry afterwards? Not me, and for that reason im out! P.S. Sevice is relatively fast.

edward (Unverified), 28/04/09

This is an excellent place for a quick and filling lunch. The portions are large and food fresh and tasty. The only downside is the lack of space to sit and eat - you may well have to queue to be served and to find a seat. But you can take away. A much better option than MacDonalds, Burger King and the like.

Mike (Unverified), 08/02/09

I'm a burrito expert and I love The Mission. For £4.95 you get a seriously huge burrito (my favourite is carnitas, black beans and chipotle salsa) prepared by real mexicans - what's not to love? Sometimes the queue is out the door and down the street which is annoying but the guys inside are working like crazy so I can't blame them just for being popular... get a bigger place next time!!!

Dom (Unverified), 04/01/09

I've been here a couple of times for lunch, to make a change from a standard M&S sandwich. The food is always fresh but lacks any real flavour and there isn't much to choose from once you've been there a two or three times. Also, adding extras (cheese, guacamole) plus a soft drink, racks up the price to £6+.

I will continue to visit the Mission every now and again but don't rate it for value and choice.

VickyJP (DI User), 01/01/09

Mission Burrito gives you more food for your pound than anywhere else in Oxford.

j. foogenfavem (Unverified), 26/12/08

The Mission is way overpriced for the amount of food you recieve. The Mission is a take off of American chain resturants Qudoba and Chipotle. Unlike those places however, they skimp on the rice, beans, veggies and meat filling, charge extra for cheese and in general present you with a very lame burrito. Now many may rip on America for over feeding and being the land of obesity (check your facts again for Britain leads in Obese boys), but if I'm going to pay £5.75 for a meal, I don't want to still be hungry at the end of it. For anyone reading this and thinking this person must be a fatty, think again, I simply run a lot and want a good meal that leaves me full and energized.

Not only is it a poor selection because of the meal for your money issue, it is NOT real mexican flavor. As somone that lived down the street from the largest mexican population in Northern America Mexican food is my favorite type of food on the entire planet and the Mission just doesn't cut it.

To be fair however, English food is terrible and while this place is way overpriced and not a very filling meal, it's one of the better tasting places in Oxford. The staff however are incredibly rude.

RealFood (Unverified), 06/12/08

This place is heaven!
I used to live in Mexico and can say with authority that ‘The Mission’ captures the essence of really flavoursome, freshly cooked food with enough of a chipotle kick (which is delicious by the way) to warm you up on a winters evening. The service was second to none and there was an abundance of everything your salivating heart could desire. Definitely recommended, especially for a healthy cheap eat.

Chris (Unverified), 18/11/08

Good stuff, in the time-honoured tradition of burrito bunkers that tend to spring up around American university campuses. Filling, fresh, does what it says on the tin. As noted by other reviewer, you'll need to ask for extra chipotle salsa if you want a bit of a kick, but that's a minor point. Oxford has been needing a place like this for years. I'll definitely be back!

CREO (Unverified), 16/11/08

I've never previously reviewed a food establishment, let alone provided feedback to the company (which I just did). I have been looking around the whole country for a great burrito...this is closest thing you are gonna get to the real thing (Taco Del Mar, Chipotle etc).

If you too have been searching for the Great British Burrito, the paradox may finally be unraveling. Keep it up chaps!

Burritofan (Unverified), 29/08/08

I really wanted to like this place, and to be fair you got a very large meal for a good price. However tastewise it left a lot to be desired. The rice used was plain boiled, the chicken tasted like it had also been boiled with no added flavor at all. They had chilli available to add a bit of spice, but it didn't come close to the flavorsome variety of burritos available in the states (and presumebly Mexico). Bit of a disappointment but hopefully will improve over time.

hungryHenry (Unverified), 19/08/08

Moving here from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was looking forward to this burrito place opening in Oxford. Modeled (closely!) on the popular Chipotle chain, the Mission does follow through on the promise of large portions served quickly for a reasonable price. Every time I've been, the staff have been friendly and efficient; the line moves fairly quickly, so it pays to know what you want before standing in line (newcomers can always walk up promptly, say "I'd like a burrito" and answer the appropriate questions). It's worth knowing that what they term a "fajita burrito" is really just a burrito but with peppers and onions substituted for beans.

