Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

All you haters should be happy as this Baja Fresh has closed.
Frankly, I don’t understand all of the one star and two star reviews. The food was fresh and tasty. Perhaps a bit over-​priced, I’ll give you that.
I work a couple of blocks away and I couldn’t figure out why the place was typically empty. Guess the newish Chipotle a block away was the death blow.
But I thought they were decent. Once, there was a problem with the sodas, but otherwise my experiences were good. I thought the staff was always friendly and helpful. Never saw an «unkempt» employee on any visit and everyone seemed very courteous.
Well, they’re gone. RIP.

My friends and I were walking around the Gas lamp midday looking for an outdoor area to have lunch.
We wanted to have lunch at the Hard Rock but their pool area was closed. We settled on this place and it seemed easy enough. People could get margaritas and beer and snack on chips. Wrong.
It took 10 minutes at least for our server Jocelyn to bring us our drinks. We were split into two parties of 4. All we ordered was drinks. Maybe the bartender was in the weeds but this is unacceptable. The bus boys didn’t bring us water or chips to tide us over.
My friend had to ask about the baskets where the chips were kept and we never received any.
Then to make matters stranger, a woman had a stroke or something on the outside deck. She got up and fell back in her chair. That was obviously no fault of the restaurant but made us all want to leave. An ambulance came and just as we were crossing the street an insane street urchin started yelling.
The food looked basic like a Mexican version of Applebees. I won’t be going back.

My kids love Baja Fresh, and I like it ok. So when they met me for lunch to go ice skating at Horton, we gave it a try, but I have to agree that this location sucks. Service is terrible, food is bad (burritos were cold; Baja burrito had about 2 shreds of cheese and a drop of guac for $ 7).
On top of that, out of 12 soda machine options, 8 don’t work, including the water — that’s right — NO water. I told the staff, but they didn’t seem overly concerned — half of them had «out of order signs» on them already. «Fresh» salsa didn’t seem that fresh. My advice? Keep walking down to Chipotle.

I LOVE Baja Fresh. This one just plain sucks. I’ll drive out of my way for a good Baja Fresh… and the best ones are in LA. All the ones in San Diego that I went to are closed. So I’m left with downtown.
Please. Replace. The. Staff.
Seriously. Start over. I get better service at McDonald’s. I’m surprised when I have an OK experience from this Baja Fresh. But tonight, they went too far.
No Baja salsa. And no care about it.
The first lame excuse was that «we throw it out when we close» … but it was at 6pm, three hours before they close! WTH. OK, so then maybe they have some in the kitchen. Nope, they’re out too. OK, cool how about making some? No, that takes an hour. You don’t effing have the salsa that’s named after your business?
Bad. Bad. Bad.
Since they’re all I’ve got in my town, I guess I’ll have to call ahead to see if they have the only salsa I like there…

Service was friendly but joking around too much behind them. Guacamole was terrible. Probably the worst ever. Everything else was ok.

I used to like Baja Fresh… before they closed most of the San Diego locations. The Broadway location was kept open (it’s a franchise) but the quality has been going downhill. I have had a few issues with them over the years but the bottom line is that the food isn’t great. I won’t get into the water not working when I was in there a few days ago. it’s the food. Here is my prediction: That location is out of business within a year. Maybe a Chipotle will replace it.

Healthy Mexican food! How could you go wrong! Baja Fresh has an excellent array of healthy scrumptious meal choices such as shrimp tacos, bean and cheese burritos a nacho burrito, Taco salad served in a tostada bowl etc. One thing I love about this restaurant is the fresh salsa bar. It has some of the best salsa known to man, perfect for dressing up your order or snacking with some chips and gucamole.
Baja Fresh even has nifty plastic on the go cups if you buy one and bring it back you can get refills for 99 cents! Perfect if you are an on the go downtown San Diego.
The girls who work here are very sweet Perla & Veronica! They always provide service with a smile and are very cheerful. My Dad and I utilize this restaurant quite a bit working down town it’s a true gem! Trying to learn Spanish my Dad and I get to practice here and the girls that work here teach us too. Very cool place to eat affordable healthy clean and great staff ! Thank you Baja Fresh!

Let’s face it: Jury Duty sucks, and makes for a long day. Sadly, eating lunch at Baja Fresh didn’t help. This place just isn’t good.
I have memories of Baja Fresh being above mediocre, but that was in High School while I was living in Seattle and had never experienced quality Mexican food. After being in San DIego for 2 years, this place is not authentic or tasty compared to anything I’ve had around the area. Basically I see it as a worse version of Rubios. More expensive, and less tasty.
The fish was burned – charred, in fact. The taco shells tasted old and somewhat stale. The mango salsa was far too sweet, and tasted syrup-​y. The only ok part was the fresh avocado on top of my taco, and the green salsa – but then again, how do you mess up those things?
Overall, avoid this place. There are many other options in downtown SD that are the same price, and much tastier.

