So, you know those days when you’re by yourself? The days when your friends are at a movie you’ve already seen? Or when your kids, siblings or roommates have exhausted themselves into an early-evening slumber? When you’re looking for something… rewarding? Those are Baja days. When thinking of anything as ‘Baja’, the residual image is one of boldness, festivity and fun. Most commonly the idea of Baja, California, a tiny sliver of city (which could easily stand as an island were it not physically connected to the state) regarded for its status as a popular vacation spot, comes to mind. Not unlike the case of the island, the implied image of Baja Fresh Mexican Grill distracts potential partakers from the actual beauty of the trip. The logo on the entrance and the photo art of the Mexican grill on their party menus is fun and inviting, beckoning hungry youthful adults to come in with their friends and share some good times over food and liquor. When customers walk in, however, they might feel a little deceived. The indoor furniture is thin, sleek and (while attractive) stuffy- reminiscent of a lunchtime hangout for busy corporate executives to undo their hair clips and/or loosen their ties for the hour of freedom in between their back-to-back board meetings.
The outdoor furniture also disagrees with the advertised ambiance. The green plastic chairs bleed backyard barbeque and the questionable marble, of which the table (bolted to the floor) was made scoffs at the idea of having been converted into such. Not to mention, there isn’t much space in front of the ordering counter for the three service areas the restaurant offers (orders, pick-ups for call-ins, and the waiting area for those who place their orders inside the restaurant).
So, it’s not a welcoming place to eat and design coordination barely exists. Does that mean customers shouldn’t invest time going there? Not by any means, just take it home!
The food is muy delicioso (that’s ‘very delicious’ for the uni-linguals), earning every one of the five stars. The current promotional item is a $7.99, two-taco combo with a side of rice, a choice of either pinto or black beans and an option of Fire-Grilled Spicy Marinated Steak, Langostino Lobster, Fire-Grilled Blackened Shrimp or Mahi-Mahi (fish). There’s no drink included, but, if you aren’t lucky enough to be there on a day when free 32oz cups are being given away outside the restaurant, you can always buy one for around $2.00. Other menu options include a variety of tacos, burritos, soups and salads at prices that are close to average in the industry.
The things that set Baja apart from other Mexican and Mexican-American restaurants are the flavor and color pallets. If having the option of a lobster taco isn’t enough to distinguish them, they make up for it by replacing and/or combining lettuce with cabbage in some tacos. Their thin seasoned-corn tortillas have a robust flavor that not only grips the taste buds, but collects the juices of the meat and the plump, plentiful veggies inside. The rice is nothing special on its own but, if you spoon it into the tortillas, it complements the tacos nicely. Finally, the choice of beans is between black beans and pintos. The pintos also work well within the dishes.
Seemingly, the only thing wrong with the Baja Fresh dishes would be that, while they claim to be healthy, they are full of drippy greasiness, which (unless you like having your loved ones glare at the sour cream/tomato juice combination running down your chin) is another reason you might want to eat at home. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is the perfect comfort food for a quiet night at home. So, pull out your toothpicks with the umbrella tip, turn your couch into a hammock and enjoy a living room vacation in Baja. And don’t worry, if you simply must eat in a group, Baja Fresh offers catering as well. Baja Fresh is located in Niles at 5716 W. Touhy Ave, or go to bajafresh.com to find a location closer to you.