I went here for lunch while on campus and it reminds me of chipotle except a full bar and more fun. I like that you can order as many tacos as you want. I ordered two as a snack but was full after one. read more

Just like chipotle but more expensive and less food... it's telling me I can't post the review yet because it's too short so I'm just filling up this space. read more

Illegal Pete's was very disappointing today. Their new staff is so rude/awful and rolled their eyes while I ordered a burrito. A SIMPLE FUCKING BURRITO. If you can't make a burrito, you aren't suited for this job. Not only was their staff shit, but their food was bland and disgusting. Never coming back here again. I'll be enjoying my flavorful chipotle across the street :) read more

Visited this cool hangout today! Love that it rivals Chipotle but one ups them. Today I had a loaded breakfast burrito. They have many inclusions to pick from. The staff is incredibly friendly which makes the experience even better. What I like most is they have $5 mimosas. The downfall is that it has to be paid separately at the bar. Special tip....you get a free burrito on your birthday. read more

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If you want under seasoned chipotle this is the place for you. It's not as good as chipotle however they make the same things. There is nothing that differentiates this place other than the name. I ate it today and the rice wasn't seasoned, and the meat was bland. Not a fan and I won't be going back. read more

being that i am a frequent customer, i was under the impression that i would have no problem ordering a margarita. but, considering it is grad week, i have been hyper emotional saying the goodbyes to all of my friends. today, on my graduation, i showed up to illegal pete's with my best friend since freshman year and we were unfortunately already in tears. WITH THAT BEING SAID, we were refused service. because we were crying?? and on top of everything else, i had dealt with a personal issue, also resulting in my tears. furthermore, i am writing this from the bar next door with all consciousness. so, fuck you petes. read more

I love this place! It is similar to the way Chipotle works, as it is a food line, yet the food is better quality and all the employees are amazing. I go to the University of Arizona and this is by far one of my favorite places to go for a bite as well as get drinks. Their prickly pear margaritas are out of this world! 10 out of 10 would definitely recommend! read more

The other night I was here and had a horrible experience with the people that work the front gate. They carded me for a drink, and proceeded to take my real ID. They refused to give it back unless I called the police, which I did because I need it to drive. While I was on the phone with TPD they decided to say some extremely rude things about me and how I was obviously under 21. I understand doubting my age because I look younger but they made no effort to verify my identity or double check the ID they instead were blatantly rude to me, even when the officers had shown up and also insisted that it is a real form of identification. This used to be one of my favorite places to go in Tucson, and I have been here countless times before with no issue, however the obnoxious and rude behavior of the staff from this occasion has completely turned me off of this restaurant entirely. Even after waisting 2 hours of my time, they refused to give me my drink and promised me a refund that I still have not received. read more

Looks just like chipotle but not as fresh - disappointed because we wanted brunch but it ends at 1030? So anyway settled for a chicken burro and fish tacos will uptake review after we eat. Should have went across the street to Chipotle. The food was okay. read more

Ordered online (with a margarita) and after waiting 50 minutes and them telling me they didnt have my order they finally had my food. When I produced my Id I was told it was fake. Understanding they probably get alot of them I grab my other two spare Ids to prove im not lying and my IDs are real. He then calls me an asshole and I ask if this is a joke he then said "youre being an asshole" and asks me "where is your card are you going to pay". Not impressed, probably had a bad day but if he didnt wanna be there he should find a new job instead of taking his small man problems out on me ha read more

updated review: i still am in love with this place. the only worker that has been amazing every time i have visited has been zach. he is a bartender and so friendly. his customer service is impeccable. if you go to pete's, i HOPE you get zach as a bartender. if i could give this place 20 stars i would!!!! zach the manager was so nice!!! john and eddie the bartenders are also very friendly with great customer service! this is the best place to get a quick bite to eat and a beer/margarita!!! definitely recommend read more

Like Moe's but way cooler. The food was fresh and my salad was fabulous. Also loved the ambiance of the place. I was hanging out waiting for my husband's conference to be done so I ate here and people watched from the window. Great place. read more

