The true test of a late night burrito joint is if customers line up during the day. The Burrito House has them—sober customers, too. As a former neighbor of the restaurant, I woke to Burrito House detritus strewn across the living room on more than a few occasions. But for every morning there was an evening when I ate at a booth, civilized-like, watching the Spanish station or puzzling through Hoy. Ah, summer nights.

The Burrito House menu includes 12 different burritos, tacos, tostadas, tortas, nachos, antojitos, quesadillas and entrees like the shrimp fajita dinner (which, at $7, is the most expensive item on the menu). Try the specialty Californian burrito, which comes with shredded beef, rice, beans, cilantro, onion and green salsa. If you're looking to cut down on the carbs, order up a junior burrito, which is slightly wider than the various squeeze-bottles of salsa available. A vat of horchata, or sweet rice water, swirls beside the counter; near the standard American fountain drinks are Mexican specialties like the thick juice, Tamarindo, and the flowery, Hi-C-like Jamaica.

Though the outside is dingy, the expanded dining room, lined with colorfully patterned tiles, is bright and inviting. Sun sculptures, indigenous masks and rustic paintings embellish the yellow walls, and colorful ceramic tiles cover the table-tops. The guys behind the counter, as quick with a burrito as they are with the charm, encourage tips.

Centerstage Reviewer: Robert Duffer