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Inside Dos Toros Chicago, the Burrito Chain’s First Location Outside N.Y.

Mission-style burritos arrive on Monday

Dos Toros first Chicago location opens on Monday.
Marc Much
Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

New York-based Dos Toros will open its first restaurant outside The Big Apple on Monday and bring a unique style of burrito to Chicago. Mission-style burritos (named for the Mission district in San Francisco) come griddled with a large flour tortilla stuffed with the usual suspects: Meat, cheese, sour cream, beans, and rice. Dos Toros Chicago is scheduled to open on Monday at 1 N. Dearborn St. in The Loop.

The chain started eight years ago and is popular for the downtown lunch crowds with 13 locations. The owners grew up in the Bay Area, where Mission-style burritos took off in popularity. When the Kremer brothers moved to New York, they wanted to bring their favorite childhood food to the East Coast. Mission-style burritos aren’t new to Chicago; The Tribune recommends Gordillas in Little Village.

Dos Toros’ burritos feature melted Monterey Jack. Melted cheese is something that many burritos lack, Oliver Kremer said. The Kremers custom ordered 13-inch tortillas from El Milagro, the tortilla maker in Pilsen. The flour tortillas are thinner than most and used for their burritos and quesadillas. They’ve been so well received in Chicago that Dos Toros now uses El Milagro at their New York locations.

The Chicago space is two levels with counter seating in front of the first-floor windows. A defining characteristic at Dos Toros is their double lines for customers which allow twice as many to queue up for faster service. Leo Kremer said it gives busy downtown workers more time to relax during their short afternoon lunch breaks. Dos Toros is a fast-casual Mexican spot, so prepare for the Chipotle comparisons. But the Kremers say they don’t care much about the competition.

Check out the photos below. Dos Toros’ first Chicago location — and first outside of New York — opens on Monday.

The revolving doors feature the Dos Toros logo until they’re removed for the opening.
The owners hope staff keeps service moving during lunch.
They’ll also serve beer from Revolution Brewing.
A peek at the menu.
It’s the familiar fast-casual assembly line.
The outside reads “New Kids On The Guac.”
The stairs lead up to the second floor.
The chain’s logo in white neon.
The second floor reveals more seating.
The windows seats give diners a nice view of The Loop.