At Anita’s Mexican menu, typical plates range from 280–1,050 calories, and mindful swaps can trim sodium and saturated fat fast.
Light Pick
Middle
Heaviest
Lean Plate
- Two soft corn tacos
- Grilled chicken or fish
- Pico & extra lettuce
Lower sodium
Balanced Plate
- One burrito, black beans
- Half rice, light cheese
- Side salad no dressing
Calorie aware
Indulgent Plate
- Enchilada combo
- Rice & refried beans
- Crema & queso
Higher calories
Anita’s Mexican Menu Nutrition Facts — What To Expect
Local menus shift by city, but the pattern holds: tortillas and cheese push calories up, while grilled fillings, veggies, and salsa pull numbers down. One soft corn taco with grilled chicken and pico often lands near the low end of a meal range. A loaded combo with rice, refried beans, queso, and sour cream climbs fast. If you track sodium, sauces and seasoned sides move the needle more than plain grilled items.
Few regional restaurants post full panels for every plate. When an entry lacks a panel, the next best move is to estimate from trusted databases and then adjust for portion size. A flour tortilla brings dense energy compared with a corn tortilla, and refried beans raise both calories and sodium compared with black beans. You’ll see those levers echoed in the ranges and swaps throughout this guide.
Quick Ranges For Popular Dishes
This table compiles common ranges you can expect for similar items across New Mexican and Tex-Mex style menus, built from chain disclosures, third-party menu databases, and standard ingredient panels. Use it to ballpark a plate before you order.
Dish Type | Calories (typical) | Sodium (mg) |
---|---|---|
Soft Taco, Grilled Chicken, Pico | 280–420 | 450–820 |
Soft Taco, Carnitas Or Steak | 340–520 | 520–900 |
Burrito, Chicken, Beans, Light Cheese | 520–740 | 850–1,250 |
Burrito, Beef, Rice, Cheese, Crema | 760–980 | 1,150–1,650 |
Enchilada Plate With Rice & Beans | 820–1,050 | 1,300–1,900 |
Fajitas, Chicken, Tortillas On Side | 550–780 | 900–1,400 |
Chips & Salsa (Basket Share) | 320–560 | 380–720 |
House Margarita (12 oz) | 170–240 | 0–10 |
How We Built Those Ranges
The tortilla sets the base. A medium flour tortilla typically packs far more energy than a corn tortilla. See the flour tortilla facts panel used to anchor burrito estimates. Beans matter too: fat-free refried beans can still carry a notable sodium load compared with plain black beans reported in nutrition databases. For sodium context across restaurants and packaged foods, the FDA sodium targets explain why menus are trending lighter on salt over time.
Since Anita’s sites are regional, recipes and serving sizes may change by location. If a burrito looks larger than your usual chain order, expect a bigger calorie and sodium footprint. That’s why the ranges above show bands instead of single numbers.
Smart Ordering Moves That Make A Big Difference
Small edits punch above their weight. Ask for grilled chicken or fish, double pico, and light cheese. Keep sour cream off the plate or on the side. Switch to corn tortillas when possible. If you like rice and beans, choose half portions and lean toward black beans.
Share starters. A basket of chips can be a meal’s worth of energy before entrées land. If you want the crunch, split one basket across the table and move on. For drinks, water or unsweetened tea keeps totals steady, while sweet cocktails climb fast.
Portion Clues That Help On The Spot
Check hand size: a taco that fits your palm tends to sit in the lower range above. A burrito that reaches wrist to knuckles usually hits the middle or upper band. Two enchiladas plus rice and beans will run near the top unless you trim the sides.
Watch creamy add-ons. A heavy drizzle of queso or crema can push a plate up by a couple hundred calories. When in doubt, ask for sauces on the side and add a spoon or two at the table.
Protein Picks: Where Flavor Meets Balance
Grilled chicken or fish brings solid protein with fewer calories than battered or fried options. Carnitas or steak tastes bold but often comes with more fat. If you’re set on a richer filling, pair it with corn tortillas and skip the extra cheese to even things out.