Illegal Petes is basically chipotle, gentle bens, and frog combined into one place. The food is amazing and very decently priced. There's also a ton of variety. They have burritos, tacos, quesadillas, taquitos, nachos, and salad, and for meats they have fish, beef, chicken, and pork. They also have breakfast! The bar scene here is also really great. They have a full bar upstairs and downstairs. The upstairs area also has an area where live bands play/dj at night. Happy hour is from 3pm-8pm and you can get $4 (very decent size) margaritas! You also get free chips and salsa with any purchase from the bar. Illegal Pete's opened last week and I've already been here 3 times! It's that good. Everyone that works here is super friendly and high energy. The first night we came here we missed the cut off for free burritos, but the manager/supervisor outside let us come in anyways and gave us a tour of the entire place instead. Such great customer service. Bottom line is, I love Illegal Petes. read more

If chipotle is your go to place, prepare to change your habits. Illegal Petes is a fresh take on the fast casual Mexican food restaurant with more selections including bowls, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, QUESO, and chili. The meat is your standard selection of carne asada, chicken, carnitas, and two different vegetarian options. The salsa selection is superb: verde was delicious, corn was sweet and full of cilantro, and the pico was well balanced. The guac is simple and delicious. Definitely make sure to try the queso, you won't regret it! Once the protestors get over themselves, the atmosphere will be awesome. Bar selection looked extensive, especially the beer section. Happy hour looks promising and the upper deck sure will be cool. Can't wait to try breakfast!! read more

Illegal Pete's - Bowl was delicious - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Ok. Allow me to begin by Saying that I DO love that something has finally occupied the space in the old Franklins building. That having been said....Illegal Petes was probably the worst Mexican food I've ever eaten. I'm no fan of Chipotle either and the two restaurants are basically the same. Super bland, cafeteria style setting with friendly young people serving the masses truly bad food. The place is cute and once again the service was fine, but nothing could make up for the food. It was incredibly generic and there was little hint of any authentic Mexican ANYTHING anywhere in the restaurant. I understand that this is Colorado Mexican....but for goodness sake....to try and pass off this low level of Latin fare in Tucson is criminal! I do wish them well and I hope it adds to the allure of Main Gate Square, but when parents weekend rolls around, I hope the kids take their folks out to south 4th for Mexican! We in Tucson have a reputation to uphold! read more

Was dying to try this place after all the hype. Ordered a fish taco, carnitas taco and steak taco. First, the not good. Steak taco was over cooked, tough and meat was cold, really didn't have a lot of flavor. Carnitas were nothing special. The cilantro pesto was bland, needs garlic and lime. The service was awkward. Not as smooth as I'd imagine. The bar was left unmanned while the bar tender made herself a burrito. Not much fish in the fish taco, basically one piece. The music is LOUD. Like night club loud. There were four counter attendant and only one was helping me, while the two people behind me waited. The bathrooms were a mess with paper towels all over the floor. Now the good. Fish taco flavor was awesome! Crisp, flavorful and moist. The house extra hot salad was very good. The service was polite and welcoming. The bar has a bunch of local beers. There's plenty of very cool outside seating, even a rooftop area. Now with all that said this place did just open so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and try again. I know they do well in Denver just not sure it's able to stand up to Tucson's legit taco scene. Good luck Pete! read more

Pete's, then Frog, then No Anchovies. Ever since Pete's has come into town, the bar has been set for awesome hangouts that murk the competition with chipotle while offering a full bar. Ive probably visited this place between twenty and thirty times since last year for various reasons and have never been remotely disappointed. Okay okay once I went in wearing Washington colors and wasn't well received. But besides that this place rocks. They pretty much offer up most Mexican dishes, including breakfast tacos. Their queso dip is dangerous. I love making my own bowl with veggies, chicken, and rice. Free chips too. Onto their bar. Lots of custom shot and drink combos. My favorite is the PBR and shot of Jim beam. Watch out. Or ask about the lunchbox. Weird combo but surprisingly good. They feature lots of Colorado beers like upslope, Odell, and others, but also plenty of Tucson beers too so you can drink local. The only caveat is that there usually isn't any dancing going on during weekends so you have to stop here before or after you take care of that. read more

Not impressed even after a second visit. It's wayyy too much like Chipotle. Both times I've had pork carnitas, first in a burrito that was over stuffed and sloppy and tonight I had two soft shelled tacos. The meat is bland and uneventful. My son loves Chipotle so naturally he likes this place...especially since I won't allow him to eat at Chipotle since they can't get the Ecoli issue under control. No Ecoli here just bland regular no thrills food. If the college kids can get over the name this place might last a year but it's off too a bad start. read more

