The B3

The Big Badass Burrito - also known as the B3 - is one of those challenges you just can't pass up. It's only available at the NASCAR Cafe in the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

For the details... it is billed as a 2-foot, 6-lb burrito. Signs in the restaurant area describe it as "child-sized." This burrito caught my attention because of its weight. I had demolished several 5-lb burritos by the time press releases were done for the B3. Surely, my stomach could handle another pound.

There was but one way to found out. The time was October 2009. Exact dates escape me, but I didn't have work the next day, which was a fortunate turn.

The NASCAR Cafe runs a pretty good gimmick with the burrito challenge. They have a 3-table challenge area roped off from the rest of the dining space. Challengers take their spots in this little area and basically open themselves up to the attention (or ridicule) of the passersby... many of whom are a bit under the influence.

This is a challenge setup done right. Too many restaurants offer up their eating challenges as an afterthought. Not in Vegas.

The Big Badass Burrito is composed of steak, beans, rice, cheese, jalapenos, black olives, several tortillas, a few dollops of sour cream and guacamole, and liberally doused with cheese sauce and more olives. It represents a slice of Tex-Mex cuisine. At $20, it's not a bad deal.

Finish it in 90 minutes and it's free, along with a cool t-shirt and unlimited rides on the NASCAR roller coaster.

Losers get their picture taken in a pink "Weenie" t-shirt. And they get a nice bill for $20, in addition to a full stomach and the attendant embarassment of being photographed in the Weenie shirt.

Once the behemoth was set down before me, I went to work. This was before I developed any sort of technique, so I was daintily proceeding with a fork and knife.


The burrito seemed very fluidy inside, but there was just so much steak. Progress was much slower than anything you'd hope for.

Passersby gathered around once I reached the 75-80% mark. Several people predicted I would win, while one guy with a skateboard said right to my face: "Dude, you're gonna lose. That thing is huge."

One casino employee was almost giddy with excitement. "I've never seen anyone finish this burrito. I didn't believe it was possible. And now I'm gonna see it happen!"

Wow. Is that what passes for excitement? In Vegas??

What's wrong with these people?

I completed the B3 at the 70 minute mark, becoming the 17th individual to do so since the challenge was unveiled. Compare that to the roughly 900 who had already failed it at that point.


Happy to be victorious, but 70 minutes was a bit disappointing. Maybe I'll conquer it again one day.

Several people in the restaurant wanted to take photos with me. Again, that's behavior I will never understand. Why in the world would ANYONE celebrate the consumption of a child-sized meal?

One day I'll go back and tangle with the B3 again. My second attempt didn't go so well, mostly because the burrito was much heavier and denser. Far more steak packed in... but more about that in a future post.


Definitely a noteworthy challenge!