Having said all that, I was mildly disappointed with the product (keep in mind that my burrito standards are perhaps unrealistically high). While the Mission offers different meat choices (chicken, pork carnitas, and chipotle-marinaded steak), I found the chicken and pork to be far too bland (carnitas in particular should mouth-wateringly savory; this tasted like plain cooked pork). The steak was better with a good chipotle flavor. Salsas were likewise bland (not only in terms of "heat" but also in terms of general flavor and zest) with the chipotle salsa the only standout for me (mild/medium heat but a nice chipotle flavor). Guacamole had the too-smooth consistency and slightly grey color of batch-processed fast-food guacamole (probably unavoidable in this restaurant type). I and my fellow diners (native UK folks) agreed that our burritos were tasty enough but not particularly interesting or noteworthy, and decided that it was a good option if you were in the area but not worth seeking out from a distance unless you just needed a burrito fix.

So in short: not the ultimate burrito, but a very acceptable product for the price and a welcome option in Oxford. If you want a good, fast, hearty meal for a low price, you could do a lot worse than the Mission.

VPutz (Unverified), 18/08/08

Not to be recommended. I went there during National Vegetarian Week and there was a prominent menu of vegetarian choices. However when I ordered a vegetarian burrito I was told there were no peppers and onions as "the chef goes home at 5.30". For a restaurant claiming to be be open till 11 (this was 9pm) I don't think that was much of an excuse.

I asked about the vegetarian alternatives (I really didn't mind what I had as long as it was veggie) and was told none were available despite what it said on the menu. One of the staff grudgingly offered to fry me up the peppers and onions and said it would be 10 minutes. I said OK and was then left standing there while the person behind me got served despite the fact I wanted to order a drink. As I was still hanging around by the till I was told to go and sit down and my burrito would be brought to me. I explained that I wanted a drink so was eventually served a beer, paid for beer and burrito and went to join my friend who by this time was half way through his pork burrito. More than 20 minutes later my companion had finished eating - still my food had not appeared. One of the staff then came up and asked if I had received my food yet and I said no. I then said there was no point now so asked for my money back which after some fussing about I got. The peppers and onions had been cooked by then, served up to subsequent customers but I had clearly been forgotten. In sum I think the place is gimmicky but badly run and unable to cope with the volume of custom.

My friend's burrito was big but he also said he would not be returning.

Caro (Unverified), 26/05/08

Hark! What ho? The burrito has arrived in Oxford. And it's about time.

Deliciously wrapped beans and rice with choice of meat and top it off with whatever you want - cheese, guac, and (be still my beating heart) free sour cream. Not only does The Mission give you that satisfying burrito bar experience, but it beats out many of its London competitors by offering a choice of pinto or black beans. Not to mention the salsa choices, which are a nice break from the standard tomato-based, chili-less jars you find in the shops.

The Mission is also open till 11 most nights, so if you're looking for a cheap pre-pub dinner that'll fill you up like no panini ever did, go burrito.

On the downside, there isn't much seating area, so you might want to take your wrap-up on the go. Also, the tortilla chips, though crisp to perfection, err a bit on the salty side. That being said, The Mission offers something no other restaurant in Oxford does: an affordable, filling meal full of flavour, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Also recommended for: hangovers.

Lenny (DI User), 08/04/08

Expect to pay: £4.50 for a fajita or burrito. £3 extra for drink and chips.

This place is brilliant! I've never been compelled to write a review on Daily Info before, but this place is in a league of its own. Everything is cooked on the premises so it all tastes really fresh (including the guacamole, which I think is an integral part of a good fajita) There were also three different types of salsa to choose from (very tasty on you fajita and with the tortilla chips, which were the closest I've found to authentic Tex-mex chips, and a world apart from generic Doritos type crap)

I can't comment on the burritos cuz I'm not so much a fan of those, but I over-heard the girl in front being asked what type of beans she wanted, so there's obviously choice there too.

The price of a fajita or burrito seemed a little steep when I first went in, considering that it's in competition with all the panini places around, which are a good 1-2 quid cheaper. However, when you see the portion size, it's unlikely that you'll have any gripes about parting with your £4.50. With a side of tortilla chips, this would fill you up for dinner, let alone lunch. My only complaint would be that cheese and guacamole cost extra (30p and 55p respectively) since as I mentioned earlier, these are important components of a fajita that I just can't do without. Soft drinks cost £1.25 and you can get Mexican Beer for £2.95.

Finally, to complete my rave review of the place, the staff seem to be very nice and friendly. The place isn’t (or wasn’t) half as busy as it should be (though St Michael’s street is a tough location despite its centrality) and too many people walked past the door and peered in before deciding to move on. Hopefully though, given the quality of the food, the place will gain many returning customers.

Jess (Unverified), 25/03/08

Amazing done-on-the-spot burritos with a choice of various meats, fillings and salsas. Good value for money and great portions.

Derf (Unverified), 23/03/08