Build Your Own Burrito Or Bowl — The Leaner Blueprint
Think in layers. Start with corn tortillas or a bowl, add grilled protein, then beans, salsa, and crunchy veg. Keep cheese light and save crema for a small topper. This approach trims calories while keeping satisfaction high.
Side Swaps That Pay Off
Black beans give fiber and protein without as much sodium as refried styles listed in public databases. If you want rice, ask for half and lean on fajita veggies to fill the space. Skip the second basket of chips and use crisp lettuce for crunch.
Sauces, Salsas, And Salt
Tomato salsa adds pop with little energy. Creamy queso or thick crema adds both energy and sodium. A squeeze of lime and extra pico keep flavor bright without moving totals much. This is exactly why national guidance pushes gradual salt cuts across the food supply; the same idea works at the table level too.
Swap Impact Cheat Sheet
Swap | Calories Saved | Sodium Saved (mg) |
---|---|---|
Corn tortilla for flour (per taco) | 60–100 | 20–80 |
Grilled chicken for steak (per serving) | 70–120 | 40–90 |
Black beans for refried (½ cup) | 20–60 | 120–250 |
Pico for queso (2 tbsp) | 80–120 | 120–180 |
Half rice portion | 90–120 | 60–120 |
No sour cream; lime instead | 60–90 | 30–60 |
How To Estimate A Plate When No Panel Is Posted
1) Start With The Tortilla Or Base
For a burrito, the tortilla can be the single largest calorie source. A medium flour tortilla brings a dense base, while two small corn tortillas keep totals lower. That’s the first dial to set.
2) Pick Protein Wisely
Grilled chicken or fish hits a sweet spot on protein per calorie. If the kitchen offers lean steak cuts, they can work; ask how they’re cooked. Fried protein bumps totals fast, so pair it with a bowl or corn tortillas and go lighter on cheese.
3) Choose Your Beans
Refried beans vary, but canned fat-free styles still carry sodium. Many places season black beans more lightly. If you want the creamy taste, spoon a small amount and fill the rest of the space with fajita veggies.
4) Mind The Extras
Queso, sour cream, and extra cheese add up. Salsa, lettuce, onions, and cilantro bring volume without a surge. Ask for sauces on the side to stay in control.
Calories And Sodium: What Numbers Make Sense
Target a plate that fits your day. If dinner is your main meal, a burrito in the 600–800 range can work for many adults. If you already had a big lunch, two tacos and black beans are a tidy move. On sodium, national goals push average intake down over time, so shaving a couple hundred milligrams with easy swaps is worth it. For ingredient-level checks, the refried beans panel shows why that switch to black beans helps.
What About Breakfast Items?
Some locations serve morning plates and handhelds. A breakfast burrito built with eggs, potato, cheese, and a flour tortilla runs toward the middle or high bands in the first table. A lighter take swaps in corn tortillas, adds salsa, and trims cheese. If chorizo is on the board, portion size and fat content can swing totals; grilled ham or chicken brings a gentler curve.
Sample Orders That Balance Flavor And Numbers
Order A: Two Soft Corn Tacos
Grilled chicken, pico, lettuce, extra salsa. Add black beans on the side. Skip crema. You’ll land near the low band for both calories and sodium.
Order B: Chicken Burrito, Custom
Flour tortilla, grilled chicken, black beans, half rice, light cheese, extra pico. Hold queso. That lands in the middle band with satisfying volume.
Order C: Enchilada Combo, Trimmed
Two cheese enchiladas with extra salsa, half rice, side salad. Ask for no crema. This keeps flavor while pulling totals back from the top band.
Allergy And Ingredient Questions
Regional kitchens often share fryers and prep surfaces, so cross-contact can happen. If you have allergies, ask how tortillas are warmed, whether beans include lard, and which proteins are cooked on a shared surface. Many teams are happy to grill to order, hold cheese, and plate sauces on the side.
Final Tips For Anita’s Fans
Scan the menu for grilled choices, corn tortillas, and veggie add-ons. Build volume with salsa and greens, not extras from the cheese rail. Keep chips to a shared starter. If you track sodium, lean on black beans and fresh salsas. When you want a richer plate, trim rice and add fajita veggies to balance the day.