Sapo Freaky Burrito

By: Meghan McGrath
Posted In: Entertainment

Sapo Freaky Burrito, located on 16 “El Broadway” in Newport, has been around for two years, yet employee Mary Regan says hardly anyone knows about it. “We get a lot of people who walk by and ask, how long has this been here? When we say two years, they are like, where have I been or how could I miss this?” Regan says.

It is hard not to ask the same question when walking into the eclectic yet inviting atmosphere of the Mexican restaurant. A sign reading, “Be nice or else” hangs above the entryway, warning customers. Bright red walls with comfortable couch-like seating surround wooden tables. Red and yellow paper mache lighting hangs from the ceiling. The walls are adorned with different size surfboards and pictures from different places. Owner Erin Jacob, who has traveled quite a bit, decorated the restaurant with things from different excursions.

Friendly conversation is taking place between what seems like a regular customer and Regan. A college student eats alone in a corner, devouring his overflowing burrito in less than five minutes. Smells of Mexican spices, onions, peppers, and fresh salsa waft in the air while upbeats music plays and silverware clangs in the background.

Regan says most of their customers are regulars and local business owners who venture in for lunch. Since Freaky Burrito is BYOB, most of the dinner crowd is just that, customers coming in to eat and drink. Take-out orders and the lunch crowd also keep the restaurant busy.

One of the few Mexican restaurants in Newport, Freaky Burrito does fairly well. The only problems the business faces is that its small so there isn’t a lot of seating and “we’re local and we wish that we could expand a little bit,” Regan says.

The business is pretty busy in the summers and drops off in the winter, though the return of local college students does help out a bit. “We get a lot of business especially because we are kind of quick and fresh,” Regan says. “All the food is really fresh and doesn’t take too long to make.”

The most popular item on Freaky Burrito’s menu is the #3 quesadilla: grilled chicken, guacamole, grilled onions, and cheese for $7. Other items include burritos, taco salad, nachos, chips and salsa, and the mole plate, all mostly under $8.

“We’re hard to find,” Regan says, “but once you find us you’re pretty much hooked.”