Tasty and cheap food and leagues ahead the Chipotle across the street. The ambiance is just as awesome! Two floors of open seating, and a bar on each level! read more

Illegal Pete's - Breakfast Burrito w/eggs, salsa, potato, cheese, veggies, corn. - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I was attending a concert at (up the block) Centennial Hall, didn't know where the hell I was really, but needed to grab a bite before the show started. Just saw this joint and thought that's it's hard to screw up a burrito. But they came pretty close to doing this! It's an assembly line of ingredients, similar to Chipotle, but after all was said and done, the thing was unbelievably soggy, and I had to eat it with a fork. Chips and sala extra charge, and with my burrito and the chips and salsa, it came to over 12 bucks. Nope, no thanks, way overpriced for what it was. Will not be returning, no matter how lost and hungry I am! read more

I am writing this review as a University of Arizona recent graduate and someone who has gone here and contributed business to this place hundreds of times over the past four years. If you didn't know this is one of the most popular spots for college students to eat great fresh Mex, get drinks, and party. I have pretty much tried everything on their menu and they definitely have some great options. You can get tacos, a bowl, salad, burrito, and more. My absolute go to especially over the past few years was a chicken bowl with white and brown rice, black beans, cheese, lettuce, cabbage, pico, medium salsa, hot salsa, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, sour cream, and guac. I also would love to get the chips and queso or guac. The chips are very comparable to Chipotle but I like these ones better because they are much lighter and thinner. After long and hard debates I have come to the conclusion that Illegal Pete's is better than Chipotle... everything is made more fresh. read more

I went into Illegal Pete's for the first time on a Saturday at 6pm. I really didn't expect the line to be that long. I'm somewhat conflicted by this place. While waiting in line, you are surrounded by sorority girls and fraternity bros. Yes, it's as obnoxious as it sounds. Prepare to have people yelling over you (and the music), and people's friends cutting in line to not only talk, but to order food as well. There will be bumping. Okay, so the environment is a bit immature, but what about the food. Obligatory Chipotle Comparison: The steak burrito was comparable in size to Chipotle, but a few cents cheaper. However, the taste comparison lead to Pete's being on the slightly bland side. When we found the only salt shaker in the restaurant, and put a little on the burritos, it definitely helped. PLUS: The ability to add queso was a huge plus for me. It added a lot to the burrito. But, as soon as Chipotle gets queso, I'll be there waiting at the door. That's probably the only benefit to Pete's burritos. Be prepared to yell your order over the counter, because the music is loud. We sat outside. As I walked back in to grab some napkins, a cell phone from the top floor patio was thrown down to the ground and shattered about three feet in front of me. From there a frat guy proceeded to come downstairs and began arguing with the bouncer and some other person about how some girl threw his phone over the edge. The situation didn't necessarily bother me, but it continues to paint the picture of Pete's. Overall: The food is worth eating. However, it's hard to justify, when I could go across the street, and not have to worry about the loud and drunken environment of soror/frat -ness, and get a better burrito (unfortunately without queso) at Chipotle. I think overall, it would be better if the crazy atmosphere was isolated to the bar upstairs, and not to the normal restaurant downstairs. I hope to be back at some point to try the breakfast burritos. read more

I came on a Tuesday around noon. My first experience with the place was awesome. The food was good, so I came back. Pros: lots of seating - there's a downstairs, upstairs, and tables outside; accepts CatCash; there's a bar; close to Tyndall garage My experience today: I ordered the same thing that I did the first time. A grilled chicken burrito, flour tortilla, brown rice, green salsa, cheese & guac. I ate there with friends. I was so disappointed because my burrito was cold. Other people I was with also said their food was cold. Personally, I think this place is better than Chipotle. Similar idea when it comes to ordering and choosing your toppings. What they do here that Chipotle doesn't is grill their chicken - which I love! Overall: Great environment, staff is friendly. Fun place to go with friends. I won't let today's experience stop me from going back. read more

Food was awesome, I'm glad they finally opened and that this prime space on University is being used! Full bar too If definitely recommend everyone to check them out. read more

Yelp is useless. Illegal Pete's is a place to have fun with great food, stellar music and filled with unique personalities. I for one have high hopes for this place. read more

The food was really fresh and delicious. Clean bathrooms. Cheerful employees. My only issue was the music was up way too loud tor me.

There's good and bad to this place. Good: There is a full bar. They have a nice selection of local beers on tap. The food wasn't bad, just nothing special. If you're looking for a bar to sit and watch football, drink beer, and you don't want pizza or a burger from next door, this is your place. Not good: chipotle is right across the street and has way better food. Everything was bland and lacks salt and seasoning. Also, in the two hours I was there to watch the football game I did not hear any good from the staff. I couldn't figure out who worked there or was a customer. They discussed way too personal things, how they did drugs and drank, some had apparel on about drugs, and they all cursed like sailors. So if you're looking for a place to bring your kids for a good burrito, go for chipotle across the street. read more

Fantastic fish tacos. Super fast service. Cool outdoor seating and atmosphere. Loses a star for the sticky floor.

Good food (chipotle style taco/burrito bar) for a decent price and the drinks selection is also great. I like that there are two full bars, one upstairs and one downstairs with many local craft beers on tap. While I didn't try one, I also noticed their house margaritas are only $4 during happy hour and quite the nice pour of alcohol. The best part is that happy hour is from 3-8pm every day of the week! There is a ton of seating and lots of TVs for sports fans. However, I can easily see this becoming a place that many students go to pregame before sports events or a night out. The staff was still training while I was there but I did notice that several people were asked to leave when they had had enough. I hope that mindset continues so the crowd of people doesn't ruin it for the other patrons. Hope this places sticks around! read more

Wish this was there when I was in school. They have a wide range of toppings to put on your entree. I liked the potatoes as a nice touch. Some toppings are extra, but worth a try. They have plenty of beers on draft, and more in bottles. Happy to be able to get good beer selection without going to a "sit down" place. Like the indoor and outdoor seating, and the upstairs. Good atmosphere. The lines can get long, but they do a nice job of moving you through. read more

The food is amazing! If you're pescatarian the fish tacos are to die for. Sam took amazing care of us and all of the staff works hard to make you feel safe and enjoy your time out! Highly recommend this place read more

This is a popular spot on university. I've been many times. But the last time I went I got sick and shat myself so I won't be going back for a while. read more

Best nachos eveerrrrrr..the food is awesome its more hip more fun of a place than chipotle it also helps that it has music going and a good bar. a+ read more

Illegal Pete's - Sick nachos the best..its a better more fun chipotle with music and a bar. Definitely will be back - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I had a mishap with the food last time I was here but the manager, Joe invited me back in for a complimentary meal to give the food another shot. It was excellent. I got the primavera bowl with green chili sauce added to it. Better than chipotle. Joe was very professional and handled the whole situation beautifully. I like going to places knowing their management team is in top of quality service. Good job illegal Petes ! read more

Illegal Pete's is basically a Chipotle with a bar and upstairs seating. Lots of U of A students enjoying a Friday night when I was there. The food was good but I like Chipotles food better. read more

I just walk in during mid-day, the workers were getting after each other right when I walked in. The lady at the serving bar asked the bartender if he could help at the register and then he fired back "I have customers too". Doesn't seem like a friendly atmosphere. Then to top it all; I got a bowl, asked for extra brown rice and received like 1/4 of a scoop which is not much extra, the sour cream scoop was pathetic. The over all size of my bowl was a joke. I'll be going back to Chipotle from now on. Thanks for a still hungry belly for lunch Pete's. Go back to the old you when y'all first opened. What a joke. read more

While it may be similar, Pete's is much, much better than chipotle. More fun atmosphere and better food. Great selection of draught beers and good Bartenders. A good place to hang out for a while or just to pick up a quick lunch/dinner. Friendly staff, clean dining room and bathrooms, and good music (most of the time). read more

We stopped here yesterday after the book fair, and sat outside on the patio - it was a nice atmosphere and good music, and the food was good too. It was a Chipotle style bar, where you choose your beans, rice, meat, and toppings. They have burrito bowls and burritos, even breakfast! The tortillas, and salsa were authentic. There is an upstairs area and patio, it has a nice urban vibe, and they support starving artists. I do wish they had a salsa bar instead of paying 69 cents for each small salsa. read more

I had the chicken fajita burrito bowl, and it was great! Fresh ingredients and great flavor. Their margaritas are also great, only $5! read more

Illegal Pete's - Chicken fajita bowl with added beans - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I ordered online and my bowl was missing guacamole, which is $2 extra by the way. They also included items in my bowl that I didn't ask for. The new ordering system is completely heinous. They will 1000% mess up your order even though their employees literally have the easiest job of reading off a list and scooping items. read more