BTB Burrito Feeds You for Under $10 and Does Not Apologize

South University between State and Forest is a strip of student-oriented restaurants where turnover is high and loyalty is earned in semesters, not decades. BTB Burrito has held its spot at 1140 S University Ave through several cycles of that churn. The reason is not complicated. Burritos are big. Prices are low. The line moves fast.

The Build

BTB runs a build-your-own counter format. Pick your base (burrito, bowl, tacos, quesadilla), pick your protein, pick your toppings. The process takes about ninety seconds from the time you step up to the register. A loaded burrito with rice, beans, protein, salsa, and cheese comes in under $10.^{1Menu items and pricing from in-restaurant observation, summer 2025.}

The chicken is the default order for a reason: seasoned, pulled, consistent. Steak has more flavor but costs a dollar more. I get the chicken most of the time and add both salsas. The habanero has real heat, not the kind that announces itself as "spicy" and then does nothing. The verde is bright and tangy. Both are made in-house, and they improve whatever you put them on.

Bowls work if you want the same ingredients without the tortilla, and the portions are honest. You are not paying for presentation here. You are paying for volume and speed.

The Room

There is barely a room. A counter, a line, a few tables near the window. The space is designed for throughput, not ambiance. On a Friday night at 11:30, the line can stretch to the door. By Tuesday at 2 p.m., you might be the only person in the place. Both versions of BTB work fine.

The late-night hours are what separate it from the lunch-only spots nearby. When the late-night options in Ann Arbor narrow to pizza slices and drive-throughs, BTB is still building burritos.

The South U Equation

A lot of student-corridor restaurants treat low prices as permission to cut corners. BTB does not. The tortillas are fresh, the proteins taste like someone seasoned them on purpose, and the salsas are not an afterthought. At $8-$10 for a full meal, it is one of the cheapest real meals near campus, and the budget dining guide includes it for that reason.

This is not a restaurant that is trying to change your understanding of Mexican food. Tmaz Taqueria on Packard does that. Dos Hermanos on Jackson Industrial does that. BTB occupies different territory: the $9 lunch that gets you through the afternoon, the $10 dinner that gets you through the night. Simple, fast, and built for a city where not every meal needs to be a story.

BTB Burrito is at 1140 S University Ave, Ann Arbor. Counter service. Cash and card accepted.