Dear Baja Fresh Mexican Grill Owner of the Downtown San Diego location,
Can you please make your hours clear?
I just got off the phone with your location and this is pretty much our conversation…
Me: Hi. Are you still open?
Baja: No, I’m sorry. We’re already closed.
Me: Oh, ok. What time do you open?
Baja: 9am
Me: Ok… and, what time do you close?
Baja: 9pm
Me: Huh?! What time is it now?
Baja: 8:15pm.
Me: And, you’re closed?
Baja: Yes, we’re closing up.
Me: Can I just make an order over the phone and pick it up? I’m just in the hotel across the street.
Baja: No, I’m sorry. We’re already closed.
I don’t know about you. But, I’m still confused. It’d only have taken me 5mins to cross the street and pick up my item, yet you facility was already closing 45 mins. prior to the stated closing time. Please clarify.
Sincerely,
a Baja Fresh consumer

I feel bad writing bad things about places but this is a fail. Chicken is over cooked and the dressings taste bad. I tried the vinaigrette and the chipotle since the first didn’t taste right.
It’s sort of like your little brother that thinks he knows how to make food better than chipotle created a restaurant and completely failed.
Baja: First: dry the lettuce, fix the dressings, stop cooking the chicken maybe one minute before and listen to what I actually ordered. Thanks.

Alas, today I learned the hard way there’s no escape from bad Mexican food on this side of the border!
Baja Fresh is a case in point — grossly overpriced, unhealthy and not at all fresh, the food they serve here is the dismal end result of the commoditization and Americanization of a once proud national cuisine. Ridiculously priced at $ 8 and up per meal, you will find on the menu all the usual tacos, burritos and quesadillas, all of them tasting equally horrible. And fresh, are you kidding me? Even Rubios’ infamous fish tacos are more edible than this junk!
The only reason this place gets two stars instead of the one it truly deserves is that — believe it or not — there’s even worse Mexican food just around the corner. La Salsa at Horton Plaza would be one such example.

I don’t normally eat at Baja Fresh but I was short on cash and had a gift card. I guess others feel the same cuz when I walked in, there was only 1 person eating in here. I placed my order and when I handed over my gift card I was told they don’t accept them! WTF?! No gift cards? You are a big corporation, aren’t you? And how does a Bean and Cheese burrito cost over $ 7??! Never again will I go here, considering I drove around the block twice to find parking. Complete waste of time.

It’s OK. Why go here when there are several «hole in the wall» Mexican places that are cheaper and give you the same if not larger portions?
Try out Mexican Fiesta or Taco Express.
The Baja Burrito is virtually vegetarian in the amount of carne asada they give you. Seriously, it’s half pico de gallo. For close to 7 bucks you’re better going somewhere else if you want a nice, meaty burrito.

i’ve held off on writing this review for a while, but yesterday’s lunch pushed me over the top. i work across the street and have eaten here on several occassions. EVERY time i have eaten here, i get the poos!
i was the first person in there around 11:30 yesterday, and i kid you not, my order was ready in the time it took me to walk from the cash register to the salsa bar. i ordered the baja chicken salad, and i would be hard-​pressed to believe that it had ‘freshly grilled chicken.’ the salad is just lettuce, tomatoes, a sprinkle of cotija cheese, grilled chicken and tortilla strips. i like the salsa verde for dressing and add some cilatro and jalapenos from the salsa bar. nothing you would think would go bad, right? WRONG.
it’s always long enough between visits that i forget how awful i feel after i eat here. i’m writing this to remind me.

It was right next to my hotel, so naturally I went to grab a bite.
Service isn’t extremely fast, but it’s not too slow either. They do accept credit/​debit cards. Prices are a bit high though.
I had a large soda (I got the green tea– yes, they actually have a tea machine! It’s good tea too!) A small carnitas taco (something like $ 2.50?) Decent tasting and with the salsa verde it’s the bomb. I also had the steak quesadilla ($ 7?). There wasn’t enough steak, and the only cheese in there was mozzarella. I liked the chips with the guac/​sour cream though.
Not too impressive. I’d prefer something else, granted this place is a bit healthier (or so it would seem) than other places.

The Fish Tacos were great, the salsa bar nice but the skimpy portion of chips not enough for the queso.