Restaurant
hours:
Mon-Weds: 11:30am - 11:30pm
Thursday: 5pm-12am, (last call at 1:30am)
Friday & Saturday: 11:30am - 12:30am
Sunday: 11:30am - 10:00pm
Reviewed
by Sarah Nelson

A
loyal following has kept Baja in business for the past 13 years,
and this Mexican eatery is as loved today as the day it opened.
Walk through the front door and slide along the canary-yellow
wall past the bar patrons to meet the hostess at the far end.
You’ll be escorted around the corner into the long, narrow dining
room that holds perhaps a few too many tables. Any regular customer,
however, will tell you the food is so good that these close quarters
are a small price to pay. Baja is truly a family restaurant, and
it’s obvious that everyone from the chef to the busboy takes pride
in the place. Almost an entire wall of the dining room has been
turned into a fresco, created by a member of the family. Similar
work is on the wall behind the bar.
At
the busiest times (usually weekends), the service is average.
Sometimes you have to wait for a table, sometimes your water glass
is empty; but your needs will be attended to pleasantly and helpfully
once they’ve been made known. Chips and salsa, made fresh daily,
are there to snack on until your food arrives. Baja offers all
the Mexican dishes you would expect, and some interesting seafood
you may not expect. There are several vegetarian choices.
I
ordered the enchiladas de pollo, a tortilla wrapped around marinated
chicken, cheese, red sauce, and enchilada gravy ($9.95). My date
ordered beef fajitas, served with grilled onion, tomato, and peppers
($14.95) and beef chili ($5.25). The chili, which we shared, had
the perfect amount of spice for my delicate taste buds. We both
agreed that the chili was good, but my date, who likes his food
extra hot and spicy, thought it needed a little more bite. Both
of our meals were served with rice, refried beans, and pico de
gallo. The portions were large and manifestly homemade. We were
especially impressed with the delicious refried beans. The people
at the next table ordered the Famous Baja Special ($39.50). The
menu suggests this is a serving for two, yet all four at that
table attacked the enormous portion of beef and chicken fajitas,
rice, and refried beans with full force, and still couldn’t quite
finish everything.
Baja
is proud of its tequila selection—more than 100 different kinds
from which to choose. There is a discount for tequila lovers who
would like to try them all, or for the realistic who want to sample
a few. Pick four tequilas. They’ll be half-price, and delivered
to you in a little ceramic boat. Margaritas are available in plenty
of flavors, and come highly recommended, as do the many Mexican